trinacriabob

That interior looks very Vegas ... as in bad Vegas ... I wondered where this vehicle might be ... and I see the license plate is an Italian one ... Overall, this is scary.

Has anyone seen the movie "I, Tonya?" Interesting take on things. Except for her hometown and its environs, most of America didn't like her and thought she was culpable and a joke. This movie paints her in more of a victim of circumstances light. She was that - the smoking waitress mom who had many husbands and had no problem just whacking her across the face at least weekly. The movie sort of makes you feel sorry for her but she also had a choice in the company she chose. One would think that, if she's in her line of work, she would ratchet up her diplomacy level by observing others and choosing better role models. She had the skills down. The movie cited that, after Clinton, she was either the next best known or most discussed name in the world for a while during those years. Also, you didn't take a dig at her in her hometown while that stuff was going on. I did and was glared at. Locals turned a blind eye to the gravity of it all, swept it under the rug, and went to bat for Tonya (no pun intended). When I saw this, I figured it had to be Niagara Falls, ON and not Niagara Falls, NY. Niagara Falls, ON has some high real estate prices (glanced at a throw away home magazine - whew) while Niagara Falls, NY changes into a place down on its luck once about 5 to 10 blocks inboard from the falls. Most of the amusement venues are on the Ontario side, as are the nice hotel towers and good buffets.

I don't know if this is true or not, but there was supposedly a debate with Jimmy Carter and Ted Kennedy in which Ted asked Carter a question. Carter responded with, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." It was after "the incident." It would interesting to see if that really happened. One doesn't know if that's just folksy Southern talk (Carter farmed peanuts in Plains, GA) or a scripted jab of some sort. Joke of that era - Q: Did you hear prostitutes are moving away from Washington (DC)? A: They don't want to work for peanuts.

I was in the Sunshine State for Easter and the car had to go one way out of the state for a really good rate, so I returned it to Atlanta. I arrived in Florida and the selection of cars was really dismal, for what I like, that I almost just took a Focus from the pick your car line. However, I took a Camry. I didn't really like that car. With 29,000 miles on it, it idled roughly with the air conditioner on. Worse yet, there was no fob on the key ring. I figured that out when I tried to pull my stuff out of the trunk. I had to use the key for the front door and then use the inside release just to open the trunk. However, I was tired and went to sleep. The next morning I woke up, realizing I had to exchange the car. I went back, the attendant let me park it in a special zone, I went to the counter, and explained what the situation was. The lady was super nice. She fished around for keys and was rattling off the names of cars, because this location didn't have the pick your car zone. She said, "I've got a Veracruz. You'll really like that." I was wondering what a Veracruz was. Perhaps it was something I missed. Mitsubishi once had the Montero. She then told me it was a Buick. I looked at the key ring and saw that it was a Verano. Haha - Veracuz!?! I thought Veranos would all be retired from fleets by now, so it was "winner - winner - chicken dinner" for me. Perfect for the warmer and muggier weather, the Verano was white with a cashmere (read: tan) cloth interior with cocoa (read: dark brown) accents. I'd putted around in these before, so getting everything set up wasn't too bad. The Bluetooth was a little fussy, but I was bent on being fueled by 70s and 80s music, along with some Motown. Also, one has to get radio stations for their genre and for the area. I love how this smaller car feels bigger than most compact cars I've ever been in. (That's sort of like Reno's moniker "the biggest small city in the world," or something like that.) The Verano was nimble, quiet, and fairly quick. The "habitual" 2.4 liter 4 cylinder is mostly sedate but can get riled up under throttle. It likes freeways, or interstates. A lot. The car can move right on up to higher speeds and you won't hear it or feel it. For this, the cruise control with the typical GM digital set up was useful and it was always on stand-by. The rocker toggles on the steering wheel feel good to the touch and are easy to use. There was one unusual thing about the powertrain on this unit. Most of the time, when I've gotten a car with over 30,000 miles and an issue to go along with it, it has usually been a wheel hub bearing that was going sideways. Not this time. There was a noticeable feel at the first two shift points. The 6 speed transaxle in these units is usually silky smooth. Something was off. However, it didn't cause any problems, it didn't get worse, and it didn't set off the check engine light for a solenoid or a sensor. As for fuel economy, it's supposed to get between 21 and 32 mpg, IIR the past EPA stickers. In an almost all city situation, my worst tank got 23 mpg. Then, I usually baby a car for one pure interstate jaunt, and that tank came in at about 37 mpg. I've gotten that sort of a reading once before in a Verano, so I figured it made some sense. Because it is a 4 banger, cruise at 65 mph spins the engine at about 2,000 rpms. I really like the ergonomics and greenhouse of the Verano. For my taste, its seats are incredibly comfortable. They are sort of old school, if you will, because they're not thin and they don't have overly defined bolsters that hem you in. Their thickness seems to rob the rear of the cabin of some knee room, but that's where I temporarily tossed empty plastic water bottles. (What's with these Southerners? Finding places to put recyclables isn't all that easy.) I like the dashboard design, the simple instrument cluster with the blue/white lighting, and, mostly, the fit and finish. It may be on the same chassis as the last-gen Chevy Cruze, but the attention to detail make this compact car stand out. It's a pleasure to sit in its cabin. This then brings around the question everyone asks. The now gone Verano sat on the outgoing Cruze chassis and was much more car in every which way, with the manners of a larger and better appointed automobile. Now, with its redesign, the current Cruze is far better than the previous Cruze. With that said, one can only imagine how appealing a new Verano could have been if it had been piggybacked onto the current Cruze chassis and Buick-ed up. Not only that, it could put a consumer into a Buick at a MSRP in the mid $20Ks and they could pass on looking at other marques, domestic or foreign, in the same niche. I guess this last trip in one was sort of my "last call" for the likeable Verano. - - - - - * photos forthcoming *

