FUTURE_OF_GM

I think that is an excellent idea.

+1

+1!!!!

So GM gets to "Take one for the team" and piss a bunch of loyal customers off (READ: Most of those sales from Chrysler WILL NOT go back to GM) while getting the backlash from the media and while all of Japan and Korea Inc. soak up sales in a market that is already TOO EASY for them to sell in? As far as management... We'd get Jim Press Of course they are... I said it then, and I'll say it now; Selling 51% of GMAC was BAD FOR BUSINESS. You don't just sell off the profit machine that has been keeping the ship sailing, bad times or not, IMO.

Why doesn't the government use Conrail as an example of what to do with Chrysler? Those of you that aren't railfans: When the smaller railroads in the northeast all began failing, the government bought them all out and formed Conrail (Consolidated Rail Corporation) with the eventual intent to divide the assests among OTHER healthy RR companies. In 1999, they did just that. Norfolk-Southern (originally 2 companies: Norfolk & Western and Southern) took roughly half of the company and CSX (Originally the Seaboard System and the Chessie System) took the other half. That way, maybe more of the company could be saved AND GM (and hopefully Ford) could take on the aspects of the business that will benefit them, instead of make the ship sink faster (In GM's case) I could see GM acquiring Jeep and if Ford is REALLY serious about pushing Lincoln up market again, it could certainly use Chrysler. (Or Dodge, but it'd have to completely change the image of the division) The only piece that doesn't fit is the Dodge brand. Maybe that's where Nissan fits into the deal. They could keep pushing Infiniti up market, then put Nissan mid-market and use Dodge to battle Ford and Chevrolet. (Because we all know that americans are too stupid to see that the Dodge name has more prestige than the Nissan name)

The Saab 9-7X is on the list... Seriously? The Sky is on there because of limited volume... last I heard, the Sky is very popular and everytime I talk to anyone about it, they LOVE it (Even over the Solstice, sadly) OH YEAH! But they wouldn't dare piss off their pompous reader base like that.

Yeah, GM AND CHRYSLER tried the extended warranty as well. But they didn't have cheerleaders in the media to help fan the flames of sales. Yet again, statistics at it's best. Nice effort to try and prop up a failing Mitsubishi though. Maybe that's the reason they bought it. Que the domestic bashing... What British edge?!?! Jaguar had WORSE quality when it was British than even now. Ford ownership actually improved the quality. 2 unrelated comments: 1) This is NOT GOOD for us, as this means (along with electricity and poverty) that cars are increasingly becoming appliances. 2) This is where GM and Detroit can cash in BIG TIME with their extremely talented group of designers. Because increasingly, americans CANNOT AFFORD to NOT play it safe. Emotion plays a role in everything. Ask any Toyota owner why they bought a Toyota and their reply will be a passionate "Because of the good quality" Ask any Toyota owner why they did not buy a domestic car and their reply will be equally passionate in a negative way. In the traditional form (Design, feel, drivability) the emotion isn't there. But make no mistake that emotion WAS involved in the purchase.

Which means that, theoretically, americans COULD hate Lambos or Lotuses simply because of their low sales. Give me a break... If a company is somehow limiting sales (via production, phase out, exclusitivity, whatever) it could completely skew the results?!?! Forbes needs to STFU. They are the most uninformed, ignorant (when it comes to the REALITY of the car business) publication I've ever had the displeasure of reading. So, the Hummer H2, because of both it's slow sales AND it's bad score in J.D. Power a few years back over CUP HOLDERS would feasibly qualify it as a car that americans "hate" Oh, what the f*ck ever... Talk to any Kia/Hyundai owner and most will tell you of VERY bad quality. You know what... I wish the media would give Detroit the HUGE ammunity that they seem to be willing to give the Koreans. Oh, wait, I forgot, the media is now trying to boost the Korean manufacturers above the domestics in the market. Detroit makes a bad car in the 80s... We must hear about it for 25 years. Kia/Hyundai make bad cars and improve marginally and all of the sudden they're the 'cats meow' just because J.D. Power survey respondents are happy with their cup holders.

Funny... For americans to hate those "big, gas-guzzling" SUVs so badly, they sure bought a lot of them. In fact, if I remember right, until VERY recently, those "big, gas-guzzling" SUVs made up 60% of new car sales. Homogeny... But this also goes against the big 'product is everything' mantra that the media has been pushing for 5-6 years now. Nope.. People are just too ignorant and lazy to do a little research. The Magnum is too 'billy bob' for most american yuppies to be caught dead in. It amazes me how people bitch about Pontiac styling, yet never mention this monstrosity or the Element or any modern Mitsubishi or Subaru in the same sentence. So the media admits to advncing their fraudulent claims now. And that's supposed to mean that consumers hate them?!?!?!

