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Trade creates and multiplies wealth - buying an Astra in the US, for instance, credits the German current account, which allows them in return to purchase something from the US that we have a comparative advantage in.

If you click on the link, you'll see what was posted isn't an actual article. The hybrid purchases had nothing to do with 9/11 donations. Speaking of which, GM donated $1 million - not $10 million - after 9/11, as did Nissan NA: * General Motors Corp. has donated $1 million to the Red Cross, provided 60 GM vehicles to rescue and relief agencies, and pledged to match all employee donations. The company's Northeast region offered a fleet of trucks, vans and SUVs for use in disaster recovery efforts. * Nissan North America has donated $500,000 to the Red Cross and $500,000 to the Twin Towers Fund for the families of police officers, firefighters and emergency rescue crew members killed in New York, and is matching employee donations to the two organizations. http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories....5544&EDATE= The Malibu uses a "mild" hybrid system that increases fuel economy by 2-3 mpg. The Fusion, Altima, and Camry use a "full" hybrid system, which means they can propel on electricity alone - and they have PZEV emissions. Of the full hybrids, only the Altima is made in the US.

The Corolla isn't a car for enthusiasts, not even the XRS model, but I can see its appeal to people who just want a comfortable, reliable, quiet, and economical set of wheels. The interior is nice for a $15,000 car. Lots of room in the back, too.

The model we get will likely be a Polo "Plus", a mini-mini-MPV sort of thing. A LWB Polo sedan would make a nice, affordable $15K Jetta. The current Golf-based model is nearly a midsized family car.

Naming the MKV Golf "Rabbit" was a last-minute decision made by VWoA's advertising firm CP&B... and for a while, they did come up with pretty cool Rabbit-themed ads:

There are Mexicans who cross the border legally, too, ya know. And people can be infected before showing symptoms.

Right now it's more about a lack of time than funds. Oil change for the Passat was due 500 miles ago, and I have a cabinet full of synthetic oil and filters I stocked up on when they were cheap. Handling dirty oil is such a messy PITA.

You'd be surprised by how much power modern minivans have...

Awesome ad. Minivans rule. And, yes, the Odyssey can do a might fine burnout.

If it's in mint condition, how about a clear bra to keep it that way? I would change the oil between factory intervals, too. Get a Mityvac extractor and it'll be easy. The oil filter is located right on top.

Congrats! Is it CPO? Mooch off as much of the warranty as possible. Be anal with every little fault.

Roewe 750 = Rover 75 = large Roewe 550 = Rover 45 = midsize Roewe N1 = Rover 25 = compact?

I'm from the South Bay - PV - and whole area is pretty dreary, especially at night, described by some as the cultural wasteland of LA. (I would argue that applies to many other cities in L.A. as well). Big box retail stores galore... the Costco we go to in Torrance is next to a Sam's Club, and there's a Lowe's right across from a Home Depot. It's not a bad place to raise kids or retire... just not the sort of place I'd go on a vacation.

According to my computer, the high for Los Angeles today is 100F and the low is 54F. Thankfully by Wednesday it'll be normal again - 77F high and 54F low. It's quite odd to see three digits... especially considering how cool it's been the past few weeks. It fi

Ehh, I don't think this is coming over to the US. Buick in China has very little to do with Buick in the US, apart from having the same English name. US and Chinese consumers have different brand expectations. This van is definitely catered towards the Asian market. If they make a RHD model, it could compete against black Toyota Alphards, which is what rich people in Hong Kong or Japan ride in: This Buick MPV could very well be the first mainland Chinese car to reach the HK or Japanese markets.

She was nervous... sometimes people's brains just go kaput in certain stressful situations. Then, of course, if large crowds make you nervous, you probably shouldn't sign up for a beauty pageant.

Speaking of metro market dealers, there still are a ton of them - I have 25 Chevy dealers to choose from within an hour's driving (<30 mi) in the L.A. metro region. That's great for consumers, good for employees, not necessarily great for GM or the dealers themselves.

In all seriousness, I found an old computer in the attic and couldn't attach any mouse to it - the ports were the giant, screw-in kind. I never knew. And the computer really didn't seem that old... made in the 2000s, I think?

Was the Jetta a VR6? I've noticed most VWs don't make much power at high revs, whether it's my 1.8T (5900 rpm peak, 6500 rpm redline), the 2.5L (5700 rpm peak, 6300 rpm redline), or of course, the TDI. At first I wasn't too keen about the Passat's shift "logic" and DBW throttle, but eventually I got used to it and adapted my driving. I know the max throttle threshold before it downshifts, and I know that quick tapping on the gas pedal gets it to overdrive earlier. Listen to your car.

If you do buy a new mouse, make sure your computer has a USB port - because that's all they connect to these days.

The drivetrain in the VUE 2-mode Hybrid, which has been cancelled, will probably end up in the SRX. They're both made in the same plant. The 2-mode VUE came very close to production - GM held media test-drives last October and even got EPA certification - 28/31 mpg, which is better than RX400h. No word on the 2-Mode Plug-In hybrid...

It's easy to get caught up with what's happening at the federal level, what with our dowdy institutions and inept politicians. And so you should. But after turning off the TV - and the corresponding stream of pundits, cheap entertainment, and general media circus that sets our national dialogue - and looking to my own backyard instead, I've been encouraged by the things I see. Change happens from the bottom up, as cliche as that sounds, and there are lots of real, genuinely concerned, organized people out there insistent on making things better. They exist - I've seen and heard them firsthand. Of course, not everyone advocates for the same things. I wish for more a more inclusive and equitable America - you know, the land of opportunity, country of immigrants sort of thing you learn about in elementary school. That's not something I will compromise on, and neither should those who have other visions or ideals. But regardless of perspective, it's people from the bottom up who ultimately make decision-makers more accountable, and democracy more direct. This resurgence of public interest and grassroots-level involvement has been huge, and for this reason, I think our country is headed in the right direction, albeit very slowly. There is still good reason to be optimistic, y'all.

At the same time, the IIHS says you'll be safer in a Yaris than a Silverado if a 3300 lbs, SUV-height barrier T-bones you at 31 mph.

Proof that green cars are only boring if you choose to make them so.

Then they can say, "See, nobody wants subcompacts" and proceed to ignore the segment. Meanwhile, Ford with the Fiesta...