I mixed up a couple pushrods in one of the 3.1 Malibus while doing an intake gasket when I was an apprentice (Amazingly only two... since I didn't even take the thing apart!)
Posted by bandi I mixed up a couple pushrods in one of the 3.1 Malibus while doing an intake gasket when I was an apprentice (Amazingly only two... since I didn't even take the thing apart!)
THAT created some issues on cyl # 3.
when i had the 3100 apart in my Monte Carlo, I was VERY careful to keep track of what pushrod went where. it was the one thing my brother was harping on me about (he's a GM tech).
that fucking Monte Carlo is STILL running by the way... 210,000 miles. The people I traded it to for my Beretta drove it for months without changing the head gasket.
Posted by Samurai i drove the 2011 Cruze today... if it was a 2 door, it might've had a sale. I was seriously impressed... there, i said it. Open mouth insert foot...
The thing I think people underrate about Daewoo is their R&D department. It was the reason that GM acquired them. Its however, their production development team that just sucks and is the reason for 100% of Daewoo's failures across the board.
i was in a hurry when i posted my last, so I'll be a bit more detailed in my evaluation of the car. I was not terribly impressed when pictures started circulating, as you all know. One of my friends is shopping for a new car for him and his wife and wanted to stop and look at it. So we did. It was a beige 2011 Cruze LTZ... it was only missing the "RS" appearance package. Anyways, my first impression was the room inside the car. It's even more roomy than my Cobalt coupe. Another thing was how the car seems to surround you better... the controls seem a bit busy being everywhere, but there are where you would expect them to be and on a lower tier model, this would not be an issue. I loved the gauge cluster and radio placement. This model was equipped with the 1.4L Direct Injected Turbocharged Ecotec hooked to a 6-speed manumatic. That was the other fly in the ointment was that I prefer a manual transmission. The lower tier cars will be coming with a 1.8L VVT Ecotec sourced from the defunct Saturn Astra and those will be available with a 5 or 6 speed manual. Anyways, moving along...
Before we drove it, I opened the hood and some of the engineering is, granted, goofy, primarily the accessory belt replacement looks a bit more complicated than it needs to be due to a motor mount location. Other than that, the subframe, sway bar and suspension on this thing is mammoth... i mean this car looks physically stout in the front basket. Rear end of it there were some compromises for the dimensions of the car. Also, this car had the 17" wheels on it with the Z-rated tires.
The engine is quiet and doesn't really have the buzziness of the larger displacement Ecotecs (the Cobalt SS/SC and TC engines have a nasty snarl). The turbo is a very small vane design, likely to get it to spool quick to minimize lag. Transmission is very smooth on the intial engage, none of the thump of the early designs. Even with 26 miles on the odometer, you put the spurs to this ugly little cuss, small displacement and all, and it wants to move. It's very hard to believe that there only a 1.4L four cylinder up front in the engine room. It feels larger, even hooked to the juicebox. Getting up to speed is brisk and you don't constantly have to keep on the accelerator to stay there. I have driven small displacement engines from the bygone era that are a nightmare to keep at speed. This one was a dream. Ride was very smooth and surprisingly quiet. I mean, the car was VERY well insulated from the road, but still felt connected.
We did a 10 mile loop with the car and the handling was dead on. I would say that in a twisty, with the same tires that I have on my SS, it would an interesting match. I was just stunned at how well the car handled for its size. Usually with cars in this class, there are compromises, even in my SS as good as it is. It's usually body roll or tire choice, something that makes the car not be AS GOOD as it could be. The little thing was just amazing through a roundabout, through some high speed corners and some duck and diving through traffic. Not once did I have to wait for power to get around traffic dildos.
as i said the car that I drove was the LTZ package which was fully loaded with two-tone leather seats (which were more comfortable than the seats in my Cobalt SS). The sticker was $23,000 which puts it in the same price point as my SS was and was nicely equipped with a sunroof, the leather seats, onstar, the full option amenities. Also, there are several incentives on the car.
