GM admits it flucked up big time

Discussion in 'General Motoring' started by me, Dec 10, 2008.

  1. me

    jim beam Guest


    yup, that's right on! washington d.c. - no place else on earth where
    "strategic investments" can get a 1000:1 return ratio.
     
    jim beam, Dec 11, 2008
    #21
  2. me

    me Guest

    Hey, don't expect me to defend Toyota. I've had my differences with
    them, right up to the corporate attorneys. But, I think the key point
    would be that this post is about GM, because GM is the one that is (or
    should be, lacking an infusion of money from your paycheck) going into
    bankruptcy. That's due to gross mis-management on their part.

    Despite their mismanagement being pointed out repeatedly by people
    from across the business spectrum for decades, they've stuck to their
    pig headed approach and ignored everyone who did not agree. Now they
    are reaping the rewards.
     
    me, Dec 11, 2008
    #22
  3. me

    Mike Hunter Guest

    Based on what you post everyday, YOU are obviously the most clever guy in
    the US. LOL


    On 11 Dec, 05:42, wrote:


    The best thing is to let them go into C11
    Anything else is just plain stupid.
    What else is there to be expected form Bush.
    The question is if Bush is the most clever guy in the US?
     
    Mike Hunter, Dec 11, 2008
    #23
  4. me

    Mike Hunter Guest

    The Chevy hybrid is the Malibu and unlike the Pruis it does not cost more
    than a gasoline powered car of the same size.

    Funny thing. when I was young ALL of the 'busses' were electric. We called
    them trolleys and the were 'plugged in' all the time. ;)


    There are a lot of electrical cars coming.
    The dependency on oil is going down.
    Even if some places need to burn somthing to create electicity it
    needs not be oil.
    It can be coal, there are also several other methods of creating
    electricity in powerplants.

    Chevy Volt: The future is electrifying.
    The Extended-Range Electric Vehicle that is redefining the automotive
    world is no longer just a rumor. In fact, its propulsion system is so
    revolutionary, it's unlike any other vehicle or electric car that's
    ever been introduced. And we're making this remarkable vision a
    reality, so that one day you'll have the freedom to drive gas-free.

    Chevy Volt is designed to move more than 75 percent of America's daily
    commuters without a single drop of gas.(2) That means for someone who
    drives less than 40 miles a day, Chevy Volt will use zero gasoline and
    produce zero emissions.(1)

    Unlike traditional electric cars, Chevy Volt has a revolutionary
    propulsion system that takes you beyond the power of the battery. It
    will use a lithium-ion battery with a gasoline-powered, range-
    extending engine that drives a generator to provide electric power
    when you drive beyond the 40-mile battery range.

    Chevy Volt. Fully charged 2010.
    http://www.chevrolet.com/electriccar/

    http://venturebeat.com/2008/01/10/27-electric-cars-companies-ready-to-take-over-the-road/

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_electric_vehicle

    At 2008 fuel prices, battery powered buses are more economical than
    diesel or gasoline powered buses. The additional cost of the batteries
    is made up for[citation needed] by the low operating cost in the first
    half of the typical million to two million mile (three million
    kilometer) life of the bus.
    Chattanooga, Tennessee operates nine free (no fares) electric buses,
    which have been in operation since 1992 and have carried 11.3 million
    passengers and covered a distance of 1.9 million miles. They were made
    locally by Advanced Vehicle Systems. Two of these buses were used for
    the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.[3][4]
    Wrightbus has a new a hybrid-electric driveline for the StreetCar RTV
    which has been developed in conjunction with the ISE Corporation of
    California and incorporates Siemens ELFA traction components and a
    Cummins ISL engine. The chassis is built to Wright Group
    specifications by Swiss trolleybus specialists Carosserie Hess and is
    powered by Valence Technology lithium phosphate batteries .
    Beginning in the summer of 2000, Hong Kong airport began operating a
    16-passenger Mitsubishi Rosa electric shuttle bus, and in the fall of
    2000, New York City began testing a 66 passenger battery powered
    school bus, an all electric version of the Blue-Bird TC2000.[5] A
    similar bus was operated in Napa Valley, California for 14 months
    ending in April, 2004.[6]
    The 2008 Beijing Olympics used a fleet of 50 electric buses, which
    have a range of 130 km (81 mi) with the air conditioning on. They use
    Lithium-ion batteries, and consume about 1 kWh/mile. The buses were
    designed by the Beijing Institute of Technology and built by the
    Jinghua Coach Co. Ltd.[7] The batteries are replaced with fully
    charged ones at the recharging station to allow 24 hour operation of
    the buses.[8]
     
    Mike Hunter, Dec 11, 2008
    #24
  5. me

    Mike Hunter Guest

    The major reason is Americans do not want to BUY small and midget cars.
    Even those that can make small and midget cars off shore, for far less, do
    not sell many of them in the US. The best selling cars are mid-size cars
    including the number one selling car the Camry and the best selling vehicles
    are TRUCKS not cars.

    The imports did exactly the same thing domestics were doing. They were
    offering ever larger and more powerful cars and trucks during the same time
    period. Their small cars today are bigger and more powerful than the 'big'
    cars just ten years ago. If one doubts that, compare a sixties Toyota or
    Honda to what the sell today.

    The only time Americans bought small cars was when the were forced to by
    them by the government when Carter cause the gas supply problems. Once
    Reagan did the right thing and let the market decide, they return to buying
    the larger saver cars they want to buy.

    Where the hell does the government, in a free society, get the right to tell
    manufactures what they must produce and to tell the buyer what they must
    buy, in any event?


     
    Mike Hunter, Dec 11, 2008
    #25
  6. me

    Mike Hunter Guest

    Don't you know Toyota never makes mistakes for which they would need to
    admit?

