To quote Steve...However, the government created a tremendous loophole in classifying minivans, pickups, and SUVs as trucks exempt from those regulations even if people use them as cars (the spirit of the law instead of the letter of the law). And everyone pays pretty much the same in road taxes whether they're pounding the roads with a three-ton-plus Lincoln Navigator or a one-ton Nissan Sentra. Everyone's insurance has gone up because of increased damage claims made by people in cars who've been hit by a truck or people who don't know how to drive trucks to begin with. There's nothing proportional about that................... Our government has really fumbled the ball here, and after so many years has yet to rectify this situation. I suspect they are trying to protect the remnants of the American auto industry.. I believe we should be far more united with Europe in protecting the environment - that their approach is more balanced and fair.. We have a government that responds too easily to the pressure groups rather than the people in general. The environmentalists and their supporters are probably the single strongest pressure group in Washington and many state capitols as well. I feel that national interests are more important; that we must no longer continue to be dependent on Islamic oil.. One of the solutions to this problem is the Diesel and a much higher standard for fuel economy...

The Malibu really does get great mileage. The 3.5 liter V6 is, as others have said, nearly as efficient as the 4-cylinder, and it has lots of power, too. This is proof that "high-tech" engines are not necessarily better. This 3.5 in the Malibu is a fairly old tech engine, it's an OHV design, doesn't have 4-valves per cylinder. But it performs very well and gets excellent mileage. Compare the mileage of the Malibu with this engine that the car magazines say is "old fashioned" to some of the newer design engines with overhead camshafts and more valves per cylinder. What do you see? The "high tech" engines produce comparable power out of small displacements than the Malibu's V6, so they have more horsepower per liter. Okay, but then look at performance and fuel economy, and you see that the bigger engine is no less efficient than the high-revving little one. Plus the bigger one will probably last longer because it doesn't have to be run so hard to produce its power, and as a side bonus there's no timing belt to break and strand you in the middle of nowhere.

I don't know if you found out what was causing the vibration or not.I would like to say that I have owned about 4 Ford Escorts and they all seem to do this especially when the compressor is on.I always had my cars serviced on a regular basis and nothing was ever found to be wrong.Right now I have a 1997 Ford Escort that I bought with 48k miles on it.The hood rattles when the car is idling or sitting still.I had a shop check it and couldn't find anything.It drives me nuts.

To those searching for more on the Toyota engine oil sludge or gel matter, please see the following links: http://www.toyotaoilgel.com http://www.uc2.blogspot.com http://www.autosafety.org Follow "toyotasludge" on Twitter.com Watch the Toyota Sludge video on YouTube.com at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs7WI2s-CVw If you have blue/white smoke from the exhaust, especially on start up; check engine light on; excess oil consumption or sudden disappearance of engine oil; failed emissions control components such as the oxygen sensor or catalytic converter; a thrown engine piston rod; or complete engine failure, then be on alert! Notify Toyota via CERTIFED letter with return receipt requested about your problem and ask for full repair coverage under Toyotas Customer Support Program for Engine Oil Gelation. Speak up loudly online if Toyota refuses to honor this program or continues to blame you in the wake of proper vehicle maintenance. If Toyota is totally unresponsive in the wake of a failed engine due to engine oil sludge build up, consider going to the following web sites to voice your concern: http://www.ConsumerAffairs.com http://www.RipOffReport.com Regardless of the Toyota response, be sure to file online vehicle owner complaints at: http://www.autosafety.org The Center for Auto Safety http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/ The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Just to make it clear, the Toyota engine oil sludge problemthe one that has attracted so many defamers to follow me around the internetis STILL a problem. There are many later model Toyota models showing signs of the same problem. What is worse, Toyota owners are reporting continued deception at Toyota and Toyota dealerships. Far too many Toyota owners are being told they do not qualify for the CSP repair cost coverage for one reason or another. Still other Toyota model owners who have sludged engines are being asked to pay thousands in repair costs despite proper vehicle maintenance. This is wrong! Toyota Owners Unite for Resolution Charlene Blake cblake@erols.com charleneblake@cox.net