I hate to say it, but if the car comes as a 3 door or 2 door coupe, and offers a manual transaxle with the turbocharged engine, i think it might have a sale. It's really hard to believe it's that good of a car... I got home and started poking around and the only motoring weenies that hated it, of course, were Motor Trend. Other reviews from Car & Driver and Autoweek were favorable.
The people at the dealership were certain that there was a two door model in the works... I hope so.
Posted by Agent Skelly The thing I think people underrate about Daewoo is their R&D department. It was the reason that GM acquired them. Its however, their production development team that just sucks and is the reason for 100% of Daewoo's failures across the board.
They just seem to build shitty, cheap cars that really aren't that inexpensive... and cost an assload to fix. You can buy a way better car than the Aveo for the same money. Or less. The Optra is a joke, it just screams "I wanted a hatchback, but the Civic was just too well made and the price was too low", the Epica is just JUNK, and it's expensive to buy, own and fix.
They just seem to build shitty, cheap cars that really aren't that inexpensive... and cost an assload to fix. You can buy a way better car than the Aveo for the same money. Or less. The Optra is a joke, it just screams "I wanted a hatchback, but the Civic was just too well made and the price was too low", the Epica is just JUNK, and it's expensive to buy, own and fix.
i agree with all your statements... Daewoo's OWN cars were the worst pieces of shit that I have ever driven... but this car, I didn't want to like the car. I wanted to continue to hate the car, but after the drive in it, I've got to be honest, it's one solid little car. They are also built at Lordstown Final Assembly in Lordstown, OH. So maybe that will make the difference? I didn't want to drive the car when we stopped at the dealer, but the sales weenie was so enthusiastic (or meth'd up), she insisted.
time will tell, Bandi. I am hoping that the car really is a great little car and that it will not make me miss my beloved Cobalts and Cavaliers.
Bandi, after work some night, why don't you do a counter-drive to my test drive. Do it clandestinely and tell me what you think of the car. That way there are two viewpoints... Everyone on this board is probably claiming that I am biased because I am a huge GM fan... Honestly, folks, i hated this car when it came out. When I found out that the Cobalt was being superceded with the Cruze, i had a fit and fell right into it. So, take my evaluation and do with it what you will.
Bandi, after work some night, why don't you do a counter-drive to my test drive. Do it clandestinely and tell me what you think of the car. That way there are two viewpoints... Everyone on this board is probably claiming that I am biased because I am a huge GM fan... Honestly, folks, i hated this car when it came out. When I found out that the Cobalt was being superceded with the Cruze, i had a fit and fell right into it. So, take my evaluation and do with it what you will.
I don't think you are biased. I have heard far too many varying opinions from you to think that your love for GM's taints your view. Of course, I too am a huge GM fan, so maybe I'm tainted!
I understood what you were saying about the Cruz. It's Daewoo for cripes sake. Everyone hates Daewoo and for good reason. The fact that they are being assembled in Ohio is a great relief. That should cure the majority of the previous problems.
"Deep in the human psyche there lies the need to believe in something fantastic, something powerful, something unknown."
"Touch what you cannot solve, and return to me. I'll give you hints, and I'll give you three..." Zork Nemesis "I eat asbestos and piss PCBs."
They just seem to build shitty, cheap cars that really aren't that inexpensive... and cost an assload to fix. You can buy a way better car than the Aveo for the same money. Or less. The Optra is a joke, it just screams "I wanted a hatchback, but the Civic was just too well made and the price was too low", the Epica is just JUNK, and it's expensive to buy, own and fix.
Yeah, thats the responsibilty of Daweoo's production development team like I said who were complete idiots.
In most other automakers, the R&D team will talk with the pre-production guys who setup the floor to make sure nothing gets lost in translation so to speak. Daewoo did not do that anywhere. Not just their cars, but their eletronics, appliances, and even their APCs and Tanks. Yes you heard me, they made military vehicles. Isn't that a scary thought?
Ethics
