Tag Archives: 2001

2001 GMC Sierra Turbo Diesel Crew Cab (325)

22-11-2000Autolove No comments

Overview:
This week we’re looking at the 2001 GMC Sierra Turbo Diesel Crew Cab. This bad boy is impressive with a 6.6-liter diesel engine that produces 300 horsepower and 520 foot pounds of torque at 1800 rpm. It’s the Duramax 6600 turbo-diesel V8.

I have been looking for a diesel for the ranch and pulling a 5th wheel and I’m torn between this and the Dodge Ram. Heavy-duty truck users like my brother who has a dump truck business leans to the Cummins Diesel engine and therefore the Dodge line. That’s what powers his Peterbuilt trucks and they are the grand daddy’s of diesel engine manufacturer’s.

On balance, GM diesel engines are built by the grand daddy of car and truck companies- GM, and they have been a top car company for a hundred years. Brother John says it’s just a V8 made into a diesel, where his Cummins is an inline six cylinder made to be a diesel. He routinely hauls two ton of hay in a one ton rated truck and pulls rocky dirt road (mud and snow in winter) hills up to the ranch.

Well, at the end of the day, you’ll make a decision based on what purpose you have for the vehicle and your preference of companies. The good news is that in this heavy-duty truck market there is really only three players as noted below. GM, Ford and Chrysler. You could flip a coin as I did and it was heads for GM, tails for Chrysler and on-edge for Ford. I’ve owned Ford trucks but I tend to lean toward GM products until I began to look closely at heavy-duty needs. Now I’m not sure. Dodge trucks have a great reputation and a die hard following who will tell you this is one tough truck. I’d be interested in your comments.

Handling & Performance:

Fast is my first thought and quiet is second and comfort is third. I had just come out of the Cad Catera and my tousch told me instantly that this “Truck” had more comfortable seating than the Cad. Thanks GMC, and please talk with your buddies over at Cadillac about how to make a seat comfortable.

If you believe what GMC says about the competition, this 300 horsepower @ 3100 rpm and 520 lb.-ft. of torque at a low 1800 rpm, produces 65-70 more horsepower and 20-70 more torque than its competitors. And they say it has segment-leading acceleration at any load level.

Styling:

You get what you get because there is little difference in looks. They used to all be square looking and now they’ve rounded out the corners that I prefer now that I’ve gotten used to the look. They’ll probably stay close in styling because these truck builders don’t have the balls to be very different.

Fit and Finish:

Very nice. Trucks are as good as cars these days.

Cost:

Terrible if you’ll drive it for transportation, and great if you have a “work horse” need.

Recommendation:

Match the truck to the task at hand. If you’ll be pulling a 40-foot trailer or 5th wheel, be sure to get the long bed diesel since short bed is not recommended. You’ll pull loads with ease and get much better fuel economy from the diesel. The owners I’ve talked with agree that the gas engines are much poorer on economy than a comparable diesel engine and maintenance is less too on the diesel. In fact, they will run trouble free for twice the miles of the gas engine. If you expect to operate in snow or muddy conditions as brother John does, 4WD is a must.

Well, there are only three competitors so naturally you’ll want to drive them all.

The Competition:

Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD $21,469-36,017, Dodge Ram 2500 $20,995-26,265, Ford F-250 Super Duty $20,535-32,355.

Good News:

Powerful, quieter than most diesels (78 decibels of sound at cold-idle startup, or about half the next quietest Ford competitor), nice interior and spacious Crew Cab, PTO (power take off) capability,

Bad News:

Cummins Diesel is arguably better than the GM diesel in the GM brand.

Standard Equipment:

6.6 liter Duramax Turbo Diesel 300 horsepower and 520 ft. lbs. Torque, V8 engine, Allison five-speed automatic transmission, Factory-installed OnStar communications and security system on SLT, Air conditioning, Stereo with CD, cargo lamp, dual and side air bags, power mirrors, windows and door locks, 4-wheel antilock brakes, remote keyless entry, leather 6 way power seats and cruise control.

Gas Stats:

City and Highway MPG not available.

Pricing:

MSRP $43,294 (includes the Diesel engine and trans for about $6,000).

2001 Cadillac Catera Sport (324)

15-11-2000Autolove No comments

Overview:
This week we’re looking at the 2001 Cadillac Catera Sport built in Ruesselsheim, Germany. I believe it was built for Europe and it should stay there. It just isn’t a Cadillac by American standards.

