...and her husband just bought a new black Equinox and they are quite happy with it. They are young, very well-educated people in their late 20s with twin girls.
My parents had a 1981 Buick Regal with a 2-tone paint scheme. Maroon on top and beige on the sides with chrome wheels. I always thought it was a cool car during my college days in the early 80's. Back then I use to see many Buick's driven by young people. My friend had a 1987 T-Type Regal. Some of the 2-tone paint schemes on the Riviera's of the early 80's were even more outstanding. For some reason during the 90's I guess, Buick changed its image or marketing goals to target much older buyers.
GM doesn't need just 1 or 2 young buyers. They need millions of them. And that`s where the problem is. Sorry to say,but GM is on it`s last legs ! :shades:
I always liked those 1980s Regal coupes. I had a 1979 Buick Park Avenue in Charcoal Grey Firemist with a silver top and Oyster leather interior. Oyster was a very light gray that looked almost white. Come to think of it, I saw a young lady driving about a 1984 or so Century T-Type that looked to be in great condition.
I agree regarding past Buick enthusiasm but you have to admit, they've fallen off a cliff in sales over the past decades. That says to me the products aren't desirable to past customers, except for you and yours.
But considering the new LaCrosse, at least they are once again trying.
My neighbor also picked up a 2010 Ewequinox but it's a company car and probably leased as she is in sales. She previously had Chryslers form her company.
My first car was a Buick - a 1968 Buick Special Deluxe wagon finished in Teal Blue Mist with an Arctic White top. As long as there still are Buicks, I will keep buying them. I would still like to get a new LaCrosse either for my wife, myself, or both of us in the future to replace her old LaCrosse and my Mercury. What I'd really like to see from Buick is a nice full-size car with LaCrosse-like styling, V-8, and RWD/AWD.
It certainly puts in perspective that GM, is not my father's GM. There was another CNN article that states the mayor of Detroit is seriously considering proposals to convert many vacant areas over to farming.
Also: I was shopping on-line this morning to see if I can find a new Pontiac or Saturn for around $10K, seeing GM is throwing the dealers $7,000 for this fire-sale. Maybe I'd throw a G5 in the yard, for a high mpg "beater"? I need to teach my wife how to drive a manual, and I don't want her learning on my Mazda.
At $40K.........I think the line will still be barely running.............all you have to do is look at the other hybrids out there, and dont forget diesel offerings.
Here's a little bit of Philly trivia: my neighborhood of Fox Chase is the only one with a working farm inside the entire city of Philadelphia. It's simply called "Fox Chase Farm."
As for GM, I will keep buying Buick and Cadillac as long as they keep making them. If there is no more GM, my new car buying days will be over.
What are you afraid of - that your wife will break your Mazda? A good friend of mine taught me how to drive stick on his BMW Z4 roadster!
".....Sorry to say,but GM is on it`s last legs ! "
Keep dreaming. My friend has an '08 Malibu LTZ, and they love it. His FIL was so impressed by it, he dumped his Pilot and bought one. He bought the Pilot to travel back and forth to Fla., but the wife wants to stay put, because the grandkids are all young.
Well, he got sick, and wasn't able to pick up his new '09 LTZ for a month, and the dealer screwed up, getting him a 4 cyl instead of a 6. He has driven it around for a couple weeks while the dealership makes him whole and gets him one w/ a 6, and his wife likes it so much, SHE'S going to keep it and trade her Maxima in for it. So 1 screw up is going to net them an extra sale!!!
All the while, My friend and his wife are looking at trading in the Malibu on an Equinox or an Acadia (they've got a little one).
I just had some friends in over the weekend for Christmas and they had a new Malibu for a rental (there's a surprise ). They ended up switching it out for another one half way through their stay because the windshield wiper arm broke off in the middle of the snow storm we had...
The one that broke off was on the drivers side too, which sucked even more.
Did it break, or just stop moving? That happened to my truck a couple years ago. I ordered a new wiper arm, figuring the splines on the arm stripped. Turned out the nut on the top of the arm loostened up. It was a different setup than the one iI thought it would be, with splines and a retaining clip.
Supposedly it just broke off while they were on the highway. They managed to get to our meeting spot by her looking out the passenger side of the window while they limped down the breakdown lane. :sick:
We ended up driving them back to their hotel that night and leaving it in the parking lot at the restaurant.
Following its bankruptcy filing and shedding the Hummer, Pontiac, and Saturn brands, GM now consists of Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC. Of the 48 models we surveyed from those brands, 20 had average scores, and only one, the Malibu V6 sedan, was better than average.
I will continue to REMIND everyone that this is what it is at the moment. There are plenty of choices that are "Much Better than Average" but one has the right to choose sub-par if one must!
Asian brands still dominate
The major Japanese brands and South Korea's Hyundai and Kia make plenty of reliable vehicles. Of the 48 models with top reliability scores, 36 were Asian. Toyota accounted for 18; Honda, eight; Nissan, four; and Hyundai/Kia and Subaru, three each.
On the whole, Japanese vehicles are consistently good. All Hondas and Acuras were average or above. Toyota, with its Lexus and Scion brands providing a broader product range, had just one vehicle that was below average in reliability, the Lexus GS AWD.
You can't just advertise away low quality...you have to earn it.
So what is this all costing taxpayers? GM wouldn’t reveal its exact lobbying budget, but the WashEx explains that
Duberstein Group’s average quarterly fee last quarter was $94,000, while Greenberg Traurig’s was $40,000 and GrayLoeffler’s was $28,000. In the third quarter, GM paid the Washington Tax Group $25,000.
And since GM isn’t making money of its own, these Beltway barons are being paid with public money from GM’s $52b bailout. And GM isn’t just paying these guys for general representation. For a GM IPO to be successful, the Volt will need to be commercially viable. And short of significant consumer tax breaks, there’s not much chance for the 2,900 lb, $40k, compact four-seater EREV. Having already scored a grip of Volt subsidies, including hundreds of millions for its Korean battery supplier, expect GM’s lobbying team to push hard for deeper tax breaks for Volt purchases. Because, as is surely being whispered around the corridors of the Capitol, what’s good for GM is now literally good for America. And if some lobbyists get rich in the process, well, the system must be working.
I know, all industry does it....but this is just another Ponzi scheme that will cost taxpayers even more. :sick:
I don't write 'em...there is so much info out there.
Biggest Drops in Rankings
Among companies that suffered setbacks in the rankings:
* Starbucks (SBUX) had a notable loss as it dropped from #10 in 2007 to #14 in 2008. * PepsiCo (PEP) has been dropping at an alarming rate and has gone from #4 in 2005 to #11 in 2007 and to #18 in 2008. * General Electric is losing steam, dropping from #12 in 2005 to #17 in 2007 to #24 place in 2008. * Procter & Gamble (PG) has dropped steadily from #31 in 2005 to #39 in 2008. * General Motors (GM) has fallen steadily from #30 in 2005 to #41 in 2008
The highest rated is BMW, followed by Toyota, Honda, VW(!) and Volvo.
Dude, I don't care if those Asian cars come with a pallet of gold bricks in the trunk, $10,000 in cash in the glovebox, an ashtray full of Beluga caviar, there are four high-class call girls in the passenger seats, and buying the car guarantees my eternal salvation. I will still gladly pay MSRP for a Buick or a Cadillac before I'd even think of driving an import.
".....There are plenty of choices that are "Much Better than Average" but one has the right to choose sub-par if one must! "
Well, all CR requires for a "recommendation" is Average. I'm not saying that they shouldn't strive for "Much better" than avg., but the styling of the vehicle or performance can make up for small differences in the number of problems a car has.
One poster on the 2010 Lacrosse thread loved it. It ran flawlessly. Alas, he (or she) couldn't handle the blind spot created by the A pillar, and returned it for a Lincoln.
No matter how "reliable" any car is, if it doesn't fully "satisfy" , people may look elsewhere. Conversely, if a car gives a fulfilling experience, people may be willing to overlook an extra trip to the dealer or 2. Reliablility is only one factor.
