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hyperv6

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Everything posted by hyperv6

  1. hyperv6
    First off the MR2 has been a low price car so it will have to climb in price from where it was. Before it was a $20K car max. The Corvette on the other hand will go up in price from where it is but all version are not going to cost $200K like some idiots predict. Both models are just opposing ends of the price that both need to meet in the middle on. No contradictions just a point that they can both get closer to the $80K mark and survive. I assumed most people were smart enough to consider the pricing but I guess I missed one. Lets put this into terms you would understand. If they did this car for $30K or less it will live 5-10 years at best. The MR2 models we have seen neither lived. The Vette needs to go up in price from where it is but that does not mean it has to be $200K to survive as they still need a cheaper model to go with the high end model. $80K would do that.
  2. hyperv6
    That is what I have been saying for a long time but the die hard Aussie Holden fans will never admit. The RWD sedan sales have been on a long term decline and GM was the last real hold out in their market. I think there would be a market for the Camaro as it is something they really like. But keep in mind to keep the Camaro alive it will require global sales as you are not going to sell 100K units in N America anymore and it will need a global market to keep the name plate alive. Ford is doing the same. Both cars just are not moving cheaper 4 cylinder models in numbers they really would like and they will need to spread out production of the V8. The Mazda 3 is king down under over the last so many years and that is what Holden needs to target along with the Toyota. The reality is the global market is no longer an enthusiast market as it has gone all utility because of cost and usability. People what cars that will do all they want and cars that they can afford. It used to be you just had to pick the number of doors and how big the V8 but that has all changed. Watch as all GM cars will also go RHD optional. as they will need it with Holden and other RHD markets.
  3. hyperv6
    They have announced the lacrosse is getting it in 2018 and I expect the Impala will get it too. No refresh needed. Actually of late technology is making cars lighter like the Camaro, Malibu, CT6 and Nox. The Trucks will be next with the new aluminum/steel welding. New steel, more mixed materials and the new processes needed to find weight loss have been invested in.
  4. hyperv6
    Here is the trouble the segment is thought to build in and make money at a low price and volume. just look at the history as most small sports cars and most have 10 years or less life. The Miata only lives because of the global marketing and limited sales in each market. Even then it was tough to pay for the development of the present model. They even shared it with Fiat to cut cost. To make a MR2 work they really need to raise the price and go global. otherwise it will be short lived if it even goes production. Note too the C8 will be much cheaper than many thing in base trim. This will shake up the segment.
  5. hyperv6
    Fiat = Fix It Again Tony Even Ferrari while better is still a major project and cost to maintain due to the engineering involved. Lambo is pretty good now since it is more German than Italian. Cars from Italy have improved but so has everyone else. I have has to deal with the rust and engine issues. The only thing worse may be some French cars or a Lada. The Lada was if you have never seen one was a Russian built Fiat. It almost made a Yugo appear good. We had a customer with one. It was not around long as it had too many issues. He bought it in Canada new.
  6. hyperv6
    At the Cleveland show they made a big deal about the XT4 this spring and the XT7 coming i the fall. He said the XT4 was a smaller CUV and the XT7 was a 3 row XT5.
  7. hyperv6
    It is not legal to own and drive a LHD car for more than a short time and you must display a large sticker on the rear bumper a sign that shows you are on the wrong side. That is why they go to such expense to convert the cars to RHD. Now I have some customers in Surfers Paradise and some of the other more remote western cities that have American Muscle cars that are still LHD. I asked how they get away with it. He said where they are at they just choose not to in force the rule as they do in the east. In the east it is a major pain. I suspect it will be a Camaro. They discussed that in recent years that if they made the move they would retain the name.
  8. hyperv6
    Here are the facts. Sergio is an idiot. FCA at some point is going to crash as they can not continue on and one economic turn down will kill them. Once Fiat crashes look for VW or Daimler to swoop in and buy Jeep and Ram from FCA out of the wreckage. The only thing is VW needs to pay of the Diesel issue first as they have big loans on that secured by Bentley. Sales have been good so they should get back on track soon. As for PSA well they are going to go no where. They have no real fans outside of Europe and even inside they only have friends in France. They are mostly a punch line for Jeremy Clarkson. GM left Europe for Geopolitical, labor and economic reasons they themselves seen as outsiders could not get much help with. Often you have to take a step back before you can move forward. But in this case with 16 years of losses in Europe it was not really much of a step back.
  9. hyperv6
    Strong and durable is not an issue but the fact you add more parts and more moving pieces you automatically add to the number of things that can fail. Just the nature of numbers. The Powerglide was strong but the key to it was it had so few parts and was small. Racers love small and simple. There is no reason for the new tranny to be solid as long as they do the proper development. The old GM 200TH and other 1980's Transmissions they had issues with them because GM tried to save money and cut much of the development work they used to do. Well we know that did not work and so now they have gone back to the same way of vetting the durability they used to do. Today GM still makes some of the best transmission in the world. They still supply others with their work and even Ford partnered with them. GM did the bulk of the work with funding supplied by Ford and as well as some technical help to give Ford what they needed to use these in their cars. It was funny to see the new Aluminum F150 still in cammo coming out of the GM Warren proving grounds. A prototype Ford on GM property was a real event. Note the VVT I think may some day make it but to make it strong enough I fear the cost would still be very high.
  10. hyperv6
    The cvt reminds me of the old cone model t clutch. It was simple but it used leather to give it bite if I recall correctly and it would slip if you loaded it down.
  11. hyperv6
    The CVT is the most efficient model out as it can pace the engine right on the power sweet spot no matter where it is. Nothing is more efficient. The down side is the CVT is not as strong or durable. They have made gains but the life and ability to take power is nil. That is why you only see them in the smallest and lightest cars ans why companies are now dumping more money into 8-10 speed trannys. While a CVT can slip some the ability to keep the engine engaged right on the most effective power spot makes up for it. The CVT can vary the ratio to where ever it needs to be and not to 8 or what ever geared fixed points. Now with more gears you cut down on the gaps and keep the RPM more even and constant for emissions and mileage. Ideally if we could get an engine to one RPM and let it remain there it would provide the most efficient power we could get. This is what they do on trains and the Chevy Volt. It is not as easy to use this in a car but like any generator a single RPM is where you can plant the sweet spot. Someday they may fix the durability but as of now they are still not where they need to be. A heavy more powerful vehicle would chew one up and spit it out.
  12. hyperv6
    I have not see all the details but the announcement gives the basic reasons in a polite way. GM gets money to buy back stock to increase the value and ward off a possible hostile buy in. GM loses more long term liabilities that have help depress their stock in spite of good profits else where. PSA gets more volume to try to go global with their odd and unknown cars that will struggle much like FCA in an already very competitive market. Lets put it this way there is much less risk to GM on this and much more to gain than PSA. I would like to see more on the pension cost and such. To me this is like selling a high mileage used car to someone while it was still in decent shape but you know it will have some major rust problems in the future. The bubbles are just forming under the paint of Opel and the legacy/labor cost are about to burst out and sales are not exactly enough to resolve much. It is much like Pontiac. While it is emotional to the history of GM it is the right thing to do. Automakers can no longer operate with 43 different brands anymore efficiently. These hard decisions need to be made for the future long term operation. Just as humans as we get older we can no longer do things they way we used to. This is something you have to think with your head and not your heart on.
  13. hyperv6
    PSA would be a greater disaster than the FCA moves. French product have never done well here and much of what they offer is not competitive with an already full market. The Opel products would not save them either. They also will not be any cheaper to draw people to take a chance on them.
  14. hyperv6
    Reg I agree on many points. This was not a sudden deal and it had been in the works for a good while. I also see Europe as a very stagnate market. Just look at all the home brands and how they rely on N America and China for Survival of their brands. Growth there is slow to nothing. While I see GM returning with Chevy it is not a must be for them and it will take time and careful product planning. Just look at how Honda and Toyota struggle in Europe. Also the simple fact is GM can write off the failure to make money at Opel but it does nothing to fix the low stock prices that it helps create. Stocks for Automakers are stagnate even for companies doing well like Ford. GM is as profitable as they have been for years but the news out of Opel has hurt them time and time again with the losses. Just look at the bounce the price took when the news leaked of the sale. Opel has been a gangrene finger on a healthy hand. There is no easy or sure way to cure it so remove the finger to save the hand. Why. Stock prices. GM is at risk as long as stocks remain down. GM is in a good place to weather a tough market in all areas of cost control and profitability but they still have depressed stock prices. Few automakers have good stock prices and most of the prices defy logic. Ford and GM should be higher and Tesla should had never been that high. There is no accounting to market whims. The Automakers are looking to high tech development as a way to drive stocks as that is what Tesla is riding as most people are now playing the game with medical and high tech stocks. My Uncle has made millions doing just this. They are the new area where gains can be made in large amounts in a short time. The Risk also go up substantially too. As for Opel their total volume they sell is not going to hurt GM. Also their contribution to GM is not going to hurt as GM is more than able to do anything they were doing in Germany at any of their other tech centers. Hell the Regal was also built here too. Only the Convertible made in Poland that sells a small number per month will be an issue here and it was time for it to go anyways as the model is coming to an end in Europe. China will buy about anything with Buick on it and GM has established a large design and tech center just for Buick in China to serve their market. Growth there is still on the increase. This is like the Pontiac question. You have to weigh the info and not make an emotional derision. This is a thinking issue not one you make with the heart. It is the kind of decision GM avoided for decades on many other issues that lead them to Chapter 11. The Sloan era is long gone and trying to run that play today will only get you sacked.
  15. hyperv6
    Well PSA has nothing to offer GM they really want or need do they? GM really can do anything they want with all their other assets globally. Only sharing the Regal with Buick and China also Holden are the real need till they move to a new gen.
  16. hyperv6
    It will be interesting to see all the details. I expect this to really help GM stock and then we will see GM make an announcement on their future global plans to capitalize on the higher stock prices. What we do know GM has been doing well even losing baskets of money at Opel. This proves GM can survive with nothing in Europe. But I see it as a reset as they will re enter the market but just how will they do it is the question. This time it will be important to connect the product and make it relevant. The main deal is they will be able to focus on making money not just trying to stop losing money and that should help.
  17. hyperv6
    We saw it and the Terrain last week. The wife was not impressed at all. It sits lower than our Terrain. The interior is not a lot different size wise. Believe it of not the vehicle is only 3 inches shorter and the width is just a little wider. Space inside is packaged better with less wasted space so cargo room is still similar in usability. At this point she saw a Acadia Denali and said we may need to look at it when we replace her ride in the future. I see some folks will abandon this but I see other will adopt it that would not have before. But like us those who leave may just move to the Acadia.
  18. hyperv6
    Most of the problems are all things that FCA has done or their suppliers. The older cars did well but the newer ones have had their issues and the more FCA input the worse they are. Just look at the quality ratings all the lowest models are FCA products accept for Mitsubishi. Chrysler is up a bit but still below the average line. FCA I believe is just going cheap on sensors and other supplier parts and it ends up with cars like my In Laws where it has an engine light going off, the fobs failing after a year and other electrical issues. I am sure your Magnum was a better car as we did not see these issues. Now on the Durango models and Dakotas ball joints and cams in some engines were an issue but that is another story. I sell a lot of parts for these daily. the Germans did build a better overall car. GM also has similar issues when they were trying to keep cost down when profits were tight or non existent.
