gmcbob

There's simply too much competition in the United States I think. I'm not saying it's a bad thing - look at how many crazy cars there are out there to choose from - but it really caught GM, Ford and Chrysler off guard. Ability to make profit aside, I still can't get over how during the late 90s and early 2000s, the Big 3 were cranking out trucks and truck based SUVs (good ones too, I owned 2 Sierras during this time) and simultaneously letting some of the most well known brands in history completely die. It's absolutely unbelievable. I think it's an incredibly good case study in how American industry can become extremely short sighted. Other than the complete turnaround of Cadillac, I can't really think of any real giant successes outside of their truck lines that GM had during the early 2000s (okay, the Z06 Vette). But during that same time period, the competition just got that much better with their cars. Rudy, my dad, the long time GM District Manager for Buick in the 70s / 80s (retired by early 2000s) totally could see it happening in the early 2000s. He'd say things like "what in the hell is GM thinking? Where is the Buick Regal Coupe? Toyota and Honda have mainstream coupes. What happened to the B-Bodies? - (I would always have to add the caveat "modern interpretation of"). He'd say "holy $h! Bob, how could they charge $34,000 for a Bonneville SSE? That car sucks". This is a guy that bled GM blue. I quote him now (from memory, not exact) "GM is going to be a shadow of themselves, you mark my word. The 'Japs' know what they're doing, thanks to old GM and Ford guys running their American operations, and GM doesn't know what the hell is going on nor do they know how to handle it". I'd laugh my ass off, because he sounded like a typical goofy old fart just complaining about anything that came to mind, but I think he was dead right when it came to GM. GM became a truck company, and it totally bit them in the ass not because gas would eventually get real expensive, but because nobody outside of the Midwest thought that GM built anything but Tahoes , Yukons and pickups. My wife's family (all native Houstonians) periodically talk about various cars they grew up with. It's funny to see that as they talk about the various cars they remember owning (her family is huge btw), it goes from Regals, Cutlasses and Mustangs in the 80s and early 90s to Maximas, Accords and Solaras in the late 90s and 2000s. None of them were truck owners. They didn't need trucks. Okay, her one (goofy) sister has an Explorer. But this is a perfect example of what happened. Typical middle class families that completely abandoned the Big 3 because I actually think they probably didn't even realize the Regal still existed in 2002 or whatever. Seriously. They may have heard about quality problems too, but I think mainstream consumers really thought that some of the brands simply didn't even exist anymore. IMO, Getting rid of Olds was single handedly the dumbest thing the company ever did. Period. Why they did that is just beyond all reasoning. They instantly lost at least 350,000 sales per year. Those customers are now trading in their cars for Toyotas and Hondas, I guarantee it. I think GM will be around, many analysts actually predict a 2010 turnaround in full effect. But my dad was right, they'll be a shadow of themselves. They became their own worst enemy unfortunately - it's real sad. Another thing that mystifies me - slow to market with good product. There should have been a CTS Coupe simultaneously launched with the CTS. There should be a Malibu Coupe (I've seen a ton of 2008 Accords on the road here, and maybe 2 or 3 Malibus - absolutely awful IMO - and many of the 08 Accords I see are Coupes). There should have been a rear drive Buick and Caddy flagship here in 2001 quite frankly - not heeing and hawing back in forth about whether there should be one or not in 2008 - Buick hasn't had a rear drive sedan since the 96 Roadmaster - inexcusable. Stupid. I like Lutz' ideas - but did he bother to visit cities outside Detroit, Cleveland and Buffalo? I see COUNTLESS Infiniti G and M models - they're like stink on $h! around here - half could have been rear drive Buicks and Pontiacs. And GM knew this 7 years ago and they're finally coming around to making a good car for Pontiac now? (G8). After years of lost market share and letting the Japanese have there run of the roost, it boggles my mind sometimes that GM management has lived in a complete market place vacuum. Absolutely inexcusable. And we don't even have to talk about how many Camaro sales went to Ford for the Mustang. Of course, Ford has made their own slue of stupid decisions in the past 10 years too. Everyone on here knows all this though - but they have to come to market with these new products mit schnell. We need real Buicks here now - not a 1 trick pony Enclave - we need rear drive sedans and coupes - even if it's Alpha architecture V6 smaller cars - like yesterday Bob and Rick. We need a GOOD small Chevy (think Astra levels of quality) at a good price today. Chevy needs a GOOD B class car - sorry, the Aveo kind of sucks. Bring over the Opel Corsa and let people buy it with a diesel. Why are you sitting on your thumbs? Screw CAFE - bring us the rear drive Impala now - it will help bring the brand some customers they haven't seen in a long time. Where is that rear drive Caddy flagship that every car rag has begged for since 1998? I see a lot of LS460s in Houston - half could have been $70,000 Zeta based DTS's - not 20 year old front drive platforms that sell $8,000 below sticker. We need this change immediately - all hands on deck. What are you waiting for?? Screw the E-85 $h! - the media and many of left of center science minded people are having a field day seeing through this nonsense - bring over your European diesels like right this second. Offer a 40 mpg diesel Malibu - blow Toyota's mind with that move. C'mon Bob and Rick - start really making some out of the box decisions here. You have thousands of crazy car fans like us demanding these types of changes - and all we're getting now is speculation and doom - I don't want to be forced into getting a Lexus or Infiniti because they're the only companies that make what I want. Put that new 4500 duramax in a rear drive Zeta Buick - holy $h!, what a game changer that would be. Figure out how to get your average 50 year old Avalon buyer to look at one - that will take a practical miracle - but you can do it. NOW DO IT. okay, too much coffee. sorry.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=new...id=amu7IIYCoDYQ Okay, I've been a little skeptical at how car companies interpret and report their own costs for a long time, so it's natural for me to really wonder how in the hell a company the size of GM, which still sells quite a few cars btw, can go from making profits pretty consistently to almost sudden death in 1 year (think 2004 to 2005)? I have to agree with the commentary for the most part - but haven't we been hearing this doom and gloom story about GM losing market share and going bankrupt , not being competitive, etc, etc, for a very long time? Here it is, 2008, and GM is still here. Something else I think when I read about how much money GM is losing, I have to wonder - how in the world is Rick Wagoner still around? I'm not knocking his ability as a leader (I frankly don't care), but doesn't it seem very weird that he's still around after 3 straight years of no profit? Either the board at GM has true vision - and thinks that GM has just hit a bump in the road - or they know something that we out here as spectators don't know. Like maybe GM really isn't in that much trouble? I know the economy blows, but I don't think it's going to blow to the point where GM would go absolutely bankrupt. I don't know. Thoughts on the article?