My design engineer friend Merkel commented that for a Cadillac it’s a great Pontiac. Ditto, Merkel. But I guess I felt it was more like the Oldsmobile line.

I simply don’t believe American buyers will accept this knock down, knock off Cad as a substitute. It doesn’t have the usual Cad feel and comfort. We took it on a trip to the central California coast and we found ourselves shifting around in the seats after just a couple of hours. I’ve owned several Cadillac’s and have a little more experience with them than most cars that I have the pleasure of testing. Sorry, GM, I can’t give it a high rating for a Cad and that comes from one who has a love affair with the Cad STS. It is perhaps my most favorite car in the world, for what it is. If I’m feeling my oats, Ferrari will do just fine, thanks.

Aside from not liking it as a Cadillac, it is very nice as a car and if you strip off the badge and thus reduce the price five plus thousand, it would fly.

Handling & Performance:

The car rides well with a solid feel. 0-60 mph is about 8 seconds and I never wanted for passing power. If you don’t like stiff steering, this car will bother you.

Styling:

Typical and commonplace in a cookie cutter fashion, and not up to my view of Cadillac, and I suspect you’ll feel the same. Let me know.

Fit and Finish:

As good as they get for today’s technology.

Conveniences:

Great, but you pay, just as you would in a BMW or Audi, etc.

Cost:

Too much because you’re paying for the name.

Recommendation:

GM is trying to appeal to the young exec and there is a lot of great competition to chose from. Look at the list below and you’ll have a good start. If you like Cadillac as much as I do, see your dealer and you might be able to make a great deal on this made for Europe scaled down version of a quality product.

The Competition:

Acura TL $28,550-30,550, Audi A4 $24,540-30,990, BMW 3-Series $26,990-42,400, Chrysler 300M $29,640, Infiniti I30 $29,465-31,540, Lexus IS 300 $30,805, Lincoln LS $31,665-35,695.

Good News:

Handles well, nice ride, especially responsive at higher road speeds, roomy interior seating and good size trunk.

Bad News:

Cruise controls are different from typical GM and not as easy to use, not up to Cadillac standards, pricey because of the badge and all the features.

Standard Equipment:

3.0 liter V6, 4-speed auto trans, speed sensitive steering, level control, cruise control, dual and side air bags, ABS brakes, keyless entry, daytime and sentinel lights, traction control, power windows and door locks, On-Star system, leather seats, power mirrors, climate control, 8-way power heated front seats with memory on driver seat, lumbar control, Bose sound system with cassette and CD player, leather wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, theft deterrent system, garage door opener, xenon headlights and sunroof.

Gas Stats:

17 City and 24 Highway MPG.

Pricing:

MSRP $36,423

2001 Oldsmobile Aurora (322)

02-11-2000Autolove No comments

Overview:

Long ago and far away I was impressed with Olds because dad owned several and it was one of the first cars I test drove. I don’t think dad knew that but it was my duty and part of my education to evaluate the cars of the day.

Dad’s reason for wanting to own Oldsmobile cars was broad, including the fact that he watched them grow from the early days and after more than 100 years of tradition and racing history, they’re still around. Speaking of racing, today the Aurora engine is what powers most of the IRL (Indianapolis Racing League) cars. Price Cobb, my racing friend and co-writer of Point CounterPoint at www.atthewheel.com is one of three or four teams that employ the Nissan Infiniti engine in competition with the Aurora. The majority is not always right and only time will tell if Olds will win out in the test of endurance demanded by engines that routinely run at or over 9,000 rpm.

Well, I grew up with dad’s many Oldsmobile cars and I suspect that’s why I finally bought one of my own. It was a 1949 Olds 88 hardtop that I bought back in the late 1950’s. It was one of the loves of my life. Dad was right on most things and I agree that Olds makes a quality car. This Aurora is no exception and I truly enjoyed driving this 2001 model.

The exterior, although it has nice lines, it is plain Jane and rather commonplace in design. The interior is a different story and it provides a nice comfy / cozy feeling to settle back for a long and comfortable ride for those of us who simply enjoy driving.

Handling & Performance:

A solid quality ride for luxury performance while not being a road racer. This will appeal more to the sense of comfort and convenience. I’d want to add traction control if I purchased the V6. It’s an option on the V6 but standard on the V8 that I drove.

Styling:

Clean lines but uninspiring.

Fit and Finish:

As good as most of the competition, but in general, the Japanese cars tend to be better.

Conveniences:

Competitive.

Cost:

Well priced for a luxury car, but then price is always very relative. For those who purchased a home prior to the 1980’s few would have paid more than the price of this Aurora in the year 2000. What a difference 20 years makes, eh?

Recommendation:

The most impressive alternatives from the list below are the Mercedes and the Acura TL. The other American competitors are “also ran’s” and your preference in styling or make will determine the winner in a close race. The other foreign options are more expensive, so if the “Badge” is important that may be reason enough to justify your paying the extra dough. You may want to consider the V6 that does about 3 mpg better than this V8 without much loss in performance.

The Competition:

Acura TL $28,550-30,550, Audi A6 $34,400-49,400, BMW 5 Series $35,400-53,900, Buick Park Avenue $32,980- 37,490, Chrysler 300M $29,640, Infiniti I30 $39,465-31,540, Lexus GS 300/400 $37,805-46,305, Lincoln LS $31,665-35,695, Mercedes Benz C-Class $29,950-36,950, Saab 9-5 $33,995-40,175, Volvo S80 $36,000-40,500.

Good News:

Good gas mileage, luxury car feel, roomy interior and trunk, solid ride.

Bad News:

Rear windows roll down only about a third.

Standard Equipment:

4.0 liter V8 engine mated to a 4-speed automatic trans, front and side air bags, 4-wheel anti lock disc brakes, cruise control, remote keyless entry, speed sensitive steering, traction control, leather, power driver seat, burl walnut wood trim, power mirrors, stereo with cassette and CD, climate control, lighted vanity mirrors, moisture sensitive wipers, memory seat and mirror adjustment.

Gas Stats:

17 City and 25 Highway MPG.

Pricing:

MSRP $34,644.

2001 Toyota Prius Hybrid 4-door Sedan (321)

26-10-2000Autolove No comments

Overview:

This week we’re looking at the 2001 Toyota Prius Hybrid gas / electric car. You may remember the review in the past few weeks that I did on the Honda Insight version of these first of a kind hybrid cars that employ a combination gas and electric system. The obvious purpose of these cars is to affect better gas mileage and economy. Why, you ask, is it that these cars must come from Japan? I asked the same question and am appalled that U.S. carmakers haven’t taken the lead in this technology.

What about the Saturn EV1, you say? What about it? That is a feeble attempt that is a sham, in my angry opinion. Ok, we should forgive the idiots responsible and I expect they will wake up to reality in the future. I wonder if there is just too much special interest money suppressing the development of gas efficient cars. But as I said before, when gas goes to $4.00 a gallon, people will once again embrace anyone’s competitive product that gives them more for their money.

I won’t digress too far, but consider the fact that gas prices have been adjusted in this country in devious ways in the ‘70’s, ‘80’s and now in the year 2000. You can’t tell me the small amount of oil coming from the OPEC countries can be blamed for this artificial adjustment. And I don’t think it fools too many others “mad as hell and we don’t want to take it any more” folks paying BS prices at the pump. Fact – the U.S. has the largest developed oil reserves in the world. Fact – the latest Alaska finds, albeit dirtier crude and more expensive to refine, equals by some accounts 30 years of OPEC oil. Wow, who’s trying to fool whom?

Ok, I’ll get off my soap box and tell you why this is a great car, although I think you’ve already guessed.

Handling & Performance:

No different from most gas cars you’ve driven, except you’ll notice no change in gears because of the continuously variable automatic transmission. I’ll bet, aside from the quite engine / battery combination, you won’t be able to tell the difference from driving gas only competition. The Prius starts out on battery and switchs to the gas engine at higher speeds and depending on the load. That explains why the EPA stats are better in town than on the highway. That’s opposite to all other cars, including the Honda Insight Hybrid that starts off on the gas engine and is assisted by the battery when the throttle demands more power.

Styling:

Worse than cookie-cutter. The aerodynamics likely dictate the design for mileage reasons and I guess economy cars seldom have that Beverly Hills flair anyway. I think they could have done better and should have looked to Italy or the US for some ideas. However, from my experience in Japan the consumer is less interested in fashion and fads. They use cars for transportation and we use them to make a personal statement. We’ve been convinced that “You are what you drive”. On the other hand, that attitude difference may have more to do with the price of gas being so much higher in Japan, and I suspect when prices go higher here, we’ll lose the BMW and Mercedes Benz bent.

