2002 caprice

[MikeA]

I just don't understand why GM would not offer the Caprice in the US, emissions? That is a good looking car and I would have went with the Caprice over our '98 Regal.

[GMH454]

Mike we scatch our heads on that one here and don't understand it either. Our Caprice/Statesmans only sell in numbers under 10,000. Why they can't sell them to the US is GM policy. To meet your Design Rules, it requires a move in the gas tank, no big deal. Fully loaded they sell here for around US$35,000, although the non leather version, can be had with LS1 for around US$30,000.
GM has decided that you all will drive Front wheel drive cars, as they are cheaper to build and engineer. or Trucks, which is something else no one in the world outside the US understands.
GMH's latest problem is matching the Ford Falcon output. Their last Commodore LS1 ran under 14.00 at the mag road, test (our drag tracks have virtually no rubber build up to help the launch so the speed could be repeated on the open road,) I'll bet that the car had been played with, something Holden usually does not do.
The Turbo six Falcon ran 14.2 in three different mag tests, (one of those carrying a passenger )and that is their no. 3 car. Its 240KW, with 260KW & 290KW, 5.40litres cammers coming in March. These are 4 valve engines, not available in the US.
Holden now has to do something with the LS1, as it is going to lose the bragging rights real soon. Hope Chevrolet has something waiting in the wings.

[elcamino]

<font color="red">Not enough buyers!! No one wants the rear wheel drive cars + they drag down the CAFE for GM. They sell too many trucks and SUV's and need all the economy cars that they can sell. The Olds Delta 88 and the 98 are gone, the Park Ave is a slow seller. And Pontiac is struggling selling a lot of Bonneville's. Poeple want Tahoes, Yukons, Suburbans etc.

I know the owner of a Chevy dealership for many years, said he sold more front wheel drive Impala the first year than he sold rear wheel drive ones in 5 yrs. People want a change, sure some would like them they way they were but not enough do.

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[Norm reynolds]

I Have to disagree about no one wants a rear wheel drive car
I have three front wheel drive cars and my 91 blazer
My blazer in two wheel drives better than any front
Wheel drive car. My 2001 Pontiac front wheel with
Traction control is awful A few weeks ago we had a little snow and ice
I had to drive my wife to work . Because this car was not safe was all over the road you have to be real careful
The front end will go sideways real quick
I am now looking for a rear drive car for my wife and
Dumping the front wheel car hope to get rid of the other two
Also. I HATE front wheel drive cars
I am not alone on this I hear it all the time is why
There is no rear drive cars to be had This is why there is
More suv,s being sold . I know one reason is the four wheel
That most suv,s have but it is also the rear drive
My local chevy dealership is all ways telling he wish he could
Get rear drive cars because he would sell a lot more of them
That is why I am glad the pontiac,s new GTO will be rear drive
And I hope that when GM brings back the camaro they leave it a
Rear drive car I wish I could get this rear drive caprice
Sorry for the long post but I just really hate front wheel drive cars

[hvychev]

IMO unfortunately peolpe do not want big RWD cars. At my dealership Crown Vics are as stale as 5 year old crackers.
It's a shame because they are a great car for the money.

[elcamino]

<font color="blue">I see the Crown Victoria is in the news for bad gas tank design. I see a couple of police got killed in a firery crash and now some police agencies are suing Ford over the cars. One of my coworkers brother is a MSP officer and he says he hates the Fords and would rather the Tahoe or Jeep Cherokee.

Rear wheel drive cars are not popular anymore, there design can't keep pace with the more fuel efficient front wheel drive cars. The GTO has to be imported because none of the GM assembly plants except for the Bowling Green Corvette plant are geared up from rear wheel drive cars.
I am not found on front wheel drive cars either. Of the 4 I have owned, I traded or sold each one because I did not like the way the drive, e.g. torque steer. The best one of the lot was a 1995 Buick Park Avenue, ones I hate and would never but again are the Lumina, Monte Carlo. Worse handling car IMHO. You can see what I prefer below. </font color>

[Norm reynolds]

Frank I have to agree with you what a shame The problem is thatÃs all you can get is front wheel drive. The biggest joke was the sales man that sold my wife on the front wheel with traction control was IT IS THE NEXT BEST THING TO FOUR WHEEL DRIVE And she believed his sell pitch I hate it that Gm is trying to jam front wheel down our throat : [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/mad.gif[/img] I am getting a bad feeling
That if GM ever brings back the camaro they will screw it up as a
Front wheel drive As far as front wheel being more fuel efficient [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/frown.gif[/img]
Is bull I am getting average of 13 mpg on my three V6
With a 3.1 My 91 full size blazer 4x4 with a 350 tbi is
Getting around 13 mpg so where is it more efficient
Look at the SS impala what a nice car [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/cool.gif[/img]
Big four door a/c and it still moves out pretty good
When I find one in good shape I am going the replace
My front wheel driver

[82z96ss]

There was a 95 Impala SS on a lot in the Gulf Coast. My dad has one and my uncle had one. I can't stand big cars, but give the Impala SS its due [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/ooo.gif[/img] It would smoke the tires off. I love that car. My dad's Impala is in good shape, could use some paint, but he says there isn't a car out there that could make him tade his in on. And I agree.

[GMH454]

I agree, the factors in fuel economy are torque curves so she won't have to rev too hard, gears, both, box and rear, so the ol engine once more dos'nt have to spin so hard, and aerodynamics for the same reasons. Nothing to do with front or rear wheel drive.
My Commodore 1600kgs (3520 lbs ) about 192" long 4 door gets over 22mpg in the city and very high 20s in the country
Also runs mid 14,s and smokes the tyres off idle.
GM makes front wheel drive for the reason that its cheaper and then tells you that it is better for you.

As for some of the other opinions offered, if front wheel drive is better for driving don't you think BMW and Porche would have caught on by now or is it a US only secret

[elcamino]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>
As for some of the other opinions offered, if front wheel drive is better for driving don't you think BMW and Porche would have caught on by now or is it a US only secret

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Most people dont' want to buy these brand cars, they are every expensise in US