Have you seen the horrendous Korean crap they slap a bowtie on in Europe??

[dyeager535]

Sure it does. City gets more tax money. Another unending cycle, since taxes are always raised. If more taxpayers meant more money, it would go the other way. I can't say my standard of living is any better just because I've got 50% more traffic lights in my area.

That's what allows sprawl to happen...greedy cities/counties that allow it instead of well planned and managed communities. Only when traffic becomes unbearable do they even think about the consequences of sprawl.

And it all ties back to fuel...development in area that requires commuting is no longer just going to be about congestion (which CA has dealt with for decades) it's now hitting people in their pocketbooks much faster than their paychecks have grown, and is part of the reason the housing market is so terrible. At least in my area, you see a LOT of new houses sitting vacant because no one wants to drive that far anymore.

 

[rjpastor]

I remember the lines etc. I also remember being really pi**ed when I had to spend .31 a gallon for 102 octane gas. It was 1966-7, of course, I only made $350.00 a month.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Anybody else noticed the original poster has vanished since the first page of this thread?

 

[Thunder]

He must have went out and Bought an Aveo.

 

[noJeepshere]

Anybody else noticed the original poster has vanished since the first page of this thread?

I was thinking the same thing

 

[AJMBLAZER]

It'd definitely fit in the back of a pickup.

 

[noJeepshere]

You mean this?

 

[AJMBLAZER]

jms, how's the engine noise with the diesel? I know the European diesel cars are supposedly so quiet you almost can't tell but crap, you were practically sitting on that thing. 2 or 3 cyl?

 

[noJeepshere]

They're only a little louder then a gas engine in the same model of car. I got to drive an Opel Corsa CDTI on my mission, and it was silent inside, only a little turbo whine under throttle From the outside in another car, a diesel can be heard, but it's not anywhere near annoying, and if you're not paying attention, you won't notice. And the power, it makes any gasser of the same displacement feel like crap.

 

[BGKYK5]

Those new common rail diesels are pretty darn quiet - at least compared to a 6.2

I heard a heavy duty International truck with a CRD engine a few months ago. All you could really hear was the fan and the intake noise (at idle).

 

[h0wl0ngcanitbe]

Ever wish they would bring back the 2dr Blazer!

 

[BGKYK5]

I also think energy policy would need to be made without the four-year restriction that the American electoral system generates..... It also requires a government that would pay attention to the matter at hand and not just focus on next-election politics .

x2! If there are a lot of problems that will never get delt with until they are catastrophic because they are not projected to "hit" for more than 4 years. Energy, Environment, Social Security, Deficit Spending, Trade Deficit..... Nobody in politics cares unless it will get them votes now, and if it becomes a problem later, they will just blame the other party.

 

[lectric80]

The Smart has a Continuously variable transmission, and must slip more to work correctly. There is one cruising around Tooele (not diesel, 3 cyl Mercedes), and it is a lot more roomy than you would think. Still gets well over 40 around town, and is supposedly capable of hitting 130. Although I still don't think I would want to drive one, feels like I am sitting on the back bumper.

 

[B_to_C]

I'm currently taking classes in international management, and just yesterday we got to visit the Shanghai General Motors auto plant.

I think I like the Aveo!
(Not that I would buy one...I just like the fact that it makes me look so damn tall! )

So anyways, I got to check out the factory where these are produced (alongside Cadillac's). The ones I saw were specific to China, not intended for export, but according to the plant manager "exactly the same" as those produced worldwide for GM.

I sat through some meetings and got a pretty good sense of what GM's strategy in the worldwide auto market is.

I could go on and on...but suffice it to say that my impression is GM's strategy is to "play catch up" with all the other major companies. But as stated before...they will only produce what they think will sell on a large scale. And when I say large, I mean worldwide, not just the U.S.

An interesting note: Escalades are "very popular" here right now. They retail for the equivalent of $130,000 USD

 

[noJeepshere]

...but suffice it to say that my impression is GM's strategy is to "play catch up" with all the other major companies.

I thought GM's strategy was "hang by the fingernails and hope Toyota doesn't make a bid for us"...

They say one thing and mean another.

 

[Dafey]

For a very long time GM was able to tell the customer what they want and need. Those days are gone, and GM has not adapted to that.

It was NEVER that way..Watch Discovery and the Interviews with the old guys that worked back then. All they talk about was trying to figure out who wanted what from each division.

 

[BGKYK5]

I thought GM's strategy was "hang by the fingernails and hope Toyota doesn't make a bid for us"...

I think GM is safe from that particular fate. Although Toyota has enough cash in the bank to buy 100% of GM with plenty left over, I don't think they want all the baggage that would come with GM.

They seem to be doing just fine as it is.