Good Deal #1

What: Buy A 2010 Suzuki SX4 For Under $15,000
Where: Suzuki Dealers
Regular Price: $15,849
Black Friday Price: $14,599
Savings: $500 Holiday cash on top of current deals, for a total savings of $1,300.
Why Its A Good Deal: You won't find a better utilitarian vehicle in this price range. Better yet, it comes with an in-dash navigation system featuring Garmin software.

Good Deal #2

What: GM Dealer Closing Sale: $2,000 Off For Certain Customers
Where: Cadillac, Buick-GMC, Chevrolet Dealers
Regular Price: Already heavily discounted
Savings: $1,000-to-$2,000
Black Friday Price: Between $1,000 and $2,000 cheaper
Why It's A Good Deal: Nearly one-million customers living near a closing dealership will receive a letter in the mail this week offering them an additional $1,000-to-$2,000 to purchase a vehicle at a dealership staying open. Deal ends at the end of the month.

Good Deal #3

What: BMW Diesel Luxury Sedans — More Than 10% Off
Where: BMW Dealers
Regular Price: $43,900
Savings: $4,500
Black Friday Price: $39,400
Why It's A Good Deal: BMW is trying to get U.S. buyers to accept diesel vehicles as luxury vehicles and is putting $4,500 in cash where its mouth is. Powerful and efficient, BMW diesels at a discount is a great deal.

Good Deal #4

What: 2009 Cadillac CTS-V: $5,000 Savings
Where: Cadillac Dealers
Regular Price: $58,575
Black Friday Price: $53,575
Savings: $5,000
Why It's A Good Deal: The CTS-V is a world-beater and the few remaining 2009 vehicles on dealer lots qualify for a $5,000 cash back deal. It's the fastest stocking-stuffer on the block.

Good Deal #5

What: Remaining 2009 Dodge Rams Up To $5,500 Cash Back
Where: Dodge Dealerships
Regular Price: $21,510 - $39,935
Black Friday Price: Up To $5,500 Off
Savings: $5,500
Why It's A Good Deal: Dodge is hoping they'll have a few less 2009 Rams sitting under their tree and are offering up to $5,500 in cash back if you'll help rid them of a nicely-loaded one.

Bad Deal #1

What: Ford's Year-End Sales Event Unremarkable
Where: Ford Dealers
Regular Price: Fairly Cheap
Black Friday Price: $1,000 less plus 0% financing
Why It's A Bad Deal: Ford is not as poorly positioned as other American automakers so they're offering a measly $1,000 cash back and 0% financing. This is a good deal — on Black Friday 2006.

Bad Deal #2

What: Baja MotorSports Phoenix 250cc Street Motorcycle A Bad Deal Free
Where: PepBoys
Regular Price: $1,999.99
Black Friday Price: $1,499.00
Savings: $500.01
Why It's A Bad Deal: Even with a $500 discount you're still buying a cheap-for-a-reason Chinese bike that's going to require riding lessons, a license and possibly being abandoned two weeks later on the side of the road.

Bad Deal #3

What: Get Less Than 3% Off Of A BMW M3
Where: BMW Dealerships
Regular Price: $54,850
Black Friday Price: $53,350
Why It's A Bad Deal: BMW knows it has a great product in the M3 sports sedan and it's throwing its smallest cash back offer on them. For less than 3% off most buyers won't notice it.

Bad Deal #4

What: Get A "Free" Upgrade To An AWD Charger You Didn't Want
Where: Dodge Dealerships
Regular Price: $30,540
Black Friday Price: $25,700
Why It's A Bad Deal: Dodge has a slate of attractive incentives for those wanting to buy a new car from them, but the "free" upgrade to an AWD Charger is selling you an unpopular AWD upgrade instead of more cash off the car you actually wanted.

Bad Deal #5

What: Subaru Donates $250 To Charity For You
Where: Subaru Dealers
Regular Price: Regular Price
Black Friday Price: Still The Regular Price On Many Models
Why It's A Bad Deal: We think Subaru's "Share The Love " event is great for the five charities that get $250 when you buy their car, but it's not a great deal for consumers. Blame it on Subaru building cars people want.

This 3/4-ton hauler belongs to the Alameda Unified School District, and probably delivered the crates of pencils, gallon jugs of Elmer's Glue, and that terrible pulpy gray paper that I used in elementary school. Nobody notices a plain white cargo van; I've probably seen it hundreds of times and only now have I paid enough attention to photograph it.

