General vehicle thread

[Gman]

I won't argue the competition angle, but Consumer Reports doesn't seem to think they have a quality problem judging by their list of the best American-branded cars, trucks and SUVs from 01/02/2019.

https://www.consumerreports.org/cars...s-suvs-trucks/

These are the top-rated cars from their class. You may not agree but they do have a pretty extensive testing regimen:

Subcompact = Chevy Sonic
Compact = Chevy Cruze
Compact Electric = Chevy Bolt
Large Sedan = Chevy Impala
Luxury Midsized Sedan = Cadillac XTS
Sports = Chevy Corvette
Large SUV = Chevy Suburban
Luxury SUV = Buick Envision

That's a pretty impressive lineup, especially from Chevrolet. And I'll admit I'm a Chevy fan...we currently own 3. They have been the most trouble free cars we've ever owned.

Cruze, Impala, and XTS from that list have been cancelled. Buick Envision is made in China. The Sonic is on thin ice for cancellation.

I've been a Chevy guy my whole life. Waited for the 2019 GM trucks to come out before making a purchasing decision...and wow. What a fail fest. The bean counters must be doing their design. Chevy is still advertising on their past achievements.

[MrPrena]

Speaking of GM, mary barra has to go. $22mil/yr salary ,and can't even predict the auto market less than half of time.

[Bailey Guns]

Many car makers are stopping sedan production this year...not just Chevy. Ford's doing the same thing. There's more money in trucks and SUVs. That's a consumer decision...not a fault of the automakers. Also doesn't change the fact they were top-rated cars by a leading testing facility.

I'm set with a truck so I haven't looked at the new Chevy pickups yet. I will as soon as I head in for the next service.

[Irving]

That's kind of a bummer to be getting rid of cars. I have a hard time believing that enough of them aren't being to completely stop making them.

[Jer]

That's kind of a bummer to be getting rid of cars. I have a hard time believing that enough of them aren't being to completely stop making them.

It's also the segment where a spunky young upstart is kicking serious ass and taking names currently as the big three phase out sedans. They can't seem to innovate to compete so they're just going to shudder up and hope they can keep making profit on the larger trucks and SUVs.

[Martinjmpr]

Well the "market" seems to value chevy trucks rather highly.

Check out later model (2 -3 model years old) used trucks and you'll see the asking price on full sized GM trucks is notably higher than either Dodge (Ram), Ford, or Nissan for the same age, miles and equipment. I think the only ones that hold their value more are Toyotas.

[Bailey Guns]

Well the "market" seems to value chevy trucks rather highly.

I can tell you from firsthand experience that's true. I only owned my Colorado Duramax for a year and sold it for almost a grand more than I paid for it. I got into a position where i needed a big truck for towing.

While I think it's disappointing seeing most cars go away it makes for some great deals. We had 2 Cruze diesels but I traded one on the Colorado. With them going away there are some unbelievable deals on the leftover 2018 models. Just bought a new 2018 Cruze TD Last weekend. Sticker was $27k give or take. Clearance price after rebates, incentives and discounts was $16761. We almost bought the other one they had and traded my wife's 2014 on it. Would've but she was set on leather seats and this one was cloth. Only downside was I had to drive to Seattle to get it.

[ChadAmberg]

Saw an interesting show on Amazon Prime last night. All the old car commercials from the 50s and 60s.
https://www.amazon.com/Classic-Car-C...ref=pd_ys_iyr1
Some very cool blast from the past type things. Back when the car manufacturers could actually do fun interesting designs instead of every car looking almost exactly the same.

[ray1970]

Vehicles go out of production for lots of reasons but most often it has to do with the bottom dollar for the manufacturers.

Chevy Caprice was stupid popular with law enforcement agencies. Seems most preferred them to the Ford Crown Victoria. The Caprice was discontinued for one simple reason- there was more profit in SUVs and they converted the plant that made the Caprice to start making more Tahoes and Suburbans.

And as far as a previous comment about all cars pretty much looking the same, it?s all about aerodynamics. Ultimately there is only one design that is as aerodynamic as you can make a car so if every manufacturer is striving to make the most aerodynamic vehicle then they are all basically pushing their design towards the same shape. Since there are strict fuel economy and emissions standards to be met the more aerodynamic a vehicle is the better it will do in those departments.

[Irving]

It's one thing to discontinue a specific model of vehicle, but an entire class of vehicle is shocking.