jdogg

Blame the Feds more than the companies - the feds have the crash/impact regulations that make many euro-designs not work domestically.

Are there any cars you do like? The Caddy CTSv is rear drive, 5.7L V8, and a 6spd manual. The NY Auto Show is one of th last of the majors. The big stuff hits in Europe, Detroit or LA early in the year.

I picked up an '02 Chevy Avalanche in late December - just in time for the real winter. I'm glad I had it all winter. This weekend I'm going to pass 15k miles. The end of this month, I'll sign off on a 90-day term on a left-over '02 Camaro Z28 Convertible (0-miles). I can't afford to not take this deal. It's going to be nice to have a convertible for the majority of the summer.

NJ State inspectors are trying to get cars like that and are offering $500 or more to pass the car. By law they have to inspect the car, but then fail it. They can't refuse to inspect the car. If the inspector gets a pass on the modified vehicle, it is a several thousand dollar fine to the inspector. Just be careful.

7/04 - Production of the C6 with a 6.0L (LS2) 400hp V8 7/05 (est) C6 ZO6 with a 6.4L (LS7) 450+hp V8 7/05 - est. production for the new 6spd. auto. Look at the picture - the photoshop on the car is so bad, and perspectives are wrong - the front tire is bigger than the back?

Me and my bike....

Here's a cool thing - Pocket Bikes - What I wouldn't give to be able to have J-Pup (my daughter) out there having fun on them... http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/okuchanwind.../race/index.htm http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/okuchanwind.../race/index.htm

Check www.ups.com and figure on 20lbs per wheel/tire combo at a minimum. Plus figure on Duty at customs. 24inx24inx10in, 4 pieces at 20 lbs, going from NYC 10010 to Montreal (Sherbrooke) H3A 2T5 - $65 on UPS, not including Customs.

Yes, the C6 is going to be better. The bigger engines provide more torque and with some interesting mechanical developments get significantly better fuel economy than current. A larger displacement engine is not wasteful, if you meet the emissions, fuel economy and performance demands. Face it, the majority of the american public is oversized as you put it. Oversized is now regular sized when it comes to seats and such and the room that people want in the majority of the cars. Turbo engines(yes, modern ones) are on the design table. A twin turbo 4.2L I-6? The turbo 2.2L I-4 ? They are in design consideration, and are close to release. The new product has to be in place for these engines to hit the market. Vehicle Dynamics and chassis development have lagged how and where? Look at the product development cycles. The mass of attention over the past few years has been on the truck side of the business, and amazingly, we sell more trucks than cars. THe car side got the Deville in '00, the CTS in '02, the Malibu, SRX and XLR in '03, the Vette in '04. Other products are on the way, that address your specific concerns. The W-car is due in '06, the J-car in '05/'06 (the sooner the better IMO). As I said, the Cadillac CTS is currently rear drive, with a 5spd auto/5spd manual and a 220hp V6. The V-series CTS will have the LS6 engine from the ZO6 Corvette and the T56 six speed manual box. Also, the Caddy STS is going rear drive with the next gen Northstar 4.2L V8.

