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STORY LINE: Road Test’s …Barrett Jackson syndrome …New Orleans FLOOD CARS

Road tests/road trips of almost any kind of automobile/vehicle is always fun and typically my kind of entertainment. Whether it’s a 1929 Whippet (owned one) or a Corvette Z06 (currently) it’s a blast. The pleasures of writing about the car and sharing with a reader audience – let alone showing up at car venues and looking good – and the main objective of learning, feeling what the automobile is that I am currently doing … it don’t plain don’t get no better.

ROAD TEST’s. I only ‘test’ performance, luxury performance and sometimes the weird.

A 2006 Buick Lucerne CXL powered by the Cadillac Northstar 4.6 DOHC-V8 garnered my attentions basically from the ads I viewed on television commercials. I also and first saw the car at the NAIAS Cobo in January and thought, yep, this is one for the list of to do’s. Nice car, 36K sticker … as quiet as a church cat in hunting mode for the church mouse, and as quick as the cat in full on mode snapping up that losing church mouse. I liked the Buick Lucerne NORTHSTAR-V8. Visual inspection won’t tell you the Buick is a V8 unless you recognize those portals on the front fenders; the Northstar-V8 has four on each side while the V6 shows three on each side. ‘Nuff said, the Buick V8-it is a bullet. Front wheel drive 4-speed automatic with console shift, 4-wheel independent suspension and all the typical accoutrements of a fine luxury car. Ming Blue Metallic exterior/Cashmere leather interior trim bucket seating-very comfortable and quietly elegant. I drove this high performance luxury touring car in all kinds of roads and conditions; dry, wet, bumpy, dirt … and found a shortcoming only on truck tire ridged two lane heavy rain puddled black top. The Continental tires, mounted on 17-inch chrome wheels, did not like this particular H20 road play and caused hydroplaning … other than that condition, I would seriously consider the Buick Lucerne Northstar-V8 as a daily driver personal car. It is a real sleeper, and luxurious. Who cares about heated windshield washer fluid … butt, I loved those air conditioned seats.

I have owned some 30 Cadillac automobiles over the years of my love life with the automobile and the Cadillac simply ranks as one of my all time favorites. Even mom admits to the fact that my first word was … Cadillac. Escalade??? What? A Cadillac truck. Say what you will, but for me the Lincoln truck is a badge engineered Ford and the Cadillac Escalade is a badge engineered Chevrolet or GMC. Just got more ‘stuph’ on it to break, or not break as they are supposed to be that good. But, there is folks out in car land that must have the perceived best; Cadillac, Lincoln, Porsche, Mercedes, Lexus … trucks. It is a marketing fact of life in these times. Had the 2007 Cadillac Escalade-and lauded as “The Worlds Most Powerful 7 Passenger Full Size Sport Utility”. Powered by the 403 ponied variable valve timing alloy 6.2 liter VORTEC-V8, yes, 403 horsepower… that above statement as of the moment is all true. Backed by the Generals new 6-speed automatic with manual mode controls for the manual shift players, Bose surround sound, 18-inch chromed wheels … and a variable plethora of buttons and things that the Escalade can do for you, like the morning television news it’s information overload for me. This is one really big vehicle capable of hauling the mail anywhere and anytime with pure luxury in mind. At a bit over 61 thou rupies, big money … and if I could use this Cadillac as an address I would probably own one. But it IS a Cadillac. Or is it really a GMC. No complaints though, and I love the butt air conditioned seats. Cool is cool.

THE Old Car Market since Barrett-Jackson has really heated up as I sure have noticed a whole lot more people, wanting updated appraisals and/or wanting an appraisal to mimmick what they see on the boob tube. Granny Frickets pic-A-door 1965 Plymouth 318 poly head Belvedere just ain’t in the same financial territory as a Galen Govier documented Plymouth Superbird HEMI. A word to the wise is to make sure your car is properly insured, not over-insured. And if someone states or tells you your car is stratosphere worth X amount of dollars-like way beyond or above what you think is real … ask ‘em if they will sign the purchase check and become the new owner. You can then go get another one to sell ‘em. Remember, an insurance company will likely arbitrate a loss as to proof of a true value, positive proof is your job as the car owner.

NEW ORLEANS flood cars are showing up elsewhere, and as suspected like in your area and mine. Ever been in a dirty bathtub, a pool with ‘tootsie rolls’ in it … or tasted bad beer. Be aware, these flood cars are more dangerous than you may think as they contain dried amounts of living breathing sediment full of possible disease carrying bacteria, you just cannot see it, but you will likely feel it over a period of time if you sadly own one of these rollerized trash pits. National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and Carfax both have a special search engine for discovery of the tainted VIN automobiles. Be it as new car or a collector type vehicle … buyer beware.

A gas saving tip … stay in the right lane and leave the faster left lane to the faster drivers.

In every opportunity there is likely a problem, and … in every problem there is likely an opportunity.