It will be interesting to see what happens. The whole other thing that bugs me is this failure to embrace diesel engines as a viable way to getting good mileage. It sounds like the Big 3 have some great diesel cars in Europe that I think with the correct marketing, would sell pretty well here in America. I'm absolutely pysched (and a bit shocked) to read about this upcoming 4.5L diesel that's supposed to be going into the 1500 trucks next year - but why not make that an optional engine (or even a standard engine) for a Zeta based (or mid sized Alpha based) Buick, Caddy or GMC 4 Door Denali XT? If the Germans can do it, then GM can do it too (in the US). I have this suspicion that because of this whole E-85 business, that GM doesn't want to promote diesel too much here in the States (talk about pigeon holing your business, I think it's dumb). Hell, that new 2.9L diesel V6 being developed for the CTS over in Europe would be a super awesome engine in the G8 or future Buick Zeta (if there is one) - or even this new small Alpha car that they're talking about now. That motor makes over 400 lb ft of torque (and it will more than likely almost instantly get them close to that 35mpg nonsense that our Govt. is mandating). Moreover, for us car nuts, it would probably be really fun to drive. Guys, I feel like we're fans of the early 90s Buffalo Bills - we have all the right talent , and even good coaching, but somehow we're still rooting for a team that's going to fall on its but in the Superbowl because of a few very obvious (to us) mistakes (the Superbowl in this case being actually respected and sought after in the market place).

