DetroitNut90

I've never seen a Jeep product catch on so fast around here...I've seen like 8 in the past 2 days, all free of rental barcodes and stickers. Personally, though, I'd stick with my ideal Wrangler: a 2-door soft-top with a manual.

NOS: Yeah...I've realized it since about 7th grade (I'm in 11th right now for a point of reference). Custom-S: It was the one by 142nd Street in North Ocean City. My grandparents live just across the border in Selbyville, so we don't usually go down Coastal Highway that far to get food (though we went to The Ember's last time we were there, that's down by 37th Street IIRC). Olds: I think my parents were careful when they were ordering. :lol:

Olds & NOS (as well as anyone else up for a story): The "restroom incident" happened to me back in July, on the day that the Sonoma's driveshaft broke. My family and I went down to Ocean City after my parents and I got off work to visit my grandparents. We stopped in at a Phillps restaurant to get some carry-out crabs. While we were waiting for our order to be filled, I used the restroom. After finishing in the stall and going to wash my hands, this one guy about my age noticed me and basically said he liked my tail-end and proceeded to hit on me. I've never been hit on or had my tail complemented by anyone before, so I was taken aback as well as just in a sort of stupor from the already bad day. I didn't really know what to say, so I gave a sort of mechanical response. His cell rang just as he was about to go on, and excused himself to take the call, and I slipped out of the restroom and out to the Venture before he could find me again. Mom was curious as to why I was so red in the face after they got into the car with the food...

, not stirred

Well, the shortest Sprinter is still longer than the Express (144/233 v. 134/224, wheelbase/overall length). I've had to parallel park an Express downtown, it barely fit in the space I found, so I'd wager the Sprinter wouldn't have even fit. Our ideal cargo van would be an Astro, but they're almost impossible to find here anymore, even used. I don't want to come across as putting the Sprinter down...I'm sure it's a fine van. But for what the company does and where it does it, the Express just fits the bill better.

The practicality of it really depends on the firm buying the van. The Sprinter, while it would be able to carry a larger volume than the Express, is too long to fit into the parking spaces in DC & surrounding suburbs or navigate the tight turns onto residential streets (see my edit above). I'll give you the fact that the Sprinter's interior looks better than the Express's, but in the experiences I've had with the Express, it has one of the most solidly put-together interiors in any vehicle in the industry. And in my parents' case, brawn beats beauty. I will also add that the Express drives nothing like you'd expect something of its size to. It's no Corvette, but it doesn't feel ponderous, either. And the 4.8L V8, aside from having a sweet tone to it, has plenty of get-up to it. I can't say the same for the E150 4.6L we had, or the Ram B250 5.9L we still do.

Oooh...like Ford, Dodge made it uglier. Looks like the family business will be sticking with the Express. Edit: I will give the Sprinter this, though--it has a tremendously voluminous interior. And if the streets of DC and its suburbs weren't so narrow and devoid of large parking spots, I could see a Sprinter being good as the tanker of the fleet. Too bad those things conspire against it, though.

I currently have a free 15-month subscription to MT, but I think I'll let that one lapse when the time comes and take one out to R&T, which I buy about every month off the stands. I like their columns (Peter Egan's are good reads), pictures, and style of writing better than MT or C&D.

:smilewide: Thanks blu, I most certainly do know that. Yeah...the restroom incident was funny now that I look back on it...I didn’t have the presence of mind that day to really say anything other than that mechanical “do ya really think so?”, and I probably wouldn’t have said anything different, anyways...bathrooms don’t seem to be ideal for that sort of stuff.

Option #5 for me. There still is the random girl I'll pass by in the hall in school or on the street that I'll find attractive, but they're so few and far between, I don't really bother actively looking anymore. It's been very nice to finally leave that dammed closet (even though it's only been to one person officially)...it got way too stuffy in there.

Leftlane News

I hope the Imperial never sees the green light...it's particularly foul.

I like the 335i and the E46 M3 a little better, but this one's alright.

I've waited far too long for Zeta to come to North America for a few $$$ to come between me and my future G8 and/or El Camino/Ute. There's always the HF 3.6L (or maybe the new 2.9L Diesel V6) if I want to get frugal. I'll set a cap at $5.00, though...if the prices get that bad, I'll take the bus or buy a bike.

Those are some amazing stats (406 lb-ft!)...I'd love to see this engine put to use in North America.

S.p.A.

The 3.5L is Flex-Fuel capable as well...my grandparents got an '07 LS, you can't miss the FFV badge on the trunk.

I don't think anyone aside from the car guys/gals knows what a Holden is or where it comes from. Great article Bimmer.

My grandad owned an '87 model, an LS 4.3L (he saved the 305 for his '87 El Camino). It was a fine car...until blue smoke poured out of the exhaust while my mom was driving it through College Park one day. IIRC, he owned a 3rd-gen, but I never saw it outside of pictures in old photo albums. My aunt's ex-husband traded his '00 Corvette 'vert in on a red '01 SS--never rode in it, though.

Detroit NewsAnother less-likely candidate has emerged as well: Detroit Free Press

I liked "Tuned Up" (mainly because Smoke on the Water was a good song). "Passion" was ambiguous, and "Superhero" was bad. At least there weren't any rednecks in this batch. I find the Avenger to be adequate. It's much, much better looking than the Sebring, and it somehow has a better interior. It should do well for Dodge (and I hope it does). That said...the SE version is not pretty at all. The Aura, Ford CD3 cars, Altima, Mazda6, and Jetta wipe the floor with it, and I expect the new Malibu and Accord will simply blow it out of the water.

I'm not a fan of the ugly interior, but the outside's ok, I guess. I'd rather have an F430 or R8.

Aside from a few details on the exterior, I like it a lot. Gorgeous interior, too.

Gallery @ Kicking Tires