DetroitNut90

I think it's more due to the angle of the pictures (especially the second one) because the official shots don't bring this out, but I kinda have to agree with loki--the back reminds me of a mix between the old Equinox and the current X5. Not that it's a bad thing, it's just what first popped into my head looking at these. I'm also digging that blacked-out look.

Unless you know that you have a deficiency in a vitamin or mineral, it's not necessary to buy supplements. Loading up on an element when your body receives enough through endogenous sources (body processes) and/or exogenous sources (your diet) just creates expensive pee.

I thought the Odyssey did have a bit more road noise than the Traverse and it rode a bit more stiff, but I also thought it handled just as well. I tried to get them to look into a Flex, but neither of them liked the way it looked. It's also smaller than a Traverse, and that was as small as mom wanted to go.

On 95 today I saw a white Miata from Ohio that was being driven by a man who looked exactly like Stanley from The Office. I also passed by a grey GT-R this evening. Kinda unexpected.

I'm gmfan378 on Steam.

I tried to get my mom into a Camaro as well, but she doesn't like that it doesn't have a 3rd-row seat. They're gorgeous cars, though. And that's one hell of an engine under the hood. 3.6L SIDI ftw!

The Venture we traded out of was also AWD. For whatever reason, my parents think that AWD helps when we're putting our boat in the water, in case the ramp is slippery, I guess. They also like it for when it snows or rains or the roads ice over. Mom kinda pushed dad into the LTZ because she wanted the Odyssey and he wasn't really budging from the Traverse. So I guess she figured that if she couldn't win, she'd get the model that she wanted. Great negotiation on her part. The famous 3.4L intake manifold problem had begun to surface, and the mechanic we take our cars to for service quoted $2000 or so to fix it. And part in the back of the van that we had replaced under warranty had begun to start making a horrendous noise when you'd go to park or maneuver in a parking lot. Granted, those are really the only problems that were GM's fault. About 45,000 miles ago, my mom took it to Jiffy Lube to get the oil changed and the dumbass who was working on the car put windshield washer fluid in the antifreeze reservoir and vice-versa. Ever since then, it's had a problem with overheating (we were never able to completely get the gunk that formed in the internals of the engine out). Because of this, the rear heater in the van stopped working and my little cousin who's living with us broke the rear fan control switch. We just figured that it was the right move to make, instead of staying with a money pit. And thanks, I guess? This is the first time we've ever unloaded a car before it really couldn't run any longer.