It suffers from the usual Northern California top-down rust, which should eat through the metal in another decade or two.

Yes, that's Quinton "Rampage" Jackson playing Mr. T playing B.A. Baracus. Bradley Cooper is Face. Sharlto Copley from District 9 is playing Murdoch while Liam Neeson will lead the new A-Team as Hannibal. And yes, that is the GMC van behind them. All is right in the world.

[via ETOnline]

Let's get the lingering question out of the way: Is there any difference mechanically? In a word, no. The only difference as far as the vehicle is concerned is the suspension tuning required for the 19 inch wheels not available on the Equinox. Other than that the Equinox and Terrain are identical. Same engine packages: 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 182 HP mated to a six speed auto with an electric power steering rack and shockingly achievable 32 MPG; same 3.0 liter DI V6 good for 264 HP and mated to a six speed transmission, etc. The same all-wheel-drive system as the Equinox can be had with both engines.
The options list includes leather, navigation, dual pop-up rear-seat DVD players, power programmable lift-gate, sunroof, a 40 gig hard drive, iPod integration, and 17, 18, or 19 inch wheels, based on trim level.

Those big wheels are at the root of one of the only dynamic differences in the vehicle as well. Like the Equinox, the Terrain is competent over all road surfaces and handles well on corners of all shapes and sizes. Understeer is moderate when you overcook a corner, but if you're so inclined you can induce oversteer by lightening up the rear end with the brakes. Of course there won't be a lot of soccer moms hitting the track with this car, but in daily use it's just a little stiffer over bumps with the big wheels than the Equinox. Acceleration is the same; the 2.4 liter can squeal the tires off the line but loses pep through the mid range, though it's adequate for the vast majority of appliance drivers. The V6 does offer some decent grunt, but we'd be lying if we didn't want to see the 2.0 liter turbo Ecotec dropped in that engine bay. Since this is a GMC, we'd be remiss in leaving out the tow ratings of 1500 lbs and 3500 lbs for the I4 and V6, respectively fine for most weekend jobs, but bigger loads will require bigger trucks.

Feeling the deja vu? You should. There's no equipment you can get on the Terrain that you can't get on the Equinox. What the Terrain offers has more to do with its personality. First and foremost is that exterior-that massive grille is the first full implementation of the new GMC face, first seen on the GMC Denali XT concept at last year's Chicago Auto Show. It's certainly polarizing, drawing equal parts love and hate, but it's definitely distinctive. The controversial styling extends down the sides as well, with extremely squared off wheel-well arches and pronounced, almost cartoonish fender flares. However, the side glass is something we think everyone can get behind, with sharp chrome surrounds giving the glass a clean, defined look. We have to admit to liking it when done up in the black with the 18 inch polished wheels, but the chrome wheels are a little much.

Inside there's not much in the way of unique styling. The dash gets considerably higher-quality soft-touch material that's stitched together with nice contrasting red thread, complimented by the red accent and interior lighting, all differentiated from the blue of the Equinox. Seats are shared between both models, with the excellent mid-level cloth seats again taking the cake for comfort, grip, and styling. Rear seat passengers enjoy limo-like leg room with the sliding rear seat in he back position, and the bench is plenty comfortable for even the longest trips. There is a bit of news, as GM representatives let us know there was a Denali version coming along, so expect a garish front grille, a significantly upgraded interior with wood and aluminum trim, and unique wheels and exterior trim pieces.

And that's kind of the modus operandi of the Terrain: appealing to a different buyer than the Equinox. Where the Chevy is sort of soft-looking and inoffensive, the Terrain is a louder, more look-at-me vehicle. It can be had with more chrome than any GM vehicle in recent memory, and decked out in a suit of black, it looks pretty dang sharp. Just because it might not be our flavor doesn't mean it won't find a strong audience of buyers. Add that it's base price is only $1800 higher than that of the Equinox primarily due to standard backup camera, floor mats, tint, fog lights, and USB integration, it's not that bad of a deal either. If this product came out first, we'd be shouting its merits as we did with the Equinox, but while it has everything which makes that product so good, it's only claim to fame is styling and a softer dash. The value proposition is still there, but the necessity is hard to argue. It's a great compact SUV, no question there. It's just not any greater than the Equinox.

DETROIT - GMC has announced that its all-new Terrain five-passenger crossover will arrive in showrooms in September sporting a starting price of $24,995 for the front-wheel drive model. An all-wheel drive model starts at $26,745. Both prices include a $745 destination and freight charge.

