I'm shopping for cars, so here are some issues I stumbled into while doing so on Chevrolets:

1) Parting lines.

The parting lines for the molds that make the armrest lid release handle on all the cars equipped with one and the shifter on the Trailblazer are really badly placed, and the mold mismatch is pretty bad.

To compound it, your hand falls right on top of them, they're relatively sharp, and I get this incredible urge to shave them off with a razor.

Can you convince folks to just move them? Or, alternately, have a sewn cover on them. I know the cover is expensive, but it looks nicer too - I kinda figure $15 added on to an uplevel leather package isn't all that much.

Remember, your customers touch the shifter EVERY time they get in the vehicle.


2) The Cavalier shifter for the manual tranny squeaks badly when cold.

3) Flimsy seat back recliner handles, with badly placed parting lines. (See #1)

4) The front differential and or the transfer case on 4wd Suburbans is pretty noisy. It whines loudly at highway speeds. I know it isn't tire whine because I can make it come on and off with the 2wd/4wd switch.

5) The cloth seat trim on the Trailblazer, in a word, looks and feels yucky.

6) How about putting a really nice bow-tie emblem on the airbag covers of the steering wheels on uplevel trim packages. Obviously, it can't become a projectile when the bag deploys, but it would make the wheel look so much nicer. The sunken bow-tie looks pretty plain. +$40,000 Suburbans and Tahoes and Trailblazers need touches like this.

7) Uplevel Trailblazers have an as-molded parking brake handle grip. Yuck. Nasty parting line right there in front of God and everybody, and I think a leather package should include a sewn cover for this item too (k, make it $35 more to cover the parking brake and the shifter and pocket the cash left over...)

8) Seat belt loops on the backs of coupe front seats... Well, they're horrible. Please ask folks in engineering to stop using split loops (the belt is always popping out), and make them more robust. They bend VERY easily. The one on the Monte is the nicest you have, but it's still split.

9) Tailgate/liftgate plastic trim. The fits of the tailgate plastic trim and the tailgate area in general on the GMT-800's is just horrible. I thought Cadillac would have a caniption-fit about this and make the supplier fix it or change it entirely, but they missed it too.

I'd pound the supplier into scrap metal over this one... ESPECIALLY IF I WAS CADILLAC. Maybe you could drop a hint to your friends in Cadillac marketing.

Please look at page 30 of the Trailblazer brochure (the one with the picute of the gal in the nice shorts grabbing some junk out of the tail... nice picture, btw... good choice... did you pick it/her?... the guy in the Birkenstocks needs to go... let us think she's single next time...). Note the fit of the plastic trim around tailgate latch. There's a rat-hole on the left side of the trim near the latch that you could drive a Solstice through. There's another that isn't quite as big on the left hand side of the trim at the corner. Needs fixin'.

I count 12 exposed screws too...

10) The Aveo and SSR brochures are too flimsy/small. Howza 'bout nice ones like all the other cars/trucks have.

11) 2005 Corvette - too bad that rotten coach joint wasn't killed dead. It is the only thing that distracts from a beautiful body.

12) The door in the center console of the Impala feels flimsy (just forward of the shifter). Let's beef it up.

13) Monte Carlo shifter ****... Same deal, icky parting line.

14) Avalanche center console... Boring. Needs some color - turn those guys in styling that wear pink ties loose on that thing. That high-grip surface on the armrest lid is a nightmare to keep clean.

15) Easy-entry driver's side seats on coupes. I toss my kids in the back in different places, depending on my mood. It's easier to get a good wind-up for the throw if the seat moves up further.

 

We can talk about the rest at some other time, I didn't want to write a novel.

 

Great line!

Jeff

 

 

This is one of my very few complaints about my Monte Carlo SS.

Let me add to it the other 2 issues I have:

1) The leather wrapped steering wheel is only leather wrapped on the top and bottom... why is the leather not covering the vinyl where the to side spokes meet the rim?!??!?! This is where I hold the wheel a lot of the time, and where I expect leather ot be on a leather wrapped steering wheel... cover the whole thing!

2) The only other complaint is the position of the fog light button... I can't see it. Hard to reach... just bad placement.

 

I haven't shopped a new chevy/GM in a while, but from casual designer's observation:

1.) I was a little dissapointed in the 'Vette's steering wheel after the GTO was released. At that price point, I think some aluminum or color keyed trim is needed. Mucho kudos tho for the upper spokes being at 4 and 8 o'clock. I think that's very stylish.

