General Motors

#26
#26
BigPapaVol said:
I think thy should go smoking as fast as they can toward the hybrid and alternative energy vehicles. Gives them an opportunity for the future and might provide them an advantage over Honda and Toyota. They also have to address their unions, pensions and benefits issues, which are the crux of their lack of competitiveness.
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The unions are killing the industry! The unions are killing many industries.
 
#27
#27
They need to dump Hummer asap, reduce the models in their lineup, do they really need an Impala and a Malibu? They have too many vehicles that compete with each other. Imagine Home Depot building a store than building another one across the street, it makes no sense. I would put a focus on each brand, for example Chevy would be their performance brand, Cadillac would be their luxury brand as Lexus is for Toyota. I would kill off Pontiac over Buick because it competes more with the performance identity of Chevy while Buick could have an identity as an entry level and affordable luxury car. I wish they would bring back the small pick-up truck like the old Nissan hardbody was. Something that is cheap on gas but could still pick up a load from the home improvement store or pull a small trailer. The little trucks just kept getting bigger and bigger, look at the Colorado, it's almost as big as an older full size truck.


I wish they would do more with their V8 that runs on 4 cyl. when it doesn't need the power. I think they could make that more efficent so that it really gets improved gas mileage yet has the power when needed.
 
#29
#29
BigPapaVol said:
I think thy should go smoking as fast as they can toward the hybrid and alternative energy vehicles. Gives them an opportunity for the future and might provide them an advantage over Honda and Toyota. They also have to address their unions, pensions and benefits issues, which are the crux of their lack of competitiveness.
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they've introduced the hybrid yukon for gmc, and they are coming out w/ the hybrid sierras as well
 
#30
#30
i don't understand selling hummer at this point when you will sell it at 20c on the dollar.
 
#32
#32
BigPapaVol said:
I think thy should go smoking as fast as they can toward the hybrid and alternative energy vehicles. Gives them an opportunity for the future and might provide them an advantage over Honda and Toyota. They also have to address their unions, pensions and benefits issues, which are the crux of their lack of competitiveness.
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That and the fact Japan sells more cars.
They made the decision to focus on more expensive, larger, less fuel-efficient vehicles. They are paying for that mistake now.
 
#33
#33
oklavol said:
That and the fact Japan sells more cars.
They made the decision to focus on more expensive, larger, less fuel-efficient vehicles. They are paying for that mistake now.
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I don't agree completely, GM (and others, including the Japanese) were giving consumers what they wanted and for their non-truck offerings, they still had to meet the arbitrary CAFE regulations. If I'm not mistaken, even the Corvette must meet CAFE.

Their true problem is that they have never been able to make a compelling alternative to the Honda Civic/Accord or the Toyota Corolla/Camry. Saturn came close, but the early models were boring, slow, and uncomfortable and modern Saturns are nothing more than rebadged Opels.
 
#34
#34
MG1968 said:
I don't agree completely, GM (and others, including the Japanese) were giving consumers what they wanted and for their non-truck offerings, they still had to meet the arbitrary CAFE regulations. If I'm not mistaken, even the Corvette must meet CAFE.

Their true problem is that they have never been able to make a compelling alternative to the Honda Civic/Accord or the Toyota Corolla/Camry. Saturn came close, but the early models were boring, slow, and uncomfortable and modern Saturns are nothing more than rebadged Opels.
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Rebadged Opel or not, the Saturn Aura is a very compelling alternative to Accord/Camry. The car handles MUCH better than the other two and is a better value.
 
#35
#35
Rasputin_Vol said:
Hummer, GMC, Saab, Saturn, and either Buick OR Pontiac should no longer exist by 2012.

The only way to save GM. GMC trucks are pretty much indistiguishable from chevy trucks. Saturn has no identity and no buzz about it. Hummer should be sold off (which GM is attempting to do), either Buick or Pontiac should be purged. At least if they purged Buick, you would think they could use the technology/turbos from Saab in future Pontiacs. On the other hand, Buick is a gateway car to Caddies, and the Enclave is a hit right now.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/15/business/15auto.html?hp
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Buick would be next in line after Hummer if it were up to me. The market for that car is literally Dieing off as we speak. The Enclave has 3 clones so they aren't losing anything there.
 
#37
#37
MG1968 said:
I don't agree completely, GM (and others, including the Japanese) were giving consumers what they wanted and for their non-truck offerings, they still had to meet the arbitrary CAFE regulations. If I'm not mistaken, even the Corvette must meet CAFE.

