Mister Jimmy

Why I'd Avoid Toyota, The #1 Automaker in the U.S.

So, U.S. government ownership of GM and Chrysler will ensure their success, to the disadvantage of Toyota? Seems fair. The JAPANESE government has partnered with Toyota for decades.

How Many Automakers Survive the Long Haul?

GM has designers, engineers, and planners as creative and smart as any in Europe and Asia. Its leadership did not address spiraling legacy (health care and pension) costs long ago and failed to use its global footprint to compete effectively in key segments. Yes, the new Malibu is a formidable competitor to Camry and Accord, and GM builds an awesome truck, but there is no excuse for a 100-year-old company not to have a vehicle competing effectively with the Corolla and Civic. Emerging markets gravitate to that vehicle class and smaller, something GM should have recognized long ago. Look for the new GM board to replace Fritz Henderson with a visionary outsider, much as Bill Ford brought in an outsider to run his firm. This iconic old firm will never be what it once was, and that's undoubtedly a good thing.

UAW: It Should Be Giving Up More

In 2008, with GM already buckling at the knees, the UAW chose to strike both the Malibu plant in Fairfax KS and the Buick Enclave plant in Lansing MI. Both were GM's most popular models at the time. It was stated to be over "local issues", but was obviously in sympathy for UAW brothers at American Axle's Detroit plant. The UAW-represented industry is less than 50% of the American market. Toyota and Honda dominate most American cities. Yet, this union acts as though it's 1965. Yes, management has made many strategic mistakes over the years, but one of those mistakes was allowing the UAW to help hand the industry to Asia. Oh, and that American Axle plant in Detroit. AA just announced its closure because of a chronic 25 to 30% absentee rate, far worse than any of its other North American plants.

How Trucks and Tariffs Contributed to GM, Chrysler Failures

mycargets52mpg, your statement "other OEMs operating under the exact same set of rules" reveals a lack of industry and economic insight that's simply too enormous to argue about. However, as I told you before, farmers, carpenters, and drywall installers cannot earn a living driving that same 52 mpg Japanese-subsidized phone booth that carries your sorry a** to and from a desk job every day. They need trucks, and prefer the American designed and manufactured brands.

How Trucks and Tariffs Contributed to GM, Chrysler Failures

Toyota built a Tundra pick-up truck plant in Texas, and is sorry they did. The construction tradesmen aren't buying, and the average consumer has abandoned the segment. Add to it that the Tundra had a design problem with its crankshaft that caused a number of failures and its easier to see why the remaining market for pick-ups prefers Ford, Chevy, and GMC.

GM Restructures Debt to Avoid Bankruptcy

Mad Hedge Fund Trader, now if only we could figure out a way to rid our nation of Wall Street thieves like you.

GM Restructures Debt to Avoid Bankruptcy

Agree completely with JustPrintMoreMoney. I am so weary of Wall Street experts offering up their "wisdom" on the auto industry. This crowd of greedy, self-centered "masters of the universe" have almost single-handedly brought the global economy to brink of collapse. All they are capable of is creating and churning worthless financial instruments, raping 401K's, and creating Ponzi schemes. Yet, they know all about the complexities of the auto industry. Why don't all of you Manhattanites just drive out to the Hamptons this weekend and directly into the Long Island Sound?

A Ford Turnaround?

"Only in Detroit", states the author? Get your facts straight. Virtually every auto maker in the world is losing money right now, with Toyota in particular suffering huge losses due to aggressive over-expansion.

Geithner to Put Chrysler in Bankruptcy Next Week

"Too bad there is no Chrysler public stock that can be short squeezed to oblivion". Ah, the American way! What angle can we use to profit on some else's misery THIS time!?!? The laughter in Tokyo, Seoul, and Shanghai must be positively deafening by now.

Remodeling the Auto Industry - Barron's

a. palmer jr., I couldn't agree more. A Taiwanese co-worker told me that Toyota and Honda continue fighting an uphill battle with many consumers in mainland China. Many remain bitter about Imperial Japan's rape of Nanjing in the 1930's. "Amazing", I said, "no American would let the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the Baatan death march influence their purchase decisions". He responded, "The Chinese are an older culture, and have a longer memory than you".

Remodeling the Auto Industry - Barron's

Let's completely hand over our economic destinies to the asians, arabs, and europeans. For several decades now, they've solidly demonstrated that they're our friends and will act in America's best interest. Once our trillions in national debt requires us to scale back our military, we'll be all set.

Chrysler, GM Travails Could Be a Boon for Honda

Do you think that when the Japanese utterly and completely control the U.S. vehicle market they just might use one of those little Priuses to drive up our collective butts?

Ten Cars Detroit Should Copy

"...they could run them on sludge and still be greener than Detroit". You had to have taken a big gulp of the Kool-Aid for that one, Rick. Especially amusing given the hushed oil-sludge class action lawsuit consumers won against Toyota a couple of years ago.

Time for GM to Declare Bankruptcy?

A GM bankruptcy is not likely. Treasury Secretary Geithner appeared on PBS earlier this week, and aid to the U.S. auto industry was one of the topics of discussion. He said the current challenge facing the industry is partially a result of a larger financial crisis. “The industry is facing just exceptional challenges. Part of the challenges they brought on themselves and part of those challenges are just the function of the fact that we’re facing such a huge collapse in demand around the world and a very difficult financing environment. And what we want to do is figure out what restructuring plan will leave these firms in a position where they’re going to be viable over time without government support.” Geithner said bankruptcy is not the best option for the auto industry right now. “We’re going through a very challenging period in the American economy as a whole, and as the President said and the previous administration said, a disorderly failure of these firms in this economy would cause enormous damage in terms of job loss across a whole range of industries and in a recession like this you have to consider things you would never consider in a more normal economic environment.”

Former GM Board Member: 'I Told You So'

Kinabalu, a GM bankruptcy is not likely. Treasury Secretary Geithner appeared on PBS earlier this week, and aid to the U.S. auto industry was one of the topics of discussion. He said the current challenge facing the industry is partially a result of a larger financial crisis. “The industry is facing just exceptional challenges. Part of the challenges they brought on themselves and part of those challenges are just the function of the fact that we’re facing such a huge collapse in demand around the world and a very difficult financing environment. And what we want to do is figure out what restructuring plan will leave these firms in a position where they’re going to be viable over time without government support.” Geithner said bankruptcy is not the best option for the auto industry right now. “We’re going through a very challenging period in the American economy as a whole, and as the President said and the previous administration said, a disorderly failure of these firms in this economy would cause enormous damage in terms of job loss across a whole range of industries and in a recession like this you have to consider things you would never consider in a more normal economic environment.”