The O.C.

Once again, my friend, you are out-of-touch with the automotive business these days as it relates to dealership profits. We actually had a guy come in today (and he was dead serious) offering to buy a new Escalade for only $25,000 plus taxes and fees. His rationale was that the "market had fallen out from underneath us" and that these trucks were "serious drains on our dealership pockets" and that we had to "move them at any cost possible." Right now, with current incentive levels and dealer discounts, you CAN get a new Escalade with about an $11,000 discount. That brings a $70,000 Escalade down to below $60,000.....I'D SAY that's quite a nice discount....and definitely a reasonable level of pricing given current economic conditions. (Plus, for what it's worth.....we aren't suffering that bad with Escalades......I sold two of them myself within the first 5 days of the month.....) Dealers aren't being "jerks"......they are simply trying to survive.....and <gasp> maybe make a bit of a profit...?

A GM Employee Pricing deal is a major loser for a dealership. We could NEVER match the GMS price without taking about a $1,500-$2,500 loss on the deal. It's not realistic at all to expect a dealership to "extend" the GMS pricing if GM isn't supporting it. (Consumers forget about many of the costs of doing business that a dealership has to incur on every car they stock......items such as local-market-area advertising dollars that are tacked onto each car in addition to "packs" that are charged to each vehicle to cover things like detail costs and paying minimum commissions to salespeople.) Even when getting paid a "handling fee" from GM last month for doing a GMS, due to the above dealership costs, we made little, if nothing on each GMS sale.

Yeah....it's funny. You wouldn't wanna stock 15 1SE's......but we usually try to keep 3 or so around all the time.....and they do move pretty well. People like the nav system and other features. Don't see too much call for the bench seat (ironically) but we still stock a few. Most people DO like the buckets with floor shifter.....even in the non-1SE package cars...

And WHAT THE HELL is with that wierd beige-and-gray interior treatment on the Traverse? Makes me wanna totally

I think this is my first post on here since I started it.......as it's been fun to follow..... Let me say this...... Simply put......I think having Barak Obama as the next president of the U.S.A. is the most frightening thing I could ever imagine. I'm a registered republican......and I voted democratic in the last two elections.....but there's no way in hell I would ever vote for BO. I simply don't trust him one iota....and I have a real deep gut feeling about how bad he would be for our country. AND, I have this strong feeling that he DOES have some hidden agendas that are so scary, we probably don't want to even know about 'em. I also have a serious dislike of Bush.....but simply don't see McCain as carrying on "same as the last 8 years." And what of Mrs. Palin? Bumbles and all.......I'd rather have her in the oval office than Barak Obama. And that about says it all for me. Frankly, again bumbles and all, I think she brings a certain freshness to Washington that's been all to lacking for way too long.

I think there's a good place for texting.......it's both EXTREMELY convenient on one hand, and INCREDIBLY annoying on the other hand....... It's great for quick questions, answers, and responses......but nothing pisses me off more than to be sitting face-to-face with someone, having a conversation, and they are staring down at their phone texting.....while at the same time trying to continue the conversation with me..... Just last Saturday night, I was in the middle of delivering a new Escalade Hybrid to a customer, and he was texting all throughout my demonstration of the features and controls....

OK....so back to fuel economy...... Drove a 2008 Escalade from Las Vegas down to Phoenix to deliver to a customer.........all freeway miles.......14.1mpg. <ouch> Now granted, the cruise was set at 85mph, and I had plenty of passing maneuvers in the mountains with my foot buried into the floorboard........(on the other hand, I've heard of 20mpg easily in the Escalade at a more relaxed 70-75mph cruise on a freeway stint....)

Hell it could even be argued that there are few Caddy dealers that truly match Lexus' dealership standards.....

Problem with that is the short-wheelbase Escalade accounts for something like 2/3rds of the Escalade volume. ESV and EXT really aren't movers like the shorty is.

It does have an old-school, floaty-boat appeal to it. I think that's why the STS is such a dud......if you want an "old-school" Caddy, the STS is too sporty. If you want a sport-luxury sedan, the STS, on the other hand, can't hold a candle to the new CTS. The base DTSs seem a bit too boaty to me, but the cars equipped with the 1SE performance luxury collection with the H.O. Northstar, MRC, 18-inch wheels and tires, body-color grille, and navigation are the best of the crop IMHO. Even though they run $55K - $56, every time we stock a few, we sell them within a few weeks. It almost (emphasis on "almost") feels like the CTSs big daddy......

Actually, I HATE the two-tone interior in the LTZ.....that alone would keep me from it. I think the 2LT is the way to go......and I love the thought of the V6 in this car......as good as the Ecotec is with the 6-speed auto.....

