Robert Hall

Kwiki-Mart

? Hmmm... don't get the reference.. or Venga MPV?

With the long warranty and low price, they are bound to pick up sales from cheapskates that aren't picky. People at the bottom of the market aren't really concerned w/ quality. Rob

Ya, it's an Epsilon like the Malibu and G6.. I've never driven an Epsilon. My most recent GM rentals (last year) were a Cobalt and a Vibe, and a few years ago a Monte Carlo, a couple Impalas and a Grand Prix. Before that, Grand Ams and N-body Malibus. Rob

Yeah, more of a trim package special than upgraded hardware. HSV is Holden's equivalent of Caddy's V-series, BMW's M, Merc's AMG, etc I think? Rob

Yeah..seems like it will may be used like the HSV label..

I wonder about that... it did say they wouldn't be badged as Pontiacs...so will be they be marketed as Holden Pontiacs? Or just regular Holdens with Pontiac trim? Very strange.

Very strange situation.

Happy Birthday! Enjoy.

From Wikipedia: The Kia Venga is a new subcompact hatchback produced by the South Korean automaker Kia Motors that will be unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show.[1] It is Kia's version of the Hyundai i20 subcompact. It will replace the dated Kia Rio in the Kia lineup.

Hmmm...I haven't bought or eaten peanut butter (other than the occasional candy bar) in over 20 years. Haven't eaten it on a sandwich since high school.... I guess it's because I don't have kids. Strange...I saw this thread and thought..peanut butter..when were you last in my life? Long time..

pudge

Chalk it up to August heat madness. Looking forward to September.

Lots of good restaurants there... I've gone to an excellent lunch buffet at the Bellagio a couple of times. I don't gamble, but enjoy the occasional Vegas trip for the food, shows and concerts. Rob

Ya, which is unfortunately how it often ends up in a restaurant. I want to live in a coastal area again... the fresh seafood in S. Florida was great when I lived in the Keys as a kid, IIRC. Rob

Haven't tried it... Will have to look for it. I haven't had good calamari in while...used to get some that was very good at a bar (The Bull and Bush) in Glendale, Colorado when I went there as often as twice a week w/ my team from work back in the '02-07 time frame... another place that has good calamari and oysters is the McCormick and Schmick chain--used to work in walking distance from one--would go there with my cubies for Happy Hour and have a some w/ a few canned PBRs (kind of an odd juxtaposition--PBR in an upscale establishment). Rob

I've been on a seafood kick this summer...wierd to think about seafood in the desert, but that's how it's been. Had fish and chips w/ a couple Harps at an Irish brewpub near my house every couple weeks the last few months, quite tasty. I've grilled salmon filets (with bacon topping) a couple times, as well as made shrimp skewers, tilapia, clams. And when I've gone out to a couple favorite local restaurants, I inevitably get bacon wrapped shrimp for the appy....tasty! A local seafood place I like called The Fish Market (part of a Cali chain) is soon being replaced by another outpost of a Cali chain that I can't recall the name of (something grill, not Bonefish Grill...had one of those in Denver, liked it). Rob

Sweet car... looks like a fun boat.

(I've heard 'rel-ter' and in Spanish, it could be 'rey-AL-tor' .) mortgage (mohr-gage) silent t?

Tempe, Arizona (where they are based since the America West merger)

boring

I had to do the same kind of thing about 5 years ago when I broke off the side mirror on my Jeep on one of those yellow water-filled construction barrels. Had to remove the passenger door panel to get to the mounting screws and electrical connection. I need to take the door panel off again, after so many years, it's worked loose and the mirror vibrates at freeway speeds... Rob

That's a lot of rental car driving!

I don't know, maybe within the last 20, at most 25 years? Anything older than that seems like a truly old car to me. (I started driving in 1986, my first new car was an '87, so that is my reality context). Rob

I've drive a couple of those, and the '00-04 Impalas as rentals. They were average and mediocre, but perfection compared to the Neon and Cavalier I drove. The GP and Impala seemed about par w/ the '00-05 Taurus rentals I've driven, definitely not as nice as the LHes of the same era I've rented, but not bottom of the barrel. The current gen Sebring convertible was pretty awful also...forgot that one...that was last year in Florida. The interior plastics were so cheap and nasty, the release handle for the driver's seat back came off in my hand. Just so many things were bad--the trunk lid was huge and really high up, but the space inside w/ the cloth top down was ridiculously tiny, and the trunk area was full of cheap plastic. I've driven a couple 1st and 2nd gen Sebring convertibles, and they were worlds better than this car inside and out. Rob