So, what's the point? Could Hummer now be spun off as an independent company if things get too tough? I wonder who Taylor pissed off.

LOL at the Saturn... And, I really like the '67. The wheels are borderline, but I think it's a pretty attractive hot rod.

Yep... It really angers me when the Dems start finger pointing at Bush about job losses when the Democrats started it all. Who signed NAFTA into existence? Who lobbied to give China free trade? Here in NC (Blue collar textile central) our economy got wrecked by Clinton and Gore. Bush certainly has made things worse though. Both parties suck.

Buying imports... Oh wait, that's not what you're talking about. Nevermind then. (BTW, that looks horrible. We used to have a '55 Chevy here that some redneck had "maide fore bi fore" like that)

+1 Mark LaNeve for president!!!!! Any "MAN" who claims to like the Honda Ridgeline will not get my vote. I used to like Chuck, before he made a bad judgement call.

Damn, that's a nice ass... I guess GM is shy about bringing diesels here because of the PRICE of diesel. AFAIK, Duramax sales died this summer when diesel was more expensive than gas.

I agree... I fit pretty comfy in my ZX3 Focus and it's a blast to drive! (BTW, I'm 6'9") A friend of mine had a Mini... Most uncomfortable car I've ever been in. I'm sure it'd be fine if I wasn't so damn big though. She traded it for an Altima... BOO-HISS!

Yesterday it was $3.04 in Asheville. Today it is $2.94 Still around $3.39 here in Charlotte (Don't know why.. It's usually cheaper here than in Asheville)

+1 I've always said; "If I have to die, it needs to be in an american car at a high rate of speed with the heavy metal set to max volume." As far as the article... It's sad, but at the same time, I bet she was a very cool lady! LOL!

I will continue to eat McDonalds. (although not a lot) I really don't care about the AFA and whatever their 'bitch-of-the-month' is about. I think its stupid that we can't even conduct business in america anymore without some dumb organization whining about this and that.. SO WHAT if MCD has a gay person on their board. Is he/she qualified? Then more power to them! SO WHAT if MCD joined the NGLCC... I would too if I had a business and it meant the possibility of more sales.

How? What platforms, powertrains, components, etc. does Pontiac use exclusively that would create such a cost savings? How about management and marketing? NOPE. All of that is integrated with GMC and Buick now, which is why LaNeve said that GM "has 4 divisions now", not 8. Dealers? Nope. The dealer buy out alone would cost you more than you'd save by killing the division. Keep in mind, these are the same dealers that are so desperate to make a buck that they tack thousands of dollars in premiums on to ANY desireable Pontiac GM produces. (Which also proves that the name still has a lot of good equity) Product development? Not really, especially since all of the future Pontiacs are supposedly re-badges. And the sad irony of it all is; the more Pontiac becomes a brand of re-badges, the LESS money GM will save by killing the division. But he IS alive and fighting to stay that way, is he not? Depends on how the market swings... This COULD be an opportunity for Pontiac to re-birth itself for a new generation of buyers. A small part of the picture?!?! 2nd best selling GM division. Ah yes, the homogeny continues.

GM has the tools at its disposal to build a much more pure and competitive Pontiac division. Little to no investment is needed. GM, if they phase out another division, will just be giving in to defeat and giving the import humpers in the industry and media what they want; an ever diminishing domestic auto industry.

That day will never come... We must try to MAINTAIN what we have because *if* GM dynamites the whole structure and starts over, the market will eat them alive. It's now or never. GM will not just magically become a profit machine and expansion company by focusing on Chevrolet and Cadillac. What it will become (if it chooses this path) is a niche automaker. (Think: VW) And when that happens, this whole cost verses R.O.I. and market share loss argument will start over again. Except this time, we'll be bitching about what countries we should pull out of and whether we should maintain 7% of the market or give up and try to "re-boot" the company at 5% of the market. That's my point. No good general has ever voluntarily given up ground during a battle, only to gain that ground and then some more back with a smaller amount of troops and ammo.

*Fixed

Wachovia likes to do that too. My employer banks at Wachovia (I only bank with credit unions) Wachovia is closer, so I figured I'd save the fuel. They tried to charge me a percentage fee to cash the check (at the same exact branch my employers account is held) I told them "forget it" and headed for the door. The teller then decided to waive the fee "this time". Don't do it... Chase sucks to deal with.

Didn't PCS say that the V8 version would be priced far out of reach?!?!? Umm, last I checked, this is about $2,000 more than a Mustang GT for MUCH more car.