Well, I don't like subscription services much anyway, so I'd probably pass on OnStar.
But I've had friends call me on their cells so I could look up directions on MapQuest and my personalized turn by turn got them where they needed to be, even without any GPS info or maps.
If my gizmo was just a map with no turn by turn (and many of them are), I'd be blowing by intersections all the time.
I have an 08 G6, and I tried the Onstar out for 3 months. I loved it, but I do not have it activated now. One reason, I don't need it here locally often. Not worth it, when I just go to work and back mostly. Also, I have my Iphone, and it shows me the way really quick. Though, when going on Vacation I would certainly get it activated. It is nice to have, because they can book a hotel for you. Some people live by the Onstar. It really is nice.
OnStar turn by turn does know where you are. It works exactly like the screen ones except you tell the person where you are going (or you ask them to tell you where you want to go, like the nearest starbucks :P ) and it reads out the directions as you are going. The only difference is you do not have the $2500 screen. It even uses the same database that the screen ones do. It tells you when you are getting to your intersection and when to turn. Like the screen ones it is more accurate because it reads the ABS sensors for exact location and the turns of the steering wheel.
Personally I like the screen in the car but spending $2500 is ok with me. I figure I will get most of it back in resale.
I wonder. Accessories and options may not add much to the resale price (although that's generally more true of aftermarket add-ons). But you'll have a built-in system and the POIs and maps will be several years out of date when you trade. And it will probably cost ~$300 to update the factory navigation. But you can buy a good portable for that or less with up to date info.
And you can't take OnStar or a built-in navigation system with you in a rental car (mine has a MP3 player built in, so I take it on the slopes).
I have a 7 year old E55 with factory nav. It cost ca. $2200-2500 as an option when new, IIRC. According to the TMV calculator here, it adds around $400 in resale. It's certainly not to the technology of a modern system, either.
Probably depends on where you live but roads do not change that much in 3 years. But business's do though. I guess with OnStar you always have the latest.
But I gotta tell you I love my nav. I am constantly taking kids everywhere and I have all their friends homes saved. Will not buy another car w/o it.
It was an attraction when I bought the car. The old style nav lacks a little (no 3D view, no updates, few street labels) but it is still handy. I'd prefer one in my next modern car, and to be on topic, I do believe it was a mistake for GM to leave it off the options list on those sedans.
The following table provides estimates for car and light- truck sales in the U.S. Estimates for companies are percentage changes from January 2007. Forecasts for the seasonally adjusted annual rate, or SAAR, are in millions of vehicles.
The SAAR average is based on forecasts from 9 analysts and a survey of 30 economists. The estimates are based on daily selling rates. January had 26 selling days, one more than in 2007.
Analyst GM Ford Chrysler SAAR
Patrick Archambault -39% -33% -52% 10.0 (Goldman Sachs) Christopher Ceraso -41% -32% -50% 10.2 (Credit Suisse) Christopher Hopson -41% -36% -48% 9.8 (IHS Global Insight) Brian Johnson -37% -35% -46% 10.2 (Barclays Capital) Richard Kwas -40% -33% -48% 10.0 (Wachovia) Erich Merkle -44% -29% -50% 10.0 (Independent Auto Analyst) Itay Michaeli N/A N/A N/A 11.2 (Citigroup) John Sousanis -33% -34% -50% 10.4 (Ward’s Automotive) Jesse Toprak -40% -33% -50% 10.6 (Edmunds.com)
AVERAGE: -39% -33% -49% 10.3
Bloomberg Economists N/A N/A N/A 10.2 (Average of 30 estimates)
40% down from last January is pretty conservative for GM for January. Will be closer to 50%. There was very little fleet sold because the plants did not make any to sell. The whole industry will be probably down somewhere near 35%.
BUT look for retail to be about even with December. GM will be down about 20% from December overall. But this should be the worst month of the year unless the economy really takes more hits. But hey, we now have Obama in charge and the future is rosy through my sunglasses. :P
And look for February to again have even retail but a big jump in fleet so overall GM should be down about 20% from last February. But then again February has not even started so there are too many unknown factors to make a decent guess. SAAR should be about 10.5.
