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Automotive News & Views Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous
15346 messages, Last post on Dec 01, 2009 at 10:55 PM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
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| there is $2000 cash on any remaining 2008 Mazda3s (except MS3)...hmm, it's got me thinking....I rather like my sister's, and hers is the 2.0. I found a gray 's' with the 2.3L near me that is a 2008. Could this be the end for the Matrix?? | |
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Replying to: michaell (Dec 18, 2008 6:59 am) I was satisfied with what I saw as a fair [ and fairly aggressive ] sale price of the G8 - and with the overall transaction. I certainly have concerns, about both GM & Pontiac dealers, specifically. Those concerns were outweighed ( for me ) by the driving dynamics of the G8 GT - vs. anything that I think could fairly be called a competitor. The BMW 335i is so much smaller & so much more expensive [ new vs. new ] that I don’t consider that to be a fair comparison, personally. Though I will admit that the dynamics & raw performance numbers are quite similar. A BMW 535i or 550i is much closer in size & weight – and the base MSRP for either is way, ** WAY ** more expensive than even a loaded G8 GT. 2009 535i base price is now over $50K. Although I will certainly concede that the BMWs have a higher grade of interior materials & some bells and whistles available that are desirable to many. I happen to prefer the styling, both exterior & interior, of the G8 GT to either the current 5 or 3 series. And I still ** GREATLY ** prefer several of Pontaic’s programming choices in the G8’s 6L80 – even compared to the latest & greatest ZF Steptronic. The behavior suits me much better – and I did drive 3 different 335i-s. And ( again ) the 3 & 5 series BMWs ( except Ms ) do not include or even provide as an option a true LSD. Just weird. Is the BMW ‘better’, dynamically – particularly in some of the finer aspects of the ride \ handling compromise? Likely so. But this car’s ride & handling suit me very well, indeed. - Ray Happy with the new toy. . .
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Could be a good time to snag a Mazda3. leftovers, economy, and a new model on the way. I really liked the hatch GT (for the power seat, although the other goodies are nice too!). Not really quite big enough or right for my current needs, but it got to the short list. IIRC, MSRP for a 5 door GT Auto is ~23,500. Figure a couple grand off from the dealer, at least, and 2K from mazda, and you should be down to ~ 19 for a loaded up one. start deducting for lower trim lines! Migth be a fantastic deal on an i 4 door. |
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Replying to: rayainsw (Dec 18, 2008 8:48 am) Everything is built to a price. BMW cuts some corners on their interiors. Audi puts the same four-banger engine in the A3 and A4 that is in the Passat and Jetta (which cost roughly half as much). |
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Replying to: rayainsw (Dec 18, 2008 8:48 am) I just wish GM would make them here instead of down under and shipping them in. |
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Rented one of these on Saturday and turned it back in on Monday after the tire pressure monitoring gauge wouldn't go out no matter what they did...very disappointed with that and the vehicle as a whole. They put us into a '08 Accord LX-P about 180 miles from home and what a 180 turn around...much better car no matter how I look at it! Shame too as the Impala LTZ we rented back in '06 was a killer drive...was highly impressed with it. And what's up with 1/2 a power seat that GM uses on certain cars? The Accord had the full power chairs, as my lower spine went into spasm on our 2nd day out and I was basically hotel bound for two days. Growing up in a GM family, will never go back if possible  . I know the car was a rental with 21k on the clock, but comfort stunk, visibility sucked, mileage was dismal...definitely not worth what they must be charging. Again, why can't our domestic brands make cars that match the foreign brands in every way...comfort, mileage, comfort...? We were the best at one time bar none...why did we drop the ball? I now know why our big 3 are in such "dogcr-p"...we've lost our way and this bailout isn't the answer guys. Going back and doing what "we did best" is the only answer. I know there are literally thousands like me that left the big 3 for the better cars that were being produced overseas and would rather support U S companies but this latest experience just reinforces why our family left for the "other guys" including purchasing our 1st Korean nameplate last month. Need another car in a couple of weeks and no U S brands are on the short list...nor will they be I suspect...even our kids know what brands they want us to buy for them. Sorry for my rant but I'm a very unhappy American consumer here with more cash to plunk down for another auto really soon. The Sandman 
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Replying to: rayainsw (Dec 18, 2008 3:57 am) Mark |
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Replying to: sandman46 (Dec 18, 2008 6:41 pm) GM's lack of help when my car was falling apart was disappointing. They have not received another dime from me and I think some of their cars are pretty decent. When my Dad was looking for a new car after having a string of Oldsmobiles and Buicks, I let him towards a Mercury Grand Marquis.. good car so far! Mark
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...several of you guys still posting here. I used to post under the screen name jefferyg, but we've moved twice in the past year, and it was easier to start over from scratch. Mark and Sandman, I couldn't agree with you more on the GM issue. Outside of a Vette, which I'll never be able to afford, I can't think of any GM product that would be even a remote contender if I were actually looking to buy something in the near future. Several of their new models look sharp, but that's not enough to swing me. I traded again a few months ago. I had an 07 Civic EX and believe it or not, I traded it for an 06 Explorer XLT with leather. The size of the civic was a major issue. I kept banging my knee getting in and out of it. Also the gas mileage was disappointing. Early on I got really good mpg on the highway, but the longer I had the car the worse the numbers got. Interestingly, I think it's actually costing me less to drive the Explorer. Insurance is A LOT cheaper, and I was able to get rid of a 94 Explorer. To top it off, the 06 Explorer is actually getting great mileage for an SUV. I'm averaging better than 20 mpg per tank! And who would have ever dreamed that gas would be back down to $1.53 a gallon! 
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