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I think this would have looked much better for GM's division structure:
Chevrolet: Mainstream brand across the board
GMC: Mainstream professional brand
Cadillac: Luxury Division
Pontiac: Sport Division (enthusiast driving division)
What is it that Pittsburgh did right that provided their renaissance? Is there something that other cities can do to emulate this?
I hear you. While shopping for my Sonata, I spread my search radius to about 250 miles away. When I found my rock bottom price out of state, I called the local dealer and asked if he could match it. Couldn't even come close. Another in-state dealer about 90 minutes away came within $500 and my wife and I agreed to suck that up and go with it until he called back and said a mistake was made (I think he was being honest) and it was the wrong color. He had the color we wanted but it came with a special wheel package that put it $1500 over our low price. Wasn't going that route so we went out of state and made the purchase (but still paid home state, Michigan, sales tax). For the most part, I ultimately have to do what is good for greatlakesjr.
Around the time Olds got phased out, Hyundai was making larger and more impressive cars that were still a good value, and were a suitable replacement for something like an Alero or Ciera. I think the Achieva was actually a tolerable seller for a few years, but a lot of those went to rental fleets...not that the Alero and Ciera didn't! I had a green Alero coupe as a rental once. I thought it was a pretty nice car. Even if it was just a re-skinned Grand Am, which itself was just a re-skinned Malibu, the Alero just seemed like a lot more car. Nice style, and, dare I say, a decent interior!
My inlaws had a Saturn and they ended going to Toyota. My MIL has 120k miles on her '05 Camry XLE v6 w/o a single issue (100k on first set of brakes and she commutes into downtown Chicago). I'm guessing they will be staying with Toyota. My last chat regarding the Camry with my FIL was how he'd never owned a car that had been that reliable. Her '95 Saturn required something major every year, leaked oil, leaked trans fluid, and on and on. Don't see them going back to GM unless they buy something used on the cheap.
Regards,
OW
GM simply failed to make the best ones that customers would buy and failed. Change that and they will prosper.
Now, back to the better sports car. Genesis!
Regards,
OW
Prospective buyers in the marketplace decide en mass that GM was not for them and bankruptcy and reorganization would have been the result.
Instead Washington decided to spend over 50 billion dollars to keep this company on life support and rewarded bad performance at taxpayer expense..
In order for society to prosper economic resources must be reallocated to their most efficient use in the most capable hands. Make way for the new carmakers.
While I would love to see GM be a huge success again the market must be allowed to work.
Socialism or corpratism in this instance punishes:
1. Hard Work
2. Thrift
3. Entrepreneurship
It punishes the good for being good and rewards bad perfromance and behavior.
it boiled down to union VS non-union.
Obama wants all gov't employees to be unionized, gain power, bleed the US coffers dry (Follow Greece's lead) and put the entire country into insurmountable debt. Suprised that he backs auto unions too, who were devoted to his election???
I am being told in news that I should change my way of living to help avoid Gulf oil spills. My latest efficient addition to my family is a 4 cyl. I've only put an average of 90 miles a week on it. Don't shut down an oil well because of me yet.
Lots of new homes being built and moved into by me. Suprising number of Grand Prixs, Trailblazers and Buicks among the new homeowners. Odyseys are now matched in quantity by Buicks within the houses near mine. I think there are 2 new Camaros, but unfortunately they are a couple of streets away.
GM is at the bottom of the list in the Consumer Report reccomendations.
I put them at the top. I couldn't have got a Sentra or Corolla for what I paid for my Malibu.
Other cars considered before getting a Malibu: Used CTS, new G6, new Cobalt and G5. new Fusion, new Impala, and used Lucerne, all in the $13-26k range.
60 billion in unemployment avoided by the auto bailouts. If the bailout payback wasn't accomplished by dilluting the current stock, there would have been a good story to tell. But then all money paid back is planned to be spent frivelously again anyway, not put against the defecit.
