jlgolden

Well, my Sierra ventured away from the Houston city life... and made two major road trips this summer. One trip to Pensacola, Florida ...and the other to Oldfort, Tennessee (not far from Chattanooga). Florida was about 1050 miles round trip, Tennessee was 1700 miles round trip. We calculated 18 mpg on the highway - running in the 70 to 80 mph range. I can't complain.

My Friends are on a new car buying streak. Tim just traded his 14 month old Mazda CX7... for a 2008 Infiniti G37 S. Aaron traded his 2006 Tahoe... for a 2008 Sierra 2500 Crew Cab (with the big gas V8, sunroof, nav, etc) Shawn traded his 2007 Mazda 6 last night...for a 2008 Jeep Wrangler Sahara (2-door, black, tan top, 6 speed manual) Brett traded his 2001 VW Golf... for a 2008 Honda Fit It fun when all these new cars start showing up at our social events!

My 2008 Sierra Reg cab 4.8 V8 averages around 15 to 16 MPG... in a drive mix where 30% is downtown city street crawling and 70% is 70 mph freeway, with stop-and-go interruptions.

As an alternative to a Vespa or entry-level motorcycle, something like this makes sense. More passenger & cargo space than a motorcycle, and no more dangerous. I mean, really, I'd feel safer in the Tata than on my Kawasaki Ninja. However, the Kawasaki can quickly get out of the way of danger...accelerate briskly in any gear, and can manuever around obstacles precisely, where as this Tata is probably a dull drive. How long before they hit the shores in the U.S.?

I dislike stereotypes, but the Houston gay boys' car choices have inspired the topic. Around Houston, BMW 3 Series and 5 Series are associated with the epicenter of car gayness... if there is such a thing. Five to ten years ago, it was Mercedes. Among our many BMW-loving friends, my partner and I are considered out-of-touch and "a little rough around the edges"" with a Subaru and a GMC in our garage.

Hey, looking at your pictures, I thought I recognized the background (and the parking hang-tags on the rearview mirrors) as U of H...before I even saw the pics with the U of H flags in the background. I'm in the Mechanical Engineering program at U of H. I walk all over campus at least 3 day a week. I've probably passed your car at some point and didn't even know it! What do you do at the university?

The Outlook is fantastic, and it was a hard choice between it and the gorgeous Acadia. My Mom relies on my guidance in all car decisions, and even though the Acadia's styling was more attractive to me, I also had to think about her long-term interests.... like dealer service. A huge factor that influenced the Saturn purchase is their dealer service. Mom does not like going to car dealers (or any service centers) for anything. I used to be a Ford service advisor, and my Mom was comfortable dealing with me on her 2002 Explorer's initial purchase, as well as all maintenance over the years. I've been away from the car business for over a year now, and Mom has not liked dealing with the Ford guys since then. Additionally, even though we know many of the folks at our "favorite" GMC dealer (Beck & Masten Pontiac-GMC in Houston), I knew that the Saturn service experience would probably be more to her liking. The Saturn folks simply have softer and sweeter approach in every conversation. Note: my Grandma has owned a little Saturn SL1 sedan since 1997. Before that purchase, the long-term service prediction was also a major consideration. When Grandma asked "what's the best new car I can get for $15K...I really felt it was a Corolla, but I did not want her to have to deal with potentially arrogant or grouchy Toyota service!!! So we went to Saturn...where the dealer reputation and presentation (more than the car itself) won us over. It's the ONLY car Grandma has ever had serviced exclusively at her GM dealer (rather than Wal-mart or Jiffy Lube) because the Saturn guys treat her so well...it's a feel-good experience every time...for over 10 straight years. Her previous Regal, Monte Carlo, and Cutlass Calais never saw their dealers again after the purchase day.

I was able to convert my Mom away from her 2002 Ford Explorer. That car has been sturdy and comfortable for 91,000 miles, but it was time to move on. After comparing the Acadia and Outlook, the Saturn won. She picked her '08 Outlook XR this afternoon. Silver with black leather, quad bucket seats, and tow package. The dealer experience was a pleasure, although the trade-in appraisal on the Explorer was unreasonably low. Hence, the Explorer was not traded-in, and is being sold directly to a new driver (16 year old female) in the family tomorrow. I'm so pleased that GM is building cars that are stylish, capable, and delightful to own: Dad has the '07 Yukon, I have the '08 Sierra, and Mom now has the Outlook. Additionally, a close family friend is itching for the new CTS. However, I don't know if I'll ever pull my partner away from his Subaru fixation.

I would be sick about this as well. So sorry to hear this news. Hopefully you will have a pristine repair job and be "good as new" very soon.

No No No body kit! Keep it pure stock. Uhhh, there are certain "social associations" with doing the body kit thing. Please don't make me elaborate on this.

I'm taking Calculus, and I do not always retain the material from lectures, especially when I sit down to do homework 3 days later. I reinforce my understanding by watching tutorial DVDs, provided by our school's Math Tutoring Lab. The instructional DVDs are done by the textbook publisher, Houghton Mifflin. Each chapter is covered in great detail and a number of example problems are carefully explained and worked. Without these helpful DVDs, I would have suffered in Trig and Pre-Cal as well.

I considered Tundra because I like the looks. But as I mentioned, I could not find one with the equipment I wanted, and the Toyota's pricing was off base. The Sierra fit my criteria all around. Here's how I got power windows, locks, keyless entry equipment on my WT: 1. Option code 5B5, Power Windows and Mirrors (Fleet) (w/PCM or AU0): Includes power windows, mirrors and locks and uplevel door panels. Requires Preferred Package or remote keyless entry 2. Option code PCM, Work Truck Preferred Package: Includes cruise control, power door locks with remote keyless entry and Solar-Ray deep-tinted glass. And we can't forget the most important options: Option code C67 Air Conditioning: Includes single-zone manual air conditioning. Option code LY2 Vortec 4800 SFI 4.8L V8 Engine: Includes Vortec 4800 SFI 4.8L V8 engine with 295 hp @ 5,600 rpm and 305 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm.

OK, you guys want to know why I switched from the hot little Honda to a truck? Well, the Honda had clutch issues and developed annoying mechanical noises. The dealer had the tranny out twice: in two steps they replaced clutch disc, pressure plate, pilot bearing, throw-out bearing, and flywheel. I got the car back (after clutch job part 2) and the shifter would kick out of third gear, bind & grind into third, and I could detect a rattle and a high pitch whistle / whine in first and second gears. Additionally, the front suspension developed intermittent "pop" noises when turning at parking lot speeds. Geez...I thought Hondas were more solid and refined than this??!! They fixed the third gear grind, but other transmission rattle and whining noises were apparently hard to trace and repair. Certain mechanical noises MAKE ME NUTS!!!! After round and round with the dealer, I looked into my options: Texas Lemon Law does not apply (yet), and my patience was gone. Time to unload the car. Why a truck? Here's what was going through my mind when considering replacement vehicles: My partner and I are moving into a new house soon, and we will have landscaping projects ongoing for the first year or so. A truck will haul trees and mulch better than the Honda or his Subaru. We also go camping a few times a year, and the pickup would be handy. Furthermore, Houston's inner city streets are rough, and they drain slowly during rainy weather. The Honda was greatly punished in these conditions, and trucks take these conditions in stride. The utility of a pickup just offers a greater sense of freedom. Yeah...freedom...that feels good. I like the new Tundra, but the Regular Cab equipment combinations are screwy. It's complicated to find a base model with XM radio and cruise control. And even with the big rebates, the Tundra's $$dollar$$ value looks poor. Next stop: Chevy / GMC. I drove V6 and V8 versions of the Silverado and Sierra. The Sierra V8 was satisfying and I was able to make a fantastic deal. Ahhhhh...I am soothed.

Well guys, after a 6 month affair with a 2007 Honda Civic Si, I have come back to GM. Today I traded the Honda and bought a 2008 GMC Sierra 1500: Regular Cab Short Bed Work Truck trim 4.8 V8 Power windows & locks, cruise, keyless entry Silver Birch exterior That V8 sounds awesome after driving a high-strung V-TECH for the last 8000 miles. I'm happy to be rejoining the enthusiasm here at C&G.

I've posted this before, but I loved my 2004 Grand Prix. Prior to purchasing the GP, I thought I would NEVER go back to a domestic car...based on sloppy assembly, poor resale, and crappy interior materials. But the gorgeous redesign for '04 caught my eye. Then, looking closer, I noticed the fit/finish/materials were a huge leap over everything else GM was building at the time... August '03. I actually traded an 18 month old Nissan for it!!! My GP was a solid performer, and almost 90,000 miles in 2 1/2 years were nearly trouble free. It was my favorite car, period...and I still miss it. However, the "poor resale" issue spanked my butt just as I thought it would. I'm sad to see this looker leaving the market.

Wow...it's identical to the 2001 Alero I once had. That car was a real party car for me...I was going through an extended...uhhhh..wild phase of life at that time. Oh, the drunken, inappropriate behavior stories my silver Alero could tell. Anyhow, my cruise control acted up too..as did alot of things on that car. In fact, my Alero was repurchased by GM in 2002...just days before our Texas Lemon Law hearing. I wonder where that car is now...is it yours???

I do not consider the Cobalt to be a Civic competitor. When I was looking for a new car, the Cobalt did not even show up on my radar...except maybe the SS supercharged. But I wanted a 4 door. I was primarily cross-shopping the VW Rabbit / Jetta and Subaru Impreza WRX. These cars, based on their powertrain, chassis dynamics, image, and expected resale value put them up there in the Civic class. The 2.5 Jetta, while quick, makes a strange metallic droning on acceleration. That small detail made me nuts. The Subaru WRX was more hard-core than I needed. Hence, the Civic Si. However: if there were a Cobalt SS Supercharged sedan, I'd be very interested. Note: Had I been constrained to a smaller budget - like a Honda Fit budget - I would have looked more closely at cars like Cobalt, Elantra, Spectra.

We rented an '07 Cobalt Coupe in Denver last weekend. Overall, it was a solid little car, and even after lots of flogging up and down mountainous roads, we averaged over 30 mpg...EXCELLENT! If there were any detractors, it would be the hard interior plastics and the wheezy-whiny mechanical noises from the engine. Of course, we're accustomed to driving cars in a different class - in our garage is a new Subaru Legacy and new Honda Civic. Also, for comparison notes, I recently rented an '07 PT Cruiser (handled almost a good as my Civic!!) and an '07 Jetta (supple, fast, but with weird engine noises). My final take: the Cobalt is an attractive, easy driver.

Ahhh, exams are all done...and there's a two week break before my Pre-Caluclus (summer school) classes begin. While getting my first degree (BBA - Marketing) I stayed in "tunnel-vision" mode the whole time...seeing only the final outcome - the completed degree - so far down the road. I still managed to have "fun" now and then, and my job was easy and flexible. But the whole college experience was a complete whirlwind (emotionally, financially) and I know I missed alot that was going on around me...I was terribly fixated on completing school. I got the degree in 1998...and here I go again. The next degree is in my sights. But this time I'm 10 years older with a richer, fuller life than I could have imagined in my twenties. I'm a much different person now. This time, college is more about truly learning, rather than JUST getting a degree. I'm hoping that having a learning focus will make this new journey less stressful than the last. But in reality, trying to balance school, work, and a home life is exhausting. I will try to stop and smell the roses this time.

The used "new" 2007 Tundra on the Chevy dealer's used car lot could easily be a repo... perhaps the owner was a flake and did not make any payments. Perhaps the owner died and the finance company took it to the auction. Or maybe the owner bought it for his mistress... when all she really wanted a Trailblazer SS. The result: she pitched a fit, and forced him get the car she craved, the Tundra gets traded-in. Oh, my imagination.

Completed my ac-dc circuits class last week. Just took my Trigonometry final about an hour ago. Next up: Pre-calculus in Summer school.

I vote for the Lacrosse. You want a cruiser with a little oomph...under $25k...and here it is. Even the base 3.8 feels great, the ride is quiet, and the handling is better than one would expect. This car is priced just right, and there will surely be incentives to make the deal even easier. The Certified Pre-owned are fine...but come on, treat yourself to the luxury and satisfaction of a NEW car. If you can swing the pricing on the Lucerne, great. Go for it. Otherwise, don't cloud your mind with all the other options you asked us to vote on: Aura, Malibu, and Accord are going to be too stiff and crisp if a cruiser is your style.

I really, really loved my '04 Grand Prix...base model GT, which I bought in summer '03. I recall lusting after the GXP as soon as it was available...it was just not a good time to trade up. The GP's muscular design is a delicious breakaway from the anonymous designs of most of its competitors. A lovely car that I know you will enjoy.

I thought Subaru was trying to establish a "corporate face", but the redesigned Impreza and Tribeca share no cues. This Tribeca revision is far better than the weird snout on the '07, but it has now lost it's identity...just like the Impreza. A disappointment.

The Cobalt is a good little car: decent power, decent interior materials... it's closer to the long-established Civic / Corolla benchmark than a Focus, Ion, or Forenza. I think Elantra and Spectra still have better interiors & switchgear, though. The last Cobalt LT sedan I drove was pleasant...I drove modestly and did not press the handling-braking-chassis limits. No doubt, it's mild and serves the masses well. The SS Supercharged is a hoot to drive....with a great exhaust note, too. I'd love to see a supercharged sedan make production..but without the goofy-tall rear spoiler from the coupe. It's crowded market, and the new Astra, Sentra and Mistu Lancer look appealing as well. I'm curious to see the freshened (and next gen) Cobalts.