Did you notice in that sales chart that Ford and Dodge fell by almost or slightly more than 2/3 in sales, but Chevrolet only fell by half? That actually makes Chevy look like it is doing a lot better than the main brands from the other domestics.
On a separate note: did I read correctly that GM will be selling the G8 as a Caprice to police fleets? I'm sure I saw a blurb in a magazine - maybe Automobile - the other day.
If they can sell it as a fleet car for police departments, can't they sell it as a Chevy Caprice to retail customers?
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
So what? I saw the same thing happen to a new Lexus in the snow storm here. The lady driver was a bit upset about it. Luckily it broke in a grocery store parking lot.
Did you notice in that sales chart that Ford and Dodge fell by almost or slightly more than 2/3 in sales, but Chevrolet only fell by half? That actually makes Chevy look like it is doing a lot better than the main brands from the other domestics.
I think that's more of an indication that Ford and Dodge were really on a roll back in 1999, while Chevy was starting to flounder, even back then. So Ford and Dodge just had further to fall.
And as for the G8, yeah I've heard rumors about it getting sold to police fleets as a Chevy, as well. So hopefully that means it'll make it into civilian markets as well.
did I read correctly that GM will be selling the G8 as a Caprice to police fleets?
I hope not; I'm really sick of footing the bill for our police dept. to drive around and have their V-8 idling and guzzling gas near-24 hr / day. Maybe GM should make a hybrid or Volt-police-package, as not many consumers are buying them at what GM has and will charge.
Also - I saw this morning that the 1 really bright spot in GM - the Corvette, 05-07 - is being recalled for some problem with the adhesive and the roof staying on. Great.
Even after the latest capital infusion, the government will likely take steps to help GMAC as it tries to ensure the recovery of GM and Chrysler, said Kirk Ludtke, senior vice president at CRT Capital Group. That includes helping GMAC refinance its debt as it comes due, he said.
"The government has come this far, it is not going to destabilize GMAC at this point," he said.
GMAC still remains on shaky financial ground.
As I predicted starting a few months ago, you're going to see the government have to funnel money to GM in various ways for the foreseeable future. Taxpayers would be very upset if they were told the truth that they need to put $20B/year into GM (and its formerly owned , but current customer-financer), each and every year. Instead you're going to see a few billion here a few billion there; and as was made popular in Mass. politics, these things ususally get approved right around midnight before a holiday when there isn't much press, and the congressmen can slip out-of-town away from the press.
I hope not; I'm really sick of footing the bill for our police dept. to drive around and have their V-8 idling and guzzling gas near-24 hr / day. Maybe GM should make a hybrid or Volt-police-package, as not many consumers are buying them at what GM has and will charge.
If it's any consolation, the majority of those police cars will probably be V-6 models. At least, that's how it is with the Charger. The 3.5 Charger is competitive enough with the 3.9 V-6 Impala and 4.6 V-8 Crown Vic, that the Hemi is almost overkill.
Plus, the G8 isn't going to be cheap, even as a police car, so chances are the Crown Vic and Impala will still undercut it in price. And it's not always the best police car that wins when it comes time for a department to buy. It's usually the cheapest car that still meets the department's requirements.
Dude, I dont care if GM makes crappy cars,with low reliability,huge rebates, dismal resale value,dancing Volt girls,subpar interiors-- I will still gladly pay MSRP for a toyota/lexus. And there are many more folks like me than you-no wonder GM is in the dumps and almost finished. :shades:
"you're going to see the government have to funnel money to GM in various ways for the foreseeable future."
unions represent a vital voting block for the democratic party and this administration so you are not going to see they stop putting more and more of our money down that black hole called GM.
the biggest winner in the last election is the unions (UAW in particular) and the biggest loser the taxpayers.
Speaking of police cars, I see the small town where my parents now live have a Dodge Charger patrol car.