Maybe the engine in the Solstice GXP? That would be pretty cool - a rwd car sized somewhere between the 1 Series and 3 Series with a 260 hp DI 4 cylinder Turbo as the base engine, a 306 hp DI V6 as an option as well as a torque monster small diesel (that will be offered in Europe). If it was well built, well appointed and priced around $28-32k, I think it would sell ok.

This was from my other post on this same topic - didn't see it was over here already Very interesting - So, if this is true, the G8 could actually become one of the more rare GM models ever put out in the United States. If Pontiac or Buick had a rear drive BMW 1-Series or 3-Series sized car with say, a 320 hp version of the 4.8L OHV V8 or the 306 HP DI V6, then that may be just as cool the Zeta based G8. I guess. I love the idea of a super sporty RWD car that's only 3300 lbs. or so (like my old Camaro), it would certainly be interesting to drive, especially with a Sigma style architecture. But having a large fast car seems more "GM like" to me (there's the old sentimental GM fan in me). Hard for me to get my head around this. That really blows about the potential fate of the big Zetas at the end of the day. Man, I was really looking forward to being able to actually have what is essentially a Caddy STS/Infiniti M45/ BMW 545 brand new with a $20,000 discount. GM really has a winner on their hands with this G8- and now, thanks to a Government that loves to meddle in our affairs every time we turn around...us big car/ rear drive go fast car guys are screwed. So, what's next, is the Camaro going to go on the chopping block too? I'm guessing that the Camaro is probably "off limits" per Master Bob himself - GM can't afford to mess that one up and only run it for 1 year - you'd have a riot of 60s muscle car fans 2 miles long with torches standing outside of GM headquarters asking for Rick Wagoner's head on a stick. (A new thought - maybe an Alpha based Camaro after the Zeta based Camaro is killed - with the same amount of horsepower...hmmmm....you'd get better gas mileage - physics doesn't lie) This begs the question; will Zeta live on in the form of the GMC Denali XT and more importantly for the reputation of Caddy - a real honest to God car that could hold it's own against the LS460 and the S Class/7 Series? Are they a foot, or on horseback? Do they know? Does obsessing over this make me insane?

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...p;rssfeed=rss01 By JAMIE LAREAU, AUTOMOTIVE NEWS "General Motors may build a Buick luxury car that is sized and priced below the LaCrosse. Executives are rethinking GM's U.S. product plans in light of new federal regulations requiring an average fuel economy of 35 mpg by 2020, company insiders say. The small Buick could be one outcome. The vehicle would be based on the Buick Excelle sedan that debuts in China by early next year. "I definitely think there might be a market for a luxury-crafted smaller car for Buick," says a senior GM source. GM would have to resolve where in North America to build the car. Also, executives are considering how to position it against other GM brands with compact sedans. The Toyota Corolla-sized Excelle is based on GM's new global rear-drive architecture, called Alpha, being developed in Germany. Sources say GM's product plans are affected in other ways by the new fuel economy rules: -- Pontiac now plans to sell 30,000 units of the 2009 G8 sedan, which debuts this spring. But fuel economy standards mean the car might not be a permanent part of Pontiac's lineup. -- GMC will get a small SUV at the same time Chevrolet will get a redesigned Equinox in 2010. -- Hummer probably will get a vehicle smaller than the current H3 — likely to be called H4. The small HX concept that debuted at the Detroit auto show in January previewed the vehicle. -- Saab plans to unveil a small 9-X concept car next week at the Geneva auto show. Automotive News Europe sources have called the production version of the car the 9-1. GM likely will produce that vehicle after 2010." Very interesting - So, if this is true, the G8 could actually become one of the more rare GM models ever put out in the United States. If Pontiac or Buick had a rear drive BMW 1-Series or 3-Series sized car with say, a 320 hp version of the 4.8L OHV V8 or the 306 HP DI V6, then that may be just as cool the Zeta based G8. I guess. I love the idea of a super sporty RWD car that's only 3300 lbs. or so (like my old Camaro), it would certainly be interesting to drive, especially with a Sigma style architecture. But having a large fast car seems more "GM like" to me (there's the old sentimental GM fan in me). Hard for me to get my head around this. That really blows about the potential fate of the big Zetas at the end of the day. Man, I was really looking forward to being able to actually have what is essentially a Caddy STS/Infiniti M45/ BMW 545 brand new with a $20,000 discount. GM really has a winner on their hands with this G8- and now, thanks to a Government that loves to meddle in our affairs every time we turn around...us big car/ rear drive go fast car guys are screwed. So, what's next, is the Camaro going to go on the chopping block too? I'm guessing that the Camaro is probably "off limits" per Master Bob himself - GM can't afford to mess that one up and only run it for 1 year - you'd have a riot of 60s muscle car fans 2 miles long with torches standing outside of GM headquarters asking for Rick Wagoner's head on a stick. (A new thought - maybe an Alpha based Camaro after the Zeta based Camaro is killed - with the same amount of horsepower...hmmmm....you'd get better gas mileage - physics doesn't lie) This begs the question; will Zeta live on in the form of the GMC Denali XT and more importantly for the reputation of Caddy - a real honest to God car that could hold it's own against the LS460 and the S Class/7 Series? Are they a foot, or on horseback? Do they know? Does obsessing over this make me insane?