Back-to-Back: 2010 Chevrolet Traverse 2LT and 2010 Honda Odyssey EX-L Silver Spring, MD—Yesterday, my parents and I went out to buy my mom a new car. Her Venture hit 105,xxx miles recently and still had a lot of life left, but the problems were beginning to add up, especially since the intake manifold had begun to fail. Rather than sinking $2000 into a car that was only worth about $4000 anyways, they decided the time had come. We narrowed the choices down to a Traverse 2LT or an Odyssey EX-L, and went to a nearby autopark in Montgomery County to sample both. Our first stop was the Chevrolet dealer. They had an incredible selection, ranging from the base LS to the loaded LTZ AWD. Mom and dad had decided that no matter what they bought, they absolutely didn't want a top-of-the-line model. Our salesman showed us to a FWD 2LT in a handsome Gold Mist color with the Traveler's Package, which is new for 2010. The Traveler's Package combines the rear DVD player with the in-dash nav system into a bundle deal. After he slapped a dealer tag on the back, we took it out. The Traverse had wonderfully responsive steering. The wheel was weighted well and feels nice and tight, especially when compared to the Venture. The Traverse felt substantial when steering, but not in a bulky way, more like substantial in the sense that proper engineering went into it. The ride was exceptionally comfortable. It was smooth and ironed out the bumps of our roads, but felt nowhere near as floaty as the Venture did, which crashed and shuddered over bumps and bounced over humps. It was also an attractive-looking car, inside and out. The interior as tested was black with cloth seats, and although it was somewhat dark on the inside, it was still a nice place to be. All of the controls were located logically and were intuitive to use. Comparing the Traverse to the Venture again, it's no contest as to which has the better interior. There's style here, whereas the inside of the Venture was a study of form after function, or maybe just function, since there was no discernable form to it. The majority of plastics inside are of the harder variety and I wasn't a fan of the cloth used to upholster the seats, but it's put together well, and that's what matters. My favorite part about the Traverse, however, was the engine. Equipped with GM's new 3.6L 24-valve DOHC V6 (LLT) with variable valve timing and spark-ignition direct injection, the Traverse 2LT makes 281 HP @ 6300 RPM and 266 lb-ft of torque @ 3400 RPM. Although it's rather hefty, the Traverse moved with an unexpected authority. All of us were surprised by this, especially my dad. The 3.6L revved cleanly and quickly and made some kind of good sound while it did so. The engine had a nice, cammy tone to it and when driven a little more than just sedately, one could hear a type of whirring sound reminiscent of a supercharger. Our next test was a Jewel Red 2LT AWD, which was remarkably similar to the FWD. Dad said he did not want a red car, but he humored mom and tested it anyway. It possessed the same excellent handling, but I did notice a bit of a lag coming off the line compared to the FWD model, due to the extra weight of the all-wheel-drive system. It wasn't much, but it just didn't seem as eager to go as the front-drive version. We told our salesman we wanted to check out an Odyssey before we committed to anything, thanked him for his time, and drove next door. My mom instantly took to a light blue EX-L with the nav system and rear DVD player. Again, in the interest of not picking the top-shelf variant, we ignored the bronze Touring model next to the EX-L. Dad was skeptical, but I told him to try it anyways in the interest of thoroughness. He agreed, and once we had another dealer tag on the back, we set off. The Odyssey definitely makes better use of its interior room than the Traverse. There's more luggage room and I felt like there was slightly more all-around room from both the front seats and the middle row. I also appreciated the leather seats on the Odyssey compared to the cloth seats on the Traverse, partly because I'm spoiled (we haven't had a car with cloth seats since we bought the Venture) and partly because they were a little softer. I also appreciated the lighter color of the Odyssey's interior (grey) compared to the black of the Traverses we tested; it just seemed more open and airy. The Odyssey, although down by about 40 horsepower compared to the Traverse, was no slouch. Powered by Honda's 3.5L J35A7 24-valve SOHC V6 with Variable Cylinder Management, the Odyssey put out 244 HP @ 5750 RPM and 240 lb-ft. of torque @ 5000 RPM. Honda's J35 is one of my favorite V6's because of how smooth it revs, how strong it pulls, and how pleasant it sounds. Mom was a little harsher testing the J35 than the Traverse's LLT, but she was satisfied with the power. I eventually took the wheel and was again surprised by how eager the Odyssey was to move. The Odyssey felt a little less sure-footed than the Traverse, but it still had a nice feel to the steering, with good weighting and feedback. It rode a bit harsher than the Traverse, shuddering slightly over some of the worse bumps in the road but still nowhere as bad as the Venture or my cousin's Sienna. We returned the Odyssey and went home for some lunch. Mom was set on the Honda, while dad favored the Traverse. It was an interesting ride back, with them talking about the good points of both and myself acting as moderator and an impartial judge. Neither wanted to give in, and my answers to their questions seemed to only further cement their positions. I personally liked the Honda for its commendable passenger-cargo room flexibility and slightly more comfortable seats. It felt roomier than the Traverse. But I also loved the Traverse's engine and better road manners. The Traverse also had a higher towing capability, which would come in handy when we eventually get our boat back in the water, and its warranty was also better than the Odyssey. I would have been happy with either one, and that didn't seem to ease the stalemate. The Traverse and Odyssey are both excellent cars, and one may be better than the other to different people, depending on their needs. It's just a shame that GM doesn't make a full-fledged minivan anymore, since that would've made for a more apples-to-apple comparison. So what did we end up with? A Jewel Red Traverse LTZ AWD. So much for avoiding a red, top-of-the-line model, right?

College Park Honda has a new Crosstour on the lot. I like the color, a kind of light steel blue, but that's the only positive thing I can say about it. It looks every bit as bad in person as it does in the photos.

