regfootball

maybe its worth it to wait for the fiesta......

venza is so weird i call it the toyota vulv-a

diesel in trucks is not so much about the fuel economy as it is some hard core truck buyers really love diesel for tasks and in general think they last longer. i know GM already has the duramax but i honestly feel they would be on to something with this 4.5. Many of their half tons and such with this motor would be a nice hit in the market. I know lots of farmers that would prefer their get around trucks to be diesel.

(cough) Chrysler (cough) (cough) Hyundai (cough) (cough) Kia (cough) (cough) Camry (cough)

yup. market share.

just wanted to add, it won't let me edit. I think a car that is very similar to this that some folks may want to check out as well is the Suzuki SX4. Seriously the character of these two cars is almost the same, and does not at all feel like a hefty Jetta or a soft Impreza. The SX4's engine is just a bit shy of the Honda in friskiness and elasticity. The shifter on the SX4 feels similar but not 100% as slick. They both have the bubble thing going on but the Suzuki is taller and the pillars feel more intrusive. The dash on the SX4 is more sensible. The car I am heavily looking at in this class is an Astra XR, and it performs to my liking in the handling and braking and power categories and for my tastes has a nicer interior than the Fit and feels more quality overall and has more heft in so many ways. It has less cargo space. At the same time, the difference in the opinion for me between the FIt and Astra is minimal. I can't blame anyone for liking the FIt based upon performance and utility. About the only other car in this class I may try now is the new Mazda3. I drove a 010 Fusion manual today with the Mazda 3's powertrain and it was really nice. To me, a car like the Fit really deserves a better engine to maximize the fun chassis. At least 160hp and a 6 speed manual would make the FIt that much better. WIll I buy one. Dunno. 17-18 grand for a small car is a tough sell when you can get so many good used cars with very miles for cheaper. But to those who like small vehicles and want great handling, the Fit is by all means in the top tier. It's quite the hoot. I bet it steals many Civic sales.

to speed this up a bit, the cupholders, this car has a buttload of cupholders, but in the spot you expect them to be, the console area, they are buried low and in front of the shifter. suck! there is a couple pockets on the dash that could be cupholders too I guess. I find it funny that folks rail on the asta for cupholders and lack of armrest yet this fit had no armrest or convenient cupholders either. people space is good and the seating is nice and upright and easy on the posture but I'm sorry, the video game dash is a bit much. That, and the feeling of driving a bubble because of the stretched windshield and huge front quarter windows. Like on the SX4, it's just weird and unsettling. Not as much on the Fit as the SX4, but really I hope this doesn't become a huge trend. The pillar slope on the Honda is much better than the SX4 but those windows are huge and its really like looking at a video screen for the dash and then through a rolling cage. Its not simple, its busy and annoying. Fortunately the car drives so well that it helps negate that somewhat. The three climate control switches are in easy reach and somewhat easy. The radio then is way the uck up high and to the left and not really convenient to see or use. The rear seats and trunk are obviously the star of the car IMO, because of the fabulous ROI in terms of usability for the size and what you pay to get it. Overall I think the design of the interior is just not my cup of tea, but its a big improvement over the prior fit and at least the theme is consistent in the interior and the shapes and lighting all seem to mesh. You can tell they attempted to upgrade the more visible parts of the dash with better plastic although overall the plastics are not great, not terrible. It really straddles the line as some pieces are pretty cheap and others not so much. I would say Honda's engineers and designers did a good job of designing to price and straddling the line of what is acceptable. For me, the interior quality is an issue and would give me pause to buy the car, but not as much as the interior noise issue (forthcoming) or the interior DESIGN. But yes, fabric, carpet, and plastics quality is an issue. And generally the controls were Honda slick but the stalks maybe seemed a bit cheap as did the climate controls. The trunk area seemed like it might hold up ok. What obviously makes up for it is the drive. The wheel is nice to grip even if it bulges at you. The steering is simply great. Perhaps a bit quick for many, I think I would be just fine with it. The steering feel, while lacking the heft of say a Jetta, is great, especially for a small car. The suspension was about right, maybe was very borderline too stiff. Nah, it was ok. It maybe sounded stiff because the car tended to resonate noise a bit more in the cabin than I like (or is present in an Astra for example). The car felt undertired to me. The tires needed to be wider and stiffer sidewalls. Maybe a slight tish more roll stiffness on the cloverleafs. This is being nitpicky. I wish all cars were this fun to drive. The shifter and clutch are gratifying. The shifter is like good sex, tight but slick and its like a precision toggle switch. Like some VW's. The clutch is just right light and you always know where the engagement point is. You find yourself shifting the car just because you want to. The engine in most instances has plenty of power. It is refined and smooth most of the time. There is a dead spot just off launch into the mid ranges. It's a Honda so i guess this *fits* the brand. When you hit that flat spot its a drag and you have to coax the moaner out to get it going again. But when the car is on the boil, its a hoot and you swear you have more than 117hp or whatever. And casually launching from a stop its ok too. Most of the time you will want to drive it on the boil. Speaking of, a 6th gear is needed to bring some of the hum down. Note i did not say drone. The level of noise and such in this car is acceptable from the standpoint of a lively car but make sure you don't mind it if you are making payments on it. Most folks will enjoy the frisky powertrain and the louder interior etc. but just make sure this is what you want if you are making payments on the car. One last comment, the steering really lightens up in the parking lot, its so easy to just manuever it around at walking speed! For me, it comes down to, can i live the looking out of the bubble thing, the interior cheapness, the immature video game dash, some of the lightness or insubstantial construction, and the loudness factor. The steering, shifting, turning, utility are quite good.

i echo lots of that. dammit i better finish the writeup.

saw a G8 GXP in silver today zactly like the photo in the top post. HAWT. very awesome car.