SAAR will be higher if the plants are open and selling fleet orders. If not then 9.8 is possible, however March will jump much higher with the pent up demand of fleet. GM market share will also jump a couple points. Remember retail has been running even for GM, it is the fleet orders that have decreased.
I wish I still had access to days of stock. If it is not too high GM would run the plants that sell fleet and get the orders out in February.
You're right. Mine gives turn by turn instructions, including the name of the street or road to turn on, and shows my location on the map; all for a couple hundred $ & no subscription fee; and it goes with me if I need to rent or change cars.
As U.S. deadline nears, GM lacks plan for weak brands.
Talk about pressure. Just a couple of weeks before General Motors has to submit a detailed plan proving viability, GM executives have no idea what to do with their losing brands.... »
The article headline says brand's' yet it is on the Saturn only and it really is not new news. Of course the same thing could be somewhat said of the Hummer brand and the Saab brand.
Saturn as a vehicle lineup is really unsellable since every product is built on a GM platform. The worth to someone is the dealership franchise that is already out there and the brand name recognition someone may want (China or India company). As we have already posted here the only real plan is to let it die a slow death with no new product. This keeps GM from taking the dealership franchise closing cost hit in the near term and cost GM virtually no money. Whatever dealers are left in 2012 will have to be delt with but it should be a better time since US sales will be a lot better.
Jamie LaReau from Automotive News: Talk about pressure. Just a couple of weeks before General Motors has to submit a detailed plan proving viability, GM executives have no idea what to do with their losing brands. GM asked various companies to run Saturn and absorb the dealerships, provide product lines and perhaps rename the brand, says a source. But no one was interested. GM never tried to sell Saturn outright because it is so entrenched in GM's product and manufacturing system that it would be nearly impossible to reorganize as a separate company. According to a dealer familiar with the talks, options include allowing dealers to buy the brand, blending Saturn into the Buick-Pontiac-GMC channel, finding an outside investor to finance an upgrade of the product lineup, and finding a global partner. But Saturn's future remains unsettled, and GM could kill it, one source says.
however March will jump much higher with the pent up demand of fleet.
About the only organizations that will be buying fleet is government; almost every other company is cancelling and delaying spending.
Remember retail has been running even for GM, it is the fleet orders that have decreased.
And there are many more unemployed at the end of Jan. than in Dec., which has more of an effect on those with jobs. And most people are poorer this month as they have again seen their stock and retirement funds hit - the S&P500 was down 9% in Jan.
The data that the economy is getting worse is right in front of you everyday.
And with GM and Chrysler not having done anything (just talk) towards viability, then I doubt Congress is going to be in the mood to extend any more loans, and hopefully calls for the existing ones repayment.
GM should have sold Saab and Hummer by Dec. 31, having publicly announced they would take the high-bid for them as of midnight that day. Saturn should have been shuttered, with the existing cars and inventory of parts and tooling liquidated. Any buildings or land Saturn owned should have been sold at public auction.
You mentioned that GM has taken $4B of the bailout. That according to my figures brings their debt to $70B. Plus they owe $7B in back taxes. I understand that will come from what is left of the $13.4B bailout money.
GM will not have to pay the "back taxes" These are taxes from receiving the loan! It was supposed to be negated by the house bill that did not get passed but the pres forgot to include it in the actual load agreement.
The equity-for-debt exchange is aimed at ensuring G.M.’s viability in the future, but under corporate tax law, the swap would amount to debt forgiveness and count as income for G.M.
This tax law provision is to keep business's from buying other business's in debt and use that debt to lower their taxes. In this case it is the government that is that other business. Most likely the tax will not be collected.
The $66 billion is what the restructuring is about. At least 2/3 of that will be gone or GM will have a hard time getting more loan funds.
Edmunds predicts sales will recover during the second half of the year to an annual total of 12.4 million units, down from 13.2 million in 2008.
