The O.C.

No offense......but I totally do NOT believe in any sort of "open relationship." To me, the words lead to an oxymoron. If it's "open"....it's really not a relationship. It's more of a "f@#k-buddy" friendship than anything else.

I'm glad you are happy with it......that's ultimately what matters. However, in my experience, the 3500 has been a solid workhorse, but not much more. The 3.6L is a good engine, but certainly is not a good representative of economical DOHC V6 engines......competitors do much better. And you say it "revs eagerly to it's 6,250 redline" but I find it pretty slow-revving in comparison to other more modern V6s (3800 seems the same way to me.) At cruise around town or on the highway, the engine is whisper-quiet......but hold your foot to the floor, and it sounds like it's coming backwards toward you through the firewall...... My impressions are based upon numerous Malibu rentals with the 3500, and Impala rentals with the 3900.

Never did it either......even in my last relationship, when all the intimacy and sex went away......I still remained faithful. That's why I have an extensive collection of porn......keeps me "out of trouble!" LOL

"......can easily "survive" for quite a few more years......." Doesn't sound like the product plan GM needs to survive IMHO..........

I really don't see how you can claim the car had a "lack of grunt".....especially to the SAAB turbo L4........ Mine was a rocketship......I think C&D got one from 0-60 in like 6.7-6.8 secs back when it came out......this was compared to G6s and Malibus with the 3500 and automatic that did it around 7.9secs......

That was good...... Here's ours...... http://www.city-data.com/forum/california/...fonia-when.html

The stiffer, the better........ And as far as suspensions go......I like 'em stiff too...... J/K.... Seriously......a stiff suspension can still be comfortable if the structure is solid and the chassis tuning is spot-on. This is what BMW, for example, has done extraordiarily well with their cars. The BMW 3-series' that I had with the sport package were, if anything, stiffer even than the Corvette that I had. Yet, also, they were way more comfortable, composed, luxurious. It's a rare combination of springs, shocks, and damping levels that really make a difference. My CTS Sport and A4 Quattro S-Line are two examples in the extreme.........CTS is soft on the road, maybe slightly floaty, but definitely tuned to smother the freeway ride. However, roll control is EXCELLENT.....bend it into a curve and it hardly rolls, and transitions nicely from very miniimal understeer to nicely-controllable oversteer. The Audi, on the other hand, has that really taughtly-damped ride that makes the car feel rock-solid. You feel every bump in the road.....but because the structure is so tight and the chassis is tuned so well, it's still comfortable. However, throw the Audi into the same curve as the CTS, and it rolls a bit more and due to the nose-heavy drivetrain, moderate to major understeer is really the only attitude the chassis will throw at you. On a mountain, winding, two-lane road, I'll take the CTS over the A4. It's simply more responsive at the limits. However, for day-to-day driving, I really do like the more snubbed-down feel of the A4. (Options are key on this car....you have to have Quattro with the "S-Line" package that includes the stiffest suspension and 18-inch wheels/tires.)

I say take off the REALLY TACKY bodyside stripes (who friggin' does this anymore?) and the rear spoiler, and the car would look actually pretty good.....clean, uncluttered, with wheels/tires that fill out the wheel wells. Perhaps one of the better-looking Ws out there....... Why does this look better/cleaner than an SS with the same wheels? Perhaps it's the lack of a bodykit on the lower rocker panels?

I'm hedging a bet the dealer swapped the wheels on this car. All the anniversary photos I've seen from GM don't indicate the inclusion of the SS (or any) 18-inch wheels. But damn.....don't they make the car look ALOT better....?

Too weak I'm guessing for what is a slightly larger SUV.....?

.....unfortunately, the Passat 2.0T with the manual transmission is not available with any uplevel options.....including a sunroof. (Although you can get some nice wheels and a somewhat attractive bodykit to jazz the base Passat up.)

Reg, how much time have you spent driving a Mazda6 V6/5-speed manual? Remember I had one for 51K miles.....and LOVED it...! If you are judging the Mazda6 engine simply because you know it's a variation of the Duratec, that would be a BIG mistake. Whatever Mazda did to tune/tweak the engine did wonders. To me, it never felt like the 3.0L V6s in Ford products I had driven. Perhaps it was the manual tranny that made the biggest difference, I don't know.....but it was fast, punchy, revvy, and even sounded good. AND, in the Mazda6, it has around 220hp (versus 200hp in the Escape and 500.....) Lots can be done with tuning, induction, gear ratios, etc, etc. It was a real tire-smoker with the stick-shift.

There are probably more GM fans than any of us realize here......maybe not current new-car consumers, but surely people like us that remember and appreciate the older stuff....! Go to any of the numerous car shows that happen around here all the time and you see a WEALTH of wonderful old GM cars......

Thanks! <smooch> and <hug> It will work out.....I just need a couple more days' to figure things out. But I can't afford to drag things out this time.

I FOUND them.......and all I can say is......"yummy, yummy, yummy to the tummy....."

You never told me where I could see the OTHER ones......I think a PM to me is overdue.....I'll be waiting....! :AH-HA_wink:

Sure.....at least I'll have someone that craves sex as much as I do...... Seriously though.....you SHOULD come visit sometime......with all the insane banter you and I go back-and-forth with, I bet in actuality we'd have a blast together.....plus I could show you around MY part of SoCal.....

Got pics? Stats? (LOL....j/k.....thanks for the comments.....)

That "crappy 3.0 buzzbomb" is still a more satisfying engine than the 3500 (I know....I put 51K miles on one.) And every Mazda6 or Fusion I've had with the L4 and automatic has been a very nice driver.......so much so, I'm very surprised at the Fusion's poor showing in the last C&D comparo of midsize sedans.....

But every new generation of Accord has gotten bigger......and that hasn't seemed to quiet demand any over the years.......

I don't see you as bitter at all......well maybe if I do see you as bitter, I also agree that you're deserving to be that way from what you went through. Did I tell you all about the (what looked like a) hicky on his shoulder down a bit from his neck? I saw this on him the first time he came down a few weeks ago when he was moving down. I don't KNOW it was a hicky, but it kinda looked like one. I noticed it after we had sex and I asked him what it was and where he got it.....and he said "...you gave me that hicky there tonight!" I don't ever remember kissing him/giving him a hicky in that spot, however...... Lord the signs are in front of me. Why can't I see them more clearly?

WOW.....thanks for sharing. It's scary how kinda my situation is starting out so similar to your situation (no job, living with me, not giving him money but paying house expenses, no apartment of his own, etc.) I hope I have the balls to cut this thing off early......I just get so sad because I really care about him......but perhaps I just got so wrapped up in someone that I was really attracted to that showed me some interest and affection......

Thanks bud..... I really do appreciate EVERYONE's comments on here.....so please don't hold back being candid....... I appreciate everyone dealing with my whining over this situation. You know what? Even aside from everyone's feedback......it helps....and makes me feel better.....to be able to just even type down how I'm feeling and what I'm thinking......and reflecting back upon all of that..... So thanks everyone......I appreciate all of you.....

That's probably one reason your feedback would be GOOD.......I'm not sure the nature of your situation last year......but I'm sure you've got some great feedback to give. I did alot of thinking last night......and I'm now wondering if I'm not a "meal ticket" for him to get down to SoCal and start a new life for himself? I know he cares about me....but what if I'm just more of a convenience....? He KNOWS I'm not a "sugar daddy" and it's not like I'm made out of money. I don't give him money either. BUT, I guess he sees it as a chance to live somewhere for free while he gets to enjoy a new life down here. (He doesn't have a job yet....nor has he started looking in the last 2 weeks or so.) I guess I would see this easier if, for example, I was wealthy and just blew money on him all the time.....but I'm not wealthy.....and he knows that. We don't even have sex all that often. This really came into focus last night when I was thinking about it. Granted, when we DO have sex, it's incredible.....but even at 37, I'm a total horn-dog and could "do it" 2-3 times a day if given the chance......he isn't....and just says that he just doesn't get horny that often. I'm all like "....at 26 you don't get horny....?" And I've noticed that many times......I'm the one that's more affectionate and more inclined to reach forward for a kiss, or reach out and hold his hand, etc. BUT....then at times, he'll go shock me and do something really romantic. Maybe it's all just the part he's trying to play. It was a convenient time for him. Late last year, he got laid off.....moved out of his apartment (temporarily in with his mom).....had his ex-bf take back his car (current gen Mustang GT).....and here I come along...... (I guess I'm answering my own questions, aren't I....?) You know.....I guess I just needed to get him down here to really see the light of day......and perhaps I'm seeing the true light now that he's been down here a few weeks......I don't know..... But what if I'm wrong? What if my anal-compulsive nature is reading WAY too much into all of this? AARRRGGGHHH....... Damn this is going to drive me to ......or I guess drinking more than I already do.......lol

.....and less powerful than today's modern V6s, growly and unrefined, and mated to a 4-speed automatic tranny......