Looking at used 2018 TourX Essence - questions

[quakerj]

In the hunt (literally; they seem very few and far between) for a loaded Essence 2018 TourX model. I'm seeing prices between 20-25K depending on mileage. Few questions I have:

Any issues with the panoramic sunroof? I'd rather not have this option but most models with conv package 1 & 2 include this. I'm not particularly opposed to it, just want to make sure there are no known issues.

Do the headlights have an LED bar/strip for running lights? I've seen conflicting info on this. The photo I've attached shows a sportback, just want to be sure the Tour-X is equipped with it.

Are the complaints about the 8 speed trans slow/lazy shifting really accurate? This will be a commuter, so not looking for a hot rod, but I do drive quite spiritedly on occasion and sometimes have to make quick passing maneuvers on rural roads.

Any rust issues? The two I'm looking at tomorrow (in Columbus, OH) spent their lives in Michigan and upstate New York. I live a bit south of Louisville, KY, so we don't have severe winters here, but I'm still concerned about any vehicle that spent 4-5 years deep in the rust belt.

Any other quirks / issues with this vehicle I should be aware of? I'm trying to keep purchase price under $25K, that puts me in 2018 models with moderate mileage (40-80K), or 2019 models with high mileage. Should I be scared of high mileage considering it's a DI injection engine that might be plagued with carbon deposits on the valves?

Any help with any of the above would be most appreciated, or anything else that might help guide my purchasing decision. TIA.

 

[floydwaters]

I have a 2018 Essence Wagon loaded including the sunroof at about 80K miles currently. I'll try to answer these best I can.

Any issues with the panoramic sunroof? I'd rather not have this option but most models with conv package 1 & 2 include this. I'm not particularly opposed to it, just want to make sure there are no known issues.

The sunroof was it's own option. The sunroof itself has been fine but the shade ate itself. It then took several months to get it fixed; first was a busted replacement part, then took forever to get the new shade. Once it was fixed, it's been fine (fixed at roughly 40K)

Do the headlights have an LED bar/strip for running lights? I've seen conflicting info on this. The photo I've attached shows a sportback, just want to be sure the Tour-X is equipped with it.

The Essence trim comes with the LED headlights and running lights. The link here is to the original brochure and at the end it shows the trim levels (base, preferred, essence) and packages. 2018 TourX Brochure

Are the complaints about the 8 speed trans slow/lazy shifting really accurate? This will be a commuter, so not looking for a hot rod, but I do drive quite spiritedly on occasion and sometimes have to make quick passing maneuvers on rural roads.

I came from manuals with this being my first auto in a long time. It's....ok. It shifts and is supposed to "learn". It gets up and goes fine but coming from a manual shift, I'm a bit biased. There is a tune from Trifecta that is supposed to greatly help the shifting but I haven't loaded it yet though I'd like to.

Any rust issues? The two I'm looking at tomorrow (in Columbus, OH) spent their lives in Michigan and upstate New York. I live a bit south of Louisville, KY, so we don't have severe winters here, but I'm still concerned about any vehicle that spent 4-5 years deep in the rust belt.

Mines in the northeast, no rust so far at all.

Any other quirks / issues with this vehicle I should be aware of? I'm trying to keep purchase price under $25K, that puts me in 2018 models with moderate mileage (40-80K), or 2019 models with high mileage. Should I be scared of high mileage considering it's a DI injection engine that might be plagued with carbon deposits on the valves?

The 2018 model is a weird in between one with the red needle (in the gauge cluster) mostly having the older QNX based infotainment system and the white needle models (in the gauge cluster) having the android infotainment (feel free to look on the forums regarding this topic....they get very, very in depth). Mine has the QNX and it's OK but I use Carplay in it 99% of the time. Also the Qi wireless charger in the console needs to be updated to work with modern phones though not sure if you can find a replacement kit anymore.

The biggest issue with the car is parts since it's a unicorn and orphan all in one. The drivetrain, engine is straight GM with the LTG 2.0 motor so that's not a big deal. It's all the other stuff like electronics and stuff unique only to this car. With GM selling Open to Peugeot then merging with Stellantis it's not a shock that parts may be tough to come by. There are some TSB's listed on here, particularly with ball joints in the front control arms (mine were replaced under warranty) and a recall for a brake sensor (also replaced under warranty).

With all that, I wouldn't give up this car at all. I've had a few cars (20 actually) and I love still how this thing looks and drives. I do a 100+ mile commute 3 days a week and fully enjoy being in my long ass wagon.

Best thing is have the car checked out where ever you get it and look on these forums for info/ help.

Good luck and hope your search pans out!

 

[saab93driver]

Check if the rear differential was ever replaced, if not make sure it isn't leaking (semi common problem along with it becoming noisy). I have 65K on mine, I bought it new. Rear differential just started leaking but no noise and will be replaced tomorrow. That's been my biggest issue so far with the car besides the infotainment brain died early on in the car's life. Oh, and mine has the pano roof, no issues so far...

 

[94cruiser]

Check the rear differential club thread.
There you can listen/watch video of the sound.

 

[garbageguy]

On our 2019 TourX Essence, the 8 spd trans sometimes needs manual shift - it wants to be in a higher gear than I sometimes prefer - not a big deal for me. The ASS has no shut-off button, so I'm used-to using manual mode the kill the ASS when desired. I'm used-to the auto-detect cruise control (forget the name right now), but wish it could be switched to "regular-old-cruise-control" when the front sensor gets snotted-up and you have no cruise control at all.

Al-in-all though, really like this vehicle

 

[bollox74]

I would not bother with non Essence models.
I would not bother with the Sights & Sounds package (I don't have it and don't miss it)
Do look for the 2018.5 model aka the newer Infotainment, at least for me it's been great and no problems with integrations.
Do look for driver package 1 & 2, it's what I have and I think it's great.
I have no issue with the transmission, I bought new and it didn't take long to adapt to being shared by my wife and I.
It's also a mileage eater on the highway!
Do get new tires on whatever you buy or at least make sure they are not OEM continentals.
I don't have a sunroof and would say it already has a lot of glass so I don't miss it - also the fabric on the cabin ceiling is light gray so it doesn't feel dark inside the cabin.
You also give up the sweet sunglasses holder with the sunroof.
Rust has not been a problem but honestly the paint/clear coat is not super robust, it's reacted to some "organic" spotting.

 

[Wag0n]

2018 fully loaded Essence here. No rust issues. Power feels the same as any other 250HP car. Transmission is fine. The only changes I'd make to the car would be cooled seats, auto-stop-start shutoff option and an option to use regular cruise control.

I've had a few issues here and there with mine but everything has been covered under warranty. The powertrain itself is solid and reliable.

 

[quakerj]

Well I looked at the two and found one to buy. I hate dark cars (they show every flaw on a sunny day), but the midnight blue color really drew me to it. It looks great against the dark grey cladding. Black interior was a must, I get dirty at work at times. 2018 (11/2017 build date) w/ 68K miles. Essense w/ conv package 1&2, sights and sounds, sunroof thing. Got them down to just under 22K for it and they weren't going any lower unless I financed. Carfax was clean, one owner (actually two but Carfax doesn't count the first 3-year lessee), this was the transplant from Michigan.

Looked it over on an overcast day which tends to hide flaws, and I saw some good and bad when I got home, typical of a 4-5 year old used car though. Few good scratches in the paint, a couple "somebody-scrubbed-too-hard" spots on the hood, things that I'll know are there, but nobody else will. I'm not going to stress over it.

