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Drew Dowdell

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Everything posted by Drew Dowdell

  1. Drew Dowdell
    The MXP is sold directly by Motorola without any version variance and without any carrier intrusion, similar to the Nexus devices. Updates are supposed to occur within a quick timeframe. Last year's Moto X got Android 5 before the Nexus 5 and the 2013 model got Android 4.4 before everyone else. But some 2013 models belonging to Verizon have been hamstrung, likely due to the carrier. Now you have me looking at the Pure instead of the 5x. I think I'm convinced on that.
  2. Drew Dowdell
    I bet a couple of Directors of Powertrains got visits from brass lately asking them to dust off those old HCCI plans they had back in 08.
  3. Drew Dowdell
    Will you get OS updates as Google releases them or are you hamstrung by Motorola and your carrier? I'm looking into the Nexus 5X on Project Fi now.
  4. Drew Dowdell
    To be clear, VW did this to save $329 per car...so yes, it was about corporate greed. In VW's case they are also whores to market share.
  5. Drew Dowdell
    I would hurt VW long term.... imagine if 2.8 million Germans could suddenly not drive their cars for 3 to 6 months while VW issues a fix.... do you think they would buy another? Resale value would be destroyed. This is the German government forcing VW's hand... and it is an effective threat I think. I really do not believe they need to apply much more pressure. They know they are globally in trouble PR wise and they are already working on a fix. They have already forced people out and I suspect more will fall. It will take some time to make the parts. I am sure the agencies of many countries will require them to recertify the cars and changes made. And then they have to get the parts made and then the customers to the dealers. There is no fast track to this and you can apply all the pressure in the world but it will take 2 years if it goes fast to fix a majority. Then they will have to eat the cost of parts, labor, fines, recertification, legal fees and many other things. This will be very expensive in the end. I bet it tops 25-35 billion Dollars in the end minimum. It will for sure hurt VW either way. But if the government stops me from driving my car for no real logical reason till a fix is approved that is a sure way not to be reelected. Keep in mind that the deadline is only for VW to submit the plan, not necessarily to have the plan implemented.
  6. Drew Dowdell
    Seems like a package that is about bragging about numbers rather than returning them. I'd always pick the car with better control over the car with more power (and less control)
  7. Drew Dowdell
    9-speed automatic, probably a base Turbo 4-cylinder, almost certainly the new LGX (adds Start-Stop and Cylinder Deactivation) though with slightly lower output than the CT6. I'd doubt the 3.6TT, but a 3.0TT + AWD? Well.... maybe more likely.. but still conjecture.
  8. Drew Dowdell
    I would hurt VW long term.... imagine if 2.8 million Germans could suddenly not drive their cars for 3 to 6 months while VW issues a fix.... do you think they would buy another? Resale value would be destroyed. This is the German government forcing VW's hand... and it is an effective threat I think.
  9. Drew Dowdell
    Excellent question.....
  10. Drew Dowdell
    I just got the renewal notice for the domain name... .and for the first time ever... I hesitated. That's what some people around here are making me feel about my own website.
  11. Drew Dowdell
    I love them
  12. Drew Dowdell
    I don't mind them getting this test over and done with as they launch. No chance for controversy later.
  13. Drew Dowdell
    Again, you attribute failures of those two to the brand rather than to the content of the car. The old Sebring/200 was an atrociously bad car, convertible or not. The Camry convertible was an aftermarket conversion on a flabby chassis. The Verano has sold quite well as a premium car above similar cars of it's size. When you think about it, Verano buyers are paying $26k - $28k for something in the Cruze size range. This is going by Buick's claim that their cars tend to sell more in the higher trims. And, aside from it's age, the Verano is quite a capable vehicle.
  14. Drew Dowdell
    What I bolded there, if GM lives up to it.. and learned anything from the last two years... they should be fine, offering a NICE, safe, and compliant alternative to the people who would of bought a VW specifically because they, for all intent, cornered the market. Chevy marketing would be FOOLS to not get out in front of this and under EVERY advertisement state in BOLD letters, with the Spokesperson/actor repeating as if he's reading off the brochure: "THIS VEHICLE, The CHEVY CRUZE DIESEL, IS CERTIFIED BY THE EPA, and AN INDEPENDENT TRIBUNAL WHO IS NOT IN ANY WAY ON OUR PAYROLL, A PRIEST, A RABBI, the Dalai Lama, AND MORGAN FREEMAN, AS BEING COMPLIANT WITH THE ENTIRE WORLD'S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION TESTS " Hell.. at this point.. GM should be pushing every division to have a diesel including Buick, Cadillac, and GMC in the Terrain, Canyon and Acadia. The market is now open for a transparent and available diesel maker who makes it clear, without gloating that they are compliant BTW. The "Whisper Diesel" should be plastered across every GM Diesel as if it were an Ecoboost or Hemi label Yes, they should absolutely trademark Whisper Diesel
  15. Drew Dowdell
    Apparently even some of VW's Urea equipped cars fail the test.
  16. Drew Dowdell
    The 8-Speed is so good, I too wonder why they are holding it back for now. Maybe make it an added-value option?
  17. Drew Dowdell
    Welcome to C&G fellow Pennsylvanian!
  18. Drew Dowdell
    On GM's more powerful front drivers equipped with HiPer strut, they've increased that limit a good bit.
  19. Drew Dowdell
    My impression is the Buick will feel more upscale than the EOS. Think of the Cascada as a Buick Verano Convertible
  20. Drew Dowdell
    With the EPA refusing to certify the 2016 TDIs, that is an immediate 25% - 30% hit on VW's sales.
  21. Drew Dowdell
    that has absolutely zero to do with the valve train layout.
  22. Drew Dowdell
    Correction.... a FWD 90 degree V6 isnt the best for packaging. 60 Degree pushrod V6es are fine.
  23. Drew Dowdell
    there are a lot more skip fire options in a V8 than in a 4-cylinder... it's harder to make a 4-cylinder with deactivation smooth. huh? V8 to V4 is same as I4 to I2 in terms of reduction proportionally, and although I can't go into details, the future of cylinder deactivation will include idle speeds. Currently, GM allows for deactivation in higher gears only due to NVH. That problem is going away in the near future. V8 to V4 is easier to do than I4 to I2 for balance and NVH reasons.
  24. Drew Dowdell
    there are a lot more skip fire options in a V8 than in a 4-cylinder... it's harder to make a 4-cylinder with deactivation smooth.
  25. Drew Dowdell
    SMK saying something complimentary about a GM car and even a Cadillac!?
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