Tony C

Cash for Clunkers: Part II

The program is supposed to verify that the clunkers are indeed scraped, not simply exported.
All I see being accomplished is that a footing is now being placed under all the old, cheap work trucks out there. No matter how battered and beaten they are, they will now all be priced at $4500.

GM and China: What Are They Thinking?

Nice try, Dctrofspin. Only problem is it's not Buicks that GM will be importing from China. They announced it would be the new small cars (Chevy Spark) that they promised congress they would start selling in the US.
Of course they never promised where they would be made. Let's give them more money!


On May 14 03:43 AM Dctrofspin wrote:

> You obviously have a poor understanding of the process with WTO.
> These disclsures are required...it wasn't a PR play. The issue is
> not "helping China friends." It's that Buick can not expect to sell
> more than 20,000 Regals in the US....a total that would not support
> an investment in plants and parts sourcing in the US. They'll be
> pumping out hundreds of thousands of these out in China...pulling
> several thousand for sale in the US will help better establish Buick,
> provide net income for the global operations, thus helping stabalize
> US jobs...not lose them. Welcome to the global economy.

Toyota Motors: A Fantastic Short if We Soon Retest Market Lows

<<< In fact one point of "qualification" might simply be whether or not the new car in the deal was made in the US. This would at least exclude imported TM vehicles from benefitting from the proposed new legislation. >>>

Congress can't put that limitation on the Cash For Clunkers bill. Doing so would exclude nearly all of Chrysler's cars, all its minivans, GM's best selling sedan, and much of Ford's sedan and CUV lineup.
It would more likely be worded "made in North America," which the public would never read thru to realize how much Detroit imports from our neighbors.

Doubtful That Chrysler, GM Will Avoid Bankruptcy

Did the Hummer brand ever make money for GM?
Sure Toyota jumped into large pickups at the wrong time, and they moved into SUVs as well. But did they bet the company on them like GM and Chrylser did?
It's OK to make risky choices when you have the money to cover them. Toyota does. Detroit?
Toyota made those moves without neglecting the car end of their business. Gas at $4? Send in more Prius. Should it stay at $2 they've got the trucks ready. Chrysler doesn't even make any small cars, and GM is still trying to unload Cobalts on unsuspecting buyers.



<<<Yeah...bash the Hummer maker and praise the FJ Cruiser maker (Toyota) that get's about the same mileage. Do your homework. All of the transplant OEM's were jumping on the SUV and Truck bandwagon. The proof is the unfinished or shuttered plants in the south. BTW...since the FJ launched well after the Hummer...I call it a Hummer wannabe.>>>

Chrysler and Fiat's Latest Tiff: Not Unexpected, Not Good

<<<most of you dont know a thing! Chrysler is the best selling company in Canada 1st time ever. Also their market share has risen from 9.4 in 2008 to 11.9 in 2009! Chrysler is the only American car company left on the planet! They have 90 % of their sales, employees, and parts purchased right here in the USA ! Get off your high horse Hondas and support your American workers, and industry! Like Toyota is going to build tanks if the US goes to war! Stop bashing, and start supporting! Belly-achers!
>>>antonio

Time to put down the kool aide and walk away, Antonio. Here's a dose of reality. The ten best selling cars in Canada? Here's a list. Note the absence of Chrysler models.

Honda Civic
Toyota Corolla
Mazda 3
Toyota Yaris
Chevy Cobalt
Hyundai Accent
Pontiac G5
Toyota Camry
Nissan Versa
Ford Focus

As for their being the "only" US automaker? LOL. All that means is that they are the most dependent on the US market. Which means they are in more trouble than the others.
And there is no way they source 90% from the US. I dare you to post any data which would support that.
In fact, they don't produce anywhere near 90% of their vehicles in the US. The Charger? Not US built. The 300? Not US built. The PT Cruiser? Mexico. The new Challenger? Imported. The Magnum (are they still making those?)? Imported. All the minivans? Not in the US. Even the Hemi is buit in Mexico.
Once they drop the losing line of midsized cars (which no one can even name) they will be in the position of not building ANY cars (trucks only) in the USA.
How's that for All American?

For Your Amusement: General Motors' Restructuring Plan

<<<You don't see people collecting Foreign Vehicles-

ONLY AMERICAN CARS-

Look at the Car Auctions------->
>>>jacking

You need to get out more.
Pick any foreign car brand. Google a car club for that brand. You will find people enthusiastically collecting them.

GM: What's the Point in Being Number One if You Can't Turn a Profit?

<<<Paying $20.00 an hour people $80.00 an hour is insane. >>>ames

It sure would be insane, if anyone had actually done it. But they didn't.
Please do your homework. It's not hard to learn the truth behind those reported $80/hr rates, and they weren't anyone's pay.

GM: What's the Point in Being Number One if You Can't Turn a Profit?

<<<The foreign manufacturers have enjoyed a nurturing and supportive relationship with their home governments while the US Big 3 have done it their way along without any support only with critisism by anyone who has something to say. >>>realityche...

I could post a long list of federal tax "gifts" to Detroit over many years, all of which preclude the present socialist mega-gift they are currently begging for. But I suspect things like facts won't do a thing to change your opinion.

Please, GM, Don't Slit Your Own Throat

<<<Oldsmobile was the largest-selling brand in the U.S., late 70's-early 80's. You know what happened. G.M. couldn't figure out what to do with that; they let the oldest and most successful U.S. brand die!>>> leftfield

Oldsmobile never outsold Chevrolet.

The 'New' GM: Too Much Like the Old GM

<<<GM has the capability now to be viable. I think if the combined Saturn with Chevrolet, it might be a good way to go.>>> Thadeus

OK, let's look at that option. What product does that bring into Chevy dealerships that they don't already have?
Saturn would bring the Sky, whose twin (Pontiac Solstice) may already end up in Chevy dealers when Pontiac gets "downsized." Actually both the Sky and Solstice are scheduled to be cancelled in a few years.
Chevy would get the Saturn Aura, but that is a twin of the Malibu they already sell. They would get the Outlook CUV, which they already sell as the Traverse. They would get the Vue SUV, which they already sell as the Equinox.
And they would get the imported Astra, which GM has been losing large amounts of money on since day one, and is destined to go away.
So there you have. A couple of cars set to be cancelled, and a few they already sell. What a big gain that would be!
Got any more business plans?

The 'New' GM: Too Much Like the Old GM

<<<Some people keep forgetting the volume of business GM does world wide. GM Still sells more cars outside the US than Toyota, Honda, and the so called European "premium" brands. And Toyota barely overtook GM here.>>> Thadeus

LOL.
GM was surpassed in worldwide sales in 2007. It became official after 2008. GM does NOT outsell Toyota worldwide.
They still do outsell Toyota in the US, though with the dropping of these brands, there is a question of how long that will remain true.
But don't let not having a clue about the facts stop you from posting opinions!

GM: What's the Point in Being Number One if You Can't Turn a Profit?

<<< GM is still bigger then Toyota, Honda, and the rest world wide. Makes you wonder why they live in this country if they like the foreign stuff so much. >>>

Ah Thadeus, we can always count on you to get it wrong.
GM is NOT larger worldwide than Toyota. That is what all this noise is about. I'll type this slowly so you can follow it: Toyota sells more vehicles worldwide than does GM. Got it now?
BTW, Toyota outsold GM in 2007 as well, but GM cheated, claiming in their total a bunch of Chinese trucks made by a company in which they own a minority share.
And as the article states, the race over who is making money in this business was decided years ago.

General Motors: Time to Shed Some Brands

<<<Pontiac and Chevrolet are the same cars as long as you can remember? Let me refresh your memory; GTO, Corvette, Bonneville, Impala. Are you able to distinguish which are Pontiacs vs Chevrolets?
>>>

For many years the Bonneville and the Impala were the same car.......under the skin.

When Will GM Hit Zero?

<<< I don't have knowledge on electric cars but I know one thing automakers can make money so why GM can't.>>> misio

Please give us a list of the automakers currently making money.
We'll wait.

When Will GM Hit Zero?

<<<Who, in the future, is going to buy GM electric cars at $40,000 when Nissan is talking $20,000? >>>

One answer might be "someone who needs to go further thant he ~100 miles that the typical pure electric can travel." The Volt will keep going, thanks to its on-board gas engine. The electric Nissan will coast to stop on the side of the road, and require towing and a lengthy recharge.
But no, the economics for a $40k Volt still aren't there.