A Horse With No Name

Ditto on alternate fuels and transportation infrastructure... Chris

Believe it or not, the 18 and 20 year olds where I work just love the Lucerne and think its God's own original hot car. I believe that you are possibly an agnostic/atheist like I am, but I think you've found your true "missionary calling." Let's spread the Gospel of Buick...starting with that Ultra. My parents live in NC and you need to picture yourself driving that thing on a sunny May day on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Chris

But let's not rule out flex fuel yet. We have lots of vehicles on the road that can use this technology right now. I think people are getting a little down on biofuels (esp E85) because they have a few teething problems. Developing a Butenol distilling process would take time and adjustment. Also really like the idea of helping farmers every way we can. A world that includes self sustaining and profitable farms beats the hell out of a world filled with 9 billion subdivisions along with the ubiquitous strip malls with Wallmarts. Chris

...and really, if one wanted to buy an asian Utility type vehicle why not just buy a Mazda 3 wagon and be done with it? Much better handling and fuel economy than a cute ute, good looks, well built, well priced... Or just piss off the naysayers and buy a HHR. The HHR is much more user friendly in my honest opinion than any of the cute utes. Chris

...then buy one. Like we told Paolino in another thread, you might as well drive a car you love. Methinks the new Bu might just be worth your love...about 5 years worth at about $450 a month... Chris

Agreed...completely. The CRV is much nicer, but actually my choices for a small SUV would be Ford Escape first followed by the redesinged VUE. My son Joel, the loyal 100% not gonna buy it unless the blue oval is on it thinks the Vue is actually better than the Escape. My wife likes the CRV and loves the Element but has many of reg's complaints about the RAV4. Chris

Whih is why it is so nice to have the Lucerne in the GM fleet. Fits between the Malibu/Impala/Aura and the CTS. Everyone that looks at the Lucerne or owns one just seems to rave about it. It's almost enough to make me forget about small cars. Chris

Exactly. Which is the cool thing about the GM flexfuel vehicles. Lots of people around here are using flexfuel and it is working out pretty good. Around me it's about 70 cents a gallon cheaper than gas. In Brazil IIRC lots of flex fuel vehicles haven't seen gas in years. Also, Butenol (IIRC) can be distilled from plants and it is basically gasolene...so we could with the right tedchnology and infrastructure turn alagae into a gas substitute that would fire a 70 SS454 Chevelle without having to fund the Wahabbi's in Saudi. Chris

Glad you like the Impala. For twenty large that's a hell of a lot O' car. Chris

Yes I did. I think the greater danger is that what we are building is not sustainable in the long run. We can't grow enough of anything to fuel what we have indefinitely into the future. A good rail system, more fuel efficient vehicles and homes, better technology...we need a Manhatten Project level of funding and commitment RIGHT NOW because we are going to be SOL with the world petroleum situation in about 15 years, at which time it is just going to be too late. Not that we will go extinct, right away, but things could become very unpleasant. Also, what have you done to research climate change? I know very intelligent people on both sides of the issue. I also know some very conservative people politically who buy into climate change. I still am reading and learning. Just want you to keep an open mind. Chris

A really good book to read is "Collapse" by Jerrod Diamond. He is an evolutionary biologist from California and suggests that societies fail when they over run their natural resources. Personally, I am much more worried about India, with its much higher birthrate and the middle east, with its mindless puritanical religion. Chris

Conservation seems to me to make the most sense. What we really ned is a national passenger rail network. That would open up highways and save untold fuel in the process. Oh, yes, and glad to see you own a Cooper S. Chris

...and there is nothing at all wrong with that. I still remember the sounds of distant drag racing down a country road behind our house when I was growing up in Wisconsin. A good V8 doing her work...I hope that sound never goes away. Chris

Without a slick shifting 5 or preferably 6 speed manual the thing is worthless. I can live with the styling miscues, but please, please bring me a manual at the very minumum. Chris

The g6 is a super midsize car, and a nice upgrade over the Civic in some ways for a highway cruiser. Good luck with the new Pontiac! Chris

My friend John had a Park Avenue Ultra and sold it to another mutual friend of ours. They are usually good for at least 250,000 miles plus. They are also a good interstate cruiser. Chris

You owe it to yourself to get what you really want. Ten large for a vehicle isn't that much. I've had about eight or ten cars that were exactly what I wanted and there is nothing better... Chris

People around here seem to love them. They are a great city car and actually not that bad for a road trip. Methinks people are afraid if we build cool small cars that we will stop building fullsize or muscle cars.

Which cars are built on tha Alpha platform? Chris

That Lacrosse would be a great deal. Sounds like it is time for the Century to go. Chris

Just owning a CTS would be enough for me. You were lucky enough to own one, I probably will never be able to own one. Chris

...What Honda really needs is a coupe that is smaller than the current Civic perhaps... Chris

What will they think of next? Chris

Trluely wise... Chris

Ditto on the Regal thing. Also ditto on holding out for what you really want. If you could push your current car another year ( a huge IF, I know) $4000 in payments you don't make could knock $80-100 a month off that nu Bu. Also, you could look for another older car with the 3800 and pay cash. I paid 3 grand for a pristine, pristine 94 Concorde about five years ago. Drove it like I stole it for 80,000 miles and when it died I sold it for $300. A clean used car with 80k or so shouldn't be that hard to find, right? You might be able to pay for a clean used 3800 powered car by putting it on your credit card and paying your credit card off quickly, which is how I bought that Chrysler. I know Paypal on Ebay takes Credit, and not everyone on Evilbay is out to screw you. Personally I just hate being in debt and having car payments. But I'm probably going to have them for awhile now, as you will also. The Regal is damned fine car in its own right, though. If you go that way, negotiate like hell because the economy is down and nobody seems to be selling cars. Chris