GM News, New Models and Market Share

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Comments

  • tlongtlong Member Posts: 5,194
    Of course, genius management can make this story a Cinderella one.

    Isn't there a giant pumpkin in there somewhere?
  • tlongtlong Member Posts: 5,194
    People saw both the ATS and the XTS on the auto show circuit, so Caddy buyers may be waiting on the sidelines for those.

    One can hope. What I hope for is that they also have a plan B.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    Look Ma, No GM cars! :surprise:

    image

    But The Cruze sold well without too much incentive.

    Sales of Ford's Focus, which was short on inventory through much of last year, were up 114.6% and overtook the rival Chevy Cruze for the first time since the 2012 Focus arrived last April. GM's solace: Cruze sold with little incentive, while Ford discounts Focus as much as $2,000. That's about even with a year ago, but a lot for a redesigned compact.

    Balance! ;)

    Regards,
    OW
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    So much for gas prices killing pickup sales. The f series is on fire, Ram had a great month too.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    If I'm like the rest of my family, I will be around for quite a few more decades to buy Cadillacs and Buicks.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    edited March 2012
    GM's incentives fell from 13% to 9.5% of the average price paid by a customer. That may have contributed to Cadillac's 27% sales decline, as dealers wait for the XTS and ATS sedans that launch this year. Buick's sales fell 11.3%. GMC's were flat.

    Might as well change GM to Chevy and call it a day. :shades:

    I must give credit to GM for slowing the incentives, though. ;)

    Regards,
    OW
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    So much for gas prices killing pickup sales

    Dunno about that.

    The Camry outsold the Silverado for the first time *ever*.

    Not to mention the gas price spike only happened toward the end of the month.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,581
    22K+ bought Corolla? Are these fleet sales too? Or are people really sheep?

    Actually, with huge Altima sales, I have to believe fleets are included there.
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    Dunno about that.

    The Camry outsold the Silverado for the first time *ever*.


    The Camry almost outsold everything. Silverado is old and the F150 and Ram are taking sales.

    I just don't see gas prices hurting trucks much at current levels.
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    22K+ bought Corolla? Are these fleet sales too? Or are people really sheep?

    Actually, with huge Altima sales, I have to believe fleets are included there.


    Fleet sales are definitely included in those numbers.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    So much for cutting edge.

    They just announced closing the Volt plant until late April due to excessive inventory.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    22K+ bought Corolla? Are these fleet sales too? Or are people really sheep?

    Fleet sales are included. Actually, GM's Retail Sales were down 3.9% in Feb.

    Retail sales were up 25% at GM. Saved them from sales losses Y/Y.

    Regards,
    OW
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    They just announced closing the Volt plant until late April due to excessive inventory.

    Yeah, they sold half of what they produced in Feb. :surprise:

    Regards,
    OW
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Came to share the same story - Volt production halted for 5 weeks to trim stockpiles.

    They need to figure out a creative way to get that lease down to $299. I think a "2" in the front would be a big psychological attraction to consumers.
  • kernickkernick Member Posts: 4,072
    Not wide enough to fit their gun/accessory belts.

    No that's not the real reason for the vehicle not being wide enough ... which reminds me of a game-show a local radio station used to play. It was called "Cop or NO Cop" - a caller would be selected and then guess "Yes or NO" to whether a random call to a waitress at a local donut shop inquiring if a cop was present. Most of the time I heard it there was a cop in the donut shop! :D
  • kernickkernick Member Posts: 4,072
    Someone out in MI ought to do a story on how many workers at the Volt-plant have bought a Volt. And if not, why not. At least take a camera to the employee parking lot if nothing else.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    image

    Cop.

    Regards,
    OW
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,088
    Actually, with huge Altima sales, I have to believe fleets are included there.

    That fleet dumping must explain the somewhat low resale value of them, then. My mother asked me to go online and look up the value of hers. I got an Edmund's TMV of $11,935 trade in, $13,271 private party, and $14,710 dealer retail.

    That's for a 2008 Altima S with leather, sunroof, and alloys. I know the Camry and Accord traditionally hold their value better than the Altima, but this type of drop-off almost seems domestic-esque!
  • dave8697dave8697 Member Posts: 1,498
    get the lease down to $299.
    I would consider leasing a car for $299 if it stickers for $45000.

    Just compared cost to own of a Leaf $41500 OTD to a Non hybrid mid sized car with an OTD price of $21500. The TCO was $1000 more for the mid-size 2.4L. About $16 a month difference over 5 yrs and 75k miles. Problem is, someone else is holding $20k more of your money with the Leaf and they are not paying you interest to do so. Next problem is that if you don't drive 75k miles in the 5 yrs, knock $500 off the $1000 of total savings for every 5000 miles you don't drive in the 5 years. So for 60,000 miles total, the Leaf has a higher TCO. Most of the savings comes from gas. Third problem, you need to recoup that $20k they have been holding so at the end of 5 yrs, you need to get almost $15k trade in for the Leaf. Good luck with that.

    GM is making a Volt so that it can create a perception that it offers the best tech available. They don't care if the public rejects it. GM has an ace in the hole if gas hits $10 a gallon. Remember the wait lines to get a Prius in August 2008? They don't need to give them away. Expecting to pay $299 a month for a car that depreciates $500 a month is good from a customer perspective, but what if I owned the company and my budget director proposed such a thing? Really? Remember when Homer was cooking bacon so he could recycle the grease?
  • dave8697dave8697 Member Posts: 1,498
    If gas prices rise high enough to pinch Silverado sales, the whole economy will be turning south again. For the home building industry to come back, workers will need trucks. Without the return of new home demand, plan on real unemployment of double of what it averaged under Bush, which is better than what it is today.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,581
    edited March 2012
    There are a few factors. Big fleet dumps of the 07+ model (at least in my area where there are tons of Altima rentals), lower transaction prices, and less model and brand equity than Camcords. Might make a good used deal then. An 08 is also 4 years old now, so depreciation has yet to level off.
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    Funny "staff meeting" picture OW even if they are all Ford's. But let's be honest, I think no matter the profession, morning meetings or classes usually means donuts (and the top honcho's scarf 'em down like every one else!). Pilots and miltary officers eat them, and I'll bet PE teachers do too. Personally, I was never into Krispy Kreme's even though I've spent time in the south. I'll go for the chocolate frosted Kruellers. I think you're in California and Winchell's makes a good one, but the chocolate frosted ones can be hard to find.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,581
    Sadly (well not sadly if one likes sustainable economics), the Bush era housing (translation: dangerous lending standards) based economy will never return, never ever.
  • xrunner2xrunner2 Member Posts: 3,062
    If I'm like the rest of my family, I will be around for quite a few more decades to buy Cadillacs and Buicks.

    Having owned many GM models through the years, as well as Ford, Mopar, VW, Nissan, Honda, Acura, in the years I have left, I will investigate, read, explore, test drive ANY brand of vehicle to find the best value in terms of quality, reliability, style, fun to drive, etc and then will buy accordingly. If it HAPPENS to be a GM, then they will have BEST met all of my criteria at the moment.
  • xrunner2xrunner2 Member Posts: 3,062
    Sadly (well not sadly if one likes sustainable economics), the Bush era housing (translation: dangerous lending standards) based economy will never return, never ever.


    This board is about GM. But, anyway, the housing mess has been investigated and written about extensively, including a book by renowned NY Times reporters. The Mess was mostly, MOSTLY, about left wing and Democrat policies going back to Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Barney Frank, etc. Think CRA, Community Reinvestment Act and groups, some now extinct, that coerced banks into making bad loans.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,581
    Well, housing did drive vehicle sales, and a lot of home industry sales are/were heavier duty GM products, so it is only a couple degrees of distance at best.

    Yes, community groups coerce the banking cartel, who for all intents and purposes control governments worldwide. Yes, of course.
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    GM is making a Volt so that it can create a perception that it offers the best tech available. They don't care if the public rejects it.

    I don't agree that GM doesn't care. The big miss is GM projected they'd sell over 40k units this year and it's not looking like they'll be anywhere near that considering only 1,000 sold in February. IF all GM cared about was having a high tech halo car, they wouldn't have planned on selling so many.

    I think the Volt is a remarkable vehicle. I sat in one at the auto show and thought it was pretty cool. But like a lot of people, I'm not interested at current prices.
  • kernickkernick Member Posts: 4,072
    Unfortunately most forecasts that corp. marketing make are too optimistic. From what I've seen as an engineer, is at least 90%. People who are optimistic are liked and advance in an organization - that old can-do attitude. While anyone in the middle (what I call a Realist), gets stuck implementing the optimists' plans.

    Anyway there is a lot of sunk-costs in the Volt that GM should try to recoup. They've spent a lot of R&D money, tooling at their plant and the suppliers, and their factory still has costs whether it runs or not. The only thing GM saves by shutting the Volt down for 5 weeks is the labor, and increased inventory. What GM should do from an accounting standpoint is figure out the cost in labor, utilities and materials to make a Volt. Ignore all the sunk costs in figuring out the cost of a Volt. Drop the price of the Volt to $1K over the labor+materials+utilities+costs to get the vehicle to the dealer. See what sort of sales volume that generates. Then you can determine if you have a viable business. If you get a great response have a couple of minor price increases of say $500 later in the year. And then add another $1K in 2013.
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    I still wonder if GM had to do the Volt in the gov BK scheme? Pure electrics just don't make a lot of sense to me beyond a golf cart. US distances are too long and much of the climate is too hot or cold to optimize battery power, not to mention steep hilly areas or areas by sea water.

    Maybe GM will recoup some investment indirectly by technology gains such as hybrid that may transfer from the Volt experience. As for pricing, I think part of the reason GM is trailing in market gains is because too many of their vehicles are over priced compared to competitors and US income levels, at least around here.
  • dave8697dave8697 Member Posts: 1,498
    Sadly (well not sadly if one likes sustainable economics), the Bush era housing (translation: dangerous lending standards) based economy will never return, never ever.

    You must mean Barney Frank era. And to think it wont return. Whatever the MSM wants over on us usually goes
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,581
    Now the MSM controls financial markets? I don't know...it's Sunday, and I left my tin foil hat at work :shades:

    Call the era what you please, but the bitter losers of 08 who hold a false moral high ground today didn't exactly march in the streets against unsustainable policies back then, now did they - as they were making undeserved fortunes hand over fist, too.
  • xrunner2xrunner2 Member Posts: 3,062
    Call the era what you please, but the bitter losers of 08 who hold a false moral high ground today didn't exactly march in the streets against unsustainable policies back then, now did they - as they were making undeserved fortunes hand over fist, too.


    Gibberish or what?

    Mr Barak Obama illegally restructueed GM to the advantage of some, unions workers, and the detriment of others, bondholders.

    This meddling by government has to be stopped.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,581
    edited March 2012
    Gibberish? What did you not understand? That has nothing to do with the housing based economy (and truck sales derived from it) which was the context.

    POTUS simply does as his puppeteers demand. He does not have the financial wherewithal to plan a restructuring of a gigantic corporation. Let's be real.

    If others benefit by meddling and are allowed access to compete in our market, we either get to do similar or not let them compete freely on our soil. Which do you choose???

    Gibberish, yourself.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    This is the best news out of GM in quite a while, afaic! :)

    GM adds natural-gas option to big heavy-duty pickups

    Regards,
    OW
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    GM is making a Volt so that it can create a perception that it offers the best tech available

    I agree about that, it's a halo car.

    Unfortunately politics got in the way, and most of the press has not been positive.

    It's a little ironic that the Volt ads are airing right now about putting Americans back to work while the plant is idling. :(
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    edited March 2012
    Bush era housing (translation: dangerous lending standards) based economy will never return, never ever.

    You mean I can't borrow 110% of the value of my home to buy a new Hummer? ;)

    Gotta love de-regulation.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Indeed, that's a great idea. Especially for fleets that drive in the same patterns.

    Taxi fleets in Brazil have converted to CNG because they cost a lot less to operate, plus gas is taxed beyond oblivion and ends up costing twice what we pay.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,581
    You also can't get a mortgage for 8-10x household income with zero down, then when the "value" of the property rises via artificial market forces, get a HELOC to go out and buy a new 4x4 and a jetski :shades:
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    How much did Fannie lose, a quarter trillion, something like that? That's the number I've heard tossed around for the cost of the housing bubble.

    The result are all sort of shows on cable about repo men. Gotta get busy getting all those 4x4s and jetskis back!
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,581
    It'll be even more when helping those who should have never signed on the dotted line to begin with are bailed out :sick:

    And that's why things were so "good" in the last decade, and really for no other reason.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    For the same reason we'll never see the near 17 million auto sales annually again. It was all artificial growth, mostly on borrowed coin.

    I'm sure someone in China owns that jet skis now. :sick:
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,581
    Population will have to swell to see those numbers again. Especially with cars being so much better than before.

    Some crony capitalist in China owns stock in the group that repo'd the jetski - and if we fail, so does he. Mutually assured economic destruction, thanks globalists.
  • xrunner2xrunner2 Member Posts: 3,062
    How much did Fannie lose, a quarter trillion, something like that? That's the number I've heard tossed around for the cost of the housing bubble.

    Banks were forced to change their long standing lending practices and make bad loans. They were told not to worry that government would back these up. Root of this problem goes back to Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Barney Frank, Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), Franklin Raines, Acorn. Read "Reckless Endangerment" by NY Times reporters, Morgenson, Rosner.

    Same recklessness in mortgages as with the current Admin that meddled with GM rather than letting them go through structured bankruptcy proceedings similar to other companies such as airlines.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    All Democrats, because they are *so* known for de-regulation... ;)
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,972
    I was surprised to see it there, and the sticker was $27K. Nice wheels, nice maroon color outside, nice black interior. I could tell it was shorter than our '11; however, it had a 'TV screen' as my kids call it, in the middle of the instrument panel, and had a fold-down center armrest in the back seat, which ours does not. Conservative-looking, with some 'bling'. I always feel 'conservative' styling tends to stand the test of time the best...not 'plain vanilla', but 'handsome'. I'd call it that.

    And of course, the taillights are a huge improvement.
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    Of come on - Fannie and Freddie have been Washington purses for years under both parties. The blow up happened under George W, but frankly you can't pin it on him either. Please be objective when doing economic issue analysis.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    So would you bite in a couple of years, when it's time to trade up?

    You are the primary target market, a repeat buyer, that is.

    I wanted to check it out at the auto show but it was locked. I'm surprised dealers have them already.
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,972
    I wasn't expecting to see one at a dealer, with a window sticker to boot, yet, either. I was in there to pick up a "100 Years of Chevrolet" poster that a friend in Indiana told me about...every dealer got a bunch of 'em.

    I don't trade my wife's cars 'til they approach 100K miles. Mine, I don't trade 'til I'm well past that.
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Say it was time to trade...would it make your short list?

    I ask because, again, you're the target buyer. The new design has to please you first and foremost.
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