caddycruiser

2 hours ago, ocnblu said:

We got two Palisades in today.  SE models, one FWD the other AWD.  They're OK I guess.  I like the butch look of the Telluride better.

My Jeep has a very effective safety feature/driver aid that I cannot turn off.  It's called lack of horses.

Haha. Sometimes steering feel and blind spot that beeps...are all you need. Works for me.

As I drive a "self driving...mostly" 2019 Subaru Forester daily. Though I do love when it stops itself...forwards or backwards;)

46 minutes ago, balthazar said:

I’m too ‘established in my experience’ to have the brakes & steering wheel fighting me for control. Toyota can go F itself; keep them optional/ defeatable or disabable.

They always are...it's buttons, in most vehicles. But interesting opinion. Just turn things off👍

Or drive a GM. They give you so little, except for possibly a hidden cash back perk, features are the least of the worry...

6 hours ago, daves87rs said:

Yep, and my favorite part being cheaper as well! I think they could throw on some light rebates and really move these well!

They're priced low enough, no rebates neeeded. These are examples GM should study of price it right from the start...

And have dealers end up with 2 left, and lists of people waiting for the right combo to come in.

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

I’ve seen a couple on the road by me, they look presentable. But the standard driver safety features would make it a hard ‘no’ for me.

Oh, the tragedies of Lane Keep helper...blind spot...or auto stopping😂

No worries. GM still barely offers any of these "standard on a Corolla" features even on a Cadillac, so one brand group is still safe for you.

On 6/25/2019 at 12:21 AM, daves87rs said:

I got to play with one as one was one of my bosses rental. It is nice, and I see more of them every day.

Kia rolls out a few more of theses, and and pretty much makes GMC irrrelivent .....

Agreed. Normal customer goes to see the Telluride then "let's check out an Acadia too..."

Jogs back to Kia. No contest.

Having seen the Hyundai Palisade now, meh. Same guts & size, semi weird bubble styling, no shifter, etc. The Kia still wins for me overall, in size, shape, fit, and such. But glad to see both give 2 different flavors, with far more quality, refinement, etc. for thousands less than the competition. Tellurides are all over NY.

Dealer I visited in Buffalo area last week..."it's great. We only have 2 left right now, and good example, last night a customer with a newer Q7 came in and said "I'm over the Audi. Tried it. I need a Telluride. Can you get me one?" Taking orders and doing swaps as much as they can to keep up.

Having driven several 6th gens for a few thousand miles, and us owning a 2010 5th gen for a year...makes sense.

These are still the best looking (if you skip the 2019 burn victim nose job, they fast removed), but...

Like sitting in a tomb. Can be rough. Price is all over the place, and usually higher, in the GM "we sell less and charge more but look at our profit", interior is not great, etc.

Alpha platform lightweight athletic, but is missing interior space and packaging (same issue with ATS/CTS), and in day to day use, if you're not on a track, is brash, sharp, and not refined or as quiet as others. Track car, turned into street. Doesn't work for most real buyers, or the market...even if it does for Car & Driver.

Having also done the same in a 2019 Mustang 2.3T, and 2 Challengers...

Take the overall liveability and interior of the Challenger & its refinement, add in the dynamics of the Mustang and performance, and the looks of the Camaro...and you'd have a great combo. Love how the Mustang performs and feels, yet hate the seats and interior. Love the interior, functionality, comfort, and "I could drive this for days and still love it" comfort of the Challenger, but it's big and heavier.

Yet, right now, depending on your market, an AWD Challenger GT with the crisp 3.6L and ZF 8-speed for $33k sticker...is a screaming deal, if you want to use it daily, and not race on a track.

You never know what news story means what, but it's not impossible this is true. Look at the current state of all GM vehicles, and it makes sense. A performance coupe is the antithesis of fitting with current automaker goals...plus they also are not being responsive nor do they car, that real world, the Challenger and Mustang are more in demand and desired.

Love the Telluride. Not a single person we're referred to it is anything less than thrilled.

Money spent on design, refinement, quality of materials, and keeping features standard, not optional, with a great 3.8L V6 & 8-speed underhood, plus a real AWD system that can handle more than...say a Highlander, etc. that'll just spin.

Biggest market challenge, to others: the Telluride is far NICER, yet at a "normal" far lower price point.