GM waited entirely too long to bring this out, and I guess I'm just kinda tired of looking at it already. The interior looks pretty good (and I love the black-red combo, looks great!), but I'm not so sure about the front end anymore; it looks cartoonish. The grille should be moved down a bit and the headlights shouldn't sweep back like they do. The rear looks alright, but it's forgettable. Meh.

I dislike the University of Memphis men's basketball team, because they narrowly beat us in the playoffs last season and then went on to lose their next game by a spectacular margin. I can also appreciate our football rivalry with Duke, NC State, and UNC, and I like it when we beat Virginia.

I saw an Envoy XUV from Pennsylvania today. The three letters on the license plate were "GMC," and it wasn't a vanity plate. I thought that was kinda cool. Also, Maryland apparently purchased this tiny Daihatsu thing I saw running about campus with state government tags.

Mazda also catered to that market, see: Millenia and 626. Not too long ago, Mazda was a pretty staid brand as well, with the Miata being it's only genuinely interesting offering.

One of those DTS-L's or whatever they're called passed me today. I don't like where the back doors stop, but otherwise handsome. The Silverado's not for us per se, but rather the family business. It's here until dad can put the tracking unit into it. It's a nice truck, though. Rides and handles excellent, and XM is some kinda neat radio.

It looks nice enough, but... I see a lot of Malibu in the front end those rims are ugly there's too much empty space in the wheel wells That's quite a nice-looking interior, though. Very modern and streamlined.

Well, there's this Silverado parked in my driveway. It's got temp tags and paper floor mats... Saw a grey Citroen DS on a residential street in Old Laurel the other day. It was in poor shape, but there was no mistaking it; I stopped and stared at it for a few minutes until I saw a car coming up behind me in the rearview.

Eh, the Census Bureau recognizes a "west south central" and "east south central" division to the country. I'm sure local use could just chop off the east or west. As for Maryland, we've got a pretty good thing going on here.

I love the medium metallic red of my Intrigue. IMO, it's the most perfect shade of red out there. The Pewter Metallic from the F4 Camaro is also another wonderful color.

This makes me wonder how long the Lexus was in possession of the CHP officer. If this was the first time he took it out, I can see him being unfamiliar with the start/stop protocols. But if he'd driven it around before, he should've been aware of the 3-second hold for stop. I mean, he wouldn't have gotten out of the car and just let it sit running in his driveway or a parking lot until he needed it again.

A silver G3. It's such a "sporty design" that I wasn't sure if it was an Aveo or not until I came to a stop behind it. And the whole time I was behind it, I kept thinking "no way, someone actually bought one of these things." Also, there was a dark blue Bentley Continental parked in one of the student commuter lots a few days ago.

My friend has one of the most depressing garages: 3 Corollas (2 silver, 1 blue, and 2 of the same generation) and a silver Odyssey LX. We, on the other hand, have one of the only garages in our part of the neighborhood. And inside, one will find our XJ6 and boat.

Why does Buick need a "big" SUV when: 1) The Enclave is already quite large 2) The GMC Yukon and Yukon XL sit just across the showroom floor ? Re: the proposed names: I think Encore is more of a concept Buick should be aiming for with this new small ute rather than an actual name for it. Whatever it's called, it should be an encore of the Enclave in that it's a good-looking, quality work. As for Verano (jeez, I almost typed Verona too), eh, they could've been really daft and chosen Invierno.

An S550 and an R500, both with clergy tags. The Benzes struck me as extravagant for any kind of religious need. Also, the state recently bought some K5 Blazers for use around campus. Not only are they K5s, but these are ex-military units painted in green-brown-black army camo with Detroit Diesels under the hood.

I parked next to a red Ferrari 430 from Florida in a garage in Philadelphia's Chinatown last night. Kinda interesting to see one of those. Don't remember where exactly I was, but I remember passing a beautiful blue Bel Air hardtop. And then this morning, I drove by a maroon '68 Delta 88 coupe.

Honda (Dealership in York, PA that I drove by frequently while going to school there.)