The new Cruzer

[2004LB7]

I think I would rather have a Cruze Diesel then the Hellcat. Well, I wouldn't turn one down if someone gave one to me as I know I could always trade it or sell it for a Cruze

I almost bought one later last year but picked up another VW Jetta TDI. This time I got me an 06 so not part of the recall. My 09 is going back. I just recently finished up installing a larger turbo, studs, stage 2 cam, injectors and a tune. Way more fun to drive then before. Supposed to be about 170~175HP and maybe 300 or so torques :woott:

 

[TheBac]

Hehe....finally got off my butt and got that 2015 Equinox nav unit I bought reprogrammed for the Cruze. Works just like its supposed to now. Even has those little lines in the display that move when the steering wheel is turned when you back up.

These new MyLink radios arent really that difficult to figure out. They work the same as the GMT-800 radios used to when doing retrofits and such. They just need far more indepth reprogramming by people who know what they're doing. Dealers cant.

 

[Blackmax123]

The nav unit would be a nice upgrade. I had to ditch my stock goodyear tires. Kinda a shame for only having 34k miles on them.

Who programmed the head unit for you?

 

[TheBac]

A guy named Chris White from White Audio and Media Services did the reprogram. Its not cheap, but he's the only person I could find to do it.

If its just a VIN clear/relearn that you need done, Specmo Enterprises can do that. I had experimented with a 2013 Buick radio to start with, and they charged me $50 to clear the VIN from it.
The radio fired right up when I installed it, but it still had the Buick Intelilink symbols on the start screen, and the backup camera and bluetooth wouuldnt work due to the internal programming not matching what the Cruze was looking for. Thats why I went looking for a Chevy model.
I found White thru a Camaro forum and emailed him, and he said he could reprogram either radio to work with my car. I sent him the 2015 radio. He did what he said he could do.

 

[TheBac]

With Buick Verano 18x8 wheels installed. Me likey. Finishes off the look I wanted. Looks more upscale to me now.

 

[zakkb787]

Looking good Tom! Now just needs some legal ceramic tint.

 

[Dozerboy]

Very nice.

All your snow melted already? I think my family up north is getting hammered right now.

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[clrussell]

Really thinking about one of these to daily if the new job comes with a truck.

 

[2004LB7]

Hay Tom, what are you getting for MPG on that thing? And are you playing with EfiLive on it yet?

 

[TheBac]

Very nice.

All your snow melted already? I think my family up north is getting hammered right now.

We've had a little warm up this week. 55* today. Supposed to get 3-5" next Saturday, though.

Hay Tom, what are you getting for MPG on that thing? And are you playing with EfiLive on it yet?

Winter fuel, winter tires, something like 35mpg hand calc'd.
No, havent screwed around with EFI yet. I really should get that new V2 I bought out and play around with it a bit.

 

[Nathan.]

That is a good looking car! I want to drive one and compare it to my TDI. I know the interiors on the Cruze will be better for sure.

 

[TheBac]

That is a good looking car! I want to drive one and compare it to my TDI. I know the interiors on the Cruze will be better for sure.

Thanks. Honestly, to me they are essentially the same car.

 

[Nathan.]

Thanks. Honestly, to me they are essentially the same car.

That's true. For what they are used for they are probably very similar.

 

[2004LB7]

When I was test driving some if the diesel cruzes when I was in the market, it seemed the transmission was a little bit mushy compared to the VW DSG transmission. The steering was different, not really worse just something I would have to get used to

The interior was for sure nicer. I think the engine has a lot of potential.

Would have picked one up but all where out of my price range, then I found a replacement TDI for less then $4k that wasn't part of the recall.

EfiLive was a big selling point for me on the Cruze but couldn't swallow the price people wanting for them

 

[TheBac]

That's true. For what they are used for they are probably very similar.

I think GM brought their engineers a 2008 Jetta and said, "Copy this the best you can without making it LOOK like you copied it." They are that similar.

 

[TheBac]

My good friend Mark just bought an 05 Grand Prix, but it needed tires.

Well, it just so happens I have a set of almost-new 235/50r17 tires on my Cruze's "old" wheels, which of course arent doing anything other than take up space in my garage. Hmmmm...so I do some research....
Interestingly, it turns out diesel Cruze wheels are within 6mm offset of the GP wheels, the same bolt circle, and the tires are within 1.1% size-wise to his 225/60r16's, so.....

Mark got himself some new tires. :roflmao: I just asked him to give the wheels back when he's done with them. It also allows him to put winter tires on his old 16's.

They look pretty darn good on that old GP. Gotta love a win-win like that.

 

[Dozerboy]

Lol that worked out good. Looks good too.


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[TheBac]

New 35% tint, courtesy of our old friend Darius (4warned).

I think it turned out really nice.

 

[TheBac]

Got a new fender for Mark's GP and installed that today too. Turned out to be a good buy.

 

[TheBac]

Been a while since I updated anything on this.


I should've taken my mechanic's advice about his Cruze freezing up in the winter seriously.

Temps got down to -16* on Wednesday and my Cruze wouldnt start after I got finished with work. Fuel gelled up. Had to call Roni to come pick me up. She had fun with that.

Took three days, almost a whole bottle of 911 and temps getting back up into the low 20*s for the darn thing to start again. So I learnt my lesson -- use anti-gel additive on every winter fuel up in this car. Sometimes you learn your lessons the hard way. I wish someone would come up with a fuel filter mod for these cars to move the filter up into the engine bay.


My truck, on the other hand....it hadnt been run in a couple weeks, and Im thinking, "Oh great." But I plugged the block heater in to warm it up a bit and threw the battery charger on it to hedge my bet. After a couple hours in the same -16 temps, it started, but it sure wasnt happy about it. It got a dose of anti-gel, just in case....
Ya know, other than that fuel line air leak on the trip to Missouri and the bad alternator wiping out a set of batteries a few winters ago, this truck has never let me down.