Everything posted by Robert Hall
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Ford's Not the Only One with Engine Supply Issues...
Maybe GM could sell them the plant that builds the 3800 and the engine tooling... Toyota could claim a pushrod V6 is a new 'innovation'...
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NYIAS: 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Looks good..subtle changes to the front...I really like that shade of green, reminds me of the Orvis edition on the 1st gen model.
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Bob Lutz Explains Why The Pontiac GTO Failed
Yes, and hopefully the G8 will help continue to build Pontiac's performance credibility...FWD rental cars just don't cut it.
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I SO want this car!
The GNX was a neat car...not sure if I would pay 100 large for one, though.. I'd much rather have this Turbo that's on ebay for $70k..
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Sayings
Wherever you go, there you are. Screw you guys, I'm outta here. Captain Obvious strikes again. His elevator doesn't reach the top floor.
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Why are you where you are?
Born in Eastern Ohio, about a 1 1/2 hrs from Pittsburgh. Grew up between there and the Florida Keys. Went to college in NE Ohio, grad school in Ann Arbor, Michigan, moved to Chicago after grad school then from there to Colorado Springs, Co and from there to Denver, Co with some time in Phoenix, Arizona. I came to Colorado for the climate, the outdoors, and the job market (which was very strong in the late '90s, less so today). I like it here it quite a bit, lots of friends here. I like a big city/suburban environment--I couldn't live in a small town or rural area (my folks loved rural, which is how I lived as a kid)...I want my Target, Starbucks, Borders, etc within a 10-15 min drive. A mild climate, a major airport within a 1/2 hr drive (I prefer direct flights) are important to me. I enjoyed living in Chicago quite a bit, have many friends there...but the brutal winters and sticky summers (worse that Michigan) were a turn-off. I've almost moved to the south SF Bay Area (San Jose/Sunnyvale) a couple of times---I worked there and traveled back and forth for a while, and while there are still plenty of job opportunities in my field there even after the tech bubble burst, the insane cost of living is a turn off. I also like LA, OC, and San Diego quite a bit..I try and take at least one vacation a year to So Cal. I have thought about Miami or the Ft. Lauderdale area...I like the east coast of S. Florida, though I'm not enthusiastic about hurricanes and humidity. I have thought about moving to Arizona since I have family there and don't mind the heat (I love the winters there and can tolerate the summers). But the job market isn't as solid overall there compared to Denver/Boulder, as far as I can tell.. At some point in my life, I'd like to live close to a beach again...living on the ocean in the Fl Keys for 6 years as a teenager was pretty special.
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First Drive: 2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible
I saw one with the top up at the auto show yesterday..it looks really awkward with the roof up..the G6 and Eos look much better with their tops up, IMHO..
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Anyone Live or has Vacationed in Utah?
I've been to Park City in the winter, beautiful place. Drove to SLC for a concert once, wide streets..was surprised I could get coffee and beer. I've driven across the state on 80..the salt flats and salt lake are very strange to drive through. I want to go to the Bonneville Speed week sometime and visit the national parks. It's too sparsely populated and red state for me to visit very long, though.
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2007 Denver Auto Show
Went to the auto show today... GM had none of their new concepts, and only two '08 models --a Malibu LTZ and Enclave-- (no '08 CTS, '08 G8) on display. The Camaro concept was there in red, looks great in red. The Malibu and Enclave looked really, really good. The G6 convertible looks better in person, neat in top-up hardtop mode. The G6 GXP sedan, on the other hand...giant ugly grilles. Cadillac had some hotties talking up the cars. Over at the Ford stand, the Lincoln MKR and Ford Interceptor were in attendance, along with a concept coupe (don't recall it's name, kind of like a modern Cobra Daytona? GR-S or something?). The '08 Focus 4dr was there, along with the Taurus and Taurus X, GT500 convertible, and some massive '08 Super Dutys.. The guy talking up the Taurus even said it looks like the Five Hundred. The Lincoln MKR and Interceptor looked great in person, much nicer than in pictures... I really liked the color of the MKR. Over at Chrysler, the new Sebring sedan and ht convertible are painfully ugly, and having a sedan in Petty blue (very bright light blue) didn't help. But the Asian lady in the black leather dress talking up the Avenger made up for the car's so-so design. Chrysler had a neat heritage display, with a massive two-tone '57 Imperial Southampton 4dr ht, a red '73 Challenger, a WWII Army Jeep, and something else. The usual assortment of exotics were on hand---Aston DB9 coupe, DB9 convertible, V8 Vantage coupe, V8 Vantage convertible, RR Phantom, Bentley Continental GTS, Flying Spur, Ferrari 430, 3 Gallardos (2 Spyders), a Murcielago Spyder and coupe, and a couple Maserati Quattroportes. It's always fun to mingle and hear what other people say at a car show...the Outlook, Sky, and Aura were drawing positive response for Saturn...I sat in all 3, very nice. I overheard a woman say 'Ewww..it's gross' about the interior of a 3dr Yaris, but her boyfriend/husband/whatever said 'No, it's a Toyota, it's cool'. Two college-age guys walking through the Acura stand said 'Acura is like Honda, but Japanese'.... ok.. There were some strange little electric cars including one called an 'iT' on display along with Smart cars, from Zap Motors, I think. One electric car I sat in was very tiny and primitive. A fun couple of hours wandering around...
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80's Omega
A unitbody car on a truck chassis? You have to be kidding...madness.
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GNR CHINESE DEMOCRACY
Not bad... I like the track 'Better'... I can't believe it's been almost 20 years since 'Appetite..'.. I was a skinny teenager with a mullett then.
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Toyota may upgrade Georgetown, KY plant
Interesting...I'll have to check w/ my cousin Mike about this...he does something with interior assembly there.
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BMW M3 Will Honk 420 hp
Exactly..the current CTS-v is about 4000lbs isn't it? The next one will likely be heavier...
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UAW doesn't rule out strike
True, pensions are a rarity today...they made sense in a world where people would stay in the same company 20-30 years....I couldn't imagine staying at the same company more than 5 years today..
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NASCAR Names
The differences are meaningless, though, since the cars have no resembalance to the production car bodies, proportions, and detailing...
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NYIAS: 2008 Cadillac STS
Hmmm....maybe in a size sense, the DTS is 'more car', but FWD with a 4spd auto would be a definite step down from the STS with it's RWD w/ 6spd auto, IMHO.
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Electric supercharger
Sounds like as much of a scam as the 'turbo airfilters' and other crapola they sell to the kiddies at Pep Boys...
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Infiniti EX Concept
Looks cool...strong family resembalance to the G35 in the front and greenhouse.
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SRX competes against 8 lux suv's in C&D
The styling of the SRX has really grown on me..I really like how it looks like a CTS tall wagon more than an SUV..
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Hyundai said to release new BH to compete against luxury cars
It certainly sounds impressive on paper... all the right buzzwords--DOHC, RWD, 6-spd, IRS, etc. It will be interesting to see if Hyundai can pull it off. I'm curious about the engine...
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UAW doesn't rule out strike
Yeah, I don't really get it either..in the real world, jobs are 'at will'... my only bit of job security comes from my performance..
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FIRST LOOK: Buick LaCrosse Super
Modern Chrysler radios do the same... it works for me. I'd rather have an LED display (is that what they are (i.e. blue or green or red numbers (color coordinated to the gauge lightning) against a black background) than an LCD display...I truly hate LCD displays (hard to read in most lighting)..same reason I wouldn't want an LCD watch.
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NASCAR Names
I've viewed Honda's participation in motorsport the same way...Honda has always been about engines and technology.. that has always been important to them. I couldn't see Honda in NASCAR, because the idea of Honda building a pushrod V8 with a carb in 2007 is absurd...
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FIRST LOOK: 2008 HUMMER H3 Alpha
I have to laugh at the off road specs..I'm not sure how these capabilities will benefit the H3 in it's natural habit, i.e. suburban housing developments, mall parking lots, Starbucks lots..except for driving over raised medians to make a quick U-turn into Starbucks or over the raised parking lot berms...
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SRX competes against 8 lux suv's in C&D
Yes..good point. The updated interior in the SRX looks quite good in the pics... and the SRX is the 2nd lightest in the group, over 1000lbs less than the lardy LR3.