GMTruckGuy74

Well, if I ever hit the lottery, I'm hiring you for both the patio job and a restoration job on a '55-'56-'57 GMC pickup too :AH-HA_wink:

When money flows green again in my river, I will definitely contact you about a patio job my wife is dying for. Well, that is if you want to drive over to NJ for however long it will take

Yeah, you don't have to tell me what 10 years flying by feels like :rolls_eyes: I can't believe 35 is around the corner (December) - I remember turning 30 like it was yesterday... I took the G6 on a roadtrip Sunday, to Macungie Memorial Park in Macungie (Allentown), PA to attend the "GM on Display" car show. I actually drove the darn thing like I stole it - it was pretty smooth at 95 MPH on the Northeast Extension of the PA Turnpike (thank God I was in the middle of moving traffic at the time and not alone for a PA State Trooper to tag me)... and I gotta say after driving a Malibu LT ('04), my AURA XE ('07), and now the G6 V6 ('08) - all with the 3500 V6 - I was impressed with the ride & handling of the G6 the most (I did notice a little more roadnoise with the G6 over my AURA, which seems to have the most sound insulation in it <early '06 build>). But the G6 was comfortable and I had no problem keeping up with many BMWs, Mercedes, and Mustangs (and the occasional Yukon Denalis and Escalades too). With my love and desire for a new Pontiac G8 GT, it's hard to swallow the fact that the G6 may be the last NEW Pontiac I got to buy (okay, I probably could buy one more new one this summer/fall, but I'm not sure I want a G5 GT or Vibe GT to be the last new Pontiac I buy - no way will either compare to a G8 purchase). And I'm sure G8 incentives won't be great until the least desirable ones are left on the lots later this year, and I don't want to settle for a V6 (I guess we'll never see the DI 3.6l V6 will we???).

"How can I think outside of the box when I work in a cubical?" - sorry, that's what came to mind (A Hallmark saying) when I saw this username earlier today As for your signature - "Tom Jackson" - hahahahaha!!!

Here's my curio cabinet, as of the beginning of March: That's just a small sampling of the diecast I've amassed over the last two decades... my basement is full of plastic storage tubs and Xerox copy paper boxes of other diecast collectibles.

my friend!! Even with the sad news sharing your special day, go out in your beautiful G8 GT and drive those blues away. 23? Wow that feel so 11 years ago to me

Yes, please enlight those of us in pain right now...

I'm going to pray that I get employment soon after July 1 so that I too can make this statement. The wife and I were talking about this on Saturday and she said that she'd like a new Vibe GT but will also test drive a G5 GT (she'd get the new, smaller car and I'd take the G6). What's stopping me right now is (1) no pull-ahead offer yet from GMAC to get out of my lease, and (2) no job after July 1. I went to an All-GM classic car show yesterday in Macungie, Pennsylvania (GM on Display show, all GM vehicles of all years were welcomed). Many of the classic car owners could be overheard talking about GM's latest news, and many Pontiac owners were talking about how much they love Pontiac and are saddened by the news that was leaking out on Friday. If I have my way, a new 2009 Pontiac will grace my driveway by fall and for a while that's all GM will be getting out of me. If that plan doesn't work, after fall of 2009 who knows where my new car shopping will go???

Wow... even some Pontiac dealers are calling for it to die. That is very sad indeed. I am very saddened by this news and really wish I could go out and buy a new 2009 Pontiac G8 GT sedan right now. Of course when I told the wife this news yesterday, she asked about buying a Vibe GT while we can still do so!!

Here's a really nice red 2004 GTO (sorry, it's an auto though) for sale with a little less than 13k on the odo: Link If I didn't love the angular styling of the G8 more, I'd consider this GTO if I was able to get out of my lease.

Now I'm really pissed that I'm losing my job in June and will be unable to afford a new 2009 Pontiac G8 GT this summer/fall. That is, if this news is true. And it's being reported everywhere now, so we'll just have to wait patiently for 48+ hours until GM makes their PR statement.

I'd like to comment on this "news", but like the two posts above, I'll wait and hold my comments until Monday when the real "news" (whatever it may be) is finally let out to the public. I will say this though - I will not be a happy consumer without Pontiac (it is the one car brand I desire to own most from GM <the G8 GT>).

Replace "Equinox" with "Terrain" for me!!

Knightfan, a day doesn't go by that I don't think of that '87 GP. I drove by the dealership about two weekends ago (well now approaching 3 weekends) and the car was still there, all covered up (and it looks like another white '80s GP has been added under a car cover next to it). I know he said he wanted to get between $4,000 and $4,500 for it (I never got to the point where I could have negotiated a deal), but I was hoping closer to $3,000. Actually, I'm still trying to formulate a way to come up with $2,000 as I already have a grand saved away, then make him an offer of that amount. If I knew a way to get out of my current SmartLease so I could buy this car, then use it as my daily driver until the late summer/early fall when hopefully a new job comes my way, I'd jump on that route in a heartbeat. The negative too is that not knowing how reliable a 22 year-old car will be, especially with job interviews coming up, is another concern/issue I have going that route. Only time will tell at this point...

DC was fun and the entire family (well, my soon-to-be 15 year old stepson was bored 99% of the time!) enjoyed themselves. Out of the three days, we only had to deal with some light rain Monday night during our "Moonlight Tour of DC" and then yesterday it was torrential downpour day We spent most of our day yesterday inside museums and out of the rain, but walking between the buildings was the fun part. If there's any interest, I'll post some of the pictures I took of our time in DC. On the way back home last night we decided to stop off I-95 in Maryland to get dinner. According to the GPS, we were in White Marsh, Maryland and found the White Marsh Mall and Town Center. We decided on "Don Pueblos" (mexican), which was in the Town Center. Driving through the Town Center on the way to the restaurant we passed a bunch of stores, incuding one called Ridemakerz, which by the storefront was all about cars (looked like R/C cars from the window). Of course we (okay, I) had to check it out first before eating and the concept is just like "Build-A-Bear", but with cars & trucks instead. $40 bucks later and my little guy walked out with his own customized Dodge Ram pickup (approximately 1/16th scale). My stepson admitted a little while later on the drive home that he wanted to build a 2010 Mustang, to which I replied he could have when I offered him to build one in the store. While no GMCs or Pontiacs were available (GM's only licensed body was of a late model Corvette), I would have gone with the Ford SuperChief concept pickup for myself. There's only 12 of these stores in the country, mainly in the east, but if you're interested here's the link to their website. Oh, and the cars & trucks can be made into R/C versions for a small upgrade fee. Knightfan, I will definitely post some pictures of the NYIAS after going tomorrow. I should be sleeping getting my rest, but I can't fall asleep (well, by now I'm starting to get tired). Look in the Auto Show thread for that post by the weekend.

Notice nowadays that everything comes with fries? And if you order just "a sandwich", they insist that you must have fries with it (like you already stated Oldsmoboi, it's "just #0.xx cents more!?!?"). And soda is way too available today; a ton of my students I teach in the morning hours travel the hallways with 20 oz. to 2 liter bottles of soda to get them through the day. Add into it the dfrin sizes available from convenience stores, fast food restaurants, and movie theaters and you'll see why our society is large. Growing up I wasn't allowed to have soda in the morning hours - lunch was the earliest - and it wasn't always kept int he house. However, come my teenage years (late '80s/early '90s), soda was the #1 choice for a drink and could be found everywhere. It is still to this day my favorite beverage to drink, and if I could cut it out and adjust my other "bad food choices", I probably could improve my weight issues (FYI: I'm approximately 240 lbs, 5'9' tall). So I'm am not a skinny person - as a few of the C&Gers I've personally met know - but I'm at the point I now watch exactly what I am consuming and want to make amends with the types of foods I eat that I know aren't the healthiest choices. Exercising wouldn't hurt either, but that's another issue to work on. And just to keep the comedy rolling, here's one of the funniest pictures I've seen regarding obesity:

A lot of GM dealerships have closed around me in southern New Jersey in the past year, and many have been Chevy dealerships (which I think there are too many of anyway <compared to Toyota delarships>). There's been a few I know of too in the Bucks County, Pennsylvania area.

