PurdueGuy

Sure it does... cuz using the launch control voids the warranty and destroys the trans after a half dozen launches, which results in a $20k repair bill. Knowing that, I'd call launching the GTR pretty ballsy.

So far so good. Actually, I have hawks up front & duralast gold in the rear. Been installed for... 6 mo? along with new rotors (and stainless brake lines and new fluid), and they still brake hard & smooth. That includes 3 days of autocross and some long trips, as well as general running around town & such.

I don't have to drive one to say that 3800 lbs for a tall car is too heavy. The worse thing is how close to that the Aura is, it's a pig too. The Vue may be a great vehicle and a better option than most/all other CUVs out there, but I still find it's weight too high. GM needs to find ways to keep their vehicles just as solid while going on a diet. That's easy mpgs.

I agree... IF they can get the sales to pay for the development. This is no time for GM to go "I can do that too!" and lose money. I am not saying GM should not have these products (AWD 4cyl, AWD hybrid), I am saying that GM should do their homework and FIND OUT if it's financially wise to have these products. Spending several million developing one of these vehicles and finding out it'll only bring in a few thousand sales is exactly the kind of mistake GM can't afford right now. It's easy for us as enthusiasts to sit back and say "GM should offer every model with every drivetrain variation with every option in every color with every...", but at the end of the day, some of those combinations aren't financially viable, and GM had better know that before it spends the money, not after.

Even if the GTR were faster, it's trans would fail after a half dozen launches. lol GO ZR1!

Don't get me wrong, I think the current Vue is a pig too.

Quickly looking up the JD Power survey, VW is rated average or below average across the board. I had a prof that was a lean manufacturing consultant with a lot of the top auto companies, and even he said that VW just can't get their quality right. Not that the cars aren't engineered well, but that they can't seem to manufacture them consistently well. So while one may go out the factory door and be rock solid and very reliable, the next one out the door may be full of gremlins. Add in the difficulty and cost of repair, and getting one with gremlins is a nightmare.

my biggest issue is the opening size. I hate when I have something I want to put in the trunk, and I can clearly see that it would fit in the trunk, but because the opening is too small, I can't actually put it in the trunk.

It's just a tall car. Some people know how to drive in snow and rain and don't need an AWD system to kill their fuel economy 100% of the time, just to be a little helpful 1% of the time. Like I said, there may be enough people that would want it that it's merited. Or it could be a program that would cost GM millions and result in a couple thousand sales, and be a big mistake. Neither of us knows that, but it's something that I would hope GM has or will look into.

Yup, and they are generally the most highly recommended replacement strut for the S-Series as well. Just seem to hold up well, and aren't too soft. I like my hawk brake pads.

dealing with a lost title takes time that it sounds like you don't have. It can be done, but heck, just having a new title mailed when transferring titles takes like a month. You could look into it, but it may take longer than you have. That is a better car, tho.

because it will be cheaper, and if you get the right brand, it will be just as good if not better quality. Apparently the brands you bought aren't so good. Time to look into what is.

The important question is, how many other people are going to be interested in a hybrid Vue with AWD? I agree with others about having doubts about how well the 2wd 2mode 6cyl will sell. Most of the people buying hybrids want nothing but the best fuel economy. 6cyl already hurts that. AWD would hurt it more. You've said your wife would buy it, that's not nothing, but the question is how many others would? I don't know the answer to that, but I think it may be presumptuous to say that because it's what your wife wants, that it would be a wise move by GM. I do think it is something they should be looking into, because it could be applicable to the lambdas as well, and if it'll sell, they should look into it. Who knows - maybe it's in the works. Of course, knowing how well GM keeps it's development programs secret, I think we would have heard something if it was, so it's probably not.

I guess I could see giving the Tahoe/Yukon the axe, and their buyers moving either down to the Lambda or up to the 'Burban/XL (maybe drop the XL and just start calling the long wb version the Yukon?) I personally don't see the point of buying a Tahoe/Yukon anyway - for practically the same fuel economy you can have soooo much more room in a 'burban/XL. <3 my burban.

I disagree - the last thing they need to do when introducing a new volume model is to either a) lose money on it because of shipping costs or b) price it too high and run off potential buyers. An initial reputation of a car being too expensive will linger for quite a while & kill sales later. If they can do it and still make money, then fine, but I have my doubts about that. Plus, it's already been said that the NA version will be somewhat different.

Getting rid of all of GM's truck-based SUVs would be stupid. Resizing their production and minimizing investment dollars into development would be smart. They could leave it pretty much the same for the next 10 years, with a mild refresh in there somewhere, and it would be fine.

go with different aftermarket stuff.

"GM has been forced to change the design in their new catalytic converters, which have been found to have a strong magnetic force. This was not noticed until a group of 40lb models all wearing ankle bracelets were drawn under the car by the magnetic force."

Yeah, the badges are fine, but the big graphics along the bottom of the side are cheese. I'd probably get a greenline badge for it, too. I can understand that they didn't like the long name "Saturn Vue Green Line Two Mode Hybrid", but I liked the Red Line / Green Line thing in general.

hot

It's funny because it's true! So, if anyone has a thing for getting low-key rare models, just hunt down one of those few AWD models that were sold...

They'd better get a huge lump of cash for it... even then, I'm not convinced it's a good idea...

From individual sellers - dealers all think cars are made of gold. It also helps to be familiar with the cars and be able to fix some problems... problems that convince the seller that the car is worth nothing, but that I know I can fix for very minimal money and effort. Best part about this one is that it has a built motor that will be going into my SC2 with the hope of eventually turboing it, and I will be building a stock engine to put back in this SL2 and then selling the car at a profit.

Should be a nice vehicle.

Hints of hot, lots of not.