Adam's Autos

Welcome to Adam's Autos! "Where I rate autos to help YOU find an A-Rate ride!" Adam’s Autos is a creative medium dedicated to providing consumers with the appropriate information to make an informed new or used automotive purchase. Additionally, Adam’s Autos highlights and promotes local businesses, alongside a variety of today’s latest automotive trends and topics. I also discuss my own personal cars and projects. So fasten your seat belts! We're going for a ride!

Sunday, December 9, 2018

So, Why Are Crossovers Taking Over?

Crossovers are practical, and practical just makes sense to many more than just a few.

While this picture may look like a mess, aside from low gas prices, this is actually a visual representation of EXACTLY why crossovers and pickup trucks are whooping sedans all up and down sales charts these days. Packed in the top pictures, there are 2 closets worth of clothes, musical instruments, boxes and more. I highly doubt that I could’ve fit all of this in one go in my Saturn Aura, but my Compass made moving myself far more manageable. All this without even utilizing the 2,000 lbs. allowed for towing, having 4WD, and while still getting 27.3 MPG. Insane.

Call them corny, bloated, boring, etc. etc., but a CUV does have its merits and practical uses over a conventional sedan. I don’t see this trend fully reversing any time soon... Yes, perhaps not preferred news for sedan lovers and hardcore driving enthusiasts, but automakers and consumers alike are acknowledging CUV and light truck strengths more and more.

Think of it in terms of a stereotypical “nerdy guy/girl” scenario: While being sensible, down to earth and practical may be viewed as ‘boring’ to some initially, when it’s all said and done, these same qualities are actually quite attractive, and ultimately seal the deal for many people.

Friday, December 7, 2018

The Sedan Apocalypse Is REAL - GM to Close Several Plants

Layoffs during the holiday season are never good news. The fact that it all but confirms the sedan apocalypse is a double whammy.

There’s quite a bit to say about this, since there’s so many layers, so let’s just cut straight to it.

General Motors has announced they’re shutting down several assembly lines in North America. Plants that are closing include Oshawa Assembly in Canada, Detroit-Hamtramck in Detroit, Lordstown Assembly in Warren, OH, Baltimore Operations in Maryland, and Warren Trasmission Operarions in Warren, MI. Over 15,000 employees will be laid off as well.

With these shut downs, come the loss of many once-popular nameplates as well. The Chevrolet Impala, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Volt, Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, and Cadillac CT6 will all end production in 2019. The prior generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra will also phase out in 2019. While the old trucks ending production is no surprise, GM’s sedans going away is somewhat disappointing.

All of GM's vehicles slated to end production in 2019 - mostly 4-door cars.

By now, you have probably noticed that crossovers are taking over. GM’s future strategy calls for them to focus on more trucks and CUVs, like Ford. But unlike Ford, most of these GM cars aren’t that old in their respective segments - most are actually pretty recent products. The oldest of these models going away is the XTS, and it just got a facelift for 2018. Chevy’s Cruze also got a facelift for 2019, and the CT6 as well. The Buick LaCrosse was redesigned in the last few years, and the Impala is a sharp, well-rounded large car that gets good reviews. Since the market is also shifting towards electrification, you would think the Volt would stick around, perhaps becoming a crossover eventually or becoming an autonomous test vehicle in the future. But apparently not so. It seems like although GM is claiming they’re preparing for the future, there’s got to be something deeper... They’ve invested so heavily into some of these products it’s kinda baffling they’d kill them ALL off.

...And perhaps no car embodies this more than the Cadillac CT6. Simply put, it’s a damn good car. One of my favorites coming out of GM right now. I’ve had a few opportunities to get in the CT6, and I see the 2019 facelifted model driving around regularly where I live. It’s a surprisingly agile and fun car to drive given it’s large size, especially with the 3.0L twin-turbo V6 with 404 HP. And let’s not forget that there’s a 4.2L 550 HP twin-turbo V8 model that was shown! Cadillac says this model is still on track to enter production, but that means it will only see production for a few months before being killed off. So, then what happens to that V8 under it’s hood? That’s a “Cadillac-exclusive” engine after all! What will be the new “top-of-the-line” Cadillac sedan if the upcoming CT4 and CT5 are smaller ATS and CTS replacements? Why invest so much money in getting something right just to pull the plug on it? So many questions... But this sounds like an old pattern GM has been been criticized about for a long time now. See - Pontiac G8 and late 2000s Saturn.

Nonetheless, I guarantee you that the CT6-V will be a future classic.

