Stories from the Sales Frontlines

houdini1

@abacomike said:
driver100 said:

"Gas cost 91 cents a gallon in 1988, a movie $3.50, a dozen eggs 65cents. Prices are up about 2 1/2 times..."

What is most interesting is the government's reports of little or no inflation in the past 16 months. Who are we kidding?

The government measures inflation after fuel, food and other major indicators have been eliminated. Has anyone noticed the prices on beef, chicken, pork, all dairy products, fresh produce, corn, to name a few? What about the cost of gasoline?

LOL ! Come on Mike, you know us older people don't have any real need to eat, drive, or heat and cool our homes. The gov. stated reason for not including those items is that their prices are too "volatile". What that means is that the prices of those items are going up so fast that they can't keep track of them.

abacomike

@houdini1‌ said:

"LOL ! Come on Mike, you know us older people don't have any real need to eat, drive, or heat and cool our homes."

OOPS! Forgot about that technicality!

imidazol97

> @busiris said:

It appears the "Stories from the sales front lines" has evolved into "stories from the Fox News headlines"...

And isn't it refreshing to get both sides of stories for once rather than the MSM alphabet networks' WH-approved versions!

stickguy

it's funny that they exclude the items that people actually have to buy, and include highly discretionary ones.

I just accomplished giving myself a "raise" (deflation?). called to negotiate with the cable company, and starting next month will be paying $50+ less per month. so $600/year take home is about like getting a $1,000 raise.

Paying for tuition by cutting every expense possible! Giving up life of any kind. Damned kid will be living and eating better than me. I am selling her car though to help pay for it all. She conceded that point.

driver100

@houdini1 said:The gov. stated reason for not including those items is that their prices are too "volatile". What that means is that the prices of those items are going up so fast that they can't keep track of them.

It's like the governments way of reporting unemployment statistics using new math. Don't count the people who have given up looking for work. Are there government departments that come up with these new ideas?

oldfarmer50

Question:

Is there any way of telling the difference between model years of the C5 Corvette? They were made between 97 and 04 but I can't tell the difference between years.

stickguy

probably, but I certainly don't know them. Are you looking out on the road, or at pictures? Can always just check the VIN #!

explorerx4

@oldfarmer If you are looking at actual cars, you can check the date of manufacture, usually on the door sticker.

bwia

@imidazol97 said:

Despite the government spending and buying our own debt The Washington Post says: GNP only grew 0.01% instead of 1.2% hoped for.

"The nation's gross domestic product expanded at a meager 0.1 percent annual rate in the first quarter -- well below the forecasts for 1.2 percent growth. The slowdown reflected weaker exports, a decline in business investment and cuts in state and local government spending, among other things. The recovery was propped up by strong consumer spending, driven in part by health-care spending after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act."

Nice cherry picking. GNP was sluggish in the first quarter because we had one of the worst winters on record. The economy rebounded in March and is on fire in April.

As to job growth, employment levels will never return to numbers seen in past post-recessions because of the incredible productivity of the American worker. Twenty-five years ago I needed a support team of five or six people to do what I alone can do today. That's creative destruction in action. As new technologies come along they tend to displace workers.

The current administration (at least in Massachusetts) is trying to do something about that by investing in jobs of the future...e.g. alternative energy sources, power technology, robotics, artificial intelligence, biomedical and other knowledge-based technologies.

verdugo

@imidazol97 said:

I don't understand the big deal about asking for ID to vote.

You have to show ID to get a beer and buy cigarettes, they're supposed to check ID each time you use your credit card, open a checking account, fly, etc.. Voting is a bigger deal than any of those activities, but you don't need ID? That is weird.

If Republicans wanted to counter criticism that they're doing this to suppress minority voting, they should say "let's implement it in X years." That would give time for anybody who wants to get an ID enough time to get one.

And democrats need to stop treating minorities like stupid children. They should want everybody to have ID so that they can take advantage of all the benefits of having an ID (able to open a bank account for example.) They sure love to complain (rightly so) about pay day lending, right? Empower people to get ahead. Don't take a paternalistic view and hold them back.

