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Comments
I almost admire your relentless refusal to let facts color your opinions. I can point out, as I have previously, that my almost 8-year-old BMW has given me no trouble, secure in the knowledge that 200 posts down the road you'll once again hammer BMW for its supposed lack of reliability.
That's OK - yesterday, I spotted another DTS equipped with the "Weekend in Reno" trim group. What color is the carriage top on your car?
As for BMW unreliability, my best friend's brother bought a new silver 1989 BMW 5-Series around the same time I bought my 1989 Cadillac Brougham. Many is the time my friend and I had to rescue him because of some problem with his Bimmer. In fact, the first time he showed the car to us, it was experiencing some kind of electrical gremlin. The car was so much trouble, he later traded it for a Mazda 929.
Welcome to the UAW. This site may harm your computer.
Hey, I know I'm not union but please... :shades:
Penske UAW Workers Asked To "Bite The Bullet" (WWJ)
"United Auto Workers at Penske Automotive Group met over the weekend in Flint, after being asked to choose between early retirement buy-downs or pay cuts.
The meeting follows Friday's announcement that Penske Automotive Group, owned by racing mogul Roger Penske, would be purchasing distribution rights, parts, and service for the Saturn brand from General Motors."
I wonder how much Roger Penske makes each year in total and how much of a pay cut he's taking? :P
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
It's just so surprising, given the large fixed costs at GM and more brands than anybody by a large amount, why wouldn't GM management have dedicated one brand to fleet sales? Then they could have differentiated the models so that the more stripper models desired by fleets would have been known as the fleet brand and there would not have been the dilution of the other brands. In that way GM could have still kept production high while not tarnishing the more desirable nameplates. It's just another example of how timid the management was to make any truly revolutionary changes.
Why should he. His company is profitable and he is providing 13,000 jobs across the USA. I know he owns a whole strip of car dealers here in San Diego. All high end including BMW and Mercedes. He could just sell out and take millions to retire on. Leaving all those people scrambling for a job. This business climate is not real healthy. Taking a chance on Saturn and a bunch of trouble making UAW workers is commendable.
That really is a good idea. They could have called it Generic GM, small, medium and large. Based on current chassis without tarnishing the names of Malibu or Impala. If a rental agency wants a fleet of Impala's they pay the same as Joe Public, just as rental agencies that buy Accords and Camrys.
There are so many areas of poor management at GM it really is a wonder they lasted this long.
At one time, GM did that, in a sense. With GM for example, the Chevy Impala tended to be the mainstream car, with the Caprice being an upmarket version. Cars like the Biscayne and Bel Air were low-end models reserved pretty much for taxi duty, rental fleets, police cars, etc. Ford did a similar thing back when they had the Custom for cheap cars, Galaxie for the mainstream, and LTD for the top rung. Plymouth, however, screwed it up I guess, going for that Fury I/Fury II/Fury III/Fury VIP/Sport Fury convention, where it might've tarnished the fury name a bit. But it would prove to be the wave of the future, as eventually all big Chevies became Caprice, and all big Fords became LTD's, and then Crown Vics.
I can't remember the last time I've seen a Biscayne, but every once in awhile I've seen a 60's or early 70's Bel Air at car shows. And for a low-end car, Chevy did a pretty good job of making it not feel bargain-basement.
Every vehicle in the show was built by the UAW.
Before they got so greedy.
The UAW house of cards is slowly crashing, and, to this day, UAW people cannot figure out why...that comment from the guy about Penske and the pay cut, they just don't get it...call them blind, or call them stupid, but they are NOT the kind of people I would want leading my "scout troop" if you catch my drift...
The other thing that might have been annoying is that the anti-UAW posters, like gagrice and others (I do NOT include myself, as I am not as eloquent as others here), could always respond with well-reasoned, well-written responses to the UAW propaganda, instead of just that "someone needs a living wage" or that "they deserve it because they work hard" which are emotional responses with no basis in fact...aside from lemko's cars, too many Big 3 cars were pure junk, and that quality (or, lack of quality) reputation eventually caught up with them...
rocky will be missed...
My '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS is my first Japanese car, and it is made in Japan. I have bought two South-Korean built Kia's before, and they were good cars. But this Mitsubishi Lancer is a great car. I may just buy an electric car from them one day.
I agree with those who say 25% for UAW and 75% for management as far as fault for GM's bankruptcy. Talk about management being asleep at the wheel. And no, mentioning it over and over again doesn't erase their mistakes. It just emphasizes them.
rockylee is gone? You've got to be kidding me! He'll be back. He likes the abuse we sling him.
My wife and I have discovered a nice place in New Mexico to vacation at, called Ruidoso. They have a horse racing track, several casinos and cabins to stay in. It is a bit cooler than down south in Las Cruces.
I go back to work in a few days and then work my full week, then get to fly to Seattle and see my homeland again. I'm going to rent a Budget rental car at SeaTac, they show a picture of a Ford Escort as an example on the net. Another one they offer is a Nissan Versa. I will probably ask for that one instead of the Focus. My whole point of sharing this with y'all is that I am not interested in the American cars to rent. Only foreign!
I'm taking my two of my sisters to go see Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings over in Kelowna, B.C. Gorgeous country, Kelowna is in the Okanagon Valley, which starts in B.C. and goes down in to Washington state. I though I had a lot of dogs with my two Pomeranians and one Chow Chow. Notta. One of my sisters has 16 Husky dogs! Whoa! And she lives in the Okanagon Valley of Washington state.
Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings are a must-see for anyone who loves The Guess Who.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Wow, one whole data point! I AM impressed. Well, here's a refresher course on my BMW experience- my 115,000 mile 3 Series track rat has averaged $33/month to run(and that includes three sets of track tires) since I bought it new in 1995. My wife's 2004 X3 has 78,000 miles and running costs have averaged $56/month since we bought it in 2005. The six Bimmers I owned previously were equally reliable- and not at all expensive to maintain(well, the M6 was a bit pricey, but I kept it for three years and sold it for $500 less than I paid for it. Try that with any late model Caddy). The only down side is that it's much easier to find gold trim and chain link grills for Caddys, and I don't think anyone makes a continental kit for a BMW... :P Which reminds me; for your viewing pleasure(?), here is a brand new CTS sitting in front of my local Cadillac-AKA Gubmint Motors- dealer:
Snazzy, no?
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Snazzy! But I'd say the gold does not go well with the silver... :P
What no whitewall Vogue tires? Things they are a changin'.
Man that looks to be a new car sitting on the lot. I'm guessing the dealer added that crap to the roof, comical.
Can't really blame that on the UAW directly. Unless GM cannot afford decent engineers & designers with the high price of unskilled labor.
It is a new car. The Gubmint Motors dealer is a part of the same dealer group as my BMW dealer. I was checking out the new and CPO Bimmers yesterday so I thought I'd see if Caddy World had any new rides that might tickle Lemko's fancy...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Burlap becomes the new velvet (LA Times).
I just heard that as a result of the UAW partial ownership of GM and Chrysler, all new vehicles made in the North American plants will now have a "Made by UAW" logo affixed somewhere near the car's regular logo. I missed some of the story on the radio, but I think they said it kicks in on October 1.
Probably take me forever to track down the link....
At least I'll know which cars to avoid like the plague...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
UAW leadership is really out of touch with reality. I would be surprised if 20% of US citizens have any feelings for UAW unskilled workers making double what many college grads are making. The belief that they have done anything to help the middle class is beyond all reason. The sad truth is the UAW has only managed to feather their own bed. While raising the cost of living for millions of unskilled workers that make less than half the UAW wage.
I think I'll probably find that link on April 1st....
They really are in a different world. In the midwest that might be a selling point. Here in California, in the world's largest car market, it's a negative.
Wonderful! I remember my old 1998 Mercury Mystique had a similar label on the windshield. At the time it was built both in Kansas City and Mexico. I custom ordered it and made it clear to the sales person that I would refuse delivery if it showed up at the dealership with a made in Mexico code on the vehicle.
This new program will help me to more easily scratch the scab built models off my shopping list when it's time to buy my next car.
Sorry to hear that Rocky left. He was one of the few breaths of fresh air in this place.
Now y'all have me wondering if it really is a joke. :P
(if it really happens, I want credit!)
Regards,
OW
If that is the truth, GM will die a second death! Chrysler already is prehistoric AFAIC.
Regards,
OW
Look forward to it. Will help me figure out what vehicles to avoid :P.
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/05/17/i_pledge_to_buy_a_new_american_c- ar_if_we_all_take/
And the proud UAW has made painful yet patriotic wage concessions in an effort to save America's most important industry.
I was serious about the canvas. When I was browsing the local urban dealer's stock of Lucernes a year or so ago, several already had vinyl roofs applied along with pinstripes. The dealer has a jobber who stops by and puts them on.
But the salesman quickly corrected me that they aren't vinyl roofs. They were more like a nylon canvas material to the touch. They had 'the look' and were hopefully easier to keep clean.
But either way I wouldn't want one. I saw a similar-looking product on Camrys at that time.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
That reminds me...back in the 1960's, GM used to put a little square label in the doorjamb of their cars that said "GM Mark of Excellence". I remember closing the door on my '67 Catalina once, hearing a slight metallic tinkle sound, and opening the door to find that it fell off!
You can find him on facebook, he tells me.
My new car already has the UAW label on the door. Local 22, Detroit/Hamtramck. I think the car was built in Orion plant. They did a darn fine job. I don't care how much the floor sweepers were paid.
While I agree the group is overpaid, I believe more of this group hatred toward the UAW is a social thing like the Palinizing of the Alaskan governor (no matter what your personal thinking, admit she's been run over by the hit-and-run media) by the BO-media during the campaign: somewhat unreasoned. However like many here I was hoping for a fresh start for GM free of union contracts. But the current president has nixed that possibility and probably has signed the death warrant for GM in future years as union power becomes unreasonable again as payback for campaign contributions (to tell it like it is).
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
imidaz: unlike Sarah Palin, who was brutalized by a media that hated her only for what she stood for, we have years, no DECADES, of problems and complaints with what the UAW has done, either to product quality or what they have done financially to the automakers...I think there is a world of difference between Palin and the UAW...
She's a lot prettier than Gettlefinger...
I agree to those two tenets, but there are more factors in problems people had or blame on the cars that were from GM's design and engineering which cause the UAW to be blamed for them. Engine choices are one. Panel gaps, door quality, et cetera...
In many cases those are not greater than occur in other mass production cars of the era. I read other forums today and laugh at the problems people have with the "other" companies' cars. I wonder if 5 years from now people will be lambasting the other car makers as they have done here: a Toyota post.
a honda post
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Obama is just passing off the problems at GM to future generations. GM needed a clean start without all the baggage of the past. A million retirees that are no longer of any value to GM. Their pension is funded if we can believe the reports. They will have to go on Medicare like the rest of US poor working class citizens. If they are too young for Medicare, get a job and work to 65 like the average worker. NO MORE FREE LUNCH FOR RETIREES. Cut UAW contracts that are so over bloated with work rules you have to have an attorney on the floor to determine what it all means down to about 30 pages. I know it can be done, as that was the length of our Teamster contract. Current UAW Wages are not sustainable. A new UAW contract with the current $15 per hour starting wage and topping out at $20 for assemblers would be very generous. 2 weeks paid vacation and a partially funded health care plan. A 401k with up to 3% matching funds and GM would be back on the road to profitability. That is the issue. If GM cannot make a profit, why would anyone invest in them? That is why would anyone invest their money. Obama has NO PROBLEM investing Other People's Money.
Well put. That's a concise summary of the issues.
This is the single biggest reason I don't see the "new GM" being successful. Even with shedding plants and brands, this is a big boat anchor just waiting to be dropped. And we are financing it!
Regards,
OW
Perhaps a bit cavalier? It won't be long before white collar work goes overseas along with manufacturing. Our way of life and its quality are taking a backseat to multinational corporation greed and self interest. The middle class is being slowly reduced into a society of haves and have nots - not a good long term prospective. We need to start thinking about our kid's future, not just ourselves.
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This is very true and has been 30 years in the making. I remember the 1970's well, when almost 80% of the U.S. population was middle class. The split was roughly 10/80/10 in the 70's.
The middle class has been shrinking since the late 70's. My estimate now puts the middle class around 40% with 40% essentially lower class/working poor and 20% at the top. Today the split looks like 40/40/20.
Our future looks like a 2 class system with just a small middle class of maybe 20% and 50% of our country "poor". It's sad to see but almost inevitable at this point. The year 2020 split will be around 50/20/30. 50% of our nation poor! It is coming and advent of socialism in the USA will arrive with it!
So why is the country so big on globalization? The greed of a relatively few corporate executives who have lots of money to spread around Washington. Funny thing, everyone blames Bush, but this globalization rip-off started under Clinton and Gore. What scares me is that such an event will erupt in socialism and revolt potentially Europeanizing us. Ironically, long term this will hurt the Wall Street multimillionaires that are exploiting us now. We worry about China taking us over, but China won't have to lift a finger, the disgusting greed of a relatively few wealthy in this country will do the job for them. I admire the Buffet's and Gates' who legitimately made their wealth, but detest the Wall Street execs who are exploiting the country to accumulate more and more while not caring one iota for their country or fellow citizens.
And do you admire the UAW auto worker who managed to make $100,000 a year for a few years by getting a good contract and lots of overtime? They were on the line actually making a real product.