Connecting the Past to the Present and Future

The closing of Detroit-Hamtramck is ironic in particular, as there was an entire neighborhood there before it was built in the 1980s. The Poletown Neighborhood was diverse, containing both African-Americans and Caucasians. Many of the whites that lived there were actually first-generation Polish immigrants and Albanians in America. While the neighborhood was considered to be industrial working-class and in decline by the time the plant was scheduled to be built, thousands of people and hundreds of businesses were displaced in the process, despite protests. In the time since this, Detroit-Hamtramck has churned out some interesting flagship models, such as the Cadillac DTS, and most recently, the Chevrolet Impala and Buick LaCrosse.

Fast-forward to today, and in places such as Lordstown, Ohio, residents are feeling left out after President Trump promised manufacturing jobs would return during his visits. Some politicians are also pushing back against GM’s job cuts, since the company received a tax break last year and also accepted bailout money back in 2009 (which the company did pay back). President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on all imported cars previously, and doubled down on those threats following this announcement. This would hit Buick pretty hard, since as I noted on my Adam’s Autos Facebook page awhile ago, most of Buick’s lineup is foreign. The only two models made in America are the Enclave and LaCrosse - one of which is on the chopping block remember... Given that most cars have globally sourced parts, a full-on tariff may only result in higher prices, slower sales and more job cuts - thus displacing communities again. But it’s funny how history can repeat itself, huh?

End of an Era

Although I went and got a new car that’s not a sedan (*cough* crossover) this year for my own specific reasons, I’m personally sad to see several of these models go. Especially the CT6. Its very well-rounded and unique, and it looks like it will continue production in China with a new "Tripower" engine as well... I don’t think I’ve been this disappointed since Oldsmobile went away... The CT6 V-Series model is an instant collectors item already, and once all of these models and various others drop after 2019, you won’t be able to get a full-size, mainstream American sedan from any manufacturer except FCA (300, Charger). I’m going to boldly predict based on sales trends that the Charger will be the final full-size sedan on sale in the U.S. and that the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry will duke it out until the very end for midsize sedan king. But we’ll see how things progress.

Who would think this day would come so soon? Are you surprised? Perhaps we shouldn’t be, as Cruze sales are down almost 30% - an omen perhaps. For now, get them while the going is good, and pour one out for your favorite large GM sedan. My eye is on the Cadillac CT6 V-Series for my garage someday, as it may very well be the last V8 American sedan from Cadillac for who knows how long.

The sedan apocalypse is VERY REAL, and coming to a town near you. #sedanapocalypse

New/Rare Rides - Take 7!

Time for more rare and new rides, and this time, there’s the Chevy Malibu Maxx SS, Ferrari GTC4Lusso, Buick Cascada, a mint Buick Regal Somerset, the new Kia Stinger GT, and a Volvo XC40.

If you had any doubt the Buick Cascada was still hanging in there, fear no more. Word is 2019 might be its last year, however... I had almost forgotten the Malibu Maxx SS existed, and driving a Ferrari around where there’s so many potholes seems somewhat futile haha. But neat nonetheless!

Show Me the Car Fact #FactFridays

Did you know: The word “car” is derived from the Latin word “carrus”, for a wagon. This image is the closest thing I could find.

Luckily our modern cars didn’t stay true to this design.

Thursday, December 6, 2018

2018 L.A. Auto Show Reveals

SUVs and EVs both made huge waves at this year's LA Auto Show, although Mazda is keeping the compact car alive with its new Mazda3 sedan and hatchback.

Live reveals were rolling out faster than you could keep up with at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Some news and reveals include:

The 2019 Toyota Prius with its AWD-e system and an estimated 50 MPG combined. Looks slightly less polarizing to boot.

The 2019 Honda Passport, which has a standard 280 HP 3.5L V6. It borrows it’s platform and styling from the Pilot, which seems to be influencing several other Honda vehicles these days. How capable it is off-road vs. other midsize crossovers remains to be seen.

Jeep’s 2020 Gladiator, which is more than just a Wrangler pickup truck - it’s been highly anticipated particularly forever. Gladiator will be able to tow up to 7,650 pounds, offer a 3.6L V6 or later on,

FCA’s 3.0L V6 EcoDiesel engine. Of course, hard and soft tops are available.

Lincoln’s 2020 Aviator, which will be the most powerful Lincoln ever in its 3.0L twin-Turbo V6 plug-in hybrid variant, with 450 HP and 600 lb.-ft. of torque.