I certainly haven't seen that in my neighborhood. Over the past 3 years I've seen more households continue to switch to foreign cars. When I moved here in '07 both my neighbors had domestic cars. Now, one of them has replaced their Ford Freestar and Chrysler minivan with a Toyota Highlander and Honda Odyssey. My other neighbor replaced a GrandAm with a new Corolla and a Chrysler Intrepid with a used Lucerne. The rest of the households have Lexus, BMW, a few Mercedes and of course Accords and Camrys. A house down the road has a new Genesis sedan that replaced an STS.
I have also seen a few new Fords running around. As for new GM, I've seen a few Acadia's, Tahoe's, one STS. But overall GM still is falling behind and sales numbers from April still show that. Only one GM vehicle in the top 10 sales list. Ford and Honda had 3. The Sonata seems to be taking off being at #9 and it was close to outselling the Fusion.
Still surprising to see how many vehicles Toyota continues to sell considering their issues.
The fact be told, I would eliminate ALL divisions of General Motors. I have said for years that they need to make a GM vehicle. Instead of Chevy Silverado, make it a GM Silverado. Instead of Buick Lacrosse, make it a GM Lacrosse. Of course that will never happen......and maybe I'm not very smart......but it makes good sense to me!
I guess the case could be made for some smaller, cheaper, more entry-level Buicks, but I really hope they don't go that route. IMO, Buick is supposed to be an upscale car. Not a luxury car, necessarily, but still a step up from the likes of Chevy, Ford, Dodge, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, etc.
I don't buy that for a second!
Detroit has been a dump for 30+ years.
U.S. crime falls despite prolonged recession
I'd be willing to bet the majority of the thugs your talking about never bothered to finish school or tried to acquire any type of gainful employment. Most ex-factory workers don't end up killing and pillaging.
GM market share is still No. 1; Ford No. 2 and Toyota No. 3 and losing market share.
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Great writeup
Using that logic, the government should have spent about $500 billion bailing any company that was in trouble. Keep all of the jobs afloat. It would have reduced unemployment and cost less in the long run than the current alternative. :confuse:
Regards,
OW
Not surprising at all since I'm aware of, (and also experienced 2nd hand) the legendary bullet-proof reliability of Toyota throughout the last few decades.
I've seen the magical dependability of my Parents' early 90's 4Runner, '95 Camry, and 2001 Camry V6. My Dad's used Carmax Lexus ES has been great too in recent years. My older brother has stuck by Toyota with a T100, Tundra, Used Lexus BIG SUV (I think the GX), and now most recently a new Corolla (gas prices finally got to him).
I don't get them because they are still appliances on wheels (albeit the most reliable appliances ever; and quite comfortable too, I can see why old people like them).
These decades of proven and earned legendary status will not be trumped by comparatively trivial issues of recent months.
Uh... Lemko, there's still a huge amount of people out of work right now, they just don't happen to be auto workers. Heck, the construction industry could of used a 60 billion dollar bailout more than the auto industry. I don't see a huge upsweep in violent crime. Are you suggesting auto workers are more violent than the current massive amount of unemployed people out there right now?
All our government did was to choose to keep auto workers working, at the expense of other industries such as construction, retail, ect. There are just as many unemployed as there would have been if they hadn't bailed out the auto industry with 60 billion, and instead funneled that money to some other industry with high layoffs.
The unemployment rates the media reports don't figure in the TRUE real amount of unemployed currently. They use a lot of games such as working 3 hours for the US Census suddenly makes you employed.
Ain't that the truth! I used to work in a department store, one in a bad neighborhood, no less, and the majority of theft came from the employees. When I worked at Denny's, I remember one of the managers got fired for theft. I think they caught him loading a big box of frozen steaks into the trunk! And I remember the hostess telling me that if you steal from the drawer, make sure it's less than 50 bucks, because then they can't prosecute you and most likely wouldn't fire you. Real bunch of winners, there! :sick:
That definitely seems to be the case. I agree with your post, I haven't met anyone who hates their Toyota or Honda.
GM OTOH is still in the opposite direction. A few good entries are not enough to offset years of bad offerings.
True. I've run into several laid off construction workers lately. They didn't try to harm me in anyway.
That's good news in that it seems people are not falling into the same trap of those in the past where new home = need a new car.
I put them at the top. I couldn't have got a Sentra or Corolla for what I paid for my Malibu. Other cars considered before getting a Malibu: Used CTS, new G6, new Cobalt and G5. new Fusion, new Impala, and used Lucerne, all in the $13-26k range.
But this can also be looked at in terms of the GMs being out-dated or not up to the quality with the competition so they sell cheap. I mean, the Impala (I still consider this is nothing but a re-badged Lumina), Cobalt and G6 are long in the tooth and past their maturity stage, so why pay top dollar? I'm not going to pay steak prices for a hot-dog, even if it is an Oscar Mayer weiner. Also you have to factor in the "why buy a new GM when you can get a better deal buying a used one" in the case of the CTS (which I really like) & Lucerne. I think if it wasn't for Lemko, Buick would be long-gone :P
Please don't take my comments the wrong way, not bashing but just stating what goes on with most, especially those of us who are currently trying to keep our GM iron going.
I found that a little "creative" as well a few weeks ago when the media were taking about the increase in jobs and the economy was "improving". Of the 162K increase, 40K-something were due to the Census. I was sitting there thinking, hmmm
40K-something versus how many MILLIONS unemployed
another 100K filing new unemployment benefits
these Census jobs are very temp at best and most, if not all, are 3 ~ 5 hours/day
how can the real economy be improving and people spending when everyone is in pay-off-debt / stay afloat mode? Thehn I remembered it's the rich economy they're talking about and us working stiffs don't count.
Average Joes Still Stuck in an Economic Hole
Another cute little "creative accounting" statistic that has been thrown around is how credit card debt is going down and people are saving more money.
Well, credit card debt as a whole went down because the banks simply charged off a lot of bad debt that they knew they'd never get repaid. So yeah, total outstanding debt went down, but only because it was forgiven, rather than paid off. There are still plenty of people who are up to their armpits in credit card debt and living beyond their means and just making the minimum payments.
And, I think one reason that people are saving more is because of strategic defaults. They know they're going to lose their house anyway, so why keep throwing money at the mortgage? So instead they might be saving more money, but they're also soon going to lose the roof over their heads and probably doom themselves to being renters for life.
I did and actually I had 1 Honda and 1 Acura and wouldn't drive Honda again.
They replaced it with a 1998 Saturn S series sedan, and around that time also got a new Windstall. Last time I saw them though, both had been replaced, with a 2003-2008 style Corolla and a Kia Sorrento, respectively.
Around here, there's so much road construction going on from the stimulus money, it's probably hurting productivity with the longer commutes. :shades:
Back to GM, maybe this will help:
GM's Docherty Swept Aside for Hyundai Marketing Whiz (AutoObserver)
GM knows they are not firing on all cylinders ...just on about 3...Silverado, Equinox and LaCrosse.
That's a blown engine in my book! :shades:
They begged for the Hyundai Guy!! I really LOVE IT!
Regards,
OW
GM's Docherty Swept Aside for Hyundai Marketing Whiz (AutoObserver)
That might be the smartest marketing move GM has made since the bailout!
How about a 1989 Chevy Astro I owned and sold to a friend with
360,000 miles and the original transimssion. (Motor replaced
at 160,000 miles due to overheating. The motor from the junkyard
cost $400 - it was cheaper than a head gasket) How about my
son's 2000 Chevy Cavalier that he gave to his girlfriend still running
strong at 180,000 miles with no major repairs. The purchase price
was $10,500 new. I'd say that car was a good deal.
And at least I have confidence that the spare tire and/or gas tank
will not fall from the frame of my 2006 Chevy Silverado due to
premature rust like they might on Toyota Tacomas and Tundras.
will not fall from the frame of my 2006 Chevy Silverado due to
premature rust like they might on Toyota Tacomas and Tundras.
Yeah, but who knows when the fuel pump or trans will die, it can happen at any time. Over the weekend I was helping a camping buddy fix his sharp '96 Tahoe 2dr. It is in immaculate shape with 180k miles on it. But it's on it's 3rd trans and I had the honor of helping him put in it's 5th fuel pump, the one we replaced was only a year old. Not a fun job on a gravel lot. We had 6 guys standing around and all of us were talking about how we had a trans and fuel pump die in a gm 1/2 ton.
Any time I talk to anyone regarding those late 90's through '00 1/2 ton GM truck or SUV, trans and fuel pump replacements come up more often than not. I thought the Chrysler minivan transaxles of the late 80's were bad. I'm beginning to think GM's 4l60E trans is right behind it in terms of being junk.
What? They blame her for that? Oh well, let the axe continue to be wielded. It ain't over 'till it's over. The Board and the Executive continues to BS their way along the bumpy and long road of dishonesty that paints the true picture of GM's reputation based on a huge ego but in reality is a weak example of good corporate governance.
Tell me they knew nothing of this statement in the BoD! Go Ahead....Make My Day!
By the way, Mr. Ewanik, the first coarse of business is getting rid of "May the Best Car Win!" because it reflects the arrogance that GM can not shake because they will never get it. You can't talk your way to customer loyalty with empty phraseology.
You actually have to deliver...but you already have been there. Hyundai is steam-rolling the market at the moment. Nice work!! :shades:
Regards,
OW
Even the supplier of those notorious gas pedals that cause UA was called CTS!!
Perhaps that's why CTS sales have tanked this year.
Regards,
OW
No kidding, I was talking to all these guys at our campground. Many have bought 2-3 Chevy trucks over the past 15 years and many had the same repeat problems. Rear end noise, bad trans, and bad fuel pumps. I'm not that dumb. I had those troubles with one and didn't buy another.
I completely agree with that. GM needs to move away from warranties like the LOOP HOLE riddled "lifetime" government backed warranties of Chrysler (short lived experiment), and towards substantial warranties that mean something like Hyundai's (that rewards new car buyers instead of used car buyers).
Unfortunately for GM, their warranties (no matter what they choose to do with them) are also currently "government backed." Frankly, I wouldn't buy one because I don't want to burden my fellow tax payers with transmission and head gasket replacements prior to 65,000 miles.
2011 Chevrolet Volt is ‘99 percent’ ready, in engineering speak
It’s almost done.
The 2011 Chevrolet Volt, now just months away from launch, is at the “99 percent level” of engineering calibration, a General Motors executive said on Tuesday.
In plain English, that means the extended-range car is ready. The driving characteristics likely won’t change much; engineers are now just aiming for consistency to ensure that the Volt always drives as expected.
“We’re really pleased with how they drive, how tight they are,” said Larry Nitz, GM executive director of hybrid and electric powertrain and engineering.
Speaking via a conference call from a GM test-drive in California, Nitz said the car was hitting its targets.
......“It’s an EV that can drive across the country.”
......The 40-mile range on electricity is still expected, though Nitz declined to discuss mpg ratings.
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20100504/GREEN/100509955
The article goes on to dampen expectations that this thing will be even remotely sporty, and of course they have backed away from the 230 mpg estimated rating because for a vehicle like this, rating fuel economy in the same terms as gas-powered cars makes no sense. But as a commute car it would be just the ticket for me; I would probably burn less than 5 gallons of gas a week, so mabe 1/3 of what I burn now. For me the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is just as important as, maybe more important than, the cash savings on gas purchases.
I hope this thing is as good as GM has promised it will be for all these years. My experience with GM has been that it overpromises and underdelivers. For the sake of advancing powertrain technology, I hope that is not the case with the Volt. I can't wait to see this thing this fall.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I don't have exact numbers, but Toyota sales increased about 25% in April, while GM increased about 7% or so. So if Toyota lost market share, then GM lost even more.