What are your thoughts on gm killing off the cruze and impala .

[Baz]

Originally Posted by jcommin

The car art is really amazing during this time. There were true artists that created beautiful ad in the late 50s and 60s.

Style was more important to us than "comfort".

Things were "cleaner"....not so much special effects.

As a baby boomer, I consider myself very fortunate to have lived in that era.

My brother with our new (used) Chevy wagon:


Then after my father passed away in August '68...my Mom bought this - a new '69 Cutlass S


I think we started slipping in the 70's as the Japanese imports made their impact.

[rockfan4]

We bought the wife a newer car this fall and replaced her 2009 Impala with ----- another Impala - 2016. I tried to get her to look at the Malibu because it's almost the same size, but it's a lot lighter car with a 1.5 turbo, and she didn't like it. She likes her 300hp V6.

We took it for Thanksgiving, 400 mile round trip to visit her daughter. The car really soaks up the bumps that are miserable in my Jetta, very comfortable car. We did average just over 30 mpg for the trip, not great, but better than a SUV.

We took the 2009 on a trip to Maine right before we sold it, averaged 30.5 for the trip, also very comfortable, it's the perfect traveling salesman car, but there aren't many traveling salesmen anymore. Seems like we do everything via Skype or Webex these days.

[ckcarr]

I love this commercial. I watch it monthly!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8YpCTuKLec


Not Monument Valley. Moab. The story is that model was terrified. The wind was blowing, there's a guy hiding under her skirt holding her leg...

[Baz]

Originally Posted by ckcarr

I love this commercial. I watch it monthly!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8YpCTuKLec


Not Monument Valley. Moab. The story is that model was terrified. The wind was blowing, there's a guy hiding under her skirt holding her leg...

That's a great ad - thanks!

Here's the embed and the notes:



This commercial has been previously uploaded onto youtube, but this is an HD version with much better color quality. Some facts about this commercial. The car had no engine and drive train. It was brought to the rock by Helicopter in three pieces, chassis, front clip and body and then assembled by Chevy Technicians. In the commercial, you see the model, but you don't see is the Chevy Technician laying on the floor to simply give her moral support. This is over 7,000 feet high. Two Helicopters were used. Additionally, when the winds picked up during the commercial, the Helicopter wasn't able to land on the rock and the model and Chevy Technician and other safety and rescue folks had to stay on top for several hours until the winds died down and everything one could b e brought down.

[Baz]

Love these classic commercials......look at that house!

[tcar]

Originally Posted by Baz

Times have certainly changed but the cars we manufactured back in the day were way cooler than anything on the road today.....and the ads were as well!

Agree on the ads, but a Chevy II more exciting????

Chevy 'boasted' that the C-II was designed to last just 7 years... a disposable car. Junk.

[flipper35]

Originally Posted by Tervuren

Have you compared the MPG of what is being discontinued to what is being kept?

The Sedan is primarily a more expensive to manufacture body that offers less cargo/interior space.

This is perhaps in part because of crash protection efforts raising the sides of passengers cars.

On paper comparing a 5 passenger sedan and 5 passenger CUV you get better space. In real life you don't. If you move up to a 7 passenger SUV you get more space at the cost of gas mileage.

People by CUV for the same reason they buy Starbucks coffee. It is the trendy thing to get.

If people bought what made sense most would have a minivan.

In a perfect world I would have a minvan for road trips, a 3 row SUV for towing, a sedan for a DD and a sports car for the weekend. I personally would have no use for a crossover. That is just me and a minority of people.

[flipper35]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

Earlier this year I started looking into getting a new daily driver.
I researched many different pick-ups and SUVs.
Coupes, sedans and wagons never even made the consideration list.
I ended up buying a Toyota highlander and I'm very happy with the choice.




But I would rather drive sedan than a Nissan rogue .... ugghh.

Well, ours was free but we still way over paid for it. As an example, our Cobra (built in 1995) replica has less rattles and squeaks than our Rogue had new and the original owner had it to the dealer several times and they never found why rattle. Sounds like loose sheet metal behind the engine.

Road noise is about the same as the Cobra.

As far as I am concerned Nissan is the bottom of the barrel as a company. i would put hte build quality on par with a first year Aveo.

The stupid think had the CVT go in limp mode on the hills of Kansas. Freaking flat as a runway model Kansas.

[pwd72s]

Is it any wonder why many TV commercials other than the ones for new cars feature cars from the 60's?

Hell..we were the USA! Traffic was light, freeways were smooth, gas was cheap...our cars reflected that.

And..another big point...The feds hadn't started designing cars through regulation. It all began with mandatory seat belts.

(edit) It wasn't long after buying Cindy's Camry grocery getter that it came to roost how homogenous autos have become. Oh, it's a fine appliance vehicle..well put together,does the job with no muss or fuss. But, after leaving a store, I found myself puzzled why the fob wasn't making the lights flash for undoing the alarm. Maybe it was because I was standing in front of a Nissan sedan in the same color? They do all look alike. Much of this because of government regulation influencing the design.

[fintstone]

Personally, I just don't often see a car that excites me enough to buy. Although people make fun of my "old" cars, I see little improvement in performance and style that would make me pay the huge cost of a new car and the required collision insurance/taxes. The last time I had a car payment was almost 20 years ago...and although we are pretty well off financially, a $50K vehicle seems crazy (and beyond the means of many people). My newest car is a 2004 Cayenne Turbo (bought used for cash). I actually like the styling better than the new ones and while they have managed to eke out a few more HP and a backup camera...it is certainly not an overwhelming difference (and there are so few around where I live/drive it...that most folks think it is relatively new). Similarly with my wife's 2001 Lexus. It was a huge improvement over the car it replaced...but the new cars a only a little better.


We do have a older car for the snow (94 4Runnner) that we bought new...and I have been thinking about replacing with a CUV with AWD because, although the 4Runer is in fabulous condition, it is a bit underpowered and gets poor mileage. Right now, we are talking about going to look at a RAV4 or possibly the similarly sized Lexus version. We would use it to travel vice the Cayenne which we use for road trips. I am not even considering an American car.


I am also unsure why so many folks drive such large trucks as commuter vehicles. Parking is difficult and mileage poor.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by Tervuren

Depends on how it is being driven.

Cross country the Impala was indeed about 28-30MPG.

EPA 22MPG - 25MPG

That is comparable to the smallest of SUVs in EPA rating.

The construction, design, and regulation of cars has changed significantly.

Most recommendations for first time/young buyers in magazines is going to be a micro SUV over a sedan.

Pedestrian safety laws have blunted the front ends of sedans, the noses are taller. This shrinks the aerodynamic gap between a sedan and small SUV.

Anyone recommending a small SUV over a mid size sedan needs their head examined. Higher maintenance cost, lower mpg. I'm not guessing when it comes to small SUV's, I have owned and driven my fair share of them. I have also owned several mid size sedans and know that a conventional compact SUV vs a conventional mid size sedan is no contest on mileage. I can fold the back seats down on my daughter's Ford Fusion and put about as much stuff in it as I can my Rav4 the difference is, the Fusion will get 35mpg highway and the Rav will get about 28.

[URY914]

Pontiac had the BEST print art for their ads.

[jcommin]

Originally Posted by URY914

Pontiac had the BEST print art for their ads.

Yes they did and 2 of the best artists to do that: Art Fitzpatrick and Van Kaufman. One did the car, the other the background.

[Tervuren]

Frankly I find many of the 60's American non sports cars to be quite ugly.

The late 50's were a peak, what followed after was a departure from good looks purely for the sake of "new ness".

I do like the tail section of the '64 Ford Convertible.

[Jim Richards]

I really liked the 60's Pontiacs...Firebird, GTO, Gran Prix, and 2+2. Arguably the best performance models coming out of the General.

[pwd72s]

My mother had a 1964 two door chevelle wagon. Back windows were sliding, sort of like a mini nomad. Always thought it would make a great resto mod.

Hers was stolen and trashed. Sad.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

But, after leaving a store, I found myself puzzled why the fob wasn't making the lights flash for undoing the alarm. Maybe it was because I was standing in front of a Nissan sedan in the same color? They do all look alike.

LOL!
It happened to us too, only i actually got in the truck. We were leaving a garden center with a bunch of stuff. I pushed the door unlock button on the fob of our Tundra, opened the door and I got in. Then I realized - it was a Chevy! Got out quick and marveled that from the side a black truck is a black truck is a black truck.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by flipper35

On paper comparing a 5 passenger sedan and 5 passenger CUV you get better space. In real life you don't. If you move up to a 7 passenger SUV you get more space at the cost of gas mileage.

People by CUV for the same reason they buy Starbucks coffee. It is the trendy thing to get.

If people bought what made sense most would have a minivan.

In a perfect world I would have a minvan for road trips, a 3 row SUV for towing, a sedan for a DD and a sports car for the weekend. I personally would have no use for a crossover. That is just me and a minority of people.

I've owned two minivans over the years (wife drove them) a voyager POS and a sienna.
My highlander has just as much room or more than either, lots more power, and the mileage is just as good. And it handles significantly better.

Minivans are not more practical or more economical compared to a highlander, the only reason to get one over a smaller SUV or CUV is if you needed to carry 7 or 8 people and the smaller SUV or CUV didn't have enough seats.
In that case an 8 passenger SUV would be the better choice.

My wife has a RAV4 and I like the fact that it is smaller and more nimble and sporty, but I just can't get past the loud rough ride.
Up until a year or two ago Toyota sacrificed sound deadening and insulation for weight savings on the RAV4.
I hate riding in that thing, sounds like sticking my head in a snare drum.
If it weren't for that it'd be a great vehicle.

my daughter has one of those lexus hybrids, 200h or some such.
Even that thing is too much like a sedan for my tastes.
The idea of driving a regular car simply does not appeal to me at all. The last time i had a car as a DD was in the late 80's IIRC.
I can't imagine buying another.

[The Synergizer]

Cars today are more like those uninteresting things the Jetson's putted around in. No differentiation anymore, a BMW looks just like a Toyota.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by rockfan4

We bought the wife a newer car this fall and replaced her 2009 Impala with ----- another Impala - 2016. I tried to get her to look at the Malibu because it's almost the same size, but it's a lot lighter car with a 1.5 turbo, and she didn't like it. She likes her 300hp V6.

We took it for Thanksgiving, 400 mile round trip to visit her daughter. The car really soaks up the bumps that are miserable in my Jetta, very comfortable car. We did average just over 30 mpg for the trip, not great, but better than a SUV.

We took the 2009 on a trip to Maine right before we sold it, averaged 30.5 for the trip, also very comfortable, it's the perfect traveling salesman car, but there aren't many traveling salesmen anymore. Seems like we do everything via Skype or Webex these days.

>30mpg in a "full-size" sounds pretty amazing to me.