# Thinking about trading 2011 for 2012



## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

If your going to trade your 2011 Cruze I wouldn't get a 2012 I would get a 2013 Cruze the 13 Cruze has MyLink 7 in color touchscreen new safety features back up rear camera.


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## Macman (May 4, 2011)

sounds nice , except I don't know what that is. When s 2013 cruze available?


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## HisandHers (Aug 18, 2012)

The 2013 has been available for a couple months now but you can get the 2012 much cheaper.


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## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

Macman said:


> sounds nice , except I don't know what that is. When s 2013 cruze available?


The 2013 Cruze's have been out since the end of August.


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## Scarecrow26 (May 27, 2012)

I agree with HisandHers. A 2013 Cruze would be nice to get but you can a great deal on a 2012 cruze, especially when most dealership need to get rid of all their 2012 cruze inventory so they can have room for the 2013 cruzes. Just a thought.


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## Scarecrow26 (May 27, 2012)

I have a 2012 cruze ltz and as of now i haven't had a single problem with it. Its been running like a champ.


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## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

Scarecrow26 said:


> I agree with HisandHers. A 2013 Cruze would be nice to get but you can a great deal on a 2012 cruze, especially when most dealership need to get rid of all their 2012 cruze inventory so they can have room for the 2013 cruzes. Just a thought.


Yeah I would agree with you if he didn't have a Cruze already but I don't see the point of trading in a 11 Cruze For a 12 there's really now difference between the to except the trans in the 12 is much better than the one in the 11 Cruze. So if your going to trade in a 2011 Cruze he might as well get one that has options his Cruze doesn't have and get a 2013 Chevy Cruze (just my 2 Cents)


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## Scarecrow26 (May 27, 2012)

Yea i guess it make sense.


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## rmass09 (Apr 17, 2011)

I'd say check out the differences between the 2012-13 models, if you can live without the upgrades for the 13 model year then save the cash.


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## HisandHers (Aug 18, 2012)

rmass09 said:


> I'd say check out the differences between the 2012-13 models, if you can live without the upgrades for the 13 model year then save the cash.


That's what I was thinking when I bought mine.I got my Cruze back in August and paid about $3300 below sticker price.The new features were not important enough for me to spend the extra money.


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## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

HisandHers said:


> That's what I was thinking when I bought mine.I got my Cruze back in August and paid about $3300 below sticker price.The new features were not important enough for me to spend the extra money.


Yeah but he already has a 2011 Chevy Cruze buying a 2012 Chevy Cruze would be buying that exact same car again what's the point of that?


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## HisandHers (Aug 18, 2012)

2013Cruze said:


> Yeah but he already has a 2011 Chevy Cruze buying a 2012 Chevy Cruze would be buying that exact same car again what's the point of that?



I wasn't trying to start a pissing contest,I was just stating why I chose the 2012 over the 2013.Besides,he said that he is thinking about trading for a 2012 so he must think it would be worth it.


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## thaicruze (Jul 21, 2011)

Try a Ford Focus.


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

*ANALOGY* -- if I had marital problems with my *wife*, I sure as heck would not divorce her then turn around and marry *her* _younger_ sister.


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## Macman (May 4, 2011)

WOW. The only way this would happen is if my cruze was completely or almost completely paid off. 2012 cruzes will have cash back incentives, 2013 will not. If I could get the 2012 and keep my payment the same and have the same vehicle features, I'd be fine. I would probably not go for the nav system. If I were just buying a car, I would probably shoot for the 2013 cruze or malibu. On monday I'll find out my trade in value and any incentives available.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

If you 2011 has been unreliable, just buy another car. The 2012 isn't any better. Mine is starting to piss me off, and I'm not one to complain much about having to fix a car a lot. The difference is, the rest of mine were 10-30 years old.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Actually the 2012s have been quite a bit better for reliability. Reading the threads here shows there is a significant difference in how 2012 owners feel about their Cruzen vs 2011 owners. Yes, there are problems with both years, but the 2011s seem to have more complaints.


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

obermd said:


> Yes, there are problems with both years, but the 2011s seem to have more complaints.


