GMTruckGuy74

Well an automatic is the only way to go for us (wife refuses/has no desire to learn and I have a medical condition with my left foot that prevents me from putting too much pressure on it <it sucks when I have to use the emergency brake on the AURA - foot pedal vs. the G6's brake handle>). Plus I'm the guy that likes to put the car in DRIVE and go from there We did look at the ASTRAs last Saturday night. The dealership had an XE 5-door & an XR 3-door unlocked on the lot and the wife was still not liking the car (I think she doesn't like the styling for some reason, and I know the radio/hvac controls turn her off). I think the 3-door is hot and would definitely be up for a test-drive, but I'm holding off for now. Well see her reaction again when we visit the NYIAS. I like the design of the G5 in GT form (I think the non-GT models look too plain). I liked the Cobalt when they came out, buit again I'm one of those guys that prefers Pontiacs over Chevies (just like GMC trucks too). Plus the fact I'd have an all-Pontiac garage, and hopefully things on the employment side get better after July 1 so that I could look into getting the '87 Grand Prix LE I've been wanting, would make for a nice photo layout for the Reader's Rides section of Pontiac Enthusiast magazine :AH-HA_wink: But I'm thinking way too far ahead at this time. I'll be patient and continue to wait until GMAC does something with November leases.

Super Wawas are all around southern NJ, and there's a brand new one close to where I work so I'll go there. If I don't go there, I go to the Gulf station near my house. I'm not sure if this occurs anywhere outside of NJ, but about two years ago gas stations (at least in southern NJ) started charging $0.05-$0.10 more per gallon if you used a debit/credit card to pay. Some stations didn't upcharge initially, but then 99% of them did (it really sucked when gas was at $4/gallon without the surcharge). I guess some stations felt the loss of customers and now at least half if not more have stopped upcharging for debit/credit card usage. What does this have to do with the post? Wawas were the only ones that never chraged more and that's when I started using them. I used a BP gas station too and it caused hesitation with my AURA but not the G6 (and they have the same 3500 V6!!). From time to time I also used a Citgo, as I pass it on the way to & from work, but they were the first to upcharge and still do.

In May of 1994, my cousin sold me her '92 Cavalier Z24 that had less than 8k miles on it (it was practically a new car still, as she bought it in September of '92 as a leftover model). I had that car from May '94 until I gave it to my wife (then fiancee) in April of '98. She then had the car as her daily driver until August of 2000 (so essentially I still had the Cavalier). I, and then me & the wife, went everywhere in that car. I see the G5 GT Coupe as reliving those days of past. Of course now though I need to haul more than just 2 people on a regular basis! I guess the love for my old Cavalier Z24 is one of the reasons I am considering the G5 GT.

Some other GMC vehicles to compare the Terrain grille/frontend design to: Yukon/Yukon XL: Acadia: Sierra 1500:

Let's take a look at some of the Terrain's competition frontend designs for comparison: Mercury Mariner: Ford Escape: Jeep Compass: Jeep Patriot: Honda CRV: Honda Pilot: Toyota Venza:

Oh I'm not telling yet! You never know what the future holds, and if my luck changes for the better I will make this happen! Plus you have the '69 Custom-S to play with and I thought you were searching for a '68 Grand Prix? This '87 is too new for you

Oh and that HHR is still available (checked it out last Saturday night after my niece's bday party; the dealer is in the town my sister lives in). That HHR has been there at least 2-3 weeks before I took the picture on March 15, and was still there on April 4th. Once I know what GMAC is doing with the pull-ahead program (still only covers leases until October 31), I'll be more active about searching for the AURA's replacement. At this point I think either late May or July 4th will be the earliest GMAC will include November leases for pull-ahead.

While they are nice and I really like the RS-equipped models, unless GM offered a Pontiac Firebird I'm not biting on the Camaro. My first car was a '78 Camaro LT back in late '92, but I wanted a lated 2nd gen or late 3rd gen Firebird/Formula/Trans Am more at the time (unfortunately I couldn't fiond any Pontiacs in my price range and the Camaro was). The HHR does have some style to it, and I really do like them. I will be checking it out out at the NYIAS late next week, and assuming I can get the seats arranged how I'd be comfortable, I'll have the whole family in it to see how it all works out. I haven't relinquished the new car purchase to the wife yet, since she did get to pick out the G6 for herself last year and wouldn't consider anything I recommended. I told her that she chose the G6 without regard to my input and that was her choice; why should I get stuck with a car I didn't pick out? I like the G6, but we decided to go back to "his and her" cars last year and I want to get something I like. The downside is that with me becoming jobless in July and no idea what the job market will be like in teaching or whatever else, car shopping really should be the VERY last thing on my list

Here's the '09 G5 GT coupe I found at the BPG dealer we've been purchasing from; it fits exactly what I'd want in a G5 GT: I wonder what the "red tag" deal means? Only the G5's on the lot had them (all of teh G5s), and they don't list a price rather instruct you to see a salesperson for 'details'. If I do go for teh G5 it would mean the wifey gets this car on a daily basis and I'd get the G6 as my dd. Now if I decide to go small for myself and for under $24k, I will definitely consider the blue HHR (2LT) I've posted/talked about before too: And I think I will definitely consider a 2009 Pontiac Torrent AWD if there's a good amount of incentives on them due to the release of the new '10 Equinox & Terrain (late summer, early fall of course).

I wish!! Here's the one I want to buy: I was working on making a deal when I got word from my employer that I will not be issued a new teaching contract (after 7 years in the district!) for 2009/2010. Not knowing what I'll be doing for a paycheck come July 1, I had to let the owner know the bad news. The good thing is that apparently I'm the only one interested, as he still has it parked in the same spot in the garage, all covered-up and protected from the elements still. He did say that he is in no rush to sell and wants it to go to a good home where it will be kept in the same well-cared for condition. Time will tell, but I think of it everyday!!

TED, you are right in that the 2010 GMC Terrain is an evolution of the three past "Terra" concetps (Terradyne <2000>, TerraCross <2001>, and Terra4 <2002>). Based on that assumption, I se less of the Terra4 in the Terrain's design (save for the flared fenders) and more of the Terradyne and TerraCross. I'm just happy that this sucker wasn't the basis: The 2005 GMC Graphyte concept CUV was a nightmare IMO. I will say that the shield-grille design was lent to the Terrain apparently (see the 2nd pic I posted), but thankfully that's all. I still like this buff CUV a lot and can't wait to see it in a little over a week at the NYIAS. I think the lighter colors, like this silver, are not doing it justice and hope that the black one is on display in NYC.

I can't wait to see this in person at the NYIAS in less than two weeks. I like it's uniqueness and even if it sells less than the Equinox, then all the better (not everyone will have the same vehicle). The Acura I posted above, with it's cowcatcher chrome grille, is all over the place in southern New Jersey. So apparently while many of us here at C&G think it's hideous looking, the market doesn't. I think those buyers who are looking for something a little stand-outish and unique will like the GMC Terrain. If I have more motivation to find a new job soon, it's now thanks to the Terrain.

I guess GM is trying to appeal to the same demographic that are purchasing this car:

Well, being GMC-biased and all, I gotta say that I like it and would definitely consider it if I had the money. Aztek bad? I don't think so! I think that's going too far. This is definitely a love-it or hate-it design, and I fall in the "love-it" group. Yes there are some design styles I don't agree with, but overall there isn't enough that make me want to puke. I remember when the Aztek came out in May of 2001, when I was leasing a brand new '01 GMC Sonoma Highrider. My then-salesman tried to get me into an Aztek, and no matter what angle I looked at it from, I couldn't find any attractiveness to it. I told him that even if the lease was $50 per month I wouldn't jump on it (the fact that it was leasing at something like $400/month <price he quoted me>, made me even sicker to my stomach). Again, this design is not for everyone - you can choose the Saturn VUE or Chevy Equinox if you must have one of GM's cute-utes. I like these shots of the Terrain from Autoblog: (maybe it will look more appealing to some in darker colors?)

Geez Camino, now all I'd have to do is find a '55 or '56 Chevy 3100 Stepside that is missing it's engine and then I can have you restore it ALL for me!!

Now that sounds like a good chop competition project, if you ask me :AH-HA_wink:

I haven't ruled out an Astra XR 5-door, thought the wife isn't crazy about them (yet, at least). I still don't like that they are "2008" models and as such are not discounted/incenticized enough to move them (I know, let the flaming begin for expecting more 'cash on the hood', but that's GM's fault for not selling them in '08 and trying to sell them now in 2009). We did go to the ASTRA "Ride & Drive' event back in December '07, and my wife wasn't thrilled with the ASTRAs we drove. But it all boils down to getting my wife behind the wheel without a salesperson so she can enjoy the drive without any sales stress, then she may open her mind up a bit. We'll see after visiting the NYIAS what she says. If I decide that I can get comfortable in a small car and decide to make it mine, then the HHR and Astra will be what I'll be shopping. Now if incentives galore come out for the Memorial Day or 4th of July sales events, allowing me to get a slightly larger vehicle and going past the $20-$23k MSRP range, then I'll consider other GM suggestions. As it is right now, I have to go *NEW* in order to get out of my lease early, and since there's already a G6 in my garage, I won't be pursuing another one (not enough has changed on them, though a convertible would be nice). And if I get a decent paying teaching job for September, or a decent paying job in the business world, maybe I'll hold out and look into the new '10 Equinox, seeing as how they're going to be starting at $23k!! http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090402/CARNEWS/904029973

Wow... the media can't get off this topic. GM = trucks, plain and simple. While the '80s introduced the truck & SUV to the masses more, it was Ford that grabbed the market by the horns with the Explorer in the very late '80s. GM caught up in the '90s, as did most of the other manufacturers. I'm not saying the the '82 S10/S15 pickups and the '83 S10 Blazer/S15 Jimmy didn't earn some truck & SUV business for GM, but that sentence makes it seem that the Malibu moved out for these trucks to move in. Now if the writer wanted to say that the full-size, BOF sedan was phased out in the mid-'90s for more trucks, then I wouldn't complain becuase that is the truth. But saying 1983??? Come on!! Now they're really reaching.

Well, if the new car purchase was for me and I needed to stay under $27/$28k MSRP, I'd definitely look at the Malibu 2LT with the 3.6L V6 Engine Package and the HHR 2LT with the 2.4L Engine Package - and maybe consider a base G8 V6 (but I'd really want the GT model). Since this car would be for the wife, her choices are between the G5 GT and the Vibe GT right now. We are going to the NYIAS on Monday, April 13 and will use that time to look at what else GM offers. I told her we're going to look at everything GM has on display and see what else she may consider (now if I hit the lottery, I told her to forget it and I'm getting a G8 GT!!). But keep in mind that this is all contingent on whether or not GMAC has expanded the pull-ahead program to include my lease date.

Here you go ocnblu... a birthday present: Enjoy it!!!

April Fools joke? The article is dated 4-1-2009.

And for what it's worth, if I was comfortable in a smaller car I'd go with the HHR hands down. The wife can't stand the HHR's styling one bit and refuses to even look at them, otherwise I'd ask her to look into that instead of a Vibe. And while I'm not ruling the Cobalt Sedan out yet, it can't be the SS model as that's a 5-speed manual only car and instead want to find a LT Sedan with the Sport Appearance Package if we go that route.

Thanks for all of the replies, advice, and suggestions so far. Keep them coming. As for why it must be a GM vehicle, I currently am in a GMAC SmartLease contract that expires in November. In March, GM offered a 5-month pull-ahead program (waived 5 payments) for leases expiring before October 31. I'm figuring GMAC will move the expiration date to include November this month, and that means I'd have to eat just one monthly payment to get out of my lease and into a finance deal. Also, that would mean I would have to buy a GM vehicle too. Plus the fact that my wife's company is entitled to theGM Supplier pricing discount program and the many additional incentives that come with it make it clear that a GM vehicle is the way to go. As for why the Pontiac G5 GT or Vibe GT? I like Pontiacs over Chevys, and would like to put my money towards another Pontiac unit (even if it doesn't help GM out greatly). The wife would be the one getting this car, as she prefers to drive a smaller car on her 32-mile one way commute, and these are the two cars she likes and wants us to consider buying (well, really she wants the Vibe but will at least consider the G5). She said that she's be happy with a G3; however, I could never bring myself to put that car in my driveway. I really like the G5 GT styling (even if it is a rebadged Cobalt, I still like it better), and even though it's a 2-door only model my wife would be the sole person in the car 90% of the time (weekend duty would see it used for local errands, ect). As for the Vibe GT, that's what she really wanted last year when she bought the G6 - the incentives weren't on the Vibe at the time and I couldn't see spending $60-$80 more per month for the Vibe over the G6. As for the styling, she likes the racier looks of the GT model over the jelly-bean looks of the non-Gt model, so that trim level wins (ocnblu already pointed this out). If I had the money I'd be getting a G8 V6 or GT model hands down - that's the one car I want desparetly. But in order to do what I need to with my SmartLease contract, I'd have to go new and not pre-owned or GM Certified. Seeing as how I will eventually need a new car regardless, might as well let the wife have what she really wants. And in the process I get the G6 V6 Sedan, as I prefer a car of that size or larger and have no desire whatsoever to own or drive a Vibe

A very special greeting to the unofficial C&G birthday-posting committee chairperson!! Now it's your turn to receive well wishes on your special day. Hoping that this day is a great one for you.

Oh if a Kappa was in the running I wouldn't hesitate to put another Saturn SKY in my garage in a heartbeat!! The new car has to be able to carry more than the driver and one passenger.