Automotive News / Industry / Future Vehicle Discussion Automotive news and discussion about upcoming vehicles

What vehicles do you think GM is doing right? Almost right? Wish it never happened?

Old Jun 28, 2005 | 03:20 PM
  #16  
0toinsanein5.4sec's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,381
Re: What vehicles do you think GM is doing right? Almost right? Wish it never happened?

done prefectly right:
STS-V: i think that is one of the most beautiful cars to ever come out. i wish it had a manual but its good as is
Corvette (including Z06): best bang for buck and it is much more than 'just' a 'value' sports car

Near misses:
G6: nice car but i really dont like the interior
CTS (and V): I love this car and the CTS-V has beaten out the McLaren F1 for my dream car. so why dont i think its perfect? i hate the interior. It looks cheap and the center stack is too big and too ugly. that and the location of the parking brake release (being right above hood latch switch). i cant freaking wait for the 07 model
HHR: like Guy said - way too under powered. Ive seen a couple on the street and they look amazing next to other cars. Undeniably hummer but not gigantic and it doesnt look akward. IT looks real good
SRX: again the same problem with the CTS as they have damn near identical dash's. Other than that its very good.
Cobalt: the one thing i did not like about this car is the location of the handbrake. when i sat in the car it all felt good but when i reached for the handbrake i had to torque my arm in a funny way to get it (being underneath the armrest) may be a nitpicky thing but nit picky things hold it back from perfecion.
GTO: i love this car. i like styling with or without the hoodscoops (more with tho) but when after hearing about the small trunks, when i finally got to see one's trunk i couldnt help but laugh at the poor excuse it was for a trunk
Lacrosse: its a nice exterior design with a b+ interior design. but after driving my dads es 330 around and then driving a lacrosse at ASIM it just didnt feel near as smooth.
Old Jun 28, 2005 | 03:59 PM
  #17  
Z28x's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 10,285
From: Albany, NY
Re: What vehicles do you think GM is doing right? Almost right? Wish it never happened?

Originally Posted by guionM
Near misses:

CTSv:
about $10,000 overpriced.
the same CTS with out the V series stuff is $43K, do you not think the verseries upgrades are worth $7K or should the entire CTS line up be priced $10K lower.

I think the price is OK, at $45K it would have been a great deal. Compare to the S4 and BMW M3
Old Jun 28, 2005 | 04:01 PM
  #18  
Z28x's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 10,285
From: Albany, NY
Re: What vehicles do you think GM is doing right? Almost right? Wish it never happened?

Colorado just needs a 4.8L V8 option for no more than $1200 and the interior material used on the H3 should be in the Z71 and ZQ8 it is will take that mid size market by storm.
Old Jun 28, 2005 | 05:52 PM
  #19  
90 Z28SS's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,801
From: South Bend , IN
Re: What vehicles do you think GM is doing right? Almost right? Wish it never happened?

Got it right :

G6 - the rest of them are coming and the GT is GOOD . If the GTP's were here 2 weeks ago , I likely would have bought a 6speed coupe . GT lacks what the rest of the lineup will have .

Cobalt - Liked it so much I bought a SS

Cadillac as a division

GTO - Awesome car , if I could of afforded it , a Cyclone grey spoilerless 05 would be in my mine .

Vette with the Z06 being SCARY right

Equinox
Soltice/Sky
HHR - not my cup of tea , but I believe this will be a smash hit for GM . Plus their getting out to the tuner market early to generate a buzz , MUCHO smart move .

Near ....but :

06 Impala
Colorado/Canyon
Saab 93 - I love the looks of this car but HATE the interior .
Saturn Vue
Grand Prix - it was unable to get enuff Lutz influence when ti came out in 04 . The midsection looks fantastic , love the roof line , but the both the front and rear destroy the car . The interior IMO is not that bad , but its not all that great either .

Missed it :

Monte Carlo - "were livin in out last days " comes to mind here , haha . I dont get why it sells so well ...amazing .

LaCrosse - touted as true lexus competition , maybe in quality but not even outside the ballpark looking in on styling . Its so far away from the ballpark that ....ya get the point

Malibu - there isnt even one decent looking angle to this car

SSR
ION
L series Saturn
Saab 92-x - why bother
Silvarado SS
Old Jun 28, 2005 | 06:02 PM
  #20  
Z284ever's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 16,176
From: Chicagoland IL
Re: What vehicles do you think GM is doing right? Almost right? Wish it never happened?