Got it on my lift and I see wet spots under the timing cover of the engine, and on the transmission. I didn't study it enough to see where the transmission is seeping from, there's spots evident on top which has worked its way down to the side of the trans. No dripping or washback toward the rear of the car, so it's just seeping at this point. FWIW the rear differential looked clean, no leaking whatsoever back there, and PTU or whatever the transfer case thing is called looks clean.

Underneath looked decent for a Michigan car, one area of rust on the front subframe concerns me enough that I'm going to grind it down and weld a cover / stiffener plate over it. It's a very accessible area, so this should be a quick project that will give me peace of mind.

Fluids look good (still need to check trans though), very new Yokohama Tornante tires, interior is a 9/10 for a car this age. Front brakes I can tell have been replaced in the last 10-15K, rear brakes are nearly new-- still see some crosshatch on the rotor face. I identified GM logo on all pads, so this seems a dealer maintained vehicle, which Carfax seems to corroborate. Needs an air filter pretty bad, not sure how that was missed.

The car is absolutely lovely to drive. I love the low end torque and how effortless it moves. The acceleration doesn't seem as sprightly as the published 0-60 numbers might suggest, I think my '96 Maxima (which I'm coming from as my previous commuter car) would give it a run for its money, but not from a stop due to the Buick having AWD. The torque moves it with authority however. It drives so smooth that 3/4 of the way home from Columbus, OH, I nearly missed my turn onto I-65S in Louisville... Guess I found myself in comfort-bliss mode, gonna have to get used to that.

Drove at night yesterday and I love the headlights, they're amazing. Also didn't realize the dash lights up the way it does, really a stellar interior. Simple and elegant though the gauges are a bit cheap looking. Despite all the complaints/reviews mentioning cheap materials, they put the soft spots on all the right places even if it does have plenty of hard plastic throughout. It doesn't look or feel cheap to me except a couple places, like: The dang turn signal and windshield wiper stalks feel like two popsickle sticks were used as the buffer/cushion between positions. Horrible feel and very cheap materials used here. My wife's Kia minivan stalks feel like a Mercedes in comparison. Dislike the GM chime they use coming from the speakers, but at least you can get close to muting it. Also don't like how the horn is used as lock / keys left inside / etc. confirmation. Most makes use a separate chime or something so you don't alert everyone in the store you've arrived.

Haven't witnessed the automatic start/stop system thing yet, but my drive home was pure highway and I live in a rural area so I'm rarely stopped. Haven't commuted with it yet; my drive to work has a couple stoplights when I get into Louisville, I'll reserve judgement till I feel it kick off the first few times. Computer said I returned 31mpg on the trip home (reset it before I left). I should mention I plugged it into my scan tool and no system codes, overheating events, over RPM events, looked pretty clean to me. Wish I could view total engine hours with it, but haven't found that yet.

All in all a great car and I love it so far. Looks more expensive than it is, I wouldn't change a thing about the front end. Hope this post isn't too picture heavy, I'll post the underbody photos in a separate post.

Thanks again all for the help and input. The Essence is definitely the one to get. First one I drove was local (to see if I'd even like the car), a Preferred w/ S&S. Reminded me of a cheap rental car, hardly any features at all.

 

[quakerj]

Underbody photos:

 

[CPO]

I purchased my new 2018 white Tourx Essense, with I think all available options. 68,000 miles NO problems with anything. About to replace tires, I've had no issues with OEM Contis & will replace with similar. I do some Lyft driving, and everyone comments how nice the car is. I traded a 2014 Range Rover for it and while there some quality differences they are merely quibbles.
I have replaced Sunvisor's with earlier Regal extendable ones, replaced all emblems (except grill logo) with Vauxhall ones, top has been vinyl wrapped in black, aftermarket wheels added. in 2021 I did a 7700-mile, 33-day loop of the country, and the car performed flawlessly, and as someone here mentioned it is a mileage eater, with several 700-800 effortless mile days! I live in the SF area, so weather & rust issues aren't an issue.
Good hunting!

 

[saab93driver]

Underbody photos:

Unless you pulled it off for photos you’re missing the skid plate that covers bottom of the engine.

