Hump Day Musings

"Hooker" (Hooker) 05/06/2015 at 09:17 • Filed to: None

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1) I work at a Chevy dealer. In sales. I love most Chevrolet’s. I even kind of like the Trax (it’s not bad at all). But I really dig the CX-3. I want one. I can’t have one. But I want one.

2) Saw “Avengers: Age of Ultron” last night. It was amazing. If you even have a passing interest and half a funny bone, go see it. You’re welcome.

3) I haven’t been on Oppo (posting, anyway) in a while. I blame work. I miss you guys though!

4) I also want one of these:

5) Refer to number 1 in this list as to why I can’t have one.

That’s all for today. I hope everyone in Oppo world has a great day! Keep the shiny side up (metaphorically and literally please).

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > Hooker 05/06/2015 at 09:22

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I still don’t get why you can’t have one.

Milky > Hooker 05/06/2015 at 09:23

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Sorry not sorry, if someone buys a Trax or H-RV(?) over the CX-3, they should also be forced to take an eye exam before driving.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Hooker 05/06/2015 at 09:23

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I want to like the Trax so much, but ugh, why can’t I get AWD AND a manual transmission? I think Chevy needs to make that happen, with the new 1.5L turbo, which is a nice little bump up from the 1.4 in my Cruze. I bet that engine with a tune alone would hit the 200HP mark. Dammit Chevy, why can’t you make this happen?!?

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Hooker 05/06/2015 at 09:23

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So it looks bad if a Chevy salesman is driving around in a Mazda? =)

Hooker > Milky 05/06/2015 at 09:26

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I agree on most levels. Especially with styling. But the Trax legitimately drives well and is very quiet and comfortable. The front seat folds flat as well as the second row. It may not be flashy but it works and people seem to love them when they buy them.

Hooker > Snuze: Needs another Swede 05/06/2015 at 09:29

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Honestly, I’ve never had a problem with the 1.4 in my Cruze. It’s adequate power wise and feels quicker than it is. It pulls nicely under moderate throttle and still returns good fuel economy numbers. I think it strikes a great balance of quality, comfort and sport. And by sport, I mean it doesn’t wallow like the Corolla and some others. It’s fairly stable. To be honest, the 1.4 in the Trax is similar. I only wish they had upgraded the MyLink and refreshed the looks a bit (sharper and less bland would be nice) before release in the US.

Hooker > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 05/06/2015 at 09:29

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If I could. I would. It would be VERY frowned upon. And likely cost me some sales.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Hooker 05/06/2015 at 09:30

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A conundrum.

Hooker > BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. 05/06/2015 at 09:31

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It’s extremely frowned upon by management. They say they wouldn’t care what I drove (and that’s true, they really don’t) but you don’t bite the hand that feeds you. How am I going to effectively sell Chevy’s if I don’t support them myself? It’s good logic. Flawed a bit because I feel like I can still love my Chevy’s and drive something else for a while but customers don’t always see it that way. I live in a small town and everyone would know as well. Just doesn’t look right.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Hooker 05/06/2015 at 09:31

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Oh, the 1.4L is a great little engine. It was good stock, but I had mine tuned by Trifecta and it’s awesome now. I’m just curious to see what the 1.5L can do.

Hooker > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 05/06/2015 at 09:32

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Yeah. It sucks. Also, I just found out (by looking at a blown up picture) that the CX-3, Miata and new 2 all have TWO central AC vents. one is round and one is flat and integrated into the dash line. I just dig that so hard.

Hooker > Snuze: Needs another Swede 05/06/2015 at 09:33

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I wish I had the balls to get the tune. I don’t want to void the warranty. To be honest, for what I use the car for, I would never need that additional power (I know, so un-Jalop). I bought the car for comfort, practicality and fuel economy.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > Hooker 05/06/2015 at 09:34

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It’s a job. You’re a salesman, not the CEO. You sell Chevys because you get paid to, not because you worship them. I say drive whatever you want.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Hooker 05/06/2015 at 09:38

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It’s the best $300 I spent. I did it around 6k miles, I’m now at 66k miles with no problems. The only thing bad that’s ever happened was when I went into the Shenandoah Mountains in VA with some friends one weekend to drive some back roads. One had a ‘14 Mustang GT and the other a Miata, so I was really pushing the Cruze hard to keep up. Finally after like 3 hours of driving very, very hard, it went into reduced power mode. I stopped and let it cool off for about 15 minutes, and then took it easy driving for a while, and it was fine. I honestly think I would have had the same issue if the car was stock.

Also, best fuel economy I ever got on 87 Octane stock was like 33mpg, running premium I could see 35. With the tune I see 37 avg. all the time, and I do a lot of in-town and stop & go highway traffic. On road trips I can easily pull over 40. The tune forces me to run premium, but the mileage gains *almost* offset the added cost, and the extra power is so wonderful that it’s worth it to me.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Hooker 05/06/2015 at 09:40

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Yup - Mazda design is on point in recent years. I drove an ‘05 Mazda 3s hatch for 7 years and my wife has an ‘08 CX-9 with 160k on the odo. Looking forward to seeing what they come up with for the new CX-9, and hope that the new Speed 3 is amazing. Would love to see a new Speed Miata and 6 as well, and an RX-7(8, 9?) replacement.

Hooker > Snuze: Needs another Swede 05/06/2015 at 10:25

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Good write up. I appreciate the perspective. I’m just not that adventurous. I averaged 43 MPG on a 900 mile trip last year. Typically, normal driving though I average about 33. Mix between city and highway but most of it is city.

Hooker > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 05/06/2015 at 10:27

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I almost pulled the trigger on the CX-5 when it came out but the 2.slow was just that. Even momentum driving wasn’t enough. With the 2.5, it’s better but honestly the new CX-3 seems like it will be even better and keep the size in check. I don’t often carry people but I do often carry stuff. Also, I genuinely like the 6, however, I am holding final judgement on my next car until I drive the new Malibu. I am really interested in how that thing stacks up. Looks like it could be a winner. Strike a good balance.

Hooker > BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. 05/06/2015 at 10:28

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I have similar feels but it just isn’t going to work here. A bigger dealer? Maybe. Not here. We’re like a family here. Also, I really kind of dig Chevy’s. So there’s that.

ThePenguin > Hooker 05/06/2015 at 11:27

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Mazda 6 is really good. Bought a deep crystal blue i-Touring in December. Drives great and looks fantastic, plus you can get it with a stick!

Hooker > ThePenguin 05/06/2015 at 11:50

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If I didn’t work at the Chevy dealership, I’d already have one. Reflex Blue Metallic. Light interior. New 2016. I’d likely go for the Sport though. Has everything I need without anything I don’t want. Saves $

boxrocket > Hooker 05/06/2015 at 11:55

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Why not have a competing model? I've worked at a Ford dealership and a Lincoln-Mercury dealership and a large used car dealership, and there's never been any requirements or exclusions in employee vehicles. I drove Mazdas at the first two, and my Volvo and now another Mazda at my current job.

It's your money and your life, drive what you want. Or go work at Mazda and get on the demo program :)

Hooker > boxrocket 05/06/2015 at 13:02

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They don’t have any specific rules against it. They honestly don’t care. But we all drive Chevy’s to represent the brand. I love Chevrolet’s. It’s practically all I’ve owned (a few Fords, a Lincoln and a Mazda wagon I miss terribly). But I also understand it looks bad to prospective customers that I bought a Mazda instead of the comparable (in class) Trax we have. I don’t dislike the Trax. I just like the Mazda better. It’s all about respect. We’re a dealership of less than 12 people. Total. In the whole place.

boxrocket > Hooker 05/06/2015 at 18:06

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Oh wow, that is a small dealership! I can see the peer pressure. It's good that you work at a place with vehicles you like.

I, personally, couldn't get a Trax, or the nicer sibling the Buick encore: They just don't feel as nice and comprehensively competitive/comparable (to me) as they should, and while I haven't been in a CX-3 or new Mazda2, if they're anything like my sister's new 3, the many CX-5s I've driven, and anything else in Mazda's lineup, it'll easily be best-in-class, while I consider the poor Trax to be at the bottom - though I'm extremely picky, critical, and hard to please when it comes to cars (and computers and phones and a lot of other stuff, haha) because I drive soooo many, and I buy them very rarely (I'm only on my sixth vehicle, and the fourth could barely count because I only had it a few weeks).

You're the future owner, though, and I think you'll be happy with whatever you get. With a dealership that small, though, maybe you could head up the new Mazda division and supervise two or three employees, haha. There's a chevy/Mazda dealership near my work, and they move a fair amount of both brands.

Vimto > Hooker 05/07/2015 at 11:16

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I once nearly bought a vehicle from a Dodge dealership, my saleswoman drove an Escalade. Go figure.

Hooker > Vimto 05/07/2015 at 11:20

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Yeah, I think it has more to do with my relationship with my co-workers. We’re like family here. And I live in an extremely rural small town. It’s just not going to look good.