"The Terrain allows us to build on the evolution we started with the Acadia, applying the distinctive styling and capabilities that have always been a part of the GMC DNA to smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles that customers are seeking in today's rapidly changing market," said Susan Docherty, GM North America Vice President, Buick-Pontiac-GMC. "We think Terrain is a bold statement of GMC's key role within the reinvented General Motors."

The base SLE1 model comes standard with GM's new 2.4L direct-injection engine and six-speed automatic transmission that delivers EPA-estimated highway fuel economy of 32 miles per gallon while offering a unique MultiFlex rear seat configuration that can optimized for either class-leading passenger legroom or nearly 64 cubic feet of cargo space behind the front seats. The base price also includes unexpected standard features, such as an integrated rear-view camera system and six-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system with USB connectivity and XM satellite radio service, along with a full suite of safety equipment, including six airbags, StabiliTrak vehicle stability control, and OnStar.

The top-of-the-line SLT2 trim level, which features leather seating, a premium Pioneer sound system, a power liftgate, sunroof and a special chrome appearance package, starts at $29,995 (including DFC). The Terrain also offers a powerful 3.0L direct injection V6 engine and a host of optional features like integrated navigation system and a rear-seat DVD infotainment system.

The GMC Terrain will be built at the CAMI assembly facility in Ingersoll, Ontario.

Here's the full release in all two sentences of its glory.

GM Statement Regarding Wind Down Of Medium Duty Truck Production

After four years of working with multiple potential buyers, General Motors has decided to wind-down its medium-duty truck operations. Production of the Chevy Kodiak and GMC Topkick medium duty trucks will cease by July 31, 2009.

The music selection could have been a bit more creative, and the editing is on the hyperkinetic side, but those are just quibbles; this film follows Team First Blood from initial purchase, through the entire build, onto the race track… and then right to the People's Curse. Yes, this is the only team in 24 Hours Of LeMons History to win the People's Curse and the People's Choice!



Remember, the next LeMons race is just two weeks from today. See you there!

If you haven't guessed, or you've been living under a rock since our inception, we love us some ute's and when Pontiac showed us the Pontiac G8 ST concept last year, we just about wet ourselves. They took our dreams away (They killed Kenny, you bastards!), but we're once again hopeful for its return.

It's said platform designer Holden will potentially lose close to $1 billion in annual profit if the long wheelbase (the short wheelbase underpins the Camaro) Zeta platform leaves our shores, which is why GM is trying to find another way to keep the platform alive. Our first idea would be to re-style and re-brand the Pontiac G8 ST as the GMC Denali ST depicted above, especially given the currently shaky full-size truck market and considering the mid-size truck market is somewhat pointless right now. A light-duty truck is just what GMC needs.

Other examples of where the long-wheelbase Zeta platform could be used is to underpin the next generation STS/DTS replacement. This was initially in the playbook, but when gas prices rose, GM quickly shoved that idea under the rug. We say it's still a viable plan. Another idea in need of a case study would be to bring the Middle-Eastern/South American market Chevy Caprice/Lumina over or just give the Pontiac G8 a quick face lift. We've previously had wet dreams of a big-bodied, LS3-powered Chevy SS model to go with our techno-retro new Camaro thank-you-very-much.

Another option would be to bring the Chinese-market Buick Park Avenue to our shores, though we're not quite sure how Grandma and Grandpa would feel about switching from their plush Lucerne to a semi-rough riding rear-wheel-drive sedan. Hell, maybe they'd just remember the good ol' days of luxo-motoring and like it.

However GM decides to market the Zeta platform, we'll welcome it because as we all know, they need to put a little more excitement in their product lineup and with plenty of other FWD econo-boxes in the portfolio a nice V8 RWD sedan (or Ute!) would supplement nicely. [via goauto]

GM currently has eight brands to contend with: Hummer, Chevy, GMC, Buick, Pontiac, Cadillac, Saturn and Saab. We're curious to hear what you think about these brands so we won't eliminate any four of them for you. But let's just say we're not betting on Saab making the cut. Help us design the new GM. What brands make the cut? [BusinessWeek]

The 2010 GMC Terrain is little more than a reskinned 2010 Chevrolet Equinox, and where we normally see the two brands share a lot of styling and different badges, the Terrain is an entire redesign and shares no sheet metal with its bow-tie brother. The Terrain shoots for a much more aggressive look, even going an inch wider in the track width and dons traditional boxy truck shapes for the compact platform. The huge grille up front is flanked by squarish headlights which can be optioned with HID projectors. Down the side the character lines are limited to accentuating the side glass, and the uniquely styled C-pillar further separates the Terrain from the Equinox.

Mechanically, the Terrain is identical to the Equinox, with each powertrain option available on every trim level. The base model engine is also the fuel economy leader, a direct injection 2.4L four-cylinder engine with 182 HP mated to a six speed auto delivering 30 MPG in front-wheel-drive only trim. The other engine option is a 3.0 liter direct injection V6 rated at 264 HP, which also brings along dual exhaust tips rather than the hidden single tip. Each can be optioned with all-wheel drive with the subsequent drop in fuel economy, and rise in capability. Towing rating for these "Professional Grade" SUV's is 1,500 lbs for the I4 model and 3,500 lbs for the V6.

Inside, the Terrain is differentiated largely unique door panels and by color choices and quality of the materials. There are two leather and two cloth trims with contrast stitching on the seats and door inserts. Well, the front door inserts, rear seat passengers aren't so lucky. Speaking of rear-seat passengers, they're treated to the same comfortable and supportive seats which can more fore and aft as well as recline, and two flip-up seatback DVD players. Front seat passengers get red GMC lighting in the gauges and the accent lighting and another differentiating feature of standard rear backup camera system. On vehicles not optioned with the seven inch touch screen and 40 gig hard drive, the backup image shows up in the rearview mirror.

The value proposition on the GMC Terrain presents might be a bit hard to justify, considering the big selling point is standard rearview camera and love-it of hate-it styling, but it does look pretty cool, and we suspect that'll go far for a 30 MPG soft-roader. Look for the live reveal next week at the New York Auto Show.

While we too have someone at the embargoed briefing this morning on the 2010 GMC Terrain, we didn't expect we'd have anything to report on it until the embargo drops on April 5th. That is until we received Annalisa Bluhm's re-tweet from Adam Denison of Chevy PR this morning letting us know she's "reviewing GMC Terrain this AM - 5 passenger crossover w/ 30 mpg - more to come April 5." This is truly a tremendous day for Twitter — it's the first time it's broken an automotive embargo. Yes, it's one small step into poop for GMC, but one giant leap for Twitter-kind.

Who knew 140 characters could cause so much trouble? Interestingly, we just read a piece last night by Julia Roy about the importance of remembering this new-yet-short communication medium is still public despite the fact you may think your "followers" are all your "friends." She titles it "Don't Be an Idiot on the Social Web". In this case, it's quite appropriate.

The reality is there's a clear and bright line between what is and is not appropriate on this burgeoning new communication method — so try and hold back from posting real-time updates on Twitter — especially with embargoed vehicles.

The new commercial from GMC claims their trucks are ready to repair and replace America's crumbling road and buildings. Of course, this is assuming the company can last long enough to take advantage of the diminutive level of infrastructure spending.

The General doesn't change his truck styling very often- at least, he didn't during the 1960s and 1970s- so this one presents a challenge when it comes to identifying the year. The California smog-check history site says it's a '74, but the black license plates were replaced with blue ones in 1969 and the bulk of body parts appear to be of late 1960s vintage. The way junkyard drivetrains, cabs, and beds get swapped around on million-mile work trucks, there's just no telling, so I'm going to say it's a 1968.


We've seen a few other GMC pickups of this era in the series, including this '66, and this '68, this '71. In fact, this is one of the rare DOTS vehicles that lives right next to another DOTS vehicle; in this case, it's the 1965 Chevy Suburban.

Apparently Scouting families are not for want and prefer American, as the cheapest in the pack starts around $28k and there's one foreign-badged car in the crowd. Should you be a scouting parent and interested in their recommendations, below, in no particular order, are the 2009 Scouting Magazine picks for hauling your troop to a secluded camp far from the prying eyes of the general public:

• Chevy Tahoe Hybrid/GMC Yukon Hybrid — Base price: around $51,500
• 2009 Dodge Ram Crew Cab — Base price: around $32,500
• Chevy Traverse — Base price: around $29,000
• Honda Pilot — Base price: around $28,000
• Ford Flex — Base price: around $29,000

You can check out the full cover, of which Ford is proud to have snagged, HERE and head over to Scouting Magazine to read through their reasoning for each choice but beware, one of the categories is "Coolest Optional Equipment." [Scouting Magazine]