From: theise@panix.com   
      
   On Thu, 26 Feb 2026 19:17:43 -0600,   
     sticks  wrote:   
   >  On 2/26/2026 11:11 AM, sticks wrote:   
   >   
   > > Even going in this afternoon to get that other Bronco so I can   
   > > have the TOAD for myself.  Exciting times!   
   >   
   >  Well that didn't go as nicely as I expected.  Going to be   
   >  difficult getting the options we want on either a 2025 or even   
   >  a new 2026.  I thought I could just walk in and order up one   
   >  with what we have on the one we have now, but it seems we might   
   >  have to choose some things that aren't like the one in the   
   >  garage now.  Crap, I may end up getting myself a new one, but   
   >  then I have to install all the stuff for towing again.  I guess   
   >  now that I know how to do it it would be easier, but it's still   
   >  a difficult 2-3 day job.  Not happy....   
      
   Yeah, I ran into something roughly similar when I took my 2023   
   Acadia AWD Denali to the dealer for a repair.  While I was waiting   
   a salesman asked if I wanted to consider replacement with a new   
   one.  At the time the car was still only a couple of years old so   
   I had no real intention of reolacing it, but I thought it wouldn't   
   hurt to check out the options.  We drove the "equivalent" 2025   
   version and I did not like it.  It was slightly bigger, and the   
   worst thing was it wasn't offered with a 6-cylinder engine--only 4   
   (though turbocharged, or some such).  The sales person assured me   
   it would be fine for towing, but I was (and remain) skeptical.   
      
   A somewhat less bothersome difference was that the infotainment   
   screen was huge, and it seemed that much more a of the interface   
   for input was tiuch screen based (i.e., not obviously accessible   
   by way of buttons on the steering wheel or dash).  So that car did   
   not seem like an acceptable option to me, and I explained why.   
   Some forlorn hope my feedback might make a difference, but I doubt   
   very much it'll ever get back to the GM product managers--let   
   alone have any effect.   
      
   This'll become more of a real problem in the coming months.  The   
   car has taken quite a beating over the near three years I've had   
   it, the OnStar and data package that came with it expires this   
   summer, and it has over 70,000 miles.  So I'll be looking for   
   something new soonish.  I guess a plus is that now I'm not getting   
   it as a company car, I'll have a lot more options.   
      
   --   
   Ted Heise                Gretna, NE, USA   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)