Drew Dowdell

Shipping prices are ok if everything comes from the same warehouse. If your order pulls from multiple warehouses, the shipping charges can add up quickly. The order page will let you know which warehouse each part is coming from.

Anything in stock leaves the warehouse the next business day.

New Alternator installed, the bearings were going bad in the existing one and the belt would squeal for about 5 minutes at start up and any time there was a heavy load on the electrical system.

It took less time to install the alternator on the Toronado than it took just to get to the fan belt on the CR-V. For all the Honda engineering prowess, they can't manage to engineer themselves a belt routing sticker to put in the engine bay.

Also installed a new vacuum choke pull off that I picked up on clearance.

I want to give a shout out to RockAuto.com, where I've been buying most of my parts. I ordered a replacement headlamp switch, but when it arrived, the hard plastic housing had been smashed. Rock Auto had a replacement out to me in two days no questions asked.

I hated it when it first came out, but it's already taken it's position as "meh, another GAS" in my mind.

I till like the Optima a lot. I saw a black loaded up one in the store parking lot today drive by... it's easily the best of the asian family sedans in styling right now.

If I recall the Cruze styling was led by a Korean stylist Tae-Wan Kim and the Malibu exterior was led by a American stylist Dan Gifford.

I still hear some say the Malibu looks Korean even though it is not while others still think the Camaro was designed by an American but was done by Sang Yup Lee a Korean.

The truth is auto design has truly gone global as designers from around the world are crossing lines regularly to auto mfg of different countries. Lee is now doing VW, Audi's work. Heck we had an American [Morocco born] Frank Stephenson for a while doing Ferrai's and the Mini.

One can no longer ID the home country of a designer based on the looks of his work anymore.

Truth.

Continuing with this list

but there might be another car entering the household....

When mercedes 2-seat roadsters -half made of plastic- weighs nearly as much as a 1957 Imperial hardtop sedan with a cast-iron Hemi, I think there's a universal appeal in a factory lightweight.

The Camaro Convertible V6 I just had weighs more than a 2004 Cadillac Deville.

The Camaro Coupe V6 weighs the same as a 2005 Buick Park Ave.

The Malibu is coming down in size to give more room to the Impala and a possible RWD Caprice..... and I'm ok with that. Some of the "midsize" cars are so large these days that they are tickling the edge of the full size market.

So that it interferes with the Cruze?

Even a Fusion, which is on the small side of the mid-size class right now, is the same length as the '87 Taurus.

'87 Taurus is a mid-size, not a full size, so I'm not getting the point of this. I'm also having some trouble seeing how the 190 inch Fusion is on the smaller side of mid-size. With the Malibu shortening, is it going to drop out of "mid-size"?

I realize that all this "size" involves interior volume, rather than length, but in theory the two should be somewhat directly related... unless certain manufacturers have severe engineering issues when it comes to interior layout...

...which may help explain why some "full size" cars are getting overtaken in interior space by midsizers... many full-sizers are on platforms that are older than dirt.

No. Look at the Verano/Regal/Lacross/Lucerne as a guide to what the sizes will likely be at Chevrolet.

WRT the Fusion: I was saying that a small mid-size today is as large as a large mid-size from 25 years ago. I realize the '87 Taurus was a mid-size, but it was also considered to be quite large and roomy in that class back then.

At the tone, the time will be April 1st at 3:05pm Ding Dong

The Malibu is coming down in size to give more room to the Impala and a possible RWD Caprice..... and I'm ok with that. Some of the "midsize" cars are so large these days that they are tickling the edge of the full size market.

Even a Fusion, which is on the small side of the mid-size class right now, is the same length as the '87 Taurus.

Onstar Turn-by-turn is navigation by satellite. It uses GPS. It's always up to date (unlike 3 of the 2011 DVD based systems I've driven, the exit numbers on I376 changed 2 years ago now). It's completely hands free address entry. You get an indicator down to 10 feet as to when to make your turn. It will re-route you if you've gone off the set directions.

