Lamar

There's a stall, which is easy to manage... ... and then there's an unexpected steering wheel lock while driving. At that point, stalling is the least of one's concerns. Show me a source that claims the steering wheel locked. I haven't seen it. This is about the key either being loose and the car "falling out" of run or the driver bumping the key and knocking the key out of 'run'... but in either case, turning the key from run to acc to lock is not easy to do by bumping it. All the articles I've seen only mention the car stalling, not locking the steering... and then the airbag not functioning on impact. <snip> If the ignition switch moves out of "run" in any car -- which is exactly what's happening with these vehicles -- the steering wheel locks subsequently. You don't need a news report for that.

There's a stall, which is easy to manage... ... and then there's an unexpected steering wheel lock while driving. At that point, stalling is the least of one's concerns.

75 grand for a trim package? That would actually outdo the Germans and their M Sport, AMG Design, and S line. :-P The GT-R is a purpose-built computer on wheels, not a supersedan. I could probably get great timeslips with it.

That will be interesting. I figure the CTS will be in the mid 3s 0-60 (the older, ostensibly heavier model was clocked at 3.9s). Also, don't count on the exact same interior. Also, LOL @ the GS F Sport trim level. Lexus should be ashamed of themselves. (The GS350 F Sport has an 8AT in RWD guise and 6AT when AWD)

But GM only made $3.8 billion in profit in 2013, while Daimler made $12 billion. Mercedes-Benz cars division alone made $1.9 billion in profit in 4th quarter 2013, while all of GM made $913 million. If GMC is such a profit machine, and Cadillac is about making money and Buick is so hot in China, where is the money going that Mercedes car division alone can out earn all of them plus Chevy. Price out the least expensive GM vehicle. Price out the least expensive Mercedes vehicle. Report back on your findings. Again, "Cadillac needs to do what X brand is doing so that they can be like X in order to fully compete with X." Maybe Cadillac should also offer their base models with cloth interiors and 16" wheels in some markets so that the really kitted-up models they sell can be pure profit generators. So anyway, the CTS-V... AWD was also mentioned here. How many supersedans offer AWD in this segment? (Audi doesn't count)

"Mercedes/BMW has X, so Cadillac also needs X in order to compete." You do say that quite a bit... implicitly, if not explicitly.

That's a lot of ifs for potential buyers in this segment. Big ifs, in fact.

Base Yukon starts at $47k per GMC's website. A similarly-equipped Sierra Crew Cab runs about $42k.

I'm gonna stick with more recent history since I'm on the younger side. :-P Best: Buick - GNX Cadillac - 2nd-gen CTS-V (to date) Chevrolet - Corvette (pick one) GMC - Any of the Denali models Oldsmobile - Aurora Pontiac - A big part of me wants to say G8 GXP Saturn - Aura or 2nd-gen Vue Worst: Buick - Terraza Cadillac - Do I need to say it? Chevrolet - Chevette or 1st-gen Aveo GMC - Envoy XUV Oldsmobile - The last Cutlass Pontiac - 2nd-gen Montana Saturn - Relay

I look forward to many happy miles, dfelt. And hopefully no speeding tickets. Thanks for the anecdotal experience with the air ride. I'll keep an eye on mine, but threat level has been reduced to "low."

Thanks, guys. Elegance with a touch of EXCITEMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! is what I'll call it.

Fewer people are 6'6" than are 5'8".

Pics as promised: (ETA: that's no ghost; my wife is in the driver's seat checking things out)

Thanks, 'blu. I'll keep an eye on that. It seemed fine when I test-drove it (on a cold day, no less). I may do a preventive mod later depending on how I feel. Pics Monday when I get it.

102k.

Yeah, well, I had to reevaluate some things. 7 seats would have been great, but we don't need that many at the moment. We'll replace my wife's car with a 7-seater when our third child materializes in a few years. Plus, $6999 was way too good a deal to pass up.

Bumping to update. Yesterday, I signed the papers on a 2005 Buick Rainier V8. Maroon, and almost every option. I'll get pics of it after I pick it up on Monday.

Oh, well, shoot. Still though...

They deliver to your home. No need to be near a dealer. Even service is done on the back of a trailer. They give you a loaner while your car is trucked away. They must make a killing delivering from Marietta to Athens, then.

I promise you guys, I cannot tell a Tesla Model S from a Jaguar XF anymore. Every car that I think is the XF is actually the Model S. The nearest Tesla dealer to here is 1 1/2 hours away and they're a niche brand, so I'm surprised to have seen so many.

I believe so. I don't remember which one it was though... maybe Operation Repo in its early days.

Seems like the 4.7 is doing the heavy lifting across the brand, with the 5.5 being AMG-exclusive. Could the 4.0 also be AMG-exclusive -- and destined for the smaller vehicles like the SLK in addition to the C? Also, why does the E-Class get a 4.6 where every other model gets a 4.7? Regarding the Caddy, the LF3 in the CTS Vsport is around -1/-2 MPG off the turbo/blown sixes that the 7, A8, and XJ use. I might see them use the LFX as it is as a base engine if they can gear/tune it properly. Then above that they can use the LF3 and then the LT1. And then the LT4 if they're feeling feisty.

My wife and I both said that once the spring semester (aka the new year) began, we'd both be back in the gym. It was hard to get that time in when our son was born. I haven't really focused on losing weight, which might be a good thing. I mainly go to the gym to stay active and keep my strength up. Pounds will come off in time.