avant1963

I don't know if anyone has brought this up but: WHERE IS THE GOD DAMNED HAND BRAKE! I wish my SS had the hand brake on the console like the G6. Now, when I look at this pic, I don't see a hand brake, which means the $h!ty foot pedal and NO chance for a stick in the new Malibu. The interior looks great, but I can't figure out why they didn't fix this.

I past a new Altima and swear that it was a new Maxima. Until I saw those horrid taillights. That is the base G6. No chrome accents, no leather wrapped steering wheel, no radio controls on said steering wheel (the new steering wheel that is in my SS is MUCH nicer than this one) etc. NOt a big visual difference, but I can tell my loaded GT vs this stripper.

After my free year, there is no way that I will pay for OnStar. For my lifestyle, where I live/travel and the fact there is always a cell phone on me, it makes no sense.

My wife went to school with a Scott Towell.

First thing I thought of was the Fiero. Where's BV on this thread? When you think about it, Pontiac has had a thing with birds, especially fouls on fire.

The XBox 360 will be under the tree this year. And if I can get a Wii at list price somewhere WITHOUT standing on line, then I get one of those also. The PS3 has not thrilled me yet as I'll probably wait till next year to get one. The XBox 360 finally has the killer app (Gears of War), so that's what made up my mind to ask Santa (my wife) for one this year. Otherwise, I just got Guitar Hero 2 for the PS2, still playing Lego Star Wars II for the Gamecube and haven't really played much on the original XBox in a while. And before we went on vacation my wife and I traded our old DSs for two new DS Lites (Black and Pink). Think we spend way to much on video games? You bet.

Amen. He don't care what kind of car/SUV burns the oil, just that Americans are buying them and making him and his minions rich.

BV, I wash the car once a week, and I never came to that conclusion. I let you know when the bumper falls off at 90 mph. You're just Mazda's bitch now. :-)

I'd rather have the styling of my SS than any of those. I know I in the minority, but I really don't get the visual appeal of the Altima. The last generation did a MCE that removed the horrible amber lights from the taillights and then in 2007 they bring the amber back and make it look like a huge stripe in the rear. To each their own. My SS is not the best of the bunch, but I like better than those three. And which one of them have a hatchback, remote start and comes in Plurple? And you're right Bizz. People have grand illusions of what the SS was. Yes there were some monster SS's, but there have been some dogs. SS is a upper trim level - Chevy is using it for the most powerful version of their cars. Last time I looked the 3.9 was the biggest engine I could get in the Malibu.

The SS has Aluminum/Silver accents on the dash and console (though I am looking for something else to spice up the interior a bit.) The strong point of the 3900, I have found after 4,000 miles, is 40 - 70 mph. I have had no problem with the shift points at those speeds and find the engine pulls like a mother at mid-range. No high speed wander is evident in my car. The hydrolic steering makes it an easy point and shoot car to drive at higher speeds, unlike the G6 GT, which makes me worry sometimes. The engine has little sound at low revs, and when it kicks in, there is a bit of a growl (it's a six-banger, what do you want. At least it doesn't sound like the "coins in the coffee can" Infiniti 3.5. Worst sounding engine exhaust, EVER). My MAXX SS has been a trouble free car for the past 4,000 miles.

Well, all Toyota has is the TuRD name, and the least amount of models that get called that is probably a good thing. Back on topic, the base engine should be something more than the current boat anchor. I have no problem with the GXP name for this engine, as long as the truck gets a whole host of suspension changes also.

It's about the value and the significance in the marketplace. To me, the Silverado/Sierra win hands down. But then Toyota doesn't send me money. 10 grand and I might change my mind. ;-)

Resident Evil Do a YouTube search for Robot Chicken, and enjoy... or pick up season one DVD.

Robot Chicken is great. (I know that sounds weird to anyone who doesn't know what I'm talking about)

The Auto Extremist summed it up a few weeks ago on his site, also complaining about the MB pick. It's all who can push the hardest (re: $$$) to get their manufacturer's car to be picked, not on real merits. Peter Delorenzo (The Auto Extremist) worked for Chrysler when they wanted to get the Lancer to be COTY. After spending a lot of time and money, lo-and-behold, the Lancer was COTY. The big question now is: Is Toyota eligible for Truck of the Year with the Tundra, since it was pushed back and won't be available until next year (There was a clause in MT that said the vehicle had to be available Jan 1 of the new model year). Will MT overlook that little detail to get the Tundra on the cover? And will MT overlook the significance of GM's million-selling vastly improved pickups for Toyota's third try, which will break a sweat selling 150,000 - 200,000 units? Toyota's the one with Billions to throw around, so my bet is that the Tundra will be MT Truck of the Year for 2007.

This was leaked on YouTube of a Tiger Woods ad taping. Is it a GM Viral Video or a real spy shot? Who cares, we know the Enclave looks just like the concept.