"The power of the Borger" hahahahaha! that's actually pretty funny. Well, hopefully the desire for a 3300-3500 lbs. rear drive coupe/sedan combo (think lighter version of the 2008 CTS) by all of us car nerds isn’t falling on deaf ears within the company. It’s a much needed product that I’m sure, with the right drive trains, would get decent mileage. I could see a G6 or something with these credentials (and certainly a next generation CTS). My 98 Z28 got great highway mileage – it was rear drive and an absolute blast to drive. I believe it tipped the scales under 3400 lbs.

Ah, okay. The little VUE is actually pretty sweet (for what it is). A little heavy, but very nicely appointed inside.

Interesting. He'd probably be an interesting guy to have a few pints with actually. Hell, as would most of y'all (I'm from Texas) PCS, if you are reading this, I do have one question = a little off the topic of RWD GM cars, but why no sunroof in the Vue? My wife likes the Vue a lot, but she can't live without a sunroof.

You know, if Zeta is on the chopping block - then as long as they have a viable (read lighter weight) replacement, I'd actually be even more psyched about a GM rear driver. But then where would Caddy's (much needed) DTS replacement come from??? Hmmmm... My wife's 2002 IS300 is actually pretty sweet to drive (not as fun as my 98 Z28 of course) - if GM could stretch the Kappa platform or make the Sigma a little lighter on its feet, stick a DI V6 or even a high HP version of the 4.8L V8 in it or something, that would actually be pretty cool - no matter what brand got it (Chevy II or NG Camaro? or a smaller Caddy below the CTS). I guess this is the "Alpha" that everyone is buzzing about.?? I've said this before on this website - GM can't abandon RWD altogether - especially at Cadillac - it would be a huge mistake. Too many true enthusiasts like us would simply just walk away and go to Chrysler or Ford, or one of the imports. What is really going to happen in 2012 or 2013 with GM and rear drive? If no Zeta - will there still be Sigma 2 (current CTS) and what about a large Caddy? Thoughts, ideas?

What does he do for the company?