An all-new 2019 Mazda3, which will offer AWD a new Skyactiv-X engine. Mazda’s updated G-Vectoring Control Plus, which aims for sharper turn-in steering feel, is also on the new 3.

Hyundai’s 2020 Palisade is an all-new 8-passenger crossover that will compete with the likes of the Toyota Highlander and Chevrolet Traverse. It has a 3.8L V6 standard with 291 HP, and will replace the outgoing Santa Fe XL model.

Audi’s e-tron GT concept is an electric car that is related to the Porsche Taycan. However, only the windshield is fully shared between the two. It’s worth noting that from pictures, it looks like you can charge the car from both sides. A production version is expected to appear in 2020.

Need to tow 11,000 lbs. in an EV? Rivian has you covered.

...And let's not forget Rivian, which showed off its electric R1T pickup and R1S SUV. With operations in Plymouth, Michigan, Rivian claims over 400 miles of range and off-road capabilities that simply can't be matched by a Tesla. I quite like the look of the SUV. I hope they're successful!

Motor Trend Car of the Year Winners

Will the Ram 1500 and G70 pull off back-to-back victories and
become truck and car of the year in Detroit? We'll see soon!

And in addition the reveals, the 2019 Genesis G70, Jeep Wrangler, and new Ram 1500 we’re all winners of Motor Trend’s 2019 Car, SUV, and Truck of the year awards!

Anyone headed out to L.A. for the auto show? It’s a good time to like cars, no matter what segment you’re most interested in.

Throwback Thursday - Traffic JAMS

We've all been at a complete standstill on the road before... Or just bored at work. Never fear, the weekend will soon be here! Until then, let's switch into memory lane and rock out while we roll on!

This week's jam: Aston Martin Music - Rick Ross feat. Drake & Chrisette Michelle (2010)

This is Ricky Rozay's second appearance on my TBT jam list. Maybe he has a knack for good throwbacks haha. Turn this up if you're in your Aston Martin, or even if you're still grinding to get one.

SN: I think Drake's verse on the extended version of this song is still one of his top 10 verses ever.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RI1m27OGvY

Happy Holidays 2018

I want to be the first to say it this go 'round - I'm wishing everyone who tunes into my blog a happy, successful, and safe holiday season and new year! Thanks, and roll into it like you're a winner. Here’s to 2019!

-Adam

Monday, November 19, 2018

Ghosted: Renault-Nissan’s Carlos Ghosn Arrested for Financial Misconduct

If you missed this surprise, Carlos Ghosn, a chairman at Renault and Nissan, was arrested in Japan after an investigation found him guilty of acts of financial misconduct. These acts took place over many years, and with the help of another executive it seems. Millions of dollars in company funds were stated to have been used personally by Ghosn while he under reported his earnings. That’s a major crime anywhere, and Nissan said it will seek his removal (UPDATE: Ghosn will remain chairman until further notice - he was dismissed from Mitsubishi as of 11/26/18). Stocks of Nissan and Renault plunged following this news. The company insists that its recent alliance with Mitsubishi won’t be affected. We'll see if that holds true.

This seems so wildly foolish and ironic, as Ghosn was responsible for bringing Nissan back from the brink of financial collapse during the late 1990s. “Mo’ money, mo’ problems” – Biggie’s words still ring true to this day.

Friday, November 16, 2018

New Cars Incoming: 2020 Corolla & 2018 L.A. Auto Show

Wanting to not be a "boring pick" anymore, the 2020 Corolla adopts new sporty and luxurious styling cues inside and out from its bigger Camry and Avalon siblings.

Toyota has unveiled the redesigned 12th generation 2020 Corolla sedan. The new hatchback is already on sale, and from the time I’ve spend around it, it’s a solid package. The new Corolla family rides on Toyota’s TNGA modular platform and will soon offer a hybrid option. The outgoing 1.8L four-cylinder engine with 139 HP is standard and a new 2.0L four-cylinder engine will be offered as well. A 6-speed manual transmission and a CVT will be used. Newly standard and available features include Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alaxa support, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking and active lane control. I think it’ll continue to sell well, and I like the styling.

Jeep is supposed to finally let us see their new pickup truck, Nissan will bring a
refreshed Maxima with updated active safety features, and we'll see the new
Honda Passport, among other new entries at this year's LA Auto Show.

What new car do you want to see or drive the most? Thanks for the support AND 800 page likes on Facebook!

Expect the Corolla Hybrid, along with a host of other new cars such as the 2020 Lincoln Aviator, Kia Soul, Jeep Gladiator, Honda Passport, and the refreshed 2019 Nissan Maxima to appear at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Link to last year's auto show post: https://www.adamsautos.org/2017/12/auto-show-season-la-detroit.html

Show Me the Car Fact #FactFriday

Its rare you see a top-trim level of a car cost less than a lower trim version... But the Regal Avenir is that car. Another fun fact: The Buick Regal (2011) was originally slated to be the redesigned Saturn Aura. When Saturn was killed off, Buick got the car instead.

Did You Know: The 2019 Buick Regal Sportback Avenir actually costs LESS fully loaded than the 2019 Buick Regal Sportback Essence fully loaded. I priced them on Buick’s site, including options such as the Driver’s Confidence Package II, and the Essence trim came out to $41,055 and the top trim Avenir $39,930 - a $1,125 difference.

This is likely because the the Regal Essence can be had with AWD and the Avenir oddly cannot... However, this discrepancy does not hold true for Buick’s other sedan, the LaCrosse, which can have AWD in its top Avenir trim.

Unless you just really need AWD, it actually does make sense to “go big or go home” in this instance.

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Consumer Reports Quality 2018 - You Really Don’t Want to Rush Perfection

Consumer Reports is a non-profit agency that conducts research on a variety of products individuals use day-to-day, including cars.

Every year, Consumer Reports (CR) publishes results from its annual quality survey, ranking car brands from most to least reliable. This year wasn’t very kind to American brands, as none finished in the top of the survey. Here’s a brief rundown how things stacked up.

Brand Breakdown

Toyota and Lexus remain at the top of the reliability list, although the Tacoma had some issues, as did the redesigned Camry with its transmission. These brands stay so high on reliability likely because they don’t radically change their cars very often, generally recycling engines and transmissions for years in products. Most of Subaru’s models have good reliability, except for the WRX, which is below average.

Honda’s reliability has been shaken some by its newly redesigned models. The Odyssey is rated much worse than average by CR due to door locking and infotainment issues, and the CR-V and Accord have average reliability due to infotainment issues as well.

Hyundai, Kia and Genesis had different results for each brand, even among similar models. For example, the Niro is slightly more reliable than the Ioniq and the Sportage more reliable than the Tucson, due to Tucson’s dual-clutch transmission (DCT) issues. That dual-clutch is gone on the refreshed 2019 Tucson. The Genesis G80 has better than average reliability, but the G90 is below average. The Kia Cadenza fell sharply in CR reliability ratings this year due to climate control issues.

Among American brands, Ford was the most reliable, with the soon-to-be-dead Taurus having much better than average reliability. The Fusion is now rated below average due to Sync 3 freezing. Buick was the last American brand previously rated highly for reliability, but this changed with the release of the new Enclave. It’s been plagued with transmission issues. Dodge has the best reliability of all of FCA’s brands, with Jeep achieving mixed results.

Tesla’s Model S is now rated below average due to suspension issues, the Model 3 is rated average for reliability, and the Model X much worse than average,

with its futuristic falcon-wing doors being a real sour spot.

Toyota and Lexus continue to dominate reliability ratings, likely due to the
sharing and longevity of platforms and technology. Whether you think they
make "boring cars" or not, its proving to be a winning strategy.

Some vehicles that made the CR 10 most reliable list include the full Toyota Prius lineup, Toyota Corolla, Honda Fit, Kia Sedona, Mazda MX-5 Miata, and Toyota Highlander. Vehicles on the CR 10 least reliable new cars list include the Volkswagen Atlas, Honda Odyssey, Kia Cadenza, Buick Enclave, Cadillac ATS, and Chevrolet Traverse.

Have you considered any of these vehicles or owned one at some point? Arm yourself with this knowledge and shop wisely! ROLL ON!

For further reading:

So What’s Up With Ford? And Possibly VW?

Ford is proud of their heritage, and their recent ads and company decisions seem to want to draw on the past to forge a way to the future. An alliance is also rumored.

You may have been noticing lately that Ford has been in the media a lot. They have their new “Built Ford Proud” ads out (a play on “Built Ford Tough”), meant to highlight 115 years of innovation and the road ahead, while also battling stock troubles. Depending on how you invest money and digest information, you could view right now as an opportunity for Ford, and you could also look a Ford and wonder “what’s going on?”

My best guess is that Ford somewhat harmed themselves by explicitly announcing they were going to quit making all cars. Simple fact is, the public is dumb, and that statement at first sounds ambiguous. Ford isn’t going to stop making CARS, just sedans really. But in that fact lies another issue, for investors and consumers alike: you’re leaving yourself exposed.

While SUVs and trucks are high-profit vehicles, not everyone wants OR needs them. I feel its a risky gamble to offer only one or two types of product, as it leaves your company susceptible to a change in consumer tastes. A spike in gas prices may also be an issue for an all-SUV/truck Ford. Currently, the company doesn’t have many hybrids/EVs to fall back on, and the ones they do have are being discontinued. This looks very odd to the analytical public eye - such as investors. But this is where a tie-in with another company may make sense.

A Perfect Paring?

What would a Ford-VW alliance produce in the long run?

Volkswagen and Ford have been in talks about a commercial vehicle tie up recently. However, this always stood out as somewhat odd to me... Because surely the two aren’t ONLY going to collaborate on commercial vehicles. For one, Ford is quite a heavy-hitter in the commercial vehicle arena already. VW wouldn’t want any of that. But other resources? Oh yeah, you bet.

VW's Atlas Tanoak concept

VW has a mostly car heavy lineup and could benefit from a partner that has more SUVs and trucks to offer, especially with upcoming products like the Atlas Tanoak. That would be Ford. Ford could also pull from some of VW’s car designs and platforms so they aren’t left without a car product. That’s a win-win scenario. However, I personally think it goes even deeper than that. Hang on.

Remember, VW is on an aggressive EV mission like Ford with their “Electrify America” plan. Ford needs more EVs in their lineup, and just purchased the Corktown Michigan Central Station in Detroit for future autonomous vehicle and technology development. I believe that this tie-up will surely lead to new EV vehicles and infrastructure sharing between the brands. They are supposedly going to collaborate on autonomous vehicle projects, too. Thus, a solid alliance will make development times much shorter.

What If...

Top: Tesla Model X, Bottom: Ford "Mach 1" SUV

With an abundance of resources, there’s another thought I’ve had on this potential alliance, which would be one of the world’s largest. What if VW and Ford tried to purchase or work in some way with Tesla? Tesla has self-driving capable “Autopilot” software in their cars, which would surely aid Ford in their autonomous vehicle development strategy. Also, Tesla is what I call a “high visibility” brand, which would lend some additional star power to a VW-Ford portfolio (as if Audi and Bugatti aren’t enough). Alone, the two brands may not have enough resources to make any sort of large investments in Tesla - Elon Musk probably wouldn’t have it. But by coming together, they just might. And with access to the Electrify America charging infrastructure and more manufacturing expertise, Tesla would have some benefit to collaborate in the alliance and continue its growth.

Just a thought. We’ll see how this whole scenario shakes out.

Bold Moves

Ford is definitely trying to think outside of the box. I think their plans could work, with a little bit of fine tuning. Clashes between company cultures may pose an issue in an alliance with VW, who desperately needs to improve its public image following Dieselgate while Ford is aggressively chasing profit. Also, Ford’s stock is a concern, and their product offerings slightly one-dimensional. Still, Ford is still a company worth watching and considering for future investment. Sometimes the only way to win is to take a chance - and Ford is boldly doing that.

For further alliance readings:

Tesla Finally Makes a Profit

In case you missed it - Tesla posted a Q3 profit of $300 million. Elon Musk had plans to make Tesla profitable by Q3 or Q4 of this year, and despite the ratings, reliability issues and critics, he accomplished it. I must give them credit where credit is due, as they set a goal and go after it viciously.

This profit can be attributed to increased production and sales of the new Model 3 sedan, which recently outsold ALL BMW sedans combined. It’s one of the top selling luxury vehicles in the U.S. now. However, Tesla still has debts to pay by November 2019 of over $2 million+ dollars, so we will see if this profit streak continues.

For More Info: https://www.cnet.com/google-amp/news/tesla-q3-2018-financial-report-profit/

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

New/Rare Rides - Take 6!

Time for another installment of new/rare rides! This time, we have a real mix up of cars, from trucks, to EVs, to vans. Some of these were spotted on a business trip to LA.

Vehicles seen include the Geo Metro (x2), 2019 Ford Focus Hatchback AND Station Wagon (remember - we won't get those in the U.S. anymore), Tesla Model 3 (x2), a Honda Fit EV, 2019 Ford Ranger SuperCab, Ford F-150 SVT Lightning, Pontiac GTO, Saturn Sky, a mint condition Ford Probe, Chrysler PT Crusier Convertible, and a Final 500 Edition Oldsmobile Silhouette (fun fact - they actually only made 360 of these Final 500 vans, making them the rarest of the final Oldsmobiles).

Have you driven any "new/rare rides" lately or owned any of the vehicles in this series?