This all happened because of greed allowed to go unchecked, as in the Nike example above.
Um, Nike provides many good paying jobs in this country. As a matter of fact, they are listed as one of Fortune's top companies to work for in the US and most of their employees are in the US. I think they subcontract most of the shoe manufacturing, so I have no idea how many are employed as sub-contractors. But for their actual employees, they pay well and provide great benefits. Nearly 70% of their sales are outside the US, so I don't expect them to make their shoes here.
As for the service vs. manufacturing debate, I don't know the answer to that, but those I know in the services field earn far more than those I know in manufacturing, so that answers where I'd rather be. Does that make me greedy?
I do think high tech / high value manufacturing is important and the US is competitive in that area. We make more than most realize, 2/3 of our trade deficit is due to oil. If we could keep that money home, how many more jobs could that money create?
Thats okay, you can live in denial. There are more comparisons were the Camaro loses I guess then when it wins. Frankly I don't care one way or the other. You can make excuses for its poor performance against the mustang all you want, again, I don't really care either way!
The proof is in all the links from VARIOUS different car magazines showing you the lose and why. Unless your going to deny and tell me that Car and Driver, Motor Trend, Road and Track, and Popular Mechanics don't know what they are talking about? I highly doubt it since they are the professionals in the car testing business!
The Challenger will play catch-up but the Mustang is the Top U.S. Bang for the Buck sports coupe. PERIOD, THE END!
Hyundai keeps shocking the automotive world and they ain't finished! A GM dealer is the absolute LAST PLACE on my shopping list in all categories. Why bother when the value is far better at Hyundai? I could see if it was the same Hyundai from 5-10 years ago...but it is not. They've passed GM on the escalator to the roof as GM slid into the basement.
Having Howie Long as a spokesperson for Chevy is like having Bill Clinton for Caddy...Oh wait, doesn't Bob L. look a little like Billy-Bob Clinton?? :P
No argument here on Chevy's commercials...they are painful to watch.
I think their best commercials were up to and including the '70's..."See the USA". Why they wouldn't reintroduce that is a total mystery to me. They used to show the cars, in TV commercials and magazine ads, at scenic places throughout the country with a family in or near the car, and underneath the car in the photo would be the name of the location.
Regardless of what anyone thinks about the current product line, Chevy has absolutely the best auto heritage/image of any make out there... I mean the tri-fives, Corvettes of almost any year, Camaros through the years, Chevelles, Monte Carlos, Impalas (as ubiquitous as Camrys and Accords today), etc. etc. etc. They need to play that up in marketing.
I do believe their product line of today isn't the product line of five years ago...much like someone made the same analogy for Hyundai. I know styling is subjective, but I think, properly optioned out, the Malibu is the best-looking domestic sedan out there. It's got big rear-seat legroom, low price, built in the USA and a high domestic parts content. And the "Bible", Consumer Reports, shows it as reliable and "Recommended"--unlike Lexus SUV's!
Bill
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
Chevelles, Monte Carlos, Impalas (as ubiquitous as Camrys and Accords today), etc. etc. etc. They need to play that up in marketing. Chevy has absolutely the best auto heritage/image of any make out there
I disagree 100%. Chevy has pretty much been a disgrace as long as I can remember. To many Vegas, Chevettes, Citations, Cavaliers, Corsicas, Celebritys, and Luminas, come to my mind when I think of Chevy's herritage. To me the Chevy name is about equal to a burning bag filled with horse dung sitting on my door step.
I think their best commercials were up to and including the '70's..."
The last GM commercial that I though was fabulous was about 8 years ago or so... might have been for the Avalanche... was sort of like a drill team opening and closing doors, driving in synchronization, etc. A great way to show the flexibility of the vehicle. Anybody remember that one? I wonder if it is on youtube.
>a drill team opening and closing doors, driving in synchronization, etc. A great way to show the flexibility of the vehicle. Anybody remember that one?
It sounds slightly familiar. Couldn't find it on youtube or the Avalanch club site commercials.