  19. hyperv6
    Quality is based on friends and family with KC models. None are going to be repeat buyers. The in laws new 300 is a really nice car and they paid a Malibu price but they have had more warranty issues than I have had on my last 4 new cars combined. Lots of electrical issues and several recalls, Even failure of the key fob. Same for the guys at work with these cars , Rams and Jeeps. Even the surveys from multiple sources list most FCA product at or near the bottom. As for the muscle cars they all will change as all are not selling well and all are only going to get more expensive. They are dying because boomers are getting older and have moved on. The younger people either have little interest or if they do they can not afford them. The auto makers will continue to make these more into world class but affordable GT coupes and look to sell them globally to gain the needed volumes to keep them alive. AWD is a very small in the total sales. All sedans are dying in this time of low priced gas. We know how GM ended up with old product and high discounts.
  20. hyperv6
    You can have mine. I never liked the new one and the low quality just sealed it. i would rather take the money and buy an older original one. They got the styling right on the original. I drove an AAR Cuda a while back and it was a blast. If I were to buy new today the red with black hood on the SS 1LE at my local dealer would be my choice.
  21. hyperv6
    Look around less are fitting a Camaro everyday. This is not totally a joke. This is part of the reason for the rise of the CUV.
  22. hyperv6
    Dodge is selling LX platforms at large incentives and cheaper and it has a loyal base of large boomers that still fit in it. A couple guys at work bought a couple this year and got them cheap. Few are Hell Cats many are V6 or base V8. Camaro needs incentives in this market right now. It is the best but the price is also the highest. This whole class would have died without the older conservatives. The Bernie people either don't have the money or they want to take it in taxes to pay for all the free government entitlements. Also lets not forget the regulations they would put in that would kill the cars in the name of global warming too. Also don't knock the south. They are diversifying. Anyone see the Bernie supporter who stole the truck and did the Dukes of Hazard like jump and walked away once he was arrested. The only mistakes he made is one don't steal the truck after you walk away from work release. Also you need to make sure if you are going to do a jump like that at least get paid for it. I was impressed how well the Toyota held up. It had to be 30 feet in the air. As long as gas is cheap and the economy is going gang buster like we have not seen in 20 years truck and SUV sales will be strong. Cars will return if either parameters change. I see Alfa is now up to 500 Cars sold this year. Sergio said he will sell 150,000 by next year here. I think he may need to take another pay cut. Fat boomers do not fit in a Camaro. Just say what you mean LOL!
  23. hyperv6
    Boosting means nothing at the finish line. That is why Chryslers Hell Cat is not as fast as it should be as the engine just can not put it to the ground. It is a one dimensional car where GM and even Ford are now doing a comprehensive package that goes, stops and turns with the best of them. It is like GM's approach to suspension tuning. They have mastered the less is more approach. In the past a F41 package was bigger bars, stiffer springs and bigger tires. Today it is more about better shocks, matched sway bars and less spring. Today the cars are much better in all conditions and are so much easier to drive fast in all conditions not just on the proving grounds black lake. Same thing in doing lap times. You can over drive a car and in these cases you slow down to go faster. While big numbers and Smokey burn outs may be cool to make it in a global market you need a well sorted and proper package that does it all better. I work in the racing industry and we deal with some customers who just want more power and then we deal with real racers that want to make the car work as one. They are the ones who take the trophy home not the guy that is all motor and nothing else. The fastest cars are always the ones that put the power to the ground not the biggest HP number. Just look at the lap times of a V6 Camaro compared to a Hell Cat. Also just look at the 1LE ZL1 to the stock ZL1. 3 seconds a lap better with the same HP. I expect the C8 to get AWD at some point. The present Front engine that would have been very difficult to do. Just look at what they had to do for the Callaway to get the two turbochargers and intercoolers in.
  24. hyperv6
    Hmm word is no the Z/28 is coming with the LT6 DOHC 5.5 V8 with around 700 HP. The ZR1 is testing the LT7 TT DOHC 5.5 V8 and will appear in 2018. I had heard the Corvette boys were testing over 1,000 HP with their new engine but they tempered it with we will only use as much as we can put to the ground.
  25. hyperv6
    Well we can bump one from the 15 cars not to buy and add this one. Here is another mediocre CUV that will get lost in a very large crowd and will under perform due to quality issues and the lack of dealers. No wonder Gohsn is leaving.
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