Bye Bye G8 GT
12-18-2014, 09:43 PM
#1
Bye Bye G8 GT After replacing the front lower control arms 3 times in 75K miles and being fed up with the poor suspension on the G8 I traded it for a loaded 2014 Buick Regal turbo in black metalflake. It has all wheel drive with an electronic limited slip rear diff and it rides/handles better than the G8. I also got tired of slip sliding around in the snow with the rear wheel drive so this car will be much better when the roads are slick.
It's not as fast as the 6.0 but it pulls hard for a 4 banger when I floor it when the car is moving. The Regal has every option including a heated steering wheel which I like in the winter. The Bose premium stereo blows away the Blaupunkt in the G8 and it has USB connections for a flash drive plus bluetooth and navigation. It makes the G8 seem like a base model with all the options it has. The leather is so much softer too and it's more like a luxury car in terms of quality.
It's not as fast as the 6.0 but it pulls hard for a 4 banger when I floor it when the car is moving. The Regal has every option including a heated steering wheel which I like in the winter. The Bose premium stereo blows away the Blaupunkt in the G8 and it has USB connections for a flash drive plus bluetooth and navigation. It makes the G8 seem like a base model with all the options it has. The leather is so much softer too and it's more like a luxury car in terms of quality.
12-18-2014, 10:57 PM
#2
Wow. From your other posts I thought of you as an enthusiastic G8 owner. To be sure, in terms of comfort and conveniences, there's no doubt that the G8 is a very base car. And the leather IS strangely stiff.
Yes, rwd is not great in snow, but I find the ride and handling excellent - maybe because I DD an f-body. And in 40k, never a problem with the LCA's - or much else for that matter.
Hope you're happy with your new ride!
Yes, rwd is not great in snow, but I find the ride and handling excellent - maybe because I DD an f-body. And in 40k, never a problem with the LCA's - or much else for that matter.
Hope you're happy with your new ride!
12-18-2014, 11:06 PM
#3
The Regal also has HID headlights and LED tailights, adaptive cruise with front impact warning/control (the brakes will be applied if a frontal impact is about to happen), blind side warning in the outside mirrors, lane departure warning and rear cross traffic alert.
There's a backup camera which seems to be good for spotting cars/people/objects but not so much for maneuvering the car, and voice activated phone/audio/navigation with a large touch screen. All of the warnings can be disabled if you choose not to use them, but I have them on and they work well.
It has 260hp/285tq which is the same as the GS this year, so it's only lacking the brembo brakes and the non-magnaride suspension control. With a tune and a downpipe people are getting 300hp at the wheels with the same motor in the 2013 & earlier Regal, but since they moved the turbo to the front of the motor in 2014 nobody makes a downpipe or CAI yet.
There's a backup camera which seems to be good for spotting cars/people/objects but not so much for maneuvering the car, and voice activated phone/audio/navigation with a large touch screen. All of the warnings can be disabled if you choose not to use them, but I have them on and they work well.
It has 260hp/285tq which is the same as the GS this year, so it's only lacking the brembo brakes and the non-magnaride suspension control. With a tune and a downpipe people are getting 300hp at the wheels with the same motor in the 2013 & earlier Regal, but since they moved the turbo to the front of the motor in 2014 nobody makes a downpipe or CAI yet.
Last edited by RedHotG8; 12-18-2014 at 11:35 PM.
12-18-2014, 11:19 PM
#4
Wow. From your other posts I thought of you as an enthusiastic G8 owner. To be sure, in terms of comfort and conveniences, there's no doubt that the G8 is a very base car. And the leather IS strangely stiff.
Yes, rwd is not great in snow, but I find the ride and handling excellent - maybe because I DD an f-body. And in 40k, never a problem with the LCA's - or much else for that matter.
Hope you're happy with your new ride!
Yes, rwd is not great in snow, but I find the ride and handling excellent - maybe because I DD an f-body. And in 40k, never a problem with the LCA's - or much else for that matter.
Hope you're happy with your new ride!
Plus I thought I would trade it when it was still worth quite a bit. I bought it used for $20K in 2008 and got $12500 with worn out tires so I feel I got my monies worth from the car. The Regal was $41K when it was new and I got it for $24K with 22K miles.
So saving $17K on a slightly driven car swayed me towards buying it. Plus it was certified so I got a 5yrs/62K bumper to bumper warranty. I'm getting much better gas mileage even when driving it hard and my insurance rates have gone down so it's costing me less to drive. So far I love it and I'll like it much better once more mods become available.
Last edited by RedHotG8; 12-18-2014 at 11:32 PM.
12-19-2014, 08:40 AM
#5
TECH Fanatic
My grandma has a nice Buick Skylark. But as long as you're happy...
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12-19-2014, 11:08 PM
#10
I knew the motor was revised in 2014 but I didn't know how much they improved it. It has a new block with a forged crank & rods, a twin scroll turbo to eliminate turbo lag, and sodium filled exhaust valves. The motor has lots of new racing technology and should handle lots of power. I guess it's not an old ladies car afterall!
Known by its LTG production code, GM’s new 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder Ecotec is based on a new generation of large-displacement four-cylinder engines designed for greater efficiency. It made its debut in the 2013 model year Cadillac ATS and Chevrolet Malibu.
The turbocharger is capable of generating up to 20 pounds of boost and its twin-scroll design helps deliver the usable power from the engine — effectively eliminating the universally-hated turbo lag while supplying a broad power band. This gives allows the LTG to respond rapidly to throttle input — a quality often associated with a higher-displacement naturally aspirated high-performance engine. Performance and efficiency are further optimized by electronically controlled supporting components including the wastegate and bypass.
The LTG is not related to the outgoing 2.0 liter turbo Ecotec LHU, with even the blocks being different. Compared to the LHU, the LTG reduces overall engine friction by 16 percent.
Engine highlights include:
Engine Block: the Ecotec 2.0L turbo’s sand-cast cylinder block is a superior refinement of previous Ecotec engine block castings. It is dimensionally similar to previous Ecotec turbo block variants, while providing improved structural support, as well as enabling greater control of noise, vibration and harshness. The main bearing bulkheads, which support the crank bearings, as well as the cylinder bore walls have been significantly strengthened to support increased engine loads. Refinements to the oil distribution system enable improved oil flow throughout the engine and an expansion of the coolant jacket, along with the use of cast-in-place bore liners, allows more precise bore roundness and improves the block’s ability to dissipate heat.
Rotating Assembly: the crankshaft is made of drop forged steel with induction heat-treated fillets and cross-drilled chamfered oil passages for racing-grade lubrication characteristics. Forged powdered metal connecting rods incorporate a larger, forged I-beam cross section for added strength in this turbocharged application. The pistons in the 2.0L turbo are lightweight cast aluminum, which reduces reciprocating mass inside the engine. This enhances efficiency and the feeling of performance as the rpm increases. The tops of the pistons have a dish shape that deflects injected fuel. Each piston has its own directed jet that sprays oil toward its skirt, coating its underside and the cylinder wall with an additional layer of lubricant. The extra lubrication cools the pistons, reduces both friction and operational noise and bolsters the engine’s durability.
Rotocast Aluminum Cylinder Head with Sodium Filled Exhaust Valves: the LTG Ecotec 2.0L turbo’s A356T6 aluminum cylinder head is cast using a Rotocast process for high strength, reduced machining and improved port flow. A similar method is used in the casting of the supercharged Corvette ZR1’s LS9 cylinder heads. The head is also designed specifically for direct injection. In other Ecotec engines, the fuel injectors are mounted in the intake ports but the LTG 2.0L turbo head has unique injector mounting locations below the ports. Apart from injector installation, the head has conventional port and combustion chamber designs, with both being optimized for direct injection and high boost pressure. The head uses stainless steel intake valves that are nitrided for improved durability and undercut to improve flow and reduce weight. The exhaust valves have sodium-filled stems that promote valve cooling. At normal engine operating temperatures, the sodium inside the valve stem fuses and becomes liquid. The liquid sodium improves conductivity, promoting heat transfer away from the valve face and valve guide to the cooler end of the stem, where it more readily dissipates. This helps maintain a lower, more uniform valve temperature, reducing wear on the valve guide for better alignment and a consistent seal between the valve seat and valve face over the life of the engine. Performance was the priority with the LTG Ecotec 2.0L turbo, so the exhaust manifold mounted to the cylinder head is made of cast stainless steel. It is extremely durable and delivers exceptional airflow qualities.
DOHC with Continuously Variable Valve Timing: overhead cams are the most direct, efficient means of operating the valves, while four valves per cylinder increase airflow in and out of the engine. This arrangement is integrated on the LTG Ecotec 2.0L’s lightweight aluminum cylinder head. Continuously variable valve timing optimizes the engine’s turbocharging system by adjusting valve timing at lower rpm for improved turbo response and greater torque delivery. Both the intake and exhaust cams have hydraulically operated vane-type phasers that are managed by a solenoid and directed by the engine control module (ECM). The phasers turn the camshaft relative to the drive sprocket, allowing intake and exhaust valve timing to be adjusted independently. Cam phasing changes the timing of valve operation as conditions such as rpm and engine load vary. It allows an outstanding balance of smooth torque delivery over a broad rpm range, high specific output and good specific fuel consumption.
Direct Injection: direct injection moves the point where fuel feeds into an engine closer to the point where it ignites, enabling greater combustion efficiency. It fosters a more complete burn of the fuel in the air-fuel mixture, and operates at a lower temperature than conventional port injection. This allows the mixture to be leaner (less fuel and more air), so less fuel is required to produce the equivalent horsepower of a conventional, port-injection fuel system. Direct injection also delivers reduced emissions, particularly cold-start emissions, by about 25 percent. The higher compression ratio with direct injection is possible because of a cooling effect as the injected fuel vaporizes in the combustion chamber, which reduces the charge temperature to lessen the likelihood of spark knock. The direct injection fuel injectors have been developed to withstand the greater heat and pressure inside the combustion chamber, and feature multiple outlets for best injection control. The fuel system operates at pressure as high as 2,250 psi, compared to about 60 psi in conventional port-injected engines.
Cam-Driven High-Pressure Fuel Pump: a high-pressure, cam-driven pump provides the fuel pressure required of the LTG Ecotec 2.0L turbo’s direct injection system. The engine-mounted fuel pump is augmented by a conventional electrically operated supply pump in the fuel tank. The fuel delivery system features a high-pressure stainless steel feed line and a pressure-regulated fuel rail without a conventional fuel return line from the engine to the tank. Fuel pressure varies from about 750 psi at idle to 2,250 psi at wide-open throttle.
Two-Stage, Variable-Displacement Oil Pump: the variable-flow oiling system helps maximize fuel efficiency. Rather than the linear operation of a conventional fixed-flow pump, the variable-flow system features a crankshaft-driven oil pump that matches the oil supply to the engine load. The engine’s variable-flow pump changes its capacity based on the engine’s demand for oil. This prevents using energy to pump oil that is not required for proper engine operation. An engine oil cooler helps maintain optimum oil temperatures. It has a heat exchanger incorporated into the oil filter housing. Coolant to the heat exchanger is provided by the engine’s coolant circuit. The design optimizes oil cooling with a minimal pressure loss. During cold starts, the system also enables faster heating of the engine oil for an earlier reduction of internal engine friction.
Twin-Scroll Turbocharger: an advanced, electronically controlled turbocharger with a unique twin-scroll design is used to increase power in the LTG Ecotec 2.0L turbo. Each of two scrolls on the turbine is fed by a separate exhaust passage – one from cylinders one and four, the other from cylinders two and three – virtually eliminating turbo lag at low engine speeds, giving the engine immediate throttle response associated with a naturally aspirated high-performance engine. The turbocharger generates maximum boost of about 20 psi. Because direct injection cools the intake process compared to port injection, it allows the LTG Ecotec 2.0L turbo to safely operate at higher boost and a relatively higher compression (9.2:1) than a conventional turbo engine, increasing both output and efficiency.