I like the Optima, but the Malibu is a much more solid car and will be around a lot longer than the Optima will. The Optima is "disposable nice", the Ikea furniture of cars.

Welcome back Aurora97

yea I can see how that would cut into Catera sales

Welcome to the fray!

Wow!

We already know that the 2.0T is capable of 260hp in old tune. There are turbo improvements coming to the Verano and Regal that will likely filter to any other GM turbocharged engine. The complaints about the Regal Turbo's refinement come from the fact that it is not the LNF (which is known for it's refinement and fuel economy) but a Opel tuned LHU.

I'm not expecting much, if any, weight savings over the Regal, but the new Turbo should make the Malibu more competitive despite lacking a V6.

Last day for an Ad-Free April!

As for the lack of the V6 it has not killed the Regal. I just had a co worker that just drove one the other day. He said since the car was built in Germany GM must have used a BMW engine. He really had no clue on the car. I told him it was just a detuned version of my HHR engine and it was the same Eco used in most GM cars. He was shocked. For the most this is your typical buyer so impressions accurate or not are very important.

If this car was larger I would be more concerned about the lack of a V6 but with higer gas prices and the market already 3/4 4 cylinder it is not going to be as big of an issue on this car. The key is that the car drives right and is quiet. Keeping the price under the Regal will also be key.

We also know that this segment lives and dies on comparisons to the Camry and Accord, which offer V6 engines. I'm just sayin'...

Not lately..... everything is being compared to the Sonata now. Camry is considered to be out of date.

Well, just to reiterate, If you're afraid of trying Aldi because they don't have any name brand stuff (it's all Aldi house brand) don't be. The only thing there we haven't liked was the yogurt (for Albert) when I accidentally bought the "light" stuff with nutrasweet in it instead of the regular flavor.

Every time I leave there, I have a look at the receipt and say "we only spent THAT much for all of this?"

Three things though:

1. Bring your own bags, they charge you for bags.

2. They only accept cash or debit, no credit cards or checks

3. Bring a quarter - to unlock the shopping cart costs a quarter, but you get your quarter back when you return it to it's spot.

If you've ever been curious as to what a German grocery store is like, this is about as close as you get. Aldis are from europe and the stores are identical over there.

Port Authority Service Cuts

2 years of habit changes and we live pretty lean. We've been shopping at Aldi more often as our main grocery chain here has REALLY jacked up the prices. We've been really happy with the food we get at Aldi even though it's all off brand. My favorite kind of snack cookie bar for my lunch is 1/3 !! the price at Aldi and it actually tastes better than the name brand version. The pre-marinated pork ($2.99) or turkey ($4.99) tenderloins taste great and feed Albert and I six meals worth.

You can't buy everything there, but we stock up on what we can and then fill in the rest with Costco and a small local grocery chain.

on the next version of the platform after it has lost a bit of weight, yes.

The Fiat 500 is the new Saturn Astra, except smaller with less room. $15,500 base and hardly any equipment. It may sell off novelty in year one, but then people will realize you are getting Aveo/Versa like equipment in an even smaller car at the price of an Elantra or Corolla. The Fiat 500 is not their savior.

Mercedes couldn't save Chrysler, Fiat surely can't either. Chrysler is going down, all the 2nd bailout did was delay judgement day, it didn't prevent it. And when Chrysler does go out of business once and for all, GM and Ford will be better off because of it. I look forward to America having 2 strong car companies, rather than 3 weak to mediocre companies that we had over the past 5-10 years.

Don't say Mercedes couldn't save Chrysler. Mercedes chose NOT to save Chrysler. They were in it for a quick buck and made a TON of mistakes.... the likes of which we could devote an entire thread to enumerating.

I'm guessing if he is talking about having a receipt and getting money back, it was done out of pocket.

We might be seeing the Caliber replacement in April