Drew Dowdell

that interior was the NG CTS interior

That was the NG CTS interior too!!

by making it better

I guess that makes me the half wit of C&G

I had a completely different expectation upon entering this thread.....

for some reason I keep seeing GMC XUVs.... 4 today alone. It's like GMC sold every one they made to people in Western PA

Isn't the 3800 wedged in there pretty tight? So tight that they had to move the battery under the rear seat? My guess is no. Besides, if you're going to do that, just get a full northstar. They're the same external dimensions but have more power.

uh... how do I bid on contracts at GM?

what he said! It's been a week... I'm still not comfortable in the Avalanche.

I love the new Escalade. I sat in one at Detroit auto show. I have never owned or for that matter driven an SUV until last Saturday when I bought my Avalanche. Here is my take on SUVs after driving my CTS and Cutlass Supreme for the past 6 years: 1. I don't feel safer at all. I feel tippy and ungainly. 2. I drive fast not because I'm a fast driver, but because I feel like I'm moving slowly. 3. The Avalanche is extremely useful for me in my new business venture. Now that I have it, I really must have it nearly every day. The catalyst for purchasing "Hercules" was me trying to get 8 foot long pieces of trim into the CTS at home depot and having to rest them on the dash. I feel the basic premise of your average SUV driver/buyer thinking they'll be safer in an SUV is substantially flawed. Sure they might be slightly safer in an accident, but given the choice of the Avalanche or the CTS in a hairy driving situation and I'll take the CTS every time because I can actually avoid the accident in the first place. Thankfully the CTS has a good safety rating and so many airbags that if I were to be in an accident, I'll probably survive. Conclusion: For 99% of the buyers who buy an SUV for "safety" alone would be better off in a Subaru, Volvo, 500/Montego or Impala. Not only could they avoid accidents easier, they would be safer in one of those cars if an accident did occur.

GM will sell all of their shares of Isuzu to Ken Yackamack who lives down the street from GM headquarters for a total of $240 dollars in cash and a book of free Vente Latte Starbucks coupons good only at the Ren Center Starbucks. When asked for comment Mr. Yackamack said, "I own me a car company now! I wonder if that means I can get a free car."

I had a Jeep Wrangler Extreme from Hertz when I was in Florida two weeks ago. They were out of Mustang convertibles, so they gave me that.

That would make a very nice Buick.

Nope, just a nordicware cake pan. They have lots of patterns. I've been slowly collecting them as they go on sale at TJ Max. I have a pan that makes six small roses about the size of a very large cupcake. Chas and I decided that flowers were too expensive around valentines day, so I made him roses <french vanilla cake with red food coloring> instead. I used a small heart shaped pan to make green "leaves" for the roses. Arranged it all out on a platter, a *bam* I've got flowers for my honey on Valentines day. I earned big points for that one. :AH-HA_wink: I can do some great dinners, but my best work is always on the dessert tray.

Cooking with Drew: Triple chocolate cake, dark chocolate layer, white chocolate layer, milk chocoalte layer... with white chocolate almaretto iceing. Home made pound cake with a full pound of butter. Maple rum glaze and powdered sugar topping Dark chocolate tart with almaretto icing and crushed almonds on top

Toyoguy goes when his engine suddenly sludges up and stalls in front of a speeding GM Hybrid bus. Camino is attacked by a pack of wild puppies.

Heck, even a Lucerne over the Hyundai. At least I have the size, comfort, and class of a Buick. Which is more respected when you pull up to the valet? Hyundai or Buick? Besides, the Azera looks like a chinese regal knock off.... at least with the Lucerne, you'd get a real Buick.

We edited the letter for clarity. Thank you for your input

They found our key in another vehicle on the lot... we don't know if it was a car for sale or another customer's car.

We're sending this to the general manager of our VW dealer:

If they can get a NorthStar or a supercharged Northstar in there, they can fit a 4.8 litre <pushrod most likely> diesel engine. They can get the 5.7 in the CTS, they can get a 4.8 in the STS.

I'll take an STS with a 4.5 litre diesel please!

I just want it available, doesn't have to be standard. And by segment, I mean the high luxury set. That means everything from an STS to an Escalade, or a 5-series to an X7<guessing>. For about $100 it's just something an automotive journalist can lose his cookies over while writing about GM products. Give 'em less to complain about I say.

Uh, the 5.3 is extremely quiet. I tried to start the 5.3 in my Avalanche this morning when it was already running. Since when does sticker price on a GM vehicle matter?