A lot of times, police cars were just taxis finished in the department's livery, and equipped with a siren and light. The city patrol cars often were equipped with just an inline six. The big V-8s were reserved for the highway patrol cars. Philadelphia has a very diverse fleet: mostly Crown Victorias followed by Impalas and then Dodge Chargers. I think they have a few Hemi-equipped Chargers for the Highway Patrol.
Word is the V-6 Caprices won't be available for about a year. In the meantime, it will be V-8 only for the Caprice.
I saw a picture, and it's weird to see those painted black steel rims on a G8 - it was an almost-luxury ride in retail trim.
And you're right, the Crown Vic will SIGNIFICANTLY undercut the G8 in price, I'm sure, so there won't be many out there. But didn't Ford finally announce the demise of the CV? I thought it only had one more year on this earth....
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Police chases make for great footage for TV-shows. With current technology it's about time these chases stop except for the rare-case where someone's life is in imminent danger.
I believe police departments will soon be getting devices that fire homing-devices that attach to vehicles. I also hear that EMP-guns (think of - a Taser for vehicles) will also be part of the police equipment.
High-speed chases thankfully are going to be a thing of the past.
What makes me gag is the pretense that Toyota has been a wonderful, American longtime support of the police. Very American of them. :P That's as they ran American workers out of US jobs...
link title "CINCINNATI, Ohio, October 30, 2009 – A long-time supporter of the Cincinnati Police Department, Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. will be helping bolster local law enforcement by providing two, new hybrid sport utility vehicles.
"The Cincinnati Police Department will soon be adding a pair of Highlander Hybrid SUVs, a vehicle renowned for its fuel efficiency, power and spaciousness. ..."
What was even funnier was listening to the police chief on a radio talk show trying to justify accepting those over US vehicles. He was saying "because they are quiet when we have to go inside buildings to chase those awful criminals and they won't hear them coming like they would regular vehicles."
Oh, they have certainly guaranteed job security for police officers by turning once-productive citizens into unemployed desperate criminals. That is until there is no more tax base left to pay for those police officers.
What makes me gag is the pretense that Toyota has been a wonderful, American longtime support of the police. Very American of them. That's as they ran American workers out of US jobs...
Disagree completely. GM and C directly were the cause for eliminating jobs in the US.
Their horrific business model and over-paid labor led to a decline in quality and desirability leading to the worst failure in American business.
Do they need to JUSTIFY buying Toyotas instead of domestics? Those hybrids ARE silent when they approach a parking place. More importantly, the hybrid will not use any gas during the looooong periods of time that police vehicles idle as a matter of course.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
It's not a matter of "disagreement". It's a matter of - if GM and Toyota produce vehicles that are the same size, power, options, mpg, price, and such, such that they are clones, people here in the U.S. will choose the brand - Toyota overwhelmingly. Or substitute just about any other brand in for Toyota.
GM was damaged goods from the reality of losing market-share, in the reality that they had less-than-average quality, and that they really did nothing above average with many of their vehicles and brands.
It is not surprising that GM having a high average pay-structure; if not the highest for many years, while making average product (at best average) has failed. They tried selling $10 greasy, plain hamburgers in a diner, and wondered why when competition came along people went elsewhere.
It is not surprising that GM having a high average pay-structure; if not the highest for many years, while making average product (at best average) has failed. They tried selling $10 greasy, plain hamburgers in a diner, and wondered why when competition came along people went elsewhere.
...and then people blame the other diners making the better hamburgers for driving off the jobs. :P
Happy New Year everyone, GM die-hards and the rest!
As the negotiations for "Slob" continue, the shake-up at the top is continuing as well. The structure and responsibilities that are required to run a quasi-government auto concern are coming into play with some new AT&T muscle.
The overhaul is part of Mr. Whitacre's effort to speed decision-making and drive dramatic culture change that the board felt Mr. Henderson was incapable of managing.
Meanwhile, Dutch sports car maker Spyker NV was racing to put together a deal that would keep GM's Saab alive as time runs out for the Swedish brand. GM said it was proceeding with plans to wind down Saab as it reviews offers from Spyker and rival bidders.
GM said it would consider bids until the end of the year, but Dec. 31 is not a hard deadline, according to people familiar with the situation. The first week of January is more likely, as that is when GM would begin some wind-down moves that would be difficult to reverse.
Comments
But considering the new LaCrosse, at least they are once again trying.
My neighbor also picked up a 2010 Ewequinox but it's a company car and probably leased as she is in sales. She previously had Chryslers form her company.
Regards,
OW
It certainly puts in perspective that GM, is not my father's GM. There was another CNN article that states the mayor of Detroit is seriously considering proposals to convert many vacant areas over to farming.
Also: I was shopping on-line this morning to see if I can find a new Pontiac or Saturn for around $10K, seeing GM is throwing the dealers $7,000 for this fire-sale. Maybe I'd throw a G5 in the yard, for a high mpg "beater"? I need to teach my wife how to drive a manual, and I don't want her learning on my Mazda.
$40K?? Better be a Volt SS for that price!!
As for GM, I will keep buying Buick and Cadillac as long as they keep making them. If there is no more GM, my new car buying days will be over.
What are you afraid of - that your wife will break your Mazda? A good friend of mine taught me how to drive stick on his BMW Z4 roadster!
Keep dreaming. My friend has an '08 Malibu LTZ, and they love it. His FIL was so impressed by it, he dumped his Pilot and bought one. He bought the Pilot to travel back and forth to Fla., but the wife wants to stay put, because the grandkids are all young.
Well, he got sick, and wasn't able to pick up his new '09 LTZ for a month, and the dealer screwed up, getting him a 4 cyl instead of a 6. He has driven it around for a couple weeks while the dealership makes him whole and gets him one w/ a 6, and his wife likes it so much, SHE'S going to keep it and trade her Maxima in for it. So 1 screw up is going to net them an extra sale!!!
All the while, My friend and his wife are looking at trading in the Malibu on an Equinox or an Acadia (they've got a little one).
The one that broke off was on the drivers side too, which sucked even more.
We ended up driving them back to their hotel that night and leaving it in the parking lot at the restaurant.
Is that the new business model? :P
Regards,
OW
I remember years ago going a ways with no wipers when the wiper motor on my 69 Volvo seized. As a bonus that make one hideous noise to boot!
Following its bankruptcy filing and shedding the Hummer, Pontiac, and Saturn brands, GM now consists of Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC. Of the 48 models we surveyed from those brands, 20 had average scores, and only one, the Malibu V6 sedan, was better than average.
I will continue to REMIND everyone that this is what it is at the moment. There are plenty of choices that are "Much Better than Average" but one has the right to choose sub-par if one must!
Asian brands still dominate
The major Japanese brands and South Korea's Hyundai and Kia make plenty of reliable vehicles. Of the 48 models with top reliability scores, 36 were Asian. Toyota accounted for 18; Honda, eight; Nissan, four; and Hyundai/Kia and Subaru, three each.
On the whole, Japanese vehicles are consistently good. All Hondas and Acuras were average or above. Toyota, with its Lexus and Scion brands providing a broader product range, had just one vehicle that was below average in reliability, the Lexus GS AWD.
You can't just advertise away low quality...you have to earn it.
Regards,
OW
GM rehires lobbyists -- and taxpayers foot the bill
So what is this all costing taxpayers? GM wouldn’t reveal its exact lobbying budget, but the WashEx explains that
Duberstein Group’s average quarterly fee last quarter was $94,000, while Greenberg Traurig’s was $40,000 and GrayLoeffler’s was $28,000. In the third quarter, GM paid the Washington Tax Group $25,000.
And since GM isn’t making money of its own, these Beltway barons are being paid with public money from GM’s $52b bailout. And GM isn’t just paying these guys for general representation. For a GM IPO to be successful, the Volt will need to be commercially viable. And short of significant consumer tax breaks, there’s not much chance for the 2,900 lb, $40k, compact four-seater EREV. Having already scored a grip of Volt subsidies, including hundreds of millions for its Korean battery supplier, expect GM’s lobbying team to push hard for deeper tax breaks for Volt purchases. Because, as is surely being whispered around the corridors of the Capitol, what’s good for GM is now literally good for America. And if some lobbyists get rich in the process, well, the system must be working.
