Cory Wolfe

Honestly, the Ford Focus isn't everything it's cracked up to be. It is not the compact car savior and I certainly wouldn't rate it as best. There are better vehicles out there and no, I'm not saying the Jetta is one of them. Volkswagen has lost nothing. It has seen an 'upscale' image for a mere decade. Before that, being a Volkswagen meant being boxy and and uber-conservative. The Jetta wasn't anything unique or upscale up until the MKV. That's one generation and suddenly Volkswagen is losing it's soul? I think not. Some may need to do some revisiting on what Volkswagen stands for.

Have a look.

300M Special > Bonneville SE.

It appears it's been posted online. Cars.com Autotrader.com As well as a clean Car Fax

The Entourage is already dead.

After Youtubing for an hour or so... I loved the Chrysler commercial with Eminem and Detroit, though it could have been better if it were shorter. Per the VW commercials, I definitely prefer the Beetle one, though I can see the appeal in the Passat one. Chevrolet had horrible commercials for the most part. The only enjoyable ones were the Volt and Silverado ones. Hyundai's were rather 'meh' save for the hypnotized commercial, which was executed rather well, I though. I thought Kia's had a great concept, but ruined it by dragging it out as much as they did. Audi's was okay. Cleverly written, at least. Suzuki's was pretty underwhelming. Fake snowmen, a great way to induce sales, right? I liked Mercedes' save for Diddy. His role was far less fitting than Eminem's in Chrysler's. Mini's "Cram it in the boot" was mildly entertaining. Sexual puns are fun. Unrelated... There's a Doritos commercial that I found hilarious, but it apparently didn't make the cut. Those gay references will do that. The one Pepsi Max commercial was pretty entertaining with the controlling wife. I'm looking forward to the new Fast Five movie despite many's displeasure with it. The Sealy commercial was good... If only I agreed with their message. Springs are evil. Cowboys and Aliens has to be the worst movie I've seen previewed. Just why?! Snickers with Roseanne Barr was pretty funny. Not as good as Betty White's, though. Homeaway... All I can say is "Test baby!"

I mainly just picked whatever I could find a Motorweek review of without searching too long. Thus, the specifics of the models mentioned isn't necessarily what I would buy. The Passat and E46 are the best examples of such. I agree regarding the W8 versus 1.8T consensus. For the amount of additional horsepower and displacement the complex W8 added, there wasn't any payoff in performance. You were essentially stuck with a much more difficult to work on and more expensive to maintain Passat that achieved inferior fuel economy. The 3.6L VR6 of the following generation made much more sense, coming from a line of proven engines while still achieving decent fuel economy. As mentioned before, the car I really want is a 2006 Volkswagen Passat Sport with the aforementioned engine. It's a perfect culmination of the sort of specs and features I'm aspiring for. Had Volkswagen offered one of its VR6 engines in your generation of Passat rather than the Audi-derived 2.8L V6, I would be more inclined to opt for a B5.5 Passat. The 1.8T doesn't quite provide the sort of performance I'd like to have on tap, though it's probably the forerunner for engine of choice if I choose a Passat. For any BMW, I'd completely forgo the AWD models to avoid any addition complexity to an already expensive to maintain vehicle. I would love to get a 330, though I could live with a 328 or 325. Ideally, any BMW would also be had with a manual transmission only. I haven't really found myself pining for any specific body style, however. Coupe, sedan or wagon; They're all fantastic. The only body style I will completely avoid is the convertible for sheer lack of interest in open-air fun.

Hmm... This just happened to pop up on a local dealership the other day.

I. Worked. Through. The. Entire. Game.

I approve.

My comments were regarding the Passat, not the Jetta. The Jetta is still thoroughly entrenched within the compact size class. Having gained a mere 3 inches over the outgoing model, its still half a foot shorter than the current Passat, and will soon be nearly a foot shorter than the new Passat. The Cruze trails the Jetta by just an inch, mind you.

Actually, I've been meaning to get Croc's opinion on those.

This Car and Driver Competition features a few of the vehicles I'm looking at, ignoring the Volvo, Lexus, and Mitsubishi. Also to note, since it's also featured, the Bonneville is there for consideration, mostly. I've always liked it, but it's not quite what I would want. It's interior is the biggest hindrance.

Prestige for myself. I have a pretty wide range if you're considering the literal meaning. I more or less want something with the ability to coddle me all sorts of way, while not being a complete boat in the handling department. Ideally, I want something with 6 cylinders, though overall power would probably be more important in the end. The car I really want would be a 2006 Volkswagen Passat VR6 Sport. It fits what I'm looking for to a tee, but after looking at values, it's still out of my price range at this point. Another car that's on my list, though one I couldn't find any videos for, is the Mazda Millenia. I've already had one and wouldn't mind another. It's on the lower end of the spectrum, however. Mostly ideal Mazda Millenia, save for the engine. I would only consider the Miller Cycle this time around. The Chrysler 300M Special seems to be a great multitasker. Sporty, luxurious, stylish, roomy, high quality, and yet affordable. Upper end is around $9k. Ideally, $6k or $7k is what I would like to spend. Phaeton would simply be a nightmare. The Passat's don't have nearly as many components to possibly break, beyond the technically advanced W8. The same logic for the Phaeton plays into the Audi game, which doesn't seem to have as good of a track record as equivalent BMW's or Mercedes, especially considering what I would want.

Good review. Camera work could be improved, but its not terrible for what appears to be regular ol' handy-cam of some sort.

iPad is pretty wonderful. Wasn't a believer until I actually tried one out.

Because it's that time of the month... or year, rather. One of those times is probably a better way to put it. It's something I frequently go though. To put it simply, I'm never satisfied; always looking for something refreshing and new (to me). It's essentially a flavor of the month affair, but in an automotive sense. If you were unable to grasp where I'm heading with this, I'll spell it out for you. I'm looking for another car, and rather seriously, at that. While I've found joy in my current vehicles, I find myself aspiring to greater offerings. One thing has always rang true and that is my love for amenities. Between my last few vehicles, I've constantly bemoaned the lack of equipment each vehicle offered for enjoyment. It all dates back to when I first purchased my 1995 Mazda Millenia. It was my first and only experience with a truly luxurious vehicle. Since that time, I've owned many bare-bones vehicles. The first in succession to the Millenia was my 1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. As a $500.00 beater, it served me well enough. However, living with it pained me. It's lack of equipment was astonishing, leaving me unable to even adjust my seat-back. To it's credit, it dates back to a different time and place in the automotive world. It was a time when most people focused on driving their car, without a care as to how many gadgets to came with. In addition, it was also a time when carburetors and overly restricted (yet not very effective) emissions controls were prevalent. Due to this and my poor timing, purchasing the Cutlass right as gas made its way up to $4/gallon, it was difficult to justify continued use of such a vehicle on a daily basis. After having a string of dependability issues, I set out to find a replacement. After finding it on a lesser-known dealership lot, I couldn't pass up my next vehicle, a 1998 Volkswagen Jetta. It marked my first foray into German engineering and I haven't looked back. I've become a life-long aficionado of the people's car company since that time. It was exactly what I needed; proving to be reliable, fuel efficient, and comfortable. It offered me new and intriguing quirks I had not experienced until then, as well as its tossable driving characteristics. It presented a step towards the premium automotive life, once more. Not the whole shebang, by any means, but something I could live with. After nearly a year, I have many fond memories to look back on up until the end. Yes, the end was painful, with my Jetta giving way to keep me safe in a head-on collision. I hadn't imagined such an event ever happening and it has forever changed my driving characteristics. Searching for a replacement began right where I had left off: with Volkswagen. After a few months, I had envisioned a life with an even nicer Jetta. Perhaps a GTI, even. This time around, I knew exactly what I wanted, yet that's not how it ended. Once my Grandmother passed away, my Grandfather was left with her 