Bimmer325

In order to be taken seriously as a "journalistic" destination on the web, it's not just profanity that needs to go. Good journalism in this country has always been about objectivity, at least in principle, and that doesn't exist around here. C&G used to be a much more professional place in this respect. We used to have level-headed discussion not only about General Motors, but about the competition as well. This is a GM enthusiast website. I understand that. I just wish we could get back to the realistic discussions that took both sides of the fence into account. I think GMI has us beat lately in this regard.

Only on C&G can a Toyota be called "dehumanizing" as if that even makes sense.

I would love to do this on a regular basis for C&G.

C4C filing time extended, again Dealers unable to process requests; Tuesday set as new deadline Bimmer325 | Tuesday @ 01:56 AM One more lap to go. Thousands of dealers complained of trouble filing clunker requests Monday, with the finish line looming just hours away. As a result, the Obama administration has extended the deadline for dealers to process transactions to noon Tuesday. It's too late for any deals, though, as sales under the incentive winded down Monday at 8 PM. Why the paperwork trouble? Increased traffic as last-minute shoppers rushed to cash in caused the government website to crash Monday afternoon. As dealers rushed to submit vouchers on the eve of the event's end, the National Automobile Dealers Association pressed for more time. The program has revved auto sales, moving hundreds of thousands of cars off dealer lots. Will it run out of gas before every dealer is paid? $2.58 billion in rebate checks had been counted by early Monday, according to the DOT, with the program's budget set at $3 billion. In other news, Metro Detroit dealers call clunkers program a hit. Others breathe a sigh of relief. Discuss - Cash for Clunkers filing time extended.

Dealers win one more day to file online for cash-for-clunker deals By TIM HIGGINS AND JUSTIN HYDE FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITERS Citing an overloaded computer system, the Obama administration today extended the deadline for auto dealers to file transactions under the cash for clunkers program to noon Tuesday, while maintaining the 8 p.m. deadline tonight for deals to be arranged. "Despite a large increase in the system’s capacity, the website was down temporarily this afternoon," the U.S. Department of Transportation said today. "Because of the temporary shutdown, dealers have been given extra time to file the necessary paperwork." The National Automobile Dealers Association said it had received reports from 2,000 dealers of trouble filing transactions with a federal web site today. Dealers and U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton, the Ohio Democrat who was the original House sponsor of the program, pressed the Transportation department to extend the deadline today. Read more.

This "coasty" says: K-Mart was never a trendy place to shop.

UPDATE: Cash for Clunkers ends Monday One month and 500k sales later, program dries up If you're planning on cashing in on your clunker, you'd better get to a dealer soon. Exactly one month after it began, the government's CARS program will end Monday at 8 PM. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood blames conservative sales estimates for the pushed-up deadline, which was initially to come on Labor Day. Since July 24th, close to a half million sales worth billions in rebates have been recorded. Funding issues, dealers angry over rebate checks and controversy over the trashing of old "clunkers" have regularly made headlines since Cash for Clunkers began. Now, it's almost over. Cash for Clunkers ends Monday.

Buick should offer one trim-level with the 3.6 standard.

Edmunds Inside Line I'm really impressed by how well-executed this car is, even if it doesn't have much more cargo room than the sedan. It's form over function for sure, but it might as well be in this market. Nobody buys frumpy wagons that hold a lot, anyway. This thing looks completely modern and has serious style.

First Drives: Automobile mag Jalopnik C&D

First CTS Sport Wagon rolls off the line Production begins at Lansing plant; First-ever wagon joins the CTS line Cadillac's CTS line just got sexier, and the rakish coupe is still months away. The CTS Sport Wagon began production today at GM's Lansing Grand River assembly plant. The brand debuted its first factory-produced wagon, which is arguably the segment's most stylish entry. It's also the first-ever CTS that isn't a sedan. A two-door coupe variant joins the lineup next spring as the brand expands its best-selling range. Discuss the latest CTS variant after the jump.

LANSING – General Motors Co. celebrated the start of production of the new Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon today with the first vehicle rolling off the line at the Lansing Grand River assembly plant. The Detroit automaker hopes the station wagon will appeal to customers looking for luxury, fuel efficiency and space. William Mack, Cadillac CTS product manager, said the company expects to sell 4,000 to 7,000 of the CTS Sport Wagon each year. At the same time, GM has also launched a revamped version of the SRX luxury crossover, which some analysts say could compete for the same types of customers. Workers celebrated the new vehicle, which adds four models to the line, including the Cadillac CTS. They saw six weeks of downtime this summer as GM worked to reduce inventories and save money as it went through bankruptcy. The new GM emerged from bankruptcy July 10. Hourly worker Bob Buck, a 39-year GM employee, drove the first wagon off the line. He welcomed the additional work. “It means job security,” he said. GM officials are also excited at the prospect of the new CTS coupe being built at the plant beginning next spring. Lansing GM plant celebrates CTS Sport Wagon debut

PG...I wasn't even alive for most of the 80s, so I answered this using a different time-frame for reference. I took "modern car" as stuff produced currently or during the last few years or so. Sorry if I reacted harshly, but I stand by my statement RE: the Grand Prix.

Buick PHEV crossover reportedly cancelled Buick's VUE-based CUV goes boom; plug-in hybrid powertrain to be added to different model Just weeks after teasing a "baby Enclave" compact CUV for Buick, GM has reportedly shelved plans for the VUE-based crossover. As reported by Autoblog, a Buick rep has confirmed that "almost universally negative" feedback prompted the program's cancellation. Earlier this month, the company released an image of the would-be Buick's front-end, which revealed a Buick-badged version of the current five-passenger Saturn VUE. The model, which was expected to go on sale next year before a plug-in hybrid version in 2011, will reportedly be replaced by another vehicle utilizing the same plug-in hybrid powertrain. Discuss Buick's PHEV plans here

Then I must be spoiled. Everyone who rode in it with me must be, too. They all agreed it was the biggest piece of $h! they'd been in. Embarrassing, actually. And bob, there's a reason you've driven between 10 and 20 Grand Prix rentals. To describe it as competent is a joke. There really wasn't much worse you could spend your money on at the time. I'll say it again: the Grand Prix is the biggest $h!pile modern car I've driven--worse than subcompacts I've been in--and one of the reasons Pontiac will soon no longer exist.

'07 Grand Prix rental. Hoary 3800 V-6, lazy 4-speed, playskool interior plastics, huge steering wheel, mushy brakes. Even without taking the driving experience into account, the chintzy materials and build quality inside and out make it seem like a cheap half-baked product. I wouldn't take one if it were given to me.

Meanwhile, at Cadillac...

Let's all hope that picture is no indication of what the real ATS will look like.

Link

I had an '07 Grand Prix rental when my car was getting minor bodywork done last year. What a piece of $h!.

Maybe I missed something, but it kind of sounds like you were the one who crossed a boundary. Why write an email if you don't intend to send it, anyway?

Are you serious?

Ever been to NYC? It's worse.

I don't really understand asceticism. Call me materialistic, but I like to experience things. Camino: If you don't mind me asking, what are you so tired and pissed about?