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Fed Considers GM Buy-In: Digging a Deeper Hole

Wadhamite,

"domesticated imports" - get a grip. 50% of Toyotas and 46% of Hondas are still imported from Japan.

before we go encouraging bankrupcy we need think about what that means. the gov't pays either way. all those folks who's pensions go away are going to hit the gov't books. All that debt that gets lost leads to deeper recession and union jobs at $12 an hour makes for no more service economy.

level the playing field, really look at the new GM products, they are very good. Get the media to stop biasing toward imports. the people who bash GM need to understand that you are bashing your firends and neighbors and their liovelihood. We need to buy American real soon and support our home company.

The Current Stagnation of Natural Gas Vehicles in America

Good article and interesting short term plan. To me there are still several drawbacks that you missed. Why put in a network of stations if it s short term? Why not just go to hydrogen? While a 30% reduction in CO2 is ok its not enough. We need the 80% that Fuel Cells can provide. Also the effeciency of an NGV is significantly less than gasoline. What about the imnpurity (sulfur) in the current miles of pipeline is not easily removed so some work is required to make all that pipeline useable. The last question is will the consumer pay for even a slight engine hardening cost if the cost per mile is less, to date no.

Sick of Hyperbolic Rubish

You sir are a boob if for one minute you believe that the banking industry is anything but a broken model than you shouldn't be writing publically. The banks and the likes of Madof and other corporate bafoons (AIG) got us into this mess with horrible loan practices. Congress didn't bother to ask them for a viabiloity plan they just sent them money and lots of it no questions asked. Meanwhile Detroit has to cowtow to and answer a bunch of questions simpletons who mostly have never run a company, have outdated data and already purchased and drive foriegn cars. If you ask me you are the one adding hyperbole to the same old garbage. We better figure out how to make stuff in this country again and soon before we are a third world country....
I say when the times are tough we better band together and support the home team vefore its too late.

The Global Race to Save the Auto Industry

Yada Yada Yada. Nothing new or original here. I whole heartedly agree with Sigh above, enough bashing and how about some support for the home team. Agree with BabyRay as well. Lets Buy American!!! and help get our money back asap. How about an article and a picture of all those imports piling up at the docks, where is that photo???

The Case for Making Bigger Cars

Just wait til you have to repair your precious beamer when you hit a pot hole. My last repair of my rattly BMW cost me $4500. I sold it right after that.


On Dec 08 04:40 PM quasar71 wrote:

> Can someone tell me why the world would arguably be a better place
> if all or any of the Big Threes were kept from sliding into oblivion?
>
>
> The cars they make are clearly the reason why they are where they
> are (that is trading below $5 a share). So why not let the market
> take care of that? Let them fail, let them crumble, let them empty
> those big stuffy warehouses up in Detroit so they can be used for
> other things...
>
> If it's true that they're not good at what they do (I own a BMW)...
> well... they shouldn't be doing it in the first place...

Who Might Benefit From Detroit's Failings

Whats been a disgrace is how Americans believe whatever they read and focus solely on low price. Or how Americans quote 20 year old data as current fact. Comeon folks - do your homework. Current products are within the statistical noise on quality, the designs are way better looking thatn the stogy Camry, even the Malibu gets better JD Power rankings than the Accord. Yet we buy them in droves like mindless drones. How about we support the home team by at leaset getting updated uinformation and stop grinding old axes. Want to see how the Japanese treat their workers and whjy they can charge less and make more for their cars. Look here. Horrible.

online.wsj.com/article...
WSJ
FUJISAWA, Japan -- In the parlance of Japan's new brutal economy, Dan Yamamoto is a "disposable" worker.

On Dec 03 03:52 PM stox2buy wrote:

> let all 3 die if they can't compete, it's been a disgrace the way
> they behave.

The Big Three Crisis: Stocks Plunge as Politicians Moralize

WOW Midas, you should just leave the US now and save us all the venom. How about getting some current facts and stop grinding a very old ax. As Qobserver points out the quality is nearly the same with the Malibu BEATING (since you like caps) Accord and Camry in JD Powers quality survey. GM makes more models that get over 30 mpg than any other manufacturer. Look at the October Consumer Reports and GM placed 3 of the top 7 Hybrids based on Return on Investment. Wagoner and Mullaly have cut all the fluff out and cut all the benefits to get competitive. Both have very competitive products – have you bothered to look at them objectively or is that too intelligent? Meanwhile all Toyota's recent growth has come from SUVs and Pick-ups (opening factories just when fuel hit $4) - mind you the Sequoia gets the same fuel economy as the Hummer! Yet we oh so smart Americans give them a free ride for that debacle. Look at the quality problems with the Tundra. My friend just got a $10,000 check from Toyota because the bumper rusted off. Not to mention that 50% of Toyotas are still imported from Japan. You should stop listening to the media and get some current facts.

How about we stop giving the foreign makers a free pass and start supporting our home teams before it’s too late. Those of you that scorn the US manufacturers need to realize that they are your friends and neighbors and the ones I know work hard and are proud of what their companies are doing to get back on track.

Step right up, I am offering one way tickets to the country you would prefer to live in....

Take a Stand Against Government Spending

OK Mr. Quinn, Where is the rest of your article on the Auto Industry. Got the Union wage issue right, how about what the Foriegn Gov'ts do for their comapnies in terms of health care and pensions. Then ask youself how with fuel pricese going thru the roof it is that Toyota can still ship 50% of the vehicles they sell here from Japan and make any money at all? Then ask yourself where all the Toyota growth has come in the last several years and its not from fuel effecient cars its from SUVs and Pickups. Then ask yourself where is the real Buy American movement in this country? Ever read anything bad about a Japanese Manufacturer in the Japan press - not on your life. Ever read anything bad about the Japanese Manufacturers in the US - again not on your life. We need to start supporting our own companies the way the foriegners do. Here is a great thought on helping out our economy, stop handing out stupid loans and start buying our own products. Enough is enough already.....

Bail Out Capitalism, Not Detroit

These sensationalistic articles make me sick and I am tired of loud mouth, uninformed people bashing the home team GM. MitchM you got it right, without a middle class who to we think will support our service econopmy? Drpo0102 also has it right - we are too quick to walk away from our commitments. GM has cut $15 BILLION dollars in cost in the last year and slashed all the fat, negotiated a reasonable union contract, cut salary numbers and benefits as well as slashed production. They make great products now that are as goos as anyone's. If the economy ever comes back they should be able to pay back the money without much trouble.

Support the home team and stop bashing them with 20 year old data.

Auto Industry: In for a Penny, In for a Pound

Dear John,

Have you lost your mind? Japanese ownership of Ford or GM? Why don't you just move over to Japan and save us from listening to your drivel? Your over assessment of the Japanese is a continuation of the false mystique that the uninformed blindly believe. You give undue credit to the Japanese. Contrary to popular perception Toyota’s growth in the past 10 years has come from light trucks – not fuel efficient vehicles. Look at the brilliant move Toyota made getting into Pick-up trucks just when fuel hit $4/gallon. How effective is their plant in Texas when there are no sales? Look into all the tax credits that plant got and the fact that they pay Americans half what UAW has. WOW that took real smarts. Investing in the US - give me a break - do your homework. How many jobs have the big three lost over the past ten years and how many have all the imports added, then do that for the number of factories. You sir need to support the home team. And stop writing!

Why the Detroit Bailout Should Include Bankruptcy

Sashe,

It warms my heart to know that there are still some Real Americans left in this country. I salute you sir and thank you for serving our country.

As far as GM - we as a nation need to get behind our home teams. Look at Japan - the domestics have a 90% market share, get favorable treatment in the press and manipulation of the yen to keep exporting profitably. What middle class do you expect to be left to pay for the services in a service eceonomy when all the manufacturing is gone? I know when I loose my job the last thing I will afford is a lawn service and a cleaning lady for the house!

Why don't we stop bashing GM based on old data.

Duke 91 you are a classic. If you really think that foriegn companies will "trump GM with new products". GM has been hitting the mark for the past 3-4 years. They have won car of the year honors, look at the Malibu quality data by JD Powers - beats Camry and Accord, more E85 vehicles than anyone else and 3 of the top 7 Hybrid models based on Consumer Reports ROI.

What we need as a nation is to wise up and start supporting GM. A million people rely on them for their health care and retirement benefits. Get a grip and lets buy GM, they make great products.

Ford, GM on the Chopping Block?

Ok Mikey LV you raise a good point as does BobMichigan1. However the data speaks for itself. Big three close 29 plants in US in last 10 years. All imports combined have added 12 plants in the same timeframe. Average US autoworker salary went from $26 to @$14. No auto factory in Japan has ever been closed. All that has to have some impact on the US middle class and our economy. Can we survive as a super power country with just a service economy? I can tell you right now there will be a whole lot less people buying a lawn service at $14/hour. Look at the employment numbers and the story is no better. Big three lay off thousands and the imports hire hundreds. Not only are we sending oil money to people who don't like us, we are sending money to people who look down on our lifestyle but are totally willing to take our money. We need to get smart and support the home industries as a nation. Get some American pride.

Ford, GM on the Chopping Block?

I agree with User 276131. Way to support the home team. Toyota sales down 26% where is the huge headline on that? Sequioia and Tundra's sit unsold on thier lots, where is the picture of that? Where is the headline that Toyota and Nissan jumped into the truck/SUV market at precisely the WRONG time, yet thier are hailed as SOOOO smart. How can >50% of Toyotas sold in the country still be imported from Japan (not exaclty a low cost provider country). How can Toyota make money on those vehicles unless the Yen is manipulated.

Lets get some level playing field here and do the rest of your homework. Absolutely nothing new here from you than reciting old data with same old storyline. How about a solution, like supporting our home team with some vehicle sales? I wish the media was fair just once in a while. The US needs GM - Ford and other companies to survive and thrive, lets lend a hand.

Sinking Slowly into the Sunset

Quick correction. Over 7 million Flex Fuel vehicles on the road. Lets do the math. All use E85 (derived from multiple sources) will displace 3.6 billion gallons of fuel each year (10 gal per week X 7 million vehicles x 52 weeks). Nothing else could have that impact on oil virtually overnight. GM has committed to continue to expand its lineup of E85 capable vehicles.

Sinking Slowly into the Sunset

User 223180 - You are exactly right. Nice to hear from someone who is informed instead of the hearsay we normally get. Keep getting the word out that there are now nearly 5 million Flex Fuel vehicles on the road.

What we really need is an energy policy that has a comprehensive plan to reduce transportation petroleum use by a set date. If we can mandate car companies, why not the oilies? Force them to make 10% of their annual station refreshes include alternate fuel (I prefer hydrogen) over the next 10 years. I understand they refresh every 10-15 years. That would get the infrastructure in place in time for the vehicles.