I know, all industry does it....but this is just another Ponzi scheme that will cost taxpayers even more. :sick:
Regards,
OW
Biggest Drops in Rankings
Among companies that suffered setbacks in the rankings:
* Starbucks (SBUX) had a notable loss as it dropped from #10 in 2007 to #14 in 2008.
* PepsiCo (PEP) has been dropping at an alarming rate and has gone from #4 in 2005 to #11 in 2007 and to #18 in 2008.
* General Electric is losing steam, dropping from #12 in 2005 to #17 in 2007 to #24 place in 2008.
* Procter & Gamble (PG) has dropped steadily from #31 in 2005 to #39 in 2008.
* General Motors (GM) has fallen steadily from #30 in 2005 to #41 in 2008
The highest rated is BMW, followed by Toyota, Honda, VW(!) and Volvo.
BrandPowerRanking
....like a falling airplane...
Regards,
OW
I don't know. Mitsubishi wasn't on his list.....
Well, all CR requires for a "recommendation" is Average. I'm not saying that they shouldn't strive for "Much better" than avg., but the styling of the vehicle or performance can make up for small differences in the number of problems a car has.
One poster on the 2010 Lacrosse thread loved it. It ran flawlessly. Alas, he (or she) couldn't handle the blind spot created by the A pillar, and returned it for a Lincoln.
No matter how "reliable" any car is, if it doesn't fully "satisfy" , people may look elsewhere. Conversely, if a car gives a fulfilling experience, people may be willing to overlook an extra trip to the dealer or 2. Reliablility is only one factor.
On a separate note: did I read correctly that GM will be selling the G8 as a Caprice to police fleets? I'm sure I saw a blurb in a magazine - maybe Automobile - the other day.
If they can sell it as a fleet car for police departments, can't they sell it as a Chevy Caprice to retail customers?
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Regards:
Oldengineer
I think that's more of an indication that Ford and Dodge were really on a roll back in 1999, while Chevy was starting to flounder, even back then. So Ford and Dodge just had further to fall.
And as for the G8, yeah I've heard rumors about it getting sold to police fleets as a Chevy, as well. So hopefully that means it'll make it into civilian markets as well.
I hope not; I'm really sick of footing the bill for our police dept. to drive around and have their V-8 idling and guzzling gas near-24 hr / day. Maybe GM should make a hybrid or Volt-police-package, as not many consumers are buying them at what GM has and will charge.
Also - I saw this morning that the 1 really bright spot in GM - the Corvette, 05-07 - is being recalled for some problem with the adhesive and the roof staying on. Great.
Also - I saw that GMAC is receiving another loan"gift" from the government today. $3.8B more that is unlikely to be repaid.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2009-12-30-gmac-treasury_N.htm
Even after the latest capital infusion, the government will likely take steps to help GMAC as it tries to ensure the recovery of GM and Chrysler, said Kirk Ludtke, senior vice president at CRT Capital Group. That includes helping GMAC refinance its debt as it comes due, he said.
"The government has come this far, it is not going to destabilize GMAC at this point," he said.
GMAC still remains on shaky financial ground.
As I predicted starting a few months ago, you're going to see the government have to funnel money to GM in various ways for the foreseeable future. Taxpayers would be very upset if they were told the truth that they need to put $20B/year into GM (and its formerly owned , but current customer-financer), each and every year. Instead you're going to see a few billion here a few billion there; and as was made popular in Mass. politics, these things ususally get approved right around midnight before a holiday when there isn't much press, and the congressmen can slip out-of-town away from the press.
If it's any consolation, the majority of those police cars will probably be V-6 models. At least, that's how it is with the Charger. The 3.5 Charger is competitive enough with the 3.9 V-6 Impala and 4.6 V-8 Crown Vic, that the Hemi is almost overkill.
