Drew Dowdell

Well... technically... the Intrigue had a wider track than the GP.... so the Olds was the better car.

The reality is this "glorified golfcart" can walk away from an Audi R8 like it's standing still. Electric motors have a distinct performance advantage over gasoline engines. Electric motors have 100% of maximum torque at ZERO rpm. Some of the fastest objects on land use electric motors for propulsion. The Volt was never intended to be a performance car, however it's performance is quite respectable for what it is.

I don't really see the "hyundai" interior in the new Malibu. I felt much higher quality than the Sonata when I checked it out in NY.

My most frequent issue is with people who tailgate. Typically a large SUV with the driver yapping on a cell phone. I am pretty good about keeping to the speed limit.... but I also frequently feel the need to check my brakes... you know.. just in case. More than once I've seen the person drop the cell phone to grab the wheel with both hands. Then my sun roof opens and the finger goes up and out.

I agree with your assessment, however, you keep suggesting cars that are 1.) way over the size limit. and 2.) some of the biggest maintenance nightmares around. I sat in the Kazashi today.... it is a serious contender.

If the engine is as mechanically sound as he claims it is, there is nothing wrong with a fully operational 8-6-4

Twas the Fiesta. The CR-V is fixed (mostly) for now.

2013 Chevrolet Sonic

When I'm heading your direction, I usually find someone with NJ plates going at a high rate of speed and fall in behind them. I've done this before with a new (at the time) Corvette and I followed in my CTS from Pittsburgh to Lancaster at triple digit speeds. The oddest convoy I ever got into was also partially my doing. S-type - C-Class - with me in the FrankenWagen following close behind. Then there was also the day I brought my Toronado home. It doesn't get much more "birds of a feather" than this:

I will be there both days. My car isn't really show worthy, but since I'm going both days, and parking is a $10 "donation" I figure I'd just register it for $25 and then be right on the show field rather than having to take the parking shuttle. I'll look for you on Sunday.

We've been looking at the Equinox and he does really like it, but to buy one new... well, Chevy rightfully isn't discounting at the moment. Heated seats + AWD is typically over $25k. If I could find a Vue Green-Line, that would probably be ideal if they come in AWD. The Cruze diesel announcement put a kink in things. I may try to pursued him to keep the CR-V as a backup vehicle (since it is nearly paid off) and use the Cruze diesel as his daily driver. The CR-V would still be around for winter driving and I could get a set of snow tires for the oil burner since I'm not afraid of driving in snow without AWD.

Start thinking back to Compass/Impreza sized. SRX will be a tough sell for size as it is. There's no way he'll go for an LX car. C-class 4matics?

Cool. You making any money off it yet?

Beautiful car! Not digging the wheels, but I can understand the likely reason for doing it. Finding the proper whitewalls in the OE size is difficult these days. Side note, are you coming to the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, ClassyEldo? I thought I remembered you being in Pittsburgh also. My car will be on the show field.

Really? Seriously? No where near the goals we are trying to reach.

I think bigger outside factors killed GM's pushrods. Their utter refusal to pair the 3.4 and 3.9 with a 6-speed auto really held those engines back. The 3.6 is a HUGE HEAVY V6 compared to the 3.9. Sure the 3.9 didn't make as much power, but it also doesn't have direct injection either. As for smoothness, I don't know how many times I can tell the story of my driving one on the highway in 3rd gear for 20 miles and only realizing it when the MPG average dropped significantly. I took 66stang out for a ride in the Lucerne, we had it to 80mph and downshifted into 3rd. There is simply no visceral or audible change. Yes, the 3800 was old... we get it. But the 3900 was as smooth as any modern DOHC V6.

^^^ I may consider buying one for Albert to use as his daily driver and then keep the CR-V for winter back up duty. The Honda's last payment is end of Sept, so we'll have some time to put some extra money aside for this. My only hope is that they don't sell the diesel as an economy model only. I still want the creature comforts on it.

Android and Skype

I'm not suggesting that my additions have to make sense (and they can do 3 valves per cylinder on a single camshaft.. it uses a forked rocker) it just has to have enough acronyms after the name to make the average BMW buyer feel like they got their money's worth. Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham 24 valve VVT-CIC EcoFlex 2-mode torque assist super turbo Or as BMW would spell it: e-760iLst xDrive M

So what is going into the MY 2014 Impala? Is it RWD? A really great car? Inquiring minds need to know. Malibu iL

They are already selling them in Europe and Australia now.

Hyper, are you trying to claim that it was the pushrod engines that did GM in? It wasn't the faceless Saturn designs? If pushrods did GM into bankruptcy... why didn't it do the same to Ford? They were using the pushrod Vulcan in the Taurus right up until the crisis. The Mustang had a pushrod V6 up until last year. Keep in mind that to many non-car people, the 3800 was a selling point due to reliability and fuel economy.

They are re-working the diesel already in production in other markets to meet U.S. emission standards.

Sprint's device roadmap for the next quarter has been leaked. So, the Proton and the 3D are my choices in the timeframe. Any Windows 7 phone other than Arrive, which better is departed? A few androids and two blackberries.

With V6 engines able to make as much power as the Northstar, though, one can argue that at this point, V8 engines aren't even "needed." "Desired," though, is a whole 'nother animal. Even the 12s that the Europeans have are for premium cache, as they have been for generations. It's something that Jaguar lost with the newest XJ in offering three V8s, two supercharged, one at a hotter tune. I at least say it wouldn't hurt to offer something with more than 8 cylinders. I was going for enough panache to go up against a V12 without actually being a V12.