That's probably the case - which is what is truly amazing about the internet - we automatically begin trusting the words we read because something about information being written down makes it seem so much more concrete than it probably really is. Sure, there's websites like The Onion, but clearly everyone knows that that's creative satire. This PCS guy is someone who probably really thinks he's funny, but isn't. There's probably people like him all over the internet in forums that we may never see at all (for example, there could be some guy on an airliner enthusiast's forum that claims he works for Boeing and swears up and down that Boeing is pulling out of commercial aviation - I dunno - weird example of a possibility). At the end of the day, I think a lot what's written about the upcoming products from the major auto companies is very much gray speculation. This kind of begs another question; who from GM (that actually makes decisions and gives the company direction, etc, etc.) actually reads websites like this? I'd like to think that periodically, when there's time, they sit down and really assess what's being posted out there about their current and future products. Another thing - I wonder how many people that work within GM, (and Ford, Toyota, etc, etc, etc) in white collar jobs, even know what in the world is going on? Does the middle of the road management guy in procurement doing day to day buying for a plant (which I'm assuming is a non union job at GM) know for a fact that Caddy is getting a Zeta car, for example? Does the guy in some marketing office somewhere who orders cars for a fleet or something know, or the IT guy that comes and fixes the computer when the email goes down - do people at those levels know whether or not there will be a GTO in 2010? I wonder at what point in the company do you actually get to see "the future". I'm used to working in the oil industry, which is obviously quite a bit different. Nobody gets too excited about what the formula is for the next generation of detergents in your gas are going to be. I dunno, maybe some insane person does, but not me. But it feels like we're all kind of aware of what the future is going to bring - of course we aren't building insanely complex products that the general public is going to be walking into a retail outlet and financing for 5 years, but still...

Yeah, I have this feeling that if you're in the know at a company like GM, you probably don't have a hell of a lot of time to spend on boards like this. I certainly think it's cool for those who do have some time to drop a line now and then - and it's certainly healthy to have hobbies which include friendly socializing (which is what this is). But at the end of the day, I think those with a little time dropping lines on this board certainly wouldn't be revealing much about the company's internal struggles and future product plans - and definitely not spin it in a way that makes the company sound like they don't know what they're doing (like PCS did in all reality). Someone who did that would really just be asking for a lot of trouble if they were discovered - and would probably be fired I would think.

Is that guy really a GM employee, or just someone who has an odd sense of humor and likes to mess with the GM rear drive fans? I have this feeling that he's just some crazy guy that likes to jerk people's chains. I dunno, his posts just seem to immature for someone who would hold a job at GM (especially a management style job that would lend itself to knowing future product plans, etc, etc)

This is interesting. Something we probably all already figured (for Caddy). http://www.thecarconnection.com/blog/?p=815&DID=RSS

What would be awesome - if I had the time and the room, would be to restore the Impala w/the 396 in it, sell it, and keep the 454 to put in a good Chevy Nova or Chevelle from that same era (like 68 or 69). Hmmmm.... Or sell the whole thing and save up for the 2009 Camaro or a Pontiac G8...

I've got this real cool book on the history of Buick (the book itself is actually history - as it was written in the early 80s). Anyway, some real nice color photos in there - some of those 60s Wildcats were just INSANELY cool! I wish I had the money (and a patient enough wife!) to completely restore my 68 Impala. Probably very off topic but maybe you guys can steer me in the right direction or to the right part of this website on this, or can give me some ideas. I have the original 396 engine (in my shed) - the car has a 454 out of a 69 or 70 Chevelle (I'm honestly not sure). If I were to sell it, would it be worth it to put the original 396 back in it? I'm thinking the answer is yes - but I can't do it myself - I'd have to take it to a shop to have it done (I have no garage, just a carport, no tools, no time, etc, etc...). Thoughts? I think my dad was starting to lose his mind in the last few years of his life - why he yanked the 396 out to put a 454 (which wasn't even offered in that year Impala) is beyond me.