In Mexico, you need a whole separate high-security ID to vote. Your driver's license won't do, a passport won't either, a note from your Mom? Forget it. When you go vote, not only do you have to show that ID, but they also compare it to a printed copy they have.

imidazol97

@verdugo said:
I don't understand the big deal about asking for ID to vote.

It's one of the 6 or more items that get thrown out when there is too much attention on negative items. Then everyone can argue over this trivial item meant to pettifog the issues and subvert the actual discussions we should be having. Women's pay/issues, voting rights, rich stealing all the income from poor, raising minimum wage, racism, gun rights, global warming/cooling, and some others get thrown out to distract and fool the low information voter or the one item voter into thinking one party cares about them.

In Cincinnati, the racist/voting rights complaint got thrown up because the Board of Elections is moving to a vacant hospital building in the center of the county that the county bought. So instead of having to fight to park or get downtown to the crowded uptown area where the Board of Elections currently is, the new bus routes will make it easy to get to the centrally-located building. However, there was big complaining. "Taking away people's right to vote" by voting early at the office instead of at the local precint on election day. Ridiculous.

No, only a few within walking distance downtown of the current BOE building would find it inconvenient to travel to county center to vote during early voting. And mail ballots are easily requested and are mailed out to everyone for the big elections. And there's always voting on election day. However, some people build their careers on being the foghorns on certain issues.

Imagine if we talked only about cars here based on how the electrical wires are run from the battery to the engine. Or if we only argued over the size of tires that should be allowed on a vehicle. That's the way the political issues are today.

Thank goodness we can talk here about how a car drives, or how it looks, or how it doesn't have problems--ever, or how it does but drives great so it's worth it. That's in contast to the narrow fixations of some of these national points.

sterlingdog

@nyccarguy said:
I just wanted to pass along some good news. A few months ago, I posted my concerns about AT&T wanting to put up a 120' cell tower in very close proximity to my residence. I am happy to report that due to public support, neighbors sticking together, & pressure from our lawyer, AT&T has decided to "withdraw its application for a tower facility..." So needless to say, I'm very excited!

I'm very, very happy for you. There really are times in America when the citizens can make a difference.

Richard

abacomike

ANYONE HEARD FROM....

Has anyone heard from jmonroe? It must be a few months since he's posted.

sterlingdog

@MrShift@Edmunds said:
That comment is totally out of context---Spike Lee was talking about conditions in South Africa in the 1990s, when he visited there. Hardly the same thing as wanting to randomly shoot Americans in 2014. Racist he may or may not be, but let's be accurate in our quotes.

Regarding your post related to Spike Lee, allow me to send you a news flash. Whether it was the 1990s or 2014, whether it was South Africa or America, no person should promote the random killing of another minority group. This man is more despicable than Sterling IMHO.

Richard

sterlingdog

@stickguy said:
it's funny that they exclude the items that people actually have to buy, and include highly discretionary ones.

I just accomplished giving myself a "raise" (deflation?). called to negotiate with the cable company, and starting next month will be paying $50+ less per month. so $600/year take home is about like getting a $1,000 raise.

Paying for tuition by cutting every expense possible! Giving up life of any kind. Damned kid will be living and eating better than me. I am selling her car though to help pay for it all. She conceded that point.

I am so proud of you. You are teaching your daughter some reality lessons. If she wants a college education, then she has to share in the sacrifices that the parents make.

Richard

sterlingdog

@driver100 said:

You forgot that the government also includes prisoners in the employed column. What fun they have with figures.

Richard

oldfarmer50

@stickguy said:
probably, but I certainly don't know them. Are you looking out on the road, or at pictures? Can always just check the VIN #!

Just saw one for sale on someone's lawn as I drove by on my route. Another driver saw it too and we were debating what year it was.

Owner would probably be miffed if we drove a couple of buses across his lawn.

ken117

Robr, freedom of speech is a government issue not a private issue. Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from private consequences.

The NBA is an association with bylaws which, I am sure, Sterling agreed with when he joined the association. Most certainly the Government cannot force Sterling to sell but perhaps the association can choose to expel him. The NBA has a stable of competent lawyers, so I am sure their action is reflective of what they can do legally.

While Sterling is obviously a dispicable character and, on some level, deserving of what he is going through, in this case he is somewhat a victim. By this I mean by California law, apparently, the taping of an individual without consent is unlawful. Of course, we really don't know if the 80 year old Sterling did or did not consent to the taping.

In any case, it is highly likely Sterling will land on Fox News as an expert pundit on how liberals have destroyed the USA.

robr2

@ken117 said:
Robr, freedom of speech is a government issue not a private issue. Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from private consequences.

The NBA is an association with bylaws which, I am sure, Sterling agreed with when he joined the association. Most certainly the Government cannot force Sterling to sell but perhaps the association can choose to expel him. The NBA has a stable of competent lawyers, so I am sure their action is reflective of what they can do legally.

While Sterling is obviously a dispicable character and, on some level, deserving of what he is going through, in this case he is somewhat a victim. By this I mean by California law, apparently, the taping of an individual without consent is unlawful. Of course, we really don't know if the 80 year old Sterling did or did not consent to the taping.

In any case, it is highly likely Sterling will land on Fox News as an expert pundit on how liberals have destroyed the USA.

I didn't disagree with any of this. In fact, I said most of this. My post didn't quote correctly - my retort was from the section marked Points.

fezo

Thanks to the folks have defused the freedom of speech issue of the issue. Freedom of speech does not include freedom from consequences of that speech.

As I read the NBA owners' guidelines the NBA not only has the power to force a sale, they have the right to revoke the franchise or to take it by what is essentially eminent domain. They could easily sat to Sterling "Here's the $12.5 million you paid for the team; now scram. He stands to make a few hundred million off of this forced sale. I'm not shedding any tears for him.

I'm not going to fight the Spike Lee battle but in 1984 when my girlfriend became my fiance (yes, same woman I've been married to for 29 years) I told her I could not buy a diamond (being broke at the time helped) because the apartheid government of South Africa was directly controlling the worldwide diamond market. She supported that decision. Before we could arrive at a solution my mom stepped up and offered me her engagement ring which she no longer wore because she wore a much nicer ring my dad got her for their 25th anniversary. Sad footnote to the tale - both rings were stolen. The 25th anniversary one by one of the health care workers taking care of mom in her last years and the original by the ex-boyfriend of one of my daughters who sold it somewhere (not a pawn shop which the police were monitoring) to feed a prescription painkiller addiction. Unfortunately he denies it and, despite the fact that he also stole my prescription painkillers (which I rarely use) and tried to blame it on my daughter. Happy ending coming up - hold on.

But given the apartheid era in South Africa where 10% of the population controlled the other 90% I'm truly amazed at the reasonably low level of violence at that time.

OK - the kind of happy ending. My brother checks in with me maybe last Wednesday with a couple of front row center seats for David Bromberg (an excellent musician with a hell of a band) that coming Saturday. I talk my wife into it (she was only vaguely familiar with Bromberg). The theater is two hour away (or 5 minutes from my brother's house) so we decide to go early and catch dinner in town (Glenside, PA). Then we decide to go a little earlier because it's a neat little town that we like a lot. We pass an estate jewelry store. I say let's take a look an after a moment's hesitation Jen agrees. It took her only a little time after hitting that section of the store before landing on a ring that is close enough to the stolen ring you would not know the difference. 40s design and cut. A larger (still not large) diamond offset by smaller ones on either side. I bought it in a heartbeat. I view that ring like I view my own blood. It's not the original but like a transplant from an unknown donor. If my brother hadn't had the couple cancel on him, if we don't make the decision to go significantly earlier none of this happens and we're still mourning the loss of the old ring (I mean we'll always have some of that but this was like having a huge burden lifted off our shoulders.

houdini1

@fezo said:
Thanks to the folks have defused the freedom of speech issue of the issue. Freedom of speech does not include freedom from consequences of that speech.

Good story fezo. If anyone deserves a good break it is you buddy.

abacomike

@houdini1 said:
Good story fezo. If anyone deserves a good break it is you buddy.

I second that "motion"!!!!

driver100

@fezo said:Happy ending coming up - hold on.

I'll third that motion! Great story fezo. I love stories that start out bad and then get turned around into a good story with a happy ending.

dave8697

It's going to be too cold to play opening day softball game next week. Is it too late to drive my V8 instead of my L4 for a week to warm up the air? Great Lakes Ice remaining on April 25th is more than twice the previous all time record. 35% of the surface area is still frozen. The pile of snow they cleared from Ind Airport runways this winter is still 30 feet tall by 2 football fields. Make a tunnel and the Fed Ex workers could have a nice break room in July.

bwia

GM MAKES SOME BEAUTIFUL CARS, BUT...

This morning I saw two of GM's exceptionally beautiful and well executed automobiles: The 2014 Corvette Stingray and 2014 Camaro (not sure what model). I could not help but smile as I drove along these gorgeous hunk of metal.

With halo cars like that why isn't GM more profitable? In all their divisions they have outstanding automobiles, to wit:

Chevy Division: Corvette, Camaro, Volt, Impala, Equinox

Buick: LaCrosse, Verano, Encore

GMC: Terrain, Acadia

Cadillac: ATS, XLS, SRX, ELR

Sales of all models are good but not outstanding. There are no models that lead their segment except for the Encore. GM has gotten a bad rap in recent years but they lead all domestic and most foreign marques in styling except for Ferrari. So what gives?

I have two explanations. Prices are much too high, by about 20%, and GM is behind on the technology curve. Even in 2014 GM does not have active or self-parking vehicles and back-up cameras are expensive options in their base vehicles, if available.

As to quality, I have a 2011 Buick LaCrosse and it is bullet proof. And I don't see many GM vehicles broken down alongside the roadways, so perhaps quality is not a big issue either.

And by the way, did I mention the Stingray and Camaro were ravishingly beautiful and alluring?

fezo

I'm with you on most of that. The technology curve is a real problem. Their problem with me is that, while I agree with you on pretty much your whole list, the only one that interests me is the Verano. I don't doubt that by the time I'm in the market again, which won't be for a few years, they will have corrected the technology curve and have more attractive offerings in my niche. A convertible Verano (heck, it could even be a Cruze) would tempt me. I have no hope for a wagon other than the Caddy which is out of my league, but then again Mazda doesn't make a 6 wagon anymore either.

busiris

I think one reason GM isn't selling as well as it could might be tied to the company behavior that led to things such as the choice made over a decade to go a different way by implementing OnStar. Many folks already had cellphones, and they couldn't see the value of OnStar (at least, to them).

I'm not in a position to debate whether OnStar is a good or bad thing, but it did sour several potential buyers I knew years ago that they couldn't get a industry standard GPS and/or Bluetooth equipped vehicles and had to use OnStar for those purposes.

Whether it was a great choice for GM or a poor one, in the end customers don't like to be told what's good for them.

abacomike

@fezo said:

"I'm with you on most of that. The technology curve is a real problem."

GM products used to be the best on the market (pre-1980, or thereabouts). Pontiac and Oldsmobile were outstanding vehicles as were Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac. I've owned them all but, when they started making cars like the Olds Omega, the Pontiac Phoenix, the Chevrolet Citation and the Cadillac Cimmeron, that seemed to turn the tide. They were horrible cars and I had nothing but problems with them.

Technology has always been a problem. They seem to be behind the curve on these advances.

How can GM turn a great profit with these huge numbers of recalls. They still seem to be plagued by bad decisions made in the late 1990's to the mid to late 2000's. They have the ability to make a great car (Cadillac CTS/ATS and XTS, and the Buick LaCrosse).

I am more than willing to give them 2-4 years to concentrate their design and technology engineering - I would have no reservations buying one of their cars once they get ahead of the curve.

fezo

Mike you have hit the nail on the head. To my way of thinking nothing was as harmful to GM's reputation as the Citation and its corporate cousins. They replaced the Malibu, which had a stellar reputation, with a piece of badly thought out crap. It was all downhill from there.

Of course in that time GM went through a series of hideous management decisions - both who got appointed CEO and the decisions made by those people. I think they've got it right this time. She doesn't speak GMese. She admits a problem and is directing its fix. I'm very optimistic. This is a big change for them and a big change for me.

abacomike

@fezo said:

"Of course in that time GM went through a series of hideous management decisions - both who got appointed CEO and the decisions made by those people. I think they've got it right this time. She doesn't speak GMese. She admits a problem and is directing its fix. I'm very optimistic."

I sure hope you are right. As for the new CEO, she admitted everything - but in the face of all that adversity, what else could she do - deny everything? I think not!

That entire corporate structure needs a complete "retooling" in order to make sure the "tail isn't wagging the dog!" Like I said, I'm more than willing to give her a chance to create a new image as well as a line of cars people like us would want to buy.

Given the mountains of "meadow muffins" in her way, she needs all the help and support her company and GM's loyal customers can give her!

As for the Citation, the Phoenix, the Omega, the Skylark and the Cimmaron are concerned, may they rest in peace - AMEN!

fezo

I neglected to mention the Vega and its thinly disguised "successor" the Monza, Skyhawk, etc. That actually pre-dates the Citation by quite a bit.

"I sure hope you are right. As for the new CEO, she admitted everything - but in the face of all that adversity, what else could she do - deny everything? I think not!"

But that's what the old GM did time and again. Ford, too. With quality approaching equality they need to get customer service down cold. My experiences with Ford vs. Honda could not have been more different. Ford treated me like a leper. Honda right away was "what's wrong and how do we make it right by you?" That's the model. I don't think Toyota is like that. Honda is the model.

stickguy

Fezo, the Citation didn't replace the Malibu. That was the Celebrity. Another dud but not the same one!

fezo

Didn't the Celebrity replace the Citation? We need Andre over here.....

abacomike

@fezo said:

"Didn't the Celebrity replace the Citation? We need Andre over here....."

If memory serves me (and it hasn't been as good as it used to be), they were called "J" chassis cars. The Celebrity came subsequent to the Citation.

oldfarmer50

@stickguy said:
Fezo, the Citation didn't replace the Malibu. That was the Celebrity. Another dud but not the same one!

I had a 84 Celebrity Eurosport that ran pretty good until I let the coolant level get low. Warped the heads, blew a head gasket and fried the motor.

stickguy

@abacomike said:
fezo said:

"Didn't the Celebrity replace the Citation? We need Andre over here....."

If memory serves me (and it hasn't been as good as it used to be), they were called "J" chassis cars. The Celebrity came subsequent to the Citation.

Celebrity was a J. Citation was an X body. X came first by a few years, and then they overlapped for a while before the X went away. So, different cars, but entirely possible that the J platform was somehow based on the X.

abacomike

SPEAKING OF GASOLINE PRICES

I had to run over to Ace Hardware to pick up some air handling unit filters (Ace is the only "place" that carries my size). Right next store I found a Chevron gas station selling Premium at $4.05.9 per gallon. That's the same price as Costco and about 15 cents a gallon less than most pump prices.

I never even knew there was a Chevron station there.

Oil prices are down, but pump prices have not reflected that. Interestingly enough (but no surprise), Exon Mobil recorded record profits for the 1st quarter. This seems to happen at least twice a year where gas prices shoot up for no apparent reason and the oil companies make a killing. Don't you just love it?

abacomike

@stickguy said:

"Celebrity was a J. Citation was an X body. X came first by a few years, and then they overlapped for a while before the X went away. "

You are correct! It was "X". I told you my memory is not as good as it used to!

abacomike

@stickguy said:

"Celebrity was a J. Citation was an X body. X came first by a few years, and then they overlapped for a while before the X went away. "

The J bodies included the Celebrity, the Cutlas, etc. The J bodies were an improvement over the X bodies, but not much. I had a Cutlas which rode more like a Jeep Wrangler than a car.

Front wheel drive is what killed GM because they did not successfully build a chassis around the transverse mounted engines (mostly V6's) like the Japanese did. My Olds seemed to handle like there was something missing between the engine and the transmission.

Anyone else get that same feeling when driving the J chassis cars?

fezo

I think the J is to the X as the Monza is to the Vega.

Painful memories. I remember in late 79 a friend bought a new Citation and I bought a Rabbit. Two unhappy campers.

abacomike

@fezo said:

"I think the J is to the X as the Monza is to the Vega."