For all those trips, 135K sounds low, but then states are more compact in the Northeast "population corridor." Florida is more of a haul. Usually 2 days to get down there. As long as there were no mechanicals on these trips, that's great. Yes, 301 V8 in Safari and 307 V8 in Toro.

As long as it could get me to merge onto a SoCal freeway, I was o.k. with the lower hp of my parents' cars. They were cruisers. The only place you could get into a jam is on some of the mountain passes. As the passes wore on, the 250 L6, the 231 V8, and the 260 V8 didn't have much oomph at all if you wanted to pick up speed, let alone pass. On my one trip to SoCal in the current LaCrosse while still under warranty, it took the Grapevine Hill (grade on I-5 from the flat Central Valley of CA to elevation ~4,100 ft.) in stride. No, but I had friends with German parents whose accents were hilarious. They were pretty nutty people, too. Damn, they're all gone now. The most entertaining one was Irmgard (Irma). Her husband was Italian.

Haha. "Relaxed" might be a good word, indeed. Sounds like it lasted for a long time, though. I haven't a clue as to how later Pontiac (small block) V8s held up and if they had any weak spots. I liked the way they were laid out. Chevy and Olds V8s are usually discussed more thoroughly.

The Cutlass Salon, when it wasn't a Cutlass Calais, was the best of the lot. There were fewer things more comfortable than those oversized bucket seats. I forgot. While getting a value breakfast burrito at BK this morning, I spotted a 2000 to 2004 genre Bonneville in the drive through in something close to purist form. I actually like them without any spoiler at all, as found in some LEs. I was invited to test drive one in 2000 at a horse track, I believe, and it was fairly agile for being such a hefty sled. I also liked the dashboard and their simple front end that still said Pontiac clearly enough. We also got to test drive the equivalent Chrysler product and the Pontiac was definitely more appealing, at least at that time.

Really thorough write-up, Reg. I won't go out of my way to drive one. I sat in one and didn't like the rear visibility, but I'm picky about that and I'm of average height. I like to sit high and see a lot of glass around me, with thinner pillars. That will be the day. You seem to like the new thematic Buick dash. It's simple and convenient, but it also seems to be a retro throwback to the late 60s, with a heavy ridge across the top of the cowl. I'm not so sure. I like dashboards that have 3 defined zones, so to speak, or more sculpting if not 3 defined zones. I don't know how the steering would compare to the outgoing Regal. I found the last one to be nimble with enough road manners and isolation, but I believe you. I'm guessing these are all electric P.S. units, with hydraulics now gone. I will agree that I am warming up to the new LaCrosse. I have not warmed up to its MSRP. They can sticker at 2x the one that I bought! I don't like a console where its surface is way above the seating surfaces like the LaCrosse, and even this new Regal, have. I will say that, even if the final experience isn't very Germanic, the car (2018 Regal) definitely looks "more" Germanic as it's approaching you if you're going in the other direction.

Spot on. I remember that the '75 (getting nicer at that point) started with a 400. I had forgotten about the 301 V8. I knew it existed. I've only known a 265 V8 owner and rode in such a car, but have never seen or ridden in a 301 equipped Pontiac. And, the following year, the GP got pared down and could run with a 3.8 V6. Who'd have thunk? In the '78 downsize, the GP was the one that benefited the most in its looks. This one is a little too plush - an LJ - with a heavily padded roof and the wire wheel covers. http://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/comment-image/439205.jpg The 1981 GP update was even nicer. However, those cars would have CCC (Computer Command Control) during its teething years. With that refresh, the 1981 Cutlass Supreme was on top again as the best looking of the mid-size coupes. http://www.adspast.com/store/skin1/images/pics9/pont8081dgprix.jpg

Ok, I see. That '77 LJ is a hoot. The treatment of the rear lamps on the '77 is vastly inferior to those on the '76. They only work for a luxury car and not one that could be sporty, i.e. the SJ. They started out with a pale enough blue that year, but that one has seen the years and the fading. It's got a console but, inside the round bezels, it's got idiot lights. Idiotic! The profile is unmistakable. It's good and then it's sort of bad. I maintain that if the Grand Prix of those years was proportioned like a Cutlass Supreme or Regal of the same years and less sculpted, they would have sold more of them. Maybe it was a deliberate GM move. They didn't want cannibalization. Plus, Pontiac was running the LeMans at the same time. I once found a '76 Grand Le Mans on eBay in LJ form and with the 260 V8 they got from Olds, but they wanted too much for it. Maybe around $6,900. In those years, there were 6 opera windowed coupes by B-O-P and Chevrolet, and that doesn't even count Rivs, Toros, and anything Cadillac had to offer. Times sure have changed.

Did you see how much they wanted for the GP? Any details on trim level and wheels (rallys, honeycombs, etc.)? I like it already.

Now, this was a car! Scaled much like a Monte Carlo of the same era, but at a higher price point. I actually drove one once for someone for less than 5 miles. It was in pristine condition and I was very careful with it. It probably had the 400. I don't believe 350s were offered in these, but were definitely offered in the Montes. Still, I'm a little partial to the '76 and less so to the sort of mucked up '77 with its funkier front and rear fascias. The LJ version was my favorite, either with buckets or 60/40s.

Ok, I don't speak Dutch. But I do know a few words in German. For the following video, one German word sums it up - verruckt (needs an umlaud). And this lady was even holding a child in her arms. Stupid. Verruckt (crazy) behavior in wildlife park - utterances by those taking the video sound very guttural Could make for a great but twisted commercial - VW saves the day!

Did the fuses prior to my appointment time. They didn't work. I took it in and they changed the headlight bulbs. I waited for it and they worked quickly. They also charged me a fair price. Time to wean myself from the dealership for most things. The time has come. Thanks again for the tips. And, hey, I now have an assorted fuse pack for about $4 that I can keep along with my car supplies in the trunk. Let there be light.

Q: How many alcoholics does it take to screw in a light bulb? A: Two. One to hold it and the other one to keep drinking heavily until the room starts spinning around.

I think the alternator is o.k. My D.I.C. provides the voltage when I push that button and its performance is consistent. Now that I've tried the headlamp module, and it didn't work, I could go to the fuses. I should have done that today. I will do it early in the a.m. Most auto parts stores open at 7 a.m. and I've identified the fuse locations. Or could it just be age ... slightly over 10 years? Some of my friends say that. One friend said his mom had a 2002 Olds Intrigue and it was coughing up quite a few inside lamps and headlights after some years and mileage. Thanks. I will go fuses first and then ... you know. The YouTube to replace a headlight bulb is mind boggling. Halogen or not, gone are the days of reaching into the back of the assembly and changing it out.

Looks like I'm not alone. The car doesn't appear to have many electrical problems, except up front ... overwhelmingly so. http://www.carproblemzoo.com/buick/lacrosse/buick-lacrosse-exterior-lighting-problems.php And, true to CR, the car's weak points are electrical, power equipment, and suspension. I'm thinking that's much better than other systems. I tried the cheap fix - a solid state "plug and play" hdm, which was the cure for many, but it didn't work. I'm still open to suggestions and opinions. They were crafty and/or stupid in the design department. The headlight bulb replacement up front is a major job.

Hey folks. Need some help with electrical issues on the Buick. Tonight, I lost low beam lighting on one side. Not only that, the backlighting for the light switches, at the left of the dash, went dark, too. Within the last month, I lost 1 low beam light, the most used one on the D.I.C., and I noticed the console lamp was also out. Coincidence or connected? (Considering the age of the vehicle and/or the sequential nature.) I looked at the owner's manual. There's a fuse center at the right side of the dash, but not for my issues. For those, the (mini) fuses are located in a plastic box under the hood. I'm wondering if fuse replacement is the place to start. And, if this is interrelated, where to go next. Mechanical issues are almost easier than electrical ones. They are easier to conceptualize. Rear lighting, CMSL, interior lighting, gauges, A/C and radio functions, theater dimming, and turn signals work. I would certainly appreciate some input.

Hyundai Blvd. in Montgomery, AL and Kia Blvd. in (possibly) West Point, GA. Both seen along the I-65/I-85 trek from Pensacola FL to Atlanta. I did see a lot of Hyundais in Alabama. I've acquired some respect for that brand along the years. I spotted a Kia Amanti (with a for sale sign) or whatever the hell that upscale sedan of the 2000s is named. It reminds me of something British and looks like it rightfully has a place in a cartoon. I was once invited to test drive a quartet of cars and this was one of them. Surprisingly, it handled very quietly and nimbly, but I couldn't stomach its exterior appearance. I'll put up a few photos.

There's that ... and more - there's a pressure to be cool and drive foreign iron, especially around people with more coin. And younger kids and their first cars, too. When I would tell people what I drove - either an Olds or a Buick - you could see a slight wince or the slight curling of their lip. All of these proved to be very reliable cars, but trying to educate them would have been a waste of time, so I just let it go at that. I am dyed in the wool B-O-P, even though there's no more O-P. Sigh.

Good grief, I see NO domestic cars in that photo - well, there's a Jeep way over by Hallmark. Is that the Trader Joe's at or near Totem Lake?

RIght. The one before was mostly white. Maybe I was thinking of Massachusetts. I like the old N.Y. license plate - dark yellow/almost orange, black letters, no bells and whistles - looked great on black cars in movies - very GANGSTA!

If the license plate frame covers a portion of a state's name, it would then make it easier to ply the streets of Manhattan in one's sled and not appear to be as much as an out-of-towner. Of course, the license plate base color would have to be the stock off white in both states and, in this case, it is.

Today, I focused on something appended to a car as opposed to the car. I can't stand it when a dealership sells a car and then decides to place their applique with their name on the rear deck lid, sort of competing with the car's very nameplate. I've always tossed the dealership license plate frames into the garage. I did know one guy, an avid car enthusiast, who liked to get frames from a dealership if he thought the dealership had some cachet, even if he didn't buy the car there, and put them on a car. But this was in SoCal, so this can be expected.