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balthazar

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Everything posted by balthazar

  1. balthazar
  2. balthazar
    Again; the data from 2009 thru 2014 shows sedans --as the singular car body style-- down only 0.9%. IMO, a decline I would consider dubbing "major" would have to be closer to 10%, not >1%. My 2 cents.
  3. balthazar
    ^ They are indeed gruesome. '69 or '70 Mustang Mach 1 fastback, clean, red, must've been 18" wheels, for sale at Ford-oriented body shop.
  4. balthazar
    Taking the rest of the week off. Going to feel guilty as hell come Thursday, but right now looking forward with some glee to tomm (even tho it's predicted to be 90% chance of rain).
  5. balthazar
    One would do well to recognize that these articles --again; ever eager to trumpet any sort of "news/trends"-- are putting all non-pickup 'trucks' against a singular 'car' body style. It suits media's frequent agenda, but it does not suit logic.
  6. balthazar
    Of course; these are parts that move relative to each other. Besides set-ups like my '59 Buick, which have threaded steel bushings instead of rubber..., rubber mounting of suspension parts is a given. But body-to-frame is not designed to have movement between the 2… yet some equate 'sloppy handling' with these small neoprene discs, rather than entire suspension system/ tunes.
  7. balthazar
    ^ That's fine & well, and I agree they should be grouped…. but many times enthusiasts / boards talk about them as if they are 2 distinct segments. We've all read on C&G how Cadillac only has "one CUV", have we not? :shrug: But to answer the specific charge earlier in this thread… CUVs alone have not surpassed sedans yet. And again I submit; if we're going to (have to) group SUVs & CUVs together, there's no earthly reason to separate out coupes, wagons & sedans from each other… and there, they're still over 46%. The way that makes the most sense is we group 'cars', 'SUVs/CUVs' and 'pickups' as 3 separate segments and call it done. If we persist with all this hair splitting, pray tell where is the Murano convertible plugged?
  8. balthazar
    '71-72 El Camino, bright yellow w/ black top, stock & gleaming. '63 Merc Breezeway sedan, med blue, rolling fast down highway.
  9. balthazar
    You don't have to feel any pain, hyper; the numbers have CUVs AND SUVs grouped together. CUVs are probably 85% of that number, but they're not (yet) eclipsing sedans. Unless somehow that group saw a tremendous jump in sales in the last 12 months. I would like to see the SUV / CUV number split…. but either way, the segments are remarkably stable WRT marketshare.
  10. balthazar
    There really aren't limitations, especially if you consider the physicality of the 2 builds. Considering the variable possibilities of wheels, tires, shocks, springs, bushings, suspension… what percentage of contribution would you say the fact that BOF's have tiny, hard rubber discs between their frame & body shell and unibodies do not…. in the handling or 'corner carving' of either? Because, everything else being equal, it's a minuscule factor. I would love to see an 'apples to apples' test of the 2, somehow.
  11. balthazar
    BOF doesn't contribute noticeably to 'wallow', that's 98% a byproduct of the tires & suspension.
  12. balthazar
    Over the 6 model years from 2009 to 2014, sedans have lost 0.9% of the marketshare. If you want to call that "declining", I guess that's your perogative. SUVs and CUVs together have gained 5.1% over the same years. Some colossal tidal shift. As far as 2020 goes, who knows?? Last summer everyone was projecting $5/gal gas in the U.S.. Only time will show if any major shifts will occur.
  13. balthazar
    Took a ride with a buddy of mine on a continual prowl for a decent 1st gen Toronado. Small town car lot was advertising a '66… but the amateur restoration still revealed too many concerns to seriously consider. He passed. Jump pack didn't have enough spark to start it, either. A shame of course, 'cause the '66 is rolling ARTWORK. Lot also had a '70 Cadillac SdV, black.
  14. balthazar
    Crossovers are NOT outselling sedans. Market penetration by vehicle type for 2014 : SUV and CUV : 36.5% sedan : 35.4% coupe : 3.4 hatchback : 5.5% wagon : 1.2% convertible : 1% SMK's analysis : "No one wants sedans anymore". Another hole in one, Arnold!! As usual, media has overhyped the numbers in desperation to sound 'hip' with the 'new trends'. Further, cars (IE sedans, coupes, convs, hatches & wagons) are 46.5%. CUVs are probably around 25%. - - - - - Rounding out the breakdown, pickups are 13.1% of the market.
  15. balthazar
    For the 10 millionth time, so does the Camry. Regular interior looks cheap & not very cohesive. The top dog interior is just way too blingy & trashy, but obviously that's what reels in mercedes customers.
  16. balthazar
    Wow- they're actually spending another 99 cents and making the tailgate align with the top of the bed this time !!!
  17. balthazar
    ^ And audi.
  18. balthazar
    Count me among those not remotely convinced the autonomous car is ultimately answering anyone's question.
  19. balthazar
    I see what Drew is seeing. It's changes in numerous dimensions- the pics dfelt posted, same angle, and the proportions of the windshield have changed to narrower & taller. I hope to hell at least there's some sort of compelling engineering reasoning, rather than even a human hair's connection to the so-called 'CUV craze' that keeps making everything taller & taller. From the pics here, IMO, what had true potential to make inroads is going to be largely an also-ran.
  20. balthazar
    We also established that the s-class wasn't a luxury car by period definition until the 1990s. The '80s S interiors were rubbery cheap trash. But they did a good job benchmarking/copying Cadillac on interior plushness, amenities & options, to their credit, finally becoming competitive there. SMK, if you want a V8 Cadillac so bad, buy a CT6 and have a custom shop install a LT1 in it. Otherwise, don't assume you speak for even 1 more potential Cadillac customer; no one elected you as a representative.
  21. balthazar
    It's not a size issue, it's a disparity with the 'core message' thing. MB claims to be 'the best or nothing' and the G is still basically stuck in 1970.
  22. balthazar
    Three to four 8 oz cups of coffee = 360-480 mg of caffeine. That's your energy drink right there. Of course, almost no one drinks a mere 8 oz cup of coffee, so YMMV... I drink 1 or 2 8oz Red Bulls/day, which is 84 or 168 mg of caffeine. Some days I have none. Never took to coffee. The crank tho, that I don't limit myself on.
  23. balthazar
    I was extremely lucky to score an NOS speedometer at a swap meet a few years ago (duh- the one on the right). The one on the left is what someone, at some point, installed. It's a period Ford passenger car unit. It interchanges physically, but it's incorrect (& quite optimistic). It's also rather deteriorated. Note the correct HD truck unit's shift point recommendations. The COE speedo & the gauge pod are side-lit by the newly-cleaned, checked & fully functional twin bulbs, transferred over from the pass car unit. Tiny signs of life.
  24. balthazar
    • Consumers don't pay any attention to platforms, so that's not a marketing issue. • The 'bling' tag doesn't pass the smell test. If 'bling' by definition is excess brightwork and flamboyant bodywork, the Escalade, in the prior generation but especially in the current one, doesn't match up. The CTS is far more flamboyant than the Escalade. Other than a formidable front fascia, the Escalade is markedly restrained. "Bling" is more aptly applied to some of the other lux entries rather than the Escalade. • There isn't any stand-out nimble performance in the large lux SUV segment. • Other country volume, relatively, is not an anomaly vs. other Cadillac models. If Jdn feels these are real points to tackle, he's misguided.
  25. balthazar
    And safety, in retrospect.
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