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Comments
All thought I still don't thing GM is on par with Toyota, Honda, or Ford for that matter, the fact is that three decades of shoddy quality has scared consumers from GM and Chrysler's products. Maybe if they had made the current Malibu five years ago GM could sell a few more Malibus now. And lets face it the previous Malibu could not hold a candle to the previous Accord.
Even if you put huge tariff on foreign brands, GM would have made shottier cars; driving more consumers to foreign brads.
Do you want US consumers to only be able to buy GM, Ford, and Chrysler? Is that your solution?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123841609048669495.html
The mistakes GM has made in the past explain why they are $60B in debt right now. It explains why they have lost $82B over the past 4 years. It explains why they have lost 50% market share over the past decade. It explains why their cars while good still lag behind Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and now Hyundai. You can point out the Malibu, CTS, Acadia, Corvette but they still have dogs like the G6, Cobalt, Aveo, Trailblazer, etc. And in recent memory the Ion, Relay, Uplander, Grand Prix, etc.
I agree about the "made in China" at Walmart but are you prepared to pay double or possibly triple the price? Our high labor costs drove business out of the country. Ask Ford why they are building more of their cars in Mexico and not the US.
If there is a compact American car that is as good as the Civic, please show me.
You have just entered...the GM PR zone.
What's so great? The Malibu is average, which might be great compared to most of what GM offers. The CTS is good, again putting it miles ahead of the typical GM garbage. If GM suddenly improving to mediocre is reason enough to bring out the marching bands then GM really DOES live in the Twilight Zone.
Good prices...for GM maybe. Rotten when you compare what you get for the same price from Ford or Mazda or Nissan. Yes, we all know Honda and Toyota surcharge and charge extra. Interesting that people seem to be willing to pay that price premium for their products...should tell one something.
And GM's warranty is great compared to who? Hyundai's warranty is better. Heck, CHRYSLER'S is better, you want to see whos is...uhh, longer...heh. :shades: Just by that we can tell that the best warranty doesn't make the best car company, can't we?
You continue to make unsubstantiated statements...hope you don't mind if I point that out. GM's mistakes matter because they go toward either building or undermining reputation (building bad, undermining good). GM has not yet done enough to counter what it has done to undermine its own reputation. And it's running out of time to do so...they started too late.
Ford's best decision till date was to put Mazda in charge of platform design for small and mid-size cars. Ford USA retained design of large and SUV.
The Fusion, Milan, Zephyr, Edge, CX-9 are all built on the Mazda6 platform which was released in 2003. Awesome platform.
IIRC, Automotive magazines quoted something to this effect "Master to learn from Student" to describe the phenomenon.
Sorry, I don't call a company whose vehicles are still below the average mark great engineering.
The Japanese and Koreans are targeting their competition for extinction.
There's a defeatist attitude. Not one that got us to be great in this country. A little competition wants to be excellent and let's complain? Or how about just COMPETING?
Even those don't hold up to the reviews of the public.
2008 Sales Figures:
Honda Accord: 372,789
Toyota Camry: 436,617
Chevy Crapibu: 178,253 (in a new design year)
There are many reasons but it is what it is.
There is only one way to moderate the global auto market with the US being part of the plan...fix whats broken NOW and grow a new industry fast with marketable products that are DESIREABLE.
Regards,
OW
There is nothing made in the USA that even comes close. Period, THE END.
Regards,
OW
Either way, the past is gone and the future is right in front of us now.
Looking forward to a new USA Auto Industry coming to a theater near you!
Regards,
OW
Come on, does any kid grow up aspiring to own a Camry or Accord, or is that what he chooses when he lets his dreams die and lets some aging irrelevent bitter ex-hippie at Communist Reports who still has issues with his now deceased father who drove a Cadillac make his choice for him? I LOVED IT when Kevin Spacey's character in "American Beauty" grew a pair and ditched the Camry for a hot 1970 Firebird!
Heck, when I was a kid, I wanted a Cadillac, and by God, I did it!
Easy there...come see this nice padded room that I have for you. You're obviously a victim of a nervous breakdown. Nice cars??? Compared to a 70s Ford Pinto MAYBE. Each one is near the bottom of its respective category (if it wasn't for the Caliber, the Cobalt would be AT the bottom). The only thing the SS has going for it is horses and a suspension tweak that gives it the handling that a regular Focus or Mazda3 already has.
Last time, when I checked GM had nothing equal to audi A5. And what about service, could I get free loaner when I drop a car for oil change at the morning?
Why? Oh yeah, your dream cars are couches with wheels. :shades:
Personally, I prefer the Fusion and Altima, but I'd consider an Accord.
As for the Cobalt, it falls far short of the Sentra, Civic, Impreza, Corrola, the Hyundai, even Focus.
Speaking of Cadillac, let's see what models last through the new Government AXE.
Regards,
OW
On the Aveo, I've rented a few on business trips, and although I wouldn't want to own one, they were pleasant cars to drive, and seem to hold up to the rigors of rental use.
As to the purpose of this forum, I firmly believe Ford will be the winner when all is said and done. Bill Ford was smart enough to realize that they needed "to bet the farm" a couple of years ago, and bring in a proven CEO from Boeing. Ford has excellent European models, and once they finish revamping their domestic offerings, they will be well-situated to weather the storm.
So why didn't you give your mom the $ to buy a Buick from those saints? since you have $ for a caddy, and want to help GM and the U.S. factories.
Her previous car was a 1987 Dodge Omni. If the Aveo is last rated, heck last place isn't that bad these days.
You're right there! Almost anything's a step up.
I'm not enough of an arrogant jerk to drive a BMW 7-Series.
I still have a soul and a personality, so a Lexus LS460 is out.
The lack of an available V-8 keeps me away from a Lincoln MKS.
The Infiniti M45 is too weird.
Too bad Mercedes still doesn't build the W126 generation S-Class.
Mom loved that Omni. You'd think she was driving a Bentley by the way she would praise that homely little Dodge. Actually, despite being such an ultra-cheap car, the Omni was pretty good. My parents live in NE Pennsylvania and they have some pretty nasty winters. That Omni would effortless traverse snow-covered streets that many SUVs couldn't handle.
So... no can do on a new FIT? .... how about a 1-3 year old FIT?? There is even one guy floating around the VW TDI forums who wanted to trade in/sell his new 09 FIT !!?? .... Over an Aveo!? That would be a no brainer to me. OK want to stay American? GM's Buick has even aced out the Lexus moniker in JD Powers car satisfaction surveys.
Wiki: "It is available as both a coupe and sedan and is based upon the GM Delta platform also shared with the Chevrolet HHR, Pontiac G5, Astra (Opel, Vauxhall, Holden, and Saturn marques), and the Opel Zafira (a seven seat MPV). "
That's a long way from Daewoo! :P
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Or better yet, buy American and wait for the Ford Fiesta if a Focus is too big. Since the Aveo isn't actually an American car (it's a Daewoo...it's Korean).
Unfortunately my Mother passed away, she loved Honda's. I personally wish I could buy her one now.
As for car dealers being sharks, aren't they all sharks. Maybe you have more leverage with Chevy? One thing is for sure, if you UAW they love ya. Ask Rocky.
No more Hummer, Pontiac, and Saturn. Good riddens.
Maybe they are Eagles Fans at least?
Since before I was born my mother would drive midsize or large domestic cars, sometimes with dubious quality. She's now jumped ship to Toyota.
I don't think an Aveo is a horrible car per se. It's just that it doesn't do any one thing particularly outstanding. There are cars in that class with better performance, better handling, better fuel economy, better build quality, better safety scores, etc. But it's an okay car at a low price point. Heck, I was actually impressed with that interior dress-up option that gives you the leatherette!
And as for safety, I'm sure it's a heckuva a lot safer than an '87 Omni! I'm sure even the worst small car today is safer than the best small car from 1987.
Just remember that per Rocky, he's a great CEO. :P