regfootball

i thought a different grille, red gauge lights, and optional 'denali' was all

cheap cheap as long as it runs (but it still has to be perfect) is primarily all the traffic i am seeing these days. 5 grand is too much!!!!!!!!!! even 4 grand is too much!!!!!!!! Once especially when gas topped 3.50 again. Everyone by necessity or just mood is being tight. I appreciate that, because i am tight too..... but at the same time, we have a culture right now where everyone thinks they can 'drive for free'..or close to it...it's just putting off the inevitable. Pay now a little more, or prepare to get bent over later. A few extra bucks now will save the sticker shock a year or two from now when they again will be looking because they dumped a huge amount of money in something they likely should not have now and really should have shelled out a few more bucks. starving the new car cycle and late model used just is going to push prices up across the board even more. of course it's also often people with no work, or faith in job security or faith in the state of the nation...the future beyond the next 18 mo......and that all goes into a whole nother conversation. If Fred Sanford sold cars today he could make a nice living off selling -already experienced- autos.....

i can always assume my wazukis will at least outsell one brand...........saab LOL

cruze is easily my fave here but its is amazing how the cruze has more space numerically yet the jetta has enough leg room for real adults in the back.

I had my first Prius experience today. After that, pretty much anything in the compact class is way more fun in comparison.

Someone visited our shop this morning with a new Focus hatch. EGG.

just kind of a loose thread to get everyone's thoughts on all the new compacts and subcompacts out there. Lots of nice new entries and now some of them have been on the road for awhile..... here's a few random thoughts I have had. Seen several new Focus on the road, but they seem bland and egglike to me. Sort of like Contour 2.0. Not enough definition. Still, not at all ugly...just a little underwhelming now that they have been out. I do like the interiors, although they feel cramped. Lack of 6 speed manual bugs me. Still like the Cruze Eco although I think the Focus has a nicer interior. Been seeing more new Jettas now. Warming up to them on the outside. Depends on color. Saw one in red tonight and the body lines and shaping are much more dynamic with brighter colors. Elantra will have short shelf life to me, I think. They did do a good job with it though. Forte looks way dated and cheap already. Haven't seen any new Civics except in the showroom and they were cheap inside. Crappy dash and cheap cheap and clautrophobic. New Accent seems like it might be as nice or nicer than the Elantra. Mazda3 is really becoming a joke, with its overstyling. New Impreza pics do nothing for me. Nissan Sentra could probably stand a reskin only and do fine as long as it came with a new Interior. New Versa looks atrocious. Seeing many more of these cars on the road.....Fiesta is picking up steam around these parts....

CONGRATS!

the thing about the Cruze Eco is its a real car, fun to drive, feels well made. Gas savings are a plus. But even an LS is a good Cruze, you just can't get Cruze......control with it. I know you are thinking buy......I actually have seen new Regals advertised at under 23k now.......and of course Malibus and Impalas are very reasonably priced as well if you want to get something larger. I myself am curious at how well a Regal might lease right now.

exactly

agree on the rear bumper but it sure has a sexy BEE hind

I've got your choice, a nice smoking oval taurus or nice smoking oval sable (pre2000), take your pick, $1593, your neighbors will be able to smell you burning crude a block away........!!!!!! j/k......another Oldsmobile to replace your LSS?

5500 rpm limit and less smoothness is a turnoff......you might as well put a pushrod motor in it then

The Suv and crossover fads threw Lincoln off it's core. Here is really where Lincoln ought to be. A new rwd architecture possibly shared with other products. But a new LS should come out of it, an possibly a new large sedan. Aside from that I like the MKX type vehicle. MKT and navigator are questionable in te future. A smaller crossover is needed I think And maybe an MKZ lives for the camry set. Lincoln needs one or two brand defining models. Like a convertible and a small performance vehicle Ah hell, it's too hard. Shut it down. Lol

a couple weekends ago i managed 40.2 hypermiling on an urban freeway trip of about 50 miles in my cobalt. But its been stinking in the heavy stop and go since. trip computer shows 25.2 since i last reset it.

HHR was nicely done but needed to modernize.......updated powertrains, new interior. I think the cabin could stand to be a couple inches wider and a bit more trunk. hyper is right, to redo a retro is tricky. New new beetle does this ok. I think a new HHR would have had to emulate a different vintage of chevy truck. But as a package, the HHR was just about perfect.

oh dude, i completely missed this.......... i thought u still had yer truck!!!

built in oshawa

there is just too much competition out there. Ford would have to stop making performance models (i.e. why have a SHO if there is an MKS turbo) and also, make em unique. As an example, Lincoln could have a roadster where ford does not. I think FOrd would be embarrassed to give up Lincoln if Caddy is still around. Real question is why is either Caddy or Lincoln are still around. But it probably is more sense to pump money into Lincoln than it did to pump big dollars into Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin, etc... (although Jaguar is getting the last laugh now). Ford must think the luxury car buyer demographic will expand in the next 3-4 years. Lincoln's best way to exist IMO is to actually scale back and try to operate at the 60-80k range and maybe with 3-4 models. If they do want to expand they will have to go back to RWD bias platforms.

where the f@#k do you get that lie from

the lacrosse's plood looks cheap and overall is too plasticky compared to the nice regal interior. lacrosse isn't bad, it just needs to keep up to the regal, which is on a next level of detail and quality inside.

i can see Opel working if they have the Astra hatches and the Corsa line. They still would have the Verano. Keeping the Opel name is low risk........no threat to tarnishing the Buick heirarchy if the hatches and corsa are low volume...... And Astra OPC 3 door I could love in my driveway.......

LaCrosse needs big interior improvements. Aside from that, its a good car. Interior materials, assembly and design needs enough of a makeover so the cabin is more on par with the Regal and not have issues like really cheap looking wood, messy controls, cheaper plastic, and door pulls you can't find.

Sonata is a good car but drive both sonata and regal and it's pretty damn obvious the higher quality feel of the regal. Consider now also the sonata hybrid getting panned for poor execution. Hyundai only has so much cache on the sonata. Most buff books have said regal is just a few powertrain and suspension fine tweaks from turning into a really well done car. I met a regal owner who said the adjustable ride feature transforms the car. GS should perform well. Not everyone wants a BMW or Mercedes ......or Audi. People blow money on turds like the maxima....and regal will still prob outsell many German competing vehicles. Biggest knock on regal is curb weight and we all know that current poems have been porky. Non 5 star cars are unsellable however and the IIHS and insurance industry have a sterling grip on the buyers influence.

pay in the last ten years. 10k in 2000 = 6k in 2011. medical insurance in 2000 = 200 a mo. 2011, lucky if you can get it. all your other bills are twice as much. bottom line. cars similarly functioned and equipped have not gone up so much in the last 10 years. As an example, a new Impala at 20 grand wasn't much less in 2000. But your earning power and affordability are out the frickin window. My Cobalt was 13k (10k after my GM card), i know the same car one year old now with miles on it is more. I would gladly pay more for this Sonic.