MM Ownership - 2021 Encore GX (initial and ongoing updates)
02-08-21, 09:47 PM
#136
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
Air temperature can significantly affect fuel mileage. The generally warm conditions in Florida (compared to most other states) help. Bring your vehicle up to a typical D.C. winter, and your mileage will probably drop. Keep going further, to, say, upstate NY, and you will really notice a difference. 
02-08-21, 10:02 PM
#137
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Is your engine broken-in yet?...(generally the first 500-1000 miles). That also can make a difference in mileage, because, as a new engine and drivetrain breaks in, tolerances between moving parts increases with wear, and the parts move more freely, with less drag and resistance. Not only gas mileage, but acceleration will get better as well. That is why auto magazines don't usually run their performance tests until after break-in.
My engine only has a few hundred miles on it......that's one reason why I'm expecting better mileage as time goes on...not just with warmer temperatures in the spring.
02-09-21, 05:31 AM
#138
Lexus Champion
Any brand that promotes themselves as "premium" (or better) should be embarrassed to be selling any vehicle with Halogen headlights in 2021 ( @mmarshall 's acknowledgement that he is fine with the halogens, notwithstanding). The 1st car I owned with HIDs I purchased 21 years ago--an Acura, not some high-end lux brand; at that time, I thought halogens would be completely gone from the market within 10 years.
Last edited by tex2670; 02-09-21 at 05:48 AM.
02-09-21, 05:50 AM
#139
Lexus Champion
My 2014 BMW has an auto stop/start defeat button which remembers the last setting at startup from the factory. So I don't think it's an EPA regulation.
02-09-21, 06:58 AM
#140
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Any brand that promotes themselves as "premium" (or better) should be embarrassed to be selling any vehicle with Halogen headlights in 2021 ( @mmarshall 's acknowledgement that he is fine with the halogens, notwithstanding). The 1st car I owned with HIDs I purchased 21 years ago--an Acura, not some high-end lux brand; at that time, I thought halogens would be completely gone from the market within 10 years.
Originally Posted by Consumer Reports
Headlights
Standard halogen headlights may not provide the bright, white light of LEDs, but they don’t need it as they do a very good job of lighting the road ahead and to the sides with both low and high beams. The level of visibility actually exceeds the performance of many LED equipped vehicles even though intensity is less. GM’s Intellibeam automatic high beam system is also standard and can help drivers take advantage of the additional high beam visibility as often as traffic and conditions allow by automatically switching to high beams. LED headlights are optional on higher trims.
02-09-21, 07:05 AM
#141
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Here's a good article on the subject. It's fairly long, so I'm not going to copy and post the whole thing (per moderator request). Disabling the system may or may not be illegal, according to the intent.
https://www.torquenews.com/1083/disa...gal-or-illegal
02-09-21, 07:21 AM
#142
Lexus Champion
I am saying that there are certain features that a so-called premium brand should have as standard, regardless of whether the cheaper alternative is "just as good". To me, that's what makes a brand "premium". Your comparison to the TrailBlazer only brings this point home.
02-09-21, 07:25 AM
#143
Lexus Champion
That was (now) seven model-years ago. I'm talking about conditions today.
Here's a good article on the subject. It's fairly long, so I'm not going to copy and post the whole thing (per moderator request). Disabling the system may or may not be illegal, according to the intent.
https://www.torquenews.com/1083/disa...gal-or-illegal
Here's a good article on the subject. It's fairly long, so I'm not going to copy and post the whole thing (per moderator request). Disabling the system may or may not be illegal, according to the intent.
https://www.torquenews.com/1083/disa...gal-or-illegal
MY '12 and '13, the 3-Series did not have the ability to remember the last setting, but it could be coded by the owners. In MY '14, this changed, and from the factory, it remembered the last setting. There are tons of threads all over the BMW owner forums about this; if the EPA changed the regulations since '14, I feel like it would be all over every owner's forum. It's not. So I'm skeptical that the EPA "requires" the feature to be reset each startup-- **except** I can see the govt saying that an automaker only gets credit for the increased MPG using the feature if it automatically resets.
02-09-21, 07:29 AM
#144
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
You are looking at this in terms of the brightness of your particular headlights; and that's fine.
I am saying that there are certain features that a so-called premium brand should have as standard, regardless of whether the cheaper alternative is "just as good". To me, that's what makes a brand "premium". Your comparison to the TrailBlazer only brings this point home.
I am saying that there are certain features that a so-called premium brand should have as standard, regardless of whether the cheaper alternative is "just as good". To me, that's what makes a brand "premium". Your comparison to the TrailBlazer only brings this point home.
Like I said, you have a valid opinion, and I respect it. I (and apparently CR) just don't happen to totally agree with it.
02-09-21, 07:53 AM
#145
Lexus Champion
I have not once said whether GM's halogen headlights are bright, dim, good or bad. I have no idea--I'm not sure the last time I even drove a GM vehicle...it's probably a dozen years ago now (and I don't know if I drove it at night). I'm saying - for the 3rd time - that I expect premium brands to come with premium features, and I don't consider halogen headlights to be a premium feature, no matter how bright they are.
I understand that you may feel differently, and that's perfectly fine. You should buy - or not buy - any car based on your own set of parameters. But your block quote of CR does not indicate that CR is offering an opinion on this issue. CR is saying that the standard halogens are sufficiently bright. Fine. Done. Conceded... but has nothing to do with "premium" features. (however, during my 20+ years that I was a subscriber, CR most definitely criticized premium and lux brands for making certain features optional which they believed should be standard; I don't recall if HID/LED headlights were among those features they called out).
Last edited by tex2670; 02-09-21 at 10:52 AM.
02-09-21, 08:02 AM
#146
Pole Position
Thanks. Yes. I know I might have gotten more on a private sale, but it just wasn't worth the additional hassles over what we already go through with a typical new car today. I was up late last night with insurance, satellite radio, On Star, county-tax-registration, etc...and also a good part of this morning. And I'll be up every night for weeks trying to learn the electronic programming LOL.
Makes me recall when I learned to fly, in the mid-1980s....all of those functions combined (inspection/pre-flight/flight-planning/cockpit-checklists, instrument-scanning, navigation, communications, post-flight shutdowns/securing, etc....) probably wasn't as complex as today's vehicles.
Makes me recall when I learned to fly, in the mid-1980s....all of those functions combined (inspection/pre-flight/flight-planning/cockpit-checklists, instrument-scanning, navigation, communications, post-flight shutdowns/securing, etc....) probably wasn't as complex as today's vehicles.
I see you fly, I do as well.......V35.....
Last edited by bitkahuna; 02-09-21 at 08:24 AM.
02-09-21, 08:30 AM
#147
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
in my recent car shopping, a non starter (sic) was auto start/stop, i would not buy a car with it, except maybe mb's new electric transmission/starter system (on GLE for example) which should make it completely seamless although i've not driven one.
02-09-21, 08:42 AM
#148
Lexus Champion
You are running out of cars to pick from if you won't buy one with auto stop/start.
02-09-21, 10:59 AM
#149
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Anyone with a brain, you say?
Though you or I may not always agree (or disagree) with their findings, those who work for CR, and evaluate products, are not exactly empty between the ears. They are skilled professionals.
02-09-21, 11:22 AM
#150
Lexus Champion
IIHS is a good source for checking out headlight ratings. They do a good job of explaining their proceedure as well as their ratings. The '21 Encore (not a GX) with halogens received a Marginal rating. I didn't search to see if any of the Chevy counterparts have been tested yet.
2021 Buick Encore (iihs.org)
2021 Buick Encore (iihs.org)