by "MM54" (mm54mk2)
Published 03/08/2017 at 20:18
by "MM54" (mm54mk2)
Published 03/08/2017 at 20:18
Tags: RENTAL CARS
STARS: 0
Work trip, rental car, the usual deal. Any questions?
This is actually the second time I’ve had a (possibly this same based on IL plates in NJ) Cruze. I’ve been pleasantly surprised. It goes when you mash the go pedal and doesn’t do like a lot of modern automatic cars and spend six weeks going between gears, of which it seems to have an appropriate amount.
Visibility is good (by modern standards) and the steering is okay. Brakes are decidedly new-car-touchy, but I’m used to junk you have to stand on to slow down so that’s more on my end. The seats are comfortable and it uses an actual key to start.
Only real complaint is the auto stop/start - the first few times I didn’t realize it had turned off and I thought it just sometimes would shudder off the line. Now that I know what it’s doing I can keep track of it and sort of know when it’s going to shut off (the “stall” when coming to a stop still freaks me out sometimes, since I’m used to cars that do that but don’t re-start themselves), but it’s still the sort of thing I’d turn off ASAP if I owned the thing. For a rental though, I can’t be bothered (if it’s even possible).
So, any questions?
"RallyWrench" (rndlitebmw)
03/08/2017 at 20:19, STARS: 1
Does she fly level?
"For Sweden" (rallybeetle)
03/08/2017 at 20:21, STARS: 0
Why don’t you just use the National Executive lane?
"Logansteno: Bought a VW?" (logansteno)
03/08/2017 at 20:25, STARS: 0
GM’s start/stop isn’t defeatable. It’s also apparently one of the better systems out there. The LaCrosses and Acadias I work on at work have them and it’s a pretty decent, discreet system. They also have big V6s so they might be smoother.
"DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
03/08/2017 at 20:27, STARS: 0
“and the steering is okay.”
Wut. I have to disagree with you there. I think the Cruze has the most disconnected steering feel of anything I’ve ever driven.
Although I rarely drive new cars, so maybe new cars are much worse than I’ve been told.
"E92M3" (E46M3)
03/08/2017 at 20:30, STARS: 0
Considering it’s the cheapest car to lease at the moment (with an effective lease cost of $108 a month), is it worth it?
"XJDano" (xjdano)
03/08/2017 at 20:31, STARS: 0
Does it have Cruise Control?
"Rico" (ricorich)
03/08/2017 at 20:38, STARS: 0
Wth you can’t turn it off?? That’s terrible!
"Logansteno: Bought a VW?" (logansteno)
03/08/2017 at 20:43, STARS: 1
Everything’s defeatable if you pull a fuse or two.
I genuinely don’t notice when the Acadias and LaCrosses turn off or on at all. No jitters or anything. Just the tach dropping to the “off” position. Though the Cruzes may jitter, I don’t know I’ve never experienced a non-hybrid EcoTec with stop/start.
"Rico" (ricorich)
03/08/2017 at 20:46, STARS: 0
I used to turn it off on my MB all the time due to being in tons of stop and go traffic. Within a 30 second period I could get it to stop/start my car almost 3 times so it would get annoying.
"Logansteno: Bought a VW?" (logansteno)
03/08/2017 at 20:51, STARS: 2
Now that is something GMs system doesn’t do in my experience. I honestly don’t know the parameters for it to turn off because sometimes I pull a LaCrosse up to the garage door at work after a test drive and it turns off, sometimes I pull one up and it stays running.
"Rico" (ricorich)
03/08/2017 at 20:55, STARS: 0
It’s overly sensitive in the MB. Basically once you’re completely stopped and on the brakes for more than 3 seconds it’ll turn off. It starts up as soon as your foot is coming off the brake but still annoying every few seconds.
"CRider" (crider)
03/08/2017 at 20:55, STARS: 1
How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?
"MM54" (mm54mk2)
03/08/2017 at 21:01, STARS: 0
A lot. I’ve not had time to finish a single tootsie pop while driving this car!
"MM54" (mm54mk2)
03/08/2017 at 21:02, STARS: 0
A lot of body roll. Some stiffer sway bars would make a huge improvement to handling.
"MM54" (mm54mk2)
03/08/2017 at 21:02, STARS: 0
Because I don’t have Executive status (or they never told me I met it; I forget my password to log in on the site).
"MM54" (mm54mk2)
03/08/2017 at 21:04, STARS: 0
Yeah I’ve noticed in start/stop traffic it’ll shut off the first time then kind of give up on it for a while. My favorite is when it shuts off when you stop in a parking spot, then turns back on when you put it in park.
"MM54" (mm54mk2)
03/08/2017 at 21:05, STARS: 0
My main comparison is the Corolla S I had a while back, this is much better than that. It’s okay for what the car is - it’s certainly no manual rack and pinion.
