Z-06

Sam Walton

The Rabbit 3 door does not have Sunroof either. Here is the comparison between the two. Blu is right, rabbit has slightly more features than the Astra. I think it has to do with the economy of scale. Rabbits sell a lot more than the Astra will. Rabbit is a good car, but VW reliability is a hit or miss.

James Bond

Sorry for taking long to reply. Here are my reasons: 1. My Fiance just bought a Condo in Clinton Township. It is a two year old condo which was sold (brand new) for $165,000, she bought it for $124,000. The prices have been on decline steadily in Michigan for housing. On a secondary note, the lady who owned it worked for Toy, (Irony Heh?) and they were consilidating jobs into Ohio. A similar sized 2-bedroom 1600 sqft., two car garage condo in Orlando sells for nearly $200,000. 2. Michigan is one of the largest hit state in a bad way when it comes to housing. It has not seen speculative boom as bad as Florida or Arizona. Prices on an average are lower than median housing prices in United States. Thus even if the housing bubble collapses, Mi will not be hit bad. 3. The ratio of number of sellers to buyers is high, so it is a buyer's market. 4. If you compare renting to buying, depending on the amount you are going to spend it will not be worth a difference. In our case, a two bedroom apartment with no garage cost about $900. The mortgage and taxes came to $1,100. 5. As you might be aware, there are efforts from the politicians to make Detroit, Vegas of the east. (How much will it be successful, only time will tell but they are looking to diversify.) Options are also on the table to make it a tech center. 6. On the other side, the automakers might have seen the worst or pretty soon. I do not think there will be any more attrition of number of people. Blue collar jobs may leave, but I think, white collar jobs are bound to increase, if the state and the automakers are serious about keeping it in Detroit. I think the state is more to lose, if the Big 3 go South. 7. There was an article in Yahoo, which I read like a week ago (I cannot find it now), which said how the real estate is ultra cheap, and people are buying two or three houses and renting them out. Foreclosures are very high, and thus chances of getting one damn cheap house is good. This is my theory, I may be wrong, but just an insight for you to research on and make your decision. Let me know how that goes. Good Luck!

I guess you do not believe in infinitesimals.

It is a good song. What is wrong with it? My Reply: Brokeback

The sedan is decent. The only one in it class with non performance trim to have 17 inchers standard. I dunno about the driving dynamics.

It is a Vette. See the next picture and you will see the huge break discs and calipers.

Rockstar

Yeah, LSD is essential for that kind of vehicle. Spot on my dear friend. I looked at that and said GM photography sucks. It seems like they photoshopped Cobalt LS and changed the wheels and replaced the L by S to have SS.

Robbie Williams, not a bad artist.

Leave those poor Bitches alone.

Toyota Car Lot

I have sat, ridden and driven not one but three previous generation Crapollas and based on my assessment, the statements I made in that earlier post were not incorrect. Now if you can justify why I am wrong with your own explanation, I may understand but that one line smart a## statement will not help your own viewpoint, will it?

Petrochemicals

You really are close minded import humper aren't you? Regarding my driving or setting foot in anything besides domestic, I will let you do the research on our forums and read about what cars I have owned and driven as I have mentioned about them.

