G. David Felt

Is this the dealer who came back with this or you actually talking to GM customer service? I would challenge GM on this, the gift card for service is stupid.

Now settle down, children. Well, I would like to set about changing that fact soon and I don't see a better way of doing that without buying some sort of beater or light project car. Like I said, I don't feel comfortable working on the Astra aside from doing an oil or maybe a spark plug change simply because it's a little too complex for my liking at this point and parts are far from plentiful and cheap. As for my personal schedule, I'm in class three days a week and I typically only work three or four days a week for anywhere between 4 to 8 hours. Indeed, I stay busy and, sure, I don't feel like doing much when I'm running my entire action-packed day on three hours of sleep, but I know I could still somehow manage to work out setting aside some time to devote to a new hobby or project or learning a new skill. That Rocks! Learning to fix your own auto will save you ton's down the road.

Interesting enough is that while Ford does sell a bit more trucks than GM in Washington state, according to the DOT web site, it seems there is far more older GM's on the road than Fords. Tends to make you think about who really has the most dependable longest lasting trucks.

So my dad sent me an email that I loved but found it hard to swallow that someone would sell off a sealed barn full of auto's for pennies and not look to see what was in it first. Yet here is an amazing barn find. http://www.intuh.net/barnfinds/ Here is the research done to get a better grab on the story, but I have to say I would love some of these old cars. http://www.sportscarmarket.com/columns-blogs/news/2709-portuguese-barn-find-fact-or-fiction What is your Favorite? This sealed Barn has 180 cars in it.

Very true, the ease of doing tune ups and basic maintenance is rock on with this line as it really does allow one to have a beater that just keeps on beating.

Happy B Day to you Olds

They need to do this badly...Ford is picking up huge media hype with the new Folcus ST, GM already has a high performance version of the Astra that's faster and a better car...they should bring the Astra Coupe in as a Buick, and do a small RWD Chevy, I think. They are giving up image and market share.... I totally agree, the car gods need to be listening. Better yet bring them in with CNG and let that 130 octane fuel really make them roar!

This will be sweet in the Encore.

Blah, if this country would endorse CNG we could have great auto's running on cheap gas. Bloody conspiracy.

This ugly dog is getting an extension due to the way Japan companies do business. The Kariitsu's tend to plan business for 12-18 months out. So this is to allow what has been promised to the subcontracting suppliers time to find other work. This dog should have been put down long ago.

This is not a surprise with the world economic crises I doubt even the rich are willing to pony up crazy amounts for weird luxo SUV's.

Very cool images, I am actually excited for this car.

Thanks all, I thought they were pretty cool pictures, so after some more research the 2nd car is a 68 Mercury Cyclone GT 500 did not realize they built this but a very cool car.

The dealer did the right thing, too bad the morons in service already caused such a black eye. I wonder if this guy will move on to some other company due to this experiance.

wishing you the best, I think GM will make it right as they have on my few issues I ran into so far.

Anyone identify what this truck is? Can you Identify this car? Can you Identify this car? How about this weird little number?

I think you are correct. This is not a car for many here but if you look at the market it is fresh for a vehicle like this. I do not see it for just 40-50's but even younger women who are tired of paying $80 or more to fill up their larger SUV's, This vehicle also give those who do not want to pay $40K or more a chance to own a car that presents many luxury features. I bet many in California right now with $5+ gas would love to have one right now. For California right now, people would buy this by the thousands if it was CNG and included a Fuelmaker Phill or FMQ 2-36 unit for home fueling as Natural gas on the average of $1 is awesome compared to the current $5+ price right now.

But what if someone needs to be put to sleep 6' under????? Would you consider her then? She did mention she is very good at putting kids to sleep!

We need to throw idiots like this under the bus. I hope someone remembers to pull this up and roast this moron who is anything but a journalist when this BS proves to be totally false. Sounds like a conservative who did not get his GOP approved TARP bailout so they are doing everything they can to stir up BS against those that actually did some good.

Yea the amount of mashed Chargers was a small drop in the bucket. Daisy in her Daisy Duke Shorts, long locks and killer smile. :P

Sorry you had to give up your guitar, but glad you got your car fixed and now have reliable transportation. Rock on

One thing I just noticed in reviewing the pictures again, the interior of what I assume is the 600H seems to isolate the 4 individuals from each other. There is no way for people to snuggle in the back or have the spouse slide over to sit next to their mate. This is one of the sad losses with the Government over site of telling you what you have to have on an auto and all belted up for safety, we have lost that ability to be close to others in our auto's.

Great Read, nice write up on the auto line. I have to say I think the interior is very bland and weird and the exterior front end scream Predator ugly. Their car line is just pathetic.I do not see what is so appealing about the Lexus lineup. Considering that most people I know who drive Lexus is very religous and conservative, is it that mind set that keeps this line going even when it is so blah? I just do not get it, why is Toyota building such a blah product?

Auto Jokes: Near the end of their racing careers, a Ford and a Chevrolet made a pact. The first one to reach racing heaven would let the other know if heaven even had car racing. As luck would have it, the Chevrolet was demolished in a fiery wreck. A few days later, it revealed itself to the Ford in a vision. "I have some good news and some bad news," the Chevy told the Ford. "The good news is that heaven is crazy about auto racing. They have everything here--NASCAR, Indy cars, Formula 1, you name it." "So what's the bad news?" the Ford asked the deceased Chevrolet. "The bad news is that you've won the pole position for next Saturday's race." -------------------------------------- A motorist runs a red light and is photographed by an automated police camera. In the mail a short time later, he receives a photo of his car committing the infraction and a citation for $60. Instead of paying the fine, the motorist mails the police department a photograph of three 20-dollar bills. Several days later, he gets a letter back from the police department. Inside is a photograph of a pair of handcuffs. --------------------------------------- A not-too-bright but beautiful blonde was driving home one night when she was caught in a terrible storm. The hailstones were as big as golf balls, and her car was dented badly. Next day at the auto shop, a repairman decided to have a little fun at her expense. "To fix the dents in the body," he said, "drive home, park the car, and when the tailpipe is cool, get down on your knees and blow really hard into the tailpipe, and the dents will pop out. Later, a girlfriend of the blonde is driving by and sees her friend on her knees, blowing hard into the tailpipe. She asks what's going on and is told the story. The girlfriend laughs. "Well, duhhh! You need to roll up the windows first, silly!" ------------------------------- A couple of young tourists are pulled over by a highway patrolman. The officer walks up, asks for the driver's license and registration, and when he doesn't get it quickly enough, whacks the driver in the head. "That's for not having your driver's license ready," he snaps. "I ain't got all day." After he issues the driver a ticket, the patrolman walks around to the other side of the car and whacks the passenger in the head. "Owwww!" hollers the passenger. "What'd you do that for?" "That's to make your dream come true," replied the cop. "I know that when you'd gotten a half-mile down the road, you were gonna say to your friend here, 'Wish he'd tried that with me!'" ------------------------------- A banker is proudly driving his brand-new Jaguar sedan around New York City. On reaching his destination, he parks the car at the curb and gets out on the traffic side. Just as he opens the door, a taxicab slams into it, ripping the door right off its hinges. The cabby drives off as if nothing extraordinary has occurred. A policeman who witnesses the whole thing walks up to the banker, who is now wailing loudly, "Ohhh myyy gaaawdd! Look what that idiot did to my new Jaaaaggguuuaar! The cop looks at the banker, shakes his head, and says, "You bankers are so damn materialistic! Here you are whining about your expensive car, and you don't even realize the cab tore off your arm!" The banker looks down at where his arm used to be and begins to wail loudly, "Ohhhh myyy gaawd, my Rolllllleeeexxx is gone!" -------------------------------------- A Texas rancher was visiting a farmer in Israel. The proud Israeli showed him around. "Here is where I grow tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash. Over there I built a play set for my kids, next to the doghouse," the farmer said. The land was tiny, and the Texan was surprised by its small size. "Is this all your land?" he asked. "Yes," the Israeli said proudly. "This is all mine!" "You mean this is it? This is all of it?" the Texan said incredulously. "Yes, yes, this is really all mine!" "Well, son," said the Texan, "back home I'd get in my car before the sun'd come up and I'd drive and drive and drive, and when the sun set, why, I'd only be halfway across my land!" "Oh, yes," replied the Israeli farmer wistfully, "I used to have a car like that." ------------------------------------- A guy driving through the countryside comes upon a weird sign advertising a red '68 Corvette that runs on Vaseline. The farmer who owns it tells him to take it for a test drive, "but don't go too far 'cause it's low on Vaseline." Off the guy goes, and it roars up to 100 mph and runs perfectly. But a short time later, it sputters and fails. Meanwhile, at a nearby farmhouse, a family is just finishing dinner. The wife is proud of the meal she's prepared and suggests that she should not have to do the dishes. The older of two daughters says she has a date and cannot do the dishes. The younger daughter says she can't do them because she has homework. The father says he is the man of the house and should not have to do dishes. He suggests a solution. "Let's all go into the living room and sit down, and the first person who says a word has to do the dishes." Meanwhile, the driver makes his way to the farmhouse, knocks, and gets no reply. He sees the family sitting stone-faced in the living room and knocks again. No response. So he walks in and says, "I knocked, but no one answered. What's the deal?" Not a word from the family. The man notices leftovers on the table and asks if he might eat them. Not a word, so the man eats his fill. "May I have a beer?" he asks, and again gets no response, so he helps himself to a half-dozen of them. Maybe it's his imagination, but he notices the older daughter giving him the eye. "I'd like to make love to your daughter," he says to the farmer. Taking the lack of response as a yes, they go off together. On his return, he has a few more beers. "How about the other daughter?" he asks, and off they go. Soon he's proposing the same for the farmer's wife, and getting no response, he has his way again. It's getting dark, and the man realizes he must get going. He returns once more to the living room and asks the family if they have any Vaseline. "All right, all right," says the farmer, "I'll do the damn dishes." --------------------------------- Someone at the auto repair shop locked the owner's keys inside his car. While the locksmith was working on the driver's-side door lock, the anxious owner walked up and tried the passenger's-side door. It opened. The locksmith looked up. "Yeah, I already got that one." --------------------------------- Question: What's the difference between a cactus and a Porsche? Answer: On the cactus, the prick is on the outside.