...memo to self: *"! ! ! NEVER BUY FIRST YEAR OR MODEL OF ANYTHING ! ! !"*


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

Macman said:


> So after getting an insane deal on the truck, I'm looking at trading the problem filled 2011 cruze for a 2012. Any insights on changes from 2011 to 2012? Will all the transmission and other issues disappear? How about better fuel economy? It's a shame that I'd have to buy a new car to get the car I want and thought I was buying. Thinking about looking at hyundai sonata again.


There is no reason for you to trade your Cruze in for a newer model unless you are upgrading your trim or something. Replacing your car with a newer one is an enormous waste of money. The difference between the two is very subtle.

If you are unsatisfied with your Cruze, I suggest just buying a different car.


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## Hushero (May 31, 2012)

2013Cruze said:


> If your going to trade your 2011 Cruze I wouldn't get a 2012 I would get a 2013 Cruze the 13 Cruze has MyLink 7 in color touchscreen new safety features back up rear camera.


Totally I agree with you


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## Macman (May 4, 2011)

In that case, I might have to live with it or get something like a 2013 malibu.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

ErikBEggs said:


> There is no reason for you to trade your Cruze in for a newer model unless you are upgrading your trim or something. Replacing your car with a newer one is an enormous waste of money. The difference between the two is very subtle.
> 
> If you are unsatisfied with your Cruze, I suggest just buying a different car.


Now now, coming from you, this is a bit surprising. You specifically told me on Facebook how much easier it was to get better fuel economy with a 2012 model when you had one as a rental. That's beside the other issues that were common with 2011 models that were either fixed or revised in 2012 models, and those who have been paying close attention (like myself for example, as I report more of these to GM directly than I can't count) will know that there were quite a few revisions and 2012 models as a whole were significantly less problematic. 

We had the coolant smell issue, we had the noisy front suspension, we had a re-tooling down at Lordstown to get better rear drum adjustment consistency, the issue with spark plug gaps that as far as I'm concerned has not come back with newer models, the adjustments in the paint department where a few models came out with paint defects, a bad batch of windshield washer nozzles, the wind noise on the highway, the oil consumption on a limited batch, the zebra striping on cylinders on a limited batch, and the list goes on. These are all issues that you won't find on a late production 2012 or a 2013 Cruze as they've been resolved. 



Macman said:


> In that case, I might have to live with it or get something like a 2013 malibu.


If you are unhappy with your Cruze, I would bump up to a 2012 or 2013 model assuming you won't be at a significant loss. While the 2013 Malibu is a very nice car, it will be more expensive and will not achieve the same fuel economy numbers that a Cruze can.

Everyone here knows how loudly I can yell when I run into an issue that needs to be brought to GM's attention, and I've found myself not needing to do a whole lot of yelling. It's been quite a while since I owned a car that I truly enjoyed driving day in and day out. This Cruze is certainly that car, and many on this board will resound that sentiment. 

For example:
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/9-ch...m/9490-car-really-impresses-me-sometimes.html


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

70AARCUDA said:


> ...memo to self: *"! ! ! NEVER BUY FIRST YEAR OR MODEL OF ANYTHING ! ! !"*


This is NOT necessarily true! I have brought several first year models and NEVER had a problem like I do with my 2011 Cruze EXCEPT my 1999, Motor Trend Car of the Year, Chrysler 300M that was a BIG POS! All the GM cars that I have bought that were first year models were NEVER a problem! BESIDES, WHY does EVERYONE call this a FIRST year model when it was out for several years in tons of other countries! I'd like to know if they had the EXACT SAME transmission as my 2011!


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

fastdriver said:


> This is NOT necessarily true! I have brought several first year models and NEVER had a problem like I do with my 2011 Cruze EXCEPT my 1999, Motor Trend Car of the Year, Chrysler 300M that was a BIG POS! All the GM cars that I have bought that were first year models were NEVER a problem! BESIDES, WHY does EVERYONE call this a FIRST year model when it was out for several years in tons of other countries! I'd like to know if they had the EXACT SAME transmission as my 2011!


