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Drew Dowdell

Editor-in-Chief
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Everything posted by Drew Dowdell

  1. Drew Dowdell
    Is the Sierra Denali not a luxury truck just because the Sierra W/T exists?
  2. Drew Dowdell
    Tesla stock is up $10 in after hours trading. Ford fell after announcing big profits. So much for the market... eh? Musk has the bucks, he can put more money in if he needs to.
  3. Drew Dowdell
    Again with the base prices, stop looking at the black friday deals and start looking at what Buick actually sells. The Verano doesn't sell all that loaded up, but the Encore typically sells mid-range or better. The base model of Lacrosse and Regal that you are citing do not exist outside of the Buick.com website. They are a fantasy... you cannot buy them. 75% of all Lacrosses are sold with leather package, which means a minimum of $36k... or $4k over the price of a base Maxima. The Maxima with Leather is still $3k cheaper than a Lacrosse with leather. A higher end Maxima or Lacrosse or Avalon or Cadenza luxury cars? if the GLA/CLA with plastic seating are, then those big sedans most certainly are. It doesn't have to have a luxury marque to be a luxury car. Is the K900 not a luxury car just because it's a Kia? If you're going to disqualify a vehicle because of the badge, then I get to disqualify vehicles that come with plastic seats standard.
  4. Drew Dowdell
    I do apparently need to distribute big girl panties to a few more people....
  5. Drew Dowdell
    I call foul on this comparison. If $36.7k is within the realm of fair play for this comparison (That's what the CLA price-as-tested was), then the Regal GS should have been included, sure the MSRP is $37k on the GS, but you can get $2k off of that simply for having a pulse. That would have addressed all of their complaints about the suspension, steering, etc. The GS has continuously variable shocks that can be tightened up in "GS Mode"
  6. Drew Dowdell
    BMW, Lexus, Mercedes, and Audi have all pulled off those numbers by moving down market into Buick territory... so if you want to include that market, merge the Buick and Cadillac numbers. If you don't want to include that market, drop the 1/2-Series, GLA/CLA/B-Class, A3 and low end lexuses. Edit: and possibly GMC Denali numbers... The CLA costs more than a Buick LaCrosse, and no BMW or Mercedes or Audi costs $21k like a Verano. The Germans have more up market products, say $75k and up, than the American and Japanese brands also. The Escalade and The LS460 and LX570 are it. So what? The price points are all over and they don't need to line up even remotely close. There is no rule that X class from a luxury brand must start at a certain price. Compare the GLA to the Terrain Denali for example. Regardless of yours or my views on the respective values of these two cars, the fact remains that GMC is managing to convince 25% of its Terrain customers to buy a compact crossover with a dated 4-cylinder, extra chrome/wood, and a bit of leather for a base price of $35k. Just because Benz charges the same for less doesn't change the fact that $35k base is in the premium territory. It's not a mistake that the RDX, QX50, and NX all start around that same price point. The Lacrosse has always had a low entry price, but it climbs in price dramatically and sales skew heavily towards the upper end of the trim lines offered. My memory is rusty but I want to say that Buick claims over 75% of Lacrosses are sold with the Leather group (MSRP, $36k) and the majority of those also have an option group above that (MSRP, $39k). When you then start adding things like Bose or AWD, it's really easy to crest $43k. That's luxury territory even if they have loss-leader base models to get people in the door. The story repeats itself with the Regal. The 1SV base model with the 2.4 that bases at $27k is virtually non-existent. Don't believe me? Search the inventory in our area for one... they don't exist. My dealer has never actually seen a new 2.4 powered Regal at his dealership in a couple years. Most of the Enclaves sold are upper trim AWD models for $50k+.... etc etc etc... ....you simply cannot look at Buick's base prices as an indicator of their "class" since those base models are often impossible to find (Regal and Lacrosse 2.4) or no one actually buys them anyway (Cloth, FWD, base Enclave).
  7. Drew Dowdell
    And once you combine them, you see that GM is in these two segments with not just one crossover, but 6 crossovers, 4 SUVS, and 2 or 3 trucks (depending on how you count the 1500/2500). Encore Envision Enclave Terrain Denali (25% of Terrain sales) Acadia Denali (25% of Acadia sales) SRX/XT5 Yukon Denali Yukon XL Denali Escalade Sierra Denali 1500/2500 Canyon Denali
  8. Drew Dowdell
    I'm sure part of the slowness is my general absence from the forums lately. As I mentioned in the Random Thoughts thread, I'll be here more often after mid-May. After May 15th, I have only one work trip left that will keep me away from the forums. Edit: Frisky, I fully intend to go back and post in all of your What to buy under X.X liters threads. I think they are fun and like those kinds of threads, I just haven't had the time to be here much.
  9. Drew Dowdell
    BMW, Lexus, Mercedes, and Audi have all pulled off those numbers by moving down market into Buick territory... so if you want to include that market, merge the Buick and Cadillac numbers. If you don't want to include that market, drop the 1/2-Series, GLA/CLA/B-Class, A3 and low end lexuses. Edit: and possibly GMC Denali numbers... I have been telling him the same thing for weeks. If you are going compare all Mercedes models for sales purposes then you have include all that apply from GM, not just Cadillac. Of course, that would kill his weak argument and he wouldn't be able to continue his cherry picking campaign. GM covers these two markets with 3 brands, Mercedes covers it with one. There is a valid debate to be had over which strategy is superior, but comparing sales numbers without acknowledging these facts is dishonest.
  10. Drew Dowdell
    BMW, Lexus, Mercedes, and Audi have all pulled off those numbers by moving down market into Buick territory... so if you want to include that market, merge the Buick and Cadillac numbers. If you don't want to include that market, drop the 1/2-Series, GLA/CLA/B-Class, A3 and low end lexuses. Edit: and possibly GMC Denali numbers...
  11. Drew Dowdell
    And don't forget that the CT6 is just getting up to speed as well. I wouldn't even call it up to speed yet.... it's barely hit the lots.
  12. Drew Dowdell
    I liked your Vette v Benz thread, I don't think it bombed
  13. Drew Dowdell
    Like it sounds....
  14. Drew Dowdell
    warranty work Hours get billed back to warranty cost centers at HQ. A GM tech being paid for non-warranty work is being paid by the dealership who charges the customer and takes a markup. A GM tech being paid for warranty work is being paid by the dealership who bills a specific number of work hours back to GM. Legacy Dealerships don't make much profit on warranty work.
  15. Drew Dowdell
    Honestly, I prefer the 1989 - 2002 SL over the 2008 model... the 2008 model just don't do it for me on looks. Even better, because it is older, it's also cheaper.... I know that wasn't the criteria, but that's another reason for me not picking the '08 model.
  16. Drew Dowdell
    The benz you can get fairly cheap... get the vette and save up for the benz
  17. Drew Dowdell
    Electrical Engineers cost more per hour than SAE Certified Automotive Technicians...
  18. Drew Dowdell
    Vette... it will appreciate... the Benz will only depreciate.
  19. Drew Dowdell
    As I said to someone in private message: The reason the ATS wasn't included was because it was a comparison of mid/large cars. The reason it was only a mid/large car comparison is because that's where there is a double standard of complaints against Cadillac and for Audi in that segment (really any segment where they perform roughly the same, or Cadillac does better but gets criticized while Audi gets a pass) It was that double standard on Audi v. Cadillac that was being pointed out..... As the A3 is doing really well right now while the ATS isn't, that double standard does not apply, thus the ATS/A3 comparison not being included.
  20. Drew Dowdell
    Don't get too hooked on the money FCA....
  21. Drew Dowdell
    Yeah, but that rational is why I can get around in the winter with AWD & Snow tires (really... the Honda can climb walls) and they're sliding off the road in their AWD Mountanieers.
  22. Drew Dowdell
    Isn't there some document out there somewhere that says your particular VIN has a CPO warranty on it or not?
  23. Drew Dowdell
    May - August is typically our slowest time.
  24. Drew Dowdell
    Careful FCA.... Google has a habit of suddenly canceling projects.
  25. Drew Dowdell
    Not all Start/Stop technologies are the same. GM's is just a down-tuned version of their old eAssist without the assist. Much smoother than the Benz version.
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