2008 Chevrolet Malibu Road Test Chevy catches a wave back into the mid-size game. by Paul A. Eisenstein http://www.thecarconnection.com/contact/in...asp?AuthorID=59 (2007-11-02) Get out of the fast lane, Toyota Camry. Move aside, Honda Accord. For the first time in a generation, General Motors is back with a game-changing mid-size sedan. And the imports better be worried, when they see the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu pull up in their rearview mirror. There was a time when Detroit, GM, in particular, dominated the mid-size market, but that's so far back, many of today's buyers likely won't even remember anything but the more lackluster offerings that followed, like Chevy Lumina or the various Chrysler K-car variants. We got a signal GM might be ready to get back in the game at last January's Detroit Auto Show, when the automaker revealed a new version of the Malibu. There was no denying the visual impact of its taut, dynamic exterior, and unexpectedly upmarket interior. But the big question was how would it drive? Would it stand up to the best of the imports - read Camry and Accord - which overwhelmingly dominate the segment's sales charts? After spending time in the '08 Malibu, the answer is unabashedly, "yes." For the first time we can remember, there's no reason to make excuses for a mainstream Detroit sedan, no reason to explain away the compromises. Chevy's new entry stands up solidly on its own four wheels. Down on Beale Street To get a feel for the new offering, we headed down to Beale St., the heart of blues country, in Memphis. We spent the day driving all the key Malibu variants that will be coming to market in the weeks and months to come, including the four-cylinder LS and six-cylinder LTZ, as well as the Malibu hybrid (which we'll cover in a separate road test). Beauty may only be skin - or sheetmetal - deep, but it's where an automaker must make a first, and lasting, impression. And GM designers have succeeded handsomely. This is the new face of Chevy, with a chrome-wrapped, split grille, highlighted by a wide, bowtie-bearing crossbar. The creased hoodline suggests power and implies a vehicle decidedly more expensive than Malibu's starting price of $19,995. From the side, the new Chevy sits high on its haunches, with still more luxury cues, such as the curvaceous C-pillar. "Good bone structure," is an apt description used by one of Malibu's designers. From the rear, you'll quickly recognize the twin lamps, long a Chevrolet trademark, but here done far more elegantly than in other, recent executions, such as the awkward Monte Carlo. Rounding things out, the chrome tipped exhaust (a dual pair of pipes on the LTZ) and chrome license plate surround. For years, General Motors has, frankly, chintzed out, using lowest-common-denominator materials that may have cut costs but given its products all the style and warmth of a resale store. Particularly galling was the use of glossy, often ungrained plastics that could have come from the KMart bargain rack. With the Malibu, GM's design studio has crafted a two-toned, twin cockpit look that implies a sense of both sportiness and elegance. The materials are far more lavish, easily matching the feel of the Accord and far exceeding that of the Camry, which Toyota seems determined to drive down-market. The black plastic is gone, even on the base Malibu, incidentally. On the highline model, though, you can opt for a two-toned, nubbly leather that might just as easily show up on the Cadillac line. And kudos for the stylish, yet easy-to-read instrument cluster, complimented by the cabin's tinted ambient lighting. There's also a fair bit of storage, including a large bin at the top of the IP's center stack. One omission that annoyed us was the lack of door grab handles. This is a common flaw on many new GM products, including Caddy's second-generation CTS. Apparently, engineers haven't figured out how to fit those useful handles over the hidden, roof-mounted airbags. Keep the noise down Okay, given a choice, we'll go for the airbags - in this case, all six of them. There are also front seat thorax and chest airbags, standard on all models. The safety list also includes ABS brakes, traction control, tire pressure monitors and OnStar with its automatic crash notification system, designed to call for help in the event of a collision. The mid-level LT and top-line LTZ models add electronic stability control and emergency brake assist to the list. What you won't likely notice is the acoustic glass used in both the windshield and front-seat windows. That's a critical part of the Malibu's substantial NVH package. For those who don't read automotive jargon for a hobby, we're referring to noise, vibration and harshness. And in Malibu, all three elements have been trimmed back to class-leading levels. One way that's been accomplished is through the extensive use of under-hood noise deadeners, as well as a five-element baffle in the four-cylinder's engine's composite cover. In keeping with industry trends, Chevy expects the 2.4-liter engine to account for about 70 percent of its overall volume, especially considering current fuel price trends. That engine delivers 22 mpg city and 30 mpg on the highway cycle, among the best-in-segment. The four-cylinder pulls its weight. It's no rocket, but it's reasonably energetic and, as we suggested earlier, it sounds good, without that rasp-and-gasp that we've often associated with Detroit's in-line fours. A complaint? Yep, the fact that GM is launching with an outdated four-speed automatic. It's a good transmission, but the competition has been moving to five-speeds and beyond. GM will get there, however. The upgrade V-6 gets a new six-speed auto, and next year, you'll be able to order that tranny on the four-cylinder Malibu LT. By decade's end, says product strategy boss John Smith, the six-speed should be available, and probably standard, on all Malibus. Late, but not never. The 3.6-liter V-6, by the way, makes 252 horsepower. On paper, it's not quite as powerful as Camry's sporty six, but we wonder how many owners in this market segment will notice the difference. Like the Malibu's four, the engine is much quieter than in previous incarnations, and doesn't seem to be running out of breath when pushed to wide-open throttle. It'll yield 17/26 mpg. For those seeking maximum mileage, and perhaps some "green" bragging rights, there's the Malibu Hybrid. It's not a full hybrid, and is unable to run on battery power alone. To keep costs down, GM has opted for a Belt-Alternator-Starter, or BAS, system, basically the same found in the Saturn Vue Green Line. Come to a stoplight and it shuts the engine off, quickly restarting when you press the ignition. It won't run on electric power alone, and unlike Honda hybrid systems, it provides virtually no boost - barely an extra four to six horsepower. But the package is only $1800, and with the current $1300 federal tax credit. That works out to a real cost of just $500. Based on our rough estimates, and Chevy's projected 24/32 mpg rating, you'd make that up in fuel savings in two to four years, depending on where, how, and how much you drive. Predictably good So, how does the Malibu drive? Or, should we say, Malibus, because there's a bit of a difference between each. With the four-cylinder, the Malibu is swift enough, but no sizzler. This engine is paired with a fuel-saving electric power steering system. In earlier incarnations, we avoided GM's EPS whenever possible. This latest generation is a sizable improvement. You get a clear feel of the road, with a reasonably linear boost, depending on speed. The V-6 models go with hydraulic power steering, and despite the improvements to EPS, this is still our preference. Here you'll find a very direct connection to the road, with steering that's predictable, precise and unexpectedly sporty for a car in this mainstream segment. The suspension of all models has been tuned to the sporty side. Not enough to bounce and jounce you around on Detroit potholes, but the Malibu holds true in tight turns, and stays glued to the road when you're cresting hills. Overall, the feel of this car puts the Camry to shame, though someone wanting as sporty a ride as possible in a mid-market sedan might still opt for the latest version Accord. What else matters? Well, a lot. On the plus side, Malibu is roomy, both front and back, and it boasts a large trunk. Since we're asking questions, we need turn to the toughest of them all. Among mid-size sedan buyers, perhaps nothing matters more, acknowledges Marketing Manager Mike Weidman, than QRD. There we go with auto jargon, again. In this case, we're talking Quality, Reliability, Dependability. And that's what has made the Camry the must-have appliance in this segment. So, will the Malibu deliver the same, er, QRD? We'll have to wait and see, of course. There's no way to predict, unless you're willing to take the assurances of company executives, who'd quickly say, "yes." Lucky for them, a number of recent surveys, including several from J.D. Power and Associates, support that contention. GM quality has been on the rise, while Toyota's is holding or even slipping. The influential Consumer Reports magazine just downgraded the Camry V-6, though the four-cylinder model remains on its Recommended list. Personally speaking, it's been a long time since I gave a strong endorsement to a GM mid-size sedan. That drought is over.Malibu, it is a winner From everything I can see of the new . I'm not foolish enough to believe it will soon knock either the Camry or the Accord out of the box, but anyone who ignores the new sedan, simply because it wears a Chevy bowtie, is doing themselves a disservice. 2008 Malibu Base price: $19,995 Engine: 2.4-liter in-line four, 169 hp/160 lb-ft; 3.6-liter V-6, 252 hp/251 lb-ft Transmission: Four-speed or six-speed automatic, front-wheel drive Length x width x height: 191.8 x 70.3 x 57.1 in Wheelbase: 112.3 in Curb weight: 3415 - 3649 lb Fuel economy (EPA city/hwy): 22/30 mpg (four-cyl.); 17/26 mpg (V-6) Major standard features: Power windows/locks/mirrors; AM/FM/CD player; steering wheel-mounted audio controls; remote keyless entry; alloy wheels; OnStar; XM satellite radio Safety features: Anti-lock brakes and traction control; dual front, side and curtain airbags; tire pressure monitors Warranty: Three years/36,000 miles

I guess Toy will now offer packages called Turd Tailgate plus package, which will let you put loads of more than 150lb on the tailgate and limiting it to 300lb. And Turd Tailgate plus plus package, which will let you put loads of more than limiting it to 500lb. That way they can make more money and say it an industry first.

Michigan market, Buy! I will explain later.

Statements like those makes Toy American.

Linklity With Nov. 1 Press Embargo out look for more first drive of the Chevy. Chevy Delivers on the Hype By Daniel Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit Email Date posted: 11-01-2007 Here's the short answer on the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu: It's good. After almost a year's worth of buildup and anticipation, we have now driven the new Malibu. So the time has finally come to pass judgment. You'll forgive us if we were a bit skeptical about the vehicle that GM's car khan Bob Lutz calls "one of the most important in 100 years for Chevy." We've been through this more than a couple times with domestic carmakers, a sequence of over-promise and under-delivery followed by over-promise on the next generation, and so forth and so on. And so it is with considerable relief that we report that Chevy has broadly hit its mark with the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu. Talking the Talk This might sound remarkable, but the most notable thing about Chevy's presentation of the '08 Malibu is its stark assessment of the company's past performance with this model. Consider this sampling of honesty from GM executives: "We'll take on the quality challenge which we've avoided in the past." "It's going to take an extensive amount of time to get it [changing consumer perceptions] done." "We came to work every day humble, with our heads down." You might think that it would be difficult to not acknowledge the failings of its recent past, given how Honda, Nissan, Toyota and other players including Hyundai have absolutely eaten Chevy's lunch for the past couple of decades. But trust us, we've seen them attempt to swerve, duck and leap around that 800-pound gorilla before. Speak Quietly Chevy is taking a fairly sensible approach with the Malibu. The company has defined a couple of areas where it believes the Malibu can be best-in-class and has devoted human and financial resources to achieve it. According to Chevy, these areas include styling and the control of noise, vibration and harshness. Repeated viewings of the car over the last year have drained some of the drama out of the Malibu's new look. But the car is smoothly handsome and free of styling gimmicks, which bodes well for its long-term appeal. And it has none of the self-conscious oddness of recent Honda and Toyota designs. At the very least, few potential customers will be put off by the new Malibu's look. But styling is a largely subjective matter. Noise, vibration and harshness are far less so. Chevy spent the money to use quiet laminated glass for the windshield and the front-seat windows to reduce wind noise in the Malibu's cabin. The company specified spray-on acoustic insulation and composite liners within the wheel wells to reduce road noise. And more sound deadening at the dash and tighter orifices in the firewall reduce the amount of engine noise that can leak into the cabin. Special attention went into controlling the honking ruckus that intake air makes while entering the standard 169-horsepower 2.4-liter inline-4, which Chevy anticipates will power 70 percent of all the Malibu models sold. Incoming air encounters nine tuners and resonators before reaching the engine. The effect is, well, the absence of vice. The engine seems smoother and the average driver is probably more likely to keep his foot on the gas because the engine doesn't sound like it's eating itself. Meanwhile the optional 252-hp V6 is so smooth and sonorous that it feels plenty powerful mated to the standard six-speed automatic, even though it's not the most powerful V6 in its class. Careful tuning of the Malibu's engine mounts also quells much of the vibration that would otherwise come zinging through the steering column and unibody. Whether you're in a Malibu four or V6, the car feels serene. This lends the Malibu a perceived quality that is worth whatever GM paid to get it done. (Naturally, the company won't say how much that might be.) Welcome to Pleasantville The new Malibu shares the same basic chassis as the well-received Saturn Aura, and this means the expected MacPherson strut front suspension and multilink independent rear. It differs from the Aura only in tuning, really. Chevrolet says it used a new tuning philosophy for the Malibu, and as far as we can tell, this means the car now slots between the mushy Camry and the sporty Accord. For now, we've only driven the Malibu on smooth roads in Tennessee and Mississippi. Still, we feel comfortable saying Chevy has achieved its target here. The Malibu's big body (it rides on a 112.3-inch wheelbase that's the longest in its class) feels well-controlled over low-frequency undulations. It does not float. It does not bounce. The Malibu will not goad its operator into pushing the car to the outer limits of its performance envelope, but its high-speed cornering and general deportment is poised and confidence-inspiring. The Malibu makes for an excellent highway cruiser. Sharper suspension inputs from things such as tar strips are not absorbed entirely but are largely heard as a light "thwack" rather than felt. Front and rear seat passengers will have little to complain about in terms of ride quality. Our only major quibble with the Malibu's dynamic package is its steering. Models with the four-cylinder engine feature electrically assisted steering, which has a short and ugly history at GM. (We're still trying to cleanse our memory of any recollection of the first-generation Saturn Vue.) Models with the V6 use conventional hydraulic assist. Neither is very good. The electric assist feels less artificial than it used to, and GM should get some credit for that. But neither system feels natural or linear in the way, say, a Honda Accord's steering does. The Malibu's steering wheel feels dead on-center and then seems to abruptly come to life as you begin your turn. This might not be a deal-breaker for consumers, but it might be for people like us who like to drive. The Story Inside Passengers won't have a whole lot to complain about in terms of interior accoutrements. This Chevrolet sedan actually has a pretty nice interior. The dual-cowl architecture is a great improvement over the passionless previous interior. It also appears to be assembled with care. Overall the new interior is attractive and cosseting, and it's even available in two-tone combinations with sassy names such as Brick, Cashmere and Cocoa. And they actually look pretty good. In the class, only the Accord's interior really stands clearly above the Malibu's effort, while the Camry shows evidence of Toyota's cost-consciousness and is certainly no better in terms of either design consistency or materials quality. The Malibu's instrumentation and controls are clear and sensibly laid out, and there's plenty of room in the cabin both front and rear. We wish GM could figure out a way to make passenger grab handles compatible with the car's standard side curtain airbags. And we think it's a mistake on GM's part not to offer a navigation system. The company believes that OnStar (standard for every Malibu) and its turn-by-turn navigation is a good substitute. It's not. We tried it on our drive and found that at first it wouldn't work at all. Then it did work after awhile, but we kept a map at the ready because we had no faith in it. The Heart of the, Um, Beast The Malibu's powertrain offerings are par for the class. The 2.4-liter inline-4 is standard for all three trim lines, and its 169 hp and 160 lb-ft of torque put it squarely in the middle of the output range of the competition's offerings. Chevy's optional 24-valve 3.6-liter V6 makes a credible 252 hp and 251 lb-ft of torque. That's less than the big three Japanese-brand sedans but more than the Dodge Avenger, Ford Fusion and Hyundai Sonata can muster. Despite a standard six-speed automatic, the V6-equipped Malibu returns fuel economy figures of 17 mpg city and 26 highway — a couple of mpg worse than its competitors. Possibly this is due in part to the Malibu's heft. At 3,649 pounds, the Malibu V6 is the fat kid of the group. Even so, the Malibu four returns fuel economy of 22 mpg city/30 mpg highway, which is competitive in its class. This fuel economy number is an estimate based on the four-cylinder mated with the four-speed automatic. Next spring, the four-cylinder will be offered with a six-speed automatic, which should improve the fuel economy numbers as well as the driving experience. As it is, the four gear ratios in the current transmission feel too widely spaced and not capable of keeping the inline-4 in its power band. For now, we recommend the V6. The Malibu will also be offered with the same mild-hybrid powertrain as the Saturn Aura Green Line and should return 24 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. The electric motor adds only 6-7 horsepower to the gas engine under heavy load, so it's basically a four-cylinder car with an idle shut-off feature. It doesn't seem like a lot of efficiency improvement considering the $1,800 price premium over the standard car. Of course, the substantial federal tax break reduces the added cost of the hybrid to about $500 more. Happy Crashing! If you're the kind of driver who runs into things, you'll be happy to know that the Malibu will cover virtually the entire interior with inflatable bags. Front and rear head curtain side-impact bags and front-seat-mounted thorax bags are standard, along with dual-stage front bags. Standard ABS and traction control along with electronic stability control (standard on the Malibu LT and Malibu LTZ models) are there to prevent impromptu testing of any of those airbags. There isn't a competitor that offers a better allotment of standard safety features. Furnishings and Financials The base-level $19,995 LS comes with 16-inch wheels, the above-mentioned safety gear and XM Satellite Radio. The LT version adds 17-inch wheels, dual chrome exhaust tips and drive shift control. The full-zoot LTZ adds 18-inch wheels, LED taillamps and foglamps. It starts at $26,995. The Malibu Hybrid carries a $22,790 base price. Even though the new car starts a couple thousand dollars higher than the outgoing model, the 2008 Malibu is competitively priced. So the Malibu is good. Let's hope it's the beginning of a long sustained effort to regain and retain a competitive position in the midsize market for Chevy, and in passenger cars generally. For now, Chevy is talking the right talk and has made its first step in a long walk. Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.

All it takes is ONE. The rest of the sheeples will follow.

Well 1960's is back again, when celebreties roamed in open top Lincolns and Caddies, only to be an easy shooting target. That thing looks ugly in that angle.

Coated

Great Job P-C-S. Does the Senator speak German?