[Denny]

I can't see any reason in this day and age, with CAD and supposedly "flexible factories" why it requries two years to tool up for more smaller cars.

I recall, back in the early 70's, GM was challenged for awhile by the immense popularity of the Chevrolet Monte Carlo. What they did at the Oshawa plant was to integrate it (an 'A Special' body) with the high volume Caprice/Parisienne large car ('B' body) line. It took only 8 months from the start of that project to the first Monte going down the 'B" body line. The first time that A and B body production had been mixed on a common asseembly line. That was flexibility!

[cube]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Eli', 'U')S automakers really have been caught flat footed again. They are coming out with these hybrids because that is all they can do. They seriously miss judged how soon high gas prices would hit.

[Twilight]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', 'Y')ou'd think if an industry was totally dependent on a commodity that they'd have experts on hand who had a clue as to which way the commodity was headed.

[Homesteader]

What if the big 3 ran the numbers 10 years ago and realized due to costs, unions etc that the U.S. automobile industry was toast in 15-20 years. Furthermore the numbers told them they would make more money pushing SUV's as long as they could rather than selling the same number of little fuel efficient models, even if they sold those for a few more years than the SUVs.

I know, it sounds crazy.

[arretium]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Drifter', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('DoubleD', 'W')hen I saw the ad for these vehicles I just bust out laughing. It's the worst of either world... a crappy SUV... and a failed attempt at energy savings. It does neither task well at all. What a failure.
It speaks volumes about why our American Automakers will fail first - a real failure to move from one market paradigm to another. Stuck and unable to make a change... just window dressing the past successes hoping that it will somehow become successful again.

[arretium]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Homesteader', 'W')hat if the big 3 ran the numbers 10 years ago and realized due to costs, unions etc that the U.S. automobile industry was toast in 15-20 years. Furthermore the numbers told them they would make more money pushing SUV's as long as they could rather than selling the same number of little fuel efficient models, even if they sold those for a few more years than the SUVs.
I know, it sounds crazy.

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('arretium', 'S')ince we all know the U.S. Government will bail them out, let's have some kind of contingent requirements...like they model Honda and Toyota.

[Pablo2079]

I think Ford has a better chance of making it now than GM. Ford has the same Hybrid system as Toyota (they both developed parts of it and are sharing patents). That type of hybrid system is considered to be much better than Honda's and GM's. Ford does have a lot of expertise with small fuel efficient cars globally. Their quality scores have gone up tremendously in the last 5 years too.
Their major problem is that it seems to take a LONG time for them to bring new cars to market in North America. I think 2010 will be the turn around year for Ford. (They also recently sold off Jaguar and Land Rover.... that should help slow the bleeding too).
Mullaly has changed their corporate direction in that they will now operate as a global company with global car platforms. It's about time that they use their size to their advantage....
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'A')s a corporation, Honda had the lowest percentage of people who reported problems with their vehicles at 19 percent, followed closely by Ford at 20 percent and Toyota at 21. Nissan and BMW AG tied at 24.

[timmac]

I wonder if GM is thinking maybe we should have not destroyed the electric car after all,,,,, Anybody want the Hummer brand,, GM will let you have it cheap...

[Dreamtwister]

I find it amusing that the brand will suffer the same fate as their vehicles are currently suffering - to sit in the driveway with a "for sale" sign in the window for 2 years, until the owner finally sighs in resignation and takes the sign down.

[burtonridr]

I cant remember where, but I read that oil is projected to hit $200 per barrel within 6-24 months. If it happens GM and Ford will be going out of business. Most small airports will turn into ghost airports, etc...

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('burtonridr', 'I') cant remember where, but I read that oil is projected to hit $200 per barrel within 6-24 months. If it happens GM and Ford will be going out of business. Most small airports will turn into ghost airports, etc...

[Cashmere]

Advice to all people owning bloatmobiles getting 15 mpg or less for non-work required vehicles . . .
Go to Edmunds.com and figure out the retail value. Multiply by 0.7.
Sell vehicle as quickly as possible.
There are a still a few donkey shit eaters out there who believe gas prices will be "coming back down" at some point, so sell while the suckers are still around.
Owning an SUV in about 1 or 2 years is going to be equivalent to the game "hot potato" when the music stops - you're holding the hot potato, you're gunnuh get burned.
I actually feel a little sorry, but just a little, for the people who were dumb enough to buy 30k dollar bloatmobiles getting 15mpg over the last 2 years on 100% loans - they are now going to be double penetrated - 1. Gas prices at the pump killing them. 2. Inability to sell underwater vehicle with huge loan. Ouch.

[jlw61]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Dreamtwister', 'I') find it amusing that the brand will suffer the same fate as their vehicles are currently suffering - to sit in the driveway with a "for sale" sign in the window for 2 years, until the owner finally sighs in resignation and takes the sign down.

[Denny]

GM is between a rock and a hard place, and they are taking us taxpayers with them.
See Report on Business: Cuts could force GM to repay government incentives
"This puts the auto maker in danger of breaching commitments related to overall employment levels in Canada that it made to the federal and Ontario governments when it received $435-million in assistance earlier this decade."
Wouldn't you know it, a government always chooses the weak horse in the race to put its bets on. Considering that American business claims to believe in free enterprise, how come the biggest of them seem to find a way to tap into the taxpayers' pockets, either through "training" grants, or special tax deals or single bid military contracts or whatever.

Even the union has managed to get itself skinned on its very recent collective agreement:
"“We just ratified a new three-year collective agreement on May 16th [in which] the company committed in writing to building the next generation of pick-up trucks in the city of Oshawa,” Mr. Buckley [CAW local 222 president] said in a telephone interview. He added that the union had given up “millions of dollars” through a wage freeze and relief on negotiated benefits in order to reduce the plant's operating costs."
As for me, GM still owes me a pension down the road, and I wonder if the money will be there or have been either squandered by bum investments and shortfall in funding or if inflation will have eroded it down so it buys me just a case of beer a month to down my sorrows. Here's hoping I'll be able to buy some groceries along with the beer.

[Dreamtwister]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Denny', 'E')ven the union has managed to get itself skinned on its very recent collective agreement:
"“We just ratified a new three-year collective agreement on May 16th [in which] the company committed in writing to building the next generation of pick-up trucks in the city of Oshawa,” Mr. Buckley [CAW local 222 president] said in a telephone interview. He added that the union had given up “millions of dollars” through a wage freeze and relief on negotiated benefits in order to reduce the plant's operating costs."

[Cashmere]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'A')s for me, GM still owes me a pension down the road, and I wonder if the money will be there or have been either squandered by bum investments and shortfall in funding or if inflation will have eroded it down so it buys me just a case of beer a month to down my sorrows. Here's hoping I'll be able to buy some groceries along with the beer.

[Denny]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Dreamtwister', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Denny', 'E')ven the union has managed to get itself skinned on its very recent collective agreement:
"“We just ratified a new three-year collective agreement on May 16th [in which] the company committed in writing to building the next generation of pick-up trucks in the city of Oshawa,” Mr. Buckley [CAW local 222 president] said in a telephone interview. He added that the union had given up “millions of dollars” through a wage freeze and relief on negotiated benefits in order to reduce the plant's operating costs."

[jlw61]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Denny', 'W')ouldn't you know it, a government always chooses the weak horse in the race to put its bets on.

[arretium]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mos6507', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('arretium', 'S')ince we all know the U.S. Government will bail them out, let's have some kind of contingent requirements...like they model Honda and Toyota.