Fit and Finish:

Good. Well, they come from Japan where the work force is still number 2, so they try harder. It’s either that or they care more. What do you think? Why do the Japanese consistently produce more reliable cars?

Conveniences:

Better than the Honda Insight plus you get to carry three more passengers. You get a lot more for the money.

Cost:

The same as the Insight, but gas performance is not as good, so effective cost is more. However, if you need more than a two seater, this is the better option for cost to value benefit. Too much difference from gas only competitors like the Chevy Metro.

Recommendation:

Although the two gas / electric options for 2001 both tout high mileage, they must be driven carefully to get that kind of performance. But comparing EPA numbers of all cars puts all on the same playing field. The Chevy Metro boasts nearly the same mileage as this Prius and you can buy it for a lot less money. I consider this the main drawback to buying one of these early alternatives to all gas cars.

The competition:

Chevrolet Metro $9,235-10,600, Honda Insight Hybrid $18,880, Hyundai Accent $8,999-9,699, Suzuki Swift $9,099-10,099, Volkswagen Golf $14,900-17,900.

Good News:

Great gas mileage, roomy, comfortable, quiet and smooth ride, well equipped, gas / electric operation is transparent to the driver and you don’t have to plug it in since the gas engine and brakes recharge the battery automatically.

Bad News:

Too new to know what mechanical problems loom out there in the future, even though it has been sold in Japan for a few years. In addition Toyota must be confident enough, or is trying to build consumer confidence by offering an 8-year / 100,000 mile warranty on the battery and hybrid power system, styling could be better, too much money for the economy difference over gas only cars.

Standard Equipment:

1.5 liter 4 cylinder 70 horsepower gas engine, hybrid system including transaxle, inverter and battery providing about 40 horsepower, two magnet motor generators, front wheel drive, continuously variable automatic transmission, power front disc brakes with regenerative anti-lock system, dual air bags, keyless entry with security, power mirrors, climate control, power windows and door locks, AM/FM with cassette and filtration system.

Gas Stats:

52 City and 45 Highway MPG.

Pricing:

MSRP $19,995.

Your comments are welcomed. My e-mail is joe@atthewheel.com

[Back]

2001 Chevrolet S10 Crew Cab (318)

04-10-2000Autolove No comments

Overview:
This weeks Chevrolet 2001 S10 Crew Cab pickup is something I could find 1000 uses for. Recently I took a trip to Tecate, Mexico for a weekend house-building jaunt with 100 other folks from Pasadena Christian. It was a productive and interesting weekend and I really wanted to take a Crew Cab but the only one out at the time was the Nissan Frontier.

Nissan doesn’t allow their vehicles over the boarder so Chrysler was kind enough to provide a truck for this worthwhile project. It was a “real man’s” truck – the Dodge Ram 2500 V10 magnum. We built two houses there but even though that V10 could pull a house, you could only carry 2-3 people to the job site. I also stopped to fuel up more often than I wanted to. I should have guessed I’d have to spend a fortune on gas when I noticed they didn’t publish gas stats. I calculated about 14 mpg for that trip. Surprisingly this Chevrolet S10 doesn’t do much better, but if you don’t need a 4X4 you’ll do a little better on the fuel consumption.

Gas prices are destined to continue their climb. The rest of the world pays up to $4.00 per gallon and if that trend infects the U.S., I suspect sales of SUV’s and trucks like this 4X4 will fall sharply. I predict they will begin their sag in the coming year because you’ll start to see advertisements directed at commuters who will begin to buy cars like the Chevy Metro at 36 city and 42 highway mpg or the new Honda Insight Hybrid, which I’ll be talking more about next week. Honda brags 61 city and 70 highway mpg.

No matter what the cost of gas, if you have a need for a truck this is one to consider. Not only do you get the pickup utility you also get the comfort of a passenger car. The short truck bed could be a problem for some, but it is perfect for my needs. I was able to use it to mend some fence at the ranch and we had enough room and comfort to go out on the town after a hard day in the sun.

Chevy Xtreme Nissan Frontier Crew Cab

Handling & Performance:

This is a new generation breed of truck that doesn’t require a kidney belt to drive. But because you don’t have the stiff suspension you can tote less than 1200 pounds. Because you get so much comfort, quiet and smoothness of ride you forget you’re in a truck. You’ll also be impressed with the power you get from 190 horsepower V6.

Styling:

Looks much like the Nissan and I like them both. The S10 has a little more conventional look, and the tubular “running board” on the Nissan is useless and only gets in the way in my view.

