Drew Dowdell

I have to say, in Chapter 7, someone would buy Cadillac and someone would by Chevy. As long as that someone isn't Toyota, I would probably still buy one of those two..... even if it were Hyundai. I have to begrudgingly admit that their hardware lately has been impressive.

Used GMs. If you're talking new, I'd end up with a Mercury or Lincoln. The AWD loaded Milan is a screaming deal for what you get.

Welcome back! And I agree.

4-cylinder or 3.6? Both engines have been pretty well shaken down.... I'm surprised to hear this.

I agree.

We're very near the end of this stupid fascination with SUVs. You can see the turn back to cars with that ugly squished Aztek thing that BMW is coming out with. Aston Martin getting and SUV is like Camino buying a Civic. It's just wrong. The final nail in the coffin will be Jaguar getting an SUV. Edit: Oh look! Someone finally took my suggestion of bringing back push button transmission. Edit 2: Chrysler called, they want the ass end of their Imperial concept back.

Hinckly has been allowed to go home from time to time

You don't beat the imports by trying to disguise yourself as an import. You beat the imports by providing superior domestic product.

I really wish Cadillac had gotten the upper Kappa instead of Saturn. I would have deposit money on that one. I wish the G6 had gotten the Aura interior and a refresh instead of Saturn getting the Aura. I wish the Astra had come over to replace the Vibe and was available in more body styles. I wish the Relay and Montana had never been born and instead the money had been spent on a better Uplander and Terazza. I wish the new-Vue had been the new Buick Off-Roadmaster.

G3/Aveo = Rebadge G5/Cobalt = Rebadge Acadia/Enclave = Platform sharing Sky/Solstice = platform sharing The Acadia and Enclave go for very different people. The GMC is for people who view themselves as tough and maybe a little outdoorsy. Hauling bags of mulch home in their SUV isn't above them. They tow their own boat to the ramp. The Enclave is for people wanting a luxury SUV that exudes class and style. Something that wouldn't look at all out of place pulling up to some rich restaurant. Lowes can deliver the mulch. The boat stays at the yacht club.

I agree on the Ion. The L-series was too unknown to do damage and it was a new segment that Saturn hadn't been in before. So the Ion not being a home run is what started it, Following up with a sudden shift to trying to bring Saturn up market with the Astra, Aura, Sky, and second gen Vue just confused customer who really just wanted another S-car. The Crossover sport vans were just an abomination in and brand. The LS, especially in later years doesn't deserve the reputation it has. For a generic family sedan, it isn't bad.... and for DOHC humpers, there was narry a pushrod in sight.

Build fewer G6es/Malibus/Aura.... and when you have enough, stop. Don't just keep the line running and then have to dump them at firesale prices to move them...... but that would require some flexibility from the UAW..... A more flexible platform lineup would be better also. I've thought a lot about going back to division specific platforms.. Chevy gets Delta and epsilon two wheel bases each. Pontiac and Buick get the Zetas and Kappas, 3 different wheel bases. This also means no Camaro. Firebird and Transam instead. Cadillac gets Sigma or whatever is replacing it. 3 wheelbases. Saturn, Opel, Saab get their own two platforms to muck around on. this would be the new "Euro" Division. Holden just picks whichever platforms it likes best and slaps a Holden badge on it. in the U.S. only Chevy/GMC, Buick, and Cadillac get SUVs/CUVs

I like the idea. But the Oldsmobile guy in me sees more '68 Toronado than '72 Firebird in that front clip. Good looking either way

I've been with you for a while that Rick W. needs to go.

I gave it back at the end of August. It was causing friction between me, my friend, and his BF.

You must have missed my thread from about this time last year.

The CTS ties with the XF, yet doesn't have a credible entry in the mid-lux segment..... or Edmunds, Motortrend, and SMK can't get over their badge snobbery enough to realize that the CTS can run with those big dogs. They drove both cars through the Alpe-Maritimes. I've driven those roads and they are some of the most fun, most challenging, best driving roads I've ever been on. The CTS did it's job and did it well. I did not say that the G8 was supposed to compete with the 5-series in the market. I said it handles with the 5-series. It has an acceptable interior for a family sedan. Not class leading, just acceptable. That it can perform like one of the best performing luxury sport sedans on the market makes it a great value. You've been back less than a week and you're already getting on my nerves.

Of my own doing.

I can sympathize.

And every review of the G8 GT basically says that it's 5-series performance at 50% off. But there you go expecting a 5-series interior in a car that is 50% of the price. To put it another way, you could buy a GX GXP + a Solstice GXP and still have change left over for the price of a 550i. Oh yeah, and the G8 won Edmunds reader's "Most Wanted" Oh wow. At Motor Trend, the XF won a comparison test against the 5 year old 5-series, 4-year old GS, and 3-year old E-class. That's a real tough one. The Edmunds test bravely throws the 4 year old A6 in place of the GS. What you're not going to like... The Winding Road pits the XF against the CTS and calls it a tie.

My personality failed to register on the scale.

You mean like that XF which is on an updated version of the old S-type DEW98 platform which was based on the Lincoln LS and now underpins the Mustang yet after all that somehow ends up looking like an MKS Vanden Plas? That Jaguar?

Just needed to be said again and bolded.

The platform is old enough that they've wrung all the kinks out of it.

My assessment is this. My driveway drops 12 feet in 48 feet. In the CTS, if I didn't have snow tires on and we had even just a 1/2 an inch, I couldn't get up the driveway. With the Dunlop WinterSports, it was no trouble.