FUTURE_OF_GM

Ugly as it is, doesn't matter much... It has the coveted L badge, so it'll sell to yuppies regardless.

I agree that GM's marketing sucks, big time... All the product in the world can't save you if you CANNOT EFFECTIVELY INFORM THE CONSUMER THAT YOU EVEN MAKE THE PRODUCT. Oh, and BTW, the Nissan ads say: "You don't just need a car, you need a car company." I think the UAW and domestics should for a marketing alliance that directly targets and attacks the imports. So what if you piss of the import loyalists, they'll likely never buy an american car again anyway. Site like the engine of democracy are a good start, but the media (of course) gave that site ZERO exposure. It's going to take $$$ to gt this campaign started. It'd be funny and ironic if Detroit used bailout money for this, LOL.

You know, the ads where they claim to be american car companies and try to convince everyone that it's okay to be anti-domestic. "You just keep doing what you do, and we'll keep building cars you want to buy." -- Honda Translates to: Just keep believing that Detroit is worthless, because we'll sell you a car instead. --or-- We're better off without Detroit anyway. Or, Detroit builds cars no one wants to buy. It's the over all tone that pisses me off. This is the kind of shady business I've bitched about for years. It seesk to benefit from Detroit's loss, as usual. I mean really; 60% of the country hates the automakers anyway and now it seems that these companies are going to do all that they can through 'suggestive' ads to reinforce and promote that hatred. I don't know what pisses me off more, the aim of the ads (It's almost like these companies actively seek the death of Detroit, whenever possible) or the way they do it. If they want to go against Detroit and team up with the blindly loyal, then just come out and say it... Have the senators that you OBVIOUSLY lobbied and paid REVEAL their reasons for what they did. No more of this begrudging, hypocritical I'm so tired of this being a one-sided fight. I'm angry that Detroit gets the bad end of the deal in EVERY scenario, but I'm also angry that Detroit either refuses OR isn't intelligent enough to fight. Damn it, it's time to come out swinging! When will they understand this? I can't remember the latest Nissan ad, and I don't think it's as bad, but none the less they too are trying to drive the knife further into the back of Detroit.

LMFAO. I think it's great! (Then again, I'm a very sarcastic person)

I saw that advertised... Looks awesome.

Interesting... I certainly wouldn't mind seeing a G8 ST with a BMW-esque diesel

Going forward, the profit potential for Saab will grow IMO. Opel basically runs Saab now (For a LONG time, Saab ran itself -- and did a horrible job) But now that the company is finally being integrated into GM, I think the potential is there. The question is; does GM have the time and patience to grow the division? (That's the same question facing pretty much every GM division BUT Chevrolet, IMO)

+1 It's nice to see someone so enthusiastic about Buick... I'm actually very excited about Buick becoming/expanding (as) a core division

Another nail...

Sign of the times, I guess... Everything else is going to hell, so why not the dealership base too? I'm sure the dealers will start 'selling out' in droves. They're like the government, they go where the money is. Doesn't matter that this industry helped 99% of them build their family fortunes.

Re: SELLING SAAB & VOLVO: No, I would not... But that's because I see the potential of the divisions and I want GM to maintain at least 6 divisions and Ford 4 or 5. The new GM needs to mirror the old GM, except with different focus. Chevrolet = volume, Cadillac = top tier luxury, Buick/GMC = mid-lux, Pontiac= performance and either Saab or Saturn needs to = small cars and technology. Ford needs to look like this; Ford = volume, Lincoln = top tier luxury (Yes, it will take while) Mercury = small cars and technology, Mazda = performance and Volvo = mid-lux. I don't think it is wise for GM to downsize to 4 divisions and Ford 3... As it is, Pontiac's survival still isn't guaranteed and neither is Mercury's. Not to mention, if this happens, the media will work EXTRA diligently to kill Pontiac and Mercury. And before anyone thinks I did a "360" about Saab... Bear in mind the context of the argument. My anti-Saab and anti-Saturn sentiment was because these divisions were being valued AT THE EXPENSE of Pontiac. But now that Pontiac is saf(er) I think we can focus on these two. P/B is the first priority, then Saturn and Saab. I think GM should adopt my plan (in the To GM section) and combine Saab and Saturn into one sales channel. P.S. according to griffon, GM's plan said that if it sold Saab, it would only sell 50% anyway.