Pontiac is car.! ALthough because the liberal left communist socialist east coast west coast educated journalist media lawyers socialites think it makes sense for GM to get rid of the brands. UM KEEP PONTIAC FOR EFFS SAKE! as a side note, i was bumming around my downtown today and outside the mens clothier i get stuff from from time to time, a BRAND SPANKING NEW and BEAUTIFUL Pontiac G8 GXP. SILVER. GORGEOUS.

yup, a sport

proctor and gamble has like dawn dishwasher detergent, and tide laundry det. those are separate brands but sold in the same store. no one accuses P&G of too many brands. GM'S PROBLEM IS NOT TOO MANY BRANDS IT IS TOO MANY DEALERS AND INEFFICIENT SALES PROCESS.

i'll get a chance to finish this later today.....fell asleep at the puter last night. saw the G3!!!!!!!! at the auto show. it was DEFINITELY excitement. or was that, EXCREMENT?

great story, can you imagine what transpired there? Did you ever hear the details of that? hehe. He must have moved pretty quickly because giving blood isn't an all day event.

Well, i don't recall what the color was. The interior was black, that is for sure. It was a Fit they were selling used, not sure why other than they said it had 'shipping damage'. Well, it is a tin can of a car so maybe it got dented when unloading...LOL. Anyways, they had 2 'used' ones. The one I drove was a Fit Sport I believe, manual trans. At least he said it was the sport. I actually had come in to drive a used S60 manual, so it was interesting drving them back to back. The Fit is a nice looking vehicle now in my mind on the outside. The doors, hatch, etc. all feel very light though. The hinges etc. don't really glide with solidity and precision and lubrication like say, an Audi. I know its not Audi priced, but I guess the Fit felt Korean in this department. Fit and finish seemed merely 'good'....i would not say it was stellar like some expect of Honda. Just a little better than average with some sloppy parts. I was able to acclimate myself in the seat fast....get the driving position set perfectly. Fairly close. I don't like the mouse fur fabric Honda has on the seats. Not only does it look like it won't last, its too 'grippy'. I prefer a weave more like on the Astra. But the seat itself was supportive. Could have used more lateral support. The pregnant steering wheel was nice even if it looked weird bulging out. The gauges to me seemed a bit low but i adjusted quick to that. Ergonomically, the Fit is a mix of hit and miss. Generally the key items are dead on. Steering wheel location can be placed where you need it. The shifter is dead on, and the throws are perfect. In fact, the shifter is like great sex. Feels wonderful you just want to keep using it. Its more slick than a household light switch. The clutch is about perfect too. Climate controls are close if a bit confusing at first. Window switches are dead on. Stalks are good and feel nice. Now, the misses. The tilt wheel lever like so many cars is WAY down low and far ahead. I don't freaking get it. Do I have to look like i am reaching for my unit and playing with myself just to adjust the wheel? The power mirror switch seemed cheap and was on the dash. SHould be on the door.

thanks. They were 2 months shy of their 60th wedding anniversary and were planning a party for June. Her dad has been staying here now, but its kind of nice. I am at home during the day and not working right now, so we sit around, watch the weather channel, go pick up my kid at school, etc. He calls some rellies on the phone and we just putter about the house. I think its taking his mind off stuff and my wife likes that he is here. In this way, its kind of helping me, not that i am the one to be concerned about, but just knowing that his mind is off the house, and my wife sees first hand how he is doing, and they can talk, that helps me a lot to know they are doing ok. So I am pretty glad for that right now. blux2. have a safe trip.

your three choices are indeed great. why not a ctsv too? "Pleasure is a must". I love it.

what this does.....will pry some fence sitters off the fence. Might just be enough to reverse the downward trend and hopefully put things on a bit of an uptick again. and maybe gain some market share in the immediate future. honestly, if this had come out in january before i got cut, it might have enticed me to buy anyways. especially the GM part about guaranteed value. this is really another version of the things GM did after 9/11. What is different. Last time it was to keep factories running at volume. This time its about selling enough to keep the company alive. In neither case yet would we say it contributes to a positive position for profitability.

I ended up test driving a new Fit today. Quick summary, fun car. FUN! Mechanically tight. More in a little while when i can go into detail. Would i buy the car? Well, despite my ambivalence about the video game cheap plastic interior, I will have it on the short list. A lot of fun, but a few reservations.

make sure you get the happy hour specials.

will you or your family be going there to stay for awhile or a couple of days even?

i saw the cts wagon (touched it!) and the new srx at the auto show last week. both are sexy! the cts wagon in partiuclar really gets one moist. hot wagon. the sedan is so good though, that it'd be hard to choose!

i suppose you could, if you're feeling longful for the pontiac days, slap a grand am badge on the trunk and a twin kidney g5 grille on the front and all of that. sincerely though, it may not be the desired option right now, but a fairly new vehicle for the good price you got will help you to motor cost effectively for awhile and allow you to have more time to scope out for the next vehicle in the future. at least you don't have to baby it....... enjoy the new ride.....

HB to one of our best!

147, were you trying to street race with a cobalt SS?