Northstar

The only TV that we looked at that had blacker blacks than our Mitsu LCD was the Pioneer. There was a Samsung plasma at Best Buy that was comparable, they were very comparable, but the Samsung was more (plasmas are generally cheaper except for the Pioneers) and we wanted an LCD anyways so no games got burnt in. I was very surprised to see how good the Mistus were. When we went looking I would have never guessed the Mitsu would be second only to the Pioneer plasma in terms of image quality, and it cost a little over half as much due to the great sale. It was the first time I had ever seen an LCD next to a Sony LCD that looked better than the Sony. Before then, I had it set in my mind that if you were spending big bucks on an LCD, Sony was the only way to go. One other thing about our deal that was even sweeter was in addition to about $1k off, it has no interest no payments until 2010. My parents could pay for it at once if they wanted, but they figured they might as well pay a little bit each month instead. That is something else to think about if you are on a budget -- if your local stores have Mitsubishi the financing option is great. Best Buy does not carry Mistu flat panels, and I don't think Circuit City does. Go to a local place that's more upscale and only carry the better brands. The Mitsus are also great for customization of color. They are the only company with magenta as a color, and they have 6 colors that each have 62 degrees of adjustability (they call this PerfectColor). If you think there is too much red in the color, turn the red down until the red is at the correct amount. Same for blue, green, magenta, cyan, and yellow. Most TVs can have the colors adjusted, but not all of them by themselves. They have settings, or brightness levels, that adjust all the colors. You could, for instance, take all of the blue out of a picture if you wanted.

What size of TV do you want and what do you want to spend? I'm sure they'll be more great discounts before the holiday season is over. Keep checking your local ads.

I assume you turned in a police report? What about checking the Best Buy lot cameras?

They're only planning on producing 3500 in the first month, so selling 3000 is exceptional. Obviously they will sell more; the Aura sells very slowly and sells about 5k/month. I expect the Malibu to do over 20k/month.

The CTS and Corvette are not surprising, but the Malibu is somewhat, though I guess the Accord is there too. Still, that would imply they feel the Malibu is at least the 2nd best midsizer.

He feels right at home in the W-Bodies after all the W-Bod rentals he's had :AH-HA_wink:

The G8 has a DIC, too. If it's anything like the GTO's, it's a very good system. Driver-canted is not as good as advertised, IMO, but perhaps you think differently. The ease of use of the controls is more important. The Alero had a driver-canted interior and I find the GTO's more complex radio just as easy to use. HUD is a cool feature and I wish the G8 had it, but putting HUD in an unacceptable interior doesn't make it acceptable, IMO.

They had sold out of it by the time we got there, so we went to a specialty local store to see what they had. They don't carry as many brands, but they do carry more high-end brands than Best Buy, and no super cheap brands. They had some amazing sales on their Mitsubishi sets, and they had it set up next to a Sony, and it was much better than the Sony, surprisingly to me. They said they recommend the the Mitsus over the Sonys, and they feel they have better quality of picture, which was apparent seeing them next to each other. So we got a 52" model. They also had this amazing Pioneer plasma (said it was the best TV on the planet) which was even better still, but very expensive and plasmas are no good for gaming since they can get the image burnt into them. We haven't gotten it set up yet for TV, but it's amazing for Xbox 360.

Congrats, it looks great!

I think you could notice the 3-Series's advantages over the CTS around town -- it can fit into smaller places, be tossed around corners more easily, easier to part, etc., all due to smaller size. Perhaps I should restate the part you quoted: I'm pretty sure most people who are looking for a small sport sedan because they want a small, sporty sedan, would pick the car that drives better. This does not include Suzy McMansion who gets a 328i because it is the cheapest car with blue and white rondel on the hood. It would be interesting to know how many Suzy McMansions get 3ers vs. how many people buy them because they drive better than other cars. Regardless, I think the BTS needs to match the 3er in handling and performance. Suzy McMansion may not want the 3er because it can be tossed around turns easily, but that isn't making her not want to buy it either. I see little reason for the BTS to not match the 3er in handling just because there are thousands of Suzy McMansions who don't care if it's the best handling car in it's class. There are also thousands of enthusiasts who do care that it is the best handling car in it's class. Not going for the sportiest handling possible does alienate the people that want the sportiest handling possible, but having the sportiest handling possible does not alienate the Suzy McMansions of the world. A Suzy McMansion suspension package could be offered to keep costs down by offering less expensive mechanicals so that more Suzy McMansions can buy the BTS

By native resolution do you mean 1920 x 1080? The native contrast ratio is 2000:1. Here is a link to the TV: http://www.sharpusa.com/products/ModelLand...58,1921,00.html I don't think it's a technology powerhouse by any means - Sharp has 46" models above it that do have the 120Hz frame rate conversion, but it's such a good deal that it's very hard to pass up, and the reason we probably will pick one up. I don't think we'd be getting it if it was the regular price and the Sony that is undeniably better was only $100 more (not an XBR, the KDL46V3000, which also doesn't have the 120Hz frame rate -- the $3300 Sony has that. There's a Samsung for $3k with the 120Hz), but it's $1k more with this great sale price. One thing I really like about it is that it's ridiculously thin (new "Slime Line" design), only 3 3/4 inches deep. The Sony is 4.8 inches deep and the Samsung is 4 1/10". Not that it really matters. Yes, the "3S's" are the best, with Panasonic not that far behind. If you have the cash, Sony is the best, IMO. It also looks the coolest with the glass "frame."

I think I answered that question in my post, but perhaps not that clearly, so I'll reiterate - it IS the benchmark if you want a sport sedan in that price range. Nothing else is as good as a sport sedan. As I said, if you want more luxury, the CTS is, IMO, probably the benchmark as a sport luxury sedan in that segment. The CTS even makes a strong case as the simply the best luxury sedan too, though you may be able to find something a bit more luxurious and with more of a cushy ride in the upper price points ($45+k). There is nothing with the CTS not being as sporty as the 3-Series, but the BTS needs to be, simply because a compact sedan isn't going to be the most comfortable, and isn't going to be the most luxurious sedan out there in the $30-50k price range. The small size of the 3-Series is what gives it the ability to be so nimble and agile, so what gives one a reason to buy a car in the 3er segment if it isn't more fun to drive? Who's going to pick a sedan that's equal in everything else, and perhaps even has a better interior, but doesn't drive as well? I'm pretty sure most people would pick the car that drives better, which is a main reason why the 3er has been so successful. In short, the 3er is a benchmark, but no, it is not a benchmark for anything in that range. It is a benchmark for any sport sedan in that range. If one wants the sportiest sedan one can buy in that range, one would likely buy the 3er. The 3-Series defines the segment it is in, and I see no reason for the BTS to not be a mirror image of the 3-Series with different styling. If Alpha was identical to the 3-Series platform, that would probably be ideal. GM can style and design a better interior on top of the platform than BMW has done with the current 3-Series. Oh, and on another similar subject, expect the next 5er to become porkier, seeing as how it got a marginal rating for side impact crashes. Even with head curtain and torso airbags, it scored a poor for torso injury, and an average for the pelvis/leg. The structure scored an average, as well. Looks like some more steel will be required in those doors next time around, so much for carbon fiber and aluminum keeping the weight down :AH-HA_wink:

I don't think so, but the XBR is $2k more for the same size. Certainly it's better, but I don't think it's worth well over double the price.

I agree that you can be considered an enthusiast in many different ways. Someone who really likes to look at cars, study them, etc., can be considered an enthusiast, as well as someone who loves to work on their own car. Someone who loves to spiritedly drive their car, as well, could be considered a car enthusiast.

It is a benchmark in the $30-50k range, I don't see anything inappropriate about it. What delivers more performance for the price while still offering a pretty good interior and a prestigious brand? Nothing. It's simply the best handling and performing car you can buy in that price range. The CTS could be considered a benchmark for offering the best mix of performance, luxury, and comfortable ride in the $30-50k segment, as well, but it's not a benchmark if you're only looking at performance. BTS needs to benchmark the 3er for performance, because it will be of similar size.

So I saw in the Circuit City ad that there was a 46" Sharp Aquos 1080P LCD TV for $1200 off ($2499 down to $1299), and so me and my mom went out to see if anyone was already waiting at about 10PM last night, and there were 25 or so people in line, so we scratched that idea. Then today we went to Best Buy just to compare some and see which looked the best (more on that below), and we saw the same TV there, this time for $1399 ($100 more, but it didn't involve standing in line for 10 hours to get it). We compared all the TVs of that size, and decided it was one of the better, with only the Sonys being definitively better. After comparing all the TVs for quite some time, I've come to the conclusion that Sony is the best, and it's really not even that close. Sharp and Samsung are the only two brands that are close. Panasonic is not far behind, but I didn't think it was quite as good as the other three brands. Sony's more expensive, however. The Sony 46" was $2399 ($1k more than the Sharp's sale price, but only $100 more than the Sharp's regular price) and it wasn't even the top of the line model (which was sitting by itself, and was a 40" unit for $2599). I'm sure the top of the line Sony 46" would be around $3k ($500 more than most of the competition), but I'm also sure it would be significantly better. Bottom line is that if you want the best LCD TV you can buy, go with a Sony XBR Series. However, we didn't think even the $2399 Sony was worth $1k more than the Sharp, so we're going to take a look tomorrow again and make sure we want to buy it. $1399 is really a steal, especially considering it's one of the top 3 brand in my opinion based on looking at them for an hour or so. Just thought I'd give anyone who's looking for a new TV this holiday season a heads-up on this great deal. I would assume it's pretty much nationwide since it seems to be a Sharp-sponsored deal being at both CC and BB. The sale ends tomorrow according to the BB guy we talked to.

So I showed my dad the UTE and Commodore wagon today, and he didn't really care much for either of them (he really likes the G8). He thought the UTE was pretty stupid as a Pontiac, and he didn't really like the wagon, or see much point in it (says most people would just buy a crossover). This is coming from someone who isn't a car enthusiast, but certainly more interested in them than the average Joe. Just thought I'd share, since I thought it was interesting that he is considering a G8 but doesn't like either of the other two variants.

They're essentially the same price if you don't put $2100 wheels and tires on the Camry. No one buys a base 3-Series. Need proof? A dealer in Chicago has 39 3-Series in stock, the cheapest of which is $34,950, and only 7 of which are under $40k. That's 32 vehicles over $40k, the vast, vast majority. The base price could be $36k and they'd sell 97% as many. No one cross shops a Camry and a 3-Series, either, so it's stupid to compare them in the first place.

Thanks for the report, it seems the G8/Commodore hasn't had a bad review yet. To each their own, though I find it very hard to see how you can think the interior is horrible, especially if you liked the Grand Prix's: VS

Hopefully these cars don't make the dealer think they can mark them up because they're special editions.

As balthy said, your reasoning is ridiculous. Also, why would GM being hoarding them to fleets when the old Malibu is surviving for the sold purpose of fleet sales?

The front looks like a mish-mash of various Japanese sports cars (some recent Toyota/Lexus concept influence, definitely), the window dip looks like crap, and the rear is a big "blah" to me. The detailing on the sides of the car is nice, though. Camaro >> Genesis

He was talking about the Ferrari not being reliable, but regardless... The BTS isn't going to win over any buyers based on anything other than beating the 3-Series at its own game. As you said, reliability isn't going to win over buyers, because obviously the 3er owners are either happy with the 3er's reliability or don't care if it's not reliable, because they keep buying them in droves. The BTS will have to offer more for less like the CTS does, but do so in a different way. Rather than offering more size for the same price, the BTS is going to have to offer the same amount of features and same performance for a cheaper price. It should perhaps be priced like the 1-Series (which isn't exactly cheap). As for the supercharged M3... I had not heard this? It out-lapped even the exotics? I think enough engines will be available for the CTS. The 3.6 will be competitive with whatever the base engine is for the 5er, I think. I don't see them making the TT I6 standard. The DI 3.6 will probably need a boost as the TT I6 will probably get a boost. The UV8 should do fine against whatever the BMW V8 is, and the V-Series will have plenty of options. A turbo or supercharged UV8 (I would bet turbo - GM seems to like DI turbo engines) should provide plenty of power. I don't see the need for anything else besides a diesel (which is coming) and a hybrid (which I see no reason why it won't come).

Sounds like the Orion production may very well be needed. My dealer has not sold any that I know of, though they said they had a lot of interest before they even had any cars there. Perhaps they have sold a couple, but the first two to arrive are still there.

You can look and see what the finalists were: A5/S5: Good car all around it appears, but it seems rather expensive and is very low volume. In short, a good car, but not very significant because it's not going to sell in very big numbers. Perhaps 1k/month. Malibu: They generally like it, but think some of the plastics could be better and the steering isn't the greatest. Significant, yes, but not perfect for its intended role. Volvo V70/XC70: It's a wagon, do you honestly see a wagon getting COTY? Perhaps its sedan counterpart, but not a wagon. Performance and design are greatly lacking (looks the same as a 20 year old Volvo, very slow for a $45k vehicle). Accord: Didn't like the design or interior. Malibu was a better performer and they liked it's design and interior better. If the Malibu doesn't win, I don't see how the Accord can. C-Class: Poor interior plastics in a luxury make? That puts it out of contention. xB: Terrible design, average at most other things. Caravan: bad plastics, not even the best minivan according to C&D. I think the only cars you can make a case for over the CTS are the Malibu and A5/S5. The A5/S5 is too low volume (READ: Less significant) and the Malibu was deemed to have more flaws than the CTS.