Most other countries drive manuals. GM has never had a great history with automatics in recent years.

And Chrysler and POS are synonymous.


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

XtremeRevolution said:


> We had the coolant smell issue, we had the noisy front suspension, we had a re-tooling down at Lordstown to get better rear drum adjustment consistency, the issue with spark plug gaps that as far as I'm concerned has not come back with newer models, the adjustments in the paint department where a few models came out with paint defects, a bad batch of windshield washer nozzles, the wind noise on the highway, the oil consumption on a limited batch, the zebra striping on cylinders on a limited batch, and the list goes on. These are all issues that you won't find on a late production 2012 or a 2013 Cruze as they've been resolved.
> 
> Everyone here knows how loudly I can yell when I run into an issue that needs to be brought to GM's attention, and I've found myself not needing to do a whole lot of yelling. It's been quite a while since I owned a car that I truly enjoyed driving day in and day out. This Cruze is certainly that car, and many on this board will resound that sentiment.



Can I ask a DUMB question? With the issues you mention above and many more not mentioned and the fact that the Cruze was out in other countries two years prior to coming to the USA AND GMs claim that the Cruze was tested for 4 MILLION miles- do you think we should have experienced these problems ESPECIALLY the transmission issue? In addition, what good is bringing it to GMs attention when they are QUITE aware of most of the issues, but have done NOTHING to CORRECT many of them except to give lip service?


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

jblackburn said:


> Most other countries drive manuals. GM has never had a great history with automatics in recent years.
> 
> And Chrysler and POS are synonymous.



I have had plenty of GM cars, ALL automatics, and NEVER had one with a transmission like my Cruze except my 2008 Malibu LTZ. Maybe GM cheapened it up to save $$$$$ and that's why the issue?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

fastdriver said:


> Can I ask a DUMB question? With the issues you mention above and many more not mentioned and the fact that the Cruze was out in other countries two years prior to coming to the USA AND GMs claim that the Cruze was tested for 4 MILLION miles- do you think we should have experienced these problems ESPECIALLY the transmission issue? In addition, what good is bringing it to GMs attention when they are QUITE aware of most of the issues, but have done NOTHING to CORRECT many of them except to give lip service?


To start there's no need for that attitude. You've very, very thoroughly expressed your dissatisfaction with your car on this board. Unfortunately, it never reached the point of hilarity, and instead skipped straight over to annoyance. 

Some of these problems are vendor related. Each country has its own vendors for Cruze parts, and as such, each country will find vendor-related issues. For example, the LuK defective clutches on some of the Cruze manuals built before November 2011. Do you think LuK supplied clutches for all Cruzes across the world? I'd guess not. 

You say GM has done nothing to resolve these issues, but that's simply incorrect. The only area I can think of in which that has any real validity is the transmission issue *some *are experiencing. Despite thinking GM would never take responsibility, they are now replacing manual transmissions that are grinding the 1-2 gear shifts, they released a TSB for the coolant smell issue, they released a TSB for the noisy suspension issue, and the list goes on.

I can't comment on the mileage tests as I haven't seen GM's claims on that regarding the Cruze. However, I do know that this car was only out for about 2 years prior to being sold in the US, and we have no idea what the initial owners are saying. 

That said, I don't mind trying to help. You'll receive a PM from me shortly.


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## lilmrsyeti (Mar 3, 2012)

I guess I must be one of the lucky ones when it comes to my 2011 Cruze. I do not even have *1*​ complaint against it. Never had a Trans problem, never had the coolant smell, no wind noise here...never checked the spark plugs though, so guess they are gaped wrong..but every time I've researched on here, it seemed different people were saying to gap different...so I just never bothered with it.

The only thing that bothers me about this Cruze..well, it doesn't even bother me really, but something I've always wondered about...there's been several threads here about it, but there's never been an answer...it's that Tone noise that comes from under the hood. Does it after the car has been shut off and even when it hasn't even been driven...I can walk by my Cruze and hear that Tone noise every once in a while. So after all the people asking and never getting an answer...I came up with an answer myself...My Cruze is just as happy to see me as I am it, and this is the only way it can say 'Hey" to me!

Now back to what the OP was talking about...IF it were me, and I was going to go into even more of a debt to get, pretty much, the exact same car...I would go with the 2013. Just because I *love* gadgets. The more the merry for me. The 2013 has a lot more things in it and just makes it even a more WOW car. Because think about it...the 2012 just pretty much fixed what most complained about with the 2011, but didn't really add much to the car itself..or at least that I could see. Now the 2013, I'm sure, fixed what ever was wrong with the 2012, hopefully anyhow...but they also added lots of now "play things" to it. To me, since you are still going to be paying for years and years...it would be worth the extra $$ to go up a year.


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## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

lilmrsyeti said:


> I guess I must be one of the lucky ones when it comes to my 2011 Cruze. I do not even have *1*​ complaint against it. Never had a Trans problem, never had the coolant smell, no wind noise here...never checked the spark plugs though, so guess they are gaped wrong..but every time I've researched on here, it seemed different people were saying to gap different...so I just never bothered with it.
> 
> The only thing that bothers me about this Cruze..well, it doesn't even bother me really, but something I've always wondered about...there's been several threads here about it, but there's never been an answer...it's that Tone noise that comes from under the hood. Does it after the car has been shut off and even when it hasn't even been driven...I can walk by my Cruze and hear that Tone noise every once in a while. So after all the people asking and never getting an answer...I came up with an answer myself...My Cruze is just as happy to see me as I am it, and this is the only way it can say 'Hey" to me!
> 
> Now back to what the OP was talking about...IF it were me, and I was going to go into even more of a debt to get, pretty much, the exact same car...I would go with the 2013. Just because I *love* gadgets. The more the merry for me. The 2013 has a lot more things in it and just makes it even a more WOW car. Because think about it...the 2012 just pretty much fixed what most complained about with the 2011, but didn't really add much to the car itself..or at least that I could see. Now the 2013, I'm sure, fixed what ever was wrong with the 2012, hopefully anyhow...but they also added lots of now "play things" to it. To me, since you are still going to be paying for years and years...it would be worth the extra $$ to go up a year.


Thats my point.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

I'd keep the car and get a tune. Especially for 2011 1.4T AT Cruzes, it seems to solve many of the common engine/transmission complaints such as rough shifting and poor fuel economy. It's much cheaper than a new car.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Now now, coming from you, this is a bit surprising. You specifically told me on Facebook how much easier it was to get better fuel economy with a 2012 model when you had one as a rental. That's beside the other issues that were common with 2011 models that were either fixed or revised in 2012 models, and those who have been paying close attention (like myself for example, as I report more of these to GM directly than I can't count) will know that there were quite a few revisions and 2012 models as a whole were significantly less problematic.


Well the thing is.. I have already invested into my car quite a bit. With the Trifecta tune, my transmission problem was 100% fixed. The intake netted me that +2 MPG back on the highway so the benefit is gone there. I actually found that the shorter final drive ratio of the 2011 is very useful for city driving. I can get about 27 MPG in 100% city conditions now.. which is mainly how effortless the shorter ratios make acceleration at low speeds. 

All of this is beside the point though. Even if you were to trade up to get a +2 bump in fuel economy and have better shifting, you are still taking far too much of a financial hit for it to be worth it. The couple thousand you lose on reselling / trading up will buy a crapton of gas, a trifecta tune, AND an intake. Hence why I say.. suck it up or move onto a new car. Sure, a 2013 will have better resale value but the difference in price between a new Cruze in 2011 and a new Cruze in 2013 is about ~6% (what the salesman told me two weeks ago) in addition to your trade-in losses.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

HisandHers said:


> That's what I was thinking when I bought mine.I got my Cruze back in August and paid about $3300 below sticker price.The new features were not important enough for me to spend the extra money.


I agree. I went with the 2012 because I was able to find one the way I wanted it. I didn't want the sunroof, but it would have cost more to get a 2013 without due to the price increase. Now I'm glad I got it after all.

The MyLink sounds great and all, but I passed one the other morning with it. That bright screen lit up the inside of the car and looked annoying. I hate that in my mom's MKX too, and I usually shut it off. I'm very happy to be touchscreenless.


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## steve333 (Oct 23, 2010)

Honda is coming out with a revised Civic on November 29. Maybe you should wait and check one out first. 
If you stick with the Cruze I would go with a 2013 since the 2012 model still has issues with the antifreeze smell and other issues I have read about here.
Of course,there is no way of knowing if the 2013 model got rid of the issues either. GM doesn't have a good record of fixing problems as I can definitely attest to.


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## Macman (May 4, 2011)

A tune sounds nice, but not worth the cost for +2 mpg, plus I have no laptop and I don't know if it'd void the warranty.


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## Macman (May 4, 2011)

Well, they wanted to give me too little for my cruze, so it's not gonna work out. SO I'm interested in the tune but need local help and more info on what it'd actually improve.


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## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

Macman said:


> Well, they wanted to give me too little for my cruze, so it's not gonna work out. SO I'm interested in the tune but need local help and more info on what it'd actually improve.


If you don't mind me asking what did they offer you for your Cruze.


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## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

Xtreme should be able to give you some good advice about the benefits of getting a tune..


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## WMPthree (Apr 27, 2012)

Hmmm, the ambiguities of dot dot..

In my opinion, the tune definitely is worth the $300, but at the same time, all this hype about "night and day" difference is erroneous. Sure there are gains, but I only really notice them at high RPMs. The car falls on its face after 4000 on the stock tune; on the contrary, the car pulls all the way to 6000 on trifectas premium tune. 

If e85 is available near you, you may want to look into the e85 tune from Trifecta. It offers some serious gains while maintaining reliability and lower fuel-per-gallon costs.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Maybe it's just me, but the Scion FR-S/Subaru BR-Z looks like an amazing car to trade for. It's a blast to drive.


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## WMPthree (Apr 27, 2012)

jblackburn said:


> Maybe it's just me, but the Scion FR-S/Subaru BR-Z looks like an amazing car to trade for. It's a blast to drive.


But that wouldn't be very American of you...


Sent from my iPad using AG Free


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

WMPthree said:


> But that wouldn't be very American of you...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using AG Free


Toyota's American-made now. 

And I don't have any allegiance whatsoever to buying cars from American manufacturers. Never owned one myself before the Cruze. May the best product win.


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

The tune was worth it for me, and i have a 1.8L. I can now overtake Scions and BR-Z for a bit.


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## WMPthree (Apr 27, 2012)

jblackburn said:


> Toyota's American-made now.
> 
> And I don't have any allegiance whatsoever to buying cars from American manufacturers. Never owned one myself before the Cruze. May the best product win.


Correction: American-assembled. Money is still going over seas. However, not trying to start a debate, just believe in supporting America first.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

jblackburn said:


> Toyota's American-made now.
> 
> And I don't have any allegiance whatsoever to buying cars from American manufacturers. Never owned one myself before the Cruze. May the best product win.





WMPthree said:


> Correction: American-assembled. Money is still going over seas. However, not trying to start a debate, just believe in supporting America first.


That is something I wholeheartedly agree with. The profits still go overseas even if they do employ some American workers here in the states. That, and the BRZ isn't a Cruze. The two are fundamentally different, and the fuel economy isn't even close. They're averaging 28.1 on Fuelly.com compared to 33.2 for the Cruze. 

I think it's more important now than it has ever been to support American businesses of all shapes and sizes. With the IT jobs GM is bringing back to the US, I don't mind supporting them at all.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Meh. If I was looking for a new car, I'd look for the best new car for my money with little regard to what country it was made in.

For me a couple months ago, wanting a small, fuel-efficient car, that was the Cruze. If I wanted to trade for something with more power and more fun to drive without sacrificing much on fuel efficiency (like the BR-Z), it wouldn't be another Cruze.

For our other car (in the midsized segment), we bought a Toyota. It was better than anything American-made (at the time - the new Fusion looks nice), and better than its other Japanese competitors.

If the American car companies want my money, they better impress me with what they've got to offer. I already pay enough tribute to this country in stupid taxes and with just about everything else I buy at stupidly inflated prices. The Cruze is still a great car, but other manufacturers are hopping up the competition as well. There's really no point trading up 2 model years for the same car.

Put a new engine in it, we'll talk.


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## steve333 (Oct 23, 2010)

iKermit said:


> The tune was worth it for me, and i have a 1.8L. I can now overtake Scions and BR-Z for a bit.


There's a tune for the non turbo? I wonder how much the tune improves the performance?


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

WMPthree said:


> Hmmm, the ambiguities of dot dot..
> 
> In my opinion, the tune definitely is worth the $300, but at the same time, all this hype about "night and day" difference is erroneous. Sure there are gains, but I only really notice them at high RPMs. The car falls on its face after 4000 on the stock tune; on the contrary, the car pulls all the way to 6000 on trifectas premium tune.


You have a manual. The tune 100% fixes the transmission shifting issues for automatics which is a huge reason to buy it. If that isn't worth $315 than what is? I recommend buying the cable ($150 from BNR) so you can flash tunes at your leisure. If you buy the premium tune you can customize it to your discretion until you are satisfied. The tune netted me about +3 MPG in city driving, because my car shifts how it should and the turbo / powerband is optimized for _*even lower end torque*_ (get up to speed with less gas) with less overall boost. I have to mash on the throttle for it to even get over 2.5K RPMs, which is great for fuel economy. If I need more power, I just tap the shifter to manumatic and it takes off like a rocket.

Macman, the tune makes a new car out of the 2011 6AT. It's not just about the power numbers that the enthusiasts will preach to you. Vince owned this car like us and wanted to make it more driveable.


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## Macman (May 4, 2011)

2013Cruze said:


> If you don't mind me asking what did they offer you for your Cruze.


14,600. Incentves are only $500 on 2012 cruzes vs. $8,000 on 2012 Silverados. I owe around 20k on my cruze.


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## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

Macman said:


> 14,600. Incentves are only $500 on 2012 cruzes vs. $8,000 on 2012 Silverados. I owe around 20k on my cruze.


What trim is your Cruze? My one local dealership is offering 2k off the 4 2012 Cruzes they have left on there lot. All they have left are LTZ RS.


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## HisandHers (Aug 18, 2012)

When I bought mine they were only showing $1000 in incentives,$500 factory rebate and $500 dealer rebate.When all was said and done I paid $3300 below sticker.Just saying,there may still be some money on the table if they know you are serious.


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## Macman (May 4, 2011)

2013Cruze said:


> What trim is your Cruze? My one local dealership is offering 2k off the 4 2012 Cruzes they have left on there lot. All they have left are LTZ RS.


Mine is a 2Lt with RS. They had all trims available, some Rs, some not. When I bought my 2011, there were no incentives, they said it was too new.


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## Macman (May 4, 2011)

I'm interested in the tune, but would need local help of some sort, maybe if there was a group buy I could get a better deal. Would it void my warranty? Or will the dealer say anything?


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## Mick (Dec 31, 2011)

WMPthree said:


> But that wouldn't be very American of you...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using AG Free


So what you're saying is you don't own any electronics, clothes or just about anything? Lol
I understand wanting to support American but calling someone un-American for buying a Toyota is a bit extreme in my opinion. /political debate 

I think you get a lot more Cruze for the same price frs and honestly I wasn't too impressed with driving one. It was an automatic though :\
But it does offer something very important (to me anyway), rear wheel drive. And if you like to modify, the aftermarket support is already full blown. 
I just can't justify the price just yet.


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## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

Macman said:


> I'm interested in the tune, but would need local help of some sort, maybe if there was a group buy I could get a better deal. Would it void my warranty? Or will the dealer say anything?


You might try sending Xtreme a PM he might be able to answer your questions.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

Macman said:


> I'm interested in the tune, but would need local help of some sort, maybe if there was a group buy I could get a better deal. Would it void my warranty? Or will the dealer say anything?


