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what is the upper panel on the back of the passenger seat that's not on the driver's seat?
I think that is just reflection from the sunlight on the white rear edge of the passenger-seat and D-pillar trim contrasted with the black edge of the rear cargo-cover. The specs call this upholstery "Beige", but it is, in fact, almost white....a very light Ivory. There is also, of course, latch-hardware on the tops of the outer-rear seats for the seat-dropping function, and the usual hardware for Child-Seat-Attachment that is required by law.
BTW.....back to an earlier issue we were discussing, Buick does require a 500-milebreak-in for the engine and 200 miles for the brakes, although, of course, that is less than what was required in the past. That's why I suspect that, along with warmer weather this spring, a few more miles on the engine will give me better MPG, one of my very few negatives with this vehicle so far, particularly since I run it in FWD most of the time, and only engage AWD with the button once in a while to keep the hardware on it warm and lubed.
This...from the Owners' Manual:
New Vehicle Break-In
Caution
The vehicle does not need an elaborate break-in. But it will perform better in the long run if you follow these guidelines:
. Do not drive at any one constant speed, fast or slow, for the first
800 km (500 mi). Do not make full-throttle starts. Avoid downshifting to brake or slow the vehicle.
. Avoid making hard stops for the first 300 km (200 mi) or so. During this time the new brake linings are not yet broken in. Hard stops with new linings can mean premature wear and earlier replacement. Follow this breaking-in guideline every time you get new brake linings.
Following break-in, engine speed and load can be gradually increased.
Been very pleased with this vehicle so far......and I get a lot of compliments on the color-choices. Just a couple of minor complaints. As I mentioned in the last post, MPG hasn't been quite what I would expect from this drivetrain....although I expect that to improve a little with time. Second, GM's disable-switch for the annoying engine stop/start feature only cuts it out for one ignition-cycle...you have to repeat it every time you start the engine. I'd much prefer a switch that allows you to shut it off as long as you want. Third, backing up in reverse, at a stop, can sometimes be quirky...easing off on the brake pedal slowly instead of releasing it all at once sometimes produces a momentary lurch/stop before the vehicle continues backing up. Other than that.....I love it. The three-pot engine has not been as objectionable in its noise/vibration levels as I thought it would be, based on my first 2020 Trailblazer/Encore GX teat-drives....Buick really does a good job with its Quiet-Tuning.
I believe that bitkahuna was asking about the backside of the front passenger seat.
OK.....Thanks, Tri-C. Sorry about that, bit. Yes, I see what you are getting at now. That is a thick re-inforcing/protection-panel on the back of the seat, that, when the seat is flat, allows you to carry long narrow objects (up to 8-feet long), resting on the back of the seat, without damaging the soft upholstery/trim-maerial underneath.
The Trailblazer and Encore GX are unusual in this class in that the right front-seat folds flat, and the rear-seat has the 60/40 portion on the passenger-side instead of the driver's-side. That makes for excellent utility/versatility.
i don't know how i missed this, mike. i suppose that i don't login as much now that i don't own a lexus even though this is the best car forum that i've come across hands down.
congratulations! you seem to be quite happy with your new acquisition! drive it in good health!
i don't know how i missed this, mike. i suppose that i don't login as much now that i don't own a lexus even though this is the best car forum that i've come across hands down.
congratulations! you seem to be quite happy with your new acquisition! drive it in good health!
Thanks. Yes, a couple minor complaints, but, overall, quite pleased with it. If you haven't seen the associated threads, Steve (SW17LS) has a new Mercedes S550, and bitkahuna a new Lexus LC500. The Encore GX is not much vehicle compared to them, but, overall, suits my driving (needs) perfectly.
BTW.....back to an earlier issue we were discussing, Buick does require a 500-milebreak-in for the engine and 200 miles for the brakes, although, of course, that is less than what was required in the past. That's why I suspect that, along with warmer weather this spring, a few more miles on the engine will give me better MPG, one of my very few negatives with this vehicle so far, particularly since I run it in FWD most of the time, and only engage AWD with the button once in a while to keep the hardware on it warm and lubed.