Just wanted to let you all know that I won't be around for the next 3 days as I am taking the family on a mini-vacation to visit our nation's capital - Washington, DC. Two years ago we made this trek during the spring break and enjoyed it so much that we've been wanting to go back since. We took good old Amtrak back in 2007, but this time we'll be driving down in the AURA. Of course the weather isn't suppose to be so great on Tuesday and Wednesday, but we'll make the most of it (our plans include visiting a lot of museums these two days). Should be back late Wednesday and will likely post again on Thursday (I'll need a day to recouperate before heading to NYC on Friday for the Auto Show). Here's to hoping that this is an uneventful week for all, unless it is something good!! Take care

So sorry to hear about htis unfortunate event and the damage you sustained to your Cobalt ocnblu. When I had the SKY and took it to public parking places I dreaded coming out and seeing what idiot would park near it. Sometimes I'd park diagonal between two parking spaces farther out in the parking lot, but that would only encourage immature idiots to park near me. Thankfully I had no issues with this on the SKY in the 17 months I owned it, but I also was carfeul in how & where I used my "toy". My daily drivers are a different story - about 2-3 weeks ago at my local Wal-Mart I parked the AURA well enough away from anybody in an open area. When I came out 30 minutes later, I was completely surrounded by other cars!! It was like my AURA was a magnet (thankfully no one was too close). No matter what you do or try, others will not care like you do. I try to get parking spots where only one side of my car is exposed (like parking against an island). But still others that don't care as much as we do for our cars will just pull in next to us without thought. I get very pissed off when the driver next to me parks diaginally in their space - just pulled in carelessly without regards to others around them. That's when I have sinful thoughts of how I'd like to mistreat their car I'll keep your car and it's repair job in my prayers.

caddycruiser, don't think that I was pointing you out for any reason. I know (unfortunately) that your G6 gave you way more problems than any new car owner should have to face in such short time, and once you noticed something 'off' with the Malibu, you became cautious/proactive so history would not be repeated. I was just pointing out that I've now had three Epsilons in 5 1/2 years and so far good luck with their reliability and durability. I've also met people that, like you, experienced problems with their Epsilon that they swore off GM (when the wife told her coworkers she was getting a G6, many reminded her of another coworker's G6 with the problematic panoramic sunroof, which my wife's car does not have! ). I am hesitant now to look into a 2LT Malibu with the 3.6L V6 though!! Re: the seats, with the Malibu & AURA if I am wearing a winter coat while driving I cannot get comfortable, so driving sans coat is the way I have to go. So far the G6 has not given me the same problem, but I'm so use to not wearing my winter coat for long drives that I do the same when driving the G6. Something about the narrow curvature of the seats makes me uncomfortable. I totally understand about larger vehicles and the comfort they afford - I felt very comfortable in the Envoy's seats - coat or no coat - and miss those greatly. I've sat in several G8s with my winter coat on and so far do not seem to have any issues. This is an area of concern for me if I pursue the Pontiac G5 GT coupe and/or Chevy HHR (have not sat in either of those cars with my winter coat on, and don't know if I'll get the chance to soon (if I am seriously considering these two cars, I will bring my winter coat on any test drive regardless of the warmer weather outside ). I am so jealous of your great G8 GT in the color I would go with too. I am wishing you nothing but total satisfaction on this, your 3rd new GM car in 7 months!!

Thanks for finally posting this story for those of us with "inquiring minds"!! I've been meaning to e-mail you for this story. I am on my 3rd Epsilon vehicle - 2004 Chevy Malibu LT (purchased 11/03), 2007 Saturn AURA XE (leased 11/06), and the wife's 2008 Pontiac G6 V6 Sedan (purchased 6/08) - ALL with the 3500 V6 engine. So far nothing but minor warranty issues with the three Epsilons. Got rid of the Malibu because of some "bad luck" incidents (minor accidents) and more importantly, styling that I grew tired of 3 months after taking delivery. It was a good & comfortable car, but I did not 'enjoy' driving it (again, the dowdy styling wasn't inspiring). The AURA has been a great daily driver and the wife drove it mostly while I had the Envoy due to the gas price increases. Once she took delivery of her G6 though last June, the AURA has become my daily driver. I love the styling of the AURA and it has not let me down yet. The main issue I have with the AURA is the crappy Hankook tires that it came with and how they started turning bald at 33k (they have never given good/decent wet weather traction even when new). The wife's G6 has the same Hankook tires and they act nothing like mine (AURA being leased means they will remain on the car to the lease end; once they give problems on the G6 though <financed> they will be replaced ASAP). I like the size of these Epsilons and my only big gripe is that I find the seats not to be confortable as they should be in a car of this size (the Malibu & AURA are the biggest offenders of this issue; so far the G6 has been better <maybe due to the G6 being leather-covered, unlike the Malibu's suede/leatherette and the AURA's cloth coverings?>). The wife has put over 13k on the G6 in 9 months and no problems like what has been described here have turned up (and trust me, if she was not happy witht eh car I'd be the first to know about it). Of course if money wasn't an issue when my lease ends in November (or hopefully sooner!), I'd be taking delivery of my own 2009 or 2010 Pontiac G8 GT. As it stands now, with being laid-off starting July 1 and no prospects for a new job after that date, a G8 has to be off the list (hopefully any new car will not join the G8). While Epsilons have graced my driveway for the past 5 1/2 years, I *think* the wife's G6 will be the last one. I've found them to be good & reliabel cars and see tons of them around in NJ & PA where I travel. Hopefully GM's financial situation improves quickly so that these cars do not become stale and problematic.

