caddycruiser

FINALLY...someone inside GM got a clue, or at least got the accountants to approve something other than a pushrod/4-spd combo :booyah: At least that should be ONE relative strong point to start on.

Haha... :lol:

Being rated at 201, I hardly think such a jump is a possibility...BUT, I do wonder where the 227 came from. Sounds accurate to me, for whatever reason, though.

Not sure, but you might be right. I just went back through it all and checked all the updates (last one was yesterday) at the end of the actual Print Book ordering guide, and there was no mention of the 227...just 240.

That's what I'm thinking. It's horrific for image, but pretty good for the business as a whole.

Yes, the main frame of the ordering guide needs an update.

Well, being a convertible, maybe they found it best that they offer it purely as an "automatic crusier" type, and not something that might be thrashed around like a 6-spd coupe might be. Maybe in the future, however, the stick will be available.

Doesn't seem to be alienating anyone. The people who have always had Devilles still go right back to the Caddy dealer and know for sure what car to look for, regardless of the name--and are thrilled with the improvements. Same for the STS, only even a lot more people are looking at them, because it's a RWD/AWD, V6/V8, highly styled luxury sedan, and not just some kind of a smaller, firmer riding FWD Deville. So, in truth, the names aren't hurting one bit...and actually are liked by most people, especially the first time Caddy buyers.

Here's the U.S. online ordering guide for it: http://eogld.ecomm.gm.com/NASApp/domestic/...ID=2374&type=0#

Somewhat goofy looking hindquarters when you marry that new rump to a curvier coupe roofline, but should still be an awesome (if expensive) ride.

Not going to say I support anyone either way, but some of you guys really need a good slap upside the head.... Someone who KNOWS what's going on in the INSIDE to a greater extent than you or I could ever dream of, yet everything he says is crazy or a lie...yeah, right. At least he's one person who's actually gone to the meetings and actually HAD a drawn out plan, instead of this... "...but there's no time frame." Okay, fine, there really is no true way to know when things will really start to turn around, but does he have a SINGLE well-layed out plan that they at least think will help get to that point? Saying "There's days you smile and days you frown", is certainly an honest view, but it doesn't say much for what you're actually DOING. Plus, it's not like it has to be any kind of secret. I couldn't imagine being in a situation like Wagoneer is in right now, but he certainly doesn't come off as having a trully clean cut, "This is how we're gonna do it" for sure kind of plan.

Wow. Funny, but not at the same time. :) Now THAT is a loyal customer and fan :AH-HA_wink: Then again, if you ask most people, if they had just bought a new car too, they'd do the same...well, as long as there wasn't a knife or gun being held at them...

I agree. That white Suburban just looks like such a better looking, more refined piece than our '04, which is great itself. The front end passed the "Nice. I like it." mother test when I showed her the first Tahoe spy pics this past summer--thought it looked a lot nicer than her current one, especially after the cladded Avalanche she used to have. LOVED that front end. A lot nicer than the big bubble Buick (a.k.a. 2007 Yukon) too... B)

I'll admit to still watching the show regularly, but this car had to be, BY FAR, the most disgusting. Looks like something someone in the worst ghetto would do, after finding an old Century for a $100 and then buying half of Autozone and gluing it all one....YUCK :puke:

Weird proportions to it, and definately too much like the M-Class it's based on in the other areas. Still seems like an awesome ride though, and one the celebs will definately love. Well, them, and the at least 3 students here on campus that already have current-gen G-wagons... :rolleyes:

Yeah, right....the puffy Buick blob also known as the '07 Yukon....REAL aggressive :rolleyes: If anything, the GMC makes the Chevy look cool and crisp now.

They've done that for years, going back to the first Escalade in '99: Lots of people also buy the shifter from a '02-05 model that is both wrapped in leather and has a chrome tip to it, to put in their Chevys and GMCs. On another note....look at the pic above and think about the difference in the interior of a '99 vs. the '07.... :o

Probably not much longer from now, since they are supposed to actually be on the lots starting early next month, ready and available to purchase. BUT, after becoming so vastly overpriced in the past couple of years, the people in charge of pricing at GM are probably still finalizing all of the numbers, which should be dramatically lower than current models to start with--the '06 DTS, for example, had a $5k MSRP drop over the '05 Deville, and these trucks should get the same if not more. Mainly so, unlike now, there aren't any $58k+ Chevy Surburbans... :o

I AM getting sick of the Avalon commercial that seems to be running non-stop now, talking about how its new-fangled auto wipers are just going to change your life and make you feel like a completely new person...YEAH, RIGHT...I guess it has that same affect on you if you bought a CHEVY 5 years ago that had the feature. Anyone got a direct call line for old Toyota corp? I got a real response from GM/Saturn marketing when I complained about one of the horrid first commercials for the Ion when it was introduced, and they really seemed to take what I said seriously. I'd like to see what kind of lame cut n' paste response the 'Yota guys would give about this stupid ad of theirs...