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt. It was a vehicle I helped steer her into and unfortunately, one my Grandfather couldn't live with, himself. With the timing being right and a family's aversion to over-charging a relative, I had an opportunity I couldn't pass up. I soon became the owner of this Cobalt and endured many miles of driving over the time of my ownership. I had racked up over 30,000 mostly trouble free miles in little over a year. It offered me something I never had to worry about beyond my various, though minor, quibbles. All it took was one fateful trip through New Jersey to bring that run to an end. Months before losing my Cobalt to a rear-ending, I picked up a 1994 Volkswagen Golf as a fixxer-upper. It was my way of getting back into the Volkswagen fold and would prove to be my savior. At the time of the accident, this Volkswagen Golf had been a garage queen since its trip home. I spent the majority of last winter working on this car, bringing it back life. After having torn down my Jetta to its bare shell, I gained confidence in my ability to embark on this journey. I proceeded to gather the parts I would need and soon started to have at it. What I didn't know, was all the complications I was about to run into. Starting with a beat up shell, I had planned on replacing the needed parts without much fanfare. Such was not the case. There were many quizzical surprises unearthed as I progressed, each one proving more difficult to overcome. This Golf had lived a hard life, encompassed by many battle scars too deep to repair within my means. Coming to that realization, and needing a vehicle to drive, I finished it to the best of my ability. It never turned out the exact way I wanted to and hasn't lived up to memories I was left with of my beloved Jetta. Enter, the dark side. In September, I had just started at my new job after being relegated to unemployment through the Summer. It wasn't much, but would net me some additional income while I considered college aspirations. To say the least, Pizza Delivery is a rather simple job and not very demanding. That is, depending on who you ask. If you were to ask my Golf, it would beg for savior of sorts. To say such a job is hard on vehicles is an understatement and this proved to be the Golf's weakness. Only a few weeks in, various parts failed and could not withstand the abuse. At that time, my Mother was looking for a vehicle for herself and I would frequent the classifieds. I never intended to pursuit a purchase on my own, yet that is exactly what happened. Just days after having my throttle cable snap while on the job, a listing for a 1991 Honda CRX showed up and I simply couldn't resist. Shortly thereafter, my driveway had grown a little larger. This brings me to today. I am currently saddled with two vehicles, my Golf and my CRX. The latter of which has become my more frequently used vehicle, leaving the former for emergencies. Looking them over, they both offer similar amenities; one focusing more on utility, one more on efficiency. Both are fairly basic and stick to needs, not wants. Over the course of the last few months, I've realized that I only want one of them. It's been clear since the CRX became my overwhelming favorite for daily use. I decided to list the Golf for sale, leaving the CRX for continued daily use. It's time to move on to greater aspirations. I've embarked on a search for something to serve as my secondary vehicle. My aspirations are simple; I want luxury, comfort, and power. Since it will only compliment my already efficient CRX, that will not be a requirement. The same can be said for any athleticism, though to a lesser extent. Handling still weighs heavy on my consideration, but will not be the top deciding factor. As always, I love evading the commonality; indulging in quirkiness. The few things I am pretentiously avoiding include the archaic Panthers, rabid W-bodies, and the like. This is a search for prestige. To showcase some of the vehicles of which I am considering, I have included some Motorweek videos for you to enjoy and discuss. Chrysler 300M Special http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59HY7NjzIbU&feature=related Acura 3.2TL Type-S http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW9-Fwd5iv8 Volkswagen Passat W8 4Motion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaVaspfMe4I&feature=related BMW 330XI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0uWV_GKw24&feature=related Pontiac Bonneville SSEI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_Xdw5jY6zc

Behind the numbers Asian Manufacturers January 2011 Sales February 3rd, 2011 Cory Wolfe - Writer/Photographer for CheersandGears.com Toyota Motor Company reported a sales increase of 17.3% for January 2011 with 115,856 units sold. While the Toyota division saw sales rise 23.7%, Lexus division sales were down 17.1% with only the RX line posting an increase in sales (3.4%). Other interesting points: Yaris sales are down an astonishing 50% with only 1,839 vehicles sold. You might be hard-pressed to find a Lexus LFA on the lots with a staggering total of 4 vehicles sold. Corolla sales topped Camry sales this month with 20,581 and 18,185 vehicles sold, both seeing increased sales. They were up 20.2% and 14.9%, respectively. Scion got a small sales boost thanks to increased tC sales, up 57.5% On the opposite end of the spectrum, Lexus HS sales are down 77.1% to 286 vehicles, proving no one really wants an even pricier Prius. If you're surprised to hear Tundra sales are up, you wouldn't be alone. Toyota moved 6,087 of their biggest truck, up 55.9%. Toyota Motor Co. managed to make 13,409 hybrid sales, the majority of which were Prii (Prius in plural form?) with 10,635 sold. Land Cruiser sales were exactly the same as last year, with 145 sold. American Honda Motor Company reported a sales increase of 13% for January 2011 with 76,276 units sold. Honda and Acura divisions both posted gains this month, up 13.2% and 11.6%. Honda's CRV topped the charts with 16,339 sales (up 68.9%). Other interesting points: Poorest selling Honda for the month was the Ridgeline, finding 855 homes (a 15.9% increase). The Acura RL posted a gain of 45.5% and is no longer American Honda's worst monthly performer. That badge of dishonor now belongs to the ZDX, with 148 sold. Also taking sales from the Yaris is the Fit, which posted a 60% sales increase, moving 4,314 units. Civic sales were essentially dead even, down 4/10th's of a percentile (14,634 versus 14,693 for last January). Honda's perennial best-selling Accord took a hit this month, posting a 27.7% decrease. Acura's best-selling vehicle for the month was the MDX, with 3,127 sold, a 32.6% increase. According to Honda, the Insight set a sales record in January, moving 1,554 vehicles. The all-new Odyssey " continued to win new customers" with sales of 7,022, up 44.4% respectively. Nissan North America reported a sales increase of 14.8% for January 2011 with 71,847 units sold. Nissan division saw a sales increase of 15.4%. Infiniti division also posted a gain in sales, moving 7,405 units. Other interesting points: Nissan's headlining electric vehicles, Leaf, managed 87 sales. The Rogue had a "best-ever" start to the year with a 71.9% increase to 9,423 vehicles. Awaiting the arrival of its newest iteration, the Quest sold a mere 62 examples, down 15.1% Another midsizer taking a hit this month was Nissan's Altima, dropping 11.7%. The Juke seems to be finding its own niche in the market, selling 3.095 of the psychedelically styled crossover. Infiniti's G-sedan increased sales to 3,248, up 21.2%, thanks to the recently introduced G25 variant. Both the Versa and Sentra saw increases, selling 8,682 and 9,538 of each. Hyundai Motor America reported record January 2011 sales with 37,214 units sold. Compared to last January, sales were up 22%. Hyundai marked a big increase in retail sales alone, seeing a 58% jump. Other interesting points: Sonata sales are up a whopping 150%, moving 13,261 examples of the highly-regarded sedan. Sales of the Azera continue to slide, down to 156 for the month. Hyundai's newly redesigned Elantra helped itself to a 26% increase (includes the outgoing model). Santa Fa sales dwindled to a 38% decrease, selling 4,415 vehicles. Hyundai sold 4,792 cars with 40-mpg or better highway ratings. Kia Motors America reported record January 2011 sales, a rise of 25.6%. Kia managed to move 27,789 vehicles this month, thanks to the continued momentum of Sorento and Soul sales. Other interesting points: With production still ramping up, Optima sales totalled 3,338. Sorento sales are still soaring with 8,116 examples sold. A single Amanti was sold, marking a 96.4% decrease. Soul is up 149% this month, to 5,345 sales. Off to a hot start is the Sportage, with 3,009 sold, up 295%. Subaru of America, Inc. also reported record January 2011 sales after three consecutive calender years of sales growth. Sales totaled 18,858 for the month, an increase of 21% over last January. Other interesting points: Marking Subaru's only decrease in sales, Tribeca sold 198 examples, down 22.7%. Impreza sales are up 34%, to 3,346 examples. The biggest seller continues to be the Outback, with 6,980 sold. Forester sales remained strong, up 17.5%. Mazda North America reported a decrease in sales of 9.1% for January 2011 with 14,297 units sold. Mazda contributes its loss to a "substantial reduction" of fleet sales to increase residual values. Other interesting points: Both the CX-7 and CX-9 posted record sales for January, with sales of 2,357 and 2,054, up 45.3% and 35.9%, respectively. Mazda's sales leader remains the Mazda3 with 5,015 sold, down 31.9%. It seems the Mazda2 is struggling to find buyers, moving just 479 examples. Mazda's sports cars managed sales of 289 for the MX-5 (down 18.8%) and 66 for the RX-8 (down 28.3%). Mitsubishi Motors North America reported sales of 5,714 units for January 2011, representing a 37% increase in sales. Other interesting points: Galant sales were 2,549, up a massive 80%. Lancer Evolution sales were up "more than 18%" according to Mitsubishi's PR writers. Outlander Sport sales totaled 1,065, an increase of 10% over December. American Suzuki reported a sales increase of 26% for January 2011, with a total 2,562 sales. Suzuki is touting its "fourth consecutive year-over-year sales increase." Other interesting points: Kizashi sales are up an absolutely astonishing 377% with a record sales month of 940 sold. Suzuki's Frontier-based Equator posted an amazing gain of 160%, moving 148 vehicles. The best-selling SX4 saw a 15% decrease in sales, down to 978 examples finding homes. Related Behind The Numbers Content: Domestic January 2011 Sales European January 2011 Sales

Kia is quiet about its killings.

Just to note, you posted Suzuki's December sales. Suzuki hasn't released their January sales yet, it seems.

Volkswagen has alot of niche models. All in all, its clear that Volkswagen's branding strategy hasn't been working. I looked back to when the current generation Passat debuted and the reviews were filled with "Phaeton-lite" comments that eventually led to how expensive it was. Similarly equipped, it was never in the same range as any competitors and alot of the time, you could get get more car for the money elsewhere. People like to complain about the new Passat's lower market position and lack of luxury features, but its obviously a failing strategy. The same could be said of the Touareg and Eos, even the Tiguan to an extent, while the New Beetle has long lost its popularity, after 13 years on the market. The Routan is flawed by way of rebadging. The Golf showcases America's aversion to hatchbacks; its biggest selling feature being the TDI model. Subaru has itself positioned better with more focused offerings. Forester and Outback have always been popular, while the Legacy and Impreza fall behind, mostly getting sales due to the AWD legacy (no pun intended) Subaru has built.

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/2145532467.html