This...from the Owners' Manual:
New Vehicle Break-In
Caution
The vehicle does not need an elaborate break-in. But it will perform better in the long run if you follow these guidelines:
. Do not drive at any one constant speed, fast or slow, for the first
800 km (500 mi). Do not make full-throttle starts. Avoid downshifting to brake or slow the vehicle.
. Avoid making hard stops for the first 300 km (200 mi) or so. During this time the new brake linings are not yet broken in. Hard stops with new linings can mean premature wear and earlier replacement. Follow this breaking-in guideline every time you get new brake linings.
Following break-in, engine speed and load can be gradually increased.
thanks! i'm sure from a liability/warranty standpoint they need to put that in there so if anything breaks and the car was THRASHED when new, possibly even from unfamiliarity with the vehicle, they could avoid paying.
however, i never really do any of those things ever in any car. of course driving at constant speed is less avoidable if one uses cruise on a highway. but what does that clause really mean? don't drive one constant speed for how long? one can't be constantly varying speed.
about avoid downshifting to brake/slow, i guess one shouldn't use paddle shifters at all then during 'break in'.
interesting part about the brakes there... you know i think i've only ever had brake pads replaced once in total on all the cars i've owned. when i know i have to slow down, i give myself plenty of distance to do so. of course there's accident avoidance type braking which would be more firm/abrupt, and now even cars themself will do that.
thanks! i'm sure from a liability/warranty standpoint they need to put that in there so if anything breaks and the car was THRASHED when new, possibly even from unfamiliarity with the vehicle, they could avoid paying.
A lot of You-Tube reviewers DO thrash the turbo-three engine, trying to prove to everybody that it's got more spunk than the previous non-turbo 4-bangers used in the older Encore line. All a bunch of nonsense IMO, since people don't get this type of vehicle to try and win drag-races LOL.
That said, however, because, on the turbo-1.3L, the torque-max is at a very low 1500 RPM, even though I myself am not an aggressive driver, I notice some jumpiness right around initial-throttle, unless you feather-foot it.
however, i never really do any of those things ever in any car. of course driving at constant speed is less avoidable if one uses cruise on a highway. but what does that clause really mean? don't drive one constant speed for how long? one can't be constantly varying speed.
I agree this restriction can be somewhat over-stated...what it is basically aimed at is people taking delivery of a brand-new vehicle and then immediately starting out on a long trip, on the Interstates, where they will be driving several hundred miles at constant or nearly-constant speeds. It would (hypothetically...not actually in fact) be a scenario like Steve and his family taking delivery of their new Pacifica in the D.C. area, and then starting out immediately down I-66, I-81, and I-64 for one of their Beckley, WV trips at a constant 65-70 MPH or so.
about avoid downshifting to brake/slow, i guess one shouldn't use paddle shifters at all then during 'break in'.
My Lacrosse had paddles and an E-Shifter...the paddles would override the system and upshift/downshift without having to formally go into manual mode...though, of course, you could do that first if you want. The Encore (thank goodness) eschewed the E-Shifter and has a traditional PRNDL fore/aft shift-lever, but, conversely, you don't have the convenience of the shift-paddles......instead, it has the relatively common GM rocker-switch button on the upper-part of the shift-lever for manual-shifting.
interesting part about the brakes there... you know i think i've only ever had brake pads replaced once in total on all the cars i've owned. when i know i have to slow down, i give myself plenty of distance to do so. of course there's accident avoidance type braking which would be more firm/abrupt, and now even cars themself will do that.
Living in pancake-flat Florida terrain like you do, brakes on your vehicles naturally won't get much heavy use unless you are an aggressive driver or hit a lot of stop and go traffic. If my memory is correct, you were previously in Atlanta, correct?...which isn't as flat as Florida, but not as hilly as the Georgia Mountains northeast of the city.
anyway, glad you're enjoying your new car!
Yes, the little turbo-three is growing on me....more so than I thought it would. It's obviously not as silky as the V6 I had by any means, but the people in the Buick Quiet-Tuning-department still earned their pay. And, as I stated above, it will get out of its own way at least from low speeds.