Well, nothing technically voids your warranty until it causes something to be broken. The dealer has no way of knowing if you are tuned or not unless he takes your car out for a spin and puts it in manual mode. You could flash it back to stock if you care that much. To answer your question though - YES, GM can detect the tune if they wanted to. It's just a matter of if they actually care.

I have almost 30,000 miles on my tune (I will make a thread when I do). No issues, and 13 months of operation.


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## Macman (May 4, 2011)

ErikBEggs said:


> Well, nothing technically voids your warranty until it causes something to be broken. The dealer has no way of knowing if you are tuned or not unless he takes your car out for a spin and puts it in manual mode. You could flash it back to stock if you care that much. To answer your question though - YES, GM can detect the tune if they wanted to. It's just a matter of if they actually care.
> 
> I have almost 30,000 miles on my tune (I will make a thread when I do). No issues, and 13 months of operation.


What does putting it in manual mode have to do with anything? I do that many several times a day.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Macman said:


> What does putting it in manual mode have to do with anything? I do that many several times a day.


With the tune, the car goes into a "sport mode" when you put it into manual mode, where the higher boost and additional power is available. In the auto mode, the car switches to a fuel economy tune, limiting boost to I believe 14psi. 

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but this is how I remember reading about it.


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## Macman (May 4, 2011)

XtremeRevolution said:


> With the tune, the car goes into a "sport mode" when you put it into manual mode, where the higher boost and additional power is available. In the auto mode, the car switches to a fuel economy tune, limiting boost to I believe 14psi.
> 
> Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but this is how I remember reading about it.


But I always start out in manual for better mpg o I'm in 6th by 35mph, etc, even for city driving.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

Macman said:


> But I always start out in manual for better mpg o I'm in 6th by 35mph, etc, even for city driving.


Does anyone know, does the 2011 car with the different rear end go into 6th at 35? My 2012 won't go into 6th until 41/42. Grrr.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

On level ground I can cruze at 35 in 6th in my 2012 ECO MT. I have absolutely no torque available for acceleration or a hill over about 1% grade, but the car will merrily tool along, basically with the engine at idle.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

That would be nice. I can hold 6th down to 39, but then it'll drop down to 5th without my permission (how dare it!). I hate roads with 40 mph speed limits- most of them around me recently changed to 45, but a lot of people still feel the need to go 40. If a person I'm following decided to drop to 37-38 at some point and fluctuate, it's a struggle for me to get it back up into 6th. 5th isn't too bad if you can do a slight bit of coasting, but mileage is down in the 20s/low 30s if I have to keep it moving. 6th can get me much higher than that.


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

obermd said:


> On level ground I can cruze at 35 in 6th in my 2012 ECO MT. I have absolutely no torque available for acceleration or a hill over about 1% grade, but the car will merrily tool along, basically with the *engine at idle*.


Reminds me of my 1967 Barracuda with 383-4BBL engine, if you accidently popped the clutch at idle, the torque would lope the car forward--without missing a beat--even though the engine was *still at idle*!


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

On level ground with modern MTs you can actually cruze along at idle in any gear. 35 happens to be just under 800 RPM in 6th gear.


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## Macman (May 4, 2011)

@ sunline fan, I can get into 6th by 33-35 if I do it right, and I can continue to accelerate into the 50's, though by 45 I switch to auto because it usually means I'm getting on the highway, then once I'm at speed, I put cruise control on.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

"Thinking about trading 2011 for 2012"

My hat is off to your for at least "thinking", getting to be a rare commodity these days. Way to many people are doing things without "thinking"!


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

NickD said:


> "Thinking about trading 2011 for 2012"
> 
> My hat is off to your for at least "thinking", getting to be a rare commodity these days. Way to many people are doing things without "thinking"!


Tell me about it. Took me awhile lol


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

Macman said:


> @ sunline fan, I can get into 6th by 33-35 if I do it right, and I can continue to accelerate into the 50's, though by 45 I switch to auto because it usually means I'm getting on the highway, then once I'm at speed, I put cruise control on.