 

[quakerj]

Unless you pulled it off for photos you’re missing the skid plate that covers bottom of the engine.

Indeed, I pulled that hunk of a skid plate off for photos. All the cars I've ever dealt with until this one had cheap plastic covers with push pins that break every time you remove them. I can't be the only one who's seen countless cars on the highway with plastic skid plates flapping underneath and wondering when it's going to tear off and fly into the front of my car.

The metal plate and real bolts was a breath of fresh air, and is in great condition, rust free.

 

[saab93driver]

Indeed, I pulled that hunk of a skid plate off for photos. All the cars I've ever dealt with until this one had cheap plastic covers with push pins that break every time you remove them. I can't be the only one who's seen countless cars on the highway with plastic skid plates flapping underneath and wondering when it's going to tear off and fly into the front of my car.

The metal plate and real bolts was a breath of fresh air, and is in great condition, rust free.

The OE bolts tend to strip easily.

 

[94cruiser]

You have the Dark Moon Blue Metallic

Wait till you see it washed and in the sun.
Looks amazing and will look different at different time of the day or different angle.

I had a loaner GMC with that color and was at awe.

My second favorite color is the Rioja Red...

 

[floydwaters]

Congrats on the new ride! Love that blue, I still haven't even seen one of the blues ones in person yet.

 

[quakerj]

Congrats on the new ride! Love that blue, I still haven't even seen one of the blues ones in person yet.

I really love the color and surprisingly in full sun it's not that bad about showing flaws / swirl marks.

I've commuted to work in it the last couple days and it returned about 25mpg both days-- 35 miles each way, mostly highway. I'm not real enthused about that, was expecting better. I reset all the transmission adaptives and every "driver learning function" I could find in my scan tool, so maybe it will improve once it learns me. Also replaced plugs, air filter, oil & filter, cabin filter, the regular maintenance items I felt might be due around 60K.

This thing is a real treat to drive and flies on the highway when you want to pass people. No comments at work about it, I work a blue-collar job and live in truck country (where everyone complains they have no money because their lifted truck sucks gas to the tune of 14mpg), so I'm definitely the oddball. That's okay; It's absolutely checked all the boxes for what I need in a commuter car.

Auto stop/start system I'm 50/50 on. Sometimes I feel it's a good feature, but there's times I really dislike it. If it had some kind of sensor/intelligence to sense where you are and how long you are going to be stopped, I wouldn't complain a bit. But two times today, it killed the engine in inappropriate places, once when I stopped for a split second at a light that just turned green and was 1/2 second from the car in front of me moving, and in my dang driveway while I waited for the garage door to open, which takes less than 10 seconds. I'm going to have to get practice at the "throw it in manual mode" trick.

 

[bollox74]

I find that it's quite easy to feather off the brake pedal to re-start the engine at stops without moving or even releasing the brake. Takes just a little practice but I do it all the time at lights/stops.

 

[garbageguy]

Congrats on your new ride!
The varying perception of color is ONE of the things The Admiral and I really like about this car. I'm used to shifting into manual when I don't want ASS, and paying a little extra attention to how her drivetrain feels is another bonus in driving this vehicle

 

[jclin4]

Although you are not in a super cold place, your mileage will improve as weather gets warmer. Mileage in these cars are very sensitive to temperature.

Congrats!

 

[quakerj]

Although you are not in a super cold place, your mileage will improve as weather gets warmer. Mileage in these cars are very sensitive to temperature.

Congrats!

I had a hunch about that-- I've been watching mileage closely (according to the display) and it does dip down quite substantially at cold starts and during warm-up. I'll wait till this tank is empty to do the actual math (miles traveled vs. gallons to fill), but it looks like it's going to settle in around 25mpg. Not bad for colder weather but I was hoping for more considering my commute is 90% highway driving with no stops. I'll keep you folks updated.