    I heard the guy that convene Toyota to make a full size pickup was thinking
    of killing himself. LOL
     
    Mike Hunter, Dec 11, 2008
    #26
  7. me

    PerfectReign Guest

    Um, yes.

    I actually traded in my 4x4 '95 GMC Jimmy for a Kia Sedona and drove that
    for four years. (I traded back and forth with my wife for the Maxima
    depending on needs.)

    Here's a picture of us off-roading in Sedona, AZ in the Sedona.

    http://www.perfectreign.com/files/images/DSCF10941_0.JPG


    Good car, overall. However, there are a few problems with the minivan in
    general.

    1. They're "mini" - after all, my Sedona was roughly the same size as the
    Maxima. I always felt a bit constrained in the front seat. The Jimmy
    actually had more room in the front.

    2. They're noisy. You can't have a box on wheels - with as much floor space
    as they do next to the road - and expect a quiet ride.

    3. They get crap gas mileage. My 3.5L V6 Sedona with 200 HP got about the
    same mileage as my 5.3L V8 Avalanche does with 315 HP. I would regularly
    get 16-20 MPG on the car. I get 17-21 on the Avalanche, and it weighs 1,000
    lbs. more.

    4. They are FWD. I can't tell you how annoying it is to drive a FWD car.
    That's my only complaint about my wife's car. (She has a Saturn Vue.) It is
    just - erm - wierd, driving a FWD car, because the dynamics are all wrong.



    What the **** planet are you from? A car is transportation, that's it. It
    is not "image" unless you have $1M to drop on a Ferrari or Bugatti.

    I bought the minivan because I thought it would be more useful than an SUV.
    I was wrong. I can pack way more stuff into the truck than in the minivan
    and not compromise comfort. I can also tow more and go more places in the
    truck.


    Oh, here we are over thanksgiving in a slightly more remote place in Sedona
    than we were in the Minivan.

    http://www.perfectreign.com/stuff/2008/av_in_sedona_1024.jpg
     
    PerfectReign, Dec 11, 2008
    #27
  8. Tell that to the incredibly fat people I see squeezing themselves into
    Honda Fits and Chevy Aveos.

    It's a huge trend. Go figure.

    Then I see this tiny woman driving her Suburban...
     
    Elmo P. Shagnasty, Dec 11, 2008
    #28
  9. me

    me Guest

    Nonsense. Americans started buying smaller, better handling, more fun
    to drive, better mileage cars in the late 1960s because they wanted
    them. There was no gas crunch at the time. The only thing American
    cars had going for them was v8 power in a straight line.
    No, they didn't. Maybe a few swing votes bought smaller cars
    specifically for mileage reasons and then swung back. Most didn't.
    Who is telling anyone what to produce or buy? The only exception I see
    is if Gm and Chrysler want to borrow money - then the lender can
    dictate any terms s/he wants to insure his investment.
     
    me, Dec 11, 2008
    #29
  10. me

    80 Knight Guest

    GM has more Hybrid vehicles they any other auto manufacture. Chevy Tahoe,
    GMC Yukon, Chevy Malibu, Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra, Saturn Aura, Saturn
    Vue, and the Caddy Escalade.
     
    80 Knight, Dec 11, 2008
    #30

  11. A hybrid Escalade. Great. A stupid vehicle that still gets lousy mileage,
    owned for the most part by people who should not be driving anything that
    large. Ha.
     
    JoeSpareBedroom, Dec 11, 2008
    #31
  12. me

    Dillon Pyron Guest

     
    Dillon Pyron, Dec 11, 2008
    #32
  13. me

    80 Knight Guest

    Actually, the Escalade Hybrid get's 20 MPG city, and 21 MPG highway.
    There's nothing wrong with that. It even does better then the Mini Cooper
    S, and BMW X3. I'm not saying I would buy one, as I don't think they are
    attractive, but you can't complain about those kind of MPG figures for such
    a huge vehicle.
     
    80 Knight, Dec 11, 2008
    #33
  14. me

    Mike Hunter Guest

    What our friend Joe really means is he can't afford a vehicle like that.
     
    Mike Hunter, Dec 11, 2008
    #34
  15. It was just a matter of time before Uncle Jemima came along and pulled one
    of the 10 stupidest answers outta his ass.
     
    JoeSpareBedroom, Dec 11, 2008
    #35
  16. me

    Mike Hunter Guest

    See I told you so LOL

     
    Mike Hunter, Dec 12, 2008
    #36
  17. me

    Ray O Guest

    GM hybrids: 2 cars and 6 trucks/SUV's for a total of 8 vehicles...

    Toyota hybrids cars: Toyota Prius, Camry, Crown, and Lexus GS and LS for 5
    cars
    Toyota hybrid trucks/SUV/van: Toyota Highlander, Estima, Toyoace, Dyna,
    Harrier, and Lexus RX for 6 trucks/SUV/Van.

    Toyota hybrids: 5 cars plus 6 trucks/SUV/Vans = 11 vehicles
     
    Ray O, Dec 12, 2008
    #37
  18. me

    Mike Hunter Guest

    Please tell us what if the color of the sky in YOUR world? LOL
     
    Mike Hunter, Dec 12, 2008
    #38
  19. me

    HLS Guest


    GM wanted billions from the government, not a lousy $35 million.
     
    HLS, Dec 12, 2008
    #39
  20. me

    Art Guest

    So why don't they put their money where their mouth is....... shake up the
    industry with a 6 year bumper to bumper warranty on all their cars,
    retroactive to 5 year old cars.
     
    Art, Dec 12, 2008
    #40
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