The O.C.

His point was that the G6 GT could "smoke" a BMW 3-Series....which is far from the truth.... That's all I was responding to....I wasn't debating price or snob factor.... C&D got a 6-speed manual 325i (215hp) to 60mph in 6.1secs. An automatic G6 GT was tested by them at 7.9secs 0-60. BMW quotes an automatic 325i at 7.1secs 0-60 from what I remember.....and BMW is usually a bit conservative (compared to C&D test numbers.)

I drink EVERY day.......to some extent. It may just be a couple of glasses of wine with dinner.....but it happens every day. Now....how often do I drink to the point of crazy (and sometimes fun) drunkedness...? Well, maybe that happens a couple of times a month.....at best.... I can't handle it like I did 10 years ago......ugh

Awwww Croc.....I think you're just a "six-packer." You know....."give him a six-pack (of beer) and ANYTHING will feel good to him!" (j/k)

I know you're j/k Fly.....but seriously...I mean when I say there's a couple I don't respect, I'm talking about the one or two few posters over the past while that have been on here that MOST of us didn't like 'cause they only seemed to be on here to cause problems or bash people. I know I'm opinionated.....devoted to my southern California lifestyle.....and am many times (many say overly) critical of GM.......but DAMN I really love the discussions and debates we all get into on here. There's those on here that have batted heads with me all too often.....and I love those guys all the same. I hope it never gets boring in here!!!!!!!!!!

Solstice..... I think it's a hell of an attractive little roadster....and is priced extremely well. However, to me, they totally dropped the ball on interior quality, soft-top fit-and-finish, soft-top ease of use, available luggage space (compared to its peer, the MX-5) and the overall weightiness of the platform. I'm not calling Solstice a failure....but to me, things like interior quality (material supplier choice??) and the quality of the operation and fit of the soft-top are things they (Wagner and Lutz) should have been able to influence. The platform weight and available trunk space may have been harder to change given the time they brought the car to market.....but does that rationale make those setbacks in the product acceptable? The market, over time, will tell.......

To me, it's more like who do I NOT respect...? Because there's only maybe two (2..) people in my history on C&G that I'd ever say I would have a hard time respecting....in one way or the other.... I love the people that agree with me on here (for obvious reasons) and I love the people that disagree with me on here (because it makes life more interesting and continually challenges my opinions and assumptions.) (I even think I have a deep-seated attraction to Croc.......something about loving guys that abuse you.....) heheeheheheh

I agree..... IF I had to buy a G6....I'd probably buy a 5-speed/2.4L DOHC 16-valve combo over the pushrod 3.5L and 4-speed auto GT version.....

IMHO, I think it's incredibly CHEESY for GM to even attempt to label this system at all.....much less "TAPShift." To me, it reeks of "4 Speed Automatic" on the backs of C-body Electras....."Anti-Lock Brakes" on the center caps of Pontiac 6000s......and "Touring Suspension" on the backs of Devilles. <ugh> I KNOW, I KNOW......Chrysler got alot of mileage out of "AutoStick" but they were also the first volume manufacturer (Porsche was there also with "Tiptronic") to jump into this technology and I don't think anyone any more cares about "AutoStick." I don't think anyone else goes about labeling their manumatics.....and CERTAINLY not TM'ing them.....! YES.....GM trademarked "TAPShift"....!!!

.....especially with the new S-Class (yuk) I'm becoming less-and-less a fan of M-Benz stying and <gasp> more-and-more a fan of Bangle's efforts...... The 6-series is SO much more musclular and dramatic than this CL......

What a piece of crap......just read the C&D long-term report and I gotta tell you they were way too nice to Acura. I agree the car is probably a great car to drive....and probably very comfortable....and I can attest the interior materials and fit-and-finish are superb. But that doesn't excuse 8 unscheduled dealer service visits in such a short amount of time and mileage. Does anyone remember the long-term test that C&D did on a 1982 Camaro? Admittedly the car was an absolute P.O.S. with all the problems they had....way worse than this Acura.....but they at least took GM to task and really ripped the car a new asshole in the report. They should have done it to Acura this time.......

As far as the Azera's dash-to-console, get inside one and look closely up under the dash where the console actually does attach.....and it's nicely-done and fits well. So, no it doesn't "flow" into the dash (a la Mazda6 for example) but it still looks like it was designed to fit properly. (unlike G6, Malibu for example.)

Well, based upon your BOLD accents......BV could be referring to the performance of the Azera compared to the V8 Lucerne and how the Azera outaccelerates it by quite a bit...at least compared to buff magazine tests. Also, in terms of quality, many of us on here have the opinion after sitting in both that the Hyundai has higher-quality materials inside than the Lucerne. I'd say BV is right on track and not speaking out of line.....

Fresno? Oh, okay that makes sense. Down on the coast (away from the agricultural industry) the economy is ALOT stronger. I go to Fresno probably once a quarter for business. It's not a bad little town (actually with a population almost $500K it's not that "small.") Certainly it doesn't have the quality-of-life appeal of L.A., O.C., or the Bay Area, but I've noticed how the city has really grown....lots of new development north of town, new houses, new office buildings, etc. The Tower District is small, but really cool too. I think you guys up there see your economy's highs and lows dramatically influenced by the Agriculture industry....much like Detroit and the U.S. auto industry.

