Forbes Positively Rips Cadillac Escalade EXT

[Chief]

And guess who else? Yup - Car & Driver in their March issue. I guess a side-by-side review of the Lincoln Blackwood review by C&D and the Cadillac Escalade EXT are in order. Wonder if they will have the gonads to criticize the Cadillac's cargo carrying capability, when it is almost double that of the Lincoln, and you have a removable cover.

Well - here it is in all it's ugliness. BTW, the reviewer at Forbes sure doesn't get this market - either that or we're all a bunch of latent 16 year-old kids!

http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/2002/02/18/0218test.html

 

[ygmn]

The master of web searches you must be chief!!!

 

[PACKFAN]

Try moving the slide bar on your screen up and down kind of quick.......you can make the Caddy bounce on it's shocks Must be that special traction control.

 

[j166a99]

hahahahahh, i actually tried it!!

man i must be really bored...

 

[sinyster]

i read the article.. ad frankly.. after owning a benz i can see how much utility a nice truck can have.. i mean i ride atvs all the time the truck ould be used for atvs pets home impovements and so on.. i see no reason for forbes to blast the EXT like that.. i mean.. i know plenty of people that buy a nice big suv for just going around in the snow around here... no hauling nothing else.. if you actually are using it to haul some of your nicest toys.. why not do it in style.... right?

 

[pdxkevin]

... either that or we're all a bunch of latent 16 year-old kids!

You write that like it is a bad thing.

Nice find! It would be interesting to get some of the behind the scenes politics that effected this article.

 

[midlifecrisis]

Two-ton oxymoron? Did the EXT go on the Atkins diet?

 

[THEOFILOS2002]

Chief,

I must agree with the article. ?The first thing I thought when I saw the EXT's specs is: this thing is far too luxurious for the what it is supposed to be. ?Lets face it, trucks are sopposed to be ruged workhorses. ?Okay, you might groom and pamper the thing, but when it comes time, it is fully capable of heavy work. ?If this weren't the case, aside for the looks, a minivan would to the job. ?But this is not the case - minivans a people and light package hauler. ?Our AVs are workhorses that can haul ass. ?The EXT will be treated more like a minivan. ?

Don't get me wrong - I like the EXT fine but the pick up truck utility is completely wasted. ?I would buy if for the novelty before I buy it for its work prowess.

If I had money to burn and I wanted to give the illusion of doing my own work like, lawn work, gardening, carpentry, recovering large boulders from a stone wall, buying and installing kitchen cabinets and ceramic tile floor all of which I have done, I think some people might believe it that used the EXT. ?I think all people would believe it if I owned an AV.

THEOFILOS2002

 

[NJAV]

I couldn't see owning the EXT and willingly drop a load of dirt or anything else for that matter in the bed....maybe a bunch of grocery bags....but that's about it....It would be really cool to look at though...

 

[zimmthumps]

That reminds me of about every truck commercial out there today.
I mean come on... Who really buys a $30,000+ truck and then drops a couple thousand lbs of dirt, rocks, wood, steel, or anything else that you seen them dropping from about 10 feet high from a crane...

 

[NJAV]

That reminds me of about every truck commercial out there today.
I mean come on... Who really buys a $30,000+ truck and then drops a couple thousand lbs of dirt, rocks, wood, steel, or anything else that you seen them dropping from about 10 feet high from a crane...

Hey Zimms...I see you caught a glimpse of the new GMC commercial huh....although I don't think anyone would be that calm after realizing what had happened....

 

[THEOFILOS2002]

Hey ZimmsAV,

Point taken. Don't forget that is a commercial. 2 tons of dirt falling from 10ft, no matter how gradual the load increase, would probably damage the truck.

On the other point, yes the sticker on my truck was $38K (actually paid $29K - loaded and all costs included) and YES I expect it to perform like a big beefy truck - and it does and it is no worse off for the wear.

Short of a tuxedo and cocktail dress afair, the AV does 95% of it all.


The tuxedo and cocktail dress party is left fot the EXT.


Just my opinion. Hey come on, if you bought a Lamborgini, it would really stink if you never took it up to 180mph.


Oh and that reminds me. I was in Germany on business this past August. First time I've ever gone 140mph (spedometer pegged), pass a POLIZE cruiser (and they could have easily caught me), and not get chased, stopped and arrest. Not that I have in the US but DAMN I would not mind doing business there on a regular basis, just fill my need for speed.



Cheers!

THEOFILOS2002

 

[Mexican_Menace]

The EXT will be treated more like a minivan.

Well, if MTV is to be believed, the EXT is designed to haul around scantily clad hotties.

But I can do that with my AV without shelling out the extra blingage.

 

[milb440]

The guy who wrote that is a goof... he had his opinion formed before he even decided to do the "review." ? ?

I just could not sit idly by and ignore that mess...
Here is the e-mail that I sent to FORBES Magazine:

Whoever wrote this "review" of the Cadillac Escalade EXT should be ashamed... unless it was written as a parody for MAD magazine - I had been under the impression that Forbes was a somewhat more credible resource.

Just because he can't afford a luxury SUT, or has no appreciation for true utility is no reason to trash a great vehicle! Not to mention his extensive use of exaggeration. I am 5'10" with average length arms, and I have no trouble whatsoever loading and unloading the cargo area. In fact, my 5' tall, 98 pound wife has no trouble loading and unloading groceries and other small items. How he can be 6' tall with long arms and struggle to do so is a mystery... or at best an exaggeration to support his unfounded bashing. ?Unless he did not disclose that he was trying to load 18" long items, and stack them up at the front of the box by the midgate, what he said makes absolutely no sense. Furthermore, he states that loading the cargo area requires "...climbing up and taking off each (cargo cover section) every time you need to load up the truck..." That is completely ridiculous. The only time I can even begin to imagine that you would even consider doing such a thing is if you were hauling a LARGE load of very small, heavy items such as bricks, which is also ridiculous - if you need that many bricks, just have them delivered! ?I have used my cargo area roughly 5 times per week over the past 4 months, and I have yet to remove even ONE panel.

The back seat is CRAMPED and uncomfortable?
Show me ANY truck at all that has more room in the rear seating area, and more comfortable seats. I recently retired from a Ford dealership, and the seats (front or rear) in the F-150 he mentioned do not even come close in terms of comfort. Obviously, he didn't actually sit in one or both of these vehicles.

By the way, he referred to the bed mat as "non-stick."
Would that not imply that things slide easily? In reality, the bed mat is comparable to velcro in function, it holds items as if they were tied down in all but the most extreme situations. But he seemed to understand that... perhaps he just needs some new cookware.

While I agree that it is indeed "...unlikely that anyone will be filling the back of the EXT with a load of manure..." (that's some classy journalism) that is obviously not it's intended purpose. For carrying some lumber or other items from the local Home Improvement store for a ?DIY project, there is nothing better! The EXT and Avalanche offer very easy access and the ability to carry 8' long boards with protection from the elements. On days when it is not raining, they can carry 10' long boards without any overhang, or even 12' boards with a minimal 2' overhang... try that in ANY other highline SUV! ?(Actually, you can add about 3 feet to each of those lengths, if you use the area over the center console for a small number of boards!) We also have additional cargo capacity on the roof, as well as on the hard Cargo Covers which hold up to 250 pounds... EACH! (Yes, as a matter of fact I do walk on them when washing and waxing the roof - no damage at all.)

Doing any Christmas shopping? Show me ANY other vehicle that will enable you to securely stash lots of gifts completely out of site while you go to the next store. Oh sure, you can put a few things in the trunk of a sedan, but buy a microwave and a stuffed animal and you are out of luck... everything else has to go in the back seat. (Now where do you put the kids?) EXT and Avalanche owners do not have that problem - we can put an entire holiday's shopping securely in the back and still have room up front for 5 or 6 adults - comfortably!

What about the same scenario in a traditional SUV?
Don't even bother locking your doors - if you take the items we can fit in the back and pile them up on, around, and under the seats in a typical SUV while you go to the next store to shop, you might as well put up a "FREE GIFTS" sign on the roof and leave the doors open. Any thief can spot the goods and empty the vehicle before you even get to the electronics department.

He wants to point out the fact that the EXT and Avalanche are not the "best" trucks on the market - nor are they as comfortable as a luxury sedan. (Finally an element of truth to the article!) However, what he doesn't seem to be able to grasp is that we have the best of both worlds in one great vehicle! While the rear seat is not as comfortable as a DeVille, these vehicles will carry 5 or 6 passengers on a long trip in "much better than average" comfort, with exceptional road manners, the ability to handle obstacles that would put a sedan in the body shop, and the added benefit of over 3 tons of "security" and peace of mind. And while they were not designed to carry a "load of manure" (funny that he mentioned that cargo specifically... he must have been running low since he shared so much of his with us all through this article) they will carry almost any typical load that MOST people will ever need to carry and still have room and comfort that are unmatched by any typical truck. If someone has the need to carry such loads, they need a long bed truck - GM never implied otherwise.