Air-to-Air Intercooler: an intake charge cooler enhances the power-increasing benefits of the turbocharging system. The LTG Ecotec 2.0L turbo’s air-to-air intercooler draws fresh air through a heat exchanger – much like a radiator – to reduce the temperature of compressed air that’s forced through the intake system by the turbocharger. Inlet temperature is reduced as much as 212 degrees F (100 degrees C). Cooler air is denser, which means more oxygen is packed into the cylinders for optimal combustion and, consequently, greater power.
Cam-Driven Vacuum Pump: a cam-driven vacuum pump ensures the availability of vacuum under all conditions, especially under boost, when the engine produces the opposite of vacuum. The pump is mounted at the rear of the cylinder head and is driven by the exhaust camshaft via a flexible coupling.
Known by its LTG production code, GM’s new 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder Ecotec is based on a new generation of large-displacement four-cylinder engines designed for greater efficiency. It made its debut in the 2013 model year Cadillac ATS and Chevrolet Malibu.
The turbocharger is capable of generating up to 20 pounds of boost and its twin-scroll design helps deliver the usable power from the engine — effectively eliminating the universally-hated turbo lag while supplying a broad power band. This gives allows the LTG to respond rapidly to throttle input — a quality often associated with a higher-displacement naturally aspirated high-performance engine. Performance and efficiency are further optimized by electronically controlled supporting components including the wastegate and bypass.
The LTG is not related to the outgoing 2.0 liter turbo Ecotec LHU, with even the blocks being different. Compared to the LHU, the LTG reduces overall engine friction by 16 percent.
Engine highlights include:
Engine Block: the Ecotec 2.0L turbo’s sand-cast cylinder block is a superior refinement of previous Ecotec engine block castings. It is dimensionally similar to previous Ecotec turbo block variants, while providing improved structural support, as well as enabling greater control of noise, vibration and harshness. The main bearing bulkheads, which support the crank bearings, as well as the cylinder bore walls have been significantly strengthened to support increased engine loads. Refinements to the oil distribution system enable improved oil flow throughout the engine and an expansion of the coolant jacket, along with the use of cast-in-place bore liners, allows more precise bore roundness and improves the block’s ability to dissipate heat.
Rotating Assembly: the crankshaft is made of drop forged steel with induction heat-treated fillets and cross-drilled chamfered oil passages for racing-grade lubrication characteristics. Forged powdered metal connecting rods incorporate a larger, forged I-beam cross section for added strength in this turbocharged application. The pistons in the 2.0L turbo are lightweight cast aluminum, which reduces reciprocating mass inside the engine. This enhances efficiency and the feeling of performance as the rpm increases. The tops of the pistons have a dish shape that deflects injected fuel. Each piston has its own directed jet that sprays oil toward its skirt, coating its underside and the cylinder wall with an additional layer of lubricant. The extra lubrication cools the pistons, reduces both friction and operational noise and bolsters the engine’s durability.
Rotocast Aluminum Cylinder Head with Sodium Filled Exhaust Valves: the LTG Ecotec 2.0L turbo’s A356T6 aluminum cylinder head is cast using a Rotocast process for high strength, reduced machining and improved port flow. A similar method is used in the casting of the supercharged Corvette ZR1’s LS9 cylinder heads. The head is also designed specifically for direct injection. In other Ecotec engines, the fuel injectors are mounted in the intake ports but the LTG 2.0L turbo head has unique injector mounting locations below the ports. Apart from injector installation, the head has conventional port and combustion chamber designs, with both being optimized for direct injection and high boost pressure. The head uses stainless steel intake valves that are nitrided for improved durability and undercut to improve flow and reduce weight. The exhaust valves have sodium-filled stems that promote valve cooling. At normal engine operating temperatures, the sodium inside the valve stem fuses and becomes liquid. The liquid sodium improves conductivity, promoting heat transfer away from the valve face and valve guide to the cooler end of the stem, where it more readily dissipates. This helps maintain a lower, more uniform valve temperature, reducing wear on the valve guide for better alignment and a consistent seal between the valve seat and valve face over the life of the engine. Performance was the priority with the LTG Ecotec 2.0L turbo, so the exhaust manifold mounted to the cylinder head is made of cast stainless steel. It is extremely durable and delivers exceptional airflow qualities.
