Rental Car Reviews

[bill25]

Hell the G-body died and was replaced with FWD because most of the people who bought those were actually better served by a W-body with a 3.8L V6.

They weren't better served, GM thought they were better served. These cars were a joke. I don't even acknowledge them as Monte Carlos. I was just at a 4th of July party where next door, there was a late 90's Monte Carlo SS and a 80's El Camino SS. Everyone said "well, at least they have the nice one too." Nobody was talking about the Monte. It was ridiculed the whole day.

I also get why 4 door cars are popular among families, but not everyone drives with people in the back seat.

[bill25]

The ATS coupe makes no sense.

This car exists for people that are single, and can afford it.
At least back in the day, people bought cars to get girls. I would say this car fits that category.

Also maybe for families where the kids have left the house, and the only people in the car are the 2 adults. It seems like you guys are only looking at things from a "kids" perspective. I don't regularly see cars driving with 4 adults, and why can't you just take 2 cars?

[kevm14]

Most of the people who bought G-bodies were not enthusiasts. Same with the B-body. Regular people were better served by a FWD W-body with a V6. The G-body was not "GM's enthusiast car platform" the way you think of it.

[bill25]

I am not sure about that. What else could you get a V8 in besides a Camaro, Corvette, or a B-body. Also the GN was a G-Body. So yeah, sales of a V6 Monte or Regal may not have been enthusiasts, but I am not sure I agree with that generalization, especially since the G-Body was the replacement for the A-Body which was an enthusiast platform.

[kevm14]

None of the platforms described are inherently enthusiast based. Enthusiast based platforms would be the Y-body or F-body. But the A, G and B platforms were all intended to sell mass amounts of normal cars to normal people. GM happened to offer some higher performance ones but that was more in spite of the platform. It is true that hot-rodding any of those body on frame cars is pretty easy, but that is beside the point.

Most A-bodies weren't Chevelle SS's, most G-bodies weren't Monte Carlo SS's, and most B-bodies weren't Impala SS's, 9C1s or otherwise high performance trims (big blocks if you go back before 1977).

[Adam]

Is this thread derailed enough yet?

[Bob]

Just got a Charger R/T for my week of vacation in Maine. I would say it worked out pretty well because they threw in a free tank of gas on my already free rental since the Charger isn't a premium car.

[Bob]

I have been driving the Charger around for a few days now. A few thoughts:

- The 20 inch wheels aren't doing the ride quality or handling any favors. It kind of feels like big unsprung lead weights are strapped to each corner of the car.
- I love daily driving something with this level of torque and power. It does everything effortlessly.
- The ZF 8-speed is mostly good, but occasionally there is a driveline clunk when transitioning back onto the throttle at low speed. Not sure if this is from abuse or if they all do that.
- The steering on the car is rather numb, but overall I still feel like RWD cars drive better than FWD.
- The sound of the engine is nice.
- It is cool to be able to peel out at like half throttle.
- There is some NVH in cylinder deactivation mode. My wife even commented that "it seems like this car is making a strange noise" and she isn't the type to normally notice something like this.
- I am still averaging 23.3 according to the computer in mostly highway and back road driving, with a small amount of in town sprinkled in.

Overall, I still like this car and would rent again. I will admit a big part of this is that it traps 105 as a rental. I am probably done with V6 Chargers, unless the alternatives are even worse, like Camrys and Chrysler 200s.

[kevm14]

- I am still averaging 23.3 according to the computer in mostly highway and back road driving, with a small amount of in town sprinkled in.

That may need a sanity check. Probably optimistic.

[kevm14]

- I love daily driving something with this level of torque and power. It does everything effortlessly.
- The sound of the engine is nice.
- It is cool to be able to peel out at like half throttle.

Now picture an SS (109-111) or a V2 (115-116). Or V-sport (111-112). Imagine a chassis that was as good as the engine.