You can order one. Unfortunately, you have to buy before you drive pretty much. We've only done one.....and our GM has mandated that every stick-shift CTS has to be ordered with a $5,000 non-refundable deposit.....and the customer has to sign a form agreeing to the non-refundable deposit. (I don't disagree with my GM......even though I'd only get a CTS with a manual, they are sale-proof on the lots to the general populace.) CTS-V may be a different deal though in regards to the manual......

I TOTALLY DISAGREE......I don't care WHAT the actual numbers are......when you put them side-by-side, the Escalade simply has WAY more presence than the Lambdas. And THAT is what consumers will pick up on. Our local Enterprise outfit has had Enclaves parked out on our lot right next to our load of Escalades......so I've been staring at them side-by-side for weeks now....and there is no question in my mind that Escalade enthusiasts will not appreciate a Lambda Escalade..... This is a prime case of perception versus reality. The reality MAY be that the Lambdas are just as big.....but in this case, perception just simply does not back this up.

I hope the new TL is much improved......I just took in an '07 TL Type-S in on trade and drove it around for a bit and was quite unimpressed...... I always liked the style of this generation TL.....but the engine was unimpressive (even in Type-S tune) and the road noise was totally unacceptable for anything with a "premium" badge. (This car had only 16,000 miles on it.) The car felt barely as quick as a non-DI CTS.....and the suspension/chassis tune/NVH were a class or two below the CTS. Of course it is a less-expensive car....but I REALLY expected more......like a nice VTEC-jump in power when hitting a certain rev range.....but it never came about. The car was "okay" in the power/acceleration department....but that was about it. The guy traded it in on a used 2007 GS350 AWD that we had in stock......now I'm no Lexus fan, but even I have to admit that was a fine driving car......and ALOT of power....even felt stronger than a DI CTS.....

Hey has anyone gotten the new C&D magazine yet? Anyone know if this Lightening Lap article is in the print mag?

I thought he was SO funny in those movies........

Oh yeah.....quite open about it......(he's a hottie btw....if anyone saw his photo shoot in Out magazine?)

And see? That's the problem. There are many of "us" that DO want "to get married." If my church sanctifies my marriage to another man, why should the government try to intervene to make it unconstitutional? Those out there argue that "marriage" is supposed to be "between a man and a woman." FINE....if that's your religious belief. But WHY are you FORCING your religious belief on me? Why is the government even involved in this debate? What happened to the separation of church and state? This marriage debate, for example, is one more thing (significant or insignificant, depending on your view) that forces the impression that we (being gay people) are different and not as deserving of the rights and personal beliefs that straight people share.

Well, I'm really torn on this issue. From reading your post, he was WITH you guys.....so the lady overreacted.....it's not like you guys were a whole group of middle-easterners acting strange like that group that was kicked off a flight recently.... But on the general topic of profiling as it regards airline security, It seems that we face a real threat from islamic extremists......and unfortunately, it just happens that the vast majority of islamic extremists (at least those that have SO FAR threatened our national security) are of middle-eastern descent. In that case, as sad is it sounds, I think increased screening of people of middle-eastern descent is something that should be tolerated. It gets down to our safety and security. We've been had before, and thousands of people have paid the price. And there's no argument that these extremists want us dead. It's tough for me to say these words, because I'm about as un-racist as a person can be......and I have many middle-eastern friends myself. However, I don't think anyone in support of this increased screening feels that way simply because they are "racist." Maybe I'm off my rocker..... But I do feel that in your situation, it was WAY overblown.

True....nobody should force anything down anyone else's throat.....(no pun intended) But on the flip side of things, gay people have heterosexuality pretty much forced on them in just about every aspect of our culture. Straights don't want us to marry.....even though it doesn't affect them in the slightest bit.....call it straight peoples' "heterosexual Christian values" being forced upon US..... .....straight people have no qualms about walking around holding hands and showing obvious PDA.....right in front of us.....but heaven-forbid, if two guys do the same thing, they are "forcing their gayness onto everyone"....... .....finally, gays have to deal with the constant crap coming from straight homophobes about our sexuality and how wrong it is.....but notice you never hear of any incidents of "heterophobia".....do you? That being said.....I do think it's kinda ridiculous the amount of press someone like Lance Bass and Clay Aiken get.....just because they come out of the closet. I think that's the kinda of notariety that most gay people aren't at the slightest interested in......

Nope.....you are not the only one. I have very little interest or respect for the Lohan/Hilton/Spears/Ritchie/Kardassian crowd.......they are all pathetic, really....in my mind..... What has happened to today's young female "role models?" I remember back in the late 70's, when I was 7, 8, 9 years old, you had beautiful, talented women (she's a singer too) like Lynda Carter, etc......

he SAVED the jizz rag?

Actually, (and I know I'm gonna get shot on here for this) but I actually think Lance Bass is quite adorable.....

A couple guys went over there to check it out......supposedly he's sold out of fortwo's for two years!!!!!!!