Next nit-pick?

[cmattson]

Yes, I'm calling attention to this because it's becoming almost comical reading some of these reviews.

If you've followed auto reviews long enough, you know that GM is chasing a moving target. Reviewers used to dash domestic vehicles for having less quality, then it was durability, then it was fuel economy, then it was noise and vibration, and then it was fit-and-finish/panel gaps. It then moved onto quality of interior materials and the latest sticking point appears to be number of forward gears.

So, let's get it on record: what's everyone's opinion on the next great domestic "deficiency" for the auto-reviewers to harp on? I've already seen reviews bashing a GM vehicle's tilt-steering for only having 5 stops.. nevermind the idea that GM vehicles have USEFUL things like auto-headlights and OnStar that almost no other manufacturers have. Geez, your tilt-steering's total distance of travel has to be at best what? 5 inches? A stop every inch? So, worse case scenerio: you like something right inbetween stop-positions 3 & 4. By following this reviewer's gripe, a half-inch on your steering-wheel height=you can't get comfortable with the car? WTF?! Are you kidding me? It's *beyond* stupid.

So.. let's here it.. what are your opinions? I predict that within 5 years we'll hear about how Toyota/Honda's blue-color is so much more "blue-er" than the domestics..

Edited February 10, 2006 by cmattson

[balthazar]

I wonder when GM switched to a 5-stop tilt? My '64 has (first year) a 7-position tilt. Guess what- when I drove it I never tilted it and I never wished to tilt the wheel in my other '64 (which didn't have tilt). Seems another feature that's more 'look at this' than 'this is handy'. "Can't get comfortable"- what bullsh!t.

Of course you are dead-right, cmattson- the complaints are getting increasingly minor (tho they're seldom worded with anything less than triple the necessary emphasis). It'll be something, it'll always be something, because the domestic makes overall can NEVER be even as good as the foreign makes {waits for someone to bring up the Corvette}. Lingering boot-strap colonial-rebellion inferiority baggage, dont'cha know.

It'll probably move to individual component design- like the Fisher-Price Toddler-Friendly exterior door handles most eruopean cars seem to favor, you know: the ones with the giant factory dents behind them. Gotta be able to open yer door with yer big fuzzy mittens on! I can forsee it dwindling down to criticising the knurling pattern on radio knobs in the near future.

[Drew Dowdell]

The one I was amused by most recently was a 'low' listed in Cheers and Gears.

"It's still a Trailblazer"

[Flybrian]

I don't understand where any of you guys are coming from. When I choose a car, these things you deem 'nit-picks' are critical to my decision. Take the glovebox. If I open it and feel hard, coarse plastic on the reverse side of the handle, this is going to irritate me and cause me distress. What if I had tender skin? What if this grain is like sandpaper to my fragile epidermus and my flesh is torn from my fingers when I'm just trying to find my sunglasses? And what if I happen to be anemic and bleed uncontrollably from my wound, lose conciousness, and careen across the highway into a schoolbus full of children? This is a very real possibility for me.

Take my own car for one. If I move the seat back far enough and raise the cushion high enough, I can sort of see one of the seat tracks. This is very disconcerting to me. Imagine you're driving along after vacuuming your car and you forget to return the passenger seat to its correct position. You glance down and that black, metal seat track catches your eye. "Oh my God!" you think, "Wha...what is that?" Is that the seat track? Are you sure? Some swatch of carpet didn't come lose and that's not part of the car itself? You're positive that last pothole you hit didn't knock some part of the frame up into the car? What if it is the frame? If its up here, then what's holding up the car? Are you going to die? And while you're spending time considering the possibilities, you careen across the highway into a schoolbus full of children. Again, a possibility as stark as it is realistic.

How many Camries have you seen loged in a schoolbus full of children? How many Malibus? Exactly. I don't know about the rest of you, but that's the exact reason GM is losing market share today and I will not buy domestic again until these issue are resolved or until Consumer Reports says I can!

[cmattson]

Doesn't the Camry have school-bus-impact airbags around the front of their car?

[Cory Wolfe]

I wonder when GM switched to a 5-stop tilt? My '64 has (first year) a 7-position tilt. Guess what- when I drove it I never tilted it and I never wished to tilt the wheel in my other '64 (which didn't have tilt). Seems another feature that's more 'look at this' than 'this is handy'. "Can't get comfortable"- what bullsh!t.

Well, I find a tilt steering wheel to be useful. Had one on the GA and I always used it. Of course, I had no problem getting comfortable so I don't get what C&D was complaining about. I mean, mine can't possibly have more positions than the one in the Lucerne, could it?

[MyerShift]

Most of the gripes in the media regarding American automobiles are now frivolous and silly.

On the side note- If you hit/get hit a/by school busses or semi-trucks, you're gonna die!!

[Carguy]

Could it be that there is an AGENDA HERE? First they form UNIONS that drive the $COST$ to build a car in AMERICA HIGHER! Then later they REGULATE the cars for fuel economy/safty that DRIVES THE PRICE UP AGAIN? Then they let Asia in to STEAL MARKET SHAIR during a FAKE FUEL SHORTAGE! All the while BASHING the CHOKED/REGULATED/ANGRY UNION MEMBER BUILT AMERICAN CARS whose quality "SOMEHOW" ((DROPS!!)) <_<Then when AMERICAN cars get better they CONTINUE to NIT-PICK AGAIN driveing DOWN MARKET SHAIR!! Japan OWNED CONSUMER REPORTS continues to FOOL MILLIONS along with most other automotive publications!----------Is it ALL TO OBVEIOUS to BE TRUE?-------That there is an AGENDA?------One so VILE and INSIDIOUS that its to MUTCH for most SOFT WHIPPED AMERICANS to EVER ACCEPT?----------I WONDER!

Edited February 10, 2006 by Carguy

[razoredge]

Thanks guys I needed that !

Id say theres a bunch currently getting ready to measure "overhangs". That will be the one right there....Honda has 2" less rear over hang....

apparently there is currently some exacting "proportions" that all cars must become standardize too...... all while showing new creativity and not being "boring or bland"..............

did I just rule out every car currently in production ?

[pow]

Quality of the turn signal indicator tick... Audi are really good at that, but our callous and uncritical press never ever commends them for such an imperative achievement. Also, door hinges should be nitpicked... I'm fed up with VW's antiquated three-position design. I want them to hold at any angle, dammit!

[Charger4U]

I don't understand where any of you guys are coming from. When I choose a car, these things you deem 'nit-picks' are critical to my decision. Take the glovebox. If I open it and feel hard, coarse plastic on the reverse side of the handle, this is going to irritate me and cause me distress. What if I had tender skin? What if this grain is like sandpaper to my fragile epidermus and my flesh is torn from my fingers when I'm just trying to find my sunglasses? And what if I happen to be anemic and bleed uncontrollably from my wound, lose conciousness, and careen across the highway into a schoolbus full of children? This is a very real possibility for me.

Take my own car for one. If I move the seat back far enough and raise the cushion high enough, I can sort of see one of the seat tracks. This is very disconcerting to me. Imagine you're driving along after vacuuming your car and you forget to return the passenger seat to its correct position. You glance down and that black, metal seat track catches your eye. "Oh my God!" you think, "Wha...what is that?" Is that the seat track? Are you sure? Some swatch of carpet didn't come lose and that's not part of the car itself? You're positive that last pothole you hit didn't knock some part of the frame up into the car? What if it is the frame? If its up here, then what's holding up the car? Are you going to die? And while you're spending time considering the possibilities, you careen across the highway into a schoolbus full of children. Again, a possibility as stark as it is realistic.

How many Camries have you seen loged in a schoolbus full of children? How many Malibus? Exactly. I don't know about the rest of you, but that's the exact reason GM is losing market share today and I will not buy domestic again until these issue are resolved or until Consumer Reports says I can!

welll..

Wow, dude, complaining that much is soooooo gay.

[Flybrian]

You know, I thought I wouldn't have to do this but...

What I wrote?

Sarcasm.

[Charger4U]

i figured you were jokin but i was hesitant...i just thought it was funny

[ocnblu]

Yup, Chicken was joking just like Fly was joking when he originally posted his "complaining" line.

I wish my truck had a bed trunk.

[76ChevyTrucker]

Fly, thanks for that, I needed the laugh seriously, my sore throat didn't, but I did. By the way, speaking of in-bed trunks....I saw a Fridgeline that was broken down the middle today......apparently the owner tried to actually haul something in that nice plastic bed...and it snapped.....

[Drew Dowdell]

Thanks guys I needed that !

Id say theres a bunch currently getting ready to measure "overhangs". That will be the one right there....Honda has 2" less rear over hang....

apparently there is currently some exacting "proportions" that all cars must become standardize too...... all while showing new creativity and not being "boring or bland"..............

did I just rule out every car currently in production ?

I can't wait for someone to criticize the CTS or STS overhangs.. :-)

[76ChevyTrucker]

I don't get what the whole deal with overhangs is. I mean if the car is well proportioned for what its supposed to be, what matters if the front and rear fenders overhang the wheel a little bit?

[VenSeattle]

I don't get what the whole deal with overhangs is.  I mean if the car is well proportioned for what its supposed to be, what matters if the front and rear fenders overhang the wheel a little bit?

Exactly... See 1997-2005 Park Avenue for reference. The overhangs are directly related to the overall styling of the vehicle. You couldn't pull off the Park Avenue's design without them.

[Cory Wolfe]

Well... IMO, see the Grand Prix for why large overhangs are bad. I don't like them on any vehicle. FWD, RWD... There's no excuse for overhang. It looks excessive and ungainly on most vehicles. The PA, I can't forgive though, as the overhangs do blend into the overall aura of the design. Others, like the GP... Ugh. The overhangs completely ruin the car.

[Flybrian]

I think you need to clarify, BV. Overhang is necessary on any car while excessive overhang is an issue.

As far as the Grand Prix goes, look at the Ford trio or just about any French car for equally or more-bad overhangs.

[Cory Wolfe]

I think you need to clarify, BV. Overhang is necessary on any car while excessive overhang is an issue.

Well ofcourse... But excessive is a large word to type more than once... especially at 3 am.

[razoredge]

too much over hang is bad in the front, in the rear its part of the trunk. I found the trunk in the CTS interesting but I havent had to use it.

your big old land yachts had very long rear overhangs, but the fronts werent.