Look at a Telluride S AWD, with the bigger great looking wheels, and leatherette. It looks nearly identical to the high end SX, yet can be found for a $36-38k sticker...

Kia got the message, antithesis of GM and others, that keep the prices in line, and spend effort maximizing the vehicle, and you'll get it.

The only other vehicle in this class priced similarly, and even not as low in ways vs. trim level, is the Subaru Ascent. Both max out around $46-47k with EVERYTHING.

Yet...these drive nicer, are far more refined, are better built, have more features, are higher quality than...a $45-59k Traverse, a $45-60k+ Enclave, an all over the place Explorer price. You can say "but incentives..." all you want, but that's such a head in the clouds, and they're still thousands more, for less.

And like Drew said after real experience...this vs. an Acadia? 😂 No comparison. Cargo area trimming above is only a small item.

We drove a Sorento last year, when testing Traverse replacements, and out of 8 crossovers..."GM only mom", put it in 2nd place next to the Jeep Grand Cherokee she ended up buying. "It drove the best, the power was great, the features and interior seemed the best design...I really liked it, but the Jeep is just more overall what I want."

Go...Telluride👌

On 5/11/2019 at 8:39 PM, Robert Hall said:

Nice to hear you liked the Grand Cherokee Limited...I love my '14.  Bought mine as a CPO in March '17 w/ 25k to replace my '00 GC (which I put 170k miles on).   It's up to 42k miles now, been great around town and on cross country road trips..love driving it. 

Favorite package and drive day to day. Right size, right look, right comfort, right power...and 2016+ have further refined and updated steering systems, etc. 549 miles on a tank, and that crisp 8 speed with a Pentastar that rips...perfect.

Still nothing has lived up to them, in all my drives. Even equally enjoyed a well used 38k mile 2016 GC Laredo 4x2 with ZERO options back in 2017. No camera, no remote start, tiny radio, yet drove the same, and averaged 27.5 mpg.

Sounds about right. Horrific options packaging, and weird, to the point you're at $40k with scratchy flat school bus grade cloth seats, a rubber steering wheel and "wait, no heated seats or climate control either?"

One day, maybe, GM accounting will realize it's easier just to put more features in as standard. When I can buy a "base" Mazda, Toyota, Subaru, etc. with so much more...you don't want to have to battle "why is the lease $250 more?!?!" along with "wait, and no basic features my Mazda 3 had?!?!"

Odd struggle. Loved the fit, size, comfort, etc. of my 2012 Regal GS, and I typically loathe cars, as the low seating point is almost always uncomfortable. That first import gen is great. The Tour X is huge inside, once you see in from the back.

Expensive car to build, with the Opel, etc. stuff, so "please just make a few and don't do any marketing" likely said. So, exec fleets, and convincing a previous customer coming out of their last sticker price Regal...the new one for $590 a month is normal, are the main sales.

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

In the Cleveland, Oh suburbs where I normally see a lot of Buicks (long a popular brand here, I think),  I've seen maybe 4 new Regals--2 hatchbacks and 2 Tour Xes in the wild in the last year.   The wagon looks really good in that dark maroon red. 

Buicks are everywhere. But not many of these. It's not even a blip thought at Subaru, because very few people even know it exists vs. an Outback, etc. Always interesting the difference in different parts of the country.

7 hours ago, regfootball said:

I do understand that. The pre 2018 regals maybe felt a bit nicer. But they did not have as good of rear seat space and the h point for the seat was higher like in the fusion. 

Likely why I found the last smaller gen much more comfortable. The new ones, size and dynamics aside, make me fidget around. Too bus like. Seating H points and interior comfort are huge. But great reviews on these!

I continue to wonder, in today's market, if any of these are selling. I next to never see one, normal hatch, or Tour X. How is the market near you? Dealers have any commentary about them? Given the cost to build, lack of incentive, etc. and no marketing, it's a "you have to already know to know..." kind of car line.

46 minutes ago, regfootball said:

Go drive one!  In essence trim with leather the plastics look fine. Subaru’s are Subaru’s and imo this is a level above 

But those nasty flat seats and plastics...I have sat in them. Hence my displeasure at the interior, after my 2012 Regal. Ha;) Will do.

These are great. I need to drive one, especially now since my daily is a current gen Outback.

