caddycruiser

Odd...since I've been working with Mazda for a while now, the marketing is either on or off, but I've only seen the latest Mazda 3 & CX-7/CX-9 "Driver's Alternative" spots. The Mazda 6 does well for us, but there really has been no marketing whatsoever on the new '09+ model...I want to see this commercial.

Congrats--great choice! An ex co-worker who leased Ford SUV after Ford SUV just turned in her Edge and got a new Terrain, and when (well, still...) my Camaro driving and crazed mother wanted an SUV, I've begged towards the Terrain/Equinox. Great package, and easy to see why they sell in droves. The 3.0L is also a great choice, along with FWD.

Also, and of course, the other nice thing about a GMPP/other warranty is yes, you will pay for it, but say on a whim you do trade/sell/etc. early on a whim (Derek...ahem), just cancel with GMPP and get the refund check back for the pro-rated difference. I was 10 months into my truck, so some was used, but then I got a nice $700+ check back for the unused portion. Always nice, as you're never locked in, should the need arise. And when you do have it, you've prepaid and are covered for repairs. Pay for it once up front and then not have to figure out how you'll pay for random repairs x, y, and z as they arise.

Absolutely positively go for the GM Major Guard. We have on our latest GM vehicles, in the idea of long term, and they cannot be beat. Full factory coverage, rental, roadside assistance, etc. Yes, in the end you're essentially paying up front for $xxx amount of repairs, but that's a nice safety net. Your Envoy will continue to provide many happy miles...but nice to have that umbrella, affordably. Just shop for best price, because yes they can vary widely, and go from there. I'm not a fan of deductibles if you must, but see if the price is any different elsewhere. On a GM vehicle, you simply can't beat GMPP warranty.

Sounds like a blast...I haven't been back to an auto show since Philly in around 2007... For those of you who went, where'd you stay? I'm pondering a last minute, "why the heck not" flight out there to see it for once, over a day or two...

Great review, and nice mention of even the G8. I've taken a break from GM, but if back to a car, the Regal is near one of my top few. Teutonic package, even just without any additional options. DI 2.4L, etc. are a nice mix. I need to get more seat time in one.

Saturn Vue with...a few extra emblems. At Walmart, of course. V6 wasn't enough, they really wanted to sell up that 3.6L in there.

As typical, there was an updated TSB issued regarding a new trans flash, applied to later production vehicles and available for update on any earlier Cruze's owners bring in commenting on odd shifting. Essentially, just like with every new GM vehicle and 6-spd, guaranteed to happen/expect. Edmunds has been talking about it on their long term Cruze LTZ they purchased.

One word. WIND.

What a plowed experience, balthazar...wow. I'm still stuck. Sad, but true, although watching the news and calling people at work, other halves of the local world have moved on, yet we can't make it to any main road without the "we shall praise you...and call you Lord..." '96 Subie. The curvy road lining the bay down to our house has yet to be touched, and it's essentially plowing through 12-14" and now hardening stuff to get to the main road, then over a mountain when you get there. The Subaru made it, ended up in a field, was driven through a field, through a ditch, and came back & forth unscathed. I've heard tales of a Suburban, a couple F-150's and other cars stuck littering the roads along the way...where the Subie got through, barely. Oh, what fun. Plowed development streets, check. Plowed main roads with severe drifts from the fact everything here is an open field covered in snow, check. Not being able to connect the two, because the path between is Mars-rific? Priceless. Hah. I have a customer trading an '08 Seqouia for a new CX-9. Too bad she didn't come Friday as planned, or I'd have it now. Sequoia demo'ing it shall be for a day or two, once I figure out how I'm getting west to work to get it.

I still need to find a Millenia to drive. We had a customer show up in a 2002 base model one about 2 months ago, super low mileage, and I was asking him all about it. Cool car, perfect for 8 years he had it, he said.

I couldn't make my commute, too long, too much heading west and driving through fields--nothing but drifts, unplowed roads, etc. Working from home today. My best friend with an '07 Mountaineer AWD decided she was stir crazy and had to go to work in Rehoboth for something to do. Made it out the unplowed driveway, then barely down the first road a few houses hit a drift and got stuck. High centered, apparently, just sitting in the middle of the road. Forward, backward, neither works...so much for a semi bulky SUV. Sun is out, however. I think it may be 29 degrees. EDIT...Mounty is out. Kids in an old Dodge truck hooked up to her hitch and tugged until she was freed.