My only complaints, so far, have been having to play Musical-Chairs with the disable-button for the engine start/stop feature every time I drive it, and MPG that (so far) is not quite what I expected. Of course, keeping the idle-stop system disabled like I do does use some extra fuel....particularly in D.C.-area traffic. And another thing that might be affecting MPGs is that, even with a light foot, this engine runs at somewhat higher RPMs than the V6 did. There is an aftermarket system that supposedly disables the idle-stop once and for all, but I'd rather not add it, as I don't want any potential warranty problems arising from altered electronics.
Thanks. Yes, a couple minor complaints, but, overall, quite pleased with it. If you haven't seen the associated threads, Steve (SW17LS) has a new Mercedes S550, and bitkahuna a new Lexus LC500. The Encore GX is not much vehicle compared to them, but, overall, suits my driving (needs) perfectly.
oh, yes, i did see those threads. i knew you were getting yours as well i just wasn't around when you actually took delivery and created this thread, so it looks like you are pretty happy and while no car is perfect, i'm glad that the encore gx suits your needs.
agree this restriction can be somewhat over-stated...what it is basically aimed at is people taking delivery of a brand-new vehicle and then immediately starting out on a long trip, on the Interstates, where they will be driving several hundred miles at constant or nearly-constant speeds. It would (hypothetically...not actually in fact) be a scenario like Steve and his family taking delivery of their new Pacifica in the D.C. area, and then starting out immediately down I-66, I-81, and I-64 for one of their Beckley, WV trips at a constant 65-70 MPH or so.
Well, 80 MPH lol. I would do that in a brand new car without hesitation. In fact we bought my wife's Prius in Huntington, WV and drove it back brand new off the lot and have driven brand new cars on trips several times. Modern cars today don't need any special treatment.
I've never driven a car uniquely to break it in and have never seen any adverse effects of not having done so.
There is an aftermarket system that supposedly disables the idle-stop once and for all, but I'd rather not add it, as I don't want any potential warranty problems arising from altered electronics.
I have such a unit on my Pacifica, and for the Mercedes there is an OBD plug that I'm going to order which will deprogram it. No reason to be concerned at all, dealerships will have no way of knowing a unit like that was installed.
I would do that in a brand new car without hesitation. In fact we bought my wife's Prius in Huntington, WV and drove it back brand new off the lot and have driven brand new cars on trips several times. Modern cars today don't need any special treatment.
I've never driven a car uniquely to break it in and have never seen any adverse effects of not having done so.
Since you usually lease every few years, you may not really keep a vehicle long enough, or log enough miles, to see long-term ill-effects. In some ways, I don't either.
Oil-consumption issues don't necessarily start overnight, even with improper break-ins. But engineers put those break-in requirements in the book for a reason....not to just take up space.
As for the Prius, not necessarily a valid comparison. Its gas-engine does not run continuously.....part of it is the electrics.
Since you usually lease every few years, you may not really keep a vehicle long enough, or log enough miles, to see long-term ill-effects. In some ways, I don't either.
Oil-consumption issues don't necessarily start overnight, even with improper break-ins. But engineers put those break-in requirements in the book for a reason....not to just take up space.
As for the Prius, not necessarily a valid comparison. Its gas-engine does not run continuously.....part of it is the electrics.
The cars that I have kept over 150-200,000 miles never had any special driving when they were brand new either. I've never owned a car that used ANY oil.
Prius gas engine runs continuously on a highway trip.
The vast majority of drivers don't follow any break in schedule, and their cars are fine.
Interesting. Looks like GM is going to dump the smaller 1.2L turbo on the next Korean-market version of the Chevy Trailblazer, the Encore GX's brother. We'll see if the American-market Trailblazer and Encore GX follow suit.
02-14-21, 12:34 PM
The three-pot engine has not been as objectionable in its noise/vibration levels as I thought it would be, based on my first 2020 Trailblazer/Encore GX teat-drives....Buick really does a good job with its Quiet-Tuning.
The Encore GX is not much vehicle compared to them, but, overall, suits my driving (needs) perfectly.