"I think there's a lot of pent-up demand," Toprak said. "Consumers postponed purchases in the marketplace for the last year or longer, and once conditions start stabilizing in the economy, we're going to start seeing those postponements become reality."
The $66 billion is what the restructuring is about. At least 2/3 of that will be gone or GM will have a hard time getting more loan funds.
Don't those that hold the debt have to agree? If GM owed me that money they would have to go to bankruptcy court to get out of paying. I would want their foreign assets that are making money.
Might be those fleet buyers wanting to keep the workers working.
General Motors, anticipating the spring selling season, is boosting some of its light-truck production in March. GM will restore production on Line 1 in its Flint, Mich., plant for the week of March 16, according to the UAW Local 598 Web site. The company also will increase the line speed of Line 1 from 27.7 jobs per hour to 31.5. Line 1 builds the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra
Chrysler's early retirement package includes $50,000 cash and a $25,000 voucher to buy a car, while the Auburn Hills-based company's buyouts include $75,000 cash and a $25,000 car voucher, according to the union memo. The buyout offer is more lucrative, with $115,000 plus a $25,000 car voucher for workers with 10 or more years of seniority at closed plants in St. Louis and Newark, Del., according to the memo.
News of Chrysler's offers was reported earlier Monday by the trade publication Automotive News.
GM's offers, to nearly all its UAW employees, are less lucrative. The Detroit company is offering $20,000 in cash and a $25,000 car voucher for workers who retire early and those who simply leave the company, according to the union official.
GM spokesman Tony Sapienza and UAW spokeswoman Christine Moroski declined to comment on the offers.
I just tried to build a Camry and I had to get the SE or XLE to have nav available and it was $3500 with the JBL system forced with it. With an XLE the same packager was $2900. If I got the V6 with the XLE it was $2800. Seems pretty expensive
Toyota packages it's options in groupings. It is a little irritating. I would like leather but not Nav and that's a tough if impossible combination. However I am sure this packaging is just one of the many reasons they can effeciently move their cars down the assembly line, ship them overseas (even thought the KY Camry's are the same) and then distribute them.
I believe GM does this to a good extent with the 1LT, 2LT etc packages but may offer a little more flexibility. I know in the past when I bought a GM car I was always impressed that I could order exactly what I wanted and get it in 6 weeks.
I never want a sunroof, don't like them and they take too much headroom. One 3 series BMW I ordered in 1980's came in with one and they said it was the only way they could get them. I didn't buy it because I had to tilt my head to sit up straight. I would be curious to know how many millions American consumers waste on Sunroof's and Premium stereo's when they could really give a hoot about owning one.
A lot of time is spent trying to minimize parts and therefore build combinations. If it is felt that most who order the Nav will also order x,y and z then they will get packaged together. This saves wiring harnesses, etc.
Two big batteries stand side by side at the General Motors testing lab in Warren, Mich.
One is an artifact, built a dozen years ago. Weighing 1,200 pounds, it could fill the back of a large pickup truck. Standing on one end, it towers over GM's Robert A. Kruse, executive director of global vehicle engineering for hybrids and electric vehicles.
The other battery is new and produces the same amount of energy but is a relatively trim 400 pounds. It comes up just past Kruse's shoulder, and it will squeeze into the body of the compact Chevy Volt that GM plans to start producing next year.
a company in need of bailouts should not pay severance packages.
In my opinion, if you are part of the employee base that helped drive a company into the ground, why should you get bought out?
I sort of agree with you conceptually. But the bailouts were to help the D2 become viable. Part of that is to lower cost structure. If you don't pay a worker to leave they won't go. Getting the payroll down (and hiring workers and new lower wage structure if necessary) is how you make GM more competitive. So it's a practical approach.
I heard this morning that many are predicting the econmy not to rebound until the second part of 2010. The massive job loss in january will not be felt in the economy until this summer. We have at least another month or two of businesses downsizing to match the recession which means more job loss. Like I mentinoed above it takes time for the job loss to be felt in the economy. We may see job growth in the last quarter of 2009..............maybe.
