Drew Dowdell

or pay fines... like BMW and Benz do....

gearing?

While what you describe is bad, that's not even my point. I'm referring to the disposable economy we have now. 1. How many rolls of paper towels to you <this is to everyone, not just moltar> go through in a month? Did you know that you can buy dishtowels from ikea for 49c each? You can re-use them many many many times...there is very little a cup of OxyClean or SimpleGreen can't fix to bring them back to new. 2. How many plastic or paper store bags do you bring home a month? Most of the big grocery chains will sell you a sturdy reusable bag for $1. Keep them in your car. They are far sturdier than any disposable bag and have excellent handles. Did you save all your old plastic bags? Bring them back to the grocery store to be recycled rather than thrown in a landfill. If you go into the store for one or two things, don't let the cashier bag them. 3. Do you automatically reach for the Fantasic when cleaning the kitchen? Why not try SimpleGreen? It's non-toxic and bio-degradable. Don't tell me it isn't strong enough, I've used it to clean up old paint spills and after some of the dirtiest tenants I've rented to. 4. Are you still getting paper cups at Starbucks? Many places that serve coffee offer a "refill mug". It keeps the coffee warmer and helps the environment. 5. Have you tried compact florescent bulbs lately? The newest ones are indistinguishable from incandescent. I'm not advocating throwing out perfectly good incandescent bulbs, however keeping a 4 pack of 60w equivalent CF bulbs that you bought on sale at Home Depot for $6.88would be a good idea for when an "old fashioned bulb burns out. If you need dimable or 3way CF bulbs, those are available to. I have a CF bulb that is over 10 years old. I bought it at the beginning of 1998 when I started college. It has outlasted the lamp that I bought it for and is now doing duty in the light fixture over my front door. Five very easy and very inexpensive steps to live "greener" that even save money over the long run. Some here may call it "cult like".... I simply think it is sensible.

You know, there are so many ways to be green OTHER than cars. Don't hate on an entire movement just because one of their agendas focuses on something you like. If I had the time, I would write a column here on non-automotive ways to be green. There are so many minor and unobtrusive adjustments that can be made in your daily life that can really green make you much more green than driving a hybrid would. I know I'm in the minority here in that I am an environmentalist and actually prefer taking public transit to work, but I'm also a automotive fanatic. As such I've managed to meld the two mindsets quite nicely. Gluttony has been a "sin" for a long time..... not exactly new.

not a bad start at all..

What are you guys making these in? I have one I wanna build.

Now waaaait a mullet!! That's MY truck!

Since you've obviously already driven an Epsilon II chassis, could you enlighten the rest of us as to it's dynamics? And the PRX and 9-4x aren't on the Equinox/Terrain/Torrent platform like you're insinuating.

Whatever it ends up being, it looks very Zafira based..... the cutlines on all of the fenders look damn near identicall. Even the slightly trapezoidal rear glass is there... gas filler is opposite side though

I'm really surprised at you guys..... even the a-pillar and front fender cutlines are the same... sheesh.

arg..... ok, I got that one wrong too... VW platform names are confusing! but the Passat and A4 shared a platform at one point! And THAT is my point.

let them try to catch me as I race through the interwebs!

My mistake. The A4 was on the PL46, a modified version of the Passat's PQ46 up until 2007.

There are other cars out there with 4-speed standard and the AltiCamCords had them standard in the past 5 years. The Altima as recently as 2006. So.... stop with the "OMG GM IS TEH SUZXORS!!! THEY SHOULDA HAD 6_SPEEDS IN LIKE 83!!!!eliventy!!@#!!!!!"

again, you are an exception. My CTS pulled a reliable 27-28 highway. If anything, look at the efficiency of the Lambdas. They are heavier and less aerodynamic, but they have some of the best efficiency out there for something their size..... and they're using the HF3.6 Maybe it isn't the engine... maybe it's in the gearing?

oh.... wait...

Speedminder? Buicks had that at least back to the mid-1950s. Dominic's 1957 Century has it.

that wasn't the earthquake.... :AH-HA_wink:

a difference in tastes is fine.... I responded to OCN's comment that the car would be ok if it was RWD.

I was more using you as a RWD only example. I actually find the Insignia to be more attractive than the current Aura, which in itself is more attractive than the Accord Sedan <I like the coupe> and Camry. To me, it looks like what would have happened if you took a BMW, Benz, and previous generation Passat and combined them. No, it's not an '08 CTS, but in it's market it doesn't need to be.

I never said you did. However I do know that you'd never buy anything FWD with the possible exception of an HHR SS. In short, it could be a retro looking El Camino clone, but if it was FWD you wouldn't buy it. That was the point I was making.

What is the USB port on the stereo for? iPods?

as always, I'll be in Pittsburgh

and I think the cause of that is the Northeast and Mid-west. Since people in Phoenix and Miami will obviously still buy FWD vehicles, there is the incentive for the automakers to produce just FWD vehicles to suit the Northerners since the Southerners still buy them. GM losing Camino and 68 as potential Insignia customers <though neither would likely buy a Saturn regardless> is a much smaller loss than losing a good chunk of the potential AltiCamcord market.