The big 3 all make good vehicles in my opinion. I've got two GM and one Dodge product and they all have been good vehicles.
2000 Chevy Cavalier - 234k trouble free miles and still gets over 30mpg.
2005 Chevy Cobalt that my wife drives and so far 54k miles of trouble free service.
2003 Dodge Ram with 76k of trouble free service.
So far I'm happy but watch them all blow up this weekend.
Very Patient Wife
Two Kids (12 & 4)
2008 Jayco Eagle Super Lite 29.5 RLS
2003 Dodge Ram 3500 DRW Laramie Quad Cab V10 3.73gears
Prodigy Brakecontroller
1. To have a ride 'n drive where each vehicle has about 50,000 miles on them
2. To have a ride n' drive with people that we elect to be invited. I would elect all the skeptics I know from here and other boards I talk on.
I don't understand why people aren't taking notice of the very good compliments I gave the competition. I agree that the Traverse price might hurt us. But the Traverse IS bigger, it DOES have alonger wheelbase, it IS newer, and it DOES get better mileage. Those thing are what they are. It IS the best seller in this segment, but I questioned if that would remain.
I loved the Mustang. Just wish it was faster. Maybe driving out there in my G8 spoiled me.
The vehicles were pitted againt the vehicles they compete with the most or are considered the best in class. Traverse was top of the line LTZ and the Pilot was also loaded. Leather against leather, V8 against V8, and so on. It was very fair.
Camry vs. Malibu
Honda Pilot vs Traverse
Ford F150 vs. Silverado
RAV 4 vs. Equinox
Lexus ES 350 vs. LaCrosse
Acura RDX vs. Terrain
Mustang vs. Camaro
Lexus RX 350 vs. Caddy SRX
Volvo wagon vs. Caddy CTS wagon
2004 2500 GMC Savanna 6.0 / 3.73
2001 Mallard 30E
Wife,
Triplets born 10-14-02 (2 girls, one boy)
Older daughter born in 1985
Choc lab named Kia (No, NOT after the car!) http://mywebpages.comcast.net/babies3/index.htm
1. To have a ride 'n drive where each vehicle has about 50,000 miles on them
2. To have a ride n' drive with people that we elect to be invited. I would elect all the skeptics I know from here and other boards I talk on.
I don't understand why people aren't taking notice of the very good compliments I gave the competition. I agree that the Traverse price might hurt us. But the Traverse IS bigger, it DOES have alonger wheelbase, it IS newer, and it DOES get better mileage. Those thing are what they are. It IS the best seller in this segment, but I questioned if that would remain.
I loved the Mustang. Just wish it was faster. Maybe driving out there in my G8 spoiled me.
The vehicles were pitted againt the vehicles they compete with the most or are considered the best in class. Traverse was top of the line LTZ and the Pilot was also loaded. Leather against leather, V8 against V8, and so on. It was very fair.
Camry vs. Malibu
Honda Pilot vs Traverse
Ford F150 vs. Silverado
RAV 4 vs. Equinox
Lexus ES 350 vs. LaCrosse
Acura RDX vs. Terrain
Mustang vs. Camaro
Lexus RX 350 vs. Caddy SRX
Volvo wagon vs. Caddy CTS wagon
NOW JUST HOLD ON A DARN MINUTE!!!!
If you are only inviting skeptics, change me to a skeptic!!!!
2010 F150 Super Cab XLT 5.4 4X4 Short Box
2010 18' Springdale Rugged Terrain
1988 Nortstar 8' pop up TC
Honda 2000 26th Marines RVN 69-70 Semper Fi M-14 was the only Woodstock I saw in 1969.
I have always been satisfied with the engineering that GM puts into it's vehicles.....At least the full sized trucks. Most of the vehicles that GM builds that are not built on a pick-up platform I cannot speak for, but the trucks have always suited, and in most cases exceeded my needs.
Very interesting thread and have enjoyed it, although don't agree with most of it...
