Also oil and air filter changes on the 4 cylinder model are a PITA. The oil filter is just about .001 inches smaller then the slot you need to pull it out of. :sick:
The clips that hold the air filters on tend to break when you try to remove them. More annoying then anything else.
The clips that hold the air filters on tend to break when you try to remove them. More annoying then anything else.
Oh man I forgot about that, I had replaced my whole intake with one of those noisemaker ones. I have no idea if it made any more power at all but it sounded cool from about 3k to redline. It was frighting though I was afraid I would suck up small children and house pets in that thing.
brought home the Contour today. Hope it works out!
ended up paying $2,500 for it. Really is very clean in/out. brand new tires, brakes/rotors etc. all around. Just had the AC redone, all fluids changed, and a few other minor things done. Mechanic supposedly went over it and did everything needed. Also spent about 1/2 of what I just paid for this service!
SO, for the price/condition, I don't think I am in too deep. If it turns out to be a mistake, I expect I could flip it for my investment no problem.
Scary what you can find on Craig's in this price range. Some real Mutts, with tons of miles (this one just clicked 89K).
I will get my indy to give it a good once over to make sure nothing was missed. If it gets a clean bill, then it should work fine to get the boy throught the summer and another year of HS.
Now just have to get the cheesy tint off the back window!
for the Contour. Had my mechanic look it over, and he said no problems, and it was very clean and looked to have ben well maintained. Only thing he recommended was changing the coolant and tranny fluid at the next oil change, since they were the only things not just done by the previous owner. NOt crucial, mostly to be safe.
So, it looks like a good buy at $2,500, which was the low end of the range from Volvomax.
Besides, now that I know it is OK, if I find something better, I can sell it with a clear conscience!
Sounds like a really good deal, if I remember the details correctly. Heck, a friend of mine spent $3K on a TV recently (!?). And he can't drive it anywhere.......
Against the advice of almost everyone here who answered my queries about a garage roof replacement, I've decided to have new GAF 25 yr. shingles put over the one layer of old shingles, rather than stripping the old shingles, etc. Price: $625, vs. $1700-ish.
The roof has been leaking for awhile, but the guy (kind of a 63 y.o. hippie type, which actually made me feel more comfortable for some strange reason) thought the tongue & groove boards looked pretty sound, & would "dry out".
We talked about how the (1 car) garage floor is crumbling, as is the garage door. And how the house itself is a "tear down". And how with the $$ I'd save on the roof, I could buy a new garage door, with $$ left over.
I got a good vibe, & they're a major licensed roofing co., around for a long time. 12 yr. guarantee on workmanship. Who knows??? My attitude: with a marginal, 50 y.o. "cape on a slab", that needs tons of work, but will most likely be a tear down when I sell, it makes deciding on upgrades or repairs very tricky.....
We are doing fine. The "little one" in now the "medium sized one". I'll get her to post a pic of us under her screen name pretty soon. I'm notorious on some other forums and won't put any pix of the family together anywhere online.
But anyway, we've been fine. We've move closer to her job. Bigger house, less land. She's gotten promoted. Which leads me to the car part.
SHE GETS A DEMO!!! We still have the TSX and Accord. But as far as demo in the last year, a few memorable cars.... 2006 300C SRT-8 2007 Civic Si 2006 Cadillac CTS-V 2004 540i 6MT 2006 Saab 9/3 Aero 6MT 2004 Benz E500 Those are just a few of the more memorable ones. In between there was more pedestrian stuff like a Mazda5, Altima, several 3 series(awesome car), and some 5 series and other C and E class Benzes.
When the lease on the TSX is up, I'm gonna start buying cars and selling them again though. I miss buying a lump of coal and turning it into a diamond.
It's okay that you didn't take my advice.. No one buys the cars that I tell them to buy, either...
Believe me, you are better off that way. I told people what cars to buy and they bought them; then I spent the next few years worried everytime I saw them they would complain about their cars (as it turns out, they all loved the cars but still, stressful).
Its the same with computers. I tell people to buy Macs and then freak out they will not like it (of course, that hasn't happened yet either, but still, stressful).
Actually, the worst is I introduced one of my high school friends to one of my college friends and now they are married with 3 kids. I am done telling other people what I think they should do (and they are happily married of course, but still, stressfull)> :P
I get a little antsy every time my sister calls - she got a used Forester a year or so ago after liking my Outback and asking me about them (all that time, she thought she was buying an Outback, but that's another story).