I didn't say Nike wasn't successful. But the profits are obscene! I'd rather Nike make their footwear in the United States and pay an American worker a reasonable $10-$15 an hour if they're going to sell sneaks for $100-$150. They will still make an obscene profit. If they're going to have some barefoot, pregnant Vietnamese girl sew shoes in a sweatshop for 5 cents an hour, sell the sneaks for $5-$10. They will still make a decent profit.
All I know is when Philly's manufacturing base disappeared, the city got a lot worse! About the only thing manufactured in Philly these days are blunts and crack rocks. I'd rather that kid on the corner building Baldwin locomotives, trimming Stetson hats, sewing Botany 500 suits, welding Budd rail cars, or pouring Whitman's chocolates than slingin' rocks on the corner.
Amen, brother! Wouldn't you rather those guys work in a factory than become welfare cases, criminals, alcoholics, drug addicts, or suicides? Hey, not everybody is cut out to be a software engineer.
See the USA in your Chevrolet America is asking you to call Drive your Chevrolet through the USA America's the greatest land of all
On a highway, or a road along the levy Performance is sweeter, nothing can beat her Life is completer in a Chevy
So make a date today to see the USA And see it in your Chevrolet
Traveling East, Travelling West Wherever you go Chevy service is best Southward or North, near place or far There's a Chevrolet dealer for your Chevrolet car
So make a date today to see the USA And see it in your Chevrolet.
I'd rather hear Dinah Shore sing it than Pat Boone! :P
NONEof those cars come to mind when I think of Chevrolet's heritage. The cars that come to mind are the awesome Impalas and Caprices I grew up with. Heck, my first new car was a black 1987 Chevrolet Caprice Classic.
My Dad had a 1961 Chevrolet Biscayne. His friend had a 1964 Chevrolet Impala. My Grandmom had a 1964 Chevrolet Biscayne. My Uncle Charlie had a 1965 Chevrolet Impala. A neighbor had a 1966 Chevrolet Impala. My Grandpop had a 1967 Chevrolet Bel Air, 1974 Chevrolet Impala, 1980 Chevrolet Impala, and 1989 Chevrolet Caprice Classic Brougham. My Great Grandpop had a 1967 Chevrolet Biscayne. The grocer next door to my parents had a 1968 Chevrolet Bel Air wagon. My Uncle Daniel had a beautiful dark blue 1970 Chevrolet Impala Custom two-door hardtop. My best friend had a 1978 Chevrolet Impala. His neighbor had a 1977 Chevrolet Impala His Dad had a 1973 Chevrolet Impala.
There's been a lot of Chevies in my family over the years, and I'll have to say that the only one I'd consider crap-from-the-factory was a 1982 Malibu Classic Estate wagon that my grandparents bought. It had a weak 110 hp 229 V-6, which was just over-matched with around 3400 pounds of wagon to move around.
It also had stationary rear windows in the back doors, which led my grandmother to refer to the thing as "the most expensive cheap car we ever owned". She also used a few other words when referring to it, but if I print them here, this message will get deleted.
The only real problem that they had with the car, though, was the ECU. It failed soon after the warranty was up, and cost $450 to replace. Soon after it failed again, and at that point Granddad was fed up with it. They'd had the car 2 1/2 years at this point, and he said the hell with it, we're gonna dump it and get a REAL car.
They ended up with an '85 Buick LeSabre Limited with a 307 V-8, and that turned out to be one of the best cars they ever owned.
Funny thing is, though, back then GM cars still had a good enough reputation that they got a pretty good trade in on it. They had paid around $11K for it, and 3 model years old, they got around $6500 in trade...and that was WITH the malfunctioning ECU!
I imagine it wouldn't be quite so easy to get ~60% of the original price these days on a 3-year old domestic with malfunctioning electronics.
Supposedly in 1983, these cars got a lot better in the electronics department, and with emissions controls in general, which made the cars more driveable, less prone to stalling and sputtering, easier to start, etc. The 305 also made a return. In 1981 you could only get the 305 on a Malibu wagon...sedans and coupes had the 267 as top dog, and I think for 1982 they even dropped the 305 in the wagons. But for '83 they finally ditched the 267 and went with the 305.
Those are all ginormous land yachts tho. Something GM (and the domestics in general) have never really had a problem with.
It's the downsized models where things went wrong. Having a 30+ year old engine design (3800) around for every 6 cylinder powered Chevy or (supposed) higher end models, evolutionary 4 cylinders dating back to the Citation and a 4 speed sluchbox dating back to the dinosaurs while everyone moved on to OHC's and increased gear ratios for increased mileage was nothing more than losing touch with your customers. i.e. beng lazy. :sick:
And GM's solution to prop up sales of mediocre models was to rebadge 4 or 5 of the same thing and push them on the rest of the brands outside of Chevrolet. :sick:
Even today GM still relies on the big stuff tho not as much, thankfully. :shades:
I didn't say Nike wasn't successful. But the profits are obscene! I'd rather Nike make their footwear in the United States and pay an American worker a reasonable $10-$15 an hour if they're going to sell sneaks for $100-$150
They have a net profit margin of 10%, hardly obscene, Google is over 30%, Microsoft near 30%, IBM nearly 20%. I've bought many Nike shoes over the years and rarely have paid more than $50 a pair. Their prices are inline with their competition.
Those aren't the cars I grew up with, the Chevy's I mentioned were. Add my '00 Suburban that was junk, my wife's 01 Impala that was okay reliability wise, but lousy regarding driving dynamics. Only way someone could be satisfied with that car is if they hate driving in general and just want to get from point A to B. That's pretty much how I view most Chevy vehicles over the past 20 years.
Yeah the 80's Caprices were nice, not something I'd want, but good cars regardless. The early 90's redesign looked like a beached whale IMO, but the Impala SS back then was at least interesting.
I've bought many Nike shoes over the years and rarely have paid more than $50 a pair. Their prices are inline with their competition.
I think it depends on what kind of shoe you buy, and how long it's been out. Kinda like the changing of model years for cars, stores like to clear out their leftover merchandise, only with stores it's seasonal rather than yearly. And sometimes, they're just replacing one style with the same thing!
I don't know if Nike does this as well, but Adidas stamps the month and year of production on their shoes, inside the tongue. So all you have to do is look inside, and see how long the shoe has been around. Of course, I guess it could also have been sitting in a warehouse for awhile. At least they don't stamp the year on the outside, like what Buick did for a few years in the 1950's, ensuring obsolescence!
I know we are off topic a bit, but NIke is much more than just a shoe company. Actually they started in the 60's as a distributor for a Japanese shoe manufacturer. Now they basically design their shoes and other products and contract out the manufacturing.
I agree with you in principle, but those industries probably left because of union wage rates...they may have moved to Singapore, or they may have moved to Georgia or Mississippi for lower labor rates...either way Philly lost them and they must adapt...heck, the same would have happened if those industries had kept labor the same and moved to unionized Ohio or Michigan, and the same downfall of Philly would have occurred...they need to adapt...
Didn't Pittsburgh originally depend totally on steel, and then saw the handwriting on the wall and change over to high-tech???...didn't Pitts come out better then Philly simply by changing and adapting to a new environment instead of whining and wallowing in self-pity, or do I have the wrong city???
Wonder what happened to all those ex-steel workers? I'm sure they're very happy serving burgers and tacos to all those "high tech" workers who are but a fraction of the workforce once employed by Big Steel. Maybe they should change the names of the NFL franchise to the Pittsburgh Geeks and the Major League team to the Software Pirates? Not everybody can or wants to be a computer nerd. Besides, those jobs themselves are endanged by H-1B visas and the hordes in Bangladore. I guess Pitt's soon going to have a lot of barristas and sandwich artists.
I'm sure they're very happy serving burgers and tacos to all those "high tech" workers who are but a fraction of the workforce once employed by Big Steel.
Many are probably retired. My FIL was an iron worker for LTV Steel. He started at the mill in '69 or '70. When LTV went bankrupt, he was one of the first let go because he was still at the bottom of the seniority list in his department in 2000. When LTV entered chapter 7, my FIL simply retired and has lived comfortably ever since. He even had enough money to buy my MIL a new Camry a few years ago.
Steel industry employment peaked around '78 and continually declined from then to where it is today.
He started in 1969-70 and was still at the bottom of seniority in 2000? Geeze, how old were those other guys?
Older than my FIL who was about 52 or 53 at the time. I don't know if the whole mill was like that old or not. That was just for maintenance department, but most of my friends did not follow in their father's foot steps by working in the mill.
But that is still pretty crazy. My FIL never could get a summer vacation as he always always at the bottom for 31 years. It wasn't until he had to have his gallbladder removed that he had time off during the summer.
I do believe their product line of today isn't the product line of five years ago...much like someone made the same analogy for Hyundai. I know styling is subjective, but I think, properly optioned out, the Malibu is the best-looking domestic sedan out there. It's got big rear-seat legroom, low price, built in the USA and a high domestic parts content. And the "Bible", Consumer Reports, shows it as reliable and "Recommended"--unlike Lexus SUV's!
I too think the Malibu is a very nice looking car. Drove a rental last year and it was decent for sure, however, they simply cost too much for me and I will get the same utility (and perhaps better MPG) with the Hyundai Sonata, which I just purchased. Based on ads around here and the fact that I'm not a GM employee or related to one, a similar equipped Malibu would have run me $3,000 more.
But help me answer my question...did Pittsburgh adapt and become a thriving city after losing Big Steel, or do I have the wrong city???...your talking about the ex-steelworkers means nothing...folks have to accept retraining, moving to another part of the country, or retire...you just lament that the city could not stagnate and stay the same...am I wrong???...Philly died because it refused to adapt, but Pitt survived...or am I thinking of a city other than Pitt that revitalized itself from the smokestack industries???
Is Pitt really thriving or is it just a Potemkin village? As soon as you drive out of the business district you're in the middle of a ghetto. Oh well, there's a lot less pollution.
.or am I thinking of a city other than Pitt that revitalized itself from the smokestack industries???
Pittsburgh is a surprisingly nice city in a beautiful setting. I've been there many times on business trips. It is not at all what you would expect if you've only heard stories from the past.
That's what I am implying...I think I remember reading articles in magazines like US News and Time about the revitalization of Pittsburgh after Big Steel...I believe they went into high-tech, other service industries, and PPG was one of the companies that brought them thru it...the point was that instead of just sitting and waiting and doing nothing, like Philly seems to do, Pitt took the bull by the horns and transformed themselves into a new city...
But lemko is just lamenting the loss of business in Philly, and I may be wrong on thinking that the revitalized city was Pittsburgh, it may be another city, altho Gary and Detroit seemed to follow Philly down the tubes...probably the unions, what else could it be???...
isell: maybe nothing has really changed in the land of the UAW, except the paint jobs look better...one should NEVER count on the UAW to want to improve ANYTHING...
I always hesitate to agree with marsha/bob but you're right on the cities. Pittsburgh has done a wonderful job reinventing itself while Gary may be the single biggest dump I've ever been in. Keep in mind that my own state contains both Camden and Newark.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
I grew up in NW Indiana. My mom grew up in Gary. Gary used to be a thriving City in the 40's through 50's. It started going down hill in the late 60's through 70's. By the 80's it was a place to stay away from. Now it's a complete cesspool. OTOH, much of NW Indiana is doing fine.
That's what I am implying...I think I remember reading articles in magazines like US News and Time about the revitalization of Pittsburgh after Big Steel...I believe they went into high-tech, other service industries, and PPG was one of the companies that brought them thru it...the point was that instead of just sitting and waiting and doing nothing, like Philly seems to do, Pitt took the bull by the horns and transformed themselves into a new city...
Your perception matches my own. Pittsburgh is a really nice city now. I was in Philly just once and drove by Independence Hall. I was dismayed at this little hall in the middle of a seedy-looking built up city. Philly looked like a pit.
If you won't buy a domestic because of a bad experience twenty or more years ago
Try a 1995 model that caused nightmares into the first decade of the 21st century for me. So depending on how you look at it, it wasn't a bad experience (that would be putting it lightly), it was a horrific terrible unacceptable experience, and it was much less than 20 years ago, and even less than 10 depending on how you look at it.
