A Horse With No Name

I can see your point, for some buyers it would really matter and others it wouldn't. Here in Ohio we have the Nazi Freeway patrol, otherwise known as the Ohio State Highway Patrol. We have some of the highest speeding fines in the nation so the Astra would do just fine here in nice flat Ohio. In the hills of the bay area where you live O.C., methinks it would be entirely different. BTW, I've also driven the Rabbit. Biggest difference between the two cars IMHO is that the Rabbit has a nicer dashboard and the manual in the Rabbit shifts more smoothly. The Astra on the other hand has On-Star. Biggest downside to astra IMHO is that the cabin is a little dark and only available in Charcoal as a color...the car can feel a little cavelike, which is what my daughters (ages 7, 12, and 17) didn't like about the Astra. We just really need to be happy that there are so many cool small cars in the market right now. Oh, and when she drove them back to back my wife liked the Astra better than the Rabbit. Chris

...exactly...the winding backroads of eastern Ohio would be a PERFECT place to drive an Astra. Besides, what's the point of this whole thing? I've driven an Astra on the interstate and it had plenty of power to pass and a great ride to boot. GM needs to promote this little beauty and get some of them out the door and into peoples hands. This car is so good that it should sell by word of mouth. Chris

Sad thing is that they have so much cash/profit on hand they probably won't even care. Chris

I'll enjoy both of the tacos you provided while cruising around in my Toyota, thank you... Seriously, I don't think it is the rank and file of Unions that I am so pissed at. It is the whole combative attitude of the car industry. My former neighbor was a labor negotiator for GM/Chevrolet for many years, served out the rest of his time at the Tonawanda Plant after he left Indiana. He had all kinds of tales of the crazy stuff that went on between the Union and GM. My Wife's grandfather's brother was a very good guy and a UAW memeber...who just passed away at the age of 75 after putting in 33 years on the line at Ford. I don't begrude an Honest days pay for an Honest days work...it's just the stupidity and the combativeness that bother me. That needs to stop. Until then, it'll be an Astra, a Mexican built HHR, or an austrailian built G8 for me please. Chris

Camry isn't a bad car, but there are better midsized cars. Chris

Your starting to make me see the light and the error of my ways, Reverend DF, and I am starting to think the Avenger really is a decent product. Chris

Some cars do hold very good resale value, esp. small cars with the price of Gas. Try to buy a MINI, Mazda 3, a Cobalt or G5 for ten grand less than list...you'll be buying a 5 year old car with 80k. You can pay cash for a new car...but gap insurance at $500-$1000 isn't always a good deal. Chris

Get some books from the Library on budgeting, go out to eat at a cheap resteraunt where the two of you can be alone for 2-3 hours at a booth and agree to hammer out a budget. Set up everything on auto-withdrawl so you have no late fees. Use cash for all budget items (groc, clothes, etc.) so you don't overspend. Buy everything you can used (thrift stores are great) and limit going out to eat. Get in the habbit of living simply. This has worked for the Mrs. and I, and we have $1000 on the credit card I'm paying off this month, a small car loan, and a mortagae and that's it...with 5 kids. You can do it, the important part is to hammer things out together and agree to things. Also, give yourselves some spending money because if you have no spending $ your going to cheat on your budget. Chris

Look at how well MINI, Mazda, Toyota, Honda, and even GM and Ford are doing selling small cars here. yes, economic conditions are part of it, but there are a lot of us who would buy small cars even if Gas was 79 cents a gallon. Look at how well the Corvair, (before Nader) Falcon, and others did in America back in the 1960's. IIRC, Volkswagen sold more Beetles in 1968 than Chevy did Camaros or Ford did Mustangs, and in 1968 gas was what, 29 cents a gallon? The Astra has plenty of power for most people, and the suspension on the car is great. Reg, I admire your posts/agree with you on a lot of things but I think your bias towards fullsize and midsize cars and moderate sized SUV's is blinding you to some of the Astra's atributes. Chris

I would agree...and I'm also waiting for the new Camaro. While I OBVIUOUSLY like Mustangs, I think the Camaro will trump them both. Chris

Or of how the big three do so well without Unions in Mexico. I'll buy an American car built in America when the last UAW worker is laid off or fired...until that good luck. Chris

Sorry to hear about your family issues, and good luck with the G5 Chris

Depends on the weight of the car too. An MGB probably makes about 70 Horse and would do fine, but they weigh what, 2000 lbs max? Chris

Perhaps GM will come out with a 4WD Astra with "boggers" for use on michigan roads... Chris

Exactly! I want so badly to see some pics with the rims or whatever else you do to her... Chris

That would make a very nice car for Ford. Chris

They'll drop the prices ten large on Lexus when gas hits $6.50 a gallon... Chris

A flower car would be cool also...I have an interest in funeral vehicles. Chris

This car reminds me of a Chevy I almost bought...IIRC it was a "Laguna" with a sloped nose. Anybody remember those? Also, the swivel buckets in those cars were just the Cat's Ass. Those were great cars for double dates back in the day...they would hold two couples quite well IIRC. Chris

Not just yes but Hell yes! Chris

Keep us posted...I really hope you get that car. Also, sorry for my gas mileage comment. What I meant to say was that I've done better than 24 in several vehicles, you should do an easy 27-28 in that G5 I think. Whatever you end up doing...Good luck dude! Chris

If I could tell you happy birthday in Spanish, I would...but you'll have to settle for english... Happy Birthday! Chris

Hell, I'd settle for a 69 El-Camino... Chris

The funny thing is that the real Japanese performance guys laugh at these guys as much as we do. Chris

I have a whole lot of respect for the guys in the SCCA and NASA that actually race Civics. In the NASA championships at Mid-Ohio, the Honda Challenge H1 Civics and integras were actually FASTER around Mid Ohio than the Camaro-Mustang challenge V-8 cars. But as for the ricers... It is funny the number of guys that will turn tail and run with a ricer when anything faster rolls around. The ricer boys run away and hide when my buddy Dave and I cruise around in his SVT Focus. A SS Superchanged/Turbocharged Cobalt for about 16 large used would eat that thing for lunch and $h! sushi out its tailpipe. Chris