She's always had awful luck with cars so one of these days I'm going to get an earful.
Of course, buying a Mac is one of the "ultimate no-brainers". But then I starting drinking the Apple Cool-Aid in the early '90's.
I'm waiting for this crack (or crack-pot) roofing co. this afternoon. At least it's been dry for 24 hours so the old shingles & sheathing have had some chance to dry. I'm pretty skeptical, given some of my bad experiences with house repairs the last few years.
If re-shingling over the old shingles works (AKA, stops the leaking), I'll have roughly $1000 left over (vs. the price of stripping the old shingles, etc.) that I can spend on a new garage door, and maybe another minor repair or 2.
It's like the battle of Dien Bien Phu with this house--you know you're losing the battle, but try to allocate resources as best you can..... :confuse:
I was too young to go to Vietnam, but I know what you mean. I just dropped $400 over the weekend to put new rollers and re balance my 2 garage doors. The previous owner racked them pretty good and I have been putting band aids on ever since. Amazing how quite they are now, best $400 I have spent in a long time.
I became a seller over the weekend and sold my Miata. A few weeks ago a guy stopped me at my bank and offered me what I paid for it. I kinda blew it off , but then decided to put it on Craigslist now that the weather is nice. It sold in 4 days, for $500 more than I had in to it.
I'll miss it , but it was a pain to jockey the cars in the garage all the time. Plus the kids were always playing around it with their bikes and scooters and I was becoming a nervous nellie about scratching it.
Amazing how quite they are now, best $400 I have spent in a long time.
Sweet. Also making 5 bills on the miata. IME offers from Craigslist can be all over the place--from ridiculous, to tempting, to suddenly someone offers you full price (?!)--maybe.
Now that my garage roof is done, & looks good, (knock wood), I'm thinking about blowing a few $thou on other stuff, tree cutting, garage door, new front storm door (not cheap!) etc. Kind of like putting Lipstick on a Pig, but the neighborhood is great, so......
Up to $2000 to pay off your current non-GM lease..
It's good towards purchase or lease of any new GM vehicle (except hybrids or medium-duty trucks). It's an extra $2000, compatible with any other discounts or rebates. I don't even have to turn in the current lease early (and I wouldn't), just have to document the remaining balance (and, mine is over $2000, so I would get the full amount).
So... if you were getting an extra $2000, is there any GM vehicle you would consider? I'm struggling here... lol
Believe me, you are better off that way. I told people what cars to buy and they bought them; then I spent the next few years worried everytime I saw them they would complain about their cars (as it turns out, they all loved the cars but still, stressful).
LOL...the one time I strongly recommended someone buy a Honda product (a 1994 Civic) it turned out to be one of the worst cars they ever owned. Go figure. :P Some friends of mine, a married couple, were looking for a new, smallish, fairly economical car, and the first thing that had popped into my mind was a Civic. Another one of our friends, a buy-American die-hard, got on me about that. He was trying to push them into something domestic, although looking back, I can't remember what it was. Maybe one of the few K-car derivatives that were still around at the time?
By the time that Civic got to about 80-90,000 miles, it had blown two head gaskets and needed a/c work. It was when the second head gasket blew that they unloaded it for a 1998 or so Saturn S-series. Probably one of the few people who bailed on Honda for GM...usually isn't it the other way around?
Oh, as for my "buy American " friend? Well, he went from a 1986 Chrysler LeBaron to a 1995 or so Toyota Corolla, and the last time I saw him he had a 1995-99 Maxima. So much for practicing what he preached. :P
So... if you were getting an extra $2000, is there any GM vehicle you would consider? I'm struggling here... lol
Well, that might be enough to tempt me into replacing my aging, rag-tag '85 Silverado with an '08 Silverado or Sierra half-ton.
I'd say my favorite car in the GM stable right now is the Pontiac G8. Would the rebate be good on one of those, though? I kinda like the Malibu, but actually like the Aura better. And the Saturn Astra is kinda cool, but a bit too small for my tastes.
The G8 already has a $1000 cash incentive on it, and I wasn't even aware it was already available. Add this $2000 to it, and I think you have found your next car andre! :-)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Oh, as for my "buy American " friend? Well, he went from a 1986 Chrysler LeBaron to a 1995 or so Toyota Corolla, and the last time I saw him he had a 1995-99 Maxima. So much for practicing what he preached.
