So this dumbass cut me off yesterday.

"Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer" (smallbear94)
12/20/2016 at 09:24 • Filed to: V8 SRX

And through it I got to see something I didn’t know existed.

The picture is shit (dashcam snap) but that badge that is circled is a Northstar badge.

And while I have your attention have a stuff compilation. Not much because I’ve been stuck in the office for a few weeks, so I figured I’d stick it in here...

When suddenly

Again, shit pic, but you get the idea...

yum

This was both a horrible and an awesome drive home. Like DAMMIT WHY CAN’T WE MOVE NOW OMG I LOVE THIS WEATHER AND LOVE DRIVING IN IT

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

SO MUCH COCAINE

DISCUSSION (28)

shop-teacher > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
12/20/2016 at 09:28

My dad has a black cherry first gen SRX that he’s had since new. It’s actually really nice. If it had a V8, it would be much more fun.

ttyymmnn > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
12/20/2016 at 09:33

So, you’re a lefty. I’m left-handed, but shoot and bat right.

Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
12/20/2016 at 09:36

I miss outdoor hockey (we don’t do the winter sports too well in the south).

My first winter after leaving Maine and moving to Virginia, the only ice rink in town collapsed under snow weight after a record setting storm (...it was only 18", God help me).

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > ttyymmnn
12/20/2016 at 09:40

Nope. Righty. I shoot left, bat right. I find there’s pretty much no connection between preferred hand and shooting/batting side...

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever
12/20/2016 at 09:40

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > shop-teacher
12/20/2016 at 09:43

I just despise the Equinox (2nd gen more than the 1st, but I have no real love for the 1st either). I kinda like the looks of the Torrent, but it, too, was an Equinox. The SRX is an Equinox too, but a V8 can brighten up the darkest shithole...

ttyymmnn > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
12/20/2016 at 09:53

Interesting. I think the only reason I bat/shoot right is that all the kids I played with back in the day were right-handed. I’ve never managed to swing left without it being very awkward. But I also kick with my right leg. Aw, hell. I’m just a frickin mess.

shop-teacher > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
12/20/2016 at 09:54

The first gen SRX is actually on the CTS platform, longitudinal engine, RWD bias, and all.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > shop-teacher
12/20/2016 at 09:59

DESPISAL REVOKED

TylerJ > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
12/20/2016 at 10:00

What dashcam is that? My girlfriend’s is crapping out and I want to get her a new one.

jvirgs drives a Subaru > Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever
12/20/2016 at 10:01

I remember that happening!

shop-teacher > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
12/20/2016 at 10:05

Hahaha!

When they got that SRX, that was the vehicle that sold me on unibody CUVs. I was always “BOF or GTFO!” ... but man that thing is roomy. Funny how much legroom you can get, when no frame lets you drop the floor 4".

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > ttyymmnn
12/20/2016 at 10:06

We had more left sticks than right sticks, so that’s probably why I picked that up. Though there’s only one lefty in the family and she hates hockey. As far as batting goes, right just felt more comfortable.

But yeah, I know plenty of righties that shoot either way, and lefties that shoot right. I think it’s probably whatever you have around as a kid. Of course then you get different schools of thought as to why you should shoot the way they do, dominant hand low for power or high for control etc, but in the end I figure it’s a totally learned, victim-of-circumstance type skill.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > TylerJ
12/20/2016 at 10:13

Mobius. I *could* get higher resolution out of it, but it would chew through a lot of memory capacity...

DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
12/20/2016 at 10:57

The first generation SRX gets a lot of hate for reasons I don’t understand. It’s a V8, RWD CTS wagon. You’d think people would be all over it.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish!
12/20/2016 at 11:13

I think it’s because many people, like I did until shop teacher commented here, think it’s like the 2nd gen... a leather’d Equinox.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
12/20/2016 at 11:19

People must learn about the 1st gen SRX. I’ve considered them before though they do have the continued issues of northstar engines and repair. At least it’s facing the right direction which helps a lot.

I’ve considered purchasing them in the past. They’re pretty awesome even with potential reliability issues.

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
12/20/2016 at 11:36

You ... you ... prefer the 1st gen Equinox over the 2nd? I take it you haven’t spent any time in them. The 1st gen is sh*t. I can understand not liking CUVs and the proliferation of the 2nd gen... but as a vehicle, it’s miles and miles better than the 1st gen in every single way.

Now, as far as the 1st gen SRX, I wish they had kept going on that route with the Cadillac CUV. The 2nd gen was welcome when it came out and has posted awesome sales... but it’s no where near as good as the 1st. And since sales were so great, I guess they’re following that formula, more or less, with the XT5. If only they would make a rwd-based stablemate.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > jdrgoat - Ponticrack?
12/20/2016 at 11:46

1. I was just informed that the 1st gen was actually RWD-based and on the CTS platform. As such I can only prefer it over the Equinox.

2. I hate BOTH Equinox generations. The fact that the 2nd gen is a fancy Equinox means that the 1st gen is better in my books.

3. The 2nd gen small GM CUV’s are bloated lumps. The 1st-gens are actually small. Again, that means I must prefer the 1st.

