Topic: Feature: GM's new fuel-efficient models

[Sir Osis of Liver]

You really think it's necessary for GM to highlight the 6th speed to indicate it's the most fuel efficient gear? really? That has to be one of the stupidest things I've seen in a long time.

No seriously, just stop. It's idiotic. It's a tiny little dot on a shifter. I had a Ranger that had "OD" in stead of "5". I have driven cars with "ABS" on the brake pedal, and "Power Brakes" before that. Turbo cars have had illuminated "Boost" show up on the gauge cluster, or basically useless numberless boost gauges.

Marketing folks decide to add stuff like this to play up the feature, always have done, always will, get over it.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

You do have a point. The better question might be how long will it take public perception to catch up with that new reality. Hyundai was building pretty decent cars for quite awhile before most people finally stopped thinking "Pony' or "Excel".

No question, GM still has a long row to hoe. A lot of people have been upset with their past GM ownership experience. Some might come back, others never will. They certainly can't get cocky now, that's for sure.

[Leviathan]

I Just can't see the Volt as being much as far as sales go.Too expensive for the mileage you will really get real world.

Ya, buyers are really going to be sick of not burning gas.

[Dee]

I see the "guest" anti-GM trolls got let out of jail for the weekend. Either that, or the cheques from Hyundai finally cleared the Bank of Korea and the company-sponsored secret internet subterfuge campaign is on again..

Muhaha, you make me laugh going all personal and insulting just because some "guest" stated their opinion in an open, public forum? LMAO. Pathetic. BTW, Hyundai has been pulling out some serious cards - if you have been actually reading auto reviews rather than just looking at pictures.




 

[Jaeger]

That has to be one of the stupidest things I've seen in a long time.

You mean that's not a photoshop mockup?  I thought there's no way something that cornball could be real.

Jaeger

[Erik]

Please stop filling the forums with your lies and distortions.

I don't care either way; what brand, what model. Whats important to me is that the car I bought new in 1999 costs me as little as possible over its 15+ years I plan to own it. So far it has.

But since we are on the topic of GM, what has changed there? We all know it takes 4 years to come out with a new design. So if they were in trouble 2 years ago, what did they have up their sleeve so that today's car is just so much better than anything else. Or was it just a very good sales pitch, as DeLorean once said about GM management, "make them believe they are buying a quality product".

Damn curious.

The turn around actually started years before that. The new Malibu was probably the first car. GM just ran out of money and time before they could get the product all overhauled.

[rrocket]

Ya, buyers are really going to be sick of not burning gas.

Well..it will take 17 years to re-coup the cost of NOT buying gas vs. buying a gas burning Prius. 

[Erik]

Ya, buyers are really going to be sick of not burning gas.

Well..it will take 17 years to re-coup the cost of NOT buying gas vs. buying a gas burning Prius. 

Not if you take the $350 a month lease deal.

[rrocket]

The turn around actually started years before that. The new Malibu was probably the first car. GM just ran out of money and time before they could get the product all overhauled.

I think the 2008 Buick Enclave was the first truly good design inside and out IMO.....Some might say the CTS though.

[rrocket]

Ya, buyers are really going to be sick of not burning gas.

Well..it will take 17 years to re-coup the cost of NOT buying gas vs. buying a gas burning Prius. 

Not if you take the $350 a month lease deal.

IF you can get a lease for $350 month CDN....We don't know that yet.

[Erik]

Ya, buyers are really going to be sick of not burning gas.

Well..it will take 17 years to re-coup the cost of NOT buying gas vs. buying a gas burning Prius. 

Not if you take the $350 a month lease deal.

IF you can get a lease for $350 month CDN....We don't know that yet.

All we have is US pricing, so that's the best we can go on.

Anything in that range and we'll be in line. Likely even substantially more.

[rrocket]

All we have is US pricing, so that's the best we can go on.

Anything in that range and we'll be in line. Likely even substantially more.

I wonder what the breakdown of lease vs. outight sale will be?  90% leases you think?

[Erik]

All we have is US pricing, so that's the best we can go on.

Anything in that range and we'll be in line. Likely even substantially more.

I wonder what the breakdown of lease vs. outight sale will be?  90% leases you think?

It might just be. With a deal that good, doesn't make sense to buy.

[rrocket]

All we have is US pricing, so that's the best we can go on.

Anything in that range and we'll be in line. Likely even substantially more.

I wonder what the breakdown of lease vs. outight sale will be?  90% leases you think?

It might just be. With a deal that good, doesn't make sense to buy.

IMO it's only a great deal if you use it purely as an EV though.

[Erik]

All we have is US pricing, so that's the best we can go on.

Anything in that range and we'll be in line. Likely even substantially more.

I wonder what the breakdown of lease vs. outight sale will be?  90% leases you think?

It might just be. With a deal that good, doesn't make sense to buy.

IMO it's only a great deal if you use it purely as an EV though.

If most days you run 75% EV and 25% gas, you are ahead of the Prius in mileage.

[No H2O]

You really think it's necessary for GM to highlight the 6th speed to indicate it's the most fuel efficient gear?

A 6th gear? Hell, my car came with that almost 16 years ago. What took them so long? 

[rrocket]

If most days you run 75% EV and 25% gas, you are ahead of the Prius in mileage.

Not really.  The breakdown I did was 100% EV use in the Volt and all gas use in the Prius over 20,000 kms year.  In that breakdown, you'd need to use the Volt for 17 years in solid EV mode (no gas ever) to recoup ANY cost savings over owning a Prius.  Based on your 75/25 scenario I get:

Per year:

Gas for Prius = $987

75% EV mode for Volt.  Charge for Volt, assuming 80kms per charge (conservative) = $188  (assuming less conservative 60km/charge = $250).  25% gas cost: $294

~$42 per month savings in favor of Volt for fuel/electricity.  (or $37 a month less conservative).

We have to see what the Volt lease rate will be over here before we can make an absolute determination of how cheap it will be to run the Volt vs Prius.

But if we factor in the current USA lease rates of $269/month for the Prius, and $350/month for the Volt, it's still cheaper to own the Prius even with the good Volt lease rate. 





 

[Just the Facts]

Agreed....

Improved cars, but still not good enough syndrome.

[CatsEye68]

Someone, please save the asterisks!!! 

And really, GM? How stupid do you think your buyers are?

A green spot marks the Cruze Eco’s most economical gear.

I bought a pack of Dentyne gum this week. I was looking at the back of the package. It has a section labeled "Directions". Seriously. Directions for how to use a pack of gum.

I would say that an indicator on a shift lever is far more necessary in a society that needs directions for chewing gum.

[safristi]

  can U chew and shift at the same time.............. ...................careful  read the keyboard instructions before replying........