Shame the interior seating/center consoles/etc. are so hard, plebeian and thin/flat vs. the last gen (especially if you get the nasty base cloth), but the package outside & underneath seems well done. Bright red. Interesting.

Are these even selling? Odd car at a Buick store, in 2019.

1 hour ago, regfootball said:

Wow!  Some great write ups!  Have to go back and re read some again. !

on that 2019 Silverado. I know the 5.3/6 speed gets maligned a lot.  I’d be curious to see what you think of the new 4 cylinder if you ever get a chance to drive it. I thought it was not bad  

I just dun got back from driving a ct6 again (for my mom this time). I like your perspective on the XTS it makes me think I should take one for a spin. I’ve never driven an XTS yet. Yes it’s GM stupid that it would have power folding mirrors but not blind spot detection. That is classic GM!

The only way to ever have factual unbiased data on cars...long term living with brands and models of every kind.

Years ago, when I had a 2012 Regal GS, I considered a 2013/2014 ATS. No room, flat hard seats (in comparison to the Regal GS), a back seat that wasn't usable, and brash harsh Alpha platform "it's so crisp". If you like the idea of a bigger car, a smoother car, and interesting but not great features, maybe a used XTS vs. a loaded Impala could work.

Big 'ole cars...livery service, or just wafting along. I think I got 30-31 mpg average cruising from Philly to NJJ/NY last weekend, fairly easily. The 3.6L was subdued, mixed with classic GM FWD "is it a rubber band in there?" gooey feel.

When GM (or Ford for that matter) do blind spot, they may as well just skip it. Both suffer from the tiniest barely visible light amber tiny symbols far out on the mirror and no audible, etc. alert. GM can't seem to just add all the front end sensing equipment that's standard on a $20k Corolla or Mazda 3, but even something...anything...would help.

A week into the 2019 Outback now. Super functional, proper sized, comfortable, and performs well, CarPlay integration and almost self driving safety tech, all included.

10 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

The selection of sedans was poor. I ended up in an Acadia Denali. Android auto in GMs is still rubbish.

At least it's comfortable, with seat height. But yes, in infotainment world, GM's are not the best. I've found the more recent gens with CarPlay/Android are better than the messes the previous MyLink systems were (our last Terrain & Traverse, etc.) but nothing special.

Simplicity and functionality with connectivity, and not confused, is key. Add CarPlay to Cadillac CUE...and try to adjust your audio vs. voice volume levels without wanting to punch the head unit and give up...haha.

I need to do a review soon of each automaker's implementation of CarPlay/Android Auto. Again, driving so many brands for thousands of miles a piece...the integration of each is...very different. And noticeable day to day. Software, design, etc.

12 hours ago, ccap41 said:

That's not parallel parking but it is parking itself and that is really cool. 

It does that as well. Parallel or perpendicular, just click what you want it to look for. I used both, but could only video the perpendicular in a quiet parking lot.

But again. $52k+ and no other feature except that. No blind spot, no collision warning, no auto braking, no adaptive cruise...base models of some basic brands have had this for years. Cadillac. Weird, like the rest of GM.

Oh, and I started using the XTS self parking the next day...interesting.

No other feature, yet it does this. GM bizarro feature mix. A base Mazda has blind spot and can stop, steer, and radar cruise itself...your $52k+ Cadillac has none of that, yet, will self parallel park.

On 5/6/2019 at 9:38 AM, ccap41 said:

Do you wish you could blow up the XTS and replace it with a CTS? 

Not really. I appreciate the CTS RWD Alpha dynamics, but also more liked the smoother, quieter, polished feel of the XTS.

Where the ATS/CTS can be brash and crashy (goal GM wanted to fix in the CT5), the XTS is just smooth. And, unlike those 2, it actually has functional legroom inside. That said, never got comfortable in the driver's position (I have a tough time with cars, period, when they're low and have weird seating), and the infotainment was annoying enough.

CT5 looks to be a good combo. RWD, more legroom than the current siblings, smoother (they say), and a volume knob. The lack of a radio volume knob alone actually did drive me nuts.

And now, the NEW one...

Loaded 2019 Subaru Outback 2.5i Touring in Wilderness Green with Java Brown leather.

