BigPontiac

I think you may be confusing pickup and SUV buyers. Part of the reason why Toyota is making a bigger Tundra is to lure all those import car owners that owned an American make truck into their showrooms. The current generation wasn't cutting it. Speaking as an import buyer (daily driver is a 2005 BMW 330i) the plastics by Fisher Price on my 2000 Sierra was a slight downside when I bought my truck new, but it was overshadowed by the rest of the truck. It's my snow vehicle. It hauls dirt, mulch, drywall, plywood, riding lawn mowers, car parts for my '68 Pontiac, snowblowers, and occasionally my Harley. While I'd like the interior of the new model to be better than the current model, I'd also like some of the interior durability to remain. And after having an '86 Mazda B2000 for my 1st pickup and a '94 GMC Sonoma as my 2nd, I personally wouldn't be cross shopping the Ridgeline against the Silverado/Sierra simply because once you'd had a fullsize pickup, it's difficult to go back to a smaller truck. The fullsize gets almost the same gas mileage as the small trucks, yet is a far more versatile package overall.

The upcoming Tundra is a much larger truck than the current model. The new model is slightly larger than the current generation GM fullsize pickups if you review the dimensions. Also the payload and towing capacity are increasing as well. With all that new weight and size, I wouldn't expect better mileage in the new model...I'd expect the MPG to be in the same range as the current truck as that's where most of the competitors trucks are. For comparison, my 2000 Sierra x-cab 4x4 with the 5.3 V-8 is rated at 15/18 with 285hp. It's a larger and heavier vehicle than the current Tundra, only has a 4 speed automatic vs. the Tundra's 5 speed, and lacks the DOHC and VVTi features the Tundra has...yet they're rated the same for MPG.

The 2006 Tundra 4wd is rated at 15 city, 18 highway with the 4.7 liter V-8 and 5 speed automatic transmission. The 4.7 is rated at 271-hp. [sources: fueleconomy.gov and toyota.com]

The SLT gets the Tahoe/Yukon interior, so it must have been an SLE or WT. I was curious if there was a difference in materials quality between the different interiors, but it sounds like no from your Tahoe experience. I can't wait for a local dealer to get a truck in stock so I can go check one out in person. Interesting I didn't think the Ridgeline interior was very good compared to other Hondas (like the Accord or Pilot) when I sat in one at the autoshow last year. Nicer materials than my 2000 GMC Sierra for sure, but that's not exactly hard...

I'm giving it a week or so before I upgrade. I want the theme support to catch up. The Noia theme I like is supported, but it's still beta, so I'll wait a bit.

What model did you sit in? WT, SLE1, SLE2, or SLT?

Pininfarina didn't seem too embarassed when they put them on the 2005 Maserati Quattroporte sedan...

Me too. Also missing the error document to display on a 404 condition as well.

There are a few up on ebay with decent pictures. All 1500 Crew Cabs. 2007 Silverado LT1 (edit: they lied in the listing, it's an LTZ) 2007 Silverado LTZ Vortec Max 2007 Sierra SLT

Sounds eerily like the "historic" Pontiac dealer that just closed in CT. Look at the pics and suddenly it's not so bad. Pontiac dealer closing thread

Article Date posted: 10-19-2006 DETROIT — General Motors has conceived plans for a compact entry-level Cadillac to help raise awareness of the brand and drive sales higher in Europe. Or at least it is if you believe the company's product boss, Bob Lutz. Designed to sit beneath the BLX, the company's existing front-wheel-drive entry-level model built by Saab in Sweden and sold across Europe, the new hatchback model is planned to sit on a secret new rear-wheel-drive platform. Details about the new platform are sketchy, although it is likely to be engineered by GM unit Holden in Australia. That's the same company responsible for the Zeta structure planned to serve as the basis for such linchpin cars as next year's Pontiac Grand Prix successor and the reborn Camaro due out in 2009. Lutz cites the success of the BMW 1 Series as the prime reason behind Cadillac's plan to venture downmarket into Europe's hotly contested premium-small-car market. He says he's confident that GM's upmarket division can broaden its appeal and increase sales by delivering a car designed expressly to meet the demands of European car buyers. "The BMW 1 Series has been extremely well accepted in the marketplace and shows what can be done," Lutz said at the recent Paris auto show. Lutz was careful to play down suggestions that the new compact Cadillac is already in the new-model pipeline, saying, "Nothing has been signed off," although he suggested he is "working hard" to ensure it happens. While remaining coy on details of the new car, Lutz makes no bones about its layout. "We are looking at the possibility of rear-wheel drive, but nothing is decided just yet. [This layout] provides the best possible basis for agility," he said, adding it would also "be required to support four-wheel drive." This hints at a car similar to the BMW 1 Series, with a longitudinally mounted engine. When questioned on whether the new Zeta platform would provide a suitable basis for the new car, the GM product guru was short and to the point. "It doesn't make good engineering sense to take a large platform and [scale it] down." As a result, attention has turned to a still secret rear-wheel-drive platform first hinted to by the Holden Torana TT36 concept revealed in 2004. While Lutz stops short of confirming as much, it seems credible that it will form the basis of the next-generation BLX, with the new small Cadillac borrowing the same structure — a move that would mirror the approach taken by BMW with the 1 and 3 Series. What this means to you: Lutz is ultra-interested in pushing Cadillac into new market segments, and while a compact rear-wheel-drive hatchback is unlikely to set sales records in North America, it would undoubtedly lift the appeal of GM's upmarket division in Europe, where the likes of the BMW 1 Series sell in big numbers.

Lou Gerstner reformed IBM, not York. His cost cutting caused an exodus of the top talent at IBM at the time. He was only there about 3 years if my memory serves me correctly. Funny how there's little mention of his stint as CEO of Micro Warehouse...how did that turn out??? He and his buddy Gary Wilson from Northwest Airlines... How 'bout Chrysler ?

Text of York's resignation letter

The article mentioned delivering the car to a customer's house for a test drive, not delivery when purchasing.

Nissan had a similar dealer issue when the Titan was released...too bad Toyota wasn't paying attention.

One of their next moves better be to find a "car guy" to be their Product Czar like Bob Lutz, otherwise I tend to agree...they're screwed.

I'm disappointed that this isn't a bumper-to-bumper program. I've never had powertrain issues with my GM vehicles, but most of the "non covered" items like electronics, trim, etc are where I've had problems once the warranty expires.

Wow, hopefully the mileage improves as it gets broken in. My Sierra with the 5.3 and 4wd gets 15 in normal/combined driving. My 6 speed 330i gets 28...though the need for premium dulls the cost advantage a bit.

Here's the website of the dealership that bought them...there are pictures of their facility there. Tony March Buick-GMC-Pontiac The brazen orange metallic GTO made the trip worth it...I'm strangely drawn to that car!

Geez, I thought for sure that Buickman was gonna chime in on this topic...

I think they had it up for that picture. I recall being at the boat storage place across the street in 2000-2001 and I don't remember see that old sign...because I WOULD have gone back for a picture! I go to Tony March GMC for service, from the looks of that place they'll sell WAY more Pontiacs at the TM location outside of Hartford. This must be why they liquidated their Mazda franchise in Dec of 2005.

Here's the pictures of the dealership. They were taken today (8/24). I left the images large so people can click through to see detail if they are interested. The actual service area. Inside the showroom.

I don't think I've ever seen that old Pontiac sign up...I've been there before and don't remember seeing it. I went and took pictures of the place...hope to have them posted shortly...

Who bought them, Tony March? I need to roll the Bonneville out there for a picture once they clear out the lot...

Sell them a Pontiac Torrent as their Rendezvous replacement.