I agree with you for the most part about GM losing focus and really screwing up Pontiac - and true - it's probably a brand that deserves being saved, as I think some of their cars are really pretty sweet. But we all know it that GM has a very odd, if almost frustrating style of brand management, and more than likely, they won't really save Pontiac the way we'd like it to be saved. They'll inadvertently continue to kill it like they have been. GXP Turbo Solstice, a G8 and a, uh, what , a Torrent? Huh? Another very serious problem (if not the biggest problem actually), and this stems from GM's 12 or 15 years of bone headed brand management, is perception of Pontiac as a viable alternative to people who shop for rear drive, sporty type vehicles. It's going to be very difficult to get G37 Coupe buyers to consider a (superior) LS powered GTO type car over the Infiniti or 3-Series, or whatever rear drive performance car you can think of that's in that group of sweet spot performance cars. GM management is probably struggling with this very harsh reality in trying to determine what Pontiac should be. I'm not that pretentious when it comes to brands in general, so I'll go and buy a G8 over an Infiniti or something of that ilk, but I might be in the minority of professionals in their 30s who think like that. I don't know. A lot of my quasi-car loving friends have said that if Pontiac could put some real style in their cars (not like the recent 2004-2007 GTO), they would consider buying one. I'm thinking out loud - but a lawyer friend (girl), my age, recently bought a Solstice GXP - man, I'll tell you something, I didn't see that coming at all (she was a Camry driver actually) - so I don't know, maybe there is some hope for Pontiac yet?? Who knows.? I could see GM really thinking that Pontiac could make for some sweet G35/3-Series/IS350 killers - but they'd have to charge a price that I think people won't be willing to pay for a Pontiac. It could all hinge on the success or failure of the G8 to see what is going to happen. Ultimately, what I think we're going to see from GM is this: all the (big, not Solstice sized) rear drive performance cars that guys like us actually want going to Caddy - because they can charge through the nose for them. All the cheap to build G6 and Malibu type cars staying down at the bottom. GM wants to see this because my guess is the the profit margin on a G8 would not be anywhere near what it will be if it were a dressed up, option rich Cadillac "DTS" or DT7 or whatever its going to be called. Bottom line - those bozo's have totally screwed up a really cool car company. Sometimes I wonder if Bob Lutz and crew know whether they're a foot or on horseback sometimes.