DOHC with Continuously Variable Valve Timing: overhead cams are the most direct, efficient means of operating the valves, while four valves per cylinder increase airflow in and out of the engine. This arrangement is integrated on the LTG Ecotec 2.0L’s lightweight aluminum cylinder head. Continuously variable valve timing optimizes the engine’s turbocharging system by adjusting valve timing at lower rpm for improved turbo response and greater torque delivery. Both the intake and exhaust cams have hydraulically operated vane-type phasers that are managed by a solenoid and directed by the engine control module (ECM). The phasers turn the camshaft relative to the drive sprocket, allowing intake and exhaust valve timing to be adjusted independently. Cam phasing changes the timing of valve operation as conditions such as rpm and engine load vary. It allows an outstanding balance of smooth torque delivery over a broad rpm range, high specific output and good specific fuel consumption.
Direct Injection: direct injection moves the point where fuel feeds into an engine closer to the point where it ignites, enabling greater combustion efficiency. It fosters a more complete burn of the fuel in the air-fuel mixture, and operates at a lower temperature than conventional port injection. This allows the mixture to be leaner (less fuel and more air), so less fuel is required to produce the equivalent horsepower of a conventional, port-injection fuel system. Direct injection also delivers reduced emissions, particularly cold-start emissions, by about 25 percent. The higher compression ratio with direct injection is possible because of a cooling effect as the injected fuel vaporizes in the combustion chamber, which reduces the charge temperature to lessen the likelihood of spark knock. The direct injection fuel injectors have been developed to withstand the greater heat and pressure inside the combustion chamber, and feature multiple outlets for best injection control. The fuel system operates at pressure as high as 2,250 psi, compared to about 60 psi in conventional port-injected engines.
Cam-Driven High-Pressure Fuel Pump: a high-pressure, cam-driven pump provides the fuel pressure required of the LTG Ecotec 2.0L turbo’s direct injection system. The engine-mounted fuel pump is augmented by a conventional electrically operated supply pump in the fuel tank. The fuel delivery system features a high-pressure stainless steel feed line and a pressure-regulated fuel rail without a conventional fuel return line from the engine to the tank. Fuel pressure varies from about 750 psi at idle to 2,250 psi at wide-open throttle.
Two-Stage, Variable-Displacement Oil Pump: the variable-flow oiling system helps maximize fuel efficiency. Rather than the linear operation of a conventional fixed-flow pump, the variable-flow system features a crankshaft-driven oil pump that matches the oil supply to the engine load. The engine’s variable-flow pump changes its capacity based on the engine’s demand for oil. This prevents using energy to pump oil that is not required for proper engine operation. An engine oil cooler helps maintain optimum oil temperatures. It has a heat exchanger incorporated into the oil filter housing. Coolant to the heat exchanger is provided by the engine’s coolant circuit. The design optimizes oil cooling with a minimal pressure loss. During cold starts, the system also enables faster heating of the engine oil for an earlier reduction of internal engine friction.
Twin-Scroll Turbocharger: an advanced, electronically controlled turbocharger with a unique twin-scroll design is used to increase power in the LTG Ecotec 2.0L turbo. Each of two scrolls on the turbine is fed by a separate exhaust passage – one from cylinders one and four, the other from cylinders two and three – virtually eliminating turbo lag at low engine speeds, giving the engine immediate throttle response associated with a naturally aspirated high-performance engine. The turbocharger generates maximum boost of about 20 psi. Because direct injection cools the intake process compared to port injection, it allows the LTG Ecotec 2.0L turbo to safely operate at higher boost and a relatively higher compression (9.2:1) than a conventional turbo engine, increasing both output and efficiency.
Air-to-Air Intercooler: an intake charge cooler enhances the power-increasing benefits of the turbocharging system. The LTG Ecotec 2.0L turbo’s air-to-air intercooler draws fresh air through a heat exchanger – much like a radiator – to reduce the temperature of compressed air that’s forced through the intake system by the turbocharger. Inlet temperature is reduced as much as 212 degrees F (100 degrees C). Cooler air is denser, which means more oxygen is packed into the cylinders for optimal combustion and, consequently, greater power.
Cam-Driven Vacuum Pump: a cam-driven vacuum pump ensures the availability of vacuum under all conditions, especially under boost, when the engine produces the opposite of vacuum. The pump is mounted at the rear of the cylinder head and is driven by the exhaust camshaft via a flexible coupling.
Last edited by RedHotG8; 12-19-2014 at 11:13 PM.
12-20-2014, 12:51 AM
#11
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As for Grand National/GNX/Turbo Regal, none of them were twin turbo stock. All were single turbo, with '86+ being intercooled and the GNX having a specific, upgraded turbo.
But as for your new car, I like it!
The new Regals aren't ugly at all IMO. I'm not big on all the new gadgets and electronics myself, but it's nice that you can turn most of that stuff off. It's a stylish car that makes a nice daily driver with decent performance stock and potential for more if you're willing to mod it. 
12-20-2014, 11:07 AM
#13
RPM it sounds like you know more than me about older muscle cars. My first car was a 71 Z-28 and my friends had Chevelles Novas Mustangs Chargers but I didn't know the detailed specs of those cars. We spent more time trying the make them faster than talking about what they had in stock form.
A guy I knew in high school had a 66 Buick Grand Sport with a 455 and it was pretty fast. His brother had a 68 Shelby Mustang GT500 with a 428 but I never saw it run because they were working on it. I wonder what ever happened to that car it would be worth a lot of money today.
I plan to tune the Regal for now until more mods come out for it. That will wake it up and improve the trans shifts which are a bit slow. I might try to fab up an CAI to see if there's any improvement over the stock setup. Just something simple until someone produces one.
A guy I knew in high school had a 66 Buick Grand Sport with a 455 and it was pretty fast. His brother had a 68 Shelby Mustang GT500 with a 428 but I never saw it run because they were working on it. I wonder what ever happened to that car it would be worth a lot of money today.
I plan to tune the Regal for now until more mods come out for it. That will wake it up and improve the trans shifts which are a bit slow. I might try to fab up an CAI to see if there's any improvement over the stock setup. Just something simple until someone produces one.
12-20-2014, 11:14 AM
#14
I actually like the wheels they look better than the other 18" Regal wheels and they are a bit different. The GS wheels look really hot but they are 20's, these are 18's so they will be better for daily driving. I thought about keeping the G8 for the summer, but between me & my wife & kids we have 5 cars in the garage/driveway so the idea of another one wasn't too appealing. Plus the Regal would have to sit out in the winter and I don't feel like cleaning snow off it to go to work.
Last edited by RedHotG8; 12-20-2014 at 01:36 PM.
12-21-2014, 12:41 AM
#16
I have heard the V8 will no longer be used in the near future, thats why car companies are developing smaller stronger high hp motors. The ecotech 2.0 4 is a really good motor, there has to be a reason they put so much money into improving it even more. There's no doubt it's the wave of the future. The Camaro will be downsized using the Cadillac ATS platform (which has the same turbo 2.0 AWD as the Regal) and that's when the LS V8 will fade into the sunset.....
I actually looked at the ATS but the Regal had a better sounding Bose stereo and the ATS body/wheels looked out of proportion. It came with 17 wheels standard with 45 series tires so I think thats what made it look odd. Plus the ATS cost much more and had less options so it was a no brainer to get the Buick.
I actually looked at the ATS but the Regal had a better sounding Bose stereo and the ATS body/wheels looked out of proportion. It came with 17 wheels standard with 45 series tires so I think thats what made it look odd. Plus the ATS cost much more and had less options so it was a no brainer to get the Buick.
Last edited by RedHotG8; 12-21-2014 at 01:01 AM.
12-21-2014, 10:26 PM
#17
I bought one jap car in the 30 years I have been driving and it gave us more trouble than all the American cars combined. I used full synthetic oil and a napa gold filter changed every 5000 miles and the motor seized a rod bearing at 65K miles. It was 5000 miles over the warranty and Nissan wouldn't cover it or give us any financial assistance. I put a used motor in it and traded it for a used 2013 Impala and it's been trouble free. I've had GM goodwill a few things on my G8 even though it was out of warranty. If you ask me GM really cares about their customers and the japanese companies don't.
Not many options for an LS powered car except a Camaro which has the same zeta platform and poorly built front suspension design as the G8. Same goes for the Chevy SS which was way out of my price range, and the Corvette which is too expensive for me also. Besides anything LS powered is rear wheel drive and thats one of the reasons I traded the G8.
I filled up the tank in the Regal today with premium and it's like I tuned the motor. Wow what a big difference! The dealer must have filled it with regular which it will run on but with reduced power. I read somewhere online the new direct injected turbo likes premium a lot more so thats what I will be feeding it from here on out.
I filled up the tank in the Regal today with premium and it's like I tuned the motor. Wow what a big difference! The dealer must have filled it with regular which it will run on but with reduced power. I read somewhere online the new direct injected turbo likes premium a lot more so thats what I will be feeding it from here on out.
12-23-2014, 12:17 AM
#18
Each to his own. If you're happy with your new Buick, more power to ya. I may transition to DDing my wife's G8 this spring. I bought her a used Buick Terraza minivan a few weeks ago and she's happy driving that. We got rid of our old 98 Montana about a year ago and she's missed the versatility for hauling loads of stuff and bunches of kids. Not to mention that she and kids can drop and spill food and drink all over it without me freaking out like I do about the G8. Unnecessary personal observations, I know 
12-23-2014, 01:26 PM
#19
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I have heard the V8 will no longer be used in the near future, thats why car companies are developing smaller stronger high hp motors. The ecotech 2.0 4 is a really good motor, there has to be a reason they put so much money into improving it even more. There's no doubt it's the wave of the future. The Camaro will be downsized using the Cadillac ATS platform (which has the same turbo 2.0 AWD as the Regal) and that's when the LS V8 will fade into the sunset.....
But I agree about the durability of the Ecotec, I have two of them right now myself (2.2L and 2.4L), one of them for over 11 years. Very solid, very reliable. The 2.4 isn't bad in the power department for being an NA 4-cylinder, but it's paired with an A6 trans which makes acceleration feel stronger than it would with the less-aggressively geared A4 versions. I've also recently driven the newer 2.5L Ecotec (also NA), and was quite impressed with the acceleration, for what it was.
Having said all that, 4-cylinders still have a garbage exhaust note and most V6s aren't much better, this is something that can't be fixed with forced induction or gearing/6-7-8 speed transmissions. I definitely won't be trading either of my remaining V8s for 4-cylinders, but some of the current 4-cylinder offerings make pretty decent daily drivers.
I have to agree here, I have no use for asian cars at all and would not buy one. The wife came with a '94 toyota when we were married, and we kept it for several years afterward. It was less reliable than the GM cars I owned from the same era, in spite of me giving it the same level of care/maintenance. I'll continue to stick with the domestics.
12-23-2014, 06:56 PM
#20
The Corvette will remain a V8 but I believe it will no longer be available in the redesigned Camaro because it's based on the smaller ATS platform which doesn't have a V8 option. That car just looks too small to me to have anything bigger than a V6 under the hood. Heck even the CTS is available with the same 2.0 turbo I have in my Regal so it's obvious GM is changing over to smaller turbocharged motors. I'm speculating the redesigned Camaro will get the twin turbo V6 which will be in the ATS-V for 2015 and is available in the CTS Vsport.