Croc

I know the feeling. Last night I went to Lucy's, this awesomely good Mexican place at Pico and Union, after a night of drinking and it seemed like forever before my food came! I was doing the same thing...just staring at the counter waiting for the bell to ring.

I really don't have a good feel for the design yet...can't comment. I mean in theory I like the idea, but I'd have to see more of it (like a front bumper) before I can give an opinion.

And this right here is why I take issue with most of your posts. Not only do you have the gall to be very patronizing in the way you post, but you love making sweeping generalizations about "Americans" and "social circles," especially when someone disagrees with you. Since you seem to know so much about me, what is my social circle? Please tell me, I'd love to know just how far beneath you I am . Also, I'm really not sure where you get the idea I need to be lumped in with those on this site who are anti-Japanese. There are plenty of posts under my name that prove otherwise. Before you make generalizations about people, you should do your homework...it's pretty simple to do a board search of a members' posts. "You lot" again...so which lot am I a part of? Show me where I've ever said anything like that. Vauxhall isn't. It is a marketing division for General Motors, through which it consists of mostly RHD Opels and the occasional Holden-sourced auto. Holden is an active company, but is becoming less so...Vauxhall is not at all, hate to burst your bubble there. No, it's very common knowledge on here that the Antara was sourced from Europe. We get the Saturn VUE, which if not everyone, the vast majority knows is sourced from abroad. Maybe you found one poster who didn't know, but the site as a whole is very aware as we were following the development of both the Antara and the GMDAT-designed Chevy Captiva. What British auto industry? Jaguar, Rover, Vauxhall, Rolls Royce, Bentley...all have been gobbled up by global acquisitions. Are you referring to suppliers? Foreign-owned design studios, like the ones that have pumped out some fantastic Cadillac designs in recent years? Well, I can't speak for anyone other than myself, but in that situation I would have laughed. The American auto industry may be in a decline, but it is still one of the most important industries to the economy. Until GM and Ford get gobbled up through global acquisitions, there really is no room to talk about the American industry in that manner. Pompous as you may think that sounds, it's the truth. I don't have any gall--I said you are either grossly uninformed or an egomaniac. But judging as you always have to have the last word, and you never admit to being wrong about things where it has been clearly pointed out by others that you are ("scant availability" of diesel? Please...come to America and then try to tell me that)...it does not surprise me that you decided for yourself that I must have been calling you an egomaniac. Congrats, you proved my point. Well if I'm not your "buddy" then I'm certainly not your "mate." Please make up your mind. Don't read too much into my posting times--you still go out of your way to instigate arguments on an internet message board. And don't fret about my social life. It's not like I'm having meetings with professionals of my industry and making project proposal presentations for them or anything...or being heavily involved in several social organizations, or that I just came back from a film maker's party in Malibu, hosted by no less than one of the original members of Oingo Boingo...no since I made my post on a Saturday evening before jetting off to these obligations I clearly need to get a life You maintain the negative vibe with many of the posters you interact with. If your posts weren't consistently dripping with disdain for the other people on these boards, I wouldn't be having this discussion with you. That "greatest respect" part really has me in stitches. It's clearly apparent from the other replies in this thread that I'm not alone in feeling this way, and as one of the earliest members on this site, I'm not about to let it devolve into the petty ridiculousness that the TCC boards imploded into a few years back. If you want to post here, fine, post here. But don't be such an unpleasant personality on the board.

HAHA I'm sorry, but you're either an egomaniac or grossly uninformed. You make such a big deal trying to "educate" Americans on the virtues on Europe, while simultaneously displaying a level of ignorance about America that is simply laughable. Don't play the "oh! I wasn't being snide, you're just intimidated/jealous/insecure!" card on me, buddy. Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining. So the obvious question based on your post is why you specifically target posting on this site if the umpteen car enthusiasts you could talk to would agree with every word you say? It surely isn't to engage in intelligent discourse because you brush off any poster on here as an "ignorant teenager" if their opinion differs from yours one bit. You are openly hostile and insulting to moderators. If we are such a miserable crowd to be around, why the hell do you keep coming back? Get a life...