I love you too PCS!!

Haha.. you guys are real funny! It's not just high bridges that I have a fear of, any low, long bridge close to the water or narrow bridges high or low freak me out too. I hate driving to Seaside Heights (for those of you familiar) because of the narrow, tight three-lane, low-to-the-water beridge that you haev to cross Of course I drive over all of these bridges, but as PCS already pointed out, I'm the one with both handles glued at "10 & 2" on the steering wheel, head faced straight, sweating, and with an ashen-colored face. And seeing people zooming by switching lanes only further adds to the anxiety. Of course the worse bridge for me is the Delaware Memorial, and I have to set teh cruise control otherwise I'll inadvertantly slow down. Another reason for my great fear of the Delaware Memorial - around '89 or '90 my uncle who owns a machine shop (tool & die) was contracted to repair some of the pins holding the bridge together. He showed us a video he took (I was 14 or 15 y-o at the time) of him walking on the catwalk under the bridge. To this day I have vivid images still, and I saw that video only the one time. Growing up my aunt & grandmother lived in Morrisville, PA when I wqas real young and we lived in Ewing Twp, NJ. We'd have to take a very narrow and old bridge known as the Calhoun Street Bridge to visit them, and my mom & I visited several times per week. I had nightmares about being on this bridge as it collapsed into the Delaware River - of course the dreams always exaggerated the amount of water below - and still do on occasion today (just now there are worse bridges that appear in my dreams). I've been told to seek counseling that can aid in the removal of this fear, but I feel silly as I don't tackle too many bridges in my daily travels. Other bridges that scare me include the I-95 bridge heading toward the Philadelphia Airport outside of Philly, the Burlington-Bristol Bridge (although since I've been crossing that one quite a lot in the past 5 years since I moved and use it to go into PA a lot I'm getting better), and the Walt Whitman into Philly (Ben Franklin isn't as bad as it has higher sides that prevent me from seeing over the railing, though riding the PATCO train into Philly rides on the outside of the bridge and offers a clear view of the Delaware ). The funny thing is architectually I love bridge design. I love the Golden Gate Bridge and would love to drive over it, but my fear would prevent me from doing so (I'd rather be a passenger anyway to soak in the design as I look up!). While I have never been over it - and would probably re-route my course to avoid it if I had to go farther south - the Chesepeak Bay Bridge & Tunnel causes me great anxiety when people mention it. I know, I need help!!

I last visited Southern California in March of 2006. I'd say visit Laguna Beach, as it is a very beautiful city & beach area (I only had time to go to one beach, but Huntington Beach was also recommended). One nice thing about Laguna Beach is that the Pacific Coast Highway goes right through the town, close to the beach, and you'll see all kinds of interesting cars & trucks drive by. If you and the gf are Disney fans, I'd definitely say take a trip to Disneyland. The Disney Corporation did a recent renovation to the place and I hear it is much nicer and cleaner - almost the way Walt had it - again. Disney California Adventure is next door and is a nice place to visit, but is currently undergoing a massive renovation/re-theming project. If you love a good fried chicken dinner, I'd recommend a visit to Knotts Berry Farm (it's also an amusement park, but I think you can go just for dinner too). A trip to Universal Studios Hollywood and CityWalk is nice, and you never know what movie/tv show will be filming while you're there. A tour of Los Angeles is nice (there are plenty of small bus tours available), see Grauman's Chinese Theater, there's a great Farmers Market to go to for lunch & shopping, see familiar sights from tv & movies, and of course a visit to the Peterson Automotive Museum would be nice :AH-HA_wink:

Thanks for the info on the '70-'72 Olds Cutlass. I have seen only a few of these types of Cutlasses (hardtop) over the past decade at car shows, mostly I see the fastback hardtop. I think I actually have a diecast of this type of Cutlass - I have to check my closet and/or the basement. Best of luck with both the Olds and Pontiac :AH-HA_wink: