The truth hurst but it's only a company. What's with all of this extreme sensitivity? Does all of the "do-or-die" GM fans think blind allegiance to ANY company will actually make their products improve?
I submit it's the droves of customers who left GM sucking fumes that FORCED GM to improve after complete and utter failure. 2 years and counting doesn't even come close to declaring a healed and thriving GM...not when the debt is still hanging over their heads...same with Ford but they were smart enough to suck it up WITHOUT a bailout. Call it bashing but left alone, US auto has the tendency to return to the ego trip of the greed and arrogance that only recently has had a huge wake up call. Yes, Toyota and Honda had a wake up call as well. Thing is their products were better but now the competition in their back yard is reminding them of the US auto failure that is easily followed by not listening to those BASHING sounds at their door!
As I've posted the cars have greatly improved in the 2 years from GM but not past the competitors, barring a huge catastrophe, that is!
We'll see if the Cruze and Malibu can stand the future sales wars brewing.
GM's product development efforts slowed down greatly during the company's death spiral and bankruptcy, and several key programs were reportedly substantially reworked after the bankruptcy by the company's new management. While there are bright spots in GM's current product portfolio, the company is at least a couple of years away from being able to keep up with the new-product cadence at standard-setters Ford and Hyundai (OTC: HYMTF).
Witness the company's full-size trucks, arguably (still) its most important products. GM's big trucks aren't bad, but Ford's lineup -- refreshed last year and sporting new fuel-efficient powertrains -- shines in comparison. GM's pickups (and their big SUV cousins like the Chevy Tahoe and Suburban) need an update to stay competitive, but it's at least a couple of years away.
Meanwhile, inventories have bloated. GM had 111 days' worth of pickups in inventory at the end of April, a big number that may drive the company to bump incentives -- an old habit it would dearly love to break.
And that's the problem: GM has some impressive new products, but many of its entries aren't quite competitive with the class leaders. In order to keep the metal moving while GM waits for fresh products, it'll have to stay aggressive on pricing and free-handed with the incentives. That will continue to squeeze per-sale profits, especially in North America, which will continue to drag on the stock price.
We'll see if the Cruze and Malibu can stand the future sales wars brewing.
Remember, the Malibu is new in the fall (although from what I see, I only like the taillights better than mine).
Do you genuinely believe that GM's improved sales performance over the competition is solely due to the tsunami and Ford having problems getting black paint?
As I had mentioned previously, rebates were the same for the Malibu and Fusion when I bought mine. There was also $1,000 dealer cash on the Malibu, but would that be enough to make somebody buy one over the other if they really liked the other better? I know it wouldn't for me.
I think people are appreciating the longer powertrain warranty of GM versus others (except Hyundai) and also have come back to wanting made in America. In the Malibu's segment, the Fusion loses that being built in Mexico.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
Frequency of model changeovers standard setters? Read "previous models now depreciate faster"
The latest Accord was a styling bomb. Good thing they rushed that to market.
Chevy has a car of the year and 5 "best Buys" in it's lineup. I'd have to disagree with many of its entries aren't quite competitive with the class leaders
My Malibu currently returns me 25 city and 36 highway. BTW, these are Civic 1.8 L ratings.
Your explanation of the mid 2008 GM downturn doesn't hold water. Wishful thinking isn't fact.
I just love how these business "geniuses" with access to a blog seem to know everything about cars and what's successful...
Sarcasm fully intended.
If it's true that "many of its entries aren't quite competitive with the class leaders", then why is the Malibu the top selling car over the past two months? Don't give me the "lack of supply" garbage, the Fusion or Altima could have easily stepped up if the Malibu wasn't "competitive".
How about the Cruze? It's not rotting on dealer lots, in fact, all 4 local Chevy dealers sell out of Cruzes within a week of getting deliveries. The Equinox? It's almost TWO years into it's model cycle and it's still selling well, and it frankly embarrasses the CR-V and RAV-4 at their own game.
Gimme a break! This writer wouldn't know a great car if it ran him over.
An Eco option with an 18kW motor/generator and a 115V Lithium battery. Improved tail light styling. 38 mpg hwy in GM testing. All new interior, wider stance. DIG. Is this Hybrid Light?
The 38 mpg falls between the 35 of an Aveo and the 40 of a Volt.
Huh? Chevrolet has six lines of cars right now (Aveo, soon to be put out of its misery; Cruze (best-seller in class); Malibu (best-seller in class); Camaro (best-seller in class); Corvette (no other cars in class), and Impala (still selling well despite being very old).
Where are you getting two, and where are you getting 30? Did you expect a Cadillac or Buick to be a best-selling car? Jeez, come on. Is there a Lexus or Lincoln or Benz in the top five? Apples to apples, man. Good grief.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
Remember, the Malibu is new in the fall (although from what I see, I only like the taillights better than mine).
Yeah, but that's a heck of an improvement!
I like your Malibu just fine but where the heck did they come up with those tail lights? I would, however, bet you get used to those. I like what I'm seeing on the refresh.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
The point was that they need to improve. Once again, the reality sticks in the craw of the seriously enamored of GM to the point of frustration! Here's what GM investors (and potential investors) need to keep in mind: Even though the General's posting decent profits, has minimal debt, and is likely to regain the global sales crown in 2011, this is very much a turnaround story still in progress. The bailout and warp-speed bankruptcy proceeding cleaned up GM's financial statements nicely, but cleaning up the business is another matter.
While GM's latest products inspire confidence in the company's ability to execute -- that, more than anything else, is why I like GM as an investment -- it needs more new products. CEO Dan Akerson has pushed hard to accelerate new-product programs, but doing so means sustaining a high level of spending. And that, plus the pricing and incentives needed to keep existing products moving, plus the pressures of higher gas prices that continue to drive consumers toward lower-margin small cars, means that GM's profits may seem subdued for several more quarters.
You don't need to be a genius to accept the fact that GM is playing catch up, do you?
like your Malibu just fine but where the heck did they come up with those tail lights? I would, however, bet you get used to those. I like what I'm seeing on the refresh.
I think they bought leftover Mitsubishi Diamante taillights! I even like the LTZ lights less, with what looks like an extra backup light on each side!
The refresh is supposed to have a shorter wheelbase, which I'm not for. I like the proportions the Malibu's long 112.3" wb give it now...it's a longer wb than an Impala.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
2 cars? Out of 30???? Like wow, man! GM is going to clean up now! You know everything! How impressive!
That's right, resort to sarcasm when I actually state a few facts, while revealing the flawed opinions of some "investment" blogger that you're hanging your old, tired, outdated argument on.
FYI, I may not know everything, but I DO know I mentioned 3 cars in my argument (not 2), and GM currently offers 64 vehicles (not 30), and that's only in the U.S.
And if others improve on a federal bailout dime, we should just not approve of them, but patronize them and worship them. If GM does the same, they are criminals and deserve to go away. No hypocrisy at all.
My wife's friend's son has a new 2011 Scion tC coupe. While it looks sharp, twice it has had a dead battery, in about six months. Nothing has been added to the car, and nothing has been left on. They've only jumped it. This time, it's going to the dealer's. I thought stuff like this didn't happen to Asian brands.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
I guess if it's on a shorter wheelbase, it can't be called a 'refresh'--it's a different car.
It might not be. It's really not that hard to alter the wheelbase of a car. One really good example of this is Chrysler's old K-cars. The Aries/Reliant started it all, on a 100.3" wb. In later years though, it came in a variety of wheelbases: 97" (Daytona/Chrysler Laser, Sundance/Shadow), 103.3" (Dodge 600/Chrysler E-class/New Yorker/Plymouth Caravelle, and later the Spirit/Acclaim/LeBaron sedan), 104.3" (Dynasty/New Yorker), and 109.3" (5th Avenue/"Imperial"...I use quotes because I have trouble calling that one a real Imperial!)
It's much harder though, to make a car wider, and that was one sore spot with the K-cars. For the most part, they had about 56" of shoulder room. That was decent back then for midsized cars and downright generous for a compact, but as a full-sized car, something like a Dynasty or New Yorker just couldn't cut it against GM's FWD Electra/98/Deville, which had more like 58-59" of shoulder room, or the old-school RWD cars like the Caprice or Crown Vic, which had around 61" or so.
With a design like the current Malibu, and the former Saturn Aura and Pontiac G6 though, it might not be too hard. Those cars are somewhat tapered in design, to where the back seat loses about 2" of shoulder room compared to the front seat. If they widened it a bit towards the back, re-shaped the doors a bit, I imagine they might be able to gain a bit of interior room.
I laughed about the quotes around "Imperial"--I get you!
Studebaker cars were never very wide either. Although I like that today, as IMO they never built a "fat"-looking car, I know it wasn't a sales advantage back in the day.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
I thought stuff like this didn't happen to Asian brands.
You know we see this kind of reply a lot. Stuff DOES happen to Asian brands! Their cars get recalled. Engines sludge and transmissions fail. Dealers are sometimes incompetent. Just like all makes.
HOWEVER, statistically, Asian brands were far superior on most models for the better part of 20-30 years. No amount of "my friend had a battery problem" changes that. Only recently have the US makes begun putting out competitive products. And IMHO and in the opinions of CU and JDPower and others, the D3 are still not quite there. But really good progress.
I have never, and I mean never, had a current model-year GM car not start.
Only when the battery's been five years old have I ever been in this situation...in thirty years of GM cars.
My wife's friend called me for advice this a.m. (and no, I didn't tell her to 'not buy a Scion'!). She was worried that if it needs a new battery it won't be free because it's a 'wear' item. I told her if the dealer determines it needs a new battery, don't worry, it'll be free.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
Well, my 2003 Denali had a battery drain recall. Guess what? The truck did not start. It was 1 year old at the time. Recalled and fixed but no new battery so I needed to change it after 2 years as it was toasted after the condition that drained it in the first place. Perhaps the Asians assembled the electrical system?
In a troubling sign for Detroit, import brands appear to be winning over the new generation of American car buyers, people between the ages of 18 and 27.
Oh, oh...GM better watch out!
The car brands with the biggest proportion of Gen Y buyers were Japanese, South Korean and German, according to the study, conducted in 2009 and 2010. Those were tough years for Detroit's automakers and also for Japan's Toyota Motor Corp.
Toyota's Scion brand had the biggest share of Gen Y customers — 21.2 percent — followed by Mitsubishi, Mazda, Nissan, Volkswagen and Kia. Rounding out the top 10 brands were Hyundai, Honda, Toyota and Subaru. The highest-ranked domestic brand was Chrysler Group LLC's Jeep, in 12th place.
As usual, the protagonists are going to come back strong on this because they view it as BASHING GM.
Instead, think of it as positive reinforcement to these little sound bites. It will change the way you look at things....so GM can change for the better. Isn't that a better view instead of reacting like I'm single-handedly trying to DESTROY GM?
There you go! That's the reaction I'm looking for!
Take the Regal GS. That is the type of car that will make the youngin's think twice about a foreign brand.....until they look at the window sticker and see the $5,000 MAP charge the dealer applies 'cause it's a hot model, that is.
GTO or G8 anyone??
I submit, seriously now, that GM could sell the Regal GS for $28,000 base with the stripped-down version for the kids who do not need the comfy and cozies. That's the way to gain market share instead of the tried and failed tactics of the past. Don't you think this is at all possible? At the same time, give the kid free insurance.
I just had a terrible failure on my GM car also. Like Circlew I'm just so disappointed.
The rearview mirror fell off the windshield. The glue they used to hold the metal plate to the glass just isn't up to the quality it should be. GM should have made the glue to last longer than 13.5 years.
Looks like GM isn't the panacea they used to be. Net hiring for GM is no doubt down due to the C-ll failure/bailout but guess who's helping USA automotive jobs?/
Whether unionized or not, the U.S. automotive workforce is likely to continue growing over the next few years as the industry continues to recover from the devastating downturn of 2008 to 2010. Sales this year are expected to rise as much as 50% compared to the 2009 low, but reaching the 13 million mark is still well short of the domestic market’s previous 17 million peak.
Even if the market returns to that level, however, analysts warn that employment will never reach past records. Factories that once employed 5,000 or more now need less than half that due to productivity gains, for one thing.
But automotive employment is nonetheless on the rise at both the old Detroit plants and the newer factories opened by the imported.
Remember, newer factories are the changes we want. Don't you agree? Success is gained buy a cohesive team not the old model of UAW vs. Corporate, right???
I feel honored to help the new world factories! :shades:
The rearview mirror fell off the windshield. The glue they used to hold the metal plate to the glass just isn't up to the quality it should be. GM should have made the glue to last longer than 13.5 years.
I'll never buy another 1998 GM car. :grin
Oh, that problem's reached epidemic proportions. Mirror fell off on my '80 Malibu, and it also fell off on my '85 Silverado. I swear, they need to issue a recall!
Dumbass GM...they need to follow Chrysler's lead, and either mount 'em down on the dashboard like they did in '57, or mount 'em to the ceiling, like they did with my '68 Dart! :P
GM just can't do anything right. It cost me a whole $5.31 to buy a Permatex glue kit to reinstall the metal mounting plate.
This windshield has never had to be replaced, so the glue is the original. I guess it was just time and age in the hot sun parked outside on Saturday that caught up with it. It's really neat how the rear view mirror is attached. Very ingenious.
It's GM's fault for making this car so it has lasted so long! 13.5 years since December 1997. 183,500 miles. We drove it Friday for our short day off tour into old home Indiana. Purred like a cat in front of a fireplace on a cold snowy winter night. AC works great. If I could get it to die, I'd get a new Cruze.
And once again I'll state that buying a car you don't like just because it has better "resale value" is still throwing away money in my book. Funny these import lovers brag so much about "resale value." If your import is all that, why are you so enthusiastic about trading it in? If an import is so great, why not keep it until the wheels fall off? My 1989 Cadillac Brougham is going to be with me for life I love it so much.
If an import is so great, why not keep it until the wheels fall off? My 1989 Cadillac Brougham is going to be with me for life I love it so much.
Not if it was your only mode of transportation. I don't have an extra vehicle to drive. That's why I've never been able to keep anything more than 5 years. They're worn to the point that I don't want to drive or rely on them anymore.
OTOH, my dad keeps cars for about 7-9 years and he drives 20-30k/yr. His '09 Accord v6 has about 60k on it. I will be curious to see how well it ages. His previous '00 Taurus lasted to 180k, though he put thousands into it the last two years he drove it. So far the Accord has only needed brakes. His Taurus was in the shop numerous times for various issues and recalls prior to 60k miles. So, he's very happy with the Accord so far.
My MIL has an '05 Camry v6 with almost 150k miles and other than a battery and a few tail light bulbs, nothing has failed. Unbelievable IMO since she commutes into downtown Chicago every day with it. NONE of her previous domestic cars lasted that long w/o major issues.
My 07 Expedition is turning into another disappointment. Paint bubbles, plastic trim pieces that are fading badly, misc mechanical issues, and it hasn't hit 90k yet. I may be test driving a Sequoia soon.
My wife's 2005 Buick LaCrosse is pretty much my wife's only mode of transportation as she's afraid to drive the Cadillacs and will drive my Mercury Grand Marquis once in a blue moon. It's held up admirably for over six years and she can be pretty rough on a car.
My wife's 2005 Buick LaCrosse is pretty much my wife's only mode of transportation
My point was I don't have access to another vehicle. If my car is in the shop, I have to do without or rent one. During the week, my wife's car is off limits because 1. it's a company car, and 2. She has to drive around during the day for work and she's often 50+ miles from our house. So reliability issues are a major inconvenience for me.
Even with all of the problems I've had with my Expedition and my previous Suburban. I've never been stranded. They've always made it under their own power to a repair facility.
I don't know how long I'll keep the Expe. I just get nervous with a vehicle with 100k+ miles. We drive our SUV 150+ miles a weekend to the lake we boat on. Plus we take several 150+ mile trips to visit family etc. I don't have the patience to deal with numerous problems. I'm pushing 90k miles now. I'll probably replace in within a year or another 20k miles.
I'd do it now, but I can't decide if I want to go the pickup route or another full size SUV.
It's a tough call. I had a 4Runner and liked it, but it got poor MPG and the fact that it had a manual (one of the last ones with it) was the only saving grace.
Today, I'd get a Tacoma with manual and 4WD. The 4 cylinder in it gets good enough MPG and it's a nearly unbreakable truck. The other one I'd recommend is the Nissan Frontier. Unfortunately, GM and Ford don't make mid-size trucks or SUVs that are really worth getting. And everything else just gets terrible MPG. 18mpg isn't acceptable these days.
I don't know how long I'll keep the Expe. I just get nervous with a vehicle with 100k+ miles. We drive our SUV 150+ miles a weekend to the lake we boat on. Plus we take several 150+ mile trips to visit family etc. I don't have the patience to deal with numerous problems. I'm pushing 90k miles now. I'll probably replace in within a year or another 20k miles.
IMHO that's why your experiences with US makes is sad. We drove our Mercury Villager (with Nissan engine and transmission) to 225K before we started getting nervous. And even then it was always reliable until we got rid of it. My current Acura is at 109K and I have no concerns whatsoever that I can go another 50K minimum without any significant reliability concerns. It's never had any unusual maintenance in it's first 100K.
Other than my Audi, none of our cars (VW, Mercury, Honda, Acura) had any issues of significance before 100K. And even the Audi's issue was a cooling issue that didn't strand me. It would just run hot on hot days with the temp gauge climbing. But it got expensive to get diagnosed and fixed.
Today, I'd get a Tacoma with manual and 4WD. The 4 cylinder in it gets good enough MPG and it's a nearly unbreakable truck. The other one I'd recommend is the Nissan Frontier. Unfortunately, GM and Ford don't make mid-size trucks or SUVs that are really worth getting. And everything else just gets terrible MPG. 18mpg isn't acceptable these days.
I have a 35' 8k lb camper and currently a 5k lb boat to pull. A Tacoma isn't going to cut it, well it would tow the Waverunner. The Expedition can barely pull the camper. The Expedition might get 18mpg on a good day, but most of the time it's 12-17. That's just the price we pay to do what we like.
Most of the miles on the Expedition are for doing tasks it was designed to do. Towing and hauling gear and people. Now that the miles are getting up there I need to make a decision. Do I keep it and buy and extra car for M-F running around, or do I get a new or newer full-size SUV or pickup.
I generally only drive 50-100 miles during the week. It's the weekends when I need a truck/suv and that's when I put most of the miles on. So buying something like a Cruze may not cut my fuel bill by a whole lot. I could leave the Expedition down at the lake and drive the car down there. But fitting all of us, the dog, and a weekends worth of supplies would not be easy. It's hard enough sometimes to fit everything into the Expedition, particularly when the kids bring a friend or two along.
Ah, then you need something larger like a Tundra or Titan.
The new generation Tacoma can haul about 6000 lbs, give or take. Actual frame under there, unlike a lot of wussy unit-body "SUV"s made today. A SUV or Truck absolutely needs a frame and the ability to have a class C hitch on it. The Frontier also is the same. They really are mid-size now - much heavier and larger than previous models.
But if you have a 8K+ camper, well, yeah, you need a big truck. That leaves one reliable choice, in my book. A Dodge 2500 with the Cummins Diesel in it. Tow anything. Engine will never die. Good MPG. (way better than a typical V8 while towing) Just get one a couple of years old, certified, as the sticker price is a bit rude. 3 years depreciation brings it down to earth.
But if you have a 8K+ camper, well, yeah, you need a big truck.
Currently, the camper stays at a permanent campsite. I've towed it once with the Expedition. 150 miles from the dealer to the campsite. Wow, was that a handful.
A Dodge 2500 with the Cummins Diesel in it.
Yeah, my BIL has an 06 and it's a beast.
Our current boat would easily be handled by a Tacoma (v6), but the mileage is no better than a fullsize v8 pickup. No question the Tacoma is a good truck. One of my best friends has had two and never an issue.
Seriously, I saw an episode of Test Drive showing the abuse testing that Ford ran the EB through, and it was simply amazing. It's got the towing/hauling power that a V8 provides when you need it, with V6 mileage when you don't.
In truth, the F-150 would be the only one on my list. I used to work for a construction testing company, and we had a fleet of Ford Rangers, F-150s, F-250s, and Econolines at our disposal. The average lifespan of a F-150 on the road was 250K-300K miles (about 10-15 years), with few (if any) mechanical repairs. By then, the Northeast winter salt would've eaten the bodies and beds so badly that they were scrapped for parts. We had an '84 F-150 that was 20 years old and literally nothing left of the doors and quarter panels, and the box was removed and replaced with a wood flatbed, but that straight-6 still fired up on the first try, and the 4WD still worked (even though you had to get out and turn the hubs, remember those days?)
My '97 and '02 Chevy Cavaliers went 129.6K and 112K, respectively, with nothing but routine maintenance. That's why I bought a new one 5 1/2 years after the '97.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
I'm still upset that the rearview mirror adhesive came loose. I'm used to higher quality than this on my GM cars. :sick:
And the muffler is deteriorating after 183.5 K miles. I'll bet Hondas never need a new muffler. Of course, I'm on my original transmission instead of third one like some Hondas and I've not had runaway acceleration nor has my engine had a head gasket leak like some other cars. :grin :P
I'll be those other brands and camCords don't have that problem after 13.5 years! :he he he. :shades:
Comments
The vast majority of the parts utilized in both my 2008 and 2011-model GM products were of North-American manufacture.
problems over the last few years?
What are you talking about?
What industry are you following that turned downhill in mid 2008?
Typical thoughtless GM bashing.
The truth hurst but it's only a company. What's with all of this extreme sensitivity? Does all of the "do-or-die" GM fans think blind allegiance to ANY company will actually make their products improve?
I submit it's the droves of customers who left GM sucking fumes that FORCED GM to improve after complete and utter failure. 2 years and counting doesn't even come close to declaring a healed and thriving GM...not when the debt is still hanging over their heads...same with Ford but they were smart enough to suck it up WITHOUT a bailout. Call it bashing but left alone, US auto has the tendency to return to the ego trip of the greed and arrogance that only recently has had a huge wake up call. Yes, Toyota and Honda had a wake up call as well. Thing is their products were better but now the competition in their back yard is reminding them of the US auto failure that is easily followed by not listening to those BASHING sounds at their door!
As I've posted the cars have greatly improved in the 2 years from GM but not past the competitors, barring a huge catastrophe, that is!
We'll see if the Cruze and Malibu can stand the future sales wars brewing.
Regards,
GM's product development efforts slowed down greatly during the company's death spiral and bankruptcy, and several key programs were reportedly substantially reworked after the bankruptcy by the company's new management. While there are bright spots in GM's current product portfolio, the company is at least a couple of years away from being able to keep up with the new-product cadence at standard-setters Ford and Hyundai (OTC: HYMTF).
Witness the company's full-size trucks, arguably (still) its most important products. GM's big trucks aren't bad, but Ford's lineup -- refreshed last year and sporting new fuel-efficient powertrains -- shines in comparison. GM's pickups (and their big SUV cousins like the Chevy Tahoe and Suburban) need an update to stay competitive, but it's at least a couple of years away.
Meanwhile, inventories have bloated. GM had 111 days' worth of pickups in inventory at the end of April, a big number that may drive the company to bump incentives -- an old habit it would dearly love to break.
And that's the problem: GM has some impressive new products, but many of its entries aren't quite competitive with the class leaders. In order to keep the metal moving while GM waits for fresh products, it'll have to stay aggressive on pricing and free-handed with the incentives. That will continue to squeeze per-sale profits, especially in North America, which will continue to drag on the stock price.
Like I said, many more miles.....
Uphill Ride
Regards,
OW
Remember, the Malibu is new in the fall (although from what I see, I only like the taillights better than mine).
Do you genuinely believe that GM's improved sales performance over the competition is solely due to the tsunami and Ford having problems getting black paint?
As I had mentioned previously, rebates were the same for the Malibu and Fusion when I bought mine. There was also $1,000 dealer cash on the Malibu, but would that be enough to make somebody buy one over the other if they really liked the other better? I know it wouldn't for me.
I think people are appreciating the longer powertrain warranty of GM versus others (except Hyundai) and also have come back to wanting made in America. In the Malibu's segment, the Fusion loses that being built in Mexico.
The latest Accord was a styling bomb. Good thing they rushed that to market.
Chevy has a car of the year and 5 "best Buys" in it's lineup. I'd have to disagree with many of its entries aren't quite competitive with the class leaders
My Malibu currently returns me 25 city and 36 highway. BTW, these are Civic 1.8 L ratings.
Your explanation of the mid 2008 GM downturn doesn't hold water. Wishful thinking isn't fact.
Sarcasm fully intended.
If it's true that "many of its entries aren't quite competitive with the class leaders", then why is the Malibu the top selling car over the past two months? Don't give me the "lack of supply" garbage, the Fusion or Altima could have easily stepped up if the Malibu wasn't "competitive".
How about the Cruze? It's not rotting on dealer lots, in fact, all 4 local Chevy dealers sell out of Cruzes within a week of getting deliveries. The Equinox? It's almost TWO years into it's model cycle and it's still selling well, and it frankly embarrasses the CR-V and RAV-4 at their own game.
Gimme a break! This writer wouldn't know a great car if it ran him over.
The 38 mpg falls between the 35 of an Aveo and the 40 of a Volt.
Regards,
OW
Huh? Chevrolet has six lines of cars right now (Aveo, soon to be put out of its misery; Cruze (best-seller in class); Malibu (best-seller in class); Camaro (best-seller in class); Corvette (no other cars in class), and Impala (still selling well despite being very old).
Where are you getting two, and where are you getting 30? Did you expect a Cadillac or Buick to be a best-selling car? Jeez, come on. Is there a Lexus or Lincoln or Benz in the top five? Apples to apples, man. Good grief.
Yeah, but that's a heck of an improvement!
I like your Malibu just fine but where the heck did they come up with those tail lights? I would, however, bet you get used to those. I like what I'm seeing on the refresh.
Here's what GM investors (and potential investors) need to keep in mind: Even though the General's posting decent profits, has minimal debt, and is likely to regain the global sales crown in 2011, this is very much a turnaround story still in progress. The bailout and warp-speed bankruptcy proceeding cleaned up GM's financial statements nicely, but cleaning up the business is another matter.
While GM's latest products inspire confidence in the company's ability to execute -- that, more than anything else, is why I like GM as an investment -- it needs more new products. CEO Dan Akerson has pushed hard to accelerate new-product programs, but doing so means sustaining a high level of spending. And that, plus the pricing and incentives needed to keep existing products moving, plus the pressures of higher gas prices that continue to drive consumers toward lower-margin small cars, means that GM's profits may seem subdued for several more quarters.
You don't need to be a genius to accept the fact that GM is playing catch up, do you?
Regards,
OW
I think they bought leftover Mitsubishi Diamante taillights!
The refresh is supposed to have a shorter wheelbase, which I'm not for. I like the proportions the Malibu's long 112.3" wb give it now...it's a longer wb than an Impala.
Car companies should improve
GM...take note!!!
All other companies....Oh, you already knew?
That's right, resort to sarcasm when I actually state a few facts, while revealing the flawed opinions of some "investment" blogger that you're hanging your old, tired, outdated argument on.
FYI, I may not know everything, but I DO know I mentioned 3 cars in my argument (not 2), and GM currently offers 64 vehicles (not 30), and that's only in the U.S.
What does anyone else know that even mildy critizies GM? "They know NOTHING", as Jim Cramer says.
I'm sure the top car sales will never again have anything other than GM cars on the list.
Regards,
OW
It might not be. It's really not that hard to alter the wheelbase of a car. One really good example of this is Chrysler's old K-cars. The Aries/Reliant started it all, on a 100.3" wb. In later years though, it came in a variety of wheelbases: 97" (Daytona/Chrysler Laser, Sundance/Shadow), 103.3" (Dodge 600/Chrysler E-class/New Yorker/Plymouth Caravelle, and later the Spirit/Acclaim/LeBaron sedan), 104.3" (Dynasty/New Yorker), and 109.3" (5th Avenue/"Imperial"...I use quotes because I have trouble calling that one a real Imperial!)
It's much harder though, to make a car wider, and that was one sore spot with the K-cars. For the most part, they had about 56" of shoulder room. That was decent back then for midsized cars and downright generous for a compact, but as a full-sized car, something like a Dynasty or New Yorker just couldn't cut it against GM's FWD Electra/98/Deville, which had more like 58-59" of shoulder room, or the old-school RWD cars like the Caprice or Crown Vic, which had around 61" or so.
With a design like the current Malibu, and the former Saturn Aura and Pontiac G6 though, it might not be too hard. Those cars are somewhat tapered in design, to where the back seat loses about 2" of shoulder room compared to the front seat. If they widened it a bit towards the back, re-shaped the doors a bit, I imagine they might be able to gain a bit of interior room.
I laughed about the quotes around "Imperial"--I get you!
Studebaker cars were never very wide either. Although I like that today, as IMO they never built a "fat"-looking car, I know it wasn't a sales advantage back in the day.
You know we see this kind of reply a lot. Stuff DOES happen to Asian brands! Their cars get recalled. Engines sludge and transmissions fail. Dealers are sometimes incompetent. Just like all makes.
HOWEVER, statistically, Asian brands were far superior on most models for the better part of 20-30 years. No amount of "my friend had a battery problem" changes that. Only recently have the US makes begun putting out competitive products. And IMHO and in the opinions of CU and JDPower and others, the D3 are still not quite there. But really good progress.
Only when the battery's been five years old have I ever been in this situation...in thirty years of GM cars.
My wife's friend called me for advice this a.m. (and no, I didn't tell her to 'not buy a Scion'!). She was worried that if it needs a new battery it won't be free because it's a 'wear' item. I told her if the dealer determines it needs a new battery, don't worry, it'll be free.
http://www.autoobserver.com/assets/JD%20Power%202011%20IQS%20make%20rank%20chart- .JPG
Regards,
OW
Oh, oh...GM better watch out!
The car brands with the biggest proportion of Gen Y buyers were Japanese, South Korean and German, according to the study, conducted in 2009 and 2010. Those were tough years for Detroit's automakers and also for Japan's Toyota Motor Corp.
Toyota's Scion brand had the biggest share of Gen Y customers — 21.2 percent — followed by Mitsubishi, Mazda, Nissan, Volkswagen and Kia. Rounding out the top 10 brands were Hyundai, Honda, Toyota and Subaru. The highest-ranked domestic brand was Chrysler Group LLC's Jeep, in 12th place.
As usual, the protagonists are going to come back strong on this because they view it as BASHING GM.
Instead, think of it as positive reinforcement to these little sound bites. It will change the way you look at things....so GM can change for the better. Isn't that a better view instead of reacting like I'm single-handedly trying to DESTROY GM?
Go Buick!
Regards,
OW
Take the Regal GS. That is the type of car that will make the youngin's think twice about a foreign brand.....until they look at the window sticker and see the $5,000 MAP charge the dealer applies 'cause it's a hot model, that is.
GTO or G8 anyone??
I submit, seriously now, that GM could sell the Regal GS for $28,000 base with the stripped-down version for the kids who do not need the comfy and cozies. That's the way to gain market share instead of the tried and failed tactics of the past. Don't you think this is at all possible? At the same time, give the kid free insurance.
Regards,
OW
The rearview mirror fell off the windshield. The glue they used to hold the metal plate to the glass just isn't up to the quality it should be. GM should have made the glue to last longer than 13.5 years.
I'll never buy another 1998 GM car. :grin
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
They charge for the maps in the GPS?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Regards,
OW
Whether unionized or not, the U.S. automotive workforce is likely to continue growing over the next few years as the industry continues to recover from the devastating downturn of 2008 to 2010. Sales this year are expected to rise as much as 50% compared to the 2009 low, but reaching the 13 million mark is still well short of the domestic market’s previous 17 million peak.
Even if the market returns to that level, however, analysts warn that employment will never reach past records. Factories that once employed 5,000 or more now need less than half that due to productivity gains, for one thing.
But automotive employment is nonetheless on the rise at both the old Detroit plants and the newer factories opened by the imported.
Remember, newer factories are the changes we want. Don't you agree? Success is gained buy a cohesive team not the old model of UAW vs. Corporate, right???
I feel honored to help the new world factories! :shades:
Regards,
OW
I'll never buy another 1998 GM car. :grin
Oh, that problem's reached epidemic proportions. Mirror fell off on my '80 Malibu, and it also fell off on my '85 Silverado. I swear, they need to issue a recall!
Dumbass GM...they need to follow Chrysler's lead, and either mount 'em down on the dashboard like they did in '57, or mount 'em to the ceiling, like they did with my '68 Dart! :P
GM just can't do anything right. It cost me a whole $5.31 to buy a Permatex glue kit to reinstall the metal mounting plate.
This windshield has never had to be replaced, so the glue is the original. I guess it was just time and age in the hot sun parked outside on Saturday that caught up with it. It's really neat how the rear view mirror is attached. Very ingenious.
It's GM's fault for making this car so it has lasted so long! 13.5 years since December 1997. 183,500 miles. We drove it Friday for our short day off tour into old home Indiana. Purred like a cat in front of a fireplace on a cold snowy winter night. AC works great. If I could get it to die, I'd get a new Cruze.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Not if it was your only mode of transportation. I don't have an extra vehicle to drive. That's why I've never been able to keep anything more than 5 years. They're worn to the point that I don't want to drive or rely on them anymore.
OTOH, my dad keeps cars for about 7-9 years and he drives 20-30k/yr. His '09 Accord v6 has about 60k on it. I will be curious to see how well it ages. His previous '00 Taurus lasted to 180k, though he put thousands into it the last two years he drove it. So far the Accord has only needed brakes. His Taurus was in the shop numerous times for various issues and recalls prior to 60k miles. So, he's very happy with the Accord so far.
My MIL has an '05 Camry v6 with almost 150k miles and other than a battery and a few tail light bulbs, nothing has failed. Unbelievable IMO since she commutes into downtown Chicago every day with it. NONE of her previous domestic cars lasted that long w/o major issues.
My 07 Expedition is turning into another disappointment. Paint bubbles, plastic trim pieces that are fading badly, misc mechanical issues, and it hasn't hit 90k yet. I may be test driving a Sequoia soon.
My point was I don't have access to another vehicle. If my car is in the shop, I have to do without or rent one. During the week, my wife's car is off limits because 1. it's a company car, and 2. She has to drive around during the day for work and she's often 50+ miles from our house. So reliability issues are a major inconvenience for me.
Even with all of the problems I've had with my Expedition and my previous Suburban. I've never been stranded. They've always made it under their own power to a repair facility.
I don't know how long I'll keep the Expe. I just get nervous with a vehicle with 100k+ miles. We drive our SUV 150+ miles a weekend to the lake we boat on. Plus we take several 150+ mile trips to visit family etc. I don't have the patience to deal with numerous problems. I'm pushing 90k miles now. I'll probably replace in within a year or another 20k miles.
I'd do it now, but I can't decide if I want to go the pickup route or another full size SUV.
Today, I'd get a Tacoma with manual and 4WD. The 4 cylinder in it gets good enough MPG and it's a nearly unbreakable truck. The other one I'd recommend is the Nissan Frontier. Unfortunately, GM and Ford don't make mid-size trucks or SUVs that are really worth getting. And everything else just gets terrible MPG. 18mpg isn't acceptable these days.
IMHO that's why your experiences with US makes is sad. We drove our Mercury Villager (with Nissan engine and transmission) to 225K before we started getting nervous. And even then it was always reliable until we got rid of it. My current Acura is at 109K and I have no concerns whatsoever that I can go another 50K minimum without any significant reliability concerns. It's never had any unusual maintenance in it's first 100K.
Other than my Audi, none of our cars (VW, Mercury, Honda, Acura) had any issues of significance before 100K. And even the Audi's issue was a cooling issue that didn't strand me. It would just run hot on hot days with the temp gauge climbing. But it got expensive to get diagnosed and fixed.
I have a 35' 8k lb camper and currently a 5k lb boat to pull. A Tacoma isn't going to cut it, well it would tow the Waverunner. The Expedition can barely pull the camper. The Expedition might get 18mpg on a good day, but most of the time it's 12-17. That's just the price we pay to do what we like.
Most of the miles on the Expedition are for doing tasks it was designed to do. Towing and hauling gear and people. Now that the miles are getting up there I need to make a decision. Do I keep it and buy and extra car for M-F running around, or do I get a new or newer full-size SUV or pickup.
I generally only drive 50-100 miles during the week. It's the weekends when I need a truck/suv and that's when I put most of the miles on. So buying something like a Cruze may not cut my fuel bill by a whole lot. I could leave the Expedition down at the lake and drive the car down there. But fitting all of us, the dog, and a weekends worth of supplies would not be easy. It's hard enough sometimes to fit everything into the Expedition, particularly when the kids bring a friend or two along.
The new generation Tacoma can haul about 6000 lbs, give or take. Actual frame under there, unlike a lot of wussy unit-body "SUV"s made today. A SUV or Truck absolutely needs a frame and the ability to have a class C hitch on it. The Frontier also is the same. They really are mid-size now - much heavier and larger than previous models.
But if you have a 8K+ camper, well, yeah, you need a big truck. That leaves one reliable choice, in my book. A Dodge 2500 with the Cummins Diesel in it. Tow anything. Engine will never die. Good MPG. (way better than a typical V8 while towing) Just get one a couple of years old, certified, as the sticker price is a bit rude. 3 years depreciation brings it down to earth.
Currently, the camper stays at a permanent campsite. I've towed it once with the Expedition. 150 miles from the dealer to the campsite. Wow, was that a handful.
A Dodge 2500 with the Cummins Diesel in it.
Yeah, my BIL has an 06 and it's a beast.
Our current boat would easily be handled by a Tacoma (v6), but the mileage is no better than a fullsize v8 pickup. No question the Tacoma is a good truck. One of my best friends has had two and never an issue.
End of discussion.
Seriously, I saw an episode of Test Drive showing the abuse testing that Ford ran the EB through, and it was simply amazing. It's got the towing/hauling power that a V8 provides when you need it, with V6 mileage when you don't.
In truth, the F-150 would be the only one on my list. I used to work for a construction testing company, and we had a fleet of Ford Rangers, F-150s, F-250s, and Econolines at our disposal. The average lifespan of a F-150 on the road was 250K-300K miles (about 10-15 years), with few (if any) mechanical repairs. By then, the Northeast winter salt would've eaten the bodies and beds so badly that they were scrapped for parts. We had an '84 F-150 that was 20 years old and literally nothing left of the doors and quarter panels, and the box was removed and replaced with a wood flatbed, but that straight-6 still fired up on the first try, and the 4WD still worked (even though you had to get out and turn the hubs, remember those days?)
And the muffler is deteriorating after 183.5 K miles. I'll bet Hondas never need a new muffler. Of course, I'm on my original transmission instead of third one like some Hondas and I've not had runaway acceleration nor has my engine had a head gasket leak like some other cars. :grin :P
I'll be those other brands and camCords don't have that problem after 13.5 years! :he he he. :shades:
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,