I'd say it means nothing really... My hometown P/B/GMC dealer added Caddy and Saab about 2 years ago. I'd almost be in favor of a "GM store" set up in some areas...

First the analysts, now the media... The "phase out" seems to be going according to plan.

With a 45% drop in sales each month? Yeah, I bet... The restructuring was already working. Had the economy NOT tanked, GM and Chrysler would've been fine. The problem was already solved. Can't get out of that, even with bankruptcy. Both outlined and (being) fixed with the plan unveiled in 2005. Not factual.

The "MARKET" won't be unemployed by a collapse of the auto industry... It amazes me how shortsighted most people are these days.

The Republicans know that the unions are a democratic stronghold... So, instead of putting the interests of the country and you and I first, they'd rather play f*cking politics with our lives just so they can hopefully get a leg up in 4 years. It doesn't matter how many 'little people' get screwed over in the process. I hope the media latches onto this like a Pit Bull on a piece of meat. There is absolutely NO reason why this should not have passed. But alas, I'm sure the media will find some way to use it against Detroit. Let's take it nuclear!

Time to get the codes, turn the key and push the button... FOG grabs the phone (to hand it to Wagoner) This $h! is now nuclear, and the companies should become weapons as opposed to assets, IMO.

The only spilt personality member on the forum. There is no middle ground with me. I'm either very logical and contributing a lot to the topic or completely off in left field being a jackass. Then again, I've had a lot of people that have known me for a long time call me things like "extremist" or "Jekyl & Hyde" to describe my personality.

Wow... And I thought I took the cake this week! Glad to hear that Nexium will fix it though, sounds like things could've been a lot worse.

Correct. You could order SS/RS or Z28/RS Until '73 when Type LT took over as the top option Camaro (SS was cancelled) then it was only Z28/RS True RS cars are highly desirable... And that nose isn't easy to rebuild either. When my '73 RS got crunched I found out the hard way. The nose consists of a header panel, a lower panel, the urethane nose surround (This piece alone is $300-400) the chrome grille surround, a grille divider, a grille support, 2 separate grille pieces, the emblems, bumpers/brackets and lights (marker lights are 2 separate pieces each). I could've easily had close to 3 grand in the nose alone.

I'm warming up to this idea... So long as Buick can price, market and produce it as a premium vehicle and not just a Malibu with chrome tacked on.

Another 'analyst' BEGGING for the death of a domestic automaker. I like how MOST of the analysts thoughts were geared toward the process of phasing Chrysler out as opposed to stating exactly why this OUTSIDER believes that the company will not survive. 'The street' and the media want blood... If they can't get it from all three automakers now, they will systematically 'deteriorate' the companies through self-fulfilling prophecies such as this. Sure, Chrysler is in bad shape, but why can't they recover like any other business that is on the skids? because "america doesn't need 3 automakers" It apparently does, however, need 12-15 foreign automakers. Just wait for the sales charts after this hits the press... So, we'll systematically PHASE OUT Chrysler... Ford is all but bankrupt anyway (The damage was done a long time ago, and the company would be dead if not for the Ford family) and we'll "regulate" GM into the ground via the government, I guess..... Seriously... We've went from begging for divisions to die to begging for corporations to die. What will be next after we phase Chrysler out? "Domestic market share will continue to slide prompting the phase out of Ford and scale down to phase out of GM"?!?! You bet...

Yeah, we have a cat too... She was originally wild and I felt bad that she no longer got to enjoy nature. So, I had the bright idea of buying a cat harness and trying to 'walk her' Needless to say, when I finally did get her to walk (after 3 weeks of her refusing to move when I would put it on) she freaked the hell out, ping ponged back and forth on the leash and climbed a bush all because a dog was like 30 yards away. (At that time she was VERY wild. She still doesn't trust anyone but me and my GF) This is 'Baloney':

PIX: The legendary green womb (One of the GF's friends nicknamed it the green womb because climbing out of the back seat was like "being born all over again." LOL.

It's an RS. Wow... That's an incredible car... I'd be afraid to even touch it.