Hmm, interesting. No matter how gentle I am with it, it just won't go into 6th that early. I would love if it did though. I just get the evil "Shift Denied" message on the DIC.

If you've never tried, you can still put the car on cruise in manual mode. I've done that plenty of times and never had a problem with it bogging down that much on a hill or anything. Granted I wouldn't use cruise if the hill were that significant anyway.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Sunline Fan said:


> Hmm, interesting. No matter how gentle I am with it, it just won't go into 6th that early. I would love if it did though.
> 
> If you've never tried, you can still put the car on cruise in manual mode. I've done that plenty of times and never had a problem with it bogging down that much on a hill or anything. Granted I wouldn't use cruise if the hill were that significant anyway.


Final drive gearing is different between 2011-2012. 2012 has a taller ratio for lower RPM at highway speeds, which means it can't upshift as soon around town.


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## Macman (May 4, 2011)

Sunline Fan said:


> Hmm, interesting. No matter how gentle I am with it, it just won't go into 6th that early. I would love if it did though. I just get the evil "Shift Denied" message on the DIC.
> 
> If you've never tried, you can still put the car on cruise in manual mode. I've done that plenty of times and never had a problem with it bogging down that much on a hill or anything. Granted I wouldn't use cruise if the hill were that significant anyway.


I do that too, but it was mentioned in another thread not to use manual at highway speeds because the computer will not allow it or something and shift back to auto.


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

Sunline Fan said:


> That would be nice. I can hold 6th down to 39, but then it'll drop down to 5th without my permission (how dare it!). I hate roads with 40 mph speed limits- most of them around me recently changed to 45, but a lot of people still feel the need to go 40. If a person I'm following decided to drop to 37-38 at some point and fluctuate, it's a struggle for me to get it back up into 6th. 5th isn't too bad if you can do a slight bit of coasting, but mileage is down in the 20s/low 30s if I have to keep it moving. 6th can get me much higher than that.


Mine does the same **** thing... i am cruising at 45 then i slow down a little and BAM it downshifts without having to. I guess it thinks i am about to slam it to pass a car.

Is it bad to drive your car constantly in M mode?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

iKermit said:


> Mine does the same **** thing... i am cruising at 45 then i slow down a little and BAM it downshifts without having to. I guess it thinks i am about to slam it to pass a car.
> 
> Is it bad to drive your car constantly in M mode?


Nothing wrong at all with constantly driving in manual mode.


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## Macman (May 4, 2011)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Nothing wrong at all with constantly driving in manual mode.


Could I get better mpg that way? I'll give it a try.


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

Macman said:


> Could I get *better mpg *that way? I'll give it a try.


...using M-mode, YOU control *when* the tranny ultimately shifts into high (highest) gear...usually, the sooner the more economical, but acceleration ability will suffer.

Simple rule: shift *UP* for *economy*; shift *DOWN* for *power*.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

Macman said:


> But I always start out in manual for better mpg o I'm in 6th by 35mph, etc, even for city driving.


The tune will do all of that for you. 5th gear by -22 / 23 mph, 6th gear by 33 mph if you are at 0-25% throttle.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

ErikBEggs said:


> The tune will do all of that for you. 5th gear by -22 / 23 mph, 6th gear by 33 mph if you are at 0-25% throttle.


With your 2011, what RPM ranges are you at in 4th and 5th just prior to that shift? Mine is at about 2100ish in both cases, and that's shifting at the the minimums my car allows (28 and 40 mph).


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## Macman (May 4, 2011)

Sunline Fan said:


> With your 2011, what RPM ranges are you at in 4th and 5th just prior to that shift? Mine is at about 2100ish in both cases, and that's shifting at the the minimums my car allows (28 and 40 mph).


Mine is at about 2000 or just below, like 1900.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

Those shifts happen around 1800 RPMs. I personally had mine changed to 25 and 38 mph, which is about 2000 RPMs. Therefore when it upshifts I'm around 1500 in the next gear to keep from lugging too much. The difference in our trannies is 200-300 RPMs generally, with that number widening the faster you go (hence why the ratio was changed not the gears).


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