FUTURE_OF_GM

+1

Wow! That's off the hook!

Excellent!!!

But that'd be too hard... Assuming personal responsibility is a VERY unpopular choice in this country. Therefore, we'd rather hate the manufacturer for "swaying the market" or the doctor for "killing the patient" after the patient lived of McDonalds and sit-coms for 30 years of his/her life. This is ESPECIALLY true given that most of the crowd who cries the loudest about Hummer has been wrought from GENERATIONS of anti-GM snobs who hate the company simply because it's a bit too much like their american roots that they've been conditioned to destroy. Even the people at FUH2 hardly ever ACTUALLY confront the drivers of the H2s they so happily flip off, swerve in front of and basically try to make wreck. Probably for good reason too, since they'd most likely get their 'bleeding heart' asses kicked. I have a couple of friends that are anti-Hummer, anti-V8, anti anything fun. They HATE the H2 and when they see an H3 they rant about how "that H2 is ruining the environment." I quickly point out their ignorance by telling them that the H3 is a smaller Hummer that gets better mileage and sells better to boot. When the Hx debuted, I showed them pictures of the interior and both thought it was hot (Both are architecture majors) and very cool. Then I showed them that it was a Hummer and the mood got A LOT worse. Their sentiment for the concpt didn't even recover when I informed them that this Hummer will compete (READ: be as efficient as) a Jeep Wrangler and that this was the new direction of Hummer. The point of my story is the same that it has always been. These people aren't influenced by their need to save the environment or even facts. They're influenced by "what's fashionable" and "what opinion their social institutions TELL them that they should have". Hummer had ALL of the potential in the world when GM debuted the brand, but the media attached a stigma to the division because all of these anti-GM people needed a reason to hate/discriminate against the same company and people that they have been conditioned to hate in the first place. Therefore, the stigma was attached and boared into all of our heads as fact. It's called confirmation bias (Look it up) So now we have Chevrolet = cheap and unreliable, Pontiac = redneck, GMC = Chevrolet, Buick = for old people, Cadillac = for black people (A horrible form of racism that is still allowed in all of the auto rags TO THIS DAY) Saturn = for geeks, Saab = GM, so don't buy it for that reason. and Hummer = ignorant people who hate the environment.

TOYOTA IS TEH SUXORS!!!!!!111! SOON THEY'LL BE DEAD!!!!!!! GM ROXORS UR SOXORS!!!!111!!! All of us can... See above. (I Couldn't resist)

I'm not sure. I think the original small trucks from Japan were horrible when compared to domestic offerings. But then, as usual, Detroit got lazy and the asians got better. Now, it's no contest, and the Detroit automakers still don't seem to get that. I really hope this same scenario doesn't play out in full size trucks.

Sure... For people who are too ignorant to understand the true reason for buying a BMW in the first place. The existence of the G8 ST should in no way detract from the performance of the G8 for logical people who actually know a little bit about the dynamics of the car. And after all, these cars are made for enthusiasts. I think the ST will either sell very well if people embrace the functionality (Likely, given the downsizing that will happen for the foreseable future) or it'll flop based on ignorant image assumptions. I applaud GM for taking a risk with 'a concept' that could be HUGE in a few years if GM can find a way to get more copies of it to the states. The image will largely depend on 1) how the media spins the truck and 2) what demographic GM tries to appeal to. They can appeal to people who remember the excellence of the original El Camino or they can appeal to my generation (most of us LOVE old muscle cars, even if we aren't car people) But I'm willing to bet Gen X will be completely turned off. Of course, every 'new take' on an old concept is met with mixed praise. Even the VW beetle has it's fair share of haters. (Me included) that ironically like the old version. FWIW, I don't like it as much as the Denali XT concept, but I think it's cool. EDIT: 1) I agree with Turbo200 100% 2) If this thing does fail, can we use that capacity for a coupe 60 based GTO?

Harrelson Toyota in Rock Hill SC is running an ad for $9,000 off any new 'yota. I remember all of the "rebates" stories about the big three, yet agin, nothing is said when Toyota FOLLOWS suit (as they always do)

I'd buy it!!! Wish they would've done a bit more though...

Fewer sales.

You are a VERY smart guy! I agree 100%! I've thought about getting into politics but I'm FAR too honest and opinionated to make it very far. I'm not as extreme in person as I appear on this board, but I'm sure I'd piss someone off 'on the way up'.

Oil shale. I know that Chevron is currently trying to get the correct temperature to refine shale into oil. Too little heat, and it isn't useful, too much heat and it frys.

LOL... I agree with everything that's been said. Of course, neither this nor Toyota's 'truck ignorance' in general will see the light of day for too long. If GM cuts production, it's time to trim a division. But if Toyota cuts production, it's barely even news. Just like when GM trucks had a tailgate recall, it was a question of whether or not GM's reliability had changed in 25 years. Where as, when a Toyota truck breaks a camshaft, the wheel falls off, the body or frame cracks or owners get screwed on resale, it's not newsworthy.

But my issue with him is that he never says HOW. He gives a great pep talk, but we all know it takes strategy for the team to actually win.

That's one of the sadest things I've ever read...

To quote some of my MOST FAVORITE, MOST EXCELLENT Lamb Of God lyrics: "Now.. you've... got... something... to... die... for... Infidel, Imperial Lust for blood, a blind crusade Apocalyptic, we count the days. Bombs to set the people free, Blood to feed the dollar tree. Flags for coffins on the screen. Oil for the machine. Army of the liberation. Gunpoint indoctrination. The fires of sedation fulfill the prophecy. Now... you've... got... something... to... die... for... Send the children to the fire, sons and daughters stack the pyre. Stoke the flame of the empire, live to lie another day. Face of hypocrisy, raping democracy. Apocalyptic, we count the days. We'll never get out of this hole, until we've dug our own grave. And drug the rest down with us. The burning home of the brave... BURN!" (from; "Now You've Got Something To Die For") That shows you how much hope I hold for the future of this country. But, since we're focusing on positivity (Not my forte, obviously) I like to see sociological changes in this country. If you MAKE people happy again, then good times will come and prosperity will begin again. We need to promote unity and pride in this country. NOT through forced homogeny. We need to promote a sense of community through charity and goodwill. NOT through fashion and status. We need to celebrate our identity and what is (was) good about this country. NOT be the loathsome creatures that we've become. The culture in this country is so cynical and eff-ed up that I'm not sure it can be saved. As far as economics... I'd like to see a level playing field for what tiny bit of manufacturing we have left. I'd like to see the government work to foster small businesses to breathe new life into the countless towns that have been devastated by the death of manufacturing. I'd like to see an administration that can stop and maybe reverse the spread between the lower and upper classes. I'd like to see an adminstration that can actually improve future generations quality of life. (Something that has been falling since Gen X) As for security... Alternative fuels is a must, but so is variety. There is no silver bullet to replace oil, so why try to force ONE option on us? I'd like to see the border secured and the illegals sent home. I'd like to see a REAL war on drugs and gangs to clean up our streets, you know, like the good ole days when cops were actually allowed to do their jobs without having to worry about bull$h! litigation. I'd like to bring our troops home (That certainly will NOT be an easy or immediate task) and strengthen our military. We, as a country, need to address our crumbling empire before we police the world. If there is a genocide or something that threatens us, then yes, we must get involved. But the US cannot and does not need to have it's hands in every pissing match around the world IMO. I'd like for the justice sytem in our own country to work, for once. EXAMPLE: I have a friend (who is actually a smart guy) has been busted for drugs and underage drinking twice now. Last summer he got messed up and among a SLEW of other stupid things, commited armed robbery (with a gun). He had the trial postponed and right before court, got caught smoking pot and drinking again. Wanna know what he got for all of that? 15 DAYS in jail, and to top it all off HE could pick when he wanted to serve the time. So, not surprisingly, he hasn't changed a bit... I mean, after all, he got away with pulling a loaded gun on an innocent person, so what's next, right? There is just so much, it's hard to get too specific.

YAY! It's a G6 which stole it's headlights from the new Mazda 6

Man, oh man!!! That is literally my version of heaven! If I had that in my back yard, all I would do is restore cars for the rest of my life. I wouldn't need to leave or anything Too bad I don't know where these are, I'd be willing to go further in debt

I completely disagree with this bleak outlook. enzl: There you go again... Trying to start a fight.

It's no different from shifting your glance to the CD player and back. Besides, the console gauges are not gauges that need to be "studied" They have a specific point at which they read and should be easy to glance at. Trust me, I'm speaking from experience

The future of the sports car, thanks to the theory of global warming.

A lot of the Toyota dealers around here seem to be doing the 'fire sale' advertisements. I'm sure the corporation wouldn't like that too much... Or was it their idea in the first place?

From memory. In '98 I believe pre UAW strike share was 30-32% (This figure I'm not that certain of) Post UAW-strike share was around 28% (This I'm pretty certain of) Not much has changed on the share side IMO because a lot of the surplus GM had in 1998 was from fleet sales and employee sales. Fleet sales have been cut and employee sales are obviuosly on the downtrend with all of the downsizing. (If you no longer get a deal on a GM car, you'll be compelled to give the other guys more of a chance) As of now, share is at what? Roughly 23-24%? EDIT: buyacargetacheck beat me to it. P.S. It's funny how Toyota released an 'estimate' of it's 2007 sales... LOL. Pure arrogance and shady business. They just don't want to admit defeat after all of the chest beating last year. FWIW, it's not like it matters, I'm sure they'll sell more than GM this year anyway.

It's all about the panic, my friend. Americans are the only people stupid enough to play head games with themselves until the country dies. (What's that... I think I just heard a flat line..........................................................................................................)