All this for $21k?
 

Yeah--usually it's a "what the fuck are you doing now? Don't shift, don't shift. No, fucker, now you downshift."

All this for $21k?
 

The more I think about it, the more I think that there's a SMG transmission in my future: eems like the perfect solution.

I'm scheduled to drive a Z4 with SMG at the BMW event in a couple of weeks, which should be interesting.

Hey 3857, how's the Z4 treating you?

Pontiac Solstice
 

I never thought I would say this, but the upcoming Solstice actually looks interesting. Edmunds has a

preview.


http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/1...ce.bdg.500.jpg

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/1...ce.f34.500.jpg

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/1...ce.int.500.jpg

All this for $44k?
 

Really, really great. I have always been a heavy driver, except for my NYC time, so it kills me I've had it months now and only put about 800 miles on it. I hope to remedy that in the upcoming weeks, though. I have gotten much more used to the SMG with a little use, and I'm pretty smooth. The navigation especially is great; takes a little getting used to, but works really well.

But, all that stuff aside, the best part is that powerplant is a relatively light, very stuff convertible. It's the stuff that dreams are made of. It moves very well at all speeds for a car with that power to weight ratio, and two quick downshifts (or maybe one, if you are spinning the engine quickly already) and acceleration will press you well back in your seat.

Be careful with your waller when you're driving it; you may quickly find yourself $40k+ poorer.

All this for $21k?
 

It's funny -- I think that shifting makes you pay more attention to what's going on around you. I find myself paying more attention to driving and less able to zone out when driving a manual. Mrs. Chef, who learned on an automatic and just got her first car with a manual about a year ago or so, agrees. But to each their own, and I can understand why you wouldn't want to push the issue.

Pontiac Solstice
 

Wow, looks as great as the show car did. I'm impressed. God love Bob Lutz. And that interior -- is that an interior from a GM? None of that attrocious medium gray shiny plastic? That interior is gorgeous, almost as if a Volvo designer went to work for BMW and was tasked with creating the interior for a Z2.

0-60 in a tick over 7 seconds is promising, too. I would like a little more hp, but that ain't bad for $25k and all that style and quality interior. (Hey, did someone just switch my brain with that of a mature car enthusiast?)

Pontiac Solstice
 

You becoming a dash stroker...

The new 3er begins to emerge
 

http://www.thecarconnection.com/imag...8179_image.jpg

http://www.thecarconnection.com/imag...8180_image.jpg

Read about it here.

All this for $21k?
 

Jesus Christ... I never knew it was that bad. If you asked me if the person in that car survived, I'd immediately say "fuck no."

Then again, I have heard from folks in the business that the appearance of the wreck is not the best indicator of the survival or non-survival of the driver/occupants.

All this for $21k?
 

Dude, I drive an old japanese SUV. Until last week, it had a piece of molding hanging off the roof.

The Neon, or for that matter, any American car that size, offends me because its a dumb purchase. For $21k you can buy a used foreign car which will run for 50k miles further than that Neon, with a much nicer interior.

New American cars are the ultimate waste of money. No matter how hard they try, American auto makers for some reason just can't build a non-chintzy/cheap interior and durable car. And over time, American cars fall apart when their foreign counterparts are just getting broken in.

A $21k Neon is comparable to a used 3 series BMW with about 50k miles on it. The 3 will be on the road at 140k. The Neon will never see 100k, and if it does, it will be a rickety bag of bolts when it gets there.

I've had about 8 SUVs in my life. I buried 4 Chevy Blazers before they hit 80k (transmissions went in two, engine in one, other I sold early out of fear). I had a Jeep which wasn't bad, but it felt like it was made out of balsa wood. One Ford Explorer I babied got me to 95k before I chickened out and sold it out of fear of losing the trannie any day. I've had two japanese trucks, which I've driven so far for a combined 130k miles*. I've put MAYBE $1300 in service into both. Maybe. One is still running like it was new, and I've driven it through hell. The other I sold years ago is still on the road, with god knows how many miles on it.

I will NEVER buy American. I simply can't afford it.

* I drove them 130k miles, after purchasing them used with 20-30k miles on each.

All this for $21k?
 

Mega dittoes, but let's distinguish between American-MADE and American-DESIGNED.

I have no problem with well-designed cars made in North America, e.g., Honda Accord, Acura TL, Z3, X5, all of which are made by American workers.

Any Big Three car made after 1991 is a guaranteed money pit.

All this for $21k?
 

I've had used American cars and used Japanese cars. Two of the three used Japanese cars both cost me a bunch in repairs, the usual maintenance stuff, like brakes, exhausts, clutch, shocks/struts. One cost me more than that -- the turbo was going to go, had a strut that had to be replaced, both front axels needed to be replaced due to ripped CV boots that let the axels go to shit. One of the Japanese cars did pretty well. The American car fell apart not long after I sold it, having thrown a rod. You can end up with a used Japanese car that is trouble free, no doubt, but there are other things that you will have to replace, due to maintenance. I like to buy new, if I can, because of fewer things that will send the car to the shop, even if they're basic maintenance items.

In addition, these days, the performance quotient for new cars has gone up so much, it's ridiculous. An SRT4 is cranking at 230 hp, plus whatever you add in as a performance pack. Get an older 3 series, and you're talking about 225 hp in a heavier car, maybe even 189, if you have to go far enough back. Another example is the fact that a new Subaru Legacy GT sedan comes with AWD and 250 horsepower; just a year ago or so, and you'd have to get an S4 to get those kinds of specs. Now you can get a new Legacy GT for the same price that people want for a used S4. I'd rather get the new car.

All this for $21k?
 

Well, you care a lot more about performance than I do. I don't care how fast the car as is as long as its got some kick to get me merged into traffic without fear. I like them to handle well, have a great stereo and great A/C, fast power windows, good 4WD and just run. Oh, and I need a sunroof. And the car has to look ok.

I generally go with Nissan or Toyota because they just seem to have so few problems. Just look at how many old fourrunners, landcruisers and pathfinders. You'll never see a 1993 Chevy Blazer mid-size on the highway, but you'll see those year Nissan and Toyaota trucks all over the place.*

I haven't had a turbo since I drove an Audi 5000 turbo back in 1987. I recall hearing from a mechanic back then that turbos simply don't last as long as regular engines and have tons of problems in the higher miles. I don't know whether he's right or wrong, but a buddy of mine just coooked a new Saab on the highway. It was a 4 cylinder turbo four door. Really heavy car. I always wondered how that thing ran on 4 cylinders.

* You will see old Suburbans on the road, I suspect because GM has been making that car for so long that they've perfected the design. That, or because people don't drive them unless it snows.

All this for $21k?
 

That thing might as well have been made of aluminum foil. When we went to go see it to retrieve her things, following the accident, the wrecker guy had 4 Neons on his lot (including Mrs. dL's), each wrecked, but none as badly was ours. Mrs. dL was the only one to have survived.

Frankly, the reason way she survived was because the seat latch controling reclining, etc. broke, which caused her to fall flat onto the back seat right before the roof caved/crushed in (it was flat against the doors; the pic above is post-jaws of life).

She's a very lucky woman.

All this for $21k?
 

I hereby decree your wife is allowed to drive whatever, whenever, however she likes. She also gets a much-coveted liberal pass for buying an SUV, guilt-free, if she desires.