Acadia Insanity!

"mazda616" (mazda616)
07/07/2020 at 12:18 • Filed to: Insanity

My neighbors across the street had an old Acadia (2009-ish) that had to go to the shop at least once a month. It looked like this:

Now, they’ve traded it for a new Acadia. Isn’t the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results?

My mother-in-law has a 2014 Acadia with no A /C. They got it “recharged”, but it’s only a matter of time until it is hot again. And, the rear air vents still don’t work. This is on a 2014 vehicle with 70,000 miles. I offered to let her borrow Jolene the Sunbird since it has cold air.

DISCUSSION (15)

MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) > mazda616
07/07/2020 at 12:31

Who buys two consecutive Acadias....someone has to do a study

cluelessk > mazda616
07/07/2020 at 12:31

They are built extremely poorly.

It was the minivan replacement without any of the durability. Front ends go bad real quick. Huge footprint but feels small inside.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > mazda616
07/07/2020 at 12:34

I hate that generation of Acadias. In fact I hate that generation of GM crossovers period. I don’t know about build quality, but the newer ones certainly look/seem a lot nicer.

As far as buying a second one, maybe GM is having some good promotions right now (money off, customer loyalty incentives, etc.)

mazda616 > cluelessk
07/07/2020 at 12:36

Someone suggested I look at these when we were shopping SUVs and I just laughed.

404 - User No Longer Available > MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick)
07/07/2020 at 12:37

And better use real people as subjects.

mazda616 > Snuze: Needs another Swede
07/07/2020 at 12:37

I think they are strict “buy American” folks. They probably look down on my Highlander even though it’ s built about 45 minutes from where we live.

404 - User No Longer Available > cluelessk
07/07/2020 at 12:38

Summarized my experience with the rental I got when I took my Solstice in for a recall.

cluelessk > mazda616
07/07/2020 at 12:44

My parents thought they needed an SUV for my 4 younger foster siblings. They were looking at these. Glad I got them to look at an Odyssey. The 6' 160lbs 14 year old appreciates the space.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > mazda616
07/07/2020 at 12:54

That’s also a very likely answer. Nevermind that its probably assembled in Mexico. Of course I’ve brought up the fact that a lot of foreign brand vehicles sold here are made here to those types of people and the answer I always get is “yeah, but the profits all go back overseas!”

So keep American laborers employed and fatten the pockets of foreign companies, or employ cheap Mexican laborers and inflate the pockets of American fat cats. Seems to me like it’s a case of damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

WildlyMild > mazda616
07/07/2020 at 13:37

I own one. 2010 saturn outlook. Fully loaded front wheel drive. 160k and if I didnt work in a shop there is no way I’d still own it. The last 2 months were AC repair, vent actuators and tailgate opener repair. 17.5mpg. Really messed up? It’s valued at like $7,500. I could dump it for like 6k within a couple hours but no matter the price I’d feel bad pawning it off on someone else.

I much prefer minivans but the kids love the damn thing. My wife and I argue about who gets to drive the 2000 town and country but since she leaves the house earlier.....

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > mazda616
07/07/2020 at 13:42

I have a friend-who-is-a-girl who keeps doing that with Volvo XCs...

The more they strand her, the greater her zeal to buy the next XC.

facw > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
07/07/2020 at 14:16

This is why she should do that with an AWD V60 instead. And then when it strands her, I can buy it cheap.

50ford500 > mazda616
07/07/2020 at 17:04

Yes that previous gen of Acadia was a pos. Ex wife had one and I replaced some of the oddest things on it the vent door actuators being one of the worst. But I had to do quite a few other things even had to send it to the shop for the HPFP when it failed. Of course being a GM product the AC system is designed to fail often and they have a problem with the rear blower Motor for the ac eating it’s self as well. I think hers was getting close to doing that before she traded it in For a Highlander because it would scream occasionally.

Nauraushaun > mazda616
07/07/2020 at 18:22

It always freaks me out when relatively new vehicles have things like peeling paint and busted AC.

The newest car I’ve owned is from 1994, I need these things to work

Urambo Tauro > mazda616
07/07/2020 at 20:21

I haven’t spent much time around Acadias, but the subject brings to min d a couple of anecdotes :

Sometime around the debut of the Acadia several years back, I rode in one driven by a GM engineer, who took us down a gravel road to demonstrate its handling. Looking back on it now, I think he was showing off Stabilitrak and probably had a hand in its development and/or implementation.

More recently, I was at a parts store where I heard an Acadia owner trying to get tail light bulbs after getting pulled over for having a light out. No such luck; she would have to replace the whole assembly due to the integrated LEDs ...