R.I.P. General Motors (1931-2006)

I alway felt that if I needed an SUV to get to work I should stay home
that day. Only people in critical jobs (i.e. nurses, doctors etc.) can
say they NEED an SUV to get to work on bad snow days.

 

I bet you'd hate being in front of them more if you had to make a panic
stop!

 

If GM doesn't radically change very soon... there will be no more GM.

www.telstar-electronics.com

 

You are correct. I read an article in the May issue of "Motor Trend"
indicating that GM will run out of money in three years unless they sell
lots more vehicles. It's my guess that they will stop making the lowest
selling models and close down lots of factories--esp. in America. The GM
workers in America earn
more money than workers in any other country.
Jason

 

Regarding:
"Because GM cars require so many more
parts - even use pushrod technology - that they must sell products on
fire sales.

"

For a more upbeat view on things, check out:
http://www.automobear.com/index_home.html


Regarding:
"GM will not go bankrupt. No large company does."

Actually, Delta is in bankruptcy right now. So is Delphi.
I'm not sure what you mean by your above statement.


Regarding:
"GM's only problems are
directly traceable to current top management that only worked in
finance jobs. "

How about union benefits that are obscenely high (with medical
benefits that are better than most white collar jobs - including mine).

Regarding:
"Labor is not the largest
cost in a car - if managment was not playing money games to mask their
bad products. "

If the cars are so bad, why is GM doing comparatively well in the JD
Powers
short and long (3 year) term survey results.

 

Some can't take off work, they 'need' the money. LOL


mike hunt

 

Really? Which has more parts? A V6 with dual overhead cams and 24 valves, or
a V6 with one cam in the center, pushrods and 12 valves?

Jeff

 

I don't think many people put much stock in the JC Powers awards. I
prefer CU as at least they base their reliability information on
actual owners responses. From owners who drive the vehicles it
appears that not many GM, Ford or Chrysler vehicles fair very well as
most are below average in reliability, whether it be 0ne year or 5
years out.

 

If one believes what the people that own the vehicles think of them, is the
most accurate 'survey,' then one should buy what the most owners actually
buy. More buyers, year after year, buy more of the vehicles sold by GM,
Ford and Chrysler than the buyers of all the twenty some import brands
combined. It is logical to assume that buyers would not continue to buy the
vehicles they do if they did not believed they were reliable. One can not
deny buyers buy the more of the number one selling car in the country, the
Camry, because they believe it is the most reliable car. The same is true
for the buyers of the number one selling vehicle in the country, the Ford
F150. The number one hybrid, the Pruis. The number one small car, the Civic.
The number one large car, a Buick. The number one selling small SUV, the
Escape,. The number one selling mid size SUV, the Explorer. The number one
selling large SUV, the Suburban. The number one selling mini-van the, Dodge
Caravan, or the number one selling large van, the Econoline.


mike hunt

 

Mike,
According to the information on page 26 of the May issue of "Motor Trend"
magazine, GM will be out of money in within three years unless they sell
lots more vehicles. The Honda Accord and Toyota Camry have been the best
selling cars in America for the past 3 or more years. If most people in
America had confidence in the reliability of GM vehicles--the Chevrolet
Malibu would have been the best selling car in America for the past three
years or more years.
Jason

 

GM is loosing money for every car the sell
It would bankrupt them more quickly if the would sell more
That is why they try their utmost to sell fever and fever
They close down factories and sell off assets
It is doubtful if they will last one more year

 

American buy more trucks than cars. GM sells a lot more trucks alone the
Toyota sells cars and trucks combined.
The Silverado is the second best selling vehicle in the US, behind the Ford
F150. Even the Dodge Ram sells better than the Camry, which sells at a rate
only half that of the Ford F150. No matter how you spin it buyers buy more
from GM, Ford and Chrysler than all the twenty some import brands combined.
Obviously buyer believe the vehicles they buy are reliable


mike hunt

 

They do make some money selling "fleet" vehicles. I once
had to rent a car and almost every car on the lot was
a GM or Ford vehicle. The local electric and gas company
has a whole fleet of GM and Ford cars. It's my guess that
they lease the GM and Ford cars for about three years.
They probably lease the vehicles for low prices. I doubt
that they could rent Honda and Toyota for low prices.
Even GM and Ford cars will last 3 years.
Jason

 

Chrysler is now owned my Mercedes.

One reason that GM and Ford sells lots of full sized pickups is because
they have very little competition from foreign car companies in regard to
full sized pickups. However, this is changing. Toyota makes at least one
full sized pickup and eventually they may have as many models of full
sized pickups as GM and Ford. Honda also makes a pickup truck called
"Ridgeline" that scored higher in performance tests than GM and Ford
pickups. In about 5 years, it's my guess that Toyota will sell as many (or
more) full sized pickups than GM or Ford. It's possible that GM will be
out of business in 5 years. Do you have statistics on how many full sized
pickups that Toyota sold in 2005? If so, please post those statistics.
Jason

 

Check the boards of directors.

I work for a three-letter telecom. OK, now it's THE three letter
telecom <G>, and we share several directors with Ford and GM.

The big rental agencies have direct ties to the credit ends of GM &
Ford.

FWIW, I could have bought a Ford of GM pickup for far less than the
Toyota, due to my employer's employee / fleet program. I still bought
a Tacoma, because it fit my needs better.

 

The fleet sales you mention are higher for American car makers
because many of them have or had until recently, subsidy deals of
one kind or another with the rental agencies, etc.

 

that's just uneducated lying.
JP

 

you know, when you keep droning on with the same tired line about how GM
continues to sell more vehicles in the US than Toyota (true), but ignore
the harsh realities of GM's continued market share slide... It really makes
me wish Toyota takes over the #1 slot and dominates GM in each and every
class of car and truck so you just can't hide from the facts any more!

j

 

Some people buy new cars every two or three years and trade them in with
only 35k mi on them. My car, on the other hand, is almost 10 years old and
has about 128k mi on it. So a reliable car for one person is not the same as
a reliable car for another person.

I can. Some people buy Camries because they like the price/performance
ratio, like the styling, like the Toyota dealer, have a friend who like
Toyotas, etc. Reliability is not necessarily the number one reason why they
buy a car. Price has a lot to do with it, as well.

Again, percieved reliability is not the only reason why people buy these
cars and trucks.

Jeff

 

No, they're not. They losing money on their pension obligations and their
health-care obligations for retirees.

Actually, they will last many years.