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32000 messages,  Last post on Feb 14, 2013 at 7:24 PM

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Messages Page 3049 of 3201

#30472 of 32000 Re: Malibu beats Altima, Passat, Optima, Subaru [tlong] by andres3

Jan 11, 2013 (5:09 pm)

Replying to: tlong (Jan 11, 2013 11:27 am)
So they're really not saying much of anything. It's kind of like Honda saying they're they have sold more Ohio-made sedans than any other foreign-nameplate manufacturer in Ohio.
 
That's some genius right there Tlong! Fantastic analogy to GM's PR campaign. Be careful, Honda's been a slump lately and might actually copy GM's marketing and steal your idea and use that line of yours.

#30473 of 32000 Re: OnStar [uplanderguy] by andres3

Jan 11, 2013 (5:11 pm)

Replying to: uplanderguy (Jan 11, 2013 5:07 pm)
A $89.99 GPS unit by Garmin could have done the same for your wife to get them to that hotel in NJ, and it doesn't require a subscription.

#30474 of 32000 Re: OnStar [andres3] by steve_ HOST

Jan 11, 2013 (5:16 pm)

Replying to: andres3 (Jan 11, 2013 5:04 pm)
Well, if it's a matter of life and death, it only needs to happen once, and it'd be cheap at ten times the price.

#30475 of 32000 Re: OnStar [uplanderguy] by andres3

Jan 11, 2013 (5:20 pm)

Replying to: uplanderguy (Jan 11, 2013 5:07 pm)
Crash worthiness is indeed something that might only be useful once a decade or less, but the stakes are high; your life.
 
I prefer "accident avoidance" abilities myself, which can be used more often and negate the importance of crash worthiness to some degree (or at least make it required less often).
 
But saying having someone call 911 in case you are unable to respond after an accident is taking it a quite a bit further. I would say it's Nth degrees further less useful. First, if it's a multi vehicle accident, it assumes all people involved are so injured no one can call for help. Second, it becomes irrelevant if crash worthiness didn't keep you alive first of all, so that you can even use the help.
 
And GM has been known to skimp and cost cut. Might crash worthiness of the vehicles be 10% better if OnStar wasn't required? I'd put the extra effort and expense into the crash worthiness.

#30476 of 32000 Re: OnStar [andres3] by uplanderguy

Jan 11, 2013 (5:44 pm)

Replying to: andres3 (Jan 11, 2013 5:11 pm)
That was her one free call. Does a Garmin give you a human being at the other end? I can tell you that my wife has borrowed a Garmin before and would tell you that OnStar was a lifesaver that day.

#30477 of 32000 Re: Malibu beats Altima, Passat, Optima, Subaru [uplanderguy] by circlew

Jan 11, 2013 (7:33 pm)

Replying to: uplanderguy (Jan 11, 2013 6:24 am)
The praise just keeps coming....
 
6TH PLACE: Chevrolet Malibu LTZ
 
The chassis rides well, but after that the praise ends. Steering feel is simply lousy -- zero feedback, and you'll find yourself working the wheel even on arrow-straight highways. The soft suspension, writes Evans, means "seesaw action over bumps." Febbo is less charitable: "No confidence in the chassis." The new Malibu offers nothing to the enthusiastic driver. It's a shame, because this remains a clean-looking, competitively priced machine (base price for the well-outfitted LTZ is $28,590). But its limited room and poor real-world efficiency doom it in this capable field. Seabaugh sums it up bluntly: "Unusable at its most basic function -- family sedan."
 
Sadly, I assume some are not that enthusiastic but that's OK!
 
Go Chevy!
 
Regards,
OW

#30478 of 32000 Re: Malibu beats Altima, Passat, Optima, Subaru [circlew] by bpizzuti

Jan 11, 2013 (8:20 pm)

Replying to: circlew (Jan 11, 2013 7:33 pm)
Obviously they missed the entire point of the car: they didn't mention how wonderful OnStar is, and clearly didn't pay attention to the fact that, despite the high sticker price, you can actually get the car for $19,995. Instead they focused in insignificant things like suspension, handling, driving feel, and fuel economy. I swear, I don't know what's wrong with some of these so-called "car" mags.
 
Now let me remove the tongue from my cheek. I'm surprised about the suspension reaction, that doesn't seem to jive with what others have said. I wonder what standard of comparison they're using.

#30479 of 32000 Re: OnStar [steve_] by tlong

Jan 11, 2013 (9:36 pm)

Replying to: steve_ (Jan 11, 2013 5:16 pm)
Well, if it's a matter of life and death, it only needs to happen once, and it'd be cheap at ten times the price.
 
So you get the cars cheap and then you can afford to pay those ongoing OnStar charges even if it is never used. Hopefully like car insurance!

#30480 of 32000 Re: Malibu beats Altima, Passat, Optima, Subaru [circlew] by uplanderguy

Jan 12, 2013 (4:17 am)

Replying to: circlew (Jan 11, 2013 7:33 pm)
Wow, "Kong" really doesn't like the Chevy! And the Camry, only one 'place' above, is full of 'squeaks and rattles'--"at least Chevy put forth an effort; Toyota phoned it in."
 
Not exactly a shocker than an 'enthusiast' mag would pick the European car first. Funny that CR has it behind the Malibu in its very recent test.
 
I'm between 5'8" and 5'9" and I can sit in the rear seat of the Malibu without my legs touching the front, when the front is put where I'd drive with it. But even I am able to admit that IMHO that is the car's biggest shortcoming in normal-people-day-to-day-driving. What I do like is made in U.S.A., by a company who employs more Americans than any of the other auto companies, a longer powertrain warranty than any of the other cars tested there, and the fact I'm fairly certain it can be bought for less of my hard-earned bucks than the others...and I like the looks better than most if not all of the others. And I still partly buy for looks...probably more than 'partly'.

#30481 of 32000 Re: Malibu beats Altima, Passat, Optima, Subaru [bpizzuti] by circlew

Jan 12, 2013 (5:12 am)

Replying to: bpizzuti (Jan 11, 2013 8:20 pm)
Like I said, GM isn't leading in cars. I'll give them a B for effort for the 2008'Bu and the Cruze (came from Europe) as well as the Camaro and CTS. But none of them are leading products. The hopeful is the ATS for Caddy as the XTS looks so boring that the Gensis looks more appealing!
 
As for the continuing story on the 2013 'Bu, let's see what the doctored up version has to offer....although we'll wait almost a year. GM is quite the dinosaur at the moment!
 
Automotive News is reporting that Chevy is working on refreshing the Malibu by the end of 2013, which is about 18 months after the new car went on sale earlier this year.
 
Not leading in mid-size sedans. Fact.
 
The sooner-than-expected design change is apparently a result of criticisms from dealers and the media as well as unimpressive sales figures. AN says that Malibu sales were up four percent earlier in the year due to increased incentives to move the 2012 models, but once the full model year changeover took place (in September and October), sales dropped by three percent.
 
Regards,
OW

Messages Page 3049 of 3201

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