GREAT. Old platform, but Carplay works better than most other brands I've had, the packaging is great, and the 2.5i is super smooth and takes off well. Moreso, the more I drive it, I've never noticed "CVT" as it does the simulated steps and doesn't rev out high. Just smooth. Love EyeSight, etc. supremely well integrated and enjoyable daily.

2020 seats and such are better shaped and bolstered, in the new platform. But this gen is still terrific. And who knew...I went from a Hemi and a GM 3.6L to a Subie 2.5L...and am enjoying the refinement.

Perfectly refreshing, functional, and luxurious after the sorted mix above😀

Missed 2 more I had in the summer...

2017 Ford Taurus Limited. Great old car. Feature packed, Limited with everything including auto high beams. Ford 3.5L always feels crisper with the FWD 6-speed than a GM 3.6L/6-speed car, and mileage was good. Weird seats, and wide car, but worked well. Kept it for a while. Same weird "doesn't beep or do anything blind spot" like GM, but cross traffic worked well. But, for a $40k sedan...skip them. A crossover is more comfortable, more functional, and doesn't hurt my legs. Hence why this and the Impala are extinct. 

2018 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD 2.4L. Kept this one for a while. Not much power, but efficient enough. Not high in features, basically base with AWD, but a great size, smoothness, seats, etc. Felt quicker than the Terrain, and much better tuning/etc, and day to day useful, quiet, etc. Kept it a while.

Through the last few years, and many automotive ventures, I've had the pleasure of living with endless long term rental vehicles for thousands of miles each.

Typically, this has meant anywhere from 3000-6500 miles a piece, before swapping or exchanging for the next. Road warrior, randoms.

I'm changing roles tomorrow, and will now be driving manufacturer demo's for long term. My "last rental finale?"...

2019 Cadillac XTS. Picked up yesterday.

After putting 3,900 miles on a 2019 Ram 1500 Classic (LOVED it), Enterprise asked me if I'd do them a favor and take one of their leftover XTS's on my one way "get rid of it" trip.

Interesting car...for sure...I had a 2018 Impala Premier back in January 2018, which was good. So, how fitting, my rental finale be a Cadillac.

Ask away...if anyone cares😀 I'll chart out what I've driven over the next post.

Model mix is one thing. The package itself being unrefined, sloppily built, and feeling & looking old, is the rest.

Crossover market, no matter how plebeian, weird, or nasty under the skin & underhood you are, you'll still sell them (props to them then giving up, and saying model mix is the issue). No one can stand the engine, it's rough, it doesn't make smooth power, the CVT makes it worse, and it's not engaging. Comes off like a Rogue with a better interior design, and cool looks.

But...make cheaper ones, "with nav" because Infiniti can't sort out how to add CarPlay/Android Auto to their vehicles even though Nissan does, and keep a proper lease on them. Until then, it'll be a favorite of Infiniti service loaners and "we have a crossover too!" everywhere. Just don't drive it first.

Sat in this car last week in NYC. Overall look and interior are definitely an improvement over the ATS/CTS.

Rear seat packaging is most improved and actually adult habitable now, unlike the sometimes "can I even put human legs back there?" of the ATS/CTS. The talk of their work to get the same dynamics but soften and refine out the ragged, harsh impact edges of the ATS/CTS to be a more refined day to day package sounds good too...

Cars are cars. No one cares, and it won't be a big market. So making 1 good one vs. 2 confusing ones is better than nothing.

Had a 2.3 Turbo 10-speed automatic 2019 Mustang Premium convertible for a month and 2k miles. Loved it. Month long average of 26+ mpg no matter how I drove it, and perfect crisp, refined, driving dynamics with a powertrain that could be an animal or just civilized cruising.

Really great setup and drivetrain. After 5k miles in a Challenger Hemi, 2k in a Challenger V6, and combined 2500 miles in (2) different 2017-2018 Camaro 1LT RS V6's, the Mustang is definitely the most polished and on point drive. Out of them, it also had the worst front seats and I could never get comfortable in the cockpit, which was a shame. Combine Challenger interior...with Mustang everything and dynamics...and Camaro looks...and win.

These dynamics in a new Explorer? Sign me up. I couldn't stand the sound of the 2.3T the first 2 days, then after I got used to it, the level of refinement and power mixed with great mileage from it with the 10-speed was just impressive in every way.

The $29,995 "L" with clear back glass and a 2.5L...😦

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/761059683/overview/