That's another issue we never brought up. The manual transmissions I've driven in American-made cars have always been harder to shift than foreign cars. I don't know why.

I can tell you there is often a hesistation with the automatic and 2.2L engine. It doesn't want to downshift fast enough to accelerate quickly. I make certain to get the rpms up before passing a car on a two-lane road.

But, I still prefer a manual transmission. There's very few of us left who can drive a stick! I drove many small cars with a stick in St Louis winters and never had trouble getting through the snow. They were all rear wheel drive. You can't do that with an automatic. Yes, front wheel drive will help, but how much?

 

That's what the "I" transmission position is for. I get it in the power band beforehand if I know I'm going to pass someone. I've been driving sticks for over 20 years, but decided to get the automatic this time, for a couple of reasons: crawling traffic pace and to be able to tow. Also, as far as automatics go, I find that GM transmissions are top notch.
Old habits are hard to get rid of: I still tend to shift it to neutral if I'm on a flat road and I know that I'm going to sit there for a while (long traffic light and such).

Yves

 

With more and more people having cell phones and using them while driving, it has caused an increase in the interest of purchasing an automatic. That's all going to change soon. I heard somewhere that starting June 2008, a nation wide law will pass, stating that you'll have to use a hands-free device to talk on the phone.

 

What do they want how will people talk, eat read, and put on make-up while driving anymore. <grin>

 

The "option" packages were marked as they list them. They have a option listing for 2LT along with just the LT. There is not more additonal information you can add. Days off? They were listed the same day so the data is drawn from the same source.

 

Bluetooth my friend..... I don't touch my phone in the car. Don't need to.

 

This is what I'm telling you from the perspective of someone who was in the business: Kelly Blue Book does not actually consider the difference between a 2LT and 1LT because there is no difference between the two at auction. I know, I know, there's a selection for 1LT or 2LT, but it makes NO difference.

Also, their prices are about 60 days off from real-world wholesale and sale prices. KBB does NOT buy or sell cars and they can only go off reports that are provided and/or estimated from specific regions over a 60 day period. That's REGIONS. A car may be worth more in Chicago than it is in St. Louis, but you'd never know it because KBB doesn't actually report for the individual zip codes like you put in, only a general area of the country.

 

If KBB is off 60 days for one model, then KBB is off 60 days for all models when looking up in same day. I believe this is solman's point here.

 

I also deal in auctions. We sell roughly 200 vehicles a month from our customer turn-in's We use Black Book. I also know that what sells at auction is way off what KBB uses. KBB is generous compared to auctions. Lot's and lot's of cars lots buy our cars to sell. Auction prices are generally a lot lower than retail in any form. KBB (or NADA if you prefer) can give anyone a good estimate of their vehciles worth. Yes a car in SC will value different than a car in Cali. Depending on the vehicle, will value different at various times of the year. But if you go to sell or especially trade in (always a bad idea IMO). You better know those numbers as a referance. Cause you will be extremely lucky to get more that what is listed there, but there is a sucker born every minute. Options and mods are only worth what the next buyer is willing to pay for them. And they are not going to pay more than what it lists for by KBB or NADA. That is the resource they have. That is what they will use.

And going off the "60 days". That means it is actually worth less than the listing.

 

For the first time in my life I went into a Chevy dealer to buy a new car. I am 59 and always buy new. Imagine my surprise when the dealer tells me that you cannot get the 2.4 with the 5 speed. Just not available anywhere.

The dealer tells me Chevy wants to sell more autos and will not make the combo available. I walked out and requested he inform Chevy that a customer walked because of the lack of a 5 speed with the 2.4.

I had heard that they were available for the 06 run but never saw one.

No wonder Chevy is stuck where it is.