grhqofb5 Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 you mean like the mandated Volt? I like my wifes Camaro The problem with the Volt is that it's just too damn expensive. I'd get one if it were priced at $25K or less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 It's a topsy turvy world when a conservative author takes a figurative dump on GM, barely conceals his hopeful glee that this major U.S. corporation fails and touts the superiority of foreign cars using weaksauce evidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artmonkforHOF Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Why is the author trying to blame Obama for the first Bailout? That was Bush, the timing of it was so that Obama signed the damn thing, but it was already agreed to by the Bush administration, there was no way he could not have signed it because there was no plan B and no time to formulate one, literarily a gun to his head type situation. My government kicked in money we don't have to help float these pigs too, but I will freaking riot if they even have the nerve to ask for another dime. Let the market pick the valuable bits out of bankruptcy, if there are any. The article seems a bit alarmist though, just because the company is not doing well in capturing market share, does not mean they are not profitable or are in the verge of bankruptcy. And besides, history has shown GM can make a car that compares unfavorably to it's competition and still sell (GM's version of the Hummer). If GM can keep trucks profitable, and have 1 or 2 surprises on other market segments, they will be more than fine, D segment is not all it's cracked up to be, most are low margin (sometimes no margin) stripper models, with the only real profit coming from the top trim levels, that sell in drastically lower numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koolblue13 Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 They should make better cars. Looks like Ford learned Ford doesn't take bail outs, they just run their company right. Maybe we should give Ford the money, to buy out GM next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 The problem with the Volt is that it's just too damn expensive. I'd get one if it were priced at $25K or less. Me too, I can use the savings for fire ins but seriously the price is a major issue, but we are already paying a good chunk of it in subsidies maybe we can mandate everyone opposed to drilling oil/gas buy one?:evilg: ---------- Post added August-16th-2012 at 06:31 PM ---------- Yep. That bailout was about much more than just saving GM. It was about preserving the entire industrial economy of the Midwest. and Canada and Mexico Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koolblue13 Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 The problem with the Volt is that it's just too damn expensive. I'd get one if it were priced at $25K or less. If all Chevys were $25k, I'd buy a Hummer and I'm an environmentalist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDane Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Bankruptcy, lol. I do not think some people know what that word actually means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chachie Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Bankruptcy, lol. I do not think some people know what that word actually means. Asylum with a license to err again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDane Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Asylum with a license to err again? lol, bingo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedskinsFan44 Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 . Ford doesn't take bail outs, they just run their company right.Maybe we should give Ford the money, to buy out GM next time. Ford was helped out greatly by a federal government program that replaced older gas guzzlers with fuel efficient vehicles. The fed owns a mess of Escape Hybrids now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pskins Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Ford is no longer an American car company. Virtually all of their manufacturing is in Mexico. Fusion, Focus, Fiesta, all made south of the border. GM at least attempts to keep jobs in the US. I am actually impressed with FiatChrysler. It seems Maserati, Alfa Romeo, and Ferrari are having an impact AND they kept the US factories open instead of moving them to Mexico or Eastern Europe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koala Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 GM right now suffers from an outdated business model that is actually a reflection of a major weakness of many former titatns oif the American economy.. This is the age of globalization, and as the world economy has globablized, it has opened the doors for many foreign companies to compete in the American market. As a result, since the American market remains desirable, the American market itself has become saturated and hyper-competitive. In such a case, companies like GM that have continued to insist on targeting mostly the American market face stiffer competition than at any time in the past. GM is not going to win the American market, but it doesnt have to in order to be a successful company: it should focus on the Chinese market (where inicidentally American cars have done remarkably well anbd are considered a prize and status symbol), it should focus on the innumerable minor 3rd world markets that together make for one rather large market, it should focus on the British market, the Malaysian market, etc. etc. You can go to any dusty corner of this world, and you'll find a Toyota pickup. Why not make that a GM pickup? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Mike Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I like Jalopnik's headline about this article. (NSFW) If you read one ****headidly stupid article about GM today, make it this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I'm having trouble understanding the mindset at work here. Doing virtually anything including essentially (and at times literally) allowing them to write legislation is all great. We allow contractors to bill the goverment 120k for an employee that would cost the goverment 90k to hire themselves in the name of keeping the government small. Our military now arrives with hordes of mercenaries that international law cant even deal with. Wall street as caused how many recessions now? Still no support for serious oversight. But... Trying to help a company because a lot of Americans are currently employed by them, is bad. If they go bankrupt, we tried and failed, but compared to the other horrible thing that have been done in the name of American industry I fail to see how this one merits such outrage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipwhich Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 We allow contractors to bill the goverment 120k for an employee that would cost the goverment 90k to hire themselves in the name of keeping the government small. They don't cost the government 90K and they aren't as easily fire-able. Not to include hire-able. That is an easy out of reality but it isn't a truth or factual statement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedskinsFan44 Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 They don't cost the government 90K and they aren't as easily fire-able. Not to include hire-able.That is an easy out of reality but it isn't a truth or factual statement. The relative merits of fed employees vs contractors is debatable. Regardless, I don't think that was the main point of his arguement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipwhich Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 The relative merits of fed employees vs contractors is debatable. Regardless, I don't think that was the main point of his arguement. Maybe, Maybe not. Bottom line is if you post something debatable....well then it's debatable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heisenberg Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Ford is no longer an American car company. Virtually all of their manufacturing is in Mexico. Fusion, Focus, Fiesta, all made south of the border. GM at least attempts tokeep jobs in the US. I am actually impressed with FiatChrysler. It seems Maserati, Alfa Romeo, and Ferrari are having an impact AND they kept the US factories open instead of moving them to Mexico or Eastern Europe. My Escape was made in Kansas City and I believe they moved the new escape plants to Louisville and are making a new vehicle at the KC plant. They definitely keep a lot of jobs in the USA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mursilis Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Wall street as caused how many recessions now? Still no support for serious oversight. Speak for yourself, buddy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnyderShrugged Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Ford is no longer an American car company. Virtually all of their manufacturing is in Mexico. Fusion, Focus, Fiesta, all made south of the border. GM at least attempts tokeep jobs in the US. I am actually impressed with FiatChrysler. It seems Maserati, Alfa Romeo, and Ferrari are having an impact AND they kept the US factories open instead of moving them to Mexico or Eastern Europe. Get your facts straight. Yes, Ford is a global company and will have manufacturing operations supporting global products, and parts plants that span national boundaries. You do realize that Ford has something like 20 US production facilities right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulane Skins Fan Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Or not.Also from Forbes . . . http://www.forbes.com/sites/joannmuller/2012/08/16/leadership-not-another-bailout-will-fix-general-motors/ Shocker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corcaigh Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 The relative merits of fed employees vs contractors is debatable. Regardless, I don't think that was the main point of his arguement. I think the point of his argument was that government spends money for political decisions. Government cost accounting usually underestimates fringe and overheard costs of their employees, and certainly underestimates the cost of long term pension and healthcare benefits. With a contractor, the government is not on the hook for any of those costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulane Skins Fan Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 They should make better cars. Looks like Ford learned That's the thing. Any car evaluator will tