Drew Dowdell

I'm going to have some very difficult choices once I get to Germany. I really want an '08 CTS diesel, but the Alfas really call to me. The BF wants an Astra Twintop.... I wouldn't be disappointed with one of those either. This Insignia is also a possibility.

Have you seen one of those Alfas in person? They look really good. I still like the Insignia... it looks handsomely understated.... and far better then the awkward looking Accord sedan.

No... you should stop... because Ford did. They wised up and stopped trying to do a FWD unit and instead farmed the work out to the people who know FWD automatics better than anyone.... General Motors.

If you've been following, his wife doesn't want to keep anything till year 5,6, or 7. Unless 0% financing is in play, financing will be cheaper total payments on a CPO than on a new car.

'08 Malibu with a 2.4 litre/4speed gets 22 / 30 mpg. Detune the Turbo-Ecotec to around 250hp and tune it for fuel efficiency. It'd probably be 26-28 highway with a 6-speed.

Isn't the FWD unit in the Edge a GM designed 6-speed?

Well, I disagree about putting old cars out to pasture. In my case, I'm using the Roadmaster Estate in place of a full size truck in order to run my apartment rental business. In that regard, the Roadmaster gets much better highway and somewhat better city fuel economy than a Silverado would. Plus, it's much more comfortable than a Silvi when not being used as a work vehicle. I can also do most repairs myself.

have I ever mentioned I'm a deviously evil person?

Step 1. Remove all idiot light bulbs in the dash Step 2. Loosen the water pump bolts a teeny tiny bit. Step 3. Roadtrip

what is "The Roach"? Forgive me for not knowing the make/model

That looks like a substantially more expensive car than it is. I know I'll probably get shouted down but the looks like what would be C-class or E-class in stature.

Don't worry, it'll probably be dumbed down for us 'Mericans....

I still think she needs to get over her CPOaphobia. If you are trying to cut out the fat financially, buying new does not make sense. and please... trying to impress people in a Princeton office? Not going to do that with anything inside of all three of our price ranges combined. Buy a CPO with very low miles then brag about how savy you are in getting a great deal on a car.

Hmm, I didn't know it was that wide spread. It's just never been on my radar....

Then drop the 3.6 and make the 2.8 Turbo 300hp and the Turbo-Ecotec 250hp. It's everything behind the firewall that makes the Buick unique from the Saab. I'm also trying to think about a reasonably large Buick sedan <at least Malibu sized> in a $4.00 a gallon world. The new Buick sedan is going to need to at least tickle 30mpg.

Aren't the 900s a good bit heavier than the 800's?

Oh look, Cadillac got the latest J.C. Whitney catalog.....

but you get the point....

I don't even know if they do.... I was just giving a reason to Ford to buy it... even if just to start a 'Heritage Center'

Can you blame GM for that decision when the 3800 sold much better than the 3.6? GM offered the more advanced power train and no one bought it.

Still, it looks like Bluetooth is going into everything from the Cobalt on up with the exception of the Colorado/Canyon and the work trucks. No one else has bluetooth in that percentage of their lineup do they? Maybe Honda?

Looks like the bluetooth whiners won't have anything to whine at GM about starting in 2009. GM was serious when they said they were deploying bluetooth pretty much across the board. It looks like in 2009 GM will have more models with Bluetooth than anyone else out there.

Well, I'll disagree with you also. I think the 4-cylinder turbo ecotec <260hp>, and turbo 2.8HF <280hp>, and DI 3.6HF <300hp>, and 4-cylinder turbo Ecotec BAS-II hybrid, would make for a very interesting lineup. The trim names, respectively, could be Lacrosse, Lacrosse Special, Lacrosse Super, and Lacrosse Electra.

On wednesday of last week, one of the power steering lines blew. I'm not sure which one it was because they were both so rusted out it realistically could have been either. My guess is that it was the high pressure line... just cause. Replacement involves removing the alternator, mechanical fan assembly, supplemental serpentine belt assembly, ABS controller, air injector system and 3 out of 6 of the water pump bolts. Took me all day Friday and some of Saturday morning because I had to order a sensor. I forgot to hook up the connector for the air injection system so she threw a code. Not knowing what she was complaining about, I took her to Advanced Auto and borrowed their code reader. Found the trouble, crawled under the car and hooked the connector back up, and then cleared the code. She runs great again. Didn't take pics this time. I'm sick with allergies and just wanted to get this done.

A few weeks ago the power steering was cutting out intermittently. Turns out that the water pump was leaking... directly on the fanbelt. This caused the power steering pump to slip very easily without squealing. The power steering pump is run by the back of the serp belt, not the grooved side. The water pump is run by direct drive... it's connected to the camshaft via a spline shaft coming out of the front of the block. She now has a new water pump.