Lamar

 

Rentals may be a factor, yeah, but remember that fleet numbers include municipal and commercial sales too.

 

I don't know how many police cars GM is selling since they don't break those out, but I'd bet a dollar that, looking at van deliveries, Ford is eating GM's lunch in commercial sales.  I see Transits absolutely everywhere.

That is interesting and must be a regional thing as I see transits but not in the numbers compared to the ugly new RAM van and GM's Vans especially their new Chevy mini van. That thing is everywhere around Seattle.

 

Thankfully, I haven't seen very many Promasters around my way (NC).  But I have seen a few more of those than the small GM vans.

Rentals may be a factor, yeah, but remember that fleet numbers include municipal and commercial sales too.

I don't know how many police cars GM is selling since they don't break those out, but I'd bet a dollar that, looking at van deliveries, Ford is eating GM's lunch in commercial sales.  I see Transits absolutely everywhere.

Still, it brings back the entire debate on whether the 3.6TT is a better engine than the LT1. And, in this regard, there should be very little argument. If it does indeed use the twin turbo V6, what GM has done is basically chose the heavier, bulkier, laggier, more expensive, lower performance engine in hope that it'll somehow have greater appeal in a performance car.

Evidently, that is what GM has chosen to do.

Sat in a '15 Mustang.

Also have seen a slew of new Cadillac models recently.  You name it, I've seen one.  Well, except the ELR.

Late last week, my mom replaced her E320 (after 20 years!) with a used '09 Acura TL.

After talking to her about her new acquisition, I feel like I've seen every new model of Acura every day this week.  RLX, TLX, ILX, you name it.

That pig is far less capable off-road than the Grand Cherokee or Range Rover.

What about the Patrol it's based on? Just curious.

Basically, just because a vehicle isn't used for the purpose it was built doesn't mean it's incapable of performing that task (re: Land Rover).

RE: the Durango -- its Jeep bones allow it to still be more than competent off road, according to reviews.

So a tall wagonlike vehicle more capable off-road -- the exact antithesis of the definition of a crossover -- than any Suburban you've driven... is a crossover?

Heh.  Wow.

Now, on the other hand, if we want to hold that "unibody = CUV," I move that we call the last B-bodies and Panthers "trucks."  For the sake of consistency.

Grand Cherokee is a CUV also now. Once they dropped the body on frame, they left the SUV and went to CUV with the Auto Unibody. I consider both the Grand Cherokee and Durango to be CUV's.

Grand Cherokee has always been unibody.

Now, unless we're going to retroactively add to the generally accepted crossover meaning of "an SUV built on a car platform with less SUV capability...."

I'd like to see Cadillac build an SUV off Alpha, maybe to slot in between the SRX and Escalade and they can help them keep the price of the SRX down to keep it in the entry-lux suv sweet spot.

I'd like to see them move SRX to Alpha.  

Why buy a Durango over any other American midsize SUV/CUV?

Hemi.    Also has the most usable 3rd row between it, the Explorer (not even close), and the Lambdas (by a slim margin IMO).

Funny how the Durango is called a CUV by a lot of people, even though it shares bones with the Grand Cherokee, which has never been a crossover...

 

Nissan Maxima....most sub par upscale sedan.  As Drew once said, its a fine car, just not very exciting and wildly overpriced for what it is.

The Taurus can run over $40,000 also, I think the Maxima is at least more exciting than a Taurus, or Avalon for that matter.  I think the Impala is the most exciting from a styling standpoint, it looks good in the front. 

 

CVT = instantly disqualified.

 

An AWD Chrysler 300C with a Hemi gets 15/23 mpg, not exactly fuel efficient.

 

I've been at 31 highway in a RWD Hemi and 36 in an 8-speed V6 RWD, 35 highway in a 5-speed RWD Charger, and 33 in a 5-speed RWD Challenger.

 

The LX cars have always substantially outperformed their EPA rating.

 

I had a 300 rental with the Pentastar last year, it averaged like 22 mpg.   Cheaply made car too.

Gotta love anecdata...

Not exactly small either.

Plus, Chrysler no longer uses C as a designator for V8-equipped.  The AWD 300C V6 returns 18/27.

... and on several more cars, it's been trash.

And on several other cars.....they could give a rats rear end about steering feel. Pretty sure that steering feel is very low on the priority lsit for Camry and malibu owners, for example.

But your point is made, my friend.

Glad you understand. I think we agree that steering feel should never worsen in some cars, among them VW, BMW, and Porsche.

Now if they could bring that same magic to My Ford touch, they might be in bidness....

I haven't tested it since they released the newer updates. Maybe today, since I'm currently in the boonies and need to get out to some traffic lights.

Taking bets now on which system will get "fixed" first, MFT/MLT or MyLink/IntelliLink/CUE...

Eh... in my interactions with Hyundai reps... they specifically mention S-Class.

Those reps either got the Genesis confused with the Equus -- like you mentioned above -- or they don't know crap about the company they're paid to promote.

... and on several more cars, it's been trash.

Even though it's not in style anymore, I wonder why no one has tried to design a more efficient/lighter hydraulic system, for whatever it might be worth.

I did read the next 7-series will weigh 3700 lbs due to carbon fiber usage, if they pull that off, then BMW might be back to the Ultimate Driving Machine, right now the 7-series is the bloated driving machine.

That may help -- the weight loss -- but most reports say that BMW's loss of driving feel is due to nannies and disconnected steering. Particularly in the 3-series.

I can always count on you, 'blu. Appreciate it.

You too, ZL1.

Buick Centurion convertible, cherry red, CLEAN. With the 455 (as evidenced by the badges).

I'm young enough to admit that I had never even heard of the Centurion before today. I looked it up, and it was only built for three years. Interesting.

Totally Rocks

Image the LS9 Supercharged in one. that would just be a total sleeper.

... until you revved the engine.

OK, I shall admit my mistake and defer to your experience on this one.

I had my Bonneville stall out countless times -- even on freeways -- when the MAF sensor was dying out. So many times that, in fact, I became a pro at rolling starts myself. Not fun, but hey. The thing was, I could actually feel the car stall out each time it happened, and the ignition was still in On so I had full power otherwise.

It's a bit different when the car turns its own key to Acc and you lose your power steering and brakes (by GM's own account, this happens). It may not be an actual steering lock, but it sure might feel like it when you don't see it coming...

Nice, very nice.

I also see that COMAND wasn't invented yet in '08. Or is it in there and I just can't see (which is possible)?