Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Post
  • Reply
Sir Tonk
Apr 18, 2006
Young Orc

Throatwarbler posted:

I guess the Fiesta will do OK, but subcompacts are a side show of no consequence. They really need to stay focused on their full size SUVs and trucks.

Been a while since I heard this as advice for the automakers.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

wolrah
May 8, 2006
what?

PBCrunch posted:

Didn't Toyota delay the last re-design of the Corolla because they knew they had a product that couldn't stand up to the then-new (2006?) Civic? The resulting car wasn't really very compelling in that case.

My roommate's driving a current-generation Corolla as a rental while his GTI is in the shop. Not compelling is an understatement. After taking a 400 mile trip in it yesterday I don't really have any complaints about the build quality, but the car is literally boring. It's not even fun to abuse. My company has base model Kia Spectras and at least those can be entertaining to beat the gently caress out of, but the Corolla somehow isn't even good for that.

MrBling
Aug 21, 2003

Oozing machismo
The new Citroën C4 looks pretty ace.



http://www.carsession.com/car-news/2011-citroen-c4.html

Then again, I've always been partial to Citroëns. :)

Left Ventricle
Feb 24, 2006

Right aorta

MrBling posted:

The new Citroën C4 looks pretty ace.



http://www.carsession.com/car-news/2011-citroen-c4.html

Then again, I've always been partial to Citroëns. :)
Looks like an Astra to me. Or maybe an A3? Not that that's a bad thing.

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22
The C6 is one of the most innovative cars from a design standpoint and that really just looks like a derivative two box with a Citroen grill. Booooring.

MrBling
Aug 21, 2003

Oozing machismo

Left Ventricle posted:

Looks like an Astra to me. Or maybe an A3? Not that that's a bad thing.

Well apparently they've styled it to look more like the various Volkswagen Group offerings because of the perceived better build quality of German cars compared to French cars.

Of course, that could just be a journalist talking out of his rear end.

fish and chips and dip
Feb 17, 2010
I can't wait for the hot version of that C4, if the new DS3 is anything to go by then it surely will be great. Now if only Peugeot would stop making awful cars and make something good again.

Hermansen
Sep 2, 2006

Breaker, Breaker,
High Ball, Ten Ten,
Till We Do It Again,
Captain Slow.
Chrysler recalls nearly 600 000 cars!
The models most affected by the Chrysler recalls are Jeep Wranglers from 2006 - 2010 and Dodge Grand Caravan and Town & Country Minivans from 2008 and 2009.

More here: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/chrysler-recalls-nearly-600000-jeeps-and-minivans.html


I love the image in my head of the guy who figured it out and made the call.. must have been a great day at the office..

chutwig
May 28, 2001

BURLAP SATCHEL OF CRACKERJACKS

Hermansen posted:

Chrysler recalls nearly 600 000 cars!
The models most affected by the Chrysler recalls are Jeep Wranglers from 2006 - 2010 and Dodge Grand Caravan and Town & Country Minivans from 2008 and 2009.

The most remarkable part to me was that Chrysler sold 600,000 vehicles in the past 3 years.

frozenphil
Mar 13, 2003

YOU CANNOT MAKE A MISTAKE SO BIG THAT 80 GRIT CAN'T FIX IT!
:smug:

Hermansen posted:

Chrysler recalls nearly 600 000 cars!
The models most affected by the Chrysler recalls are Jeep Wranglers from 2006 - 2010 and Dodge Grand Caravan and Town & Country Minivans from 2008 and 2009.

More here: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/chrysler-recalls-nearly-600000-jeeps-and-minivans.html


I love the image in my head of the guy who figured it out and made the call.. must have been a great day at the office..

At least they are issuing a recall. Honda knows about brake problems on the Accord and TSX but aren't doing poo poo about it. They have decided to settle a class action lawsuit instead of issue a recall. Looks like I'm only going to get half of what I paid for brake pad replacement with this settlement. At least the 410k Odyssey people got a recall I guess. I'd imagine Honda didn't want to issue a massive Accord recall for brakes right after issuing a massive Odyssey recall for brakes.

Yeah, Honda, rear brake pads wearing out after 20k mostly highway miles on a loving Accord is perfectly acceptable.

PBCrunch
Jun 17, 2002

Lawrence Phillips Always #1 to Me
So what is the fix? Different pad formulation?

