Truck Design criteria

[rkmdogs]

With all the hoopla about the new GMT900 platform, and my recent, unsuccessful

search for an HHR that met my needs, I would like to share a letter-to-the-editor

that appeared in the March/Aprilissue ofTruck Trendmagazine.

Jason Amoriell of Cedar Rapids,Iowa wrote:

"I recently replaced my 1997 Z71 Tahoe with a crew-cab Titan. I chose the Titan

for similar reasons why you chose the Xterra as your 2006 Sport/Utility of the Year.

My Titan's off-road package came with a strong engine,locking rear differential,

four-wheel traction control, disc brakes, and larger tires than the TahoeZ71. It

seems GM is saving its' best features for Hummers and Cadillacs, at the expense of other brands. That approach may work for maintaining those specific,(lower-

volume) brands, but 30,000 layoffs and lost marketshare negate the overall

wisdom of the approach. Nissan's"Everything you need; nothing you don't"

philosophy seems more suited to the middle-class buyer with an active outdoor

lifestyle. I looked at many 2005 Z71 Tahoes, and all the ones on the lot had

entertainment systems(for kids) that rival the average living room.

That's not where I wanted to spend my truck money."

I added the emphasis on the line about entertainment systems, because in my

opinion, GM has again forgotten that it is in the transportation business and not

the entertainment for kids business!

That was the case when I went looking for a new HHR as well! Most of the 2LT

models were rolling juke-boxes, rather than top-notch versatile transportation

machines.

What will it take for GM to wake up and get back into making functional,

economical transport machines?

[GMTruckGuy74]

Well, I guess you could always go in and custom order your vehicle. Dealers care only about what will make them the most profit, hence the addition of leahter seats, entertainment systems and other junk some customers don't want. Back in 2001 I wanted a Sonoma Highrider in Dark Blue. No one had any in that color with a couple of the options I wanted, so I asked the dealer to order it for me. That was the end of March and by the end of May I had my truck. Patience paid off! Some people just can't wait for what they want.

[Croc]

Well, I guess you could always go in and custom order your vehicle.  Dealers care only about what will make them the most profit, hence the addition of leahter seats, entertainment systems and other junk some customers don't want.  Back in 2001 I wanted a Sonoma Highrider in Dark Blue.  No one had any in that color with a couple of the options I wanted, so I asked the dealer to order it for me.  That was the end of March and by the end of May I had my truck.  Patience paid off!  Some people just can't wait for what they want.

Exactly! Just because a dealer doesn't carry it has no bearing on whether or not GM makes it...

[rkmdogs]

It has been my experience that if you are not relieving a dealers' floor

plan, his price window closes down considerably. Also, in the new issue

of Auto Week, is a letter from a reader who ordered a new C-5 Corvette, and never got it--- altho others came in as dealer stock!

I have ordered cars in the past --- and had them screwed up, by dealer

personel, who presumed to know what it was that I wanted. Rule of thumb, ----- if it ain't there, chances of getting what you want are less than 50-50!

[avant1963]

Then you should be happy, instead of bitching, that GM has announced that the Z71 package on the 2007 Tahoe and Suburban (and probably the same on the Silverado) is once again a stand-alone suspension option with a few external tip-offs instead of an all-encompassing uber-edition of the truck. They are listening, but as usual, no one wants to give credit where credit is due. It's much more fun to bitch.

We must let GM know what is doing wrong, but also must be aware when they make changes. Somebody's listening, a little too late for the Titan owner, but I'm sure after a few years in a Titan, he'll be back in a Chevy.

And HHRs LT2's around here have cloth and about $20,000. I know because I am actually looking for one with leather/heated seats and there are very few around. Don't blame GM for $h!ty dealer orders. Chances are the people involved in ordering have no idea WHAT they are ordering. Trust me, I've seen the inner workings at one Chevy dealer and it was a joke. And yes, THAT is what should change.

[z28luvr01]

You also could have tried getting the dealer to locate one for you, and have them do a swap with another dealer with a similar vehicle. That's how I wound up with my Cobalt. It took about two weeks to find the car, but I got it exactly as I wanted it, in the color I wanted it in.

Dealers can be a PITA, but you can put the screws to them, because they ultimately need you a lot more than you need them.

Enjoy the Titan. Me, I personally wouldn't buy any truck from a company that uses Avril Lavigne songs in its commercials. But hey, it's your dough

[Sixty8panther]

Well, I guess you could always go in and custom order your vehicle.  Dealers care only about what will make them the most profit, hence the addition of leahter seats, entertainment systems and other junk some customers don't want. 

I've worked at 3 different dearlerships (all GM) and had a half dozen managers who were all clueless.

Managament at automotive dealers is NOT hired based on their knowledge of the Automotive field. Almost never is there a true car enthusiast or at least knowledgable person prdering the vehicles. This is a sad reality. A lot of dealers suck!

Brainless optioning did not help the last gen F-body either. I had a manager who kept ordering loaded up Camaro SS-es with AUTOMATICS. Every time someone would pass on the car nad go elsewhere to buy a 6-speed he'd recite that only 16% of the population prefer manuals bull$h!. Nice guy but clueless abotu what sells Camaros.

[rkmdogs]

Well guys,

I've heard all your rationale & retorts. I did not order the Titan--I was only reporting on a magazine readers letter!

As far as ordering an HHR, that's a joke! Production is so far behind,

dealers are taking wharever they can get ---- and two dealers told me that they wouldn't even try to special order at this time!

So, I finally had to vote with my wallet.

Since Chevy and/or GM thinks the minivan market is a dead horse,

I went out and got a Chrysler Town & Country with "stow n' go" seats

to replace my aging Astro.

Oh yeah, the recent GM price reductions----- dropped the market value on my Astro over $800. overnight!

Wait until the rest of the former GM owners go to trade---- and find out how they got stabbed in the back!

[07_Denali]

Personnaly I love all of the comfort options and gizmos that GM trucks offer. I spend half my life driving my truck (about 40K miles a year), so I want all the comforts.

To each his own.

Have you ever tried to order a foreign car/truck? It is not going to happen.