It's not the sales that matter at this point. GM couldn't make money when sales were 16.5M, it's a given they will continue to lose money whether sales are 10M, 11M or 13M. It's how much money they have to put on each car to move them. If they have to use $4k and $5k to move the cars, expect another record loss. Also gas is slowing inching up to $2.00/gallon. I'm sure we will be at $3 by Memorial Day, which will slow truck sales again.
BTW, Macy's announced they are laying off 7,000 people and another half million were laid off in January. I just don't think Americans really care if GM or Chrysler stay in business at this point. Buying a new car is not a priority when people are losing their homes and jobs on a daily basis. The reality is one or both will not survive. We will lose more jobs in the automotive industry. Suppliers and dealerships will go out of business and there is nothing we can do about it! the auto industry needs to down size to match the economy. It can always expand if sales increase in the future.
Wagoner and the rest of his merry men better get to work on a plan. At least Chrysler has come to the realization that they had to partner with someone to have any hopes of staying in business. Desperate times call for desperate actions. GM needs to start thinking outside the box.....quickly.
We have at least another month or two of businesses downsizing to match the recession which means more job loss. Like I mentinoed above it takes time for the job loss to be felt in the economy. We may see job growth in the last quarter of 2009..............maybe.
This "recession" is different than anyone in the past as far as I can tell. I think the whole country has already stopped buying what they do not need because they are afraid they might lose their job. I guess I am not sure we will see much job growth this year. Hopefully the forecasters are correct and folks will start to spend in the 3rd quarter and then we may well see job growth in the 4rth. Need uptick in spending before uptick in hiring.
Now if the stock market works like it is supposed to we should see it go up the next couple months ahead of the economy going up. I think that the investors are a bit concerned about the very progressive (liberal ) spending, er stimulus package.
I think the whole country has already stopped buying what they do not need because they are afraid they might lose their job.
Not me. Then again, I work for a company that provides services to the aftermarket parts industry. We're expecting sales and revenue growth as people fix their old cars instead of buying new ones. :shades:
40% down from last January is pretty conservative for GM for January. Will be closer to 50%. There was very little fleet sold because the plants did not make any to sell. The whole industry will be probably down somewhere near 35%.
BUT look for retail to be about even with December. GM will be down about 20% from December overall.
Sales will be announced today. Because fleet has been about 20% of GM sales for the last year look for GM to be worst than the industry because their plants were shut down. Important factor for the economy is what the retail side does.
With the state film incentives they have here GM is going to sell one of their empty old truck plants to house Motown Motion Picture LLC. We have had quite a few movies produced and shot in Michigan.
GM Statement Regarding the Status of GM's Medium-Duty Business
As GM announced in August, it is continuing to operate the medium duty business as it has in the past, including providing sales, service and marketing support to GM dealers for its medium duty trucks. While GM is assessing various strategic options for the business, no decisions have been reached and there are no details to share at this time.
About 525 hourly and salaried workers are employed on the medium-duty truck line in Flint, which produced 22,000 vehicles last year, GM spokesman Tony Sapienza said.
Trucks produced at the plant include the GMC TopKick and Chevrolet Kodiak.
Isuzu may buy?
General Motors Corp. is negotiating with Isuzu Motors Ltd. to sell its medium-duty truck business, a move that would help the cash-strapped automaker raise money, cut costs and help ensure it complies with a $13.4 billion federal loan package.
GMAC Financial Services says it swung to a fourth-quarter profit as gains from extinguishing debt trumped losses at its auto-financing and mortgage businesses.
The financing arm for General Motors Corp., which is also owned by Cerberus Capital Management, also said Tuesday its financial condition has improved since the government approved its application to become a bank holding company last month.
GMAC says it earned $7.5 billion in the fourth quarter, after a loss of $724 million in the same quarter last year. Revenue more than tripled to $11.42 billion from $3.29 billion.
The company attributes the better results to an after-tax gain of $11.4 billion from a debt exchange program in which it raised capital to ride out a collapse in auto sales.
You have to wonder who would buy a business that is losing money? It makes no sense to keep it in Flint, where it loses money with UAW labor and associated legacy costs. If it could be bought at fire sale price and moved to a more labor friendly state, it would make sense. Then when the market turns around the new owner will be line to make a profit.
With only two weeks left you have to wonder if GM has anything of value to give in exchange for the bailout money. Has the UAW made any gestures to help?
Looks like trucks are selling a little bit more than expected. The flint plant builds the HD light duty trucks that business's and contractors buy. Must be some fleet orders they need to fill? That is good news for the economy. I do not get Arlington unless they cut a bit too far. Per LLN they have 90 days of Large SUV's but as we have discussed before the days supply calculation can get misleading.
The new plan will see GM restoring one line at its Flint, Michigan truck plant during the week of March 16th. The speed of that added line will also be bumped from 27.7 jobs per hour to 31.5. The Flint plant produces heavy-duty versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks.
Additionally, GM will increase the line speed of its Arlington, Texas plant, and will also restore the plant’s production the week of March 2nd, according to Automotive News. The Arlington plant produces the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon, along with their hybrid counterparts.
With only two weeks left you have to wonder if GM has anything of value to give in exchange for the bailout money. Has the UAW made any gestures to help?
Everything is being negotiated. GM board will probably make announcements soon on status.
As far as Isuzu this is only one plant. The UAW cannot hold the entire industry hostage with a strike on this plant. New owners could pretty much say (because they have no other US plants to take down) take what we will give you or good by. Since they closed Janesville the capacity of medium duty trucks is way down and should lead to profitability once things get moving again. And if Dodge goes under there is even less capacity.
"Now if the stock market works like it is supposed to we should see it go up the next couple months ahead of the economy going up. I think that the investors are a bit concerned about the very progressive (liberal ) spending, er stimulus package. "
Don't worry the Republicans will get their $0.02 in......I mean $$70B in. As much as I hate to see the government spend that kind of money, They are the only ones who are investing in businesses right now. Exxon-Mobil as well as other companies are sitting on hoards of cash. GM should be approaching one of these companies to help them. Imagine an oil company promoting the electric car. :shades: Sounds like a great idea to me.
Comments
But I've had friends call me on their cells so I could look up directions on MapQuest and my personalized turn by turn got them where they needed to be, even without any GPS info or maps.
If my gizmo was just a map with no turn by turn (and many of them are), I'd be blowing by intersections all the time.
Personally I like the screen in the car but spending $2500 is ok with me. I figure I will get most of it back in resale.
I wonder. Accessories and options may not add much to the resale price (although that's generally more true of aftermarket add-ons). But you'll have a built-in system and the POIs and maps will be several years out of date when you trade. And it will probably cost ~$300 to update the factory navigation. But you can buy a good portable for that or less with up to date info.
And you can't take OnStar or a built-in navigation system with you in a rental car (mine has a MP3 player built in, so I take it on the slopes).
But I gotta tell you I love my nav. I am constantly taking kids everywhere and I have all their friends homes saved. Will not buy another car w/o it.
The following table provides estimates for car and light- truck sales in the U.S. Estimates for companies are percentage changes from January 2007. Forecasts for the seasonally adjusted annual rate, or SAAR, are in millions of vehicles.
The SAAR average is based on forecasts from 9 analysts and a survey of 30 economists. The estimates are based on daily selling rates. January had 26 selling days, one more than in 2007.
Analyst GM Ford Chrysler SAAR
Patrick Archambault -39% -33% -52% 10.0
(Goldman Sachs)
Christopher Ceraso -41% -32% -50% 10.2
(Credit Suisse)
Christopher Hopson -41% -36% -48% 9.8
(IHS Global Insight)
Brian Johnson -37% -35% -46% 10.2
(Barclays Capital)
Richard Kwas -40% -33% -48% 10.0
(Wachovia)
Erich Merkle -44% -29% -50% 10.0
(Independent Auto Analyst)
Itay Michaeli N/A N/A N/A 11.2
(Citigroup)
John Sousanis -33% -34% -50% 10.4
(Ward’s Automotive)
Jesse Toprak -40% -33% -50% 10.6
(Edmunds.com)
AVERAGE: -39% -33% -49% 10.3
Bloomberg Economists N/A N/A N/A 10.2
(Average of 30 estimates)
Regards,
OW
Regards,
OW
BUT look for retail to be about even with December. GM will be down about 20% from December overall. But this should be the worst month of the year unless the economy really takes more hits. But hey, we now have Obama in charge and the future is rosy through my sunglasses. :P
And look for February to again have even retail but a big jump in fleet so overall GM should be down about 20% from last February. But then again February has not even started so there are too many unknown factors to make a decent guess. SAAR should be about 10.5.
$9.8MM SAAR for February given I am within 2% margin of error in Jan.
More importantly, in this downturn will be the market share. Will GM loose more or stop the trend??
We will see.
Regards,
OW
I wish I still had access to days of stock. If it is not too high GM would run the plants that sell fleet and get the orders out in February.
Talk about pressure. Just a couple of weeks before General Motors has to submit a detailed plan proving viability, GM executives have no idea what to do with their losing brands.... »
http://www.autonews.com/
Saturn as a vehicle lineup is really unsellable since every product is built on a GM platform. The worth to someone is the dealership franchise that is already out there and the brand name recognition someone may want (China or India company). As we have already posted here the only real plan is to let it die a slow death with no new product. This keeps GM from taking the dealership franchise closing cost hit in the near term and cost GM virtually no money. Whatever dealers are left in 2012 will have to be delt with but it should be a better time since US sales will be a lot better.
Jamie LaReau from Automotive News: Talk about pressure. Just a couple of weeks before General Motors has to submit a detailed plan proving viability, GM executives have no idea what to do with their losing brands. GM asked various companies to run Saturn and absorb the dealerships, provide product lines and perhaps rename the brand, says a source. But no one was interested. GM never tried to sell Saturn outright because it is so entrenched in GM's product and manufacturing system that it would be nearly impossible to reorganize as a separate company. According to a dealer familiar with the talks, options include allowing dealers to buy the brand, blending Saturn into the Buick-Pontiac-GMC channel, finding an outside investor to finance an upgrade of the product lineup, and finding a global partner. But Saturn's future remains unsettled, and GM could kill it, one source says.
About the only organizations that will be buying fleet is government; almost every other company is cancelling and delaying spending.
Remember retail has been running even for GM, it is the fleet orders that have decreased.
And there are many more unemployed at the end of Jan. than in Dec., which has more of an effect on those with jobs. And most people are poorer this month as they have again seen their stock and retirement funds hit - the S&P500 was down 9% in Jan.
The data that the economy is getting worse is right in front of you everyday.
And with GM and Chrysler not having done anything (just talk) towards viability, then I doubt Congress is going to be in the mood to extend any more loans, and hopefully calls for the existing ones repayment.
GM should have sold Saab and Hummer by Dec. 31, having publicly announced they would take the high-bid for them as of midnight that day. Saturn should have been shuttered, with the existing cars and inventory of parts and tooling liquidated. Any buildings or land Saturn owned should have been sold at public auction.
GM will not have to pay the "back taxes" These are taxes from receiving the loan! It was supposed to be negated by the house bill that did not get passed but the pres forgot to include it in the actual load agreement.
The equity-for-debt exchange is aimed at ensuring G.M.’s viability in the future, but under corporate tax law, the swap would amount to debt forgiveness and count as income for G.M.
This tax law provision is to keep business's from buying other business's in debt and use that debt to lower their taxes. In this case it is the government that is that other business. Most likely the tax will not be collected.
The $66 billion is what the restructuring is about. At least 2/3 of that will be gone or GM will have a hard time getting more loan funds.
Any buildings or land Saturn owned should have been sold at public auction.
Saturn/Hummer owns no buildings or land. Now Saab does have at least one facility in Sweden.
Edmunds predicts sales will recover during the second half of the year to an annual total of 12.4 million units, down from 13.2 million in 2008.
"I think there's a lot of pent-up demand," Toprak said. "Consumers postponed purchases in the marketplace for the last year or longer, and once conditions start stabilizing in the economy, we're going to start seeing those postponements become reality."
Don't those that hold the debt have to agree? If GM owed me that money they would have to go to bankruptcy court to get out of paying. I would want their foreign assets that are making money.
General Motors, anticipating the spring selling season, is boosting some of its light-truck production in March.
GM will restore production on Line 1 in its Flint, Mich., plant for the week of March 16, according to the UAW Local 598 Web site. The company also will increase the line speed of Line 1 from 27.7 jobs per hour to 31.5. Line 1 builds the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra
Chrysler's early retirement package includes $50,000 cash and a $25,000 voucher to buy a car, while the Auburn Hills-based company's buyouts include $75,000 cash and a $25,000 car voucher, according to the union memo. The buyout offer is more lucrative, with $115,000 plus a $25,000 car voucher for workers with 10 or more years of seniority at closed plants in St. Louis and Newark, Del., according to the memo.
News of Chrysler's offers was reported earlier Monday by the trade publication Automotive News.
GM's offers, to nearly all its UAW employees, are less lucrative. The Detroit company is offering $20,000 in cash and a $25,000 car voucher for workers who retire early and those who simply leave the company, according to the union official.
GM spokesman Tony Sapienza and UAW spokeswoman Christine Moroski declined to comment on the offers.
Regards,
OW
In my opinion, if you are part of the employee base that helped drive a company into the ground, why should you get bought out?
If anything, employees should get their own companies stocks, which are worthless, just like UAW employees when it comes to making quality vehicles.
Toyota packages it's options in groupings. It is a little irritating. I would like leather but not Nav and that's a tough if impossible combination. However I am sure this packaging is just one of the many reasons they can effeciently move their cars down the assembly line, ship them overseas (even thought the KY Camry's are the same) and then distribute them.
I believe GM does this to a good extent with the 1LT, 2LT etc packages but may offer a little more flexibility. I know in the past when I bought a GM car I was always impressed that I could order exactly what I wanted and get it in 6 weeks.
I never want a sunroof, don't like them and they take too much headroom. One 3 series BMW I ordered in 1980's came in with one and they said it was the only way they could get them. I didn't buy it because I had to tilt my head to sit up straight. I would be curious to know how many millions American consumers waste on Sunroof's and Premium stereo's when they could really give a hoot about owning one.
in Warren, Mich.
One is an artifact, built a dozen years ago. Weighing 1,200 pounds, it
could fill the back of a large pickup truck. Standing on one end, it
towers over GM's Robert A. Kruse, executive director of global vehicle
engineering for hybrids and electric vehicles.
The other battery is new and produces the same amount of energy but is a
relatively trim 400 pounds. It comes up just past Kruse's shoulder, and
it will squeeze into the body of the compact Chevy Volt that GM plans to
start producing next year.
.... and Edmunds thinks that's going to happen in the second half of THIS year?
Most forecasters are saying the same thing.
In my opinion, if you are part of the employee base that helped drive a company into the ground, why should you get bought out?
I sort of agree with you conceptually. But the bailouts were to help the D2 become viable. Part of that is to lower cost structure. If you don't pay a worker to leave they won't go. Getting the payroll down (and hiring workers and new lower wage structure if necessary) is how you make GM more competitive. So it's a practical approach.
Most forecasters are saying the same thing.
...of course, at the end of 2007 they were saying that the economy would slow in mid 2008 and be on the rebound by the end of 2008.
It's not the sales that matter at this point. GM couldn't make money when sales were 16.5M, it's a given they will continue to lose money whether sales are 10M, 11M or 13M. It's how much money they have to put on each car to move them. If they have to use $4k and $5k to move the cars, expect another record loss. Also gas is slowing inching up to $2.00/gallon. I'm sure we will be at $3 by Memorial Day, which will slow truck sales again.
BTW, Macy's announced they are laying off 7,000 people and another half million were laid off in January. I just don't think Americans really care if GM or Chrysler stay in business at this point. Buying a new car is not a priority when people are losing their homes and jobs on a daily basis. The reality is one or both will not survive. We will lose more jobs in the automotive industry. Suppliers and dealerships will go out of business and there is nothing we can do about it! the auto industry needs to down size to match the economy. It can always expand if sales increase in the future.
Wagoner and the rest of his merry men better get to work on a plan. At least Chrysler has come to the realization that they had to partner with someone to have any hopes of staying in business. Desperate times call for desperate actions. GM needs to start thinking outside the box.....quickly.
This "recession" is different than anyone in the past as far as I can tell. I think the whole country has already stopped buying what they do not need because they are afraid they might lose their job. I guess I am not sure we will see much job growth this year. Hopefully the forecasters are correct and folks will start to spend in the 3rd quarter and then we may well see job growth in the 4rth. Need uptick in spending before uptick in hiring.
Now if the stock market works like it is supposed to we should see it go up the next couple months ahead of the economy going up. I think that the investors are a bit concerned about the very progressive (liberal
Regards,
OW
Not me. Then again, I work for a company that provides services to the aftermarket parts industry. We're expecting sales and revenue growth as people fix their old cars instead of buying new ones. :shades:
BUT look for retail to be about even with December. GM will be down about 20% from December overall.
Sales will be announced today. Because fleet has been about 20% of GM sales for the last year look for GM to be worst than the industry because their plants were shut down. Important factor for the economy is what the retail side does.
Go here at 1:45
January sales
GM Statement Regarding the Status of GM's Medium-Duty Business
As GM announced in August, it is continuing to operate the medium duty business as it has in the past, including providing sales, service and marketing support to GM dealers for its medium duty trucks. While GM is assessing various strategic options for the business, no decisions have been reached and there are no details to share at this time.
About 525 hourly and salaried workers are employed on the medium-duty truck line in Flint, which produced 22,000 vehicles last year, GM spokesman Tony Sapienza said.
Trucks produced at the plant include the GMC TopKick and Chevrolet Kodiak.
Isuzu may buy?
General Motors Corp. is negotiating with Isuzu Motors Ltd. to sell its medium-duty truck business, a move that would help the cash-strapped automaker raise money, cut costs and help ensure it complies with a $13.4 billion federal loan package.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090203/AUTO01/902030327/1148-
The financing arm for General Motors Corp., which is also owned by Cerberus Capital Management, also said Tuesday its financial condition has improved since the government approved its application to become a bank holding company last month.
GMAC says it earned $7.5 billion in the fourth quarter, after a loss of $724 million in the same quarter last year. Revenue more than tripled to $11.42 billion from $3.29 billion.
The company attributes the better results to an after-tax gain of $11.4 billion from a debt exchange program in which it raised capital to ride out a collapse in auto sales.
With only two weeks left you have to wonder if GM has anything of value to give in exchange for the bailout money. Has the UAW made any gestures to help?
The new plan will see GM restoring one line at its Flint, Michigan truck plant during the week of March 16th. The speed of that added line will also be bumped from 27.7 jobs per hour to 31.5. The Flint plant produces heavy-duty versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks.
Additionally, GM will increase the line speed of its Arlington, Texas plant, and will also restore the plant’s production the week of March 2nd, according to Automotive News. The Arlington plant produces the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon, along with their hybrid counterparts.
Everything is being negotiated. GM board will probably make announcements soon on status.
As far as Isuzu this is only one plant. The UAW cannot hold the entire industry hostage with a strike on this plant. New owners could pretty much say (because they have no other US plants to take down) take what we will give you or good by. Since they closed Janesville the capacity of medium duty trucks is way down and should lead to profitability once things get moving again. And if Dodge goes under there is even less capacity.
Don't worry the Republicans will get their $0.02 in......I mean $$70B in. As much as I hate to see the government spend that kind of money, They are the only ones who are investing in businesses right now. Exxon-Mobil as well as other companies are sitting on hoards of cash. GM should be approaching one of these companies to help them. Imagine an oil company promoting the electric car. :shades: Sounds like a great idea to me.