True.....but they BUY them......instead of a GM vehicle...... See....? It doesn't matter if the consumer is just trying to be "popular".....or trying to boost their ego...... BMW (in this case) is getting the business.......not GM (Cadillac?)

What ARE you smoking? A base, automatic 325i will out-accelerate a G6 GT.....and stick a 6-speed in it, and it will leave behind even a manual-tranny G6 GTP......(from C&D magazine road test numbers.) See my previous post on this thread about a GTP rental car before you talk about the Pontiac's better "quality and reliability."

.....and you get MAJOR windnoise at highway speeds with it open.....as I found out in a recent GM rental car ("old" Impala LS I believe) with the "astroroof."

About the mileage......if they get the same mileage, the Highlander comes out ahead in my book because it's returning similar mileage to Equinox with a better-performing, smoother, nicer powertrain. Call it "bang for the buck" when looking at fuel mileage. Just going to 17-inch tires is not going to significantly affect the handling performance of Equinox.....tire sidewall flex or not.....unless the suspension is tuned to take significant advantage of it. (Admitedly extreme) example.....adding BMW 7-series 19-inch performance tires to a Roadmaster is not going to make the Roadmaster handle like, or as good as, the BMW.

I don't usually resort to this type of post.....but.... I can't figure out if you are trying overly hard to be sarcastic about GM, or if you really are that totally dillusional and out-of-touch with reality. Where do you live? What industry do you work in? How old are you?

I see you are a relatively new poster on here. First...welcome! Second...if you spend some time researching many past threads, you'll see there are many of us (not all of us) on here that, while rabid GM fans ourselves, try to be realistic (in our honest opinions) of GM's many product blunders and market misreads over the last 25 years ago or so. The fact of the matter is, there are very few current GM vehicles that are truly "superior" to the majority of the Japanese and European competition......superior that is to a vast number of the motoring, and purchasing, public. The "ones holding the payment books" haven't been "swayed by the media" or "brainwashed by Toyota's massive PR juggernaut" or anything else like that. They've been doing on simple thing.......signaling their disapproval of GM's market direction and product development with their pocketbooks.

Lord Croc.....do you KNOW how many GM vehicles I've seen at auto shows with panels ripped apart or pieces that have fallen off? And YES....some of them have been at my hands.... But you didn't see me, biased or not, coming on here and posting a picture of the Equinox with the IP trim piece that came off in my hands.... ....because I know that kind of &#036;h&#33; happens......be it Toyota, or GM, or whatever. And it's not "excuses" for Camry......the new Camry's interior is superior to any comparable GM product in fit-and-finish, materials, switchgear, and overall styling (IMHO.) You're still not going to see me go out and buy a Camry though....it's just not by gig....

I think squeaks and creaks are an inherent G6 problem. I had a GTP sedan with the normal sunroof as a rental car, with about 14K miles on it, and it had so many creaks, groans, and squeaks in it, it was embarrassing.....EVEN considering rental cars are typically driven hard. The suspension felt loose over bumps and the doors would audibly groan and creak when, say, turning from a straight and level road into a driveway that slopes up....so when you are flexing the body..... It was pretty bad....

Unfortunately, Evok's 100% right. This is not the time or the reason to stand up and shout.... As admirable as her intentions probably were, it does smack of desperation. Why didn't BMW, DCX, Audi, VW, or any other company react in kind? Because they could care LESS about Consumer Reports. Lori's ranting only brings MORE attention to the fact that no GM vehicles were on the list.....and brings that attention to people that maybe never pick up a CR....but maybe will now to see what she's so pissed about..... bad, bad, bad

I think your example is a bad example. I hate CR. It's just I think your example wasn't that easy to support. I've driven both vehicles somewhat extensively as rental cars......and an Equinox is an easily-inferior competitor to the Highlander unfortunately. As far as the comments regarding fuel economy, the Equinox got two mpg LESS than Highlander overall. AND considering Highlander's way superior and better performing powertrain, I'm not surprised they ragged the Equinox on fuel economy compared to the Toyota. If they had similar powertrains, and similar performance, then you'd have a decent argument. Also, moving to 17-inch wheels on an Equinox isn't going to dramatically overcome the Equinox's floaty handling compared to a Highlander, which while soft, is much more glued to the road in comparison. That's not even to mention the nasty electric steering in Equinox compared to the Toyota's rack....

EXACTLY! That, my friend, is The Secret! Some things are easy to determine.....for example, it's no secret that the BMW 3-Series is an excellent automobile and certainly lives up to its billing as "The Ulitmate Driving Machine" in its segment. BUT, what is it that makes it one of the top-ten best-selling cars in Orange County, for example? Is it the quality of the drive? Is it the performance? Is it the brand recognition and the associated ego-boost that many people feel? Why do people feel that a $500 lease payment for a 325i is a valued purchase decision when so many good cars (even some GM ones) can be had for so much less?

Where in California do you live that has 15% unemployment?????????