cmattson

The big problem is that most of those "rest of the world" countries that feature high gas prices have much larger social programs (i.e. healthcare for everyone) -> unless you believe that enriching oil importing/refining industries as a social program. We simply aren't getting the equivalent return on our fuel-monies spent that you can get in these other, high-fuel countries. The other issue is that some of these high-fuel-countries are rather small (like the United Kingdom). Mass transit is much more attractive and is a much more feasible system in a small area; but mass-transit doesn't work nearly as well when the population-center isn't as dense.

Personally, I'd take issue with the prominently displayed Toyota-key, but hey, that's just me... ************************************************ GM'S GOT THE WORST MARKETING & ADVERTISING IN THE HISTORY OF CORPORATE HISTORY I'm only hoping that things such as this -- and the "Chevy Tahoe - build your own commercial to rip the #@*&$%# out of us in our own promotion" debacle will force GM to address this BS once and for all.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/03/25/for...s-go-high-tech/

Wow Petra, "Do Svidanya"?!? I haven't heard that phrase in ages. I'm half Ukranian & probably haven't heard that phrase since a childhood family reunion..

You can now see why I didn't go into accounting. Actually, the college I went to required you to take your CSCI in relation to another "minor" subject area. After looking at the related minors, I choose the accounting subject area because it required the fewest number of classes (college the expensive). As it happened, I ended up going to work for an accounting firm, doing computer work -- which is where I'm still at today. Close caption to Josh: I now need a "NBC/The More You Know..." smiley.

I always enjoyed reading your posts and am sad to see you go. Best wishes on future endeavors!

There are two benefits to what GM is doing here (and both are commonplace in business/tax accounting): The first benefit, as you've already stated, is that GM gets to offset these losses towards future earnings. It's been a long time since I took my accounting classes, but back when I did take them (and I'm not going to date myself here), it was something like 5 years or 7 years. What that means to the lay person is that GM can deduct a portion of this years losses onto future earnings statements, thereby lowering future taxable income. So losses this year translates into reduced taxable income for several upcoming years. The second benefit is a bit more subtle. The basic idea is that "if you are having a horrendous quarter/year", then you accelerate everything you can find into that fiscal period and take just one gigantic hit on the bad news. It makes future quarters/years that much easier to turn a profit because the expenses have already been recognized. The public, generally, has a short memory. Posting 8.6b or 10.6b this year isn't going to matter if GM posts a profit in q1,q2,q3 next year. Of course the board and the executors will point to the "improvement" and rationalize that their work calls for bonuses of cash and stock.

Just a quick note that despite the bashing, the reviewers neglect to mention that the GM model offers better hp than the comparable Toyota/Nissan products while delivering BETTER gas mileage than either of them. The Sequioa comes in at 15/18mpg and the Armada does 13/18. Now how good does that 15/21 look? The Toyota delivers 273hp and the Nissan 305. GM? 320. So, in summary: you can deliver more hp and still deliver significantly BETTER gas mileage than your competitors.. and this is viewed as a DISLIKE by the Lienerts. How can these people get PAID to write such garbage?

and Where else but Edmunds can you read those two quotes in a single car review? Geez, you can't get anymore lapdog than that, can you? They might as well have used "Best of all, it's a Honda" in their review as well. Edmunds shows us again and again why their reviews are far from objective.

Ok, here's my brush with Kirby: I was a kid (can't remember my age). My dad had ordered tickets to a future game (over the phone) & we went to the ticket office @ the Metrodome to pick them up. Who was at the ticket office, chatting with the ticket staff? Kirby Puckett. Apparently he had stopped by the dome to "pick up his paycheck". At that age, I wasn't that interested in baseball--so I didn't even know who this guy was. When we walked in, Kirby came over & introduced himself & stopped to chat with myself, my father, and my brother. He was a total "people-person". Loved to talk. Loved to socialize. Really a great guy. That was just a 5-minute span of time for Puck but became a cherished, lifetime memory for myself and my brother. That's just the type of guy that he was. Twin Cities radio has been filled with stories just like these all day long. Peter Gammons has mentioned that a non-autographed Kirby Puckett baseball card might be more rare than an autographed one. BTW, he drove away in a Buick Riviera (license-plate: "34-PUCK"). Gotta love those GM-fans!

Since when is 43 percent loyalty even in the frigging ballpark, let alone "competitive" with the 54 percent that Ford enjoys?!? That is a glaringly large difference to me. And how would Toyota arrive at these numbers pe se? Seeing that GM and Ford EACH sell 1m+ trucks each year, I highly doubt that Ford & GM are anywhere close to 50% loyalty. A "short sales history"? Geez, the Tundra's only been on sale for 10 FULL FREAKING YEARS. That's a "short sales history"?! When the Tundra initially debuted, it had 9x,xxx sales/year. Here we are 10 years later and it's at 12x,xxx? Wow. Way to knock yourslef out guys. Don't break your arm patting yourself on the back. Goes to reinforce my opinion (even more strongly) that any number from Toyota isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

Can you just keep us posted on your where-abouts so the rest of us can stay the hell away? Just kidding! Sorry to hear about your latest misadventure. Look at the bright side: metal can be replaced. There are many accidents where people don't walk away from them.. so if you look at this in the right way, you are fortunate.

http://www.fileh.com/leotan/Hosting6/FullPageHonda.pdf

One might note that the Tundra is plagued by engine-knock as well.. do a google on Tundra + engine knock .. suprised, huh? It seems like everybody just wants to slam GM..

I keep thinking of Monty Python & the Holy Grail scene: CART MASTER: 'Ere. He says he's not dead! CUSTOMER: Yes, he is. DEAD PERSON: I'm not! CART MASTER: He isn't? CUSTOMER: Well, he will be soon. He's very ill. DEAD PERSON: I'm getting better! CUSTOMER: No, you're not. You'll be stone dead in a moment For the complete, line-by-line of this sceene, visit: http://www.mwscomp.com/movies/grail/grail-02.htm

IMO, this is GM caving into dealer's bitching. Buick/Pontiac/GMC (BPG) can have a small car, but it should be segmented so that it wouldn't steal Cobalt sales. A Pontiac Gx is going to be nothing more than a rehashed Cobalt SS. GM is going to spend money to move sales from the Chevrolet column to the Pontiac column. What a complete waste. If BPG needs a small car, then quiet-tune the Cobalt & upgrade it's interior & then sell it under the Buick nameplate. That definately wouldn't steal Cobalt sales & it would be in keeping with the upscale image GM is working on for Buick. As a side benefit, it explores a niche market that GM is currently leaving untapped. Even as a stopgap measure, this is a poor decision.

Geez.. I'm disappointed! This is pure comedy gold! Come-on guys, I was expecting more wise-cracks: "No more killing-by proxy for Cheney" "He's already got enough blood on his hands, what's one more?" "It's not surprising, he missed on Iraq too"

Yeah! Let the Ridgeline's interior null everybody else's interest in the vehicle!

That's a very good question. The Tundra appeals to many because of it's car-like qualities: ride, comfort and size. You'll definately give some of that up with this new larger, more heavy-duty truck. With more and more capable mid-sizers available, people DO have another alternative. Along that line, one might note that bigger isn't always better. Take the Ford Excursion. It was larger than the Suburban, but prohibitively so. The Suburban is a marvel to drive -- it drives much much smaller than it's footprint would have you believe. Most reviewers made the opposite comment about the Excursion - that it drove even bigger than it looked.

GM: $0 on 2005's (I don't think there are any left) $2500 on 2006's Nissan: http://www.nissanusa.com/buying/SpecialOff...?Site=N05TTNBDA upto $3000 on 2005's upto $2750 on 2005's Just for kicks, take the lowest trim Nissan Titan (XE) 4x4 and compare it vs. the lowest-trim Chevrolet Silervado 4x4 (LS). To be fair, make sure you pick the 5.3l Silverado; it's fairly comparable hp-wise, but lacks about 40ft-lbs of torque.. but is a bit of a push in my book as the Silverado gets better gas mileage. The Titan XE starts out at $26,600 less that $2250 discount and the truck sells for $24,350 (note that $3k rebate is only available for the King Cab model, it's $2250 for everything else). The Silverado starts out at $25,565 less the $2500 discount and the truck is $23,065. So, Chevrolet's not your rebate-leader in the truck field! Chevrolet IS a tremendous value. One might note that the Silverado LS gives you dual a/c, power locks, rear heat, auto headlights and a long-bed for that price -- and the Nissan Titan XE does not. Now you know why the Titan needs the discounts it does (and still doesn't sell worth a ***).

I guess buying enough advertising-space in MotorTrend to ensure Truck of the Year just doesn't mean much to consumers.. http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...E/60206007/1041 151-day supply for a brand new vehicle is an extremely poor showing. 53 with "heavy dealer incentives" (LOL) isn't exactly encouraging either. While the truck does fill a niche, I'm not sure the public really wants that niche filled.. especially at the price Honda is asking for this pseudo-truck.

Doesn't the Camry have school-bus-impact airbags around the front of their car?

Nice backhanded slam.. very worthy of an Asian automaker spokesperson: "The Miata is an extremely strong competitor, and we thought it was going to be a really good horse race." ..we thought it was going to be.. means: it hasn't been.

Teflon (sorry - I'm always trolling for a joke, no matter how lame). Actually, I think there are a few excellent reasons why: 1) Computer processing power. Faster computers, better graphics = more powerful engineering software. Engineers can model and test parts well before building a mock up. 2) Oil has removed remarkably 3) Competition.

Yes, I'm calling attention to this because it's becoming almost comical reading some of these reviews. If you've followed auto reviews long enough, you know that GM is chasing a moving target. Reviewers used to dash domestic vehicles for having less quality, then it was durability, then it was fuel economy, then it was noise and vibration, and then it was fit-and-finish/panel gaps. It then moved onto quality of interior materials and the latest sticking point appears to be number of forward gears. So, let's get it on record: what's everyone's opinion on the next great domestic "deficiency" for the auto-reviewers to harp on? I've already seen reviews bashing a GM vehicle's tilt-steering for only having 5 stops.. nevermind the idea that GM vehicles have USEFUL things like auto-headlights and OnStar that almost no other manufacturers have. Geez, your tilt-steering's total distance of travel has to be at best what? 5 inches? A stop every inch? So, worse case scenerio: you like something right inbetween stop-positions 3 & 4. By following this reviewer's gripe, a half-inch on your steering-wheel height=you can't get comfortable with the car? WTF?! Are you kidding me? It's *beyond* stupid. So.. let's here it.. what are your opinions? I predict that within 5 years we'll hear about how Toyota/Honda's blue-color is so much more "blue-er" than the domestics..