The Lounge

Future GM North American Operations Please note that all information in this report is subject to change. GM is a very internally disrupted company at the moment and many programs have questionable futures. I will try to update and correct the information as I discover it and when I have a free moment. Also, I don’t include SAAB in my report, as it is part of GME, not GMNA. Chevrolet: Zeta: Impala (GMX551) development has been suspended indefinitely and development is now totally focused on a front-drive platform that’s larger than the 2008 Malibu. GMX551 was under scrutiny from the start of the study, which only increased in intensity as it progressed and new …

September 27th - October 1st Cars at Carlisle Who's going?

I finished my Christmas shopping at the Phesant Lane Mall in Nashua, New Hampshire at about 6:30pm on Friday. Left the mall in the Datsun, pulled out onto Daniel Webster Highway a few minutes later at a green light & put on my left blinker. I'm just about to turn, having yielded to a few cars leaving the Costco across the street, but just as I start rolling at about 15mph I slam on my brakes because I realise that one car in particular is not stopping at the red, in fact a set of HIDs is headed for me at a very scarry rate. I had about 1.5 seconds to react, I pull back in my seat and push the shifter into neutral, for a split second I think, …

The talk in the 2019 Mercedes-Benz G-Class thread got me thinking about SUVs for me. I want something big and comfortable with lots of torque. Prefer CPO to have a warranty and not deal with severe depreciation. Should have a 6,000lb minimum tow rating (Not that I tow, but that rating requires a tongue weight rating of 600lbs which is needed for a Mototote) I like cushy rides. Thoughts are: Jeep Grand Cherokee with air suspension Escalade/Yukon/Tahoe SWB XC90 doesn't have a high enough rating, but I do like it. What else am I forgetting?

Alright, so the big All-GM Nationals show at the Carlisle Fairgrounds in Carlisle, PA is coming up on June 20-22. In The O.C.'s post, I mentioned that Camino and I previously talked about getting a C&G Gathering together there in 2008. I have yet to speak with him about it further at this point, but this post is to gauge interest among those of you who'd like to travel to Central Pennsylvannia to attend this awesome show and be part of a much larger C&G gathering than what's occured anywhere else to date. As I mentioned already, if we have 25 GM cars/trucks register as a "car club", we'd receive reduced admissions costs, get to park inside of the show/on the s…

I think that in less than twenty years, McDonalds will run out of skinny people for their commercials and switch to a marketing campaign that basically suggests, "Hey, everyone else is eating here, you might as well, too!" Seriously, has anyone ever seen an even slightly overweight person chowing down on a Big Mac in their commercials? You will definitely never see a fat kid with a happy meal. Ignore it and it will all go away.

Got a Dell catalogue in the mail not long ago and looking through it really makes me want one. They're cheap and better than this 8 year old Gateway POS by a long shot. I can get a bare bones Dell Inspiron B130 for only $499 (well, $449 with discount) with Intel Celeron M, Windows XP HE, 14.1" XGA widescreen, 256mb of memory, a 40gb hard drive, CD burner/DVD drive, integrated Intel Graphics Media Accel. 900, internal wireless, a free color printer, and a 1 year limited warranty. Compare this to my 1998 spec Gateway Essential with Intel Pentium 3, Windows 98, 15" monitor, 128mb of memory, a 9.52gb hard drive, basic CD drive, and everything like printers had to be bought se…

Thanks to the Dodge Magnum for reminding the people that wagons are cool too... a sig from Volvospeed, a forum similar to ours. More later.

I guess I'll start this month off. 1977 Caprice Classic sedan in light green, perfect condition, driven in traffic yesterday. I remember how excited I was in the autumn of 1976, (I was 12 years old and a complete car FREAK) to see the brand new, smaller and very good looking GM B, C and D-bodies hit the streets. First one I saw on the road back then... was a yellow Electra 225 with tan vinyl top. I think I freaked my grandparents out with my hoops and hollers that day.

Well, it's the 1st of August. Seen anything you care to share, describe, and/or have photographed? Have at it. Today, I was driving down a major street with two traffic lanes in each direction that had residential homes on each side of it. I was in the right hand lane. Following me along in traffic in the left hand lane was a silver 2002-2003ish Olds Alero coupe. It sounded pretty good as it accelerated in the stop and go traffic. At a certain point, the traffic was stopped in front of a house with a silver 2002-2003ish Olds Alero sedan. At this point, these two silver Olds Aleros were perpendicular to each other. It was funny to me because just last night…

Not much seen yet this month, but this pic popped up in my FB timeline--my Jeep in my carport in Phoenix, as I was packing up 5 years ago today. That was the day I left the desert void for good...starting a 2100 mile drive to Ohio that evening. All in all, I've enjoyed life in green, rainy NE Ohio way more than desert life.

Yesterday I saw someone learning a 3-point turn in a Driver's Ed gray Dodge Challenger! I'm so jealous.

Discuss.

Metro Sled. Just in time for Christmas.....

what does your screename/username mean?

On CNN Europe they just reported that the cost at the pump will rise 30 cents a gallon in the USA, in the next 30 days. What are you paying at the pump there now, for regular and premium?

Flybrian's Random Car Showcase Presents... The 1993 Cadillac Sixty-Special Through boredom and...well, just boredom, I bring you the first in likely many little 'diaries' of a completely random car. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Throughout Cadillac's history, the Sixty-Special moniker was used to denote trims of the Series 60 Cadillac that were in some ways - well - special. The very first model to bear the name was the 1938 Sixty-Special, featuring a longer wheelbase, lower ride height, and no runningboards. Over the years, Sixty-Specials typically had slightly extended wheelbases, more chrome decoration, a top-tier Cadillac model, or simply the highest trim level of the…

What's a vehicle you like from a manufacturer you otherwise don't really care for? It can be old or new. My old one: Toyota FJ45 (After the the weak kneed drive train is swapped out for a Chevy one ton one of course: My new one: Iveco Massif. (Seriously, Fiat should import this as a Jeep, not whatever FWD Fiat clown car it wants to sully the Jeep name with this time.)

We are going to try again to use the new host tonight. So, C&G will be shutting down at 8:00 PM EST. The site will be down for a few hours before the new URL will be posted. Unfortunately, today's posts will be lost because the current server is too slow to retrieve them at this time. Stay Tuned.

Came out of 24hr fitness to find this near my Durango.

Car spotting for August!!! Well, I'll start with seeing my very first Sky. Sexy.

This is a Land Rover Freelander: Want to take a guess on where the main brake lights are? That's right. The brake lights are the two little red portions of the rectangles on the bottom of the rear bumper. The two circular lights were you would expect the brake lights to be are (as far as I know) just there for show. I was behind one of these in traffic the other night and following it was just as bad as if it had no brake lights at all (slight exaggeration but it was still disconcerting having to look at the bumper of a car to see if it was braking). The fact that the third brake light was out and the brake lights barely lit up any brighter when braking didn't h…

Does anyone have any experience with different types of siding? Sure, aluminum is old-skool, and vinyl is ubiquitous, but what about fiber cement siding? Does anyone have any knowledge of it? Is it expensive, and if so, is it worth it? Does the color stand up to time, or does it have to be painted after a while? Thanks!

But only for a short time, its time to restore my computer again after about 8-9 months since the last time....I know it's a little late in the year to say this, but my new year's resolution is no more internet porn. My damn computer is running like I'm on a 28.8 dial up connection. This damn computer is so clogged up with $h! that my Spy Killer dosen't even work anymore and freezes everytime I use it, I've even uninstalled it and reinstalled it to no avail. So now I must go, I leave you all for the next hour or so and hopefully the pastures will be greener on the other side....or at least my damn computer will run normal....who knows, but off into the…

If we assume that I don't get to have my G8 ST after all of the dust settles, and the automotive world fills with transportation appliances, what should be the last hurrah? I mean should I buy a top dawg Camaro in some loud color and stripes? Or flip GM the bird and get a Challenger? Other ideas? The object here is something nasty, anti-social, fast, and in your face. Something that says to the appliance-driving world "bite me". If things go really badly, this will be my final new car purchase, so it needs to be something that will wade through the Toyotas and re-badged Opels like Katrina through New Orleans. Something that says "FU" loud and clear. Get creativ…

self explanatory. the 10 most dorkiest vehicles you can buy today Honda Fit Honda Ridgeline Honda Civic Kia Rondo Toyota Corolla Toyota Yaris Toyota Prius Toyota Highlander (07) Toyota Tundra Subaru Forester honorable mention Subaru Outback Wagon Hyundai Elantra Hyundai Santa Fe Hyundai Veracruz (don't believe the hype, its a turd) Hyundai Azera Kia Optima Honda CRV Dodge shortwheelbase caravan without tinted windows Buick Terrazza Nissan Quest (i hate to do it, but it still is dorky) Toyota Tacoma any wonder these are almost exclusively, ahem, .......

I usually go to my mom's on Thursdays for dinner. This week, the conversation turned to this: mom: "Did you see the movie Brokeback Mountain?" "Yes" "Did it have a lot of pretty scenery in it? "Yes it did." "I heard it was a good story. What did you do when they had their little love scene?" "Sat there with the rest of the audience." "Did you see a lot of gay birds there? You're not"/ (I cut her off mid-sentence) "Most of the people there were ladies your age."/ on to a different subject chosen by her. Sorry to blog up the lounge with yet another angsty thread on this kind of thing, it's just hard to take that leap into the unknown. I wish I had some semblan…

Just curious what you guys think (2006 all-new/redesigned for model year cars/trucks) might not do well in sales this year....

So here's the deal. In November 2006 my partner started having an affair with a 68 year old rich guy. Those of you who know me well enough know that I'm not exactly hurting for money. After a few months of painfully trying to reconcile Chas and I finally split in the middle of February 2007. This, in effect, devastated me. I can't even look at an ad for a retirement home without wanting to vomit. Not only did I lose Chas, but I lost the family that came with him. I was very close to his parents.... his dad especially. I have no family here in Pittsburgh. I also lost a number of friends in the "divorce" leaving me feeling even more isolated. In the meantime, Ch…

Yup, cars are like a box of chocolates, ya never know what you're going to get. Post your surprises in here.

Back in 2002 or 2003 I saved up enough cash (give or take $400) and bought myself a new 35mm SLR camera - a Cannon EOS Rebel XSN: I loved that camera and used it for a couple of years, even though I received a small digital camera for my birthday in 2004 (the digital camera became my only used camera by 2005 or 2006). That camera has seen better days and I have to replace it. I'm no Chris Doane , but I do love taking pictures and have wanted a digital SLR camera for a little while. What I'd like to know if there is a recommended digital SLR for around $400 that I could buy? I also want to know if the 75-300mm lens I have for my 35mm SLR Cannon would work on a …

Yesterday afternoon, about 12 o clock....I towed home a 1988 Oldsmobile 98 Touring Sedan.....that I bought for $200. I think I must be crazy... in love.

AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas State Board of Education adopted a social studies and history curriculum Friday that amends or waters down the teaching of religious freedoms, America's relationship with the U.N. and hundreds of other items. The new standards were adopted after a final showdown by two 9-5 votes along party lines, after Democrats' and moderate Republicans' efforts to delay a final vote failed. In one of the most significant curriculum changes, the board dilutes the rationale for the separation of church and state in a high school government class, noting that the words were not in the Constitution and requiring students to compare and contrast the judicial lang…

To be introduced at the Istambul Motor Show (the same mototrshow where the 4 door Astra is to be unveiled, I believe), here are two links to articles re the new Fiat Linea: 1) http://blogs.edmunds.com/Straightline/1654 2) http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/news/fiat-get...nbul-208960.php I believe it to be Gamma-based, effectively being the "Grande Punto Sedan": the Linea is 4.56m in length with a wheelbase of 2.6m, while the Grande Punto hatch is 4.03m in length with a 2.51m wheelbase.

Felt pretty strong here.... I was 14 stories up at the time. Could see other buildings shaking.

What did you see in October 2013?

Hypothetical situation: you travel a good distance 5 days a week by car to and from your job. You are in the market for a new vehicle. Do you buy an inexpensive, economical vehicle since higher mileage at trade-in tends to affect resale value, and you know you'll take a hit, so why not get into a "throw-away" vehicle with a modicum of comfort and fun for the weekends? Or do you go with something bigger, nicer and more expensive BECAUSE you spend so much time in your vehicle, and that time should be spent in something with bells and whistles to make the slog more enjoyable and the weekends even more so? Seeking opinions.

Here's the next installment. This one opens up a lot of supercar choices, so we should see some good lists here. Rules- 1)Maximum of 5 choices 2)Production cars only 3)Any era and market is allowed 4)These are your only cars 5)Engines MUST have displacements ranging from 3.0 liters to 3.9 liters. Nothing that rounds up. Have fun.

Alright, heres a real thread, asking a real question. A lot of times situations like this are hypothetical, this is actually happening to me. Some of you know the details of this, but I'm curious to get your opinions. I know I'm new, and probably most of you know nothing about me, but thats actually a good thing. It'll make you vote with your gut. These are my specs, this is what I'm working with, and I'm in this precise situation: Your winter/daily driver car gets totaled. You're given a little more than $3500 for it. For that reason, you pretty much need to stick to a $3000 budget due to tax and title expenses. There isn't a penny extra anywhere for the new car over …

We've got three good-size fishtanks in my house: one in my room, one in my sisters, and one in the foyer. I cleaned mine out and took some pictures last night. /camera phone excitement

I'm on the way to work today and one sees headlines on the paper, the MSN home page and all kinds of crap. And then you can't help but think: Aren't both Presidential tickets lacking? At the time we need good leadership the most, we have (1) a reasonably likable but 72 y.o. Arizona Republican who picks a woman who just had a baby within the last 6 months and whose (national and) international political savvy is thoroughly questionable, and (2) a well-educated but almost completely inexperienced Illinois Democrat who delivers all this unsubstantiated rhetoric and sounds like a Bible church preacher if you're listening to him from the other room. Out of 302 million p…

" Say it with me now: U-S-A! U-S-A! In its first ever running at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the all-new Ford GT will start on pole and in second in the LM GTE Pro class. It’s a remarkable achievement for the twin-turbo V6 car just a year after its unveiling, and for a race exactly 50 years after the original Ford GT40's historic win at the 1966 running of Le Mans. Ford and Porsche fans, thank Mother Nature for the rain. Today’s two wet qualifying sessions offered few chances for teams to beat their fastest laps from Wednesday’s first qualifying session. Porsche 919s took an overall 1-2 in qualifying, and the Ford GT will start 1 and 2 in LM GTE Pro, too. The oth…

The year is 1957. You've just been promoted to Senior Adviser to the Assistant Vice Deputy General Secretary at the National Center for the Association of Institutes. Your new job requires a lot of travel and the need to impress people once you get there. Your current car is looking a bit dilapidated and isn't up to the task. Since the company is willing to pay the cost of a chauffeur, you decide a large four door luxury car is what you need. The only question is, which one? 1957 Cadillac Series 70 Eldorado 1957 Lincoln Premiere 1957 Imperial Crown 1957 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud 1957 Bentley S1 1957 Mercedes 300 1957 Jaguar Mk VIII 1957 BMW 501

Lord knows I don't remember each and every one of your screennames, so to all that have joined recently... Welcome to Cheers and Gears! Hope you enjoy the little corner of the web we've assembled here and found our group friendly - if not a bit eccentric - and worth bookmarking and revisiting many, many times. Be sure to check out every section of the board to see all we have to offer. I feel pretty confident that we have a little something for everyone. And even though our focus is on the future, we love GM cars of all ages (and maybe some other other makes, too) so feel free to post about whatever you'd like. And if by chance you don't find something you were h…

I found a fun way to see what candidate fits your desires of our next president. What candidate fits your views It picked Ron Paul for me. PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL TO CANDIDATES AND OTHER'S VIEWS. THIS IS TO BE ABOUT FUN, NOT SLAMMING OTHERS. LIMIT YOUR RESPONSE TO WHO THE WEBSITE PICKS FOR YOU AND NOT SLAMMING ON ANY CANDIDATE OR PERSON.

I was just looking at my signature and realized I've been on this site for 8 years as of today. Time flies...

Some pie-in-the-sky concept for a "Eye-In-The-Sky" lookout tower for Oakland, CA. This is the work of a real architect, not just some kid messing around with markers and Photoshop. I can picture the property values of the surrounding neighborhood sinking and the urban blight setting in if this gets built.

Before I begin, I just to let everyone know this is not another tree huggers rant. Scientists say 2007 may be warmest yet Im not sure how much this really effects those in the southern states but this weather is crazy. It's nice to have warm weather but something just does not sound right when there is no snow at all, alteast here in the Windsor/Detroit area, and tempertures resembling a spring day.

So the 2007 Leasebacks will be in at our dealership in mid November-Early December. After the Cobalt fiasco my dad wants to get the floatiest, wallowiest rental queen we can find. Lucerne CX would be perfect but it's beyond what we want to spend with the Allure only a bit less equipped for a few grand less. The leaseback figures our salesman has quoted us with says that prices would be nearly the same for all 3. He says he likes the Impala himself, but the seat issue continues to nag. My dad has a bad back from when he was run over by a stolen car at a police roadblock in the 1970s so he'd have to revisit the lumbar support to see if it makes any difference, but tha…

From posts I've read here in the past, I think I would be safe to assume that a lot of guys here like phantom builds, myself included. It's probably one of the better by-products the scales of automotive economy of the '70s and '80s gave us -- take one unassuming '80s ElCamino and throw some Pontiac Grand Am sheetmetal over it and -- presto! -- your GrandCamino ST awaits you. Well, I stumbled upon an ad on Craigslist today where a guy out in Lawrenceburg is selling an '83 Regal and an '83 Grand Prix for $900 each. He says they're easy resto projects. Despite how much I doubt this, I wouldn't mind having the Grand Prix as the basis for a phantom project of my own: build a…

Here's mine:

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