I couldn't help post this headline. And it's great to know where my holiday bonus is going this year. I'll get a year subscription to the Jelly of the Month club - the gift that keeps on giving all year long. My favorite quote: "What the Wangs did is save the day in 1983," Spaulding said. "Twenty-five years later, Citigroup is playing that role." I know some here that would like the Wang to save the day... but didn't that talk just get a bunch of people upset yesterday. Onc, I need that Meercat picture in here, STAT! And another beer, please. Citigroup Pays $34M to Name Wang Center Thursday November 9, 2:08 pm ET Citigroup Spends $34 Million for Naming Rights to Wang Center in Boston BOSTON (AP) -- Citigroup Inc. said Thursday it bought the naming rights to the Wang Center for the Performing Arts for $34 million as the financial services company's retail arm, Citibank, tries to become a major presence in the Boston banking market. A new banner on the building reads "Citibank Center for the Performing Arts," though officials who announced the deal Thursday said the center's official new name will be announced later. New York-based Citigroup, the nation's largest financial institution, has agreed to pay in installments over the next 15 years. "Citigroup has had a large customer base in Boston for many years through its various business units, and we are now proud to add our world-class retail bank," said Maura Markus, president of Citibank North America. "We look forward to a long commitment to The Wang Center and to this great city." The move is part of Citigroup's effort to expand its visibility in the U.S., where it is the largest financial institution but is far behind No. 2 Bank of America in retail operations. Citigroup said as part of its third-quarter earnings report last month that it had opened a record 277 new branches in the quarter, including 101 in the U.S. A number are in the Northeast, where Charlotte, N.C.-based Bank of America extended its reach since the acquisition of FleetBoston Financial Corp. in April 2004. Citigroup chairman and chief executive Charles Prince has been under pressure to hold down costs to boost profits. But he has insisted that investing in branches and other retail operations is necessary to drive future revenue growth. The former Metropolitan Center, which includes the Shubert and Wang theaters, first opened in 1925. It was renamed in 1983 after a $4 million donation from the family An Wang, founder of Wang Labs and inventor of magnetic core memory -- an early form of the memory devices used in today's computers. The center was struggling with debt at the time, according to the center's president, Josiah Spaulding Jr. "What the Wangs did is save the day in 1983," Spaulding said. "Twenty-five years later, Citigroup is playing that role." The 3,600-seat Wang Theater will keep the family's name and portraits of the late An Wang and his wife, Loraine, who will remain the center's honorary chairman. Citigroup shares fell 10 cents to $50.47 in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

I could watch that Macaca, I mean monkey man, I mean George "two terms Mandate" Bush take a ball to the face all day long.

I guess I never sat as a passenger in any car and said... "Gee I wish I had an "Oh-$h!" handle." I don't even know if any of my cars have them.

WTF is up with these "grab handles"??? Other than using them to help get into a taller truck/4x4, it seems that now GM is getting things right, it's their lack of Grab Handles that has the reviewers panties in a bunch. AutoWeek did a quick take on the Aura and spent 1/2 of the article complaining about the lack of a passenger side grab handle. I don't get what is the need in a passenger car?? http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti.../THISWEEKSISSUE

I rode in a 2006 Sonata. At high speeds. On the highway. I was scared. Seriously, the interior was WAY cheap. Everything felt "wrong" and looked even wronger. It's the warranty that sold this car to the guy I worked with, nothing more, nothing less.

The guy across the street has more $$ than sense. The ES is for his 17 yo daughter. His 20 yo daughter has a brandy-new Mountainer. He traded his Boxter for a Lexus SC430 and traded his wife's Denali XL for an S Type.

I had all the cars (and the lonely 94 Blazer) in the driveway today and had to take pictures of the Red, White and Blue. All American cars built in America. Salute!

Since the forum ate my original response: Our G6 has been perfect AS LONG AS YOU DO NOT PURCHASE THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF. My wife loves our 2006 G6 GT with the 3500 V6. It has been one of the best GM cars we have had, if it wasn't for that damn sunroof. It has spent almost a full month at the dealer trying to fix it and after three months, all the creaking and popping comes back. The G6 seems like a good choice, as long as you stay away from the big sunroof. And BV, sorry to rain on your parade, but the G6 puts the driving dynamics and power of the Grand Am to shame. We had a 2003 GA GT coupe for almost three years. I drove it to the Pontiac Dealer to trade for the G6 (leases) and drove the G6 home. I drove them back-to-back. The G6 puts the GA to shame. Even the power from the 3500 is put to the road better and makes the car respond better, handles WAY better and is MUCH more comfortable. Plus there are options you couldn't get in the GA, like heated seats. The Grand AM, while a great car in our service, holds nothing to the G6.

Looks like a cross of a Jeep and the old G-Wagen