Their true problem is that they have never been able to make a compelling alternative to the Honda Civic/Accord or the Toyota Corolla/Camry. Saturn came close, but the early models were boring, slow, and uncomfortable and modern Saturns are nothing more than rebadged Opels.
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I'd say one of their truest problems is having to deal with unions. I'd like to know if foreign automakers give away what GM does to employees. I know as of 2007, number of units sold was not a problem to GM.
 
#38
#38
MG1968 said:
2007 Saturn Aura XE - Car And Driver



The Aura finished behind the Kia Optima in that comparison test and had the worst mileage of any of the 5 cars in the bunch.
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I would hope the mileage would be worse in a V6 when compared to a four banger. They make the Aura with a 4 now. As you know, you can read reviews all day and get a wide array of opinions. I have driven Accord, Camry and Aura on a closed course that encouraged agressive driving and was much more impressed with Aura than the other two. Check out opinions from actual owners of the vehicle.
 
#39
#39
allvol123 said:
I'd say one of their truest problems is having to deal with unions. I'd like to know if foreign automakers give away what GM does to employees. I know as of 2007, number of units sold was not a problem to GM.
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Absolutely not. GM employees have no idea how good they have it......although reality may set in a bit now that they are taking healthcare away from retirees.
 
#40
#40
holdemvol said:
Absolutely not. GM employees have no idea how good they have it......although reality may set in a bit now that they are taking healthcare away from retirees.
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Where did you see that? I'd think those gifts were set in stone by the unions.

Edit: I read it in an article. I see what you were talking about.
 
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#42
#42
myrobbins7 said:
Healthcare? Geez, there's some more votes for Obama. :)
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You better believe it. A union guy that has had the same steering wheel installing job for 20 years, now without a job. That guy is going to demand the government make more steering wheel installing jobs to meet his skills.
 
#43
#43
allvol123 said:
You better believe it. A union guy that has had the same steering wheel installing job for 20 years, now without a job. That guy is going to demand the government make more steering wheel installing jobs to meet his skills.
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I have no sympathy. I live in an area full of GM employees and retirees who drive domestic competition and imports alike, while telling friends and neighbors they wouldn't buy "GM Crap". Crap or not when you bite the hand that feeds you..........
 
#44
#44
holdemvol said:
I have no sympathy. I live in an area full of GM employees and retirees who drive domestic competition and imports alike, while telling friends and neighbors they wouldn't buy "GM Crap". Crap or not when you bite the hand that feeds you..........
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Wow, thats crazy...Seems like they would talk high about GM, you would think.:dunno:
 
#45
#45
myrobbins7 said:
Wow, thats crazy...Seems like they would talk high about GM, you would think.:dunno:
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Ha! I worked for management in a union facility for 3+ years. All those people ever did was complain about what the company owed them and how they were mistreated.
 
#47
#47
myrobbins7 said:
Wow, thats crazy...Seems like they would talk high about GM, you would think.:dunno:
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You would think, but unfortunatley that is not the case. I have personally seen several letters to Jill Lajdziak from GM employees complaining about minor problems with vehicles. The letters usually end with "I will never buy another GM product, and neither will anyone I know". The problems are usually on cars with 80,000+ miles and they just want free repairs (I work for GM, you owe me!)
 
#48
#48
holdemvol said:
You would think, but unfortunatley that is not the case. I have personally seen several letters to Jill Lajdziak from GM employees complaining about minor problems with vehicles. The letters usually end with "I will never buy another GM product, and neither will anyone I know". The problems are usually on cars with 80,000+ miles and they just want free repairs (I work for GM, you owe me!)
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Good lord...I just don't get it. :ermm:
 
#49
#49
No one thinks they are overpaid. my company also has a banking unit and i was in a local branch getting a cashiers check. The manager knowing I worked for "corporate" asked what i thought about the recent layoffs and the teller there says "well they would never fire the tellers we are the most important people at the bank." I didn't have the heart to point out to her that that branch is always empty and 99% of all transactions can either be done online or at the ATM these days.
 
#50
#50
holdemvol said:
I would hope the mileage would be worse in a V6 when compared to a four banger. They make the Aura with a 4 now. As you know, you can read reviews all day and get a wide array of opinions. I have driven Accord, Camry and Aura on a closed course that encouraged agressive driving and was much more impressed with Aura than the other two. Check out opinions from actual owners of the vehicle.
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You live in Spring Hill. You don't, by chance, work for Saturn, do you?
 
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