Fit and Finish:

Commonplace for a car, but extremely good for a truck.

Conveniences:

Car-like features that give you the comfort of a sedan with the convenience of a light duty truck.

Cost:

Not bad considering you get the comfort of a car with utility of a pick up to boot.

Recommendation:

As with anything you buy, it has to have a useful application. It reminds me of the saying, “A bargain is something you buy now and find a use for later”. So it may not be a bargain but if you have need for a light truck that accommodates more than two or three people at the same time, this Crew Cab is great. If you’re a GM fan, finally you can have a true 4-door utility truck from a US manufacturer.

The Competition:

Dodge Dakota $13,910-22,370, Ford Ranger $11,580-19,785, GMC Sonoma $12,763-25,083, Isuzu Hombre $11,360-20,100, Mazda B-Series $11,795-23,840, Nissan Frontier $11,699-24,399, Toyota Tacoma $11,528-24,378.

Good News:

Super utility, comfortable, quiet, roomy front and rear, and moreover I couldn’t come up with much to bitch about.

Bad News:

Lousy gas mileage, especially important at today’s prices, Nissan provides a sunroof and supercharger for about the same money.

Standard Equipment:

4.3 liter V6 190 horsepower engine, 4-speed auto trans., 4 wheel drive, cruise control, power 4-wheel anti lock disc brakes, dual air bags, AM/FM stereo with CD, air conditioning, power windows and locks with remote keyless entry, power mirrors, tilt wheel and daytime running lights.

Gas Stats:

15 City and 18 Highway MPG.

Pricing:

MSRP: $24,809.

2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue GL Sedan (316)

20-09-2000Autolove No comments

Overview:

This week I revisited Oldsmobile. The Intrigue is a mid-size sedan that is one of those mysteries of history that produced an inanimate object that the world would have a 100-year love affair with. Now in the 21st century the computer may be a close second as a machine that will occupy as much of our time.

Oldsmobile was one of the first cars made and it has stood the test of time. Dad was an Oldsmobile devotee and so I’m biased. If dad put out his hard earned money how bad could they be? Right! Well, the fact is, dad was right, and they continue the tradition of quality cars affordably priced. Dad used to tell me that Olds was the testing ground for Cadillac and so you tended to get a lot of features for the money.

Handling & Performance:

Traction control is one of those miracles of technology that keeps the car going where you steer it. It corrects for over or under steering, which means it keeps the rear end from swinging out and helps the car turn the way you steer, even when it wants to go straight. It is highly recommended. The twin cam V6 engine produces 215 horsepower, which is plenty of power for lead foot drivers like me. I like to feel the road a bit more than this car allows. Steering is a little lose at highway speeds.

Styling:

Sleek clean lines almost distinct in this world of stamped out clones.

Fit and Finish:

Good, but I was a little disappointed with the door panel power window controls. It shook lose from slamming the door so I expect that to be a problem waiting to be an irritation later.

Conveniences:

As dad said, you tend to get a lot of features for the dough.

Cost:

Well priced for a luxury car.

Recommendation:

You have lots to choose from in the lineup below and I have tested all and would be hard pressed to say there was one that stands out way above the others.

The Competition:

Chevrolet Impala $19,149-23,225, Chrysler Concorde $22,510-26,755, Dodge Intrepid $20,645-24,435, Ford Taurus 18,260-21,535, Honda Accord $15,350-24,550, Mitsubishi Galant $17, 557-24,007, Nissan Maxima $21,249-27,149, Subaru Legacy $19,195-24,295, Toyota Camry $17,518-26, 198, Volkswagen Passat $21,200-27,655.

Good News:

Good gas mileage, luxury car feel, roomy interior and trunk and traction control.

Bad News:

Plastic controls on door will be a problem, lose steering at highway speeds,

Standard Equipment:

3.5 liter V6 engine mated to a 4-speed automatic trans, speed sensitive steering, front and rear stabilizer bars, dual air bags, 4-wheel anti lock disc brakes, theft deterrent system, rear door child security locks, child seat anchors, front reclining bucket seats, stereo dimensional sound system with cassette and CD, air conditioning, power windows and door locks, tilt wheel, cruise control, power mirrors, air filtration system, fog lights, split folding rear seat, lighted vanity mirrors, steering wheel radio controls, remote keyless entry, 6-way power driver seat, and traction control.

Gas Stats:

19 City and 28 Highway MPG.

Pricing:

MSRP $24,150.

1 2 34