Drew Dowdell

Dad has been a Ford Truck Man for nearly his entire driving life. Up until I was in high school, Mom had an affinity for obscure imported wagons. There was a Fiat, a VW Type 3 or 4 (not sure), a Subaru GL wagon... in '82, a Dodge Colt Vista wagon in '86. Once the Vista wagon was done, mom switched to large domestic sedans. Bonneville in '94 and Aurora in '01. She still has the Aurora even though it's been wrecked, they still drive it around. It's got 180k miles on it and is a basket case because they never took care of it. She has an F-150 King Ranch now as her daily.

they would be hot in a Nissan Juke Convertible.

We have a large draw. We have very steady traffic of 65 - 95 people online at any given time. Our posts don't reflect that level of traffic. Politics is the "dessert" part of the site. It's there for the old members who have been visiting since the beginning to go in and debate other stuff because we already know each other. However, and I am just as guilty of this, there are some who post is politics and no where else on a given day. No dessert until you eat your meat and potatoes. Look at it another way Camino. Right now this site is nothing but a blog with 4 or 5 members posting new threads and then a few people commenting on them. It seems that very few are interested in helping out any more. I opened up moderator positions and 4 people stepped forward. If we're going to continue down that path, then so be it. I'll turn C&G into a blog. The software would be free as opposed to $200 a year, the hosting would go from $100 a month to $9.00 a month, and the page views would likely remain the same making C&G nicely profitable for me. If you're interested in keeping the automotive forums around... post in them... make new threads. But if you're not interested in posting, then I don't see any further point in continuing C&G as is.

nothing planned immediately.

Sweet!

I considered many different things for C&G recently since very few people are posting anymore.

Yes.

Since the Politics section seems to be the most active forum on the website right now... and it's not related to automotive news... a small restriction has been put in place. In order to enter the Politics forum, you must make at least 5 posts in any other forum in the previous 24 hours before you will be permitted to post in Politics. No one, not even myself nor the other Admins are exempted from this rule. This also presumes that you already have access to Politics. -DD

hadn't what?

You think it will lower prices even 9/10ths of a cent? No of course not. I was half joking. I figured you were 9/10ths joking....

You think it will lower prices even 9/10ths of a cent?

I filled up with 21 gallons last night just to make it through the strike.

Can someone get me a scan?

to clean also?

This is not the fruit you are looking for Ocn.... though it might provide a temporary substitute.

After 30 years, the grease and grime has finally caught up with it. There are no physical restrictions from it extending all the way up or all the way down, but it's pretty gross at the seams. Dealing with these things can be a chore, but when they're properly lubricated they work well. What do I clean it with and what do I relubricate it with? .... what?... what did you think I was talking about?

I'm actually going to go look at a new HHR this weekend. This thread inspired me to do so. Found a black 2LT with a 5-speed, leather, and roof where my friend Dominic works now.

I don't think every model needs a 2-door version, but I'm all in favor of more models with 2-doors. I think a sporty 2-door crossover is one that could work... and I think it's precisely why monstrosities like the X6 and ZDX have tanked so hard.

I too am hoping they do more than just a grill change on this one like they did ont the Full Size GMC. Just please no oversized cheap plastic grills. What vehicle today doesn't use a stock OEM plastic grille? Pretty much everything on the market under $75k comes with a plastic grille (I'm just making that up, just in case someone says that the XYZ Supercar priced at $100k comes with a metal or some other type of non-plastic grille ) I see a lot of Equinox/Traverse in the Chevy Colorado replacement truck, which is fine because it meshes well as a "family". On that note, let's hope that the GMC version (I'm hoping for the revival of "Sonoma" over the re-use of "Canyon" btw) takes after the Terrain and Sierra HD (and the Sierra HD All Terrain Concept) for its boxier, professional grade style. As a service to SMK, I walked around the NYC auto show last year and poked my finger in the grill of every high end are I could. There wasn't a car under $150k that had a metal grill. My bet is that Rolls my be the lone marque with that spec (Rolls wouldn't let me poke their grill) This came about because SMK was complaining about the "cheap plastic grill" on the CTS-V while gushing about the look of whatever Jaguar he was humping that week..... yeah, the Jaguar has the same chrome plastic you can get in an Ertl kit.

What about an HHR then. Manual, utility, fuel economy, GM, good zip around town, and you can get them cheap.

What's funny is I remember seeing Sprinters badged as Mercs at least 6-7 years ago or more, so some owners must have been rebadging them.. but I already knew they were Mercs since I'd seen them in Europe when across the pond.. They were sold as Benz in Mexico since the beginning of time.

Actually, the Sprinter was marketed solely as a Freightliner in the US until 2003 when Dodge gained access to them as well. Mercedes badging didn't start until 2008 and even then only on the "limo" models. It wasn't until the Dodge version was canceled with the severing of the Chrysler-MB link that Mercedes expand their branding to the entire line. So no there wasn't "general knowledge" that it was a Mercedes. If anything people though of them as Freightliners. but you're not all that savvy about cars... so I wouldn't expect you to know that.

right... cause the $10k price premium to start really hurt the Sprinter.

How about we wait till they actually go on market with pricing and options before deciding if they will sell. Again, Dodge moved 12,000 $30,000+ Sprinters in 2008.... that isn't a high hurdle to cross if pricing is better on the Ducato (as I suspect it will be). All Ram has to do is offer it as a diesel at the same base price as the gasoline Chevy and Ford, and it will have a compelling reason to exist in the market.

That's what their websites said. Only 17" size available is a Michelin ice & snow tire. If I had the 18" tires of the GT/GXP, then they have my size available. Uh.... I'm coming up with 16 tires for the 17" G6 on Costco's website. http://tires2.costco...f1-b5b1cc265de0 Shows just one for 225/50-17... what am I doing wrong compared to you? Go by tire size... not by Model/Year... For some reason they only show snow tires for 2008 Pontiac G6. If you flip it to 2007 (the exact same tire size), you get the 16 variants I mentioned. You should always search for tires by the recommended size and NOT the Year/Model method. You don't know if their database is exactly correct.... but a 225/50-17 will fit a 225/50-17 every time.