Drew Dowdell

Always walk into a dealer with your financing situation set up ahead of time. Go to a local bank, credit union, or even apply to GMAC directly if you really want to.

Well that's what I get for trying to upgrade. Everything is back to where it was prior to me fiddling with it yesterday.

looks too tall.... ends up looking like an English style hearse.

try switching to another skin and then back again. No lie, I've not had a single failure using that link.

hmm... it's working for me. Can you post a screenshot of what you're getting? What skin are you using?

which links? nothing is failing for me at the moment.

I'm doing an upgrade on the server. Almost done.

Onstar Onstar turn-by-turn, you guys may not like it but it provides 75% of the functionality at 1/10th of the cost. Onstar vehicle slowdown Variable valve timing so simple that it makes iVtec look like a Rube Goldberg machine. Magna-ride Mainstreaming of direct injection (no, Audi is not really mainstream) The mid-size Crossover - Aztec and Rendezvous The Avalanche midgate Quadra-Steer Night vision in dash hard drive

Really? I thought Ford was up there. The Taurus has been a leader even back in the fish eye'd days.

Bring a camera

Isn't it amazing how SMK thinks MB came out with all of those safety innovations. Even the Stability control which MB gets credit for was developed by Bosch, not MB. <MB provided the funding and the test vehicles> You're giving credit to MB for developing SRS when all SRS means is Supplemental Restraint System. When the airbag was first developed by GM, it was though of as a replacement for seat belts. They went about it that way because GM was trying to improve vehicle safety at a time when people pretty much refused to wear seat belts. It took the savants over at Mercedes Benz to figure out that seat belts should be worn along with airbags, and thus came up with the marketing term SRS. I wonder how much they paid for that one.

Yuk! After seeing that picture I can already predict the commercials. "The Lexus ES350, now with even more Camry"

I'm pretty sure Olds was first. Offered as an option on the '73 Toronado.

I didn't say Cadillac offered it first I said GM offered it first. I could only find a brochure for the Caddy.

*brochure from 1974 Cadillac with Air Restraint System. GM was the first to offer airbags* With all the negative press that has circulated about General Motors before and during its bankruptcy proceedings, customers should be aware that although financially troubled, GM is a recognized leader in car safety advances. The company pioneered the development of the now ubiquitous concrete barriers on national highways and was the first car maker to install rear turn signals as standard equipment. Some of GM's safety innovations are obvious, while others are more subtle. Established GM Reputation for Safety Standards

Established GM Reputation for Safety Standards *brochure from 1974 Cadillac with Air Restraint System. GM was the first to offer airbags* With all the negative press that has circulated about General Motors before and during its bankruptcy proceedings, customers should be aware that although financially troubled, GM is a recognized leader in car safety advances. The company pioneered the development of the now ubiquitous concrete barriers on national highways and was the first carmaker to install rear turn signals as standard equipment. Some of GM's safety innovations are obvious, while others are more subtle. For instance, the company uses Event Data Recorders in electronic modules in its vehicles to capture information on vehicle and restraint function during crashes. The EDRs can be located in a number of spots including under the front seat or in 4-wheel drive steering modules. The EDR information is only accessed with the owner's consent, as an aspect of litigation, or as required by law, but the data aids in research to improve safety systems overall. For the past ten years, GM, in partnership with Safe Kids USA, has taken a major role in family car safety education and has developed industry-leading rear seat comfort guides for children as well as a program to retrofit trunks against child entrapment. Currently GM and Chevrolet are supporting Safe Kids Buckle Up programs, an initiative for which they received the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Public Service Award. In 2008, GM launched Stolen Vehicle Slowdown technology in 1 million 2009 models equipped with OnStar systems to help the police recover stolen cars and to cut down on the number of dangerous high-speed chases. In 2009 OnStar added an Injury Severity Prediction system intended to enhance automatic crash responses based on the degree of injury suffered by the vehicle's occupants. Beyond such forward thinking programs, GM's 2009 vehicles performed especially well in crash test ratings with the Chevrolet Silverado series achieving five stars for front driver and passenger and side and rear impacts and four-star rollover ratings. Sedans like the Chevrolet Aveo and Cobalt varied between five and four stars across the boards although the Aveo 4-DR w/SAB (side air bags) received only three stars for side rear passenger impacts. The Chevrolet Avalanche, Equinox, Suburban, Tahoe and Trailblazer offered similar results although most of these vehicles received three star ratings in rollovers and the Trailblazer 4-DR w/SAB received only three stars for front driver safety. (For more detailed information on individual safety ratings per vehicle, see www.nhtsa.gov, the official site of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.) As General Motors works to introduce new vehicles that meet enhanced fuel efficiency standards and likewise fulfill the public's desire for smaller, more economical cars and alternative energy propulsion units, more safety advances will undoubtedly follow. Atrophied management policies were responsible for the financial collapse of the former automotive giant, but GM engineers and designers have continued to do their jobs well for the consumers who drive General Motors products.

Welcome back to the site! Hope you come around more often!

I think Ford is playing the "Comeback Kid" theme right now. If they do enough "This is not your father's Taurus" ads, they'll do fine. It's not going to sell like the old Taurus did, as someone already said, that's the Fusion's job. Still, at $26k, that's a lot of quality car. That price point is no mistake when you see that the base Accord V6 MSRPs at $27k (not counting the $4k in incentives Honda appears to have on the hood). Avalon and most V6 Camries are above $26k also.

I don't think Ford ever intended for the SHO to be a big seller. It's there for one purpose and one purpose only; to bring respect back to the Taurus badge. And really, how much "extra" could it have cost Ford to build? All the parts were on the shelf. Take a "Ford" body and put a "Lincoln" motor in it.... that formula has been around since... well... ever. All they need is Conan O'Brian talking about his SHO and then Bill Ford walks out and presents him with a new one.

Seeing what you were able to do for Cheers and Gears and my other website in such a short time, you'll do great! Congrats!

that was a joke dear.

na, there are still some old schoolers out there. My dad only buys Craftsman tools. Mom only buys Kenmore. She bought a GE stove 7 years ago that gave her problems and I STILL hear about that damn thing and how she should have bought a Kenmore.

I was told I didn't have one

About a year ago I proposed that the top of the line Buick trim should be listed in FRONT of the name rather than after. Super Regal Super Lacrosse Super Lucerne Super Enclave If they ever do hybrids Electra Regal Electra Lacrosse Electra Lucerne Electra Enclave