Funny you mentioned the Vega. I was living in a far southwestern suburb of Chicago back in the early '70's. I was teaching in a Chicago Public School at the time and needed a work car for the 68 mile round trip. My Great Uncle had just passed away and left me $2000 in his will. The next day I went to the local Chevy Dealer and paid $1900 OTD for an orange Vega manual (4 speed I think). It did it's job for 2 years. It drove like a kiddie car and seemed to hit bottom over every bump. Believe it or not, they gave me $1500 when I sold it to my neighbors. But that Vega was an accident waiting to happen.

driver100

@oldfarmer50 said:I had a 84 Celebrity Eurosport that ran pretty good until I let the coolant level get low

I had an 84 Celebrity Eurosport too! It was OK but nothing special. Then I got an 86 Cutlass which was basically the same car but did have some nice touches Oldsmobile could add. Nicer interior, better steering and handling. The I got an 89 Corsica......what a piece of c---.

And, maybe that is why GM lost a customer....why would I ever go back to that? I could, but they would have to offer something pretty spectacular.

abacomike

@driver100 said:

"And, maybe that is why GM lost a customer....why would I ever go back to that? I could, but they would have to offer something pretty spectacular."

Those were the years that GM failed to build quality cars. However , they are building much better cars now.

My next car could be a Cadillac XTS depending on GM continuing to build sound, technologically advanced cars. I will start looking in 18 months or so. I am beginning to tire of Mercedes.

They are supposed to redesign the E Class for 2016. After driving this CLS, I doubt I could go back to an E.

But getting back to GM, I truly believe this is their last chance in manufacturing autos. They have to get it right this time or the next time they stagnate or begin to lose money will be their last.

I sure hope they make it. Like I said, I might show my support during the 2016 model year.

fezo

My brother had that Vega in silver. Head gasket at55k and took out the oil pan twice (I help replaced the one. What a pain, they were doing the road work I town and hehiteaised manholes twice Oy! Still managed to turn the clock which is stunning.

abacomike

@fezo said:

"My brother had that Vega in silver. Head gasket at55k and took out the oil pan twice (I help replaced the one..."

I think it was driver who posted a slew of Vegas stacked upright - the post was a few months ago. They sure were cheap - and they lived up to what they were - cheap transportation for a few thousand bucks. I did like the orange exterior and blank vinyl interior. 4 cylinder engine and about 80-90 hp.

snakeweasel

@abacomike said:
driver100 said:
The government measures inflation after fuel, food and other major indicators have been eliminated. Has anyone noticed the prices on beef, chicken, pork, all dairy products, fresh produce, corn, to name a few? What about the cost of gasoline?

Actually the government calculates inflation two ways, one way is without those indicators and another way is with them included. The thing is now the government factors substitution into the equation. In short as things become more expensive people look for cheaper substitutions to keep costs down, the government takes that into consideration when calculating inflation.

stickguy

so basically, they cook the books to make the # come out the way they want it to?

Sounds about right.

Michaell

Nope - the J was the Cavalier, etc.

Celebrity, et al were the A-class.

X-class was the Citation.

F-type were the Camaro and Firebird.

abacomike

BENGHAZI STILL SMOKING

Who cares if there was a cover-up perpetrated by the Obama White House. It will all come out in the end - but the criminality reeks over the fact that no one has been arrested (let alone indicted) regarding these murders.

An ambassador was assassinated! Three supporting body guards and agents also murdered. But nothing has been accomplished in bringing these murderers to justice as promised by POTUS almost 2 years ago. That's the real crime.

Foreign policy of this administration leaves much to be desired. I truly believe they know who, when, and how these murders were committed. I believe to bring these men to justice would cause more of an embarrassment than doing nothing (which seems to be happening).

It seems the country is being run by amateurs lately. When do things start to improve? When does the administration begin to succeed in its domestic and foreign policy endeavors? When does the world once again respect the United States for what it stands for (and against)?

I pray this happens soon. I pray our POTUS succeeds - because if he doesn't, we will all suffer the consequences.

stickguy

The DOJ is just a political arm at this point, so that is the result you get.