www.iihs.org

FWIW - Outside of the East coast super-metro area (Boston-NY- Philly-DC) and California, GM has a very significant market share. For '02 GM had about 29% of the new car and truck market in the US. I agree that there is a lack of a low end performance car to go head-to-head with the WRX and the Lancer EVO, but GM is not in the WRC with any products. Performance products are coming, but maybe not in that style (specifically). It is highly unlikely that GM will close up shop as someone here suggested. C6 Vette will be launched over two years. Base Coupe/Hardtop in the first year (SOP 7/04), the convertible and ZO6 coming the second, according to the launch information that I have. The LS1/LS6 engines are being replaced by GenIV LS2/LS7 small blocks. LS2 is 6.0L, 400hp/400lb-ft and the LS7 is 6.4L and currently has no published numbers, but rumored to be north of 450hp/450lb-ft. There are 3 engineering study engines on a 7.0L (427c.i.) program - if these ever see the light of day, it will be amazing. As to the lifecycle on the Vette, this is one of the shortest design cycles in recent memory. Look and see how long the C4 was in production. CTSV, the high performance Cadillac CTS will get the LS6 engine and a 6-speed manual (T56) from the Corvette. Monte Carlo and Impala will get a 270hp 4.8L V8, front drive in the '05 time frame. No further specifics on that program. The 7.5L V-12 showcased in the Cadillac Cien is slated for production, no announced product for the engine (as of this time). The Cadillac Sixteen shown at the Detroit Autoshow is a running vehicle and Bob Lutz, being the maniac that he is, had the people at the Tech Center in Warren, cut apart a GMC Yukon, and put the engine in the truck so he could evaluate the powertrain. There is a GMC Yukon in the Detroit area with an 18" stretch on the hood. The Cadillac Northstar engine gets redone for the '04 model year with variable valve timing on intake (40deg of change) and exhaust (50deg of change). First iteration of this engine will be in the XLR roadster, which is based on the C6 chassis. The 2.2L Ecotec motor currently in the Cavalier/Sunfire has several pre-production studies for 1.) Naturally aspirated, 250hp, 2.) Turbo 245hp, and 3.) supercharged for 245hp. The higher output engines are likely to make the next generation Cavalier/Sunfire models. #2 and #3 are more likely near term, as #1 is still in engineering evaluatiuon, and is targeted at the S2000 type of performance. Manual transmissions are going to have a greater presence in future cars, they were shunned by a large majority of buyers and therefore not considered as options for certain cars and trucks. You may see different styles of manuals (electronic shifting) than what you are used to seeing in the past. The Pontiac GTO is coming with around a $35k price tag, and only about 18,000 units a year are coming into the states from Australia. That equates to about 10% of Holden's annual production, so I would not expect to see that number change significantly. This will first appear with the LS1 engine and as the Gen IV engines come out in '04 will migrate to the LS2. As far as the SS models go, there is a regular cab, 4x2, short box, Silverado SS coming with a manual trans. There is a Tahoe SS and a Trailblazer SS in the works too. Lutz has let the car people start to run the design and engineering again. Remember a new car, from scratch takes about 24 months to get launched, and has to have a place to build it. It also takes $1-1.5B to do so. There are 2 groups in the advanced car development - unibody and body on frame. You car buffs can make your own conclusion on that one.

Tommyb - Thanks for keeping the topic on track here with the safety part of it all. The MSF is probably the best thing to have for a new rider. It really emphasizes the low speed things with the bike. At higher speeds (I don't mean going too fast here) the bike is stable. At low speeds, the bike wants to fall over. You can get Nolan or KBC helmets for the lower prices, but the Arai Quantum f is going to run upwards of $400. I started on the 600, I love it, and yes there is alot of shifting going on, but the rider has more to do with the speed than the bike. I know my roads near my house and hold with 'busas and 1000 gixxers. The 600s are easier to handle since they are typically lighter. I spent $$ on gear and I swear by Vanson. www.vansonleathers.com I have a 2-piece suit and a 1-piece race suit from them. Good luck what ever you get, and if you want a good motorcycle forum - www.cycleforums.com - there is a GSSC sub-board for riders in the NY metro area and northern NJ. We ride alot, and have a good time out. The board there has alot of good information, advice and as with any board a good dose of BS. Ride safe, JDogg oh, yeah - here's mine On Mount Washington, this past summer - 1500 miles in 4 days.

I usually hang the toilet paper so the paper comes over the top, as it is closer that way. I try to set things on timers so that I have less to do when I get up in the morning. My coffee is ready when I am out of the shower that way.

hahahah and nice bike too...

Hi Rachel!

good stuff last night!

oooh, now we are scared.....VIPers....

Missed one....

Congrats to you and best of luck!

TIMMMMMAAAAYYYY!!!!

TIMMMMMMMAAAAYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Awesome to get that feeling from people....

And there was a thread that kept having to be revived that went to a color wheel so you could get the Hex numbers for the colors.

Enron donated about the same number of dollars to both the republican and democrat funds. I still am waiting to hear that Bush or Cheney got BJ's in the White House. and played hide the cigar.

Dialup going to Cable in the next two weeks....BeepBeep!