No, I won't chalk it up to humor (or humour). This isn't the first time he's retreated to making snide comments about McDonald's and Burger King when he's been corrected on something. He's got some issues with always being right. Back to the topic at hand... I think Northie is right when he speculated that 20 models = 20 bodystyles. That makes the most sense to me.

I'm well aware how different the two markets are, but with regards to the quoted portion of your post, that Europeans like choice, the two markets are not different.

The American market is no different; we just don't get all those configuration options offered to us.

I think it's a naming improvement.

How far back do you want to go? Pretty much every Vette since the 1st gen has the same shape with very few modifications made to the overall styling. The only "retro-inspired" cues I can think of would be retractable headlamps (not gonna happen) and...well, outside of the first gen that's about it.

I live in America, so whatever is available in Europe (but not the US) is completely irrelevant to me.

The starter?

WHATTTTTTT the diesels have been dropped????? DAMN...I was looking forward to a diesel CTC.

Looks good!

Yeah, but no humidity!

I've just been introduced to Kamel Reds...mmmmm so good. Time to have one, now that I've downed another Amp.

Good for you! Might want to look into upgrading the audio though. Surely GM made a stock CD player for those cars... ETA: I personally prefer OEM stock upgrades because 1) they're visually integrated moreso than an aftermarket, and 2) GM has some of the best ergonomics when it comes to function operation.

Artificial sweeteners are getting some anecdotal connections to slow metabolism. Coffee, on the other hand, has virtually no calories and the caffeine boosts your metabolism sky high. There's a reason a lot of people smoke while drinking coffee...the one-two punch revs your metabolism into high gear while simultaneously suppressing your appetite. In effect, you get to lose weight without feeling hungry.

The Cold War had the greatest impact on global politics of the 20th century...and WWI and WWII directly led to the Cold War. As an overarching theme, nothing else defined the last century. American culture was dependent on Cold War culture, the 90s were such a feel-good decade because we "won" it and the economy was booming...every decade was directly impacted by it from the 40s onward, and the 4 decades prior directly led to the creation of it. It's some pretty important stuff.

LOL smoking keeps the hunger in check.

Oh please. Biodiesel will happen, there's no reason for it not to. Current diesel engines can run biodiesel without any modifications other than a software reprogram. Any other alternative fuel requires major modifications to existing components. Hydrogen is not likely as there is no supporting infrastructure. Ethanol is unlikely as it really doesn't alleviate the problem and isn't a practical solution. Biodiesel has the existing infrastructure through diesel and gasoline distribution, and because of the ease of which to convert to using biodiesel, there is no real hurdle for it. The oil is going to run out. When is the only variable. What will happen if we do not have alternative fuels developed when the oil does run out? We cannot have our heads buried in the sand forever.

Oh no...now I can't speak for Northie on this, but I'm no "frat boy." Our chapter is constantly getting compliments from non-Greeks as "not being like a typical frat" or "a lot different than [the speaker] expected a frat to be." We're also the most liberal house on the row, and one of two with a democratic president. The other 15 are all conservative headed by republicans.

The walking is key. I've dropped serious poundage just by adding a 45-minute, 3-mile walk around my neighborhood every evening as part of my daily routine. Not only does it give me time to decompress and relax, but it knocks off 300 calories.

Because as originally launched, the SRX was a sales dud. So the V-series was not developed. Had it launched as it is currently appointed, it would have sold much better and probably would have had a V-series developed.

Exactly...and when rebates/incentives put the two cars in the same price range, then it becomes a "which size car for the same money" equation. If the Impala were a nicer car, with better materials, this would not be an easy, lateral comparison. These two cars should not be priced so closely together. This is very similar to the CTS/STS problem--the CTS is infinitely nicer, nearly the same size, yet priced cheaper. The STS is supposed to be a larger, more expensive car, but it lacks the craftsmanship of the CTS. Hence, the STS will die soon.

Well, I think the styling is actually fairly similar: