A Horse With No Name

I will agree with you here, even though I am going off topic. The Escape Hybrid is brilliant. Chris

Actually earlier versions of the Malibu, Accord, Camry, Etc. were in some ways more space efficient. A newer, more space efficient version shouldn't be difficult. Which, getting back to the Astra is what I like about the Astra. Chris

We are out of the ordinary, but we usually cruise around in two small cars because with 5 children, at least two of them are usually going opposite directions. We need families of four to drove Cobalts and Astras en masse, weather they want to or not. And it isn't all envoronmental gloom and doom. Every time I buy gas I support a religion that I despise and people that hate me. Chris

Depends on what you want. RDX and RL rank really low on my personal choice list, but someone obivously likes them. Why, I'm not quite sure... Chris

No one builds a perfect car. Mother of a friend had a car that needed a brake caliper at 38,000 miles and then ran to 132,000 miles with no problems. To her the car was unreliable because it needed a reapir. People have strange expectations. Chris

I've known of several people with MarkV (current) GTI's with almost zero problems. Chris

A friend of mine in high school had one. Lots of great memories of that car. Chris

It's a way I could handle departing this planet. Chris

Bills

Bills

Exactly. Like I said in another thread, all GM needs to do is put some of the majic from the CTS, Solstice, Malibu, etc. into a really killer small car. The Astra is an enormous step in the right direction. Chris

Actually Volkswagen, like everyone else, has improved reliability somewhat. Chris

EXACTLY, EXACTLY, EXACTLY! The Concorde was an amzing car. They very well met my bias towards a nice handeling car. Several of my friends who drove my Concorde said something like...man this car handles! Chris

My bad on the V6 thing...and yes I can appreciate the ride quality loss on roads in Western PA. I live in Ohio. Astra is one of the cars I really like. Good luck in Europe. Didn't know you'd found another BF, glad to see things are working out for you after things went wrong with the previous BF. Chris

Congrats. I've been with the same woman for 23 years and I always love it when other people seem to find their "soul mate" or start a new relationship. Good luck and keep us posted. Chris

inquiring minds want to know... Chris

Damn, some cars are about as hot as a naked female body. That thing is about as hot as Nancy Pelosi naked. Chris

Real world 30 is baseline for cars I want... But my Chrysler Concorde did an Amazing 26-29, usually got about 28. Mostly semi rural driving, but still pretty good for a midsized car. My Safari van eats fuel like an aircraft carrier, however. I have to use a tape measure and a calculator to get actual fuel economy. Chris

The Accord that year came with a V6 IIRC. My father had one about that era and actually traded a Delta 88 in on it...I can't remember if he bought the Honda right before or right after Kim and I got married, and we got married in 1988. The Accord was a much better handeling car. One of the things that is drawing me back to GM is that they are paying more attention to building cars that like to turn. The Cobalt SS won SSC at the runoffs with Heinricy at the wheel(beating the Honda Civic SI and several other asian cars), the CTS loves to turn, the Solstice/sky twins love to turn, haven't driven one yet but want to see what the new Malibu does... For me I want a car with "catlike" reflexes. Oldsmoboi, were you to be given a choice of your ultimate current car my guess is you'd buy a CTS or some other really loaded car. Were money not an option I would take a Lutus Elise. We all have different choices. The Honda of the Era did drive/handle MUCH better than the Olds. If we are talking about the great reliability of 80's products, no one was perfect but Dad's Olds was the car that turned him off to American cars. My father is a big time Democrat and a big time "buy American" type of guy, but after that olds he's owned two Hondas and a Toyota. All of this being said...I dated my wife driving an Olds Cutlass similar to Black Vipers car, and we Honeymooned with the Cavalier that replaced the Olds. Part of me really, really, really wants another Olds. Just can't afford one right now. Chris

Sixty Eight-You would just die if you saw the Cadillac go into the crusher that I just saw. Much, Much nicer than even that nice 87. Agree, we waste wayyy to much in this country. given the GM products that are 70 years old and rolling around Cuba, this car should have 50 years of life left. Maybe the B59 is just getting broken in, eh? Shame about the Aurora in the background also... Chris

Test drove a prev. gen Diesel Rabbit/Golf and almost bought it before I bought the Scion xB. Thinking this looks very good indeed. Red, glad to hear your Rabbit has been reliable. Chris

I've got five children, that doesn't work so good. Pretty shure the Mrs. would cut me off were I to use my children as fuel. Not only do I like the smell of Sunoco 104 octaine, I enjoy sex so this is out of the question. E-85 is at best a stopgap fuel. I think we'll use biofuels for quite awhile (50-75 years) and eventually graduate to Hydrogen. but that's just my utterly wild ass guess. Chris

What do you suggest as an alternate fuel then? Chris

Stereo

A used Po-licee car would be cool. Out at summit point raceway in virginia, outside of washington DC they train FBI/'CIA agents in driving, as well as other law enforcement agencies. A large number of Caprices and Crown Vics have met their demise there. A Crown Vic wouldn't be a bad car but their are better full sized cars, IMHO. Chris