I have just wanted them to "go away" and go bankrupt ever since they cheated me. That is what happens to companies I write off for good, they go away.
Rite Aid is next.... Hopefully I won't have to wait much longer for Chrysler to disappear.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
Really, then what would account for the data collected from owners, as the Ford Fusion is top or one of the top for quality each and every year now? Have you driven a Mustang lately -- seem solid to me. Perhaps your technician doesn't like Mazda and Volvo as well. The Fusion was built on a modified Mazda6 chassis, and the Taurus I believe the chassis of a Volvo V80. Five Star crash tests, and good data for original quality -- not sure what more one can do to convince.
Malibu has a great V6 3.6 and a good 6sp automatic (don't think you can get a stick for the v6?) It is slightly more narrow inside than my Accord, has the foot brake for parking, and those too tall doors, with tiny windows. Looks wise it is pretty good, though the back end is like the Suzuki Verona. Handling wise, assuming it to be another clone of Aura, as in another Epsilon chassis, is pretty good.
I do NOT want any car with electric assist steering. Bad enough I now have throttle-by-wire, I am drawing the line at eps.
Oh, c'mon! The neighborhood around Independence Hall is not bad. It gets a little seedy above Spring Garden and below South Street, but most of center city is very nice. Well, Market Street east is a little ghetto, but that's only on account of the Gallery Mall and other low-priced stores.
It was a NEON - a cheap little throw-away car! I was NEVER in the market for such a car regardless of the manufacturer or country of origin. I could never see the sense in buying a cheap little new car when the same money could get you a very nice used car.
Comments
I think that the US was founded on being better than others, and outcompeting others.
When the US manufacturers got fat and happy and lost sight of better products, their fates were sealed.
Um, Nike provides many good paying jobs in this country. As a matter of fact, they are listed as one of Fortune's top companies to work for in the US and most of their employees are in the US. I think they subcontract most of the shoe manufacturing, so I have no idea how many are employed as sub-contractors. But for their actual employees, they pay well and provide great benefits. Nearly 70% of their sales are outside the US, so I don't expect them to make their shoes here.
As for the service vs. manufacturing debate, I don't know the answer to that, but those I know in the services field earn far more than those I know in manufacturing, so that answers where I'd rather be. Does that make me greedy?
I do think high tech / high value manufacturing is important and the US is competitive in that area. We make more than most realize, 2/3 of our trade deficit is due to oil. If we could keep that money home, how many more jobs could that money create?
Change is what happened to GM. Greed then failure. Any questions?
Regards,
OW
Regards,
OW
The proof is in all the links from VARIOUS different car magazines showing you the lose and why. Unless your going to deny and tell me that Car and Driver, Motor Trend, Road and Track, and Popular Mechanics don't know what they are talking about? I highly doubt it since they are the professionals in the car testing business!
Hyundai keeps shocking the automotive world and they ain't finished! A GM dealer is the absolute LAST PLACE on my shopping list in all categories. Why bother when the value is far better at Hyundai? I could see if it was the same Hyundai from 5-10 years ago...but it is not. They've passed GM on the escalator to the roof as GM slid into the basement.
Having Howie Long as a spokesperson for Chevy is like having Bill Clinton for Caddy...Oh wait, doesn't Bob L. look a little like Billy-Bob Clinton?? :P
Regards,
OW
I think their best commercials were up to and including the '70's..."See the USA". Why they wouldn't reintroduce that is a total mystery to me. They used to show the cars, in TV commercials and magazine ads, at scenic places throughout the country with a family in or near the car, and underneath the car in the photo would be the name of the location.
Regardless of what anyone thinks about the current product line, Chevy has absolutely the best auto heritage/image of any make out there... I mean the tri-fives, Corvettes of almost any year, Camaros through the years, Chevelles, Monte Carlos, Impalas (as ubiquitous as Camrys and Accords today), etc. etc. etc. They need to play that up in marketing.
I do believe their product line of today isn't the product line of five years ago...much like someone made the same analogy for Hyundai. I know styling is subjective, but I think, properly optioned out, the Malibu is the best-looking domestic sedan out there. It's got big rear-seat legroom, low price, built in the USA and a high domestic parts content. And the "Bible", Consumer Reports, shows it as reliable and "Recommended"--unlike Lexus SUV's!
Bill
I disagree 100%. Chevy has pretty much been a disgrace as long as I can remember. To many Vegas, Chevettes, Citations, Cavaliers, Corsicas, Celebritys, and Luminas, come to my mind when I think of Chevy's herritage. To me the Chevy name is about equal to a burning bag filled with horse dung sitting on my door step.
I think their best commercials were up to and including the '70's..."
The last GM commercial that I though was fabulous was about 8 years ago or so... might have been for the Avalanche... was sort of like a drill team opening and closing doors, driving in synchronization, etc. A great way to show the flexibility of the vehicle. Anybody remember that one? I wonder if it is on youtube.
I was always impressed by these. Loved her voice. Dianh Shore.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGZvQoPxhNs
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
It sounds slightly familiar. Couldn't find it on youtube or the Avalanch club site commercials.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
America is asking you to call
Drive your Chevrolet through the USA
America's the greatest land of all
On a highway, or a road along the levy
Performance is sweeter, nothing can beat her
Life is completer in a Chevy
So make a date today to see the USA
And see it in your Chevrolet
Traveling East, Travelling West
Wherever you go Chevy service is best
Southward or North, near place or far
There's a Chevrolet dealer for your Chevrolet car
So make a date today to see the USA
And see it in your Chevrolet.
I'd rather hear Dinah Shore sing it than Pat Boone! :P
My Dad had a 1961 Chevrolet Biscayne.
His friend had a 1964 Chevrolet Impala.
My Grandmom had a 1964 Chevrolet Biscayne.
My Uncle Charlie had a 1965 Chevrolet Impala.
A neighbor had a 1966 Chevrolet Impala.
My Grandpop had a 1967 Chevrolet Bel Air, 1974 Chevrolet Impala, 1980 Chevrolet Impala, and 1989 Chevrolet Caprice Classic Brougham.
My Great Grandpop had a 1967 Chevrolet Biscayne.
The grocer next door to my parents had a 1968 Chevrolet Bel Air wagon.
My Uncle Daniel had a beautiful dark blue 1970 Chevrolet Impala Custom two-door hardtop.
My best friend had a 1978 Chevrolet Impala.
His neighbor had a 1977 Chevrolet Impala
His Dad had a 1973 Chevrolet Impala.
And the list goes on....
It also had stationary rear windows in the back doors, which led my grandmother to refer to the thing as "the most expensive cheap car we ever owned". She also used a few other words when referring to it, but if I print them here, this message will get deleted.
The only real problem that they had with the car, though, was the ECU. It failed soon after the warranty was up, and cost $450 to replace. Soon after it failed again, and at that point Granddad was fed up with it. They'd had the car 2 1/2 years at this point, and he said the hell with it, we're gonna dump it and get a REAL car.
They ended up with an '85 Buick LeSabre Limited with a 307 V-8, and that turned out to be one of the best cars they ever owned.
Funny thing is, though, back then GM cars still had a good enough reputation that they got a pretty good trade in on it. They had paid around $11K for it, and 3 model years old, they got around $6500 in trade...and that was WITH the malfunctioning ECU!
I imagine it wouldn't be quite so easy to get ~60% of the original price these days on a 3-year old domestic with malfunctioning electronics.
Supposedly in 1983, these cars got a lot better in the electronics department, and with emissions controls in general, which made the cars more driveable, less prone to stalling and sputtering, easier to start, etc. The 305 also made a return. In 1981 you could only get the 305 on a Malibu wagon...sedans and coupes had the 267 as top dog, and I think for 1982 they even dropped the 305 in the wagons. But for '83 they finally ditched the 267 and went with the 305.