Plus, the G8 isn't going to be cheap, even as a police car, so chances are the Crown Vic and Impala will still undercut it in price. And it's not always the best police car that wins when it comes time for a department to buy. It's usually the cheapest car that still meets the department's requirements.
GM or the UAW might not give a damn, but the salesman at Lemko's Cadillac dealer will sure have a big smile on his face! :shades:
unions represent a vital voting block for the democratic party and this administration so you are not going to see they stop putting more and more of our money down that black hole called GM.
the biggest winner in the last election is the unions (UAW in particular) and the biggest loser the taxpayers.
A lot of times, police cars were just taxis finished in the department's livery, and equipped with a siren and light. The city patrol cars often were equipped with just an inline six. The big V-8s were reserved for the highway patrol cars. Philadelphia has a very diverse fleet: mostly Crown Victorias followed by Impalas and then Dodge Chargers. I think they have a few Hemi-equipped Chargers for the Highway Patrol.
I saw a picture, and it's weird to see those painted black steel rims on a G8 - it was an almost-luxury ride in retail trim.
And you're right, the Crown Vic will SIGNIFICANTLY undercut the G8 in price, I'm sure, so there won't be many out there. But didn't Ford finally announce the demise of the CV? I thought it only had one more year on this earth....
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I believe police departments will soon be getting devices that fire homing-devices that attach to vehicles. I also hear that EMP-guns (think of - a Taser for vehicles) will also be part of the police equipment.
High-speed chases thankfully are going to be a thing of the past.
How about Highlander hybrids?
What makes me gag is the pretense that Toyota has been a wonderful, American longtime support of the police. Very American of them. :P That's as they ran American workers out of US jobs...
link title
"CINCINNATI, Ohio, October 30, 2009 – A long-time supporter of the Cincinnati Police Department, Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. will be helping bolster local law enforcement by providing two, new hybrid sport utility vehicles.
"The Cincinnati Police Department will soon be adding a pair of Highlander Hybrid SUVs, a vehicle renowned for its fuel efficiency, power and spaciousness. ..."
What was even funnier was listening to the police chief on a radio talk show trying to justify accepting those over US vehicles. He was saying "because they are quiet when we have to go inside buildings to chase those awful criminals and they won't hear them coming like they would regular vehicles."
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Disagree completely. GM and C directly were the cause for eliminating jobs in the US.
Their horrific business model and over-paid labor led to a decline in quality and desirability leading to the worst failure in American business.
Please refer to the 1999-2009 sales data.
10 Year Customer Preference
You make junk, you die by junk...
Regards,
OW
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Keep dreaming.
They can.......with GM's OnStar
So, THAT'S where Toymotor is headed.
GM was damaged goods from the reality of losing market-share, in the reality that they had less-than-average quality, and that they really did nothing above average with many of their vehicles and brands.
It is not surprising that GM having a high average pay-structure; if not the highest for many years, while making average product (at best average) has failed. They tried selling $10 greasy, plain hamburgers in a diner, and wondered why when competition came along people went elsewhere.
...and then people blame the other diners making the better hamburgers for driving off the jobs. :P
As the negotiations for "Slob" continue, the shake-up at the top is continuing as well. The structure and responsibilities that are required to run a quasi-government auto concern are coming into play with some new AT&T muscle.
The overhaul is part of Mr. Whitacre's effort to speed decision-making and drive dramatic culture change that the board felt Mr. Henderson was incapable of managing.
Meanwhile, Dutch sports car maker Spyker NV was racing to put together a deal that would keep GM's Saab alive as time runs out for the Swedish brand. GM said it was proceeding with plans to wind down Saab as it reviews offers from Spyker and rival bidders.
GM said it would consider bids until the end of the year, but Dec. 31 is not a hard deadline, according to people familiar with the situation. The first week of January is more likely, as that is when GM would begin some wind-down moves that would be difficult to reverse.
It's Complicated!
Today, if you are a visionary and expert in everything auto, you DO NOT qualify to run GM. If you can spin BS, send us your resume! :P
Regards,
OW