We received several new GM cars in for fleet testing, the latest being the Malibu and Impala. I think GM builds really good trucks (I'm a admitted Ford fan )but have considered most of the FWD GM cars as below standard...They drive and feel "cheap" not solid at all...I'm getting ahead of myself...
Drove both new GM models and came away with the same feeling...maybe it's the aluminum front engine/trans clip, but there's still too much junk road feel coming up through the chassis..my mothers older Camry drives and feels better and it has over 65,000 miles on it. Drove the Dodge Charger(with the V-6) and although I don't like Dodge cars at all, it was a much better chassis feel...Oh our 09' Impala has the same annoying clunking thru the steering column that the older FWD platform cars did...The older models had a temporary fix, take apart the steering shaft and "inject" some special GM grease into the slip joint...Are you now telling me years later that this problem is still not solved?
BTW Got to drive a Cobalt as a rental for 2 days...What a simply terrible car!...I know it's a entry level vehicle, but please!!!
Since we are sharing opinions...It's a shame the GM let its quality slip, I fix cars for a living so I do have some insight beyond the initial vehicle sale. Compared to the Japanese it seemed "good enough" was GM's new fight song and I never blamed it on the engineers or the men & woman making up the assembly line...I blame it on the bean counters upstairs...
Japanese pride would keep product testing and MTBF(Mean Time Between Failures)numbers high, where it seemed many times GM would take the Microsoft trend and ship buggy products with the corporate attitude that it would be cheaper to fix the problem at the dealer level...Never thinking after awhile it would effect their reputation. Funny thing is that so many so-called educated managers and executives could not see the negative long term results AND what the real cost would be to not only turn around the product quality, but the public preception...Thank God GM has been run by real smart people...
Of course Japanese cars aren't perfect, but since I own Japanese motorcycles I can tell you they do know how to build excellent small 4-stroke engines.
I think the GM quality has improved overall, but it would take me more then an afternoon test session to consider buying most of their models...
"I won't camp next to you, if you don't camp next to me!"
2004 Titan King Cab, 2wd, 5.6L V-8, 5 Speed Auto Trans
Tow Package with killer 3.73 tow gears and TruTrac.
Interesting that GM apparently wanted no part in comparing the Silverado's driving experience to that of the Dodge Ram 1500. Suffice it to say, I'm pretty sure the Ram 1500 with its superb interior and unique suspension setup would have been pretty fun to drive in the pickup category.
Throw some Mopars in that list, and I'd love to participate!
Add in that withthe exception of the Camaro, GM still styles their cars in ready for the rental lot blandness. Look at a Fusion, Edge or the new Taurus them look at the Malibu, Traverse and Impala. Boring! First impressions count.
Keith99RS wrote: Add in that withthe exception of the Camaro, GM still styles their cars in ready for the rental lot blandness. Look at a Fusion, Edge or the new Taurus them look at the Malibu, Traverse and Impala. Boring! First impressions count.
And Hondas and Toyotas differ how? They are ALL generic little bubbles with 4 wheels. The only thing I can tell apart anymore is the trucks. And most of the Chrysler cars stand out from the pack in one way or the other.
I remember the days you could not only tell what make but the year as well just by viewing the tail lights 200' ahead in pitch black!!!!
Keith99RS wrote: Add in that withthe exception of the Camaro, GM still styles their cars in ready for the rental lot blandness. Look at a Fusion, Edge or the new Taurus them look at the Malibu, Traverse and Impala. Boring! First impressions count.
Have to disagree with this opinion. Malibu is much more visually appealing to me than the Fusion. Ford IMO has some very quirky styling. Some cars look good like the current Focus, some cars and trucks look ugly, and some just look boring.
Of course opinions about appearance are subjective. Everyone has their own ideas about what makes a vehicle appealing.
The 2009 Fusion Surveyor? I admit the first run was a little blocky with the funky headlights and clear tails, but the new one is pretty sleek in and out. It also is a great hybrid. BTW yes, I do find the current Camry and Accord more visually appealing than the GM counterpart. There is just no character. They are taking it yet another step further by affixing the same front end to the whole lineup.
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