Every Honda I've ever worked on with rear discs had a hunger for rear pads. I think they either balance the system really well or they just use the tiniest rear brakes they can find.

Chrysler getting out in front of a problem BEFORE accidents or injuries is a positive step.

frozenphil
Mar 13, 2003

YOU CANNOT MAKE A MISTAKE SO BIG THAT 80 GRIT CAN'T FIX IT!
:smug:

PBCrunch posted:

So what is the fix? Different pad formulation?

Every Honda I've ever worked on with rear discs had a hunger for rear pads. I think they either balance the system really well or they just use the tiniest rear brakes they can find.

Chrysler getting out in front of a problem BEFORE accidents or injuries is a positive step.

Part of the settlement is they pay for half of the job to get the new material pads swapped in. I'm going on my third set of rear brake pads inside 50k miles.

MikeyTsi
Jan 11, 2009

frozenphil posted:

Part of the settlement is they pay for half of the job to get the new material pads swapped in. I'm going on my third set of rear brake pads inside 50k miles.

You can always refuse to take part of the class-action, of course that means filing your own suit.

Pat Clements
Feb 10, 2008

frozenphil posted:

Part of the settlement is they pay for half of the job to get the new material pads swapped in. I'm going on my third set of rear brake pads inside 50k miles.
I had no goddamn idea this was a widespread problem. I'm on my third set of rear pads at 47k too. :psyduck:

frozenphil
Mar 13, 2003

YOU CANNOT MAKE A MISTAKE SO BIG THAT 80 GRIT CAN'T FIX IT!
:smug:

The Prisoner posted:

I had no goddamn idea this was a widespread problem. I'm on my third set of rear pads at 47k too. :psyduck:

You should have gotten a letter in the mail. If not, go to the settlement website and see if you qualify; if so, follow the directions on that site.

smooth jazz
May 13, 2010

I feel Subaru evolved the Legacy into tragicomedy,



So this Hyundai Sonata Turbo is bumped up to the top of my list:

Packs a 2 litre direct injected twinscroll turbo making 274 hp @ 6000rpm, 269 lb-ft @ 1800-4500 rpm while getting an est 22/34 mpg on regular . It looks good, too.






However, it doesn't come with the Suby's all wheel drive, manual x-mission and addictive boxer thrum :(

MrSaturn
Sep 8, 2004

Go ahead, laugh. They all laugh at first...

tripsevens posted:

I feel Subaru evolved the Legacy into tragicomedy,




Goddamn those headlights look RIDICULOUSLY large.

rscott
Dec 10, 2009
the rear end end of that subbie looks like a saturn ion from that angle

kimbo305
Jun 9, 2007

actually, yeah, I am a little mad

rscott posted:

the rear end end of that subbie looks like a saturn ion from that angle

The Sonata or the Legacy? The Legacy's rear is barely visible.

rscott
Dec 10, 2009

kimbo305 posted:

The Sonata or the Legacy? The Legacy's rear is barely visible.

the legacy from the midline back in that photo looks strikingly like an ion sedan:

smooth jazz
May 13, 2010

rscott posted:

the legacy from the midline back in that photo looks strikingly like an ion sedan:


they certainly share the same hilarious wheelwell gap. Fine for the Ion, but it's got no place on the Leggy GT...

kimbo305
Jun 9, 2007

actually, yeah, I am a little mad

rscott posted:

the legacy from the midline back in that photo looks strikingly like an ion sedan:


Sedans have gotten pretty generic. I think the Legacy is much more Nissan looking:

smooth jazz
May 13, 2010

kimbo305 posted:

Sedans have gotten pretty generic. I think the Legacy is much more Nissan looking:



well played sir, well played

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22

tripsevens posted:

well played sir, well played

Those are both Nissans. The top is a Sentra and the bottom is an Altima.

IOwnCalculus
Apr 2, 2003





The guy in charge of things at Hyundai is a loving genius (emphasis mine):

Autoblog posted:

The iPad will also have an application that allows owners to schedule service appointments. When the appointed time arrives, Hyundai will send a driver to the Equus owner's home or office with a loaner, and then return the Equus when the work is done. As Krafcik sees it, other luxury automakers have spent millions of dollars to gussy up their dealerships – building things like coffee bars, fancy seating areas and water features. Problem is, nobody really wants to visit their dealer even with those added niceties, so Hyundai plans to remove it from the equation with its pick-up and delivery service. In other words, the ultimate luxury is never having to take your car to the dealer at all. Fair enough.

Link

That's just loving brilliant, and it's the kind of thing that Hyundai needs to do if they want to shake up the luxury market today with the Equus the way Lexus did 20 years ago with the LS400.

I'm starting to root for Hyundai to be successful with this, it's huge shakeups that make the market better for everyone.

IOwnCalculus fucked around with this message at 21:02 on Jun 15, 2010

TurboLuvah
Jul 24, 2004

Scientifically proven to be more fuel efficient than hybrids!

tripsevens posted:

Packs a 2 litre direct injected twinscroll turbo making 274 hp @ 6000rpm, 269 lb-ft @ 1800-4500 rpm while getting an est 22/34 mpg on regular . It looks good, too.

This is what Subaru needs to loving figure out.

Either re-design the existing, ancient Boxer 2.5, or come up with a new DI boxer motor all together. Their cars NEED to become more fuel efficient and more powerful.

Granted, the Hyundai is FWD and not an AWD setup, but that mileage is still retarded compared with the power that little motor makes.

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22
The gearbox on Subaru turbo motors hurts them as well. Not nearly as good as the 6sp auto that Hyundai is using in terms of fuel efficiency.

MikeyTsi
Jan 11, 2009

IOwnCalculus posted:

The guy in charge of things at Hyundai is a loving genius (emphasis mine):


Link

That's just loving brilliant, and it's the kind of thing that Hyundai needs to do if they want to shake up the luxury market today with the Equus the way Lexus did 20 years ago with the LS400.

I'm starting to root for Hyundai to be successful with this, it's huge shakeups that make the market better for everyone.

It's a good idea, but they need to put at least SOME money in to the dealerships to attract the bigger dollar clients. They do need to go to a dealer at least ONCE, right?

lazer_chicken
May 14, 2009

PEW PEW ZAP ZAP

TurboLuvah posted:

This is what Subaru needs to loving figure out.

Either re-design the existing, ancient Boxer 2.5, or come up with a new DI boxer motor all together. Their cars NEED to become more fuel efficient and more powerful.

Granted, the Hyundai is FWD and not an AWD setup, but that mileage is still retarded compared with the power that little motor makes.

Seriously, and this is coming from a guy who loved his '99 forester to death. The 2.5 really is not a particularly good engine. Mediocre reliability and crappy power unless its boosted. And you can't boost the N/A without basically rebuilding the entire thing. They've been riding that engine since 1996 with only minimal changes, and they really need something new. They have the cool flat-6s but I feel like they're never advertised and only available on a few select trims. I assume that they flat-out don't fit in the impreza/forester chassis, because I can't think of any reason as to why they wouldn't be an option.

The Prong Song
Sep 7, 2002


WHITE
DRIVES
MATTER
The 2010 Camaro SS managed to lap the 'ring in 8:19, driven by the Jalopnik crew. Not bad for a $31K MSRP car.

ozziegt
Jul 8, 2005

cool under pressure

IOwnCalculus posted:

The guy in charge of things at Hyundai is a loving genius (emphasis mine):


Link

That's just loving brilliant, and it's the kind of thing that Hyundai needs to do if they want to shake up the luxury market today with the Equus the way Lexus did 20 years ago with the LS400.

I'm starting to root for Hyundai to be successful with this, it's huge shakeups that make the market better for everyone.

Yeah, it's looking pretty good. But holy cow is it expensive.

IOwnCalculus
Apr 2, 2003





MikeyTsi posted:

It's a good idea, but they need to put at least SOME money in to the dealerships to attract the bigger dollar clients. They do need to go to a dealer at least ONCE, right?

Sure, and I doubt they're going to be doing it at the exclusion of dealership improvements - they'd be foolish not to, but if you ask me this really does trump every service waiting area ever.

el topo
Apr 11, 2008

by Fistgrrl

IOwnCalculus posted:

The guy in charge of things at Hyundai is a loving genius

Given that he could have created a Genesis premium brand and decided not to do so, I would disagree... calling the Equus a Hyundai just creates a brand image problem that could have been done away with very easily.

IOwnCalculus
Apr 2, 2003





el topo posted:

Given that he could have created a Genesis premium brand and decided not to do so, I would disagree... calling the Equus a Hyundai just creates a brand image problem that could have been done away with very easily.

Yes and no - creating Genesis or Equus as a premium brand means new dealership franchises / agreements, and if the brand falls flat on its face they're hosed. They do have to fight the existing public image on the Hyundai name, but then again, they've been doing that ever since the Excel, and they're getting really good at that.

As a bonus, if the Equus does manage to do well, it boosts brand image across the whole range.

Also, I just thought of one other angle...something that the domestics have struggled with is supporting very expensive cars through cheap-car dealerships (Corvettes through Chevrolet - hell, even the XLR through Cadillac, GT500s and GTs through Ford, Vipers through Dodge). If they keep the customer away from it when they can and keep the whole Equus 'experience' completely segregated from the rest of the dealership, it means that in an ideal world, an Equus owner doesn't need to worry about the kid getting paid $8/hr doing burnouts in the back lot after hours just because he was bored.

Aargh
Sep 8, 2004

el topo posted:

Given that he could have created a Genesis premium brand and decided not to do so, I would disagree... calling the Equus a Hyundai just creates a brand image problem that could have been done away with very easily.

I disagree, North America appears to be one of the only places that loves its separated premium brands (both Acura and Lexus originated in NA, Acura doesn't really get sold outside of NA) but that doesn't mean that it's going to work well in the rest of the world. With only about a third of their worldwide sales occurring in North America there's a great risk of diluting the rest of the brand.

el topo
Apr 11, 2008

by Fistgrrl
I think premium brands are about to gain a lot of traction in China. Hyundai is missing out on an opportunity IMHO.

Beelzebubba9
Feb 24, 2004

IOwnCalculus posted:

The guy in charge of things at Hyundai is a loving genius (emphasis mine):


Link

That's just loving brilliant, and it's the kind of thing that Hyundai needs to do if they want to shake up the luxury market today with the Equus the way Lexus did 20 years ago with the LS400.

I'm starting to root for Hyundai to be successful with this, it's huge shakeups that make the market better for everyone.

It's rare that I read an article from the CEO of a major company defending a product of theirs and find myself nodding in approval to most of it, but John Krafcik's piece for Inside Line was a rare exception.

Good job, Hyundai.

Naky
May 30, 2001

Resident Crackhead

el topo posted:

Given that he could have created a Genesis premium brand and decided not to do so, I would disagree... calling the Equus a Hyundai just creates a brand image problem that could have been done away with very easily.

From what I've heard inside that company, admittedly down the chain, is that they were seriously going to and then the recession happened so they delayed it a few years to see how the market would go. Seeing that they're starting to SHIP Genesis sedans and some coupes to North America with the Genesis badging instead of the Hyundai badging/logos, I'd say it's a good chance of happening.

And for what it's worth, I've also heard they're working on getting a luxury SUV together to start the brand with four core vehicles - the coupe, the sedan, the Equus, and an SUV for those who want them.

But whether it happens, well, we'll see. I think it will though.

2ndclasscitizen
Jan 2, 2009

by Y Kant Ozma Post

el topo posted:

Given that he could have created a Genesis premium brand and decided not to do so, I would disagree... calling the Equus a Hyundai just creates a brand image problem that could have been done away with very easily.

I really doubt creating a separate brand would really help Hyundai. I think these days if they did, pretty much everyone's going to know that they're just Hyundai's with a different badge. But if the Equus is a success, it could help continue moving the Hyundai brand away from being cheap, nasty shitboxes.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Naky
May 30, 2001

Resident Crackhead

2ndclasscitizen posted:

I really doubt creating a separate brand would really help Hyundai. I think these days if they did, pretty much everyone's going to know that they're just Hyundai's with a different badge. But if the Equus is a success, it could help continue moving the Hyundai brand away from being cheap, nasty shitboxes.

You underestimate how many people don't have a loving clue that Lexus = Toyota, Infiniti = Nissan, Acura = Honda. If the Genesis brand just popped up out of the blue, I think you'd be surprised how many people wouldn't know that it was actually Hyundai and even if they did, so long as it didn't have the H on it, they might not care anyway. People don't hate the cars, they hate the image even if it's unjustified. A new image gives them a blank slate and a whole slew of customers.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Post
  • Reply