It's the downsized models where things went wrong. Having a 30+ year old engine design (3800) around for every 6 cylinder powered Chevy or (supposed) higher end models, evolutionary 4 cylinders dating back to the Citation and a 4 speed sluchbox dating back to the dinosaurs while everyone moved on to OHC's and increased gear ratios for increased mileage was nothing more than losing touch with your customers. i.e. beng lazy. :sick:
And GM's solution to prop up sales of mediocre models was to rebadge 4 or 5 of the same thing and push them on the rest of the brands outside of Chevrolet. :sick:
Even today GM still relies on the big stuff tho not as much, thankfully. :shades:
They have a net profit margin of 10%, hardly obscene, Google is over 30%, Microsoft near 30%, IBM nearly 20%. I've bought many Nike shoes over the years and rarely have paid more than $50 a pair. Their prices are inline with their competition.
Yeah the 80's Caprices were nice, not something I'd want, but good cars regardless. The early 90's redesign looked like a beached whale IMO, but the Impala SS back then was at least interesting.
I think it depends on what kind of shoe you buy, and how long it's been out. Kinda like the changing of model years for cars, stores like to clear out their leftover merchandise, only with stores it's seasonal rather than yearly. And sometimes, they're just replacing one style with the same thing!
I don't know if Nike does this as well, but Adidas stamps the month and year of production on their shoes, inside the tongue. So all you have to do is look inside, and see how long the shoe has been around. Of course, I guess it could also have been sitting in a warehouse for awhile. At least they don't stamp the year on the outside, like what Buick did for a few years in the 1950's, ensuring obsolescence!
Didn't Pittsburgh originally depend totally on steel, and then saw the handwriting on the wall and change over to high-tech???...didn't Pitts come out better then Philly simply by changing and adapting to a new environment instead of whining and wallowing in self-pity, or do I have the wrong city???
Many are probably retired. My FIL was an iron worker for LTV Steel. He started at the mill in '69 or '70. When LTV went bankrupt, he was one of the first let go because he was still at the bottom of the seniority list in his department in 2000. When LTV entered chapter 7, my FIL simply retired and has lived comfortably ever since. He even had enough money to buy my MIL a new Camry a few years ago.
Steel industry employment peaked around '78 and continually declined from then to where it is today.
Older than my FIL who was about 52 or 53 at the time. I don't know if the whole mill was like that old or not. That was just for maintenance department, but most of my friends did not follow in their father's foot steps by working in the mill.
But that is still pretty crazy. My FIL never could get a summer vacation as he always always at the bottom for 31 years. It wasn't until he had to have his gallbladder removed that he had time off during the summer.
I too think the Malibu is a very nice looking car. Drove a rental last year and it was decent for sure, however, they simply cost too much for me and I will get the same utility (and perhaps better MPG) with the Hyundai Sonata, which I just purchased. Based on ads around here and the fact that I'm not a GM employee or related to one, a similar equipped Malibu would have run me $3,000 more.
Pittsburgh is a surprisingly nice city in a beautiful setting. I've been there many times on business trips. It is not at all what you would expect if you've only heard stories from the past.
He told me he wouldn't let his wife drive a Ford.
so I asked him .." Aren't they building them better now"
He laughed.
You know, I just think that's sad.
But lemko is just lamenting the loss of business in Philly, and I may be wrong on thinking that the revitalized city was Pittsburgh, it may be another city, altho Gary and Detroit seemed to follow Philly down the tubes...probably the unions, what else could it be???...
I'm not wrong THAT often, am I???????????????????...
Your perception matches my own. Pittsburgh is a really nice city now. I was in Philly just once and drove by Independence Hall. I was dismayed at this little hall in the middle of a seedy-looking built up city. Philly looked like a pit.
Bob - usually we just think differently. Obviously not always though.
Try a 1995 model that caused nightmares into the first decade of the 21st century for me. So depending on how you look at it, it wasn't a bad experience (that would be putting it lightly), it was a horrific terrible unacceptable experience, and it was much less than 20 years ago, and even less than 10 depending on how you look at it.
I have just wanted them to "go away" and go bankrupt ever since they cheated me. That is what happens to companies I write off for good, they go away.
Rite Aid is next.... Hopefully I won't have to wait much longer for Chrysler to disappear.
I do NOT want any car with electric assist steering. Bad enough I now have throttle-by-wire, I am drawing the line at eps.
Bob - yeah, when the thought police hit we're in trouble! We'll probably both have to get reprogrammed.