Very good points, and it's a breath of fresh air to FINALLY see those types of pieces in any domestic car, let alone a GM. Truth be told, most Toyotas and even Hondas (though to a typically lower level than the bigger 'Yota) are chalk full of cheapness here and there--but somehow, it isn't something that instantly smacks you in the face when you're in or around one. It's kind of subtle, and overall, you just get the impression of a tightly built car with generally nice materials, with pieces that all work perfectly without much flare. Not like, say, how a car like the Grand Am (IMHO), made you want to barf upon entry... Actually, of a more interesting note, some of the worst interiors (purely materials, I'm talking) anymore, are coming from Chrysler. They don't spend a lot of time or money anymore on making things soft and supple or even ultra-pricey feeling--BUT, the general level of styling, of engineering, and overall "solid" feel allow them to get away with it. Proof that several ultimately strong details can completely blind people to the less than stellar bits. Problem is, even with GM using such generally nice interior materials and even build quality anymore, their attractiveness is still made less visible by the fact that there's still "that old 4-speed gearbox" or the "antique and underpowered 3.8L". If they'd just get a few more of the "biggies" up and past the par, they'd probably be getting a lot nicer overall reviews.

Not to sound a little off hear, but something struck me with this post. Remember Saturn, back in the early 90's, when they were doing really well? The cars were (and somewhat still are) absolute garbage, but people were so refreshed and happy to finally have a car brand with a dealer network that made them feel comfortable and happy when buying a car for once, that they overlooked things like the rattle can build quality and engines louder than a lawn mower. Now that most GM vehicles have advanced so far past those horrid times for cars, but are still "ho-hum" in most ways, it's a combination of perfectly nice "okay" cars matched with a buying experience that's like going to a big mall, run by 16 and 17 year olds. Clearance price stickers everywhere, can't find what you want, can't find a salesperson that knows much more than how to chew gum, etc. I'm not saying it's the best practice in the world to sell hum-merchandise strongly based only on a terrific buying experience, but if it works, it works. A similar idea in the "Return to Greatness" just *might* help GM get a little more momentum right now, even with several cars that are considerably below par. Ahh well...take it or leave it...that's about as far as much as I can type with finals on my mind...

Just saw the "3rd" new Lucerne commercial, the one with the decibal-reading head (Mr. Arkin, or whatever it is), and that one is actually a little better than the stupid "millimeter" or heated washer fluid one that have been playing non-stop. Same dark, cold (and kinda ugly) coloring to the whole thing, but actually does one or two complete pans of the full interior and talks just a bit about how the head is used in Buick's QuietTuning, in a sorta jovial way. Not amazing, but pretty good. One problem though: When panning around the interior, even in the horrible black/blue/gray death lighting they're using, the "black chunk" of a center piece with the radio and A/C jumps out like a sore thumb :blink: Looked a little funny at first, but then I remembered what I was seeing...GM CSD...GM Center Stack Disease... :huh: Too bad THAT had to stick out in a overall pretty nice ad :rolleyes:

Oh, now that's a good comment to make :rolleyes: If the crossovers can comfortably seat as many people as the -370's and have cargo space, most people won't give two hoots that it doesn't still have an antique-style truck chassis underneath. All they'll see is that it's a lot more fuel efficient, a LOT nicer to drive, etc. Also, right now, the current short-wheelbase models can't hold a candle to the new '06 Explorer/Mountaineer. Actually, even before the redesign, they hardly could. Regardless of the reasons GM cited back in '01, the Explorer's independent rear has allowed a 3rd seat in the same "short" wheelbase as every other Explorer, and one that is truthfully quite comfortable--even more so than the butt on the floor, knees in your face setup that persists in even the '07 Tahoe. It's those kind of things that matter to most real-world buyers (especially since most are coming out of cars and would NEVER drive a minivan), and that's one area where GM was way behind the curve. TAKE HOME POINT: Had the TB/Envoy had only a wheelbase like the current "short" ones from the start, BUT also incorporated things like an independent rear, comfortable and fold-flat 3rd row, tighter build quality, and a less sloppy driving feel, they'd probably be doing a lot better today.

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Very true. Forgot about that. Remember back to seeing the first '06 GP to hit our local dealers lot this summer--a White GT supercharged with the 2-tone interior--and immediately noticed the new chrome details around the vents and (I think?) in one or two other places. If there was anything really missing, it was a little brightwork, and the new shiny bits for '06 really do make a difference. It looked great, especially compared to the Lacrosse's lined up right next to it, with their massive flat black center piece and terrible fake wood panel across the dash.