Well...the friend I sold the Av to flips pretty often, and apparently told another friend "April (his wife) will be looking at a CX-9 in 6 months..." apparently mine. One OCD to another, even he was impressed and I heard afterwards, telling people "it's so clean" about the Avalanche. Just complained about it being 2wd when it snowed, but that's what he wanted, and it's a heavy GM truck...so, no problem. Zoom zoom.

Before clearing off, the snow shots of the cars are too cool. The Camaro somehow always looks even cooler when bulked up & drifted on. Sweet lines. Now, about getting on the road...working on it. Perhaps.

Problems. Part 1. Shoveled driveway all night. Street not deep, but snowy of course. Tried the Fleetwood. Couldn't get itself moving down the street. Strange. Inched it back to the drive. Part 2. First man out took the Subaru. Made it down the street. Called 25 minutes later. Got stuck on the road from development up to the main road. Got it unstuck. Slid and spun up to the main road, barely. Main road then cleared but covering in bad drifts. Roads off it barely touched. Well then. If the Subaru that makes it through everything with a western PA driver behind the wheel got stuck, it may just be an official snow day.

Yep. 5 minutes away. Still dark, hard to tell outside. We've switched cars up, and the first to leave tried to take the Fleetwood, which normally is a tank. Didn't make it far, traction issues. Got it back to the driveway and stole his Subaru back. Main roads in DE are never a problem, it's every other semi main road that lead up to them. We'll see how zoom-zoom does in a bit.

Liquid Silver. Sort of a darker shade of silver, offered on the CX-7, CX-9, 2 and 3. "Always looks clean and always looks wet" is how we've described it to customers. Though there is platform relation to the Edge, there is zero comparison. I tried to want the Edge, and did like the size, the new electronics, etc. but still eh. Weird shape, mushy seats, everyone has one, etc. And not an engaging drive like the Mazda. And though now the Ford is great inside, different than the level of finish/sophisticated feel of the zoomer. The Mazda 6 went from the "soft" or fuzzy cloth in 2010 to a new stiffer, shinier variety for 2011. We've had people like it either way, split down the middle. The 6 seats can be funky to my back, but I do think the firmer feel with the stiffer 2011 cloth makes them more comfortable for me. The CX-9 comes in 3 trims, Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring. Sport has cloth very similar (if not the same) to what is now in the 2011 Mazda 6. Like the CX-7, you can then have heated cloth seats--most are so optioned. The leather is great quality, and the seats are considerably more comfortable with it--feel more padded than with cloth. For 2011, new wheel designs on both Sport/Touring (18") and the Grand Touring (20"). Got rid of the straight multi-spokes, and now have a lot more curves and shape to them--they've actually showed this new 20" design on CX-9 previews last year, just never introduced them until 2011. The EPA mpg improvements for 2011 were nice too, and have showed up in my 1500 miles of driving so far.

As is the forgotten Delaware coast right below & beside. Stopped looking. Then got a work manager text "try to be on time tomorrow"

Now THERE is a good question...

Passed 10" here a while ago at the beach, still not sure how much where I work 46 miles west. Mess, mess, messy. No plows ever down off the beaten path to the development, so tomorrow as it continues to snow shall be fun. Supposed to keep coming, and stay in the 20's.

Wow. Okay then. Smash. Blend. Done.

Good idea. And when going pre-owned, 2500 especially...even if the 8.1L is a gulper. As for the Camaro, that's a yes to snow tires. I used to drive my G8 GT around on ice with no issue, and the factory summer Bridgestones. The Camaro's Pirelli's and its traction in general are lacking compared to that Holden mobile. As I've said 25x "it's a sports car...this is part of the ownership experience...snow tires, or..." but it isn't clicking. Still snowing...over 8", but I can't find a better spot out back to measure, that isn't drifted to or from.

We're at 8", according to latest back yard check. Oh sweetness.

I know a certain new Camaro owner who won't stop saying she should have got an SUV...only because of the snow. Never a comment until now. Shovel, shovel. Oh dear. Last week of the crazy year at the car dealership is looking like it will have an over the top, very white start to it.

Development hired the same plow truck driver as last year...impressed he's already out trying it for us. You can hear that '89/90'ish Dodge truck roaring from 1/2 mile away. Scrape.