I'm liking the GTO more and more, all the time.

If it had two little changes, I believe that I'd have one now.

1) A rear bench or 60/40 seat with a third seat belt.

2) No box in the trunk.

Last edited by Z284ever; Jun 28, 2005 at 06:18 PM.
Old Jun 28, 2005 | 06:36 PM
  #21  
Eric Bryant's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,400
From: Michigan's left coast
Re: What vehicles do you think GM is doing right? Almost right? Wish it never happene

Right:

Cobalt - Despite the fact it's in a class that I don't care much about, it's an exceptional car. Kudos to GM.

Aveo - It sucked far less than I thought it would. That's a compliment.

CTS - I'd be pleased to own one of these.

Vette/Z06 - So obvious that it barely deserves mention.

Malibu Maxx - Fills the midsize wagon gap that the import brands abandoned a couple model cycles ago.

Full-size vans - Operating in a market with nearly no competition, GM still keeps 'em current.


Almost right:

GTO - A great car, except for its lack of soul.

G6 - There's little here that really wants to make me buy this over an Accord (unlike the outcome of a Cobalt vs. Civic comparison).


Wrong:

Colorado - Looks good on paper, but I came away from my rental experience totally unimpressed. The GMT400 seems like a far better platform, despite being 16 years old. The I5 does absolutely for me, especially when combined with the wide-ratio 4L60E. That engine makes me want for the days of the 4.3L Vortec.

The FWD minivans - Why bother.

M-vans - Killed them instead of revamping them to the same level as the full-size G-vans. Sure, they wouldn't have outsold the Caravan, but it would have filled a niche for those that want to tow with a slightly smaller vehicle.

Anything with the 3800/3400 - Shoulda been replaced by the 3500/3900, like, five years ago. The success of the GenIII V8 should have prompted GM to perform a revamp of their pushrod V6s immediately, but they waited, and now I think the idea of a pushrod V6 is tainted.

SSR - A textbook example of how to repeat the same mistakes that Ford made with the T-bird. More power and less price would have likely made a lot of difference.
Old Jun 28, 2005 | 06:49 PM
  #22  
ADV1's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 380
From: Gretna (Omaha), NE
Re: What vehicles do you think GM is doing right? Almost right? Wish it never happened?

Originally Posted by dream '94 Z28
Colorado: great looking exterior but really un-inspired interior and lacking in the engine department when you start comparing it to the competition.


I couldn't have said that any better! The exterior is AWSOME the interior... well it pisses me off because its just so boring and what ever happened to having a REAL console? Then you look at the powerplant and hauling is severely less than the rest of the competition. Even though I'd like to see an LS engine in it I know that won't happen but what about a stronger 6cyl that makes more power with similar mileage? IMHO the Nissan Frontier blows the Colorado away. GM PLEASE FIX THIS!!! I WANT A COLORADO! NOT A NISSAN!!!
Old Jun 29, 2005 | 04:33 AM
  #23  
jkipp84's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,519
From: High Orbit
Re: What vehicles do you think GM is doing right? Almost right? Wish it never happene

Originally Posted by ADV1
I couldn't have said that any better! The exterior is AWSOME the interior... well it pisses me off because its just so boring and what ever happened to having a REAL console? Then you look at the powerplant and hauling is severely less than the rest of the competition. Even though I'd like to see an LS engine in it I know that won't happen but what about a stronger 6cyl that makes more power with similar mileage? IMHO the Nissan Frontier blows the Colorado away. GM PLEASE FIX THIS!!! I WANT A COLORADO! NOT A NISSAN!!!
I cross-shopped the Colorado and the Tacoma last year. I just don't care for the Frontier or the Dakota. There's a Tacoma sitting in my driveway due to the Colorado's interior (cheap) and lack of engine. Outside, I liked the Colorado better.
Old Jun 30, 2005 | 01:24 AM
  #24  
AronZ28's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,276
From: Chattanoga & Franklin
Re: What vehicles do you think GM is doing right? Almost right? Wish it never happened?

The Saab 9-2X. Leave it to GM to give us a pretty version of the Impreza and WRX wagon trimmed out a little bit nicer than the Suburu for $5,000 less than what Suburu charges. $19,645 for the 9-2X Aero AWD, turbo 4, 5 speed. This has to be the best buy in all of automobiledom.

Never mind the fact that this car and the 9-7X(Trailblazer, cough cough) completely destroy Saab's image of being that very strange, funky, European brand and has completely alienated the traditional Saab buyer. Despite that, I'd still buy one if I were in the market for a practical $20,000 car.

Last edited by AronZ28; Jun 30, 2005 at 01:27 AM.
Old Jun 30, 2005 | 10:37 AM
  #25  
Big Als Z's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,306
From: Jersey Shore
Re: What vehicles do you think GM is doing right? Almost right? Wish it never happened?

Got it right
Corvette, every model, every trim. Flat out sexy hottness.
Cobalt, an awesome compact and will be better when they offer the 2.4
G6, a very attractive coupe-like sedan, and then the real coupe will add to the flare, along with engines.
CTS-V, just flat out awesome. Missing a hand brake.
Caddy as a division
Almost
Malibu/Maxx, missing a few things here and there to make it a true midsized powerhouse, but most problems look to be solved with the update and SS models.
LaCrosse. Very close..so close. Better suspension, and offer more luxury items.
Colorado. Great truck, and a great seller, but feels like it lacks something, and its not V8.

Missed the mark
Luceren. WAY WAY WAY off. Design is soft, engine power is worse then the LaCrosse. Interior is probably the only highlight, but not enough to fix the car.
Ion. A cool idea on paper, but to bad people dont buy paper. Shot down with poor quality, odd body pannels and poor fit and finish. What could have been a hit for Saturn, melted under the sun.

What I have hope for
Aura and Sky. These cars are gunna be HUGE and need to be out now. Saturn needs to really push these through fast. They tipped there hand, and now Honda, Toyota and Nissan can aim for that car. Thoes three are much faster then GM, so they need to get that car out now. Sky is gunna be a great addition and pull people into dealers just to see the car.
Impala. This sedan looks really classy. I was very impressed in person. It gives off a great vibe, something the last one didnt. Great lines, good clean design. Best looking Impala since the 60's IMO. And 303hp V8 isnt weak either.
Future Caddy. The new CTS and Lade have me hyped. They need to just keep on moving, and pushing everyone out of there way. With Lexus showing the IS350, the new 3 series, and MB always changing the C class, the CTS has its work cut out...again.
GM 900's. Every single version, SUV or Truck, needs to be outstanding. Not one flaw, not one fault. It needs to be just jaw dropping. Can GM do that with a truck?
Old Jul 2, 2005 | 12:20 PM
  #26  
30thZ286speed's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,030
From: Frankfort, KY U.S.A.
Re: What vehicles do you think GM is doing right? Almost right? Wish it never happened?

Right and wrong together:

Bonneville GXP: Once again GM fixes a car, and makes it right, then kills it. Nice sleek styling, nice handling for a large car, V8 power. Dated dash.

GTO: all around great 400hp car, needs some type of open top options, but I'm afraid there will never see enough sales to warrant that option.

SSR: After driving the LS2 powered SSR, I could see myself with one. The problems: cheap dash, $10K too much.

Cobalt SS: good build quality, nice styling expect for rear spoiler
Old Jul 2, 2005 | 12:36 PM
  #27  
mr00jimbo's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,238
From: Wet Coast
Re: What vehicles do you think GM is doing right? Almost right? Wish it never happened?

Good:
-Vette
-CTS-V
-G6
-Grand Prix (My rental car owned V8 Jeeps off the line )
-Equinox
-STS
-Escalade; don't like it but it sells

Bad
-Sunfire lol
-Aztek
-Blazer
-Envoy (needs more quality)
-Monte Carlo (what is this, 1998?)
-Impala (FWD)
-Malibu
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
ducttape1975
Classic Engine Tech
2
Mar 26, 2016 04:17 PM
asilomar244
LT1 Based Engine Tech
17
Jul 12, 2015 05:53 AM
ducttape1975
New Member Introduction
2
Jul 10, 2015 06:29 PM
LETZRIDE
Outside of United States
8
Jul 9, 2015 07:17 AM
robyyzpapa
LT1 Based Engine Tech
2
Jul 7, 2015 10:05 AM


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:27 PM.