"MM54" (mm54mk2)
03/08/2017 at 21:05, STARS: 1
Can you lease it with a manual?
If you’re looking for a tolerable commuting appliance, this would probably be a very good deal at $110/mo.
"MM54" (mm54mk2)
03/08/2017 at 21:06, STARS: 0
Yes. I’ve not used it though.
"Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
03/08/2017 at 21:21, STARS: 0
do you think the start/stop is something that would become natural quickly? or always annoying? I don’t think I’d ever get used to it
"Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna" (lukielauxd)
03/08/2017 at 21:29, STARS: 0
Are there some various obvious details that make it seem like it was obviously built on a budget?
"E92M3" (E46M3)
03/08/2017 at 21:38, STARS: 0
Depends on the dealer. With most lease deals you have to take one from dealer stock.
"Carbon Fiber Sasquatch" (turbopumpkin)
03/08/2017 at 22:50, STARS: 0
I’m actually looking at Cruzes for my DD. I knew it was low to lease but I haven’t heard $108, that’s crazy. Is that for a L with a stick?
I found a Cajun red hatch LT near me for only $18k, but damn I’m willing to go lower on my options for $108 a month
"coqui70" (coqui70)
03/08/2017 at 23:02, STARS: 0
Have you hooned it yet?
"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
03/09/2017 at 05:14, STARS: 0
how comfy is the suspension?
"E92M3" (E46M3)
03/09/2017 at 11:09, STARS: 1
It is for a LT, doesn’t say which transmission. My apologies, the $108 lease offer includes a $3000 conquest bonus. You have to switch from an “Asian” brand to qualify for the bonus. Otherwise it’s $189 a month.
"Carbon Fiber Sasquatch" (turbopumpkin)
03/09/2017 at 15:20, STARS: 0
Ha! I have an old Hyundai! I wonder if any of the dealerships near me are doing this. Cheers!
"The Stig's former college room mate" (das-stig)
03/09/2017 at 15:56, STARS: 1
will it do a burnout from a standing start? if not, will it do it if you neutral drop it or roll back?
What happens if you put it in reverse at 60 mph?
Can it do a proper e-brake J-turn?
What is the minimum speed required to catch air at a rail road crossing?
Is there a rev limiter, and if so, at what RPM does it activate? Also, is there a speed limiter, and if so, what speed does it limit it to?
Can the seat be properly adjusted to facilitate driving with your knees?
How many people can you cram in the back seat before the shocks bottom out?
Is the hood flat enough to hood-slide, a la Dukes of Hazzard?
How fast will it go in reverse?
How many cases of beer fit in the trunk?
Are the tires any good, are they the same size as your car, and will anyone notice if you swap them?
If you took it to the drag strip and started feeding it nitrous oxide, how fast could you get it to go and how much nitrous would it take before it blew up?
Do you plan on autocrossing it or doing a track day with it while you have it?
"MM54" (mm54mk2)
03/09/2017 at 18:07, STARS: 1
No, but I’ve not seen a rental that won’t at least try from a red-line neutral drop.
It’s probably interlocked. If not, it probably would be very unhappy.
No, the e-brake is foot-actuated, push-on-push-off style.
>60MPH
I don’t know. Foot on the floor it shifts a bit before 6k.
Yes
Not sure. Estimate 4.
No
Haven’t found out. Not very, probably. It’s pretty steep.
I’ve not been in the trunk. Are we allowed to break down the cases?
No, No, Probably
I bet it’d take a 50 shot.
No. Work trip, mileage is limited to what’s reasonable for work purposes, won’t be around on the weekend anyway.
"MM54" (mm54mk2)
03/09/2017 at 18:08, STARS: 1
It’s decent. Certainly no cloud but the roads around here aren’t great and I’ve not really noticed them. There is suspension noise for sure, but it’s not too bad.
"MM54" (mm54mk2)
03/09/2017 at 18:08, STARS: 0
No
"MM54" (mm54mk2)
03/09/2017 at 18:10, STARS: 0
Inside is mostly plastic, but anywhere you might happen to touch are padded/fabric, so they at least tried.
When you press the brake pedal, you can clearly hear the interlock on the shifter disengage.
"MM54" (mm54mk2)
03/09/2017 at 18:12, STARS: 1
I still have the gut reaction every now and then of “shit it stalled” for a brief moment; other times I don’t even realize it stopped until I go to pull away and there is a slight delay (on a hill it will roll back a hair while it restarts). I think you could get used to it, but depending on your car background it might take a long time of exclusively driving a car with such start/stop.
"E92M3" (E46M3)
03/09/2017 at 18:20, STARS: 1
There you go! I was thinking it might be worth it to buy a $1000 beater just to get the bonus.