Obviously, if you have a real need for a sedan, you should buy one. Similarly, if you haul large, ?dirty loads on a daily basis, by all means buy a long bed truck! For those of us who want the best handling SUVs on the road, with the added benefits of unmatched secure, hidden cargo capacity, plenty of interior room with luxurious amenities, and the versatility to do just about anything we would ever need a vehicle to do, EXT and Avalanche owners have made the BEST possible choice!

I could go on for days about all of the reasons to love the EXT and Avalanche, but if you would like to give your readers a REALISTIC review, or if you would like more information, Visit www.cafcna.com to see how a community of EXT and Avalanche owners that has grown to over 4500 members in under one year feels about every aspect of their ownership decision!

This message represents solely the opinions of an individual in response to an EXT review, and was not written, edited, or endorsed by GM or its subsidiaries, or CAFCNA membership, management or staff.

Yes, I did send the disclaimer as well...
you never know these days. ?


Seven ?

 

[gandolphxx]

Outstanding job Seven.

Keep in mind that his review is 10 months old - these few EXT threads popped up when we dissolved the EXT forum - sorry about that.

 

[milb440]

Outstanding job Seven.

Keep in mind that his review is 10 months old - these few EXT threads popped up when we dissolved the EXT forum - sorry about that.

Hey, that's OK...
if I had just read an article bashing my previous '97 or '00 Wranglers, or '95 Maxima SE that were written 5 or 7 years ago, I'd have done the same thing... it needed to be said!

Some vehicles (when the intended purpose is kept in mind) just do not deserve to be bashed!

When you have the Best of the Best, some people just want to try to stir things up a bit.

Seven

 

[Avrunner]

True - why put so much dirt in a lux truck? That's why the pratical side of the EXT doesn't give too much of an advantage over the Blackwood. But, every once in awhile it'll come in handy.

BUT - the Blackwood sucks. I mean, its a truck! Why does it come ONLY in 2wd and only in black? These crucial points killed it.

 

[ColoradoAV]

BUT - the Blackwood sucks. I mean, its a truck! Why does it come ONLY in 2wd and only in black? These crucial points killed it.

That's FORD for ya ! Only they would come up with dumb ideas like that.

 

[kbavalanche]

Didn't seem to be much of a review, seemed to be more of an indictment of the lifestyle. How dare someone spend $50,000 on a truck?? I would tell you it makes more sense then spending it on a car. You would get a helluva lot more use out of a $50k Escalade EXT than out of a Porsche Boxster.

KB

 

[Skidd-au]

Well said seven, glad to see the issue being corrected at the source.

FWIW Personally I find it funny that some members of this board would rip it up the EXT just because it costs $50K and it's supposed to be a pick up.

Heck most pick up owners would laugh at av owners who pay over $30K for a pick up and lets face it a lot of club members will never carry anything in the back of the their av (and yes I know that some will & do).

Lets face it folks the EXT is just a level above the av, but it is the same truck for all intents and if I could afford one I'd have it.

The above is JMO.

 

[byron]

Lets face it folks the EXT is just a level above the av, but it is the same truck for all intents and if I could afford one I'd have it.

The above is JMO. ?

I agree. The EXT has a few features that would rock on the AV. It is a level above. However I don't think I would own one if I could afford it. I like the unpainted cladding on the AV. Its just more rugged and agressive looking. I would however get a maxed out Z71 if I could afford it. I imagine I could get CLOSE to $50k.

 

[spectron65]

?I like the unpainted cladding on the AV. ?Its just more rugged and agressive looking.

I agree with you completely byron. I saw an EXT on my way to work today. It was white, it was clean, it was new, and it was too "uppity" for my taste.

The cladding really attracted me to the AV like magnet. I love that "on steroids" look, that "getoutamyway" look, that "Mad Max" look, that "omigod, what the he** is that" look.

If the initial offering of the AV was the WBH version, it wouldn't have captured my imagination. Then it was just another pick up truck in a world of look alike Chevys, Fords, Dodges, and ricers.

Because the EXT is an upscale version, of course GM had to put features in it not found on the AV to justify the (inflated--IMHO) price markup.

But I would rather take the difference in $$ between the two and max out the mods up the ying yang on my fully cladded AV.

The EXT's I have seen both on the road and up close in dealers just doesn't do it for me.

But that's just me

 

[Alaska_AV.]

Ya load her up with horse chit!
And watch it strain out the 4 large drain holes

Good job seven

glad you shortened it from, seven of the eleven