2.) This may seem harsh, but why do the trucks' (Silverado, Colorado, Alavanche, Tahoe, et al) interiors seem like after thoughts or 11th hour jobs. I do realize there is a very broad market to accomodate (a 1 ton work truck to a high scale Tahoe), But I would think something as simple (again, relative I know) as incorporating just a smidgen more curves would go along way across the line.

3.) I'd be very interested to know what cost increases, if any, would be incurred by incorporating some plated plastics into the dash or most of the vehicles if only add some surface and color style.

4.) ..yeah, I'm with Pacer X...more cute single chicks in the brochures.

 

No point in complaining about the Cavi, it will be replaced by the cobalt soon.

I think a lot of the Truck interior chages are being saved for the next Gen of trucks (MY 2006?)

 

Good comments Pacer.

I'm car shopping too....and everything you said about the Trailblazer is so true. Disgusting parting lines everywhere, horrible trim, even the seams on the upscale leather upholstery are crooked. I'd be disappointed....even if this were a $12K vehicle.

I wanted so badly to use my GM points on one. But even once I grit my teeth and got passed the odd proportions of the extended wheelbase models, and the inferior ride quality, when compared to...oh say the Explorer (and variants).....the interior was such a turn off, that I couldn't bear the thought of owning one.

 

Some TrailBlazer Complaints...

1. Cup holders in front of the shifter are too close. Everytime I put the truck in park I crush my Taco Bell cup.

2. The voice recorder makes no sense. Ditch it and use the money to pay for one of Pacer's complaints.

3. Seatbelts built into the seats are a ergonomic mess. To make matters worse, the seat belts randomly lock for no reason.

4. Foglights. When I had my Camaro I would turn the fog lights on, and leave them on. With the Trailblazer I have to turn them on every time I turn the car off. I know I probaly shouldn't drive with them on all the time at night...but it's my truck and I will do what I want.

5. The Trailblazer EXT (which I own) is a nightmare in terms of driving dynamics. My G/F has a regular Trailblazer and when ever I drive it...it feels like a Corvette compared to mine. The long wheelbase gives lots of room, but also makes parking and anything to do with turning tough. The ride is choppy, and the body leans too much, probaly due to weighing 600lbs more than a standard TB. The 4+ turns to lock steering has made my arms big. Since I bought my truck I drove a freinds Suburban, and I felt much more confident driving it than my TB. 17" Wheels are also too small for the EXT. The I6 has no place in the EXT...it is horribly over matched and always working hard. I can't imagine that the 5.3L costs more than the I6...matter of fact it likley costs less. The EXT is a good value in terms of the standard content you get over a regular TB, but after spending 6 months with it...I would not recomend one.

 

Drive a Ranier.

Killer lease, rides like a dream, nice interior...

Icky parting line on the shifter ****.

 

Hey Red Planet, my only complaint is "Why isn't this car in the United States yet?" I'll be first in line to buy one as well as many other enthusiasts with families to haul around. Tell your co-workers we want it here!

 

Werd.

If you need some kind of formal document to give to the bean-counters, let me know where to sign. I want one damnit.

 

I posted on this last year, but it fits now too.

I had a week-long trip in a Trailblazer - business trip so it was a rental. It was pretty new - under 1000miles as I recall. You guys already caught the molding issues.

The only thing I had to "put up with" was the field of view. I like to back into my parking places, and I am a head-turner, not a mirror-user. Every time I turned around to look out, all I saw was headrests - must have been 27 headrests in that truck?!?! It was also a pain when changing lanes, as I look in the rear view, then hit the side mirror, and then I always take a turn my head for a quick glance to be SURE there is nobody in the blind spot. My Explorer offers a much less obstructed view from the driver's seat in any direction.

Now I'll turn the cheek and say that I think the ride was SUPERB. It was almost car-like. Road noise was very low, and cabin noise was very nice. Good stereo. Nice seat material and firmness. Good torque and peppy, but mileage wasn't super - like 16 mpg on the road ain't great IMO, but there again it was pretty new - mileage probably would improve with break-in and wear.

Overall, I thought the TB was a good ride, but I had no clue what the sticker was for it as optioned. As always, there's room for improvement on any car/truck.

 

 

I agree...I loved my fiances TB....thats why I got the EXT...it seemed a better value because you get more options standard. IMO though the EXT is just a mess to drive everyday. Every good virtue in regular TB is washed out.

To make matters wost it has a raised third seat with two more headrests!