General Motors

Posted by: Flame on 01 June 2009

Hi all;

Thank God! Finally! Something I've been hoping for since 12 years! General Motors has gone broke! The first car I ever owned was a 1991 Cheverolet Caprice (Impala). The car weighed a million tons and despite having a gas guzzling V8 engine it sill couldn't move forward. Being underpowered was the least of my troubles with that car though. Driving it was like driving a boat. The suspension was so soft that you were not able to control the car, get feedback from the road or enjoy a comfortable ride. The steering wheel was so big and so soft that I could turn it a million times around with my little finger and the car would barely change course. Don't get me started with the braking system. You press the pedal and nothing happens. You press it further and your foot starts to dive for miles and miles before a mushy soft simulation of braking takes place. The sad reality of it all was that the car was in perfect shape and being serviced at the dealership as per regular recommendations. It was functioning as the manufacturer intended. Truth be told, as a car, it sucked!

Now I have had the pleasure (not!) of driving several Cheverolet cars since then and unfortunately what they have improved on in driveability was lost on in terms of materials and build quality. Americans just can't build cars and that's the end of it.

Today is a good day for the world. GM has officially filed for bankruptcy. A company that just doesn't know how to build cars has been officially been labeled as a "failure". It saddens me to see that the government is going to help GM restructure and build cars again. Compared to the Europeans, Japanese and even the Koreans, American cars have no place in this world.

As strong as my hate is for GM, I do sympathize with the employees at the production line. The decision to build bad cars was handed down as an order from management and R&D. Those workers have skills to work with and families to feed. I was hoping that the government would reallocate them into the marine, aviation, railway and armed forces sector of the automotive industry and completely shut down GM. Americans can't build cars and I sure hope they never do.

Regards...
Posted on: 01 June 2009 by Jim Lawson
quote:
The car weighed a million tons and despite having a gas guzzling V8 engine it sill couldn't move forward

Doubtful.
Posted on: 01 June 2009 by Tony Lockhart
Flame,

Ha! I had a 1978 Caprice when at Dhahran in the 90s, and that was sort of OK power-wise, but self-tapping screws held the car together, full battery power to the switches.... or was that just Saudi-ised cars??

Tony
Posted on: 01 June 2009 by QTT
GM make nice trucks and hummers. Winker
Posted on: 01 June 2009 by pcstockton
why would anyone buy a car from a US maker? I would never consider it. ever.

Japanese please.

-p
Posted on: 01 June 2009 by BigH47
Yeah a Corvette C6 what a load of real crap. Roll Eyes If anyone is thinking of dumping one can they do it at my place please.
I wouldn't buy Japanese either unless you like boring,bland and characterless cars of course, with a very few exceptions.
Posted on: 01 June 2009 by JamieWednesday
GM - A nice pension fund and health plan with a sideline in making cars
Posted on: 01 June 2009 by u5227470736789439
What will happen to Saab?

ATB from George
Posted on: 01 June 2009 by gary1 (US)
Actually GMs downfall is not all GM's fault. It is clear that when the foreign cars started arriving in the 1970s that nothing was done at that time when the writing was on the wall.

Now we have the gov't stepping in to run GM when they were complicitous in the events that transpired over the last 30-40 years. Along with the oil companies, what a racket. You cannot tell me that the gov't was not aware all of these years as to what was going on, not only with the poorly made cars etc...

This whole thing with the US Auto industry has been one big sellout to the unions for 4 decades. Ridicoulous wages, pensions, little work, poor workmanship-- everything you'd expect from unions. The upper echelon took everything they could get their hands on along with corporate management and sold the companies down the drain. GM and the rest were used and will continue to be used after bankruptcy and union majority ownership as one big giant piggybank for the upper brass. This analogy holds true for the financial industry as well. The govt. knew and encouraged the NINJA lending the whole time and ignored everything. Not one CEO has been charged or hauled off to prison for what they did and they kept their multi-million dollar salaries and bonuses. The whole country has been a sellout by politicians and the uber-wealthy.

Why else was there any bailout money and wasted taxpayer money over the last few months. A complete sellout to the unions in the hope of maintaining their pensions and wages.

You have a company with a bloated cost structure and makes an awful product that no one wants to buy. What did you think was going to happen?

The same analogy holds true for gov't.
Posted on: 01 June 2009 by mikeeschman
quote:
Originally posted by Flame:
Americans can't build cars and I sure hope they never do.
Regards...

I grew up riding in American cars that are better than anything since. I like to hope that can be done twice. Obama is a pretty smart guy. Let's see what happens.
Posted on: 01 June 2009 by gary1 (US)
Mike,

History has shown over and again that govt. is inept at running an economy. There is no reason to think any differently now.

Remember those in power now are the same folks who let things run amuck.

Innovation comes when there are rewards to be reaped--profits. Now everyone at GM/Chrysler will be either union or a govt. employee. Not much hope there.

It's only hubris that is allowing these companies to emerge from bankruptcy. They need to go.
Posted on: 01 June 2009 by js
It actually take 2 parties to screw things up this bad. One makes it easier to do things but with regulations and the other cans the regulations effectively burning the candle at both ends.
Posted on: 01 June 2009 by QTT
quote:
Originally posted by Flame:
Americans can't build cars and I sure hope they never do.

That does not sound right. It looks to me that you have never owned a GM car. I have owned Toyota, BMW (700 series), Mercedes (S600 V12), Honda but I must say that the best car (or truck) that I have ever owned is the Chevy Suburban. It is so RELIABLE, so practical.

The root cause of GM collapse is the union, bad marketing (think Roll Royce, Aston Martin, Jaguar, etc.) and bad management. The GM engineering is the BEST.
Posted on: 01 June 2009 by bwolke
quote:
Originally posted by Flame:
Hi all;

Americans just can't build cars and that's the end of it.

Americans can't build cars and I sure hope they never do.

Regards...


Posted on: 01 June 2009 by jon h
quote:
Originally posted by QTT:
The GM engineering is the BEST.


Thanks for that -- I needed a really good laugh with my first coffee of the morning.

GM has been selling cheap crap for years. And lumbering itself with a huge debt in pensions and healthcare.

Along comes a fuel price spike, and the american public panics and stops buying the gas guzzling home-made crap.

Good riddance to them. I have hired countless examples, and only one (the Corvette) was in any way decent.

As for the competition... the V6 Mustang is horrifying on a wet road with its lack of ABS. The V8 Mustang Hertz special had *no* suspension movement at all. And a decent run down from Mount Palomar killed the gearbox. Got through two of those in a week.

And as for the Chrysler Sebring convertible I had a month ago... my god, it was so badly built, badly designed, it was laughable.
Posted on: 01 June 2009 by Bruce Woodhouse
quote:
Originally posted by GFFJ:
What will happen to Saab?

ATB from George


Going, going...gone I suspect. The Swedish Govt has shown no inclination to prop it up and it has no current/future model portfolio that is likely to tempt another buyer.

Bruce
Posted on: 01 June 2009 by QTT
You have never owned and driven a GM car, I guess. This shows the power of black propaganda - if it is said repeatedly, people will believe it.
As mentioned previously, my Chevy Suburban is at least 10 times better than my MB S600 V12 which is in turn much better than my BMW 745i. It is not my intention to show off which cars I have but I must and need to tell the truth.
I think I'd better stop here because it is not my fight to fight against the public misconception. It is GM fault to lose the public trust when they had the chance to rebuild their image.
Posted on: 01 June 2009 by Staedtler
quote:
Originally posted by Bruce Woodhouse:
quote:
Originally posted by GFFJ:
What will happen to Saab?

ATB from George


Going, going...gone I suspect. The Swedish Govt has shown no inclination to prop it up and it has no current/future model portfolio that is likely to tempt another buyer.

Bruce


Rumour has it Koenigsegg are among 3 bidders for Saab.
Posted on: 02 June 2009 by SC
quote:
Originally posted by QTT:
...my Chevy Suburban...my MB S 600 V12...than my BMW 745i.

Do you have a big family then...?! Roll Eyes
Posted on: 02 June 2009 by jon h
quote:
Originally posted by QTT:
You have never owned and driven a GM car, I guess.


of course, all those thousands of miles of driving in the USA were done on a magic carpet. How could I have been mistaken?
Posted on: 02 June 2009 by QTT
quote:
Originally posted by SC:
quote:
Originally posted by QTT:
...my Chevy Suburban...my MB S 600 V12...than my BMW 745i.

Do you have a big family then...?! Roll Eyes

No but I have visitors coming from different parts of the world. But it is not the main reason to own more than one car, it is just perfectly normal to own several cars or trucks here.

honeyball - How can you be so mistaken? The FORD Mustang and CHRYSLER Sebring are not GM Big Grin.
Posted on: 02 June 2009 by Derek Wright
The GM business plan was also followed by British Leyland a few years back.
Posted on: 02 June 2009 by DAVOhorn
Dear All ,

The best GM cars are made here in Aus.

The last generation of Monaro up to 2007 was great and the HSV GTO and rare GTS were fabulous performance coupe's also the Coupe 4 had 4 wheel drive.

Currently we have the VE Commodore which bang for buck is a STEAL.

You have BIG MERC BMW performance with Beer money purchase prices.

The yanks got the Holden Commodore Clubsport as the Pontiac G8 .

Holden also did the new Camaro which shouls have become the new Monaro if there was any justice in this world.

Hopefully Holden will survive in tact but with the pontiac NAME dead Holden has lost 30% of its VE platform production.

They should go Balls out and do the Monaro based upon the Camaro and sell it in ASIA and Europe.

The Holden HSV GTS is $76,000.00 here and will put M series BMW's and AMG mercs to shame with regards to performance.

SAAB is for sale if you want also OPEL/VAUXHALL too. HUMMER also yours for a dollar.

So GM will be left with DAEWOO Korean product under a variety of badges. What a SAD end.

Come on HOLDEN look at your SHOW CAR specials and build em!!!!

regards David
Posted on: 02 June 2009 by JamieL
I can't help but laugh at the US Government nationalizing GM. Socialism but the front door, and the capitalists seem to think it is OK.

Now if only our 'socialist' government over here would start to recognize that country with no infrastructure is a bad idea.
Posted on: 02 June 2009 by jon h
quote:
Originally posted by QTT:

honeyball - How can you be so mistaken? The FORD Mustang and CHRYSLER Sebring are not GM Big Grin.


Yes, I know that. And they are just as crap.

Did you have a point?
Posted on: 02 June 2009 by mikeeschman
quote:
Originally posted by gary1 (US):
Mike,

History has shown over and again that govt. is inept at running an economy. There is no reason to think any differently now.



I remember that government contracts to G.M. during WW II made G.M. a powerhouse, not auto sales.

No reason to think the federal government can't do it again.