Having had a k-car in the family myself, I understand. After that, my folks got the Accord. This is what the domestics are repenting for though, winning people back that dumped money into their Taurus transmissions or k-car head gaskets, etc.
I feel like Ford has things under control now, but it will take a while to get everyone to believe it (and I can't believe it when they whine about that). GM seems to have clear direction and be trying to dig out but seem to be enduring the "perfect storm." I like that they are remembering how to make things besides huge trucks, even if they have to borrow from their European and Australian counterparts.
My first thoughts were Astra and Malibu also. For some reason the Aura seems left behind by in the Malibu hoopla. I think the Aura looks as nice as the Malibu, if not better. The advantage the Malibu has to me is that you can get the 4 cylinder in the higher trim packages.
I would take the Astra as my first choice if I were buying today though, but I have always likes 2 door hatch backs.
kyfdx--do you know how you received this offer? The only thing I found on the GM website was 2k for MY99 and newer GM owners. I've got a VW on lease now, but I could always be tempted by a good incentive!!
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited Velvet Red over Wicker Beige
2024 Audi Q5 Premium Plus Daytona Gray over Beige
2017 BMW X1 Jet Black over Mocha
I'm guessing they get data from the state on cars titled to leasing companies, then contact whoever the individual that has the car registered... My lease (my wife's car) is titled to BMW FS, and registered to me...
The mailing says it is a "private offer", and gives a website address, but it isn't effective until 5-7-08, and there was nothing there yesterday..
So... I was thinking about it, and came up with a few choices... My wife wants an SUV, so the Vue/Equinox/Torrent triplets came to mind... I think the Vue looks the best, and it has a $1500 rebate.. So, $3500 off MSRP.. Haven't checked to see what's available on the other two and how the prices work out, though.. Not really too knocked out by those cars..
Saturn Astra... This would be for me.. I think they just came out with some sort of $1000 conquest rebate if you own a '99 or newer Honda.. So, $1000 + $2000 = $3000 off MSRP... I think a loaded 4-door hatch goes for just over $20K with stick.
The Malibu would be good, but neither of us really want a 4-door family sedan...
Saab 9-3.. They have some reasonably priced, 27 month leases, but they all have $2999 due at signing... With the $2K, it would just be $999 due at signing... with payments between $300-$400 per month..
Oh yeah... Corvette... :surprise:
Aveo? Get the $10K model... drive new car for $7500?
It does, and it also excludes the Cobalt SS, one of only two GM models I had a passing interest in...
I also got the promo stuff from GM, and I am assuming that if you have a car you want to trade in, that THAT is the point when you will get the shaft and a lot of the "instant savings" will evaporate...
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
....then definitely the GMC Acadia or Buick Enclave. My wife gets green with envy every time we pass an Acadia on the road. The Buick appeals to me more but I like the Acadia also. If only I could get out of my Jeep lease....
Since the wife is driving a BMW, I doubt the Equinox/Torrent will be "ritzy" enough.
Most likely, If it happened, I'd get an Astra or Vibe for myself..
I looked at the Vibe in 2003, 2005, and 2007. I really wanted to like it, but I couldn't deal with the driving position. It was comfortable enough, it just felt awkward. I don't like being that high up. It kicked out the Forester too, thats how we got the Legacy (they need a thumbs up emoticon thing on here).
More recently, I ended up with the Accord, which was still the wrong car for me to buy but maybe less wrong than the Vibe since my main argument is its nto sporty enough.
Yeah, the Acadia triplets are pretty big. Gas mileage is 16/24 for FWD and 16/22 for AWD; not great but not horrible.
Gas prices tell me to get something a little smaller/more fuel efficient next time (maybe Accord, TL, Maxima, 3 series, Avalon) but we are both very apprehensive about having to give up the size and relative comfort of an SUV for a little crackerbox. I fear that, no matter how great the car is on its own merits, we will always long for a larger vehicle. OTOH, there is no real "need" for a large car, just a personal preference---only 1 kid and 1 medium size dog so I guess we could cram in there for a trip to the beach or mountains if need be.
What really bites is having the CCBA fever and stuck in a lease until 9/09.
Oh, and another thing: many of the cars that I actually like require premium fuel which adds further confusion to the gas dilemma.
I looked at the Vibe in 2001 when it came out. Made a special trip to Cleveland to the Vans Warped Tour where it was introduced. Got a fantastic sunburn as a souvenir. It was roomy but overall, didn't measure up to the VR6 Jetta I was driving at the time. The latest iteration appears to have a large blind spot.
I "think" when my lease is up, I'm returning to a six-cylinder vehicle, unless gas is $10 a gallon. The 2.0T is an amazing engine, but still has the characteristic four-banger drone. Call me an old man--it'd be fine in a Miata, but in an upmarket sporty-ish sedan, I think there's a balance between quiet and performance.
But it does have that high-up driving position, no question.
Last year, I would have said the Matrix was the better-looking of the pair, but since the revamp I have to give that award to the new Vibe. I was going to check out the new Vibe in person, but the local GMC-Buick-Pontiac dealer just went belly up, so now it's a longer trek and I haven't bothered yet.
I have been verrrrry curious to check out the Astra, which is within spitting distance of the Matrix on paper for most specs, except for somewhat WORSE fuel economy. But it is supposed to have that European handling that I love so much. The Matrix is fun to toss around, but I wouldn't mind it being a bit stiffer in turns and a little more composed over the rough stuff.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I had the opposite reaction to the Vibe|Matrix redo. I used to like the Vibe a little better, but now it looks a bit strange to me. maybe I just have to get used to it. I like what they did the Matrix, it brought it more into the Toyota styling family ( for better or worse).
I have yet to drive the Astra but did pick a broushure. and sit in one a few weeks ago and sat in them. At msrp I thought they were overpriced, but if the $2000 conquest money applies they are getting close to where they should be.
There is a salesman at our local Saturn dealership who is in a lease of an X3 - every time I see him he tells me that when his lease is over, he's getting the new VUE.
If your wife wants a small SUV, then I think the VUE is a good choice (GM-wise, that is). We've had ours for 9 months and 10K miles and my wife just loves hers. Quiet, rides nice, more capable in the snow than her old VUE ('04 MY). Decent long distance traveller, too.
The only downside is that the new VUE is a bit of a porker, which affects acceleration, even with the 3.6L V6. Mileage isn't too great, though we average about 19-20 MPG in mixed driving, and 22-23 on the highway. Interior space is a bit smaller than the old body style - all that swooping bodywork has it's trade-offs.
NB: I'm in North Carolina this week, taking a bit of R&R while my wife attends a conference. We've rented a Chrysler 300 - let me tell you, I'm pretty disappointed with it. Lots of hard plastic inside. I get no sense that this is a car that sells for close to 30 large. Seats are hard, power is lacking (this is a V6); about the only good thing I can say is that it's equipped with Sirius, but even then it cuts out more than the XM in our VUE.
I had a Dodge Charger on my trip to Las Vegas, and I second your comments about the 300. I'm guessing yours also has the 2.7-liter V6 instead of the 3.5--the car is just too big and heavy for that engine. They added the smaller engine to the base model to make it cheaper for rental fleets, along with deleting formerly-standard safety equipment.
My question: even with all the extra $$ off, would a GM car be cheaper over several years (with depreciation, etc) than a Honda or Toyota?
Yeah, maybe not, but with the way I hang onto cars, depreciation may not be that big of a point. For instance, would a 2000 Accord with 140,000 miles on it, dents and scrapes here and there, a tricky rear door lock, and an intermittent problem with stalling or just flat-out refusing to start and leaving me stranded at work, be worth much more than my 2000 Intrepid in similar condition?
If I was going for a new car though, right now I think the Nissan Altima would have me the most tempted. I don't really care for the Camry. And this is gonna sound funny coming from a guy who normally likes bigger cars, but I don't like the Accord so much now that they made it bigger! :surprise: My main issue with it is that it's not really bigger in the areas that I'd want it to be. The trunk is no bigger than the '07 model. And it just doesn't feel any bigger in the passenger area to me. Maybe headroom is a bit better, but I'm not too crazy about the way the sides curve in. It kinda makes me think of how they started building cars in the late 70's and early 70's...where they'd get bigger, but somehow, that bigness just didn't translate into any extra interior room.
A few months ago, my Mom and stepdad got an '08 Altima, 2.5SL I think it was (leather/sunroof package) for something like $24K out the door. That sounds pretty reasonable to me. And while I do like the Malibu and Aura, I think I still like the Altima better. And I dunno if an extra incentive on the GM car would be enough to sway me.
Yeah, those Chargers and 300's are total dogs with the 2.7 V-6. I think 0-60 comes up in around 11 seconds. My Intrepid has the 2.7, and I find it adequate. But I think an Intrepid-weight car is about the uppermost range for what a 2.7 can handle.
These days, a 2.7 really isn't much bigger than the 4-cyl engines they're putting in most midsized cars (2.4-2.5L range). It's also an expensive engine to manufacture, and when it fails, replacement/repair costs can be nausea-inducing.
Funny thing is, the 3.5 is a cheaper engine to manufacture. It's single OHC instead of DOHC, and just simpler and cheaper in general. Chrysler could probably realize some pretty big economy of scale by just simplifying and ditching the 2.7 for a lower-output version of the 3.5. Or a smaller displacement version, like the 3.2 they had from 1998-01.
I think the 2.7's overall dimensions are slightly smaller than the 3.5, so perhaps it can fit in applications that the 3.5 can't? But these days, I think every car that offers the 2.7 also offers the 3.5. The only car I can think of, off the top of my head, that offered only the 2.7 and not 3.5 was the 2001-2006 Sebring/Stratus sedans and convertible.
I can't imagine what driving a Charger or 300 with the 2.7 might be like. That throttle must feel like mush with that 4000 pound car.
I think the 2.7 is probably OK for Sebring/Avenger size cars. It is a DOHC (more sophisticated engine) and I believe they've overcome some of the problems that affected the early 2.7s, but they need good care.
My Intrepid has the 3.2, which has the same outside dimensions as the 3.5.
My 300C has the 5.7L. No mush in that throttle. I can only imagine what the 6.1 feels like. :shades:
Comments
The clips that hold the air filters on tend to break when you try to remove them. More annoying then anything else.
Oh man I forgot about that, I had replaced my whole intake with one of those noisemaker ones. I have no idea if it made any more power at all but it sounded cool from about 3k to redline. It was frighting though I was afraid I would suck up small children and house pets in that thing.
Good fun flying around Buttonwillow.
ended up paying $2,500 for it. Really is very clean in/out. brand new tires, brakes/rotors etc. all around. Just had the AC redone, all fluids changed, and a few other minor things done. Mechanic supposedly went over it and did everything needed. Also spent about 1/2 of what I just paid for this service!
SO, for the price/condition, I don't think I am in too deep. If it turns out to be a mistake, I expect I could flip it for my investment no problem.
Scary what you can find on Craig's in this price range. Some real Mutts, with tons of miles (this one just clicked 89K).
I will get my indy to give it a good once over to make sure nothing was missed. If it gets a clean bill, then it should work fine to get the boy throught the summer and another year of HS.
Now just have to get the cheesy tint off the back window!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
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hope the kid likes it and hope it provides good service.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
The Sandman
So, it looks like a good buy at $2,500, which was the low end of the range from Volvomax.
Besides, now that I know it is OK, if I find something better, I can sell it with a clear conscience!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
The roof has been leaking for awhile, but the guy (kind of a 63 y.o. hippie type, which actually made me feel more comfortable for some strange reason) thought the tongue & groove boards looked pretty sound, & would "dry out".
We talked about how the (1 car) garage floor is crumbling, as is the garage door. And how the house itself is a "tear down". And how with the $$ I'd save on the roof, I could buy a new garage door, with $$ left over.
I got a good vibe, & they're a major licensed roofing co., around for a long time. 12 yr. guarantee on workmanship. Who knows??? My attitude: with a marginal, 50 y.o. "cape on a slab", that needs tons of work, but will most likely be a tear down when I sell, it makes deciding on upgrades or repairs very tricky.....
We are doing fine. The "little one" in now the "medium sized one". I'll get her to post a pic of us under her screen name pretty soon. I'm notorious on some other forums and won't put any pix of the family together anywhere online.
But anyway, we've been fine. We've move closer to her job. Bigger house, less land. She's gotten promoted. Which leads me to the car part.
SHE GETS A DEMO!!!
We still have the TSX and Accord. But as far as demo in the last year, a few memorable cars....
2006 300C SRT-8
2007 Civic Si
2006 Cadillac CTS-V
2004 540i 6MT
2006 Saab 9/3 Aero 6MT
2004 Benz E500
Those are just a few of the more memorable ones. In between there was more pedestrian stuff like a Mazda5, Altima, several 3 series(awesome car), and some 5 series and other C and E class Benzes.
When the lease on the TSX is up, I'm gonna start buying cars and selling them again though. I miss buying a lump of coal and turning it into a diamond.
So how is everyone doing?
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Believe me, you are better off that way. I told people what cars to buy and they bought them; then I spent the next few years worried everytime I saw them they would complain about their cars (as it turns out, they all loved the cars but still, stressful).
Its the same with computers. I tell people to buy Macs and then freak out they will not like it (of course, that hasn't happened yet either, but still, stressful).
Actually, the worst is I introduced one of my high school friends to one of my college friends and now they are married with 3 kids. I am done telling other people what I think they should do (and they are happily married of course, but still, stressfull)> :P
She's always had awful luck with cars so one of these days I'm going to get an earful.
If they don't like it, you can just blame Apple--they're the ones who promise "you'll love a Mac!"
I'm waiting for this crack (or crack-pot) roofing co. this afternoon. At least it's been dry for 24 hours so the old shingles & sheathing have had some chance to dry. I'm pretty skeptical, given some of my bad experiences with house repairs the last few years.
If re-shingling over the old shingles works (AKA, stops the leaking), I'll have roughly $1000 left over (vs. the price of stripping the old shingles, etc.) that I can spend on a new garage door, and maybe another minor repair or 2.
It's like the battle of Dien Bien Phu with this house--you know you're losing the battle, but try to allocate resources as best you can..... :confuse:
I became a seller over the weekend and sold my Miata. A few weeks ago a guy stopped me at my bank and offered me what I paid for it. I kinda blew it off , but then decided to put it on Craigslist now that the weather is nice. It sold in 4 days, for $500 more than I had in to it.
I'll miss it , but it was a pain to jockey the cars in the garage all the time. Plus the kids were always playing around it with their bikes and scooters and I was becoming a nervous nellie about scratching it.
Sweet. Also making 5 bills on the miata. IME offers from Craigslist can be all over the place--from ridiculous, to tempting, to suddenly someone offers you full price (?!)--maybe.
Now that my garage roof is done, & looks good, (knock wood), I'm thinking about blowing a few $thou on other stuff, tree cutting, garage door, new front storm door (not cheap!) etc. Kind of like putting Lipstick on a Pig, but the neighborhood is great, so......
Up to $2000 to pay off your current non-GM lease..
It's good towards purchase or lease of any new GM vehicle (except hybrids or medium-duty trucks). It's an extra $2000, compatible with any other discounts or rebates. I don't even have to turn in the current lease early (and I wouldn't), just have to document the remaining balance (and, mine is over $2000, so I would get the full amount).
So... if you were getting an extra $2000, is there any GM vehicle you would consider? I'm struggling here... lol
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LOL...the one time I strongly recommended someone buy a Honda product (a 1994 Civic) it turned out to be one of the worst cars they ever owned. Go figure. :P Some friends of mine, a married couple, were looking for a new, smallish, fairly economical car, and the first thing that had popped into my mind was a Civic. Another one of our friends, a buy-American die-hard, got on me about that. He was trying to push them into something domestic, although looking back, I can't remember what it was. Maybe one of the few K-car derivatives that were still around at the time?
By the time that Civic got to about 80-90,000 miles, it had blown two head gaskets and needed a/c work. It was when the second head gasket blew that they unloaded it for a 1998 or so Saturn S-series. Probably one of the few people who bailed on Honda for GM...usually isn't it the other way around?
Oh, as for my "buy American " friend? Well, he went from a 1986 Chrysler LeBaron to a 1995 or so Toyota Corolla, and the last time I saw him he had a 1995-99 Maxima. So much for practicing what he preached. :P
Well, that might be enough to tempt me into replacing my aging, rag-tag '85 Silverado with an '08 Silverado or Sierra half-ton.
I'd say my favorite car in the GM stable right now is the Pontiac G8. Would the rebate be good on one of those, though? I kinda like the Malibu, but actually like the Aura better. And the Saturn Astra is kinda cool, but a bit too small for my tastes.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Vauxhall...I mean Saturn Astra.
C&D: So European its almost satisfying (or something like that)
Having had a k-car in the family myself, I understand. After that, my folks got the Accord. This is what the domestics are repenting for though, winning people back that dumped money into their Taurus transmissions or k-car head gaskets, etc.
I feel like Ford has things under control now, but it will take a while to get everyone to believe it (and I can't believe it when they whine about that). GM seems to have clear direction and be trying to dig out but seem to be enduring the "perfect storm." I like that they are remembering how to make things besides huge trucks, even if they have to borrow from their European and Australian counterparts.
I would take the Astra as my first choice if I were buying today though, but I have always likes 2 door hatch backs.
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited Velvet Red over Wicker Beige
2024 Audi Q5 Premium Plus Daytona Gray over Beige
2017 BMW X1 Jet Black over Mocha
I'd suggest the G8 V8, or Aura XR... Looks like they've hiked the price of the Aura XR since its introduction, though.
The mailing says it is a "private offer", and gives a website address, but it isn't effective until 5-7-08, and there was nothing there yesterday..
So... I was thinking about it, and came up with a few choices... My wife wants an SUV, so the Vue/Equinox/Torrent triplets came to mind... I think the Vue looks the best, and it has a $1500 rebate.. So, $3500 off MSRP.. Haven't checked to see what's available on the other two and how the prices work out, though.. Not really too knocked out by those cars..
Saturn Astra... This would be for me.. I think they just came out with some sort of $1000 conquest rebate if you own a '99 or newer Honda.. So, $1000 + $2000 = $3000 off MSRP... I think a loaded 4-door hatch goes for just over $20K with stick.
The Malibu would be good, but neither of us really want a 4-door family sedan...
Saab 9-3.. They have some reasonably priced, 27 month leases, but they all have $2999 due at signing... With the $2K, it would just be $999 due at signing... with payments between $300-$400 per month..
Oh yeah... Corvette... :surprise:
Aveo? Get the $10K model... drive new car for $7500?
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2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited Velvet Red over Wicker Beige
2024 Audi Q5 Premium Plus Daytona Gray over Beige
2017 BMW X1 Jet Black over Mocha
I also got the promo stuff from GM, and I am assuming that if you have a car you want to trade in, that THAT is the point when you will get the shaft and a lot of the "instant savings" will evaporate...
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
No fine print that mentions any other vehicle..... but, remains to be seen (or not.. not much chance of me getting a GM).
Also, no requirement that you trade.... or even end your lease early.
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....then definitely the GMC Acadia or Buick Enclave. My wife gets green with envy every time we pass an Acadia on the road. The Buick appeals to me more but I like the Acadia also. If only I could get out of my Jeep lease....
Since the wife is driving a BMW, I doubt the Equinox/Torrent will be "ritzy" enough.
She actually mentioned the Vue... What she really wants is an X3..
Most likely, If it happened, I'd get an Astra or Vibe for myself..
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I looked at the Vibe in 2003, 2005, and 2007. I really wanted to like it, but I couldn't deal with the driving position. It was comfortable enough, it just felt awkward. I don't like being that high up. It kicked out the Forester too, thats how we got the Legacy (they need a thumbs up emoticon thing on here).
More recently, I ended up with the Accord, which was still the wrong car for me to buy but maybe less wrong than the Vibe since my main argument is its nto sporty enough.
Nippon dude loves his Matrix from what I hear.
Gas prices tell me to get something a little smaller/more fuel efficient next time (maybe Accord, TL, Maxima, 3 series, Avalon) but we are both very apprehensive about having to give up the size and relative comfort of an SUV for a little crackerbox. I fear that, no matter how great the car is on its own merits, we will always long for a larger vehicle. OTOH, there is no real "need" for a large car, just a personal preference---only 1 kid and 1 medium size dog so I guess we could cram in there for a trip to the beach or mountains if need be.
What really bites is having the CCBA fever and stuck in a lease until 9/09.
Oh, and another thing: many of the cars that I actually like require premium fuel which adds further confusion to the gas dilemma.
I "think" when my lease is up, I'm returning to a six-cylinder vehicle, unless gas is $10 a gallon. The 2.0T is an amazing engine, but still has the characteristic four-banger drone. Call me an old man--it'd be fine in a Miata, but in an upmarket sporty-ish sedan, I think there's a balance between quiet and performance.
But it does have that high-up driving position, no question.
Last year, I would have said the Matrix was the better-looking of the pair, but since the revamp I have to give that award to the new Vibe. I was going to check out the new Vibe in person, but the local GMC-Buick-Pontiac dealer just went belly up, so now it's a longer trek and I haven't bothered yet.
I have been verrrrry curious to check out the Astra, which is within spitting distance of the Matrix on paper for most specs, except for somewhat WORSE fuel economy. But it is supposed to have that European handling that I love so much. The Matrix is fun to toss around, but I wouldn't mind it being a bit stiffer in turns and a little more composed over the rough stuff.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
My question: even with all the extra $$ off, would a GM car be cheaper over several years (with depreciation, etc) than a Honda or Toyota?
I have yet to drive the Astra but did pick a broushure. and sit in one a few weeks ago and sat in them. At msrp I thought they were overpriced, but if the $2000 conquest money applies they are getting close to where they should be.
If your wife wants a small SUV, then I think the VUE is a good choice (GM-wise, that is). We've had ours for 9 months and 10K miles and my wife just loves hers. Quiet, rides nice, more capable in the snow than her old VUE ('04 MY). Decent long distance traveller, too.
The only downside is that the new VUE is a bit of a porker, which affects acceleration, even with the 3.6L V6. Mileage isn't too great, though we average about 19-20 MPG in mixed driving, and 22-23 on the highway. Interior space is a bit smaller than the old body style - all that swooping bodywork has it's trade-offs.
NB: I'm in North Carolina this week, taking a bit of R&R while my wife attends a conference. We've rented a Chrysler 300 - let me tell you, I'm pretty disappointed with it. Lots of hard plastic inside. I get no sense that this is a car that sells for close to 30 large. Seats are hard, power is lacking (this is a V6); about the only good thing I can say is that it's equipped with Sirius, but even then it cuts out more than the XM in our VUE.
Yeah, maybe not, but with the way I hang onto cars, depreciation may not be that big of a point. For instance, would a 2000 Accord with 140,000 miles on it, dents and scrapes here and there, a tricky rear door lock, and an intermittent problem with stalling or just flat-out refusing to start and leaving me stranded at work, be worth much more than my 2000 Intrepid in similar condition?
If I was going for a new car though, right now I think the Nissan Altima would have me the most tempted. I don't really care for the Camry. And this is gonna sound funny coming from a guy who normally likes bigger cars, but I don't like the Accord so much now that they made it bigger! :surprise: My main issue with it is that it's not really bigger in the areas that I'd want it to be. The trunk is no bigger than the '07 model. And it just doesn't feel any bigger in the passenger area to me. Maybe headroom is a bit better, but I'm not too crazy about the way the sides curve in. It kinda makes me think of how they started building cars in the late 70's and early 70's...where they'd get bigger, but somehow, that bigness just didn't translate into any extra interior room.
A few months ago, my Mom and stepdad got an '08 Altima, 2.5SL I think it was (leather/sunroof package) for something like $24K out the door. That sounds pretty reasonable to me. And while I do like the Malibu and Aura, I think I still like the Altima better. And I dunno if an extra incentive on the GM car would be enough to sway me.
These days, a 2.7 really isn't much bigger than the 4-cyl engines they're putting in most midsized cars (2.4-2.5L range). It's also an expensive engine to manufacture, and when it fails, replacement/repair costs can be nausea-inducing.
Funny thing is, the 3.5 is a cheaper engine to manufacture. It's single OHC instead of DOHC, and just simpler and cheaper in general. Chrysler could probably realize some pretty big economy of scale by just simplifying and ditching the 2.7 for a lower-output version of the 3.5. Or a smaller displacement version, like the 3.2 they had from 1998-01.
I think the 2.7's overall dimensions are slightly smaller than the 3.5, so perhaps it can fit in applications that the 3.5 can't? But these days, I think every car that offers the 2.7 also offers the 3.5. The only car I can think of, off the top of my head, that offered only the 2.7 and not 3.5 was the 2001-2006 Sebring/Stratus sedans and convertible.
I think the 2.7 is probably OK for Sebring/Avenger size cars. It is a DOHC (more sophisticated engine) and I believe they've overcome some of the problems that affected the early 2.7s, but they need good care.
My Intrepid has the 3.2, which has the same outside dimensions as the 3.5.
My 300C has the 5.7L. No mush in that throttle. I can only imagine what the 6.1 feels like. :shades: