GMTruckGuy74

A car carrier full of brand new 2009 Chevrolet Traverse, heading east-bound on the PA Turnpike outside of Lancaster County, roughly 8:00 AM yesterday. I guess after GM's/Chevy's TV advertising push last week they'll finally be hitting the dealer's lots.

Hudson, I think you've misinterupted balthazar. I read it to mean that he doesn't want to break down in a rural area where he can't get the service he'll need to get back home the same day. I didn't take it as an insult to the people in that region. I travel out that way several times a year and find the people there friendlier than where I live in rural southern NJ. Of course balthazar is a big boy and can speak for himself, but I just wanted to point out that balthazar is not an insult-slinging guy before anyone else makes a mountain out of a mole hill :AH-HA_wink: And balthazar, why not rent a vehicle to make the trip out?

I had to travel to North Brunswick for work yesterday and took Route 130 North - which takes me right by Perrine Buick-Pontiac-GMC-Hummer-Saab. As I passed I witnessed a 2009 Hummer H3T being unloaded from a carrier. On my way home, I stopped by the dealership to have a look - Carbon Black Metallic, fully loaded, $41k and change. With Hummer up for sale I was wondering if these trucks were going to make it out to the dealers; now I know they're on the way. I have to start playing Power Ball or at least the NJ Lottery

And why haven't you yet mister? You live closer to Hershey than I do and it's carved in stone that I 'must' attend each year Oldsmoboi, ocnblu... you two going this year?? There's a relly good '50s diner about two miles away called "The Soda Jerk Cafe". Great food and atmosphere. I'm going for dinner before I head on my way home. Are we having a C&G gathering this year? I'll be up there myself Saturday, walking around and trying to fit as much in as I can (it seems to get bigger and bigger each year). I've been going every year since 1989 (I begged my dad to take me <I was 14 y-o at the time> and neither of us knew what we were getting into - I've been hooked ever since). Next year, being the 20th anniversary for me, I want to stay overnight Friday into Saturday, maybe even into Sunday. I've only wanted to do this for several years now, but have never acted on it. Being that the 20th year for me is coming up, maybe that will 'light a fire' under my a$$ to do it. If you're going, here's a link to the official map of the show: http://local.aaca.org/hershey/documents/20...8OVERALLweb.pdf And a special treat for GM's 100th anniversary awaits at the AACA Museum just up the road from the show, about a mile away: the GM Firebird Motorama Concept cars will be on display: http://www.aacamuseum.org/events/event.aspx?id=187 The museum has special hours until Saturday (close at 9:00 PM) because of the event. And while balthazar posted a picture of the 2003 event, here's last year's <2007> aerial photo: And it seems as GM (among other corporations) will have a special display set up in the Orange field:

I can't wait for Saturday! Even though the show starts today (Wednesday), I believe it's vendors and car corral (for sale) only until Saturday when the show cars (juding) show up. And there's been changes since that picture in 2003; 90% of the vendors are on blacktop, and the gold course to the bottom right is no longer a golf course and is used for the show cars on Saturday. I'm approximately 125 miles away from Hershey, and leaving at 5/5:30 AM will get me there in under 2 hours (usually 1:45). Did I say that I can't wait?!?!

gmcbob, I'm not trying to pick on you, but I had both a 2001 Sonoma (column shifter vs. console shifter) and the 2005 Envoy and I's say those interiors were lightyears apart from each other! I get your point though that GM should have spent just a few bucks more to make the Envoy top-notch and and just not "better" than the Jimmy's dash materials & layout. I was hoping that with the 2006 refresh (ha!) the interior would have received an upgrade (more than just the new window switches and loss of the 3rd lighter plug). What a disappointment! If the radio system was updated for 2009 (black tie radios as in the Sierra/Yukon/Acadia), the transmission was upgraded to the 6-speed auto for better fuel economy, and the remote start option was offered, I would likely consider buying one this spring. As such, the truck will be off my shopping list (unfortunately). I really liked the ride, turning radius, and power of the 4200 I-6 a lot.

ORLY?? GMC Jimmy dash (circa 1998-2001): GMC Envoy dash (circa 2002-2009):

Well, she was there and was the one that took the picture ... and on that note, she told me "Don't even ask for one" LOL!!

I saw a 1983 Oldsmobile Cutlass H/O 15th Anniversary Edition when we took the kids to Shady Brook Farms in Bucks County (PA) for pumpkin picking yesterday. It was like this one: ...however, it was nowhere near as nice looking as the one pictured!!

Well, I've only attended two shows with vehicles I owned in my lifetime - one show with the SKY (I didn't care about the fee, as the money was going to a charity fundraiser) and no trophies unless you won the class; the other show was back in '98 when I owned a '95 Trans Am and belonged to a Trans Am club (the fee was nominal and I won a 2nd place trophy!). I typically don't like to attend shows where I have to pay to be a spectator, unless the money is going towards a charitable group or fundraising event (schools, churches, etc). Carlisle (All-GM Nationals) is one of the few I attend where I have to pay to get in, and while it goes against my preferences, the show is always worth it. If I had a show vehicle, as long as the fee wasn't astronomical, I wouldn't mind to pay to show it off.

For me it's the cars and/or trucks I want to see or to find the diecast collectibles I'm looking for (some shows I'm more into the vendors than the show vehicles!). I wish I could say it's for the people, but since I don't own a show vehicle and belong to a club, I talk to the owners of the vehicles I really like and move along. I look for shows that will likely have what I want to see (trucks mostly). Past experience and/or word of mouth advice, how long of a drive, number of vehicles on display/size of show. For example, two weekends ago I drove to Boonton, NJ (north Jersey for this southern Jersey guy) to attend a classic fire apparatus (truck) show. About 20 trucks on display, a couple of vendors, 1 and a 1/2 drive (94+ miles one way)... it won't be on my list next year. Other shows, like Carlisle's All-GM Nationals, the Antique Truck Club of America Father's Day Weekend truck show, and the AACA Fall Meet in Hershey are definites on my "show list" each year. I've been maintaining a database for the last three years (2006-2007-2008) of the shows I attend and sometimes can't attend. Those that are worth it remain on the list; those not worthy ( ) are removed.

Tha "all-new" 605 HP 2009 Mack Titan: Me and Justin in the cab of the Titan: GMC "General": Whether or not you like Macks or trucks in general I hope you enjoy these pictures!!

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I attended an all-Mack truck show (although it's listed as "all-Mack", GMC, Kenworth, Ford and other manufacturer trucks were welcome too) at Gerhart's in Lititz, PA - not far from Lancaster. Here are just a few of the pictures I took (I took 119 total); enjoy!! More...

The only three warranty problems I experienced with my 2005 GMC Envoy SLT 4wd during the 34 months I leased it was that the front passenger window came off track once right after we got it, the left rear door weatehrstripe/molding came loose and was reinstalled, and the idler pulley needed to be replaced back in December of '07. My sister leased a 2005 Envoy XL SLT 4wd six months before I got mine and had absolutley no problems with it (they wanted to buy it at lease-end, but the buy-out price was too high compared to the market price of other used Envoys and GMAC played hardball and wouldn't renegotiate - they ended up leasing a new '08 Honda Pilot instead because of the deal Honda was giving on them ) I work with people that own 2002-2006 Envoys and Trailblazers (there's about 6 of them) and they all love their SUVs witht he exception of the gas usage & prices this past year. Maybe in 2001 when they were introduced there were problems, but I think GM fixed them as time went on. Let's hope so, and because of the loss of the GMT-360s in December, let's pray that GM moves up introduction of the Equinox & Terrain to Spring of 2009 instead of Fall/Winter 2009. On a sad note, December 23rd is my BIRTHDAY and I am not happy to see that they choose this date to close the plant. Especially since it's two days before Christmas and those families will not have a joyful holiday (thinking of the children). How could GM be so cruel???

I love those rims - they are my favorite (besides the GXP's 18" aluminum rims) of the 2000-2005 Bonneville. That's a beautiful Bonneville you bought. Best of luck with it and here's wishing you many happy motoring miles!!

For reference, here is the taillight design on the Acadia:

When I first saw the rear shot of the Terrain, a picture of the Buick Rendezvous popped into my head: I attribute that though to the shape of the camo on the rear.

2010 Chevrolet Equinox: 2010 GMC Terrain: The Chevy's taillights are similar to the VUE and a little Vibe-ish, whereas the GMC seems to have longer, Buick-ish like taillights.

The same Pull Ahead Program for the past three months? Try the past 2-3 years!! The last "good" pull-head I got was in August, 2005 when we were able to get out of our Rendezvous lease 5 months early (it was to expire in January '06; it was a 6-month pull ahead offer at the time). After the summer 2005 "Employee Pricing For All" deal, GMAC pulled so many people out way too early (in their view) that they instituted the new 2-month pull-ahead program and have kept that ever since. However, GM dealers must have a way to work with GMAC, as we started shopping in February (Envoy lease was due in August) and almost all of the dealers we talked to said that they'd be able to get us out of the lease if we bought new and not to "worry" about the lousy 2-month offer. We waited regardless for the incentives to get better - we took the June deal of 0% for 72 months, got GM Supplier Pricing (the wife's company is eligible), and were entitled to a $2,000 rebate to boot for having a GMAC Lease. I think waiting until the summer paid off for us Sorry to see that GM/GMAC pissed you off, hopefully something works out for you soon and you'll continue to be a satisfied GM owner (suggestion - try talking to the dealer about the '07 models you're interested in and see what they can work out with GMAC).

Yeah, from the camo'ed spy shots it does look like the tailights are a different shape from the Equinox too, and overall the Terrain looks "truckier" (aka boxy).

That's one lllooonnnggg El Camino!! Ummm... there's nothing that you could give me to drive out there and look at that thing in person! Ring... Ring... Ring... Hello? "Hi. It's 1989 calling..." Oh, you'd like your abomination back? No problem!

Personally, I can't wait to see the official release photos of the 2010 GMC Terrain (I am disappointed that GM showed the Chevy Equinox and not the GMC Terrain too). Right now the Pontiac Torrent and Saturn VUE are on the top of my shopping list for next November when the AURA lease expires. Both have their pros and cons with me, and I can overlook some of them with the addition of the GMC model. On a side note, I've noticed that the Terrain does have a different frontend design over the Equinox, one IMHO that looks a little Sierra-based: