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Drew Dowdell

Editor-in-Chief
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Everything posted by Drew Dowdell

  1. Drew Dowdell
    Right, they're selling it for that much because they can, I don't blame Mercedes for it one bit. I can still think they are a terrible deal, no? The reason the G-Wagon keeps coming up is because @smk4565 likes to tout it as "the best" simply because it costs so much. It is not a luxury vehicle in the same vein as the GLS or Escalade or Range Rover though... it is a luxury vehicle simply because it is a luxury to own such an expensive toy that has few redeeming qualities for everyday use. And of course they are hand built.... you could assemble one with a power drill bought at harbor freight. 70 - 3-series sized, 80 - CT6 sized (larger than 5-series, smaller than 7 Long wheel base) 90 - 7-series LWB sized. The one on the auto show floor wouldn't be any different mechanically than one at the dealership though... it's not like some visitor snuck in and changed out the screws in the door. Besides, I go on press days before you riff-raff are allowed in. (That's obviously a joke, because as @William Maley can tell you, auto journalists can be some of the most obnoxious people you ever meet)
  2. Drew Dowdell
    These are pictures I took of a production vehicle.
  3. Drew Dowdell
    The GM twins are selling well, but without an interior refresh will start to age quickly. I'm glad they're keeping the mechanicals up to date with changes each year... but they need to spruce up the interior, pronto.
  4. Drew Dowdell
    No, I don't mind old school vehicles at all. I often prefer to drive my '81 over either of my newer cars. I *love* old cars. If the G-Wagon was priced like a Wrangler, even only double the Wrangler, you wouldn't hear a peep of complaint out of me..... but $140k? That's 3.5 very nicely equipped wranglers. You could literally buy one of each model Trailhawk that Jeep sells (there are 4) plus a Wrangler unlimited and still pay less money than a single G-Wagon. You misunderstand me. My objection to the G-Wagon is only to the price of the thing compared to the way it is built.... especially since the tooling was paid off before you were born. I like the Wrangler for a weekend of fun, but I'd never own one as a DD. Just because I don't want one as a daily driver doesn't mean I can't appreciate it for other things.
  5. Drew Dowdell
    This assumes that FCA makes it that long. The LX platform, as a platform, is still quite good. Sure, it's a bit heavier than the Avalon, but it's right around the same as any of the other full size cars give or take a few cases of water. In V6 form, the cars get excellent fuel economy for their size/weight, and the Pentastar doesn't even use direct injection yet, though it was designed from the start to be able to get it.
  6. Drew Dowdell
    The Escalade would be my DD, but I get your point. No, I don't care that the G-Wagon can go pining for the fjords.... The amount of off-roading I do even my CR-V can handle.
  7. Drew Dowdell
    There aren't squeaks and rattles because you can tighten everything up with a penknife every time you stop for gas. I don't blame MB for selling these.... if they can get suckers to buy them for $110k+, more power to them. But don't let's hold the G-Wagon up as some marvel of engineering. John Deeres run forever also. Hahah! We posted the same pics at the same time. Here's the whole thread for those who are interested. Mercedes G-Class quality
  8. Drew Dowdell
    I only picked Lordstown because only the Cruze is there and there is a good half of that plant just sitting dark or as warehouse space. D-Ham I believe GM has plans for.
  9. Drew Dowdell
    Pick a goal post and stick with it. You're all over the map SMK! We get it, you think that no matter what GM does, Mercedes does it better, and you'll make up every excuse or strawman argument in the book when you're shown to be wrong.
  10. Drew Dowdell
    ATS and CTS are on the same platform. Transmissions, engines, shared up and down the line... you can get the same powertrain ATS, CTS, CT6. The transmission is the 8L45 which is a light duty version of the 8L90 which is used in all of the 1500 series trucks, and Canyonado , plus the ATS-V and CTS-V. The 2.0T is used in lots of stuff, so is the 3.6. The only engines that haven't been borrowed from Cadillac yet are the 3.0T and 3.6T. The AWD system in the XT5 is the same twin-clutch system in the Lacrosse and Acadia All-Terrain, it's made by a third party, and also used in the Focus RS plus a few other brands, no worries about economies of scale there. Your prediction that FWD based crossovers will die off is wrong. Mercedes, BMW, and Infiniti just added to the count. As @surreal1272 warned you, be careful where you move those goalposts to. Mercedes builds vinyl laden taxis and for years built silly little things like the A-Class and B-Class.
  11. Drew Dowdell
    Our CR-V has it. The big GM SUVs have it too Ironically, the EcoSport debuted before the Trax, just not in the US. It was a Euro only model. The new XC90 and XC60 do not
  12. Drew Dowdell
    GM has two luxury brands in China... GM still outsells Mercedes there. I'm talking about the economies of scale of the 3.6 V6, CUE (most of the underlying programming is identical to Mylink and IntelliLink), transmissions and stuff. That GM 8-speed and 9-speed are going into everything. A lot of the innards that drivers never see are shared with 3 other crossovers with more to come.
  13. Drew Dowdell
    You're the one who insists that RWD sells crossovers.... Well why aren't the RWD crossovers selling? None of the Germans can outsell the Cadillac with a single model. The RX is more than double any German on the list. The RX nearly outsell the X5, GLE, and Q5 combined if you're comparing size. It does outsell the GLC, Q3, and X3 combined if you're comparing price. Conclusion: Either way you slice it, your assertion about RWD and crossovers is flat wrong and has been for more than a decade. I wouldn't make any bets on profitability. Benz and Volvo may make a couple >$100k sales, but that is not going to make up for the vast economies of scale that the Lexus and Cadillac have.
  14. Drew Dowdell
    Well yeah. Circular justification. I can't pull all this trailer without a Super Duty. I paid $70k for a truck, I'm going to get a trailer to match.
  15. Drew Dowdell
    Trailers are balanced differently in Europe so smaller cars can get away with it. Here in the US, trailers a larger percentage of weight onto the hitch, that's why cars run out of rating so quickly here.
  16. Drew Dowdell
    I think it will stay. They never removed the "no towing" restriction on the Encore, though the Euro one is approved for about 1000 lbs.
  17. Drew Dowdell
    You're right, I had forgotten about that.
  18. Drew Dowdell
    Move it to Lordstown. It's already way under capacity, and it is already a Delta 3 plant. Having both Lordstown and GM CAMI both building Delta vehicles for North America and with Lordstown only having one model, it was a footprint that never seemed to make much sense.
  19. Drew Dowdell
    I read into JDN's words more than the press release. The press release is a finely crafted and edited version releasing only what they want you to know. JDN has a habit of letting slip more than he should have. I'm personal friends with one of the Cadillac PR team, and every time JDN starts posting stuff, I send him a text (Your boss is tweeting/posting/chatting again....) He's had to field questions from journalists when JDN reveals more than he should. The 4.0T V8 was one such example.
  20. Drew Dowdell
    Not necessarily. Audi A5, BMW 430i, Mercedes-Benz C300 coupe, Infiniti Q60, Cadillac ATS coupe, Jaguar F-Type (I know it's a 2 seater, but still) all have 2.0Ts for the bulk of their lineup.
  21. Drew Dowdell
    I've really wondered why they haven't used that platform for more vehicles. Could get a high end 2-seater thunderbird (with real power this time), and at least one mid-size Lincoln sedan out of it, Probably a Mark 9 coupe as a Lincoln halo car too.
  22. Drew Dowdell
    Check your owner's manual. If you have a rear backup camera, I think the door is able to automatically sense impending doom and stop before it hits your garage roof.
  23. Drew Dowdell
    Exactly... but until 2005, Lincoln only had one FWD vehicle, the Continental. The Continental has been front drive since '88 and platform shared with the mass-market large/midsize Ford since 1970.
  24. Drew Dowdell
    About which vehicle? The Honda or the Ford? If it's the Honda.... my overall opinion of it hasn't changed, but I have to admit it got me from Pittsburgh to Florida and back with zero issues. I do like the swing out door and wish more Crossovers offered them. The killer app would be a GM wagon style two piece hatch that could swing out or turn into a tailgate. I'd love to see that concept on a modern crossover.
  25. Drew Dowdell
    Unfortunately, I have to side with @ocnblu here (only the result is unfortunate). That 3rd party tow-bar is for accessory mounts only... i.e. bike racks, cargo carriers, etc. Official GM rating is - "The vehicle is neither designed nor intended to tow a trailer." Source: Chevrolet Bolt EV Owners Manual - Page 246 (PDF warning)
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