4. I drive a small truck widely heralded as shit, and can both see where the complaints are coming from and say it doesn’t matter. Truck is powered by a V8. You really expect ME, of all people, to prefer the 2nd gen fancy-frock-Equinox over the CTS-based-small-RWD-available-V8 1st gen? :)

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
12/20/2016 at 12:46

1-2. You said you despise the 2 nd gen Equinox more than the 1 st gen Equinox. Not getting into the SRX here, because the 1 st gen SRX and the 1 st gen Equinox aren’t similar in any way. The SRX is on the Sigma platform (shared with the 1 st -2nd gen CTS, and the late STS), while the Equinox (and Torrent (and Vue in a shorter wheelbase) and (rare) 9-5x and (2nd gen) Terrain) are on the Sigma platform. If you have driven them both, I bet your opinion would be different. The 1 st gen drives like a marshmallow.

3. I just looked it up, to confirm/deny my impressions of driving them. The Theta I Equinox is 1” longer than Theta II, and 2-3” taller (the Equinox Sport was lowered). It actually feels like there’s a bigger difference than that, though. In terms of weight, I do believe the 2 nd gen packed some on. But it was done well, and the things feel solid as opposed to … a marshmallow.

The Sigma SRX is also in a larger class than all the Theta vehicles. It wouldn’t even be in this comparison if the 2 nd gen hadn’t gone to Theta. (Sigma SRX wheelbase: 116.4”, Theta (I/II) standard wheelbase: 112.5”, Theta (Vue) wheelbase: 106.6”.)

4. The 1 st gen SRX is obviously the best of this bunch. It’s a Sigma. But, comparing only the Theta platform vehicles, the 1 st gen Equinox (and Torrent) are the worst of the bunch. Hands down. The only thing “smaller” about them is their curb weight. And they feel bigger. And they ride worse. And they have no power. (Even compared to the 2.4L 2 nd gen. That would be a good race.)

Something interesting about the 1 st gen Theta cars. The transmission is a 5 speed, and it’s a Honda unit. The engine is a GM, but the engine family also dates back to 1980 in the Citation, and for these cars it was produced in China.

I just remembered that the Saturn Vue was also a Theta, albeit with a shorter wheelbase. Threw that in up there, too. (Ugh, actually here’s the list off the top of my head of Theta I/II vehicles... Equinox, Terrain, Vue, 9-5x, SRX, Torrent, Captiva Sport. Only US-sold models listed.)

In short... Sigma > Theta II > Theta I.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > jdrgoat - Ponticrack?
12/20/2016 at 12:54

1-2. That’s exactly my point. I was under the impression that the SRX, in both generations, was an Equinox. I hate the Equinox. Therefore, as I have just found out that the 1st gen was NOT an Equinox, I prefer the first one. And see my last point. SMALL+UNEXPECTED V8=AIN’T CARE :)

3-4. Wow. That was unexpected. 2nd gen Equinox looks HUGE. In that case, I will reverse my opinion on the 1st vs 2nd Equinox thing, but it’s still kinda like cow shit vs horse shit afaic. In any case, the 1st gen SRX is best.

DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
12/20/2016 at 13:59

Second gen isn’t even a leather’d Equinox. It’s on the Theta Premium, which has influences of Epsilon underneath. Only ones who rode on the platform is the SRX and the 9-4x.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish!
12/20/2016 at 14:16

It’s still a relative, whereas the 1st gen isn’t even close.

Besides, like I said... people “think”. GM is known as a rebadger. Cry wolf etc. “This one isn’t like that” just won’t work anymore

DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
12/20/2016 at 23:32

It’s a hard life as a GM fanboy.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish!
12/21/2016 at 07:06

It’s a hard life as a fanboy, period, if you actually care what others think and can’t face the facts. If you don’t and can, you get to have fun with it instead. It is possible to be a fanboy while still being in touch with reality...

That said I’m still going to defend certain things/decisions/etc... but the Equinox is not one of them. Damn I hate that thing. Also, the choice of SS as a name. The way they bring out great stuff before it’s really finished, don’t bother marketing it properly and then assume it flopped because nobody was interested. Quadrasteer and digital dashboards spring immediately to mind on that one. At least they didn’t give up on cylinder deactivation. Of course if the gov’t wasn’t pushing MPG ratings they probably would have dropped that too.

DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
12/21/2016 at 11:00

See, I don’t mind the Equinox. There’s a million other crossovers I’d buy before an Equinox, but it’s a crossover that gets the job done.

And the one thing that always annoyed me about GM is their marketing department. They’ve had some hits, but otherwise they’re terrible. I know when the Cruze Diesel hits here, they’re going to be advertising anti-VW things and it’s going to be one huge fuck-up.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish!
12/21/2016 at 11:19

I hate it. I’m not quite sure why, but I do.

And yeah, their marketing sucks.

DaftRyosuke - So Long and Thanks for All the Fish! > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
12/21/2016 at 11:46

You’re not alone, one of my friends has an aneurysm every time he sees one.