Drew Dowdell
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Everything posted by Drew Dowdell
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Yes everyone fluffs, some more than others... some waaaay more than others. Toyota, Ford, and Hyundai/Kia are notorious for their eyeroll inducing fluff. Sometimes we make fun of them for it. Inside the Automotive Media inner circle which Willam and I have a bit of an eye into, Ford gets mocked for the volume of their press releases which come out at a rate of sometimes 100 a day. -
I use them all the time. I have many play lists set up on my iphone with clear and distinct names. On my own Buick, it seems to be able to figure out what I want just fine. MFT/Sync wasn't able to tune to the correct XM radio station at all. It's annoying to have to flip through up to 100 channels just to get to what I want, so I usually just say "Tune XM 51". My Buick gets it, MFT couldn't even come close. I travel constantly for work and often get higher end cars with Nav built in. I am often traveling to unfamiliar places, so I need to be able to do address entry. It is much faster to speak the address (when it works) than it is to type through all of the screens to enter one. My Buick can figure it out most of the time as long as the names are clear. I've had no luck with the Ford systems. uConnect usually works well. Those here who have met me know that I speak very clearly and without any sort accent.
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In the case of the Santa Fe, it is actually the shorter version. Ford did the same with the old Explorer. In the case of Cadillac, V-Sport does get you a substantial boost in performance over the lesser model.
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Again, the addition of the feature isn't the PR Fluff. In Ford's case, it was the way in which it was described that was the fluff. I'm kinda side-eyeing Buick for this trim name... for one it is rather unoriginal. However, the description they use is downright conservative. They are not claiming any actual "sport"... only "sportish". The Touring bit, well, Buick and Oldsmobile have used that as a trim level for their better appointed cars for years. No fluff in this one.
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I see you still don't understand. The "PR Fluff" was not the minor changes. The "PR Fluff" was describing those minor changes, in that case a transmission Sport Mode, as brought to you by "crazy smart powertrain engineers" PR Fluff - "Best ever!!!!!" Not PR Fluff - "We sold 10% more than last year" PR Fluff - "Crazy smart powertrain engineers thought up a Sport mode for your truck" Not PR Fluff - "Ford adds sport mode shifting to F-150 automatic transmission" This Buick intro, while rather thin on features, doesn't really have any PR Fluff in it. It's just a trim level announcement. Edit: Also, if you've ever stood in front of the firehose that is the Ford Press Release email stream, you'd understand why a lot of Ford's announcements generate a bit of an eyeroll.
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I avoid Sync even at the rental car counter, so I would certainly avoid it when purchasing a car. With CUE there is a lag on the buttons, but thing generally work the first time you get a successful "press", and I dislike the capacities touch controls, but most things work properly. It recognizes my speech. It doesn't work perfectly, but it does work. MFT never, not once, recognized my voice commands the entire time I had the last Ford. It would get my commands hilariously wrong. The lag is terrible, the UI and UX are both terrible. When the system gets "busy" doing something, even the hardware buttons display lag. The best system out there at the moment is still the larger uConnect system. It doesn't have the bells and whistles of the really top end systems, but everything just seems to operate smoothly and as expected. And sadly, in terms of car infotainment systems, "meets expectations" is about the highest rating available at the moment.
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The Fusion is probably one of the best handlers in the segment (that being, FWD-midsize-maintream car). It feels waaay more solid than the Hyundai/Kia twins which look good on paper, but deflate once you get seat time and scratch the surface. It's less boring than the CamCord though the Honda probably has the smoothest powertrain setups. The Passat is big and solid like an old Benz, but there is an aire of cheapness about the interior that one cannot shake even if optioning up to the upper models, still it has the option of the TDi which is the only way I would buy that car. MFT/Sync is still the worst system in the industry.... I look forward to trying the new and improved version, though the bar is set very low to be considered "improved". That, however, is not a fault of the Fusion but of Ford as a whole. Ford did good with this one.
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Sport also means you got the short wheelbase version of whatever Crossover you just bought.
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2016 Toyota Tacoma, Butt Ugly or just my take on their design style?
Drew Dowdell replied to G. David Felt's topic in Toyota
Visually, this looks as much of a refresh as a 55 Studebaker Hawk to a 56 Studebaker hawk. -
Why? Composite leaf springs are more durable than steel, they never rust, and they're "programmable" when they're built. I would prefer a composite spring in a truck. In some cases composites are vulnerable to structural failure due to seemingly superficial nicks and that kinda thing (ask any hockey fan whose seen a stick blow up during a slapshot attempt). Don't think it would happen here, but truck leafs are more exposed than a Corvette's. composite leaf springs are famously used in the Corvette, but GM used them in a fairly substantial number of main stream cars too with no issues. All of the first generation W-Body coupes had them (Lumina, Grand Prix, Cutlass, Regal) and a few of the H-Body 2-doors (Lesabre, 88) ... not sure about the 98, Electra, and Coupe Deville. The composite spring is literally the only thing that won't go wrong in these cars.
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These trims don't seem that different from existing trims, except for the Verano which adds the 8-way power seat
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The CarSense one should still be under factory warranty anyway
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Can you find any of the new body ones? I think it might be worth spending a little extra on. However, of those: The screaming deal seems to be the Premium-1 model. Low mileage and about the same price and equipment as the Touring.
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2016 Toyota Tacoma, Butt Ugly or just my take on their design style?
Drew Dowdell replied to G. David Felt's topic in Toyota
Most of the truck is a carry over though visually refreshed. The 2.5 4-cylinder is the same. The frame has been beefed up a bit. The only new thing (to the Tacoma) is the new V6, but even that is just a variant of the unit in the Avalon, and the transmissions. With enough of the puzzle pieces, you can put together a pretty good picture of the new Tacoma. -
2016 Toyota Tacoma, Butt Ugly or just my take on their design style?
Drew Dowdell replied to G. David Felt's topic in Toyota
Oh, I thought you were just looking for the specs. I thought William had one in recently, but that was a Tundra. -
Buick News: Rumorpile: What's In the Pipeline for Buick
Drew Dowdell replied to William Maley's topic in Buick
RX is the most traded in vehicle for Enclaves. -
2016 Toyota Tacoma, Butt Ugly or just my take on their design style?
Drew Dowdell replied to G. David Felt's topic in Toyota
Your wish is our command - Toyota Reveals the 2016 Toyota Tacoma -
2016 Toyota Tacoma, Butt Ugly or just my take on their design style?
Drew Dowdell replied to G. David Felt's topic in Toyota
Mahindra is on the market? -
Why? Composite leaf springs are more durable than steel, they never rust, and they're "programmable" when they're built. I would prefer a composite spring in a truck.
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Cadillac News: Cadillac Works On Dealer Incentives
Drew Dowdell replied to William Maley's topic in Cadillac
Most of the Cadillac dealerships seem to have been substantially renovated... however too many still haven't been. -
Because we have become much dumber as a society.
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I have not liked the Malibu since it went to the new short wheelbase model. I do not like the 2.5 engine, it's torque feels very soft at the low end compared to the old 2.4. I would get her first choice and then go to the Impala only if you can't make the deal work on the Lacrosse. Distant 3rd would be a 2.0T Malibu.
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Buick News: Rumorpile: What's In the Pipeline for Buick
Drew Dowdell replied to William Maley's topic in Buick
The Enclave competes with the RX precisely because it offers a 3rd row. These are the "grandparents" cars.. and then they go shopping they like the RX, but the Enclave gives them the same luxuries but also offers a 3rd row for the grand kids. The RX is the most traded in vehicle when people buy a new Enclave. They are similar enough in their size segment that they compete. Buick will also be going after the 2-row segment as well, so it will be double trouble for Lexus from Buick. The CLA and the 300 aren't even remotely similar in size -
If your career allows it, move to one of the more expensive areas of the country that has a growing population.
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If you're able to make predictions like that with any sort of accuracy, what are you doing being a power train engineer instead of a commodities trader? Diesel and gasoline regularly trade places for being the higher price fuel. Diesel typically costs more than gas in the winter and then they swap in the summer. There are occasional exceptions to that trend, but it is generally true. uh, yeah, it does fluctuate, of course. But plotted out over the last decade, Diesel has been higher on avg....hence my remark. And of course I could be wrong. it's a prediction. Diesel also gets better fuel economy, so the higher cost is usually justified. When it costs less, it's just gravy. The current Cruze isn't the best example to look at because the diesel is actually a more powerful engine than the gasser and thus doesn't get the far and above increase in fuel economy that it would if it was of more similar output. The new 1.6T diesel I would expect to have a more compelling fuel economy case. In the Astra, it is rated for 63mpg highway in Europe. While I think that is probably a tad optimistic, even if they hit the very high 50s, that will be a great success.
