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Comments
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I think it may be time to roll up some more GM divisions. I don't really see the need for Buick (which only has two cars, two SUVs, and a minivan), Pontiac (the performance division that is often out-performed by the other divisions), and GMC (which sells "blinged" Chevy trucks). The Japanese have succeeded with value and luxury divisions. It may be time for GM and Ford to reorganize, down-size, and fight their way back to the top.
Just a thought...:D
Read the details here.
Recently Roger Penske the US billionaire business man stated part of GMs problem is they have too many franchise dealerships. Extremely costly. I agree with him. In our city of 500,000 we have 5 Chevrolet dealerships within 10 minutes of each other (does that make sense?) We have 4 Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac dealerships as well. The costs must be staggering to run each dealership. If half the dealerships were eliminated and put all of GMs products under one roof, it would make sense. You could have a mega showroom with Cadillacs, Buicks, Pontiacs, Chevrolets side by side under one roof and you could do your comparisons and test drives right there of all their products. Put a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix beside a 2006 Chevy Impala where you get out of one and into the other doing hands on comparisons. I wonder how many people checked out a Chevy or Pontiac at their prospective dealerships and left unsatisfied to only go to a competitor from D/C, Ford. Honda or Toyota where under the same roof they could have made another GM choice. All GM cars now carry little GM logos on the front fenders, its a family affair put them altogether. Makes sense to me. Will it happen? I doubt it.
With the vent selector set to Vent (turned all the way to the left), and with the air conditioner OFF: Does yours automatically turn on the A/C when you press the recirculation button (cuts off outside air)? Mine apparently does as the air temp drops noticeably within a few seconds. Didn't notice this before because the outside temperature has been so cool, only getting warm very recently.
However, the manual doesn't mention it (see pp. 3-19 thru 3-21 as I recall), nor does the A/C light turn on. It only mentions the A/C gets automatically activated in the floor or windshield modes. Pressing the A/C button manually has no effect while in recirc and dash vent mode -- the A/C just stays on.
Just wondering if it's normal operation as my previous GM's didn't do this.
Also, is anyone else less than thrilled with the A/C on the Impala? Mine just blows cool air, not cold air. Big difference. I remember when a GM A/C would freeze you and cool off a hot 95-degree car very quickly.
Resale value for American cars has been hurt by; fleet sales, rental companies, incentives, and mass production. If most of the above were not factors, resale value would be comparable to the Japanese cars.
It is a always lousy excuse for GM, Ford managements for their incompetency. Even if the workers at these companies work for free, I doubt that these companies' fortunes will be any difference if they keep on offering the products that people do not want to buy. It is always Product, Product, and Product. Look at Chrysler, it is being burdened with the same obligations, but for the last 20 years, their market share so far has been constant (12-15% of US market). They innovate and make products that people lust after. Ford and GM keep acting like followers and they deserve their current status. Let's face it: Automotive technology has not changed its fundamental basis for the last 100 years. The Japannese are not genius. And the German engineering myth is so out of date. And last time I noticed BMW workers in Germany are not getting WalMart wages also.
Running away from the most profitable land on earth (US market) is down right stupid for GM. Of total profit they made last year in China ( couple hundred millions on 600,000 vehicles) was equivalent to how much they made on selling 40,000 Corvettes. If all of their vehicles are designed to be world beater likje Corvette, they do not have to worry about the big B (Bankcruptcy). Ford, BTW, is not far behind.
jt
I'm not sure the precise relevance here to the Impala, but please post your source for this data?
- Ray
Really curious . . .
Toyota and Honda definitely have an advantage in U.S. due to lack of legacy costs and lower non-union labor wages. That said, they are very successful because they are well-run companies, not because they are "Japanese." Plenty of Asian companies are not as successful as these two. Subaru and Mitsubishi are consistantly rated well below average in the J.D. Powers Quality surveys. One other thing I don't see Honda or Toyota doing: buying up other unsuccessful marques and then dumping billions into them instead of concentrating on their product.
One thing I have noticed a couple times was that the AC compressor didn't seem to be turning on while the indicator light was on. The first time, I cylced all the controls and it fixed the problem. The last time, it seemed to clear itself up. Since the system is all electronic now (no mechanical connection between the controls and the vents, fan rheostats, etc), I attributed it to a programming glitch.
On a side note, I am beginning to suspect that GM is downloading updates via OnStar because I've noticed other "behavioral" differences since I've had the car. That being the AC glitch and the auto headlights turning off with less light. The first couple weeks I had the car, the ambient light would wash out the stereo display because the headlights would remain on even at the point where I would put on my sunglasses. Now, the headlights switch to DRL mode within 30 seconds of leaving my garage. I guess the car could be "learning" as well. Any insight out there in forum land?
Charts2 raised the point that American workers in Japanese nameplate factories make a similar wage. If that's true, it wasn't that way until fairly recently. It used to be an anti-union rallying point how the workers shunned the UAW and were happier and better taken care of by their Japanese employers. Regardless, his main point was that they employ many more part-timers who earn less and have no benefits. While that makes for a good bottom line on the balance sheet, it doesn't bode well for working-class Americans. I believe the UAW has played a significant role in GM and Ford's current struggles but I don't think they are soley to blame nor do I think they have outlived their purpose. The America-based Japanese manufacturers are capitalizing on cheap labor at the peril of our middle class. We all want low-priced products but the long term costs may be greater than we have ever imagined. There have been moves in Congress to level the playing field in the new global economy. Hopefully they will manage to make some progress. I still have faith in the American work ethic and support with my Impala purchase.
If GM has its way, it will import every single GM car from China or Korea. Chrysler already promised us that on their ultra low cost model: a cloned Chinese Cherry car. GM is doing that on the Chevy Aveo (Korea made ). Half of Equinox value is from China and Japan (engine and Transmission). Now we are being asked to do our patriotic duty to buy GM, Chrysler cars regardless where they are made and whom they are enriching? They are building a Chinese middle class oversea while asking for both US govermental and public symphathy? GM has told the Auto supply industry to pull up their tents in this country to go to China to make cheap parts for them. That industry is employing couple hundred thousands people from first tier to the small companies. How about that for being patriotic and socially responsible company.
Now with GM jobs disappearing, the only choices are
McDonald, Walmart, Honda, Toyota, or even Hyundai, what would you choose if you want to make a living?
jt
Do you think that might be related to their choice of locations for most of those plants? Areas where there is less industry, no unions, undereducated regions of the country, unemployment: just places where even a Walmart opening gets lots of applications.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
An auto industry group called of the Level Field Institute wants people to really know the truth about the reasons we need to support American companies regardless of where the parts come from.
Using several industry studies and public data, the group estimated that 400,000 U.S. auto workers support about 4,000,000 other jobs in the U.S., compared with about 860,000 jobs from Hyundai Motor Co., Honda Motor Co., and Toyota Motor Corp.
The group sought to counter ads by international automakers which have touted their investment in new plants and jobs in America.
A March 2005 study by and Ann Arbor based Center for Automotive Research prepared for the AIAM found that international automakers in the U.S. directly employed 93,000 workers and generated 1.8 million jobs when combined with new vehicle dealership employment.
Ford spokesman Mike Moran said the institute's advertising would bring attention to the fact that U.S. automakers are major contributors to the economic fabric of the United States, and that losing market share to these foreign companies does not necessarily mean more jobs for American workers. Profits gained by these companies continue to be invested back in their own countries were wages are generally very low.
Well, I'm sorry, but that statement is totally incorrect. Do a little research beyond the mainstream media morons and you'll find the "failure" of the Pontiac GTO has absolutely nothing to do with it being RWD. The reasons are far too many to go into here. As far as it being "discontinued," it was no secret that the car was a three-year product from the start and that the factory in Australia was volume-limited to 18,000 maximum per year. 18,000 per year was the maximum, not the target. I believe they were shooting for 15,000 per year sales, which they will not come close to meeting (probably wind up around 36,000 total sales for all three model years). I understand you don't think a RWD Impala will succeed in the north; tell Chrysler, MB, BMW, Lexus, and Infinity how it's so stupid to sell RWD cars. There are lots of buyers outside of the "snow belt."
As for FWD being almighty and perfect, I had an '87 Dodge Shadow ES turbo that was FWD. Whereas a RWD vehicle may be difficult to get moving from time to time, that car would lose traction in a turn which meant you had no further input until you regained traction or hit something. Luckily, that never happened. With RWD and some skill, you have much more input into the car's direction.
THAT said, assuming that RWD options will cause the vehicle to lose sales is fairly short-sighted. These days, most RWD additions also include an option for AWD. Ya think GM may give that a shot? Seems to work very well for Chrysler and the 300. I see AWD vehicles in the south with me so I'm sure they're selling well up north. Y'all don't worry your purdy little heads about RWD. It's coming back and it will be great.
True RWD has come a long way with traction and stability control but just look at the repair record of MB and BMW and Chrysler among others. Many of those makers sell the AWD cars in the snowbelt or the owners put the RWDers away and have a beater for the winter. I am not referring to the high end cars but more the mainstream cars like the Impala and others - the ones the average family might drive. For them FWD has the market cornered. Two RWD Caddys do not a market make!!
I'm not saying that FWD is all bad. It's fine for everyday drivers who don't demand high performance. I'm only trying to explain that other than those times when the average driver can't figure out how to drive in snow, RWD is a better layout. Steering is lighter, more precise, and there is no artificial feedback and/or torque steer. FWD has come a long way but it will never match up to RWD in handling and power transfer. AWD has advantages over both but is more costly and involves much more weight. I don't expect anyone to take my word for it but once it makes the comeback, folks will begin to understand.
An interesting line in the Motor Trend issue that discussed the new SS packages from Chevrolet was that most drivers on the road today have driven nothing but FWD and have no way to relate between the two. On top of that, the common misconception that RWD is worthless in the snow keeps the public skeptical.
I've only managed to get myself stuck badly enough to need a push once and that was only a friend pushing on the back bumper. I've never required a tow or a 4WD to come bail me out. Skill and situational awareness is all that is needed (even with OLD RWD cars) to keep yourself out of trouble. I'll be first in line if Chevy offers a great RWD car that I can afford. :shades:
The last RWD car I've owned was a Chevette in the early 90's, so it doesn't quite count. Yet, I totaled it after it oversteered on a puddle at 60MPH in the middle of summer.
I do agree with what you said about RWD, but I'm afraid that you're picturing only the virtues of RWD and only the vices of FWD. Electronics can only do so much and it won't perform miracles on either FWD or RWD without changing the laws of physics. Pushing the limits, a FWD will perform like a FWD and a RWD, like a RWD.
The bottom line is that neither is perfect for every application, but I guess that it's fair to say that FWD is quite fine for mildly powered family sedans and that RWD is better for high power cars.
I'd be glad to drive a RWD Impala, provided it doesn't have a live axle and is mated to more modern powertrains than nowadays, LS4 included. We'll see what a crippled GM is able to do.
I just re-read this and I don't particularly like the assumption that I "think" I like RWD because it isn't available. I've driven as many years in RWD as FWD and have no misconceptions about either. Don't assume you know someone else's preferences better than they do. It's too bad they don't have FWD go carts in the amusement park slick tracks. That would be a fun and safe way to show the FWD proponents just how big a disadvantage FWD is.
You just proved my point about you ignoring the vices of RWD and only focusing on the vices of FWD.
Go-karts may be fun on closed tracks, but nobody drives a car on public roads the same way. Or shouldn't as it's perhaps a traffic violation anywhere.
By the way, I have driven in the mountains and hills of WV and NH in all conditions. In WV, the roads are often too small for snow plows which often means the snow is left to be compressed into ice with ruts carved by the vehicle traffic. It can be very challenging but again, I never had any major issues with it.
The slick tracks would immediately show the disadvantage of having both power and steering on the same wheels. Maybe your point is that the slick tracks aren't as slippery as snow and ice and that there would never be an instance where traction would be limited enough to keep a vehicle from getting out of a parking spot. Other than that, I don't see your point.
Most of the problems that I had have not been mentioned here, but a few have, so it reassured me that I was not going crazy. I hate to bite the bullet on this one, but I really think this car will be history in my life relatively soon. My trust in anything about it is about gone.
I am still a little concerned about the previous issues (Posts 1212 and 1551) as they always happened on the coldest Indiana days. What happens this winter?
I still am not sure what the service battery charging system was supposed to mean, but the ONSTAR people told me to park the car. So encouraging.......
I am not too far from another dealership, but I don't really think that has been the problem other than one visit when I dealt with a different service manager. I won't even talk to anyone other than "my favorite" anymore. He at least listens and tries to be reassuring that this is not the norm and that they don't like the repeated visits any more than I do.
I do have quite a stack of service write ups that could probably wallpaper my living room.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I would't accept that excuse. My '06 SS is plenty cold. The only difference I've noticed is that it may take a few seconds (10-15) to feel the ultra cold air. Aside from that, mine works as well as any AC I've ever been exposed to. I rarely have to run mine above the second lowest fan setting and never for an extended time. For the record, I live in SC with mid-90s lately and super high humidity and my SS is black with black leather interior. I HAVE had my windows tinted with the semi-metallic (fully U.S. legal) window tinting that claims to reduce heat by 50% (through the glass). I am cool and comfortable. My only (small) concern is that I can hear the AC compressor when it's running; when turning/parking/etc. Sounds like a very soft moaning-whirr. Similar but much quieter than a power steering pump.