A Horse With No Name

BMW...there BAAACK. I haven't been as excited about a BMW since the E-30 M3 of the 1980's... The one series is just awesome. First the Volvo C-30 and now this. Europe is building some great small cars! Chris

I think this is going to be our next car perhaps...I just LOVE this car in the same sort of way that I love old GM muscle cars... Chris

I just loved the Astra when it came out, but I seem to be one of 7 people in North America who feel that way. At our local Saturn store, I took Joel, my son in to look because I was thinking of buying one. The sales lady indicated that they have been getting very poor feedback on the car here in the Columbus market, and far fewer people seem to be sold during a test drive than any other Saturn product. I thought my wife would love the Astra, but she found the interior dark, the shifting to be much worse than our (previous) Miata, and the controls awkward...and the car we test drove was test driven at our local Toyota dealership because the previous owner had traded the Astra in on a Scion TC after a mere 288 miles. Previous owner just HATED the car. Everyone I talk to that has sat in one/looked at one/driven one seems unimpressed. Seems strange to me, as the Astra seems like a great small car...but sadly I won't be buying one for the Mrs. Chris

You know that there is a gas crunch when my mothers Aveo is getting the kind of stares, turned heads, and thumbs up that my 70 Chevelle used to get...and I'm not kidding. More people come up to her and say nice things about her car/ask her about her car/make positive comments about her car than you can shake a stick at... The Aveo is a decent product, but GM needs a car in this bracket that is class leading. Chris

Not to hijack the thread but... Tested a WRX SCCA pace car when they first came out about 2001 or 2002. They are indeed electronically limited to 141. Buried the 160 Speedo on a Plum Crazy Purple 70 Road Runner, No idea how fast we were really going, not sure I want to know. A friend got clocked at 156 in a modified turbo RX-7 by the Ohio State Patrol...and then talked his way out of it. NOT kidding here! Done enough stupid stuff when I had my 70 Chevelle that I shouldn't be alive now... Chris

GM is gaining in quality, but it does not seem to be resonating with as many people as it should. We have a long way to go. Chris

Boy, these guys aren't selling that many cars, are they? GTI down, Eos and Rabbit seem to be the only ones up. Chris

I personally can't think of better people to be down 26 percent. Chris

Year to date the 3 is still down a little bit. It looses a little bit in price to the Cobalt and the Focus, so this is about what I would expect in a tight economy. Chris

...on the great cars thing, an interesting thought. Ran into one of the maintenance guys from the local Honda dealer at the Electrical Supply house this A.M. while I was picking up some cable. He said the wait is a minumum of six weeks for a new Fit. Wow, If Gm could have seen this (fuel crunch) coming and brought out a class leading small car.... Chris

Wow, Patriot is through the roof! Chris

I like the way your thinking those Turbo thoughts.... Would make an interesting truck. Chris

We are very domestic here in Columbus Ohio, but I used to live in Atlanta. I would regularly go through like 10 stoplights without seeing a domestic car (domestic trucks, yes, butnot domestic cars). Chris

People are too lazy for the Jenny Craig thing. Let's face it, the human race isn't making much progress, not moral progress, not progrss on alternative fuels, not progress on North Americans loosing wieght, not progress on the population problem. Seems like we are really out to screw ourselves. Chris

It's $3.65 here for the cheap stuff. The Safari van is probably going to go away.... Chris

I used to live in Atlanta...it has to be one of the coolest places in the whole freaking country! My wife worked in Philly while we were dating, LA is awesome, and Seattle is on my short list also. Right now I want to see the whole country...but I'm waiting for my five kids to get a little older. Chris

Keep it coming, boys! Chris

Can't think of a better person I'd rather see go. Now study hard and get a house with a six car garage with a lift and fill it with great classic Chevy's! Chris

Jessi, with so few people really falling in love these days I am very inspired by how much you and Dodgefan seem to love each other. My wife and I have been together for 23 years, and believe me, this car thing is just the beginning. You'll have kids that get hurt on bikes and kids that get sick and perhaps a daughter who breaks up a week before the prom and a million and a half other things happen to the two of you. It is just so WAY cool to see the two of you IN LOVE and working together...I ahve HIGH hopes that things will work out well for you two. Oh, and yes, the Harly Davidsons are warming up here in Ohio, and those Bikers are getting ready to burn Lawrenceville to the ground! Seriously, good luck! Chris

I had a Cutlass when I was dating my wife, over 20 years ago. I still iss that car. And god, the convertible 442 in the road test was a 4 Speed! WOW! I'm not going to sleep tonight thinking about that car...the likes of which we will never see built here again, sadly. Chris

Like Camino, I agree 100 percent. Chris

Oh, and Dodgefan, Jessi, we are sorry this happend to you. We have a motorcycle gang lined up to burn Lawrence to the ground as soon as you leave... Not really but the thought is nice. Chris

Full coverage here in Ohio for two vehicles is a little over $100 a month, I think about $104. That includes towing, rental, no cost glass replacement, half a million in bodily injury coverage, etc. Methinks its time to get the f@#k out of ASSachusetts. Chris

I think that people have been so hostile to GM for so long that we who love GM cars are sort of undergoing shell-shock. Chris

Donkmobile-one of those stupid cars converted to run on 24's, 26's or larger rims... And I agree, although Crager wheels look nice on 50's Iron also. Chris