What does GM have to go toe to toe with this??

I would say that some of the old Chrysler transmissions were as tough and reliable as they come.

I have seen ads recently about the new Lexus 8 speed tranny (Worlds first! they say). Do you know who is making these for them? Aisin, or another supplier? I would hate to buy a 'worlds first', having been bitten in the ass by that snake before.

Reply to
<HLS
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Do 8 speeds really make a difference? Many have gone to five, a couple have CV, but I wonder if the 8 speeds really helps performance or does it just add bragging rights.

I also like the ability to do a 2nd gear start in my car for slippery weather, but I've not had the opportunity to try it yet.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

The 'standard' for trannys today is five and six speeds, not 4. ;)

mike

Reply to
Mike Hunter

IMO, the CVT is still delicate technology...the early versions were prone to failure and were limited to low HP applications. I dont know about the newer ones.

The 8 speed is probably a combination of bragging rights, with a little performance and economy built in. Ill bet these would be expensive rascals when they fail.

Reply to
<HLS

Oh, for damn sure. It's hard to kill a 727 or 904. I was referring to the newer, FWD transaxles.

Not a clue...

Personally, I don't mind an autobox that shifts hard etc. so long as it selects the correct gear at the right time. I'd also like it to lock up as soon as it can, and STAY locked up until I come down from highway speed again. Something like the old Ultramatic in my '56 Golden Hawk, I'd be OK with that.

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

Like I said before, I don't care if it has six speeds or two, as long as it selects the right gear at the right time. I was impressed with the gear selection program in the LHS. I am constantly annoyed by the gear selection program of the Impala.

nate

Mike Hunter wrote:

Reply to
Nate Nagel

More gears are advantages in vehicles that have engines that develop their HP at higher than average, RPMs. Spinning the engines to gain HP for bragging rights it something the Japanese are prone to do. The problem is the torque is poor where needed in that type of engine, thus the need for more gears to keep the engine in the torque range while starting and climbing grades. Drive a 4 cy Camry, it exhibits good HP but has piss poor torque at the proper RPMs. That is why they are slugs when it comes to climb a grade. Six speed and above trannys are generally double overdrive for economy as well, but not worth much under load..

mike

Reply to
Mike Hunter

WOW. One can rumor imports are made by the gods and people eat up it becomes a legend. The problem with GM is people will believe anything. If GM built a car and put toyota emblem on it sold it at the toyota dealership it would be would be said to be a great car in the minds people as long as they thought it was toy. Toyota, Nissan, Honda, etc are not better just better BS'ers. I like particularly GM but this is funny. I have seen toyota's service trucks... that are Fords. Wonder why? I guess they aren that great of a work truck.

Reply to
Micah

Are you a recent contributor or just Mike Hunter in disquise?

GM has a long long history of design flaws, or errors, or just items of substandard quality. And they have a tradition of trying to dump the cost of failures on their customers.

We have enumerated many of them before, and if you dont know what they are, then you are not very knowledgeable about GM products.

They have made good cars. They have also made crap.

Many of us are tired of crap. Toyota and Honda, of recent years, have good reputations..whether justifiably or not, they have built a positive reputation while GM has suffered.

I dont know, nor do I give a shit, about trucks or SUVs. Nor does sales volume mean anything substantial.

I havent bought a Toyota, or Honda, but dont rule it out.

Reply to
<HLS

Come on, HLS. Toyota, Honda, and all the rest also build pieces of crap.

*Every* auto manufacture has built crappy cars. As for Toyota's reputation, well I would tend to agree somewhat with this new poster. A lot of people seem to think Toyota's are gifts from God. I recall looking up the reports on a website not too long ago (it may have been edmunds.com), about the Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix. Well, we all know they are the same car, yet on that site, the Matrix was talked about as if it was the greatest thing since sliced bread, where as the Vibe was blasted. Kind of odd, seeing how they are the same car.

My rule of thumb is, buy what you want. Buy what you like. However, it pains me to see so many people thinking Toyota's are a God-send. I personally, find nothing spectacular about them what so ever.

Reply to
80 Knight

reputation,

Well, Knight, I concede to some extent. Toyotas are not necessarily God's gift to mankind. Some year models were excellent though.

My perspective is a little different. I have bought GM for years. They have screwed me, cheated, and lied. They are no gift from Heaven either.

Research well, buy what you want, and take your chances. I am going to have to make a choice soon, and it is difficult. There is no clear front runner.

It will take a long time for me to forgive GM for the abuses they have willfully committed.

Reply to
<HLS

well to add my 2 cents

Corvette hands down beats anything from Japan

Cadillac is just as good as anything from Japan just less money

Lincoln is just as good as anything from Japan but less money

Mustangs are just as good as any similar priced car from Japan

GTOs are just as good if not better than anything from Japan

Buick Rendezvous is just as good and anything from Japan

Chevy, Dodge, and Ford pickups are just as good or better than anything from Japan

If jap cars were so good where are they at NASCAR races besides in the parking lot?

I still buy American and the Japanese cars, while looking ok are not so much better than the American cars and keep our citizens employed.

I do remember the first Hondas and Toyotas that were imported in the 1970s and they were absolute junk cars maybe with the exception of the Dotson

240Z. but then the 240Z rusted so fast you had to buy body filler on the way out of the lot.

I am an American citizen and want American jobs and will buy American cars so all of you can earn enough money to make a living, buy a house, and bitch about the quality of American cars.

Reply to
Les Benn

I agree with what you said about buying what you like. Different people like different things. I just don't think Toyota deserves the 'Gift from God' reputation that some people seem to think it does. In fact, there was an article in my local paper today saying how Toyota actually recalled more cars in the US last year then they sold. Doesn't sound like they are quite up to the quality of our GM plant, which is constantly earning the "number 1 plant in North America" title.

Reply to
80 Knight

There's nothing *spectacular* about them, they just have a history of building adequate transportation. GM, on the other hand, has a (recent) history of building overpriced, crappy, poorly-designed transportation.

You are right, every manufacturer builds *some* crappy cars. However, it seems like GM has perfected the art of making *consistently* crappy cars. If nothing else, anything they have that is remotely appealing is way overpriced for the average person, and anything priced so real people can afford it is thoroughly awful.

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

As far as price goes toyota has dropped the price recently but seemingly to try to squash GM when they lowered the prices. Before this your would pay more for a toy. If you can't afford the good car you want, buy a used one. There are many good used cars because everybody wants a new one. Everyone doesn't have to have a brand new car. Everyone wants a cheap NEW car. What do you get... a disposable car. GM has theirs also. The toy's are appealing like a fashion, gotta have they have! I guess GM is just not what the celebs want. What time does scientology church start!

Reply to
Micah

I drive a Grand Prix GTP and it has been virtually flawless. I have replaced a wheel hub assy. It only has 118,000 miles on it now but its been taken care of runs like new. 28-32 mpg hwy I do not doubt it will get another 118 or 200. Did GM do this or the dealership? I hate to see what we will be paying for a car when GM & Ford are put out of business.

Reply to
Micah

I disagree. Everyone I know who own GM products like them. Deciding what is "crappy" or "poorly-designed" is up to the owner. I could list several Toyota's I think are shit, and I could do the same for GM. However, like I said, the #1 plant in North America is the Oshawa GM plant. That should tell you a little bit about the quality. As for overpriced, where I live, it is much cheaper to buy a GM then some foreign crap.

I respectfully disagree. If you don't like GM, that's fine with me, but IMHO, they build quality vehicles. They also keep everyone with 200 kilometers of me in house and home.

Reply to
80 Knight

I agree with you - this is why I drive an old Porsche :)

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

I don't have time to list all the ergonomic and other design flaws in my company car (although I've taken stabs at it here in the past.)

It's also noticeably "looser" and noisier at appx. 40K miles than it was when new. I suspect it will need major front end work before I turn it in at 70K miles, and I don't know how long the A/C compressor will last as it's been steadily getting noisier.

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

That's one thing that I have wondered about your Impala since you first mentioned it. Did you just get a lemon? We make those Impala's down here, and as I said before, the plant in which they are made get's top ratings for quality. We also use the Impala's as Police cruisers, with no complaints that I have heard of. It's also quite the popular car here (due to it being built in-town). I see them everyday, all over the place. I have 2 relatives who own one, but I have only driven one myself once. I test-drove it, as I was looking to replace an older Bonnie. It was a base-model, with the 3400, and the front bench. I found it quite comfortable to drive. I didn't find it noisy, and it felt like a solid car. The only thing I can recall that I didn't like was its seemed like it's ass-end was high up in the air, and I found that distracting when backing up. But, I decided not to buy it when I found my Bonnie SSEi.

Anyhow, like I said before, I don't mean any offence to you, I just have never heard as many problems with an Impala as you have with yours.

Reply to
80 Knight

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