Jazzhead

I've always wanted a convertible for those occasional beautiful sunny days, but have never taken the plunge. Just not practical enough, in terms of noise (the 80% of the time when the top's up), safety and security. And, yeah, a ragtop looks great with the top down, but otherwise, it's a bad-looking toup. The G6 vert looks stunning, and solves all the practical issues except for the trunk space. But what the heck, that's what the back seat is for!

hatchbacks toasters, electric card shufflers

It isn't just that grille - the 300C from the back is a simply timeless, stunning car. And for cruising the great American road (for me its five hours on the Pennsy turnpike a couple of times a week), there is nothing that I've ever driven in my life that compares to the performance and comfort. I agree, though, about the need to spruce up the interior. But that's why they sell so many dashkits for the 300.

The Crown Vic LX Sport is no joke. I was in Manhattan today, and took a cab (with my wife and kids) from 53rd and Seventh down to Little Italy. I sat in the front - it was obviously a new Vic, with leather interior. The cabbie, once he got past Times Square, simply floored it - wove in and out and around down to Canal at a breakneck pace, just slamming that Vicky in and out at speed. Great phuckin' ride! (I was laughing, but the crew in the back seat were scared $h!e -less. They insisted we take the subway back uptown). Damn right I'd buy a Crown Vic LX Sport. Black -there ain't no other way. It's not for everybody, but it's the throwback with blowback!

That's a good idea, although I believe that Chrysler's 3.5 is also tuned to run on premium fuel. (That's certainly the case with my wife's '04 Pacifica, which gets about the same mileage as my 300C.) Ideally, I'd also like a less weighty vehicle and, what the heck, I'll be honest, if I'm going to go through this exercise, I might as well also have the fun of driving something different. Funny thing about the 300C is that its gas mileage on the highway is quite respectable (due to the DOD, a feature not offered on the 3.5). Around town, though, it sips like a V-8, and one attaction of a smaller vehicle is that I'd tend to use it more around town.

I've been thinking recently along the lines of Oldsmoboi - I love my 300C, and it still retains a good percentage of its value. But it runs on premium fuel, and I'm considering trading it on a smaller vehicle with a six that runs on regular. I don't want to go to a four because my primary mission for the C is long distance highway cruising, at which it excells. The most I'd be willing to spend is 28 grand or so. Some possible candidates - - a loaded Milan or Fusion, or a stripped Zephyr - Malibu SS or Poncho G6 GTP - LaCrosse CXS (assuming it is tuned to run on regular) - CTS with the 2.8 (again, assuming it is tuned to run on regular) Each choice involves compromises, some more tolerable than others. How would you all rate the foregoing, assuming a 28K or less price point?

I'd certainly consider the Cobie for my next compact car. A SS sedan in Burnt Orange and leather seats (wish I could get the two-tones from the SS supercharged) would be just the ticket. Here's my question - I currently drive a Focus, and I love the way that li'l beastie handles, it's nimble and I can throw it all over the road. Has anyone driven both the Focus and Cobie and can compare how they handle?

A tremendous looking vehicle. This is what the Freestyle was aspiring to, but the Ford is generic and the Outlook is razor-sharp. And kudos to GM for differentiating this vehicle so well from the Enclave. There will have to be a Chevy version - this vehicle will sell.

Where's the new tranny being made?

The 3rd row seat is indeed useless - unless you like to sit yoga-style. There's literally no legroom. They should offer a stripped Commander without the third row seat - less cost, less weight. Now THAT will appeal to the old-style Cherokee buyers - the looks are great and, as noted above, true to the brand.

I recall a study issued a few weeks ago that concluded that conservatives are much happier than liberals. So, while the whiny kids grow up to be happy, the "confident" kids end up as the whiny, crankbucket adults!

To hell with Consumer Reports. "Humiliation"? When American quality rivals the Japanese and surpasses the Europeans? May a hard-working American put out of work by this cheap, unnecessary negativity piddle on the shoes of these lickspittles.

Bristol Fighter

It's likely that the Nitro will be a real heavyweight, based as it is on the Jeep Liberty. The Liberty is, of course, a superb offroader, but the stoutness that helps it offroad causes the inevitable penalty at the pump. The Lib's EPA ratings, for example, are no better than the larger Grand Cherokee (and may even be slightly worse).

Of course GM should compete in the segment. It's a unique segment, that the domestics own (practically) to themselves. The whole idea is to reflect classic Motown design and performance cues. The Mustang is a huge hit, and so is the 300. Toyota will play the game too, with the FJ Cruiser. Yes, GM must compete in the broad and bland middle market, but it should press its advantages - its image cars should scream "American". The Corvette does. The GTO, unfortunately, doesn't. It is fine for what it is - a Holden - and sells about as many copies as, say, a comparable Saab would. But there's nothing unsound with placing a business bet on a new Camaro, or a larger sedan with distinctly American design cues. The CTS is American, but the Lucerne could, with a different grille, pass for a Nissan. The new Aura (which I like) is not that discernable from a top quality European sedan. I guess that's the point, and GM's big enough (hint - that's why it pays to keep all its brands) to sell different images to different customers. But I don't wanna drive rice, or a car that looks like I do. The CTS and Mustang and 300 and Charger are the kinds of rides I want - and I'll bet Jerry Flint would be surprised at how successful GM, or Ford, would be if they embraced their heritage without apology. Designed here. Built here. That's what I want.

I saw my first Tahoe, Yukon and Escalade at the Philly Auto Show. The truck will sell - it is gorgeous. The Tahoe is the real looker of the three - and the interior is the best I've ever seen in a GM.

The money being spent on advertising is one thing, the effectiveness of those ads is another. Rather than Buick touting its windshield wipers, it should run a comprehensive ad showing its entire lineup, showing off the LaCrosse, the Lucerne and a sneak peak of the upcoming Enclave. Sort of like what Toyota does with its lineup of SUVs. Buick consumers from as little as three years ago may know absolutely nothing about those model names. If Buick is going to cast aside the brand equity in its old names, then it must respond with aggressive, content-oriented advertising to promote the new.

"G5" strongly suggests a hatchback.

The G6 is an attractive vehicle, especially the coupe. The "kick-up" gives it a distinctiveness that separates it from the Japanese lookalikes. And compared to the Fusion, it's got a very attractive domestic content sticker on the back window. A five or six-speed transmission would help, though, and the marketing could sure be improved - a "G6" means nothing to most people. If I were in the market for a new car right now, I'd consider buying a GTP coupe or sedan.

What's not to like about employee pricing? Haggling with the dealer over price can be a nauseating experience - I just tried to buy a used car last week from a certain Pontiac dealer in Marlton, New Jersey and was so turned off by the bait and switch that I walked away. The promotion was successful because, to the consumer, it was a breath of fresh air. But, like regfootball says, dealer lots were basically stripped of product to sell for about two months.

Another company that's still in business is Avanti Motors. http://avantimotors.com I know because I live about five miles from one of about a half dozen authorized Avanti dealers in the country. It's a sharp, clean car, with a custom fiberglass body on a Mustang chassis and Mustang mechanicals. Not quite the Avanti of old but a creditable, luxurious and undeniably unique automobile. I'm curious to see when and if Avanti comes out with a 2006 model. They must build 100 or so per year as it is. The 2006 model would be based on the new Mustang, and would be offered in both six and eight cylinder variants. It is literally the most exclusive and luxurious Mustang you can own! I'm puzzled why these cars don't get better publicity - they aren't listed in the DuPont Registry guide to exotics nor have I seen a word about this company in recent years in any of the buff books. The struggle to survive must be a mighty one - the 2002 models were based on the old Camaro, the 2004 models on the last generation Mustang and (hopefully) the 2006 models on the new generation Mustang.

GM can't be too pleased with the sales nosedive of the new Ford Explorer. That one has an all-new interior, bigger engine with better fuel economy, and a five speed tranny. What gives? People are reevaluating whether they need these as family vehicles. Fortunately, the Ford Freestyle is an industry-competitive car-based ute that can pick up Explorer customers. GM may be trying to "turn on a dime" and put its resources behind a similar vehicle.

The sculpted lines of the GG concept have been captured much more effectively by the new coupe than by the sedan. The need for rear headroom caused the sedan's roof and back end to be far more conventional than the concept. But the coupe gets it right - it is quite a looker.

Great news that Buick is spending more on advertising. It finally has its core products - Lucerne and LaCrosse - all-new and in the showroom together. But the quality of that advertising is the key. It amazes me how much money companies will flush away on ineffective advertising. Television ads about washer fluid? C'mon, that's ridiculous. It's a great new feature, but it's one you tout in print ads, and, especially, at the the point of sale in order to cement the deal. National TV ads need to show the cars, and, as suggested above, hit the broad middle of the market with the message that if you just shop the imports and miss Buick, you've cheated yourself. Talk about quality scores. Talk about V-8 power and torque that the Japanese can't match. Maybe subtlely cross-sell your own company's products by touting that a LaCrosse can be equipped with the same engine as the CTS. And show the Lucerne and LaCrosse together. Two stellar choices for the sedan buyer, each with distinct powertrain options. Show a black Lucerne CXS and a white LaCrosse CXS cutting and weaving down a high desert two-lane. Promote the idea of the mid-market buyer comparing and driving them both. I like the recent Toyota ads where they tout the broad selection of their entire line. It's the mark of a confident advertiser - the consumer can enjoy one-stop shopping. For the contemporary sedan buyer, Buick is finally in the position to promote that same confidence.

With the LaCrosse complementing the Lucerne, Buick should do just fine. They really are fine, classy automobiles, in the sense that a broad mainstream section of the market defines the term. And having the two of them together allows a mid-market buyer with, say, $30,000 to spend a real choice that will keep him/her at the Buick dealer. The Lucerne is a gorgeous - and as contemporary-looking as Nissan. The LaCrosse appeals to a design aesthetic that is more "nineties" - clean with round shapes. Some have noted the similarity to the Taurus. But before you dismiss that as a putdown, know that the Taurus was the choice of a million consumers as exactly what they thought a good-looking sedan should look like. Couple two of the newest designs in the industry with Buick's better-than-the-Japanese quality marks (for which Buick puts its money where its mouth is with a better warranty), and Buick is poised for a renaissance. All that's needed is effective marketing - unfortunately not something I've seen recently from Buick. (The ads introducing the LaCrosse were purposeless, and focused attention on a fashion model rather than the car. )