Drew Dowdell

I really like the one at the NYC Autoshow, but it's a tweener. Not quite Fusion sized, but not Focus small either.

So file a lien on the property.... but hey, you defended BP by saying wind power was more destructive to the environment than the oil spill.... so what can we really expect from you.

I don't think anyone on C&G can be considered a "typical" automotive consumer. My point was that CSpec's assertion that people won't buy premium small cars is conspicuously wrong with the 3-series. Here in Chevy land, even with lots of hills and snow, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a 3-series... I can't imagine what it's like in SoCal.

3-series.

Because if your AAA insurance has lapsed, they'll still tow the car for you and just bill you for it. The same should have been done for this home.

But you're not going to be able to do that kind of setup again on a Jetta anymore either.

you have the service manual?

You and I aren't Molly McMansion

Not especially. Look at the best selling SUVs and CUVs (the only way you get to 50% is by including CUVs) CR-V, RAV4, Equinox, Escape, Forester, and things like the HHR and PT Cruiser are technically included in the CUV count. The 4-cylinders are at better than a 75% take rate on models that have a V6 available. What American's really want are tall AWD station wagons..... they just don't want to call them that.

When you get a chance, you should add it to the C&G Garage!

The Mini is awful with noise, ride comfort, and ergonomics! Even even gets lame fuel economy for how small it is. If someone made a previous generation 3-series with more of an eye on fuel economy, that is what I would use as a model for "small, but premium and efficient"

3-series.

Do you simply ignore everything I say? I just said that people drive SUVs because small cars don't currently offer the amenities people want in a vehicle. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why people who can afford it buy an Escalade or DTS or STS over a Cobalt. It's because there isn't a Cobalt sized vehicle that offers the comfort and amenities that the big vehicles have.

My only issue with this is the flawed premise that econoboxes and big SUVS are equals in terms of amenities and quality. People don't want econoboxes because 95% of them are penalty boxes. Even the nicer econoboxes are nothing like the luxury available in the big SUVS. My humble opinion is, until you can get lux comfort in a smaller package, people will continue to buy SUVS. One of those luxuries is QUIET. My biggest complaint when I ride in any of the small cars, Civic, Impreza, 3, is the amount of wind and tire noise is so bad as to turn me off to the whole idea of owning something that size. So, until smaller cars offer the amenities, ride, comfort, and quiet that the big SUVS can...this trend will continue.

Well the XTS is definitely still on. I just got an out of office reply from someone @GM.Com referring me to another engineer "for any XTS issues". The Out Of Office reply was set on 9/28

Rebuilding the battle wagon

It won't be as big a collectible as the Roadmaster, but the Custom Cruiser will hold it's own among B-body enthusiasts