I've made a few deductions about GM fans (and I'm one of them too) from this website: We're (for the most part) an insanely sentimental bunch. We're car enthusiasts who want to see a 1960s GM in a 2008 market place. I'm young (33), and I've probably succumbed to these feelings having grown up in a household where my Dad worked at GM (from the 60s through the 80s) and living in the "Rust Belt" of Western New York (now I'm in Houston, Toyota probably sells more cars in Houston than GM I would think). You know - if you dig GM and want to see them as a viable car company going forward, we're probably going to have to let go of our emotions when it comes to the "brands" (they used to be more like their own companies back in the 'good ole days'). As much as we hate this, the consolidation of the dealer network may be something that we all end up thinking is really cool. I'd absolutely hate to see Pontiac go the way of the dodo bird and Olds, but hell, if it ended up meaning that the current B-P-GMC dealers ended up with a Zeta Park Avenue or something (and my guess is that there would be a version of it sold with a Buick badge that would be close in price to the G8) - wouldn't that almost be better in a way? I think it has a nicer interior than the Pontiac. And the new "Alpha" car - what if that were sold as a Buick Regal or something? Most people - like the 99.9% of Americans who don't frequent this website, probably don't care much about (or for) Pontiac these days. It sucks. It hurts. Its painful. It's change - we hate change, it's tough to cope with the change - but unfortunately for the company we support and want to see come back into its own (viable, inspiring, maker of cool rides), we may have to struggle with the change and maybe, just maybe, become fans and spokespeople for brands we never considered within the GM empire. I don't know - if Pontiac were suddenly gone, but there were still a smaller (3500 lbs, IS350 sized) DI 3.6L powered Chevy or Buick, wouldn't that be enough to satisfy our thirst for rear drive performance and still buy GM? Hell, a car with Riv type styling, built in America on a small rwd. platform with that 304 hp Caddy DI V6 would probably be cooler than a G8 in my eyes. Moreover, if you could walk in the showroom and see that said car next to the V8 powered Park Avenue, wouldn't that be pretty bad ass? The more I think about it, if Buick were given Alpha (Buick Regal?) that would be awesome. If it meant killing Pontiac to do something like that, then so be it. We may have to let go of our emotions about Pontiac and start seeing the possibilities with the remaining brands. Incidentally - I've owned a car from every brand but Caddy - all have been rear drive too! hahaha. keep in mind, not of all of these were owned at the same time. Just the Jimmy and the old Impala. 1982 Buick Regal - first car. It was actually a POS but it was second hand and the people I got it from didn't maintain it 1986 Pontiac Parisienne - drove this car in 11th and 12th grade. It was awesome. It had some kind of trailer towing package or something so I think it had some tall gears. It had a 4 bbl carbuerated 5.0L V8. It also had some interesting styling and exterior features that you just won't find at all on today's modern cars (fender skirts, wire wheels, two tone tan and brown) - this thing would actually run with and almost beat my friend's brand new 1991 V8 Thunderbird. It was hilarious. 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme RWD - last year they made rear drive Cutlass. What's odd was, all the other divisions had the new FWD cars, but not Olds. My Dad found this thing with low miles on it in 1989, and I think he instantly fell in love. It was used by and being sold through a Caddy/Olds dealer in Houston. Apparently it was used as a loaner car for the dealer, so it was well maintained and in excellent shape when we bought it. That car was bad ass looking- but those were the dark days of GM having V8 engines that only made like 150 hp. It was still fun to do donuts in though. 1998 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 4A - ah man - I still have (wet) dreams about this car. It was cool as $h! w/the t-tops and the Gold Bose stereo. Took it on some road trips up to Denver - got f*cking 30 mpg on a stretch of I-45 and I-20 for the entire tank. The sound of that LS1 engine was just out of control. 2001 GMC Sierra ext cab 4.8L 2wd - simply just a very good pickup. No problems - multiple road trips to Seattle and Florida (yes, I put almost 90k miles on it in 3 years). 2004 GMC Sierra ext cab Z71 - had this for a business - had to sell it. ONly had it 1 year - but it was sweet too. 1998 GMC Jimmy - late father's car. Hasn't been too bad - but it's showing it's age now - the radiator got insanely clogged and had to be replaced - heater didn't work so I had to flush out the heater core - what a nightmare. That old 4.3 is pretty noisy at full throttle. It just feels so old now compared to all the new stuff out there. I'll probably be getting rid of it this year. 1968 Chevy Impala Convertible w/325? (might be 350) hp 396 again, late father's - very cool ride. Needs some work though. I may be putting it up for sale if anyone is interested. OKay, sorry for the long post. Coffee will do that.

Hmmm...really pretty cool. I have mixed feelings for that show - that guy is waaaaaay to smug for his own good. But I guess that's all part of it. I wonder how much the GXP version of the G8 will cost?

Okay, and send him one too. Walking around the Autoshow in Houston made me really wonder about Caddy and why they don't have a (competitive) large sedan. The DTS is so outdated its almost embarrassing really. The CTS is awesome, and the STS is still holding its own, but they need something like the CTS in terms of style but the size of a GS or LS Lexus.

I think you guys should do it! Seriously. Definitely put the website name on the back. Good idea. I'll also add that anyone who knows where Bob Lutz lives should wear it around his neighborhood!

I think Cheers & Gears should sell a t-shirt (in black, red and maybe GM blue) that simply says "Zeta is a Philosophy". Or would that be :gay: ? hahahahahaha All kidding aside, GM better still keep their plans to have at least a couple of compelling RWD cars in their future (beyond 2008-2009) lineups besides $40,000+ Cadillacs for us guys who truly want a performance vehicle but don't want a $750 / month car payment. Speaking of Caddy - hopefully GM ultimately decides to build the next DTS as a true honest to God, large, rear wheel drive car (think 7 Series or LS460) - they really need that type of flagship in their lineup. If this GMC vehicle makes into production (which I really hope it does , either way) , perhaps that will help with the business case (volume issues) for bringing the big Caddy to fruition. Does anyone on the "inside" know what the story is with that?

I like it! I'd seriously consider it today if it were on the market, especially with that new 4.9L engine.

I'm surprised PCS hasn't dropped in yet to piss on everyone's Cheerios?