The Lounge

Have a good one sir

Let's stuff this turkey FULL of Autumn Car Spots!

I hardly recognize the place - so much has changed. It is looking like at least one of my projects will be back in gear very soon, and I can't do a project without updating the appropriate thread with a blow-by-blow of the work and lots of pics. So I will be around starting pretty soon. It will not be right away, since I will have to switch-over to a new computer ( this one really doesn't function on C&G). Also, I need to get my camera back up and running first. That said, look for me to be showing up here more often in the near future.

You bring us news! And you're learning to drive stickshift! We appreciate you, sir! I hope you've had a good one so far.

Hi from Boulder Colorado.

This morning on MSN / MotorTrend they had the story "15 optional enginese worth buying"! http://editorial.autos.msn.com/15-optional-engines-worth-buying?icid=autos_5982 The end result was the following list: Audi A6 - Upgrade to the TDI V6 Buick Regal - Upgrade to the Turbo I4 {they state this is German Entry Lux alternative worth the money} Ford Fiesta - Upgrade to Ecoboost Turbo I3 Jaguar F-Type - Upgrade to Supercharged V8 from Supercharged V6 Kia Optima - Upgrade to Turbo I4 Subaru Impreza - Upgrade to WRX VW Golf - Upgrade to the GTI Jeep Grand Cherokee - Upgrade to 3L EcoDiesel V6 over regular V6 Mazda CX-5 - Upgrade to Skyactiv 2.5L I4 Lexus IS…

Here we go, descending into darkness for a long winter's nap, but before we turn on our headlights, let's get out there and see what we can see, there's a lot of cruising time left. Post your interesting, unusual, or really cool vehicular spots right here.

Saw this story on MSN Auto's this morning. Most Improved cars of the last 10 years. Pretty interesting. http://editorial.autos.msn.com/most-improved-cars-of-the-last-10-years?icid=autos_5852#1 MSN Auto's list the top 3 as follows: Chrsyler 200 Kia Rio Kia Optima This is followed by Hyundia Accent Jeep Grand Cherokee Chevrolet Cruze Chevrolet Impala Dodge Dart Chevrolet Colorado Cadillac CTS Aston Martin Vanquish Tesla Model S Honda Civic Nissan Altima Chevrolet Camero So what do you think are the most improved auto's of the last 10 years?

Have an excellent one, playing in the FL!

I don't know about you, but this summer blasted by me like a ZR1. Post your interesting and unusual vehicle spots right here, and enjoy what we have left of summer!

So my Escalade rear tail gate would not open. Suspect the electronic switch failed. I wish they still had key access as I had to climb over to unload my stuff I had loaded into the Escalade yesterday when I got home. Took it in and they gave me a new 2014 CTS4 2.0T to drive. Initial reactions: Car is great in Touring mode, more responsive in Sport mode but also more noticeable turbo lag. Love the center stack with touch screen very intuitive and easy to use. Lower portion that opens and shows the hidden storage / charging bay was noisy. Surprised for a new auto with only 2500 miles on it. Rest of the leather, fit and finish was really nice. Enjoyed the Pad…

My wife's 'ex'-car is an '03 Pontiac GP SE. 3.1L. We bought it in '05 with 29K for $13K. When she upgraded to a new '09 Malibu 2LT, we debated selling the GP, but held onto it as an errand/spare car. My older son got his license in early '11. This year he's been working 5 days/wk & driving the GP. He also has an active social schedule. I believe it has right about 139K on it. It has really been an excellent car as far as reliability goes. Batteries, tires, brakes, and I did the A/C condenser & compressor last spring. Other than the radio LED window being blank, it's been trouble free and money well spent, IMO. Last night my son accidentally ran into t…

ford is selling a boat load of ST models, and I the Abarth is selling well. IIRC Opel has stuff that could be brought over. Would love to see a small Buick actually has a MINI fighter. I love the Encore, but a hot hatch in premium guise would be great!

Have a good one sir, in your stately car.

Jordan Haskins is not going quietly into the night. After some soul-searching, the Saginaw native busted multiple times for breaking into government vehicles and masturbating inside them is re-entering the race to fill a state House seat. Haskins, a 24-year-old Republican, entered the race to become a Michigan state representative to fill a state seat, but his arrest record for numerous "cranking" incidents came to the surface immediately after he put his name in the hat. Let's revisit what cranking is: "Jordan would remove the spark plug wires and sit in the car and masturbate while the motor was sparking and making noises," the police report states. …

Name three places you would love to travel to by car and have never gone to. Me Montreal New Orleans Rural Maine, along the coast.

Now that gas prices are down, the number one, two, and three wealth creates, F150, Ram, and Silverado are propping up the American auto industry and by extension propping up Opel in Europe which is a 20 billion dollar black hole. What honestly happens when the price of gas goes back up to $148 a barrel?

With hybrids like the 918 taking up so much attention, the question is....will Chevy make the C8 Corvette a performance hybrid?

Summer's in full swing! Maybe there's a Dart Swinger out there on the road. Time to go boating? Oooo... maybe a sweet Corvette! Whatever cool and unusual vehicles you see through your sunglasses, post 'em up in here!

Interesting but in looking through the MSN auto section, they had this video by Inside Cars where they show some cool things like Tesla battery swap process, but better yet, is that Consumer Reports who has been Anti-American on Auto's supposedly just gave Ram Trucks the coveted Recommended Buy over Ford or Toyota Trucks. They also Recommend Chevy Impala as the best buy in America. http://video.msn.com?vid=59096624-a012-4c38-3f3e-8fa37f94c12f&mkt=en-us&src=CPSmall:shareBar:permalink:search_usage&from=cp^en-us So what do you think?

I'm back to looking at trucks for myself and the used vehicle pricing is insane. 2011 F-150 Ecoboost Supercab, leather, no nav, no-sunroof, 4x4... 63k miles ... $35,000 2013 Tacoma Double Cab, 2wd, V6, cloth seats, no sun-roof, rollin on 16s... 35k miles, $32,599 2010 Canyon Crew Cab, 64k miles, cloth seats, no sun-roof, $23,077 And these are their "no haggle" prices.... I'll have whatever they're smoking....

Let's take a minute to wish 3 long time members a Happy Birthday. Take 'er easy, guys!

Malaysian Airlines Plane Shot Down over Ukraine Two planes have been shot down this week in the conflict, what isn't this a no-fly zone for commercial airliners?? Such a sad loss of life.

sorry if there is another thread for this ....? Playing house canada's navy

June... wow, it came fast. People are itching to get their cool and unusual vehicles out of mothballs and onto the streets! See how many you can catch, and post 'em here!

Are these the most boring cars you can own? G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy www.CheersandGears.com MSN posted a story today about the most boring cars money can buy and one common point was the lack of driving excitement and what you got for the price. Interesting is that many of these autos are also considered to be rental fleet dumps. The other clear point being made is that they are not haters of hybrids, but of the CVT transmission that makes the driving a bore. Their list starts off with number one; Mitsubishi Mirage Toyota Prius Volkswagen Jetta Mitsubishi Lancer Honda Civic Hybrid Nissan Altima Chevrolet Tahoe Acura ILX Buick LaCrosse Nissan LE…

Not a good way to end the week, this. On Friday I was on my way home from picking up some lunch before I had to go to work. Car up ahead was stopped waiting to turn left. I stopped and a Neon behind me stopped. Some ass clown in a Mountaineer didn't notice and ran right into the neon, which ran into me. The neon apparently kept rolling until it came to rest across the street half way on the sidewalk. A mix of disbelief and extreme anger overcame me. The only thing I said to in the direction of the Mountaineer driver was "What the f*ck?! You hit my f*cking car!" Called the police, home, and work, and stayed by the car. if I had gone over to the Mountaineer owner i would…

Do any of you have trouble with sleep? Sleep has been a nightmare for me lately. I have a mattress that is only about 18 months old, but I still wake up with a sore back and stiff neck. Stress from work and life leave my mind racing. The bed issue has gotten to the point to where we have moved into sleeping in the guest bedroom a few nights a week. What do you do to deal with sleep issues?

Probably should ask this in the Buick forum, but why are Regalnsales so weak? The Mazda 6 is a fantastic car, yes...but Mazda 6 is outselling it by over two to one.

...in your opinion?

What do you see as unique about North America as a place to market cars? Why do some cars, which sell well elsewhere, like the Jag F type, rot on dealer lots here? And why do we sell cars like the KIA Soul like candy to a pedophile?

April is done... weather's warming up. Time to break out the sunglasses and spot some hot stuff! Post it here, your cool, or just unusual, vehicle spots.

Same as the old boss. I'll have better photos later down the road when the weather doesn't suck and I finish up my first round of mods.

Here's hoping the Polar Vortex becomes a distant memory. Spots should be springing up everywhere this month. Post yours here, if you please.

I am giving someone a gift...I'd like to include something special in the package... so I need you guys to help me find something. I need a high-res, desktop wallpaper worthy picture of a Toyota Camry or Corolla, beige preferably, in some elegant pose. Toyota PR pictures preferred. Lets see who can come up with the best "gag" for this gift!

My venerable BlackBerry is just not cutting it anymore, So I'd like to get something new. I'm not attached to one OS or brand, though I do find the Nokia 920 to be very compelling, as well as the Galaxy Note 2, But it doesn't matter, whether it's a Samsung, Motorola, Apple or HTC, I'm all ears. I'll be using this phone for a lot of live-tweeting, quick in-a-pinch photography for blogging/publishing and as a modem for my tablet and laptop. So LTE is a necessity as is good battery life (hard to get both, usually) What phones do C&G'ers use and why do they like them? Any recommendations?

Long story, short... I've moved. Anyone who follows me on Facebook will know, but I forgot to update everyone else here. No longer stuck in rural Pennsylvania, I'm now in Metro-Detroit, in the Novi/Wixom/Walled Lake area. Essentially, I'll be doing some freelance photography and I have a couple "jobs" lined up. After being here a week, I have to say that I should have moved here a long time ago. Beyond the added opportunities, there's simply so many things to do, places to go, and everything is just a hop, skip, and a jump away. In addition to that, my apartment complex has a great view and close to everything I like. Actually, no... The nearest Sheetz is 2.5 hours away, …

Hey guys, just wanted to pop in reql quick and give you some updates on my life as there are lots of changes recently. You guys saw that I got a new car a couple months ago, but I'm also changing addresses (staying in the same town though), I may have a new job on the horizon, and this past weekend I proposed to my girlfriend of 3 years. We're planning on getting married at some point during the summer of '15 Hope everybody else is doing well!

This is the Official Chat Thread. Here, we should be able to plan Chat Nights and such or let fellow members when you are or will be in the Chat Room. I figure this would be a good idea to hopefully bring some life to the usually boring Chat Room. Also to maybe bring the time that which everyone shows up down a bit. Staying up past midnight because that's when it's most active is getting old. Anyways, sticky please? I assume this is more important than the index of Camino's old rides... Oh and BTW, get in the Chat Room now! I'm in there... now! It's time to chat... now! NOW!

Have a good day, Walt... our Founding Father here at C&G. I hope you stop in and give us an update on things.

Hey there. I just figured I'd stop in and see what everybody was doing. It's a little slower around here (activity-wise) than it was last time I was here. I think the layout looks nicer...

To the one that tries his best to make sure everyone else's birthday is acknowledged here on C&G, ocnblu (aka Bill)!! I hope you have a fun-filled day crusing around in your new Duramax-equipped 2015 regular cab 2500 HD pickup!

As I browsed the various automotive news websites for my daily virtual reading, something hit me. It was a bit of deja-vu from looking over an image. I'm not certain, but it may have been an image of the Subaru WRX STi from the numerous first tests everyone published. Why it hit me now, I haven't the slightest clue. I started digging to find the source. Soon enough, I found what brought on this repetitive phenomenom. What started out as a couple vehicles here and there soon morphed into many. In fact, by the end, I was able to find hints of this design feature in nearly every manufacturer's lineup. All the big automotive names... like GM, Ford, Volkswagen, BMW, Toyota, Ho…

Your Marching orders: get out there and report back your cool or unusual vehicle sightings. Post them right here!

Well I hope Spring has you in its grips up there where you are. Get those mowers ready! Have a good one sir.

I just noticed your announcement. Good for you!

So with all the discussions that we have had about various engines and how the auto companies are pushing to standardize engine families across the world to address the tax's imposed on size, this made me wonder about why GM has never built a complete family of V engines based on the tough durable Corvette Push Rod V8. I admit I do not have the engineering chops to dig into the fine details and invite those here that do to share with us what they think the HP, Torque and Efficiency would be like on a family of Push rod V engines. This would include my desire to know if a V2 could work as a efficient engine for the Subcompact market? My thoughts Base line Corvette DI V8…

Take 'er easy!

So the Bonneville is in need of repairs and has numerous annoyances at the moment... much more than I'm willing to pay for. Plus, with two kids, I'm out of space when it comes to traveling. Ergo, I'm seriously looking to let it go and move into something bigger. As the thread title suggests, my budget is really low, to the tune of no more than $8000. Now I realize that most of the vehicles I look for in this price range will be high in miles, but there are some reasonable examples out there on a miles-per-year basis. So, fellow C&Gers, here's my short list in order of preference: 1) GMT360s, preferably with 7 seats. Pros: Not a weak engine in the bunch, space, …

Hey everyone, Just a quick question for you: If you had to think of the best name to describe people who like to modify and customize their cars and trucks what would it be? Tuners? Modders? Restylers? Or something else? I know this sounds like a joke (and I'm actually waiting to see the creativity of some of our forum members) but I have been giving this a lot of thought. Tuners make me immediately think of imports only, restylers make me think immediately of professionals and modders bring to mind something else entirely. SO, what do you call people who like to play with their cars?

Despite my user name and the title of the thread I really just wondered how many people are actually interested in customizing their interiors with dash kits, dash covers, colored LEDs, bezels, etc... Now, I am obviously in the business of catering to tuners, modders, enthusiasts what have you but the majority of people on the road, from you purists to your commuters, don't really seem to give a lick. Well, maybe they care about window tint but that is about the limit. So, what about you guys? Granted the audience here is a vastly different demographic than the general driving population, but I really respect the breadth, depth and passion of most of the users here so …

Look deep into my eyes... and post what you see.

I thought an interesting topic would be come up with the best car throughout history from the primary GM divisions, Chevy, Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, GMC, Oldsmobile. Saturn was pretty short lived, so not too many cars to choose from there. It should either be a game changer, or car way ahead of its time or maybe just best best car that brand ever made or that you want want to see return. I'll start with my nominations. Buick: 1987 GNX It is fast by today's standards, for 1987 it was insane, and menacing looking in black. Chevrolet: 1969 Camaro and 1963 split window Corvette Stingray. Cadillac: 1953 Eldorado GMC: 1937 to current Suburban/Yukon XL Since th…

Have a good one, sir. I hope you're enjoying that tropical Michigan weather right about now. Spring's coming!