2009 G8 to lose digital guages

[BigPontiac]

Link to article Edited June 13, 2008 by BigPontiac

[regfootball]

good move. but why there is no nav is really a sin. turn by turn should be integrated with a visual map.

[ShadowDog]

I like the analog much better. Those digital readouts looked straight out of the 80s.

[Camino LS6]

Another vote for white-faced analog guages.

[crash]

good move. but why there is no nav is really a sin. turn by turn should be integrated with a visual map.

yeah its kind of odd they don't offer a nav system, I mean they have the big color screen there why not just offer the nav sytem.

[crash]

Another vote for white-faced analog guages.

am right there with you man I say white analog gauges is the way to go

[Robert Hall]

Good that the digital gauges are going..they looked like the kind of silliness GM had in the '90s...

[Brougham-Holiday]

Its great that GM is listening to is customers, I hope we see the replacements for the digital readouts soon.

[PurdueGuy]

Analog gauge + digital HUD = WIN

why is the above combo not more common? HUD in general should be more common.

[The O.C.]

yeah its kind of odd they don't offer a nav system, I mean they have the big color screen there why not just offer the nav sytem.

I know I've been a proponent of in-dash navigation systems on here......but since being at the Cadillac store, I'm seeing how popular with consumers they really are.

Now granted it's Cadillac....which is premium.....but we are finding that Escalades have to be ordered 100% with navigation.....CTSs have to have it too, unless you are ordering a "price-leader" CTS or something similar. Even on DTS (!) the "old person's" Cadillac....we are getting crap because we simply don't have enough DTSs with navigation.

NOW....if we could only get a power-folding-into-the-floor third-row seat in the Escalade, I won't continue to lose customers to the GL450 and Navigator.

[gm4life]

I hope they get cool standard gauges.

[balthazar]

>>"NOW....if we could only get a power-folding-into-the-floor third-row seat in the Escalade, I won't continue to lose customers to the GL450 and Navigator."<<

And what features of the Escalade are causing the loss of customers from the gl & Navigator?

[Intrepidation]

analog gauges > digital gauges and idiot lights

There should be a Nav offered, it would fit right in.

[The O.C.]

>>"NOW....if we could only get a power-folding-into-the-floor third-row seat in the Escalade, I won't continue to lose customers to the GL450 and Navigator."<<

And what features of the Escalade are causing the loss of customers from the gl & Navigator?

I'm not sure what you mean.

But the GMT-900 setup for the rear suspension/third-row seat is the BIGGEST deal breaker I've seen in any car in a long time. For right or for wrong, I've had people in love with the Escalade....only to back out because the third-row doesn't power-fold into the floor, the seats are bulky to remove and install, and if you take them out, you have to store them in your garage or something.

AND, if you take them out for cargo reasons, then get to your destination.....then want to carry a bunch of people around.....guess what? You can't. Your Escalade is pretty much a 4-seater (because the vast majority that we order/get are the ones with the two captain's chairs in the second row.)

I'll tell you this from my experience. People don't give a &#036;h&#33; that the solid-axle rear suspension is supposed to be "better for towing." As far as they are concerned, Expedition and Navigator don't have any problem towing large loads. And....even though I personally love the way the Escalade rides and handles, Ford and the others are doing their homework overtime.....drilling in to customers that the independent rear suspension in their SUVs is far superior to ours in terms of ride and handling. Customers hear that....and bring it up to me many times. That's one glass of "kool-aid" the consumers are drinking in bulk.

How GM missed this mark so terribly.....on a vehicle (all the GMT-900s) that are really so far superior in most other ways......is a testament to the lack of competence in GM product planners/engineers/managers that has lead us to so many uncompetitive GM vehicles over the years.

[Camino LS6]

I'm not sure what you mean.

But the GMT-900 setup for the rear suspension/third-row seat is the BIGGEST deal breaker I've seen in any car in a long time. For right or for wrong, I've had people in love with the Escalade....only to back out because the third-row doesn't power-fold into the floor, the seats are bulky to remove and install, and if you take them out, you have to store them in your garage or something.

AND, if you take them out for cargo reasons, then get to your destination.....then want to carry a bunch of people around.....guess what? You can't. Your Escalade is pretty much a 4-seater (because the vast majority that we order/get are the ones with the two captain's chairs in the second row.)

I'll tell you this from my experience. People don't give a &#036;h&#33; that the solid-axle rear suspension is supposed to be "better for towing." As far as they are concerned, Expedition and Navigator don't have any problem towing large loads. And....even though I personally love the way the Escalade rides and handles, Ford and the others are doing their homework overtime.....drilling in to customers that the independent rear suspension in their SUVs is far superior to ours in terms of ride and handling. Customers hear that....and bring it up to me many times. That's one glass of "kool-aid" the consumers are drinking in bulk.

How GM missed this mark so terribly.....on a vehicle (all the GMT-900s) that are really so far superior in most other ways......is a testament to the lack of competence in GM product planners/engineers/managers that has lead us to so many uncompetitive GM vehicles over the years.

Fast beconig a moot point as this market shrinks. As I said months ago, the Escalade's day in the sun is coming to a close.

And I'm fine with that.

[balthazar]

>>"How GM missed this mark so terribly.....on a vehicle (all the GMT-900s) that are really so far superior in most other ways......is a testament to the lack of competence in GM product planners/engineers/managers that has lead us to so many uncompetitive GM vehicles over the years."<<

That's a pretty lofty hindsight assessment, IMO.

But my original question was- what features that the Escalade offers are pulling buyers from the Navigator & the gl? Isn't the Escalade MORE than competitive w/ the other 2 in sales on average, or no ?

[The O.C.]

>>"How GM missed this mark so terribly.....on a vehicle (all the GMT-900s) that are really so far superior in most other ways......is a testament to the lack of competence in GM product planners/engineers/managers that has lead us to so many uncompetitive GM vehicles over the years."<<

That's a pretty lofty hindsight assessment, IMO.

But my original question was- what features that the Escalade offers are pulling buyers from the Navigator & the gl? Isn't the Escalade MORE than competitive w/ the other 2 in sales on average, or no ?

I'm not sure of the sales numbers......but I can just tell you from my experience it's a major deal-killer. Sure I did make a lofty assessment.....but I'm gaining valuable experience now that I'm actually dealing with and listening to customers. I've lost 5 Escalade deals on this issue alone and I've only been here a few weeks.

It's why I think EVERY GM exec (and Ford exec, etc.) should spend time at a dealership. In time, I mean like a month at least. So you can get a REAL feel for what the real world is like.

Selling is all about overcoming objections. But this is one issue that is VERY difficult to overcome (re...my post above about people not caring about the solid rear axle being better for towing, etc.) It's simply seen as an inferior, cheap, and cumbersome design for the rear suspension/third-row-seat.

Positives for Escalade? Seem to be powertrain......interior and exterior styling. That's about the two advantages. Both vehicles offer similar, damn near identical features. Both score really well in that regard.

[thegriffon]

The GL is now selling better than the comparable Escalade. Only the extended wheelbase and SUT versions have an advantage.

[hyperv6]

Nav systems are on the way out as better internet based systems will be available soon.

It would be nice to see Pontiac get the system Cadillac will soon have.

For my money I would rather see it spent on a HUD and just put a programable perfromance guage package in the dash like Chevy will do in 09 for the HHR SS and Cobalt SS.

IF you add the HUD you could put the Nav in the HUD like the GP had.

To me NAV systems are a waste of money and just takes more drivers eyes off the road and into my lane as I drive to work. This happens all to often.

[prinzSD]

They must be talking about the later 2009 models because the 2009 Sytrker Blue G8 at Mazie in Antioch, CA has the digital read out. I must say I am disappointed in the Strker Blue. I thought it was going to be a blue I had seen on a Monaro (the same years that the last GTO was built) wallpaper. It seemed to have had more gray in the color.

Here are some links to pictures:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...l%3Den%26sa%3DG

http://myweb.irongate.co.nz/mwdata/WestCit...%20-%20Blue.JPG

http://www.red5.net.au/images/LS1/GOR2006/...onaro-badge.jpg

[vonVeezelsnider]

I'm sorry but I can't look at that color without having flashbacks

[prinzSD]

I'm sorry but I can't look at that color without having flashbacks

LOL, if it is anywhere close to the blue on the Cavalier( or the blue on my dads old 1988 Camaro), I will have to agree. However, to my eyes the wallpaper I have on my Mac at home has more grey in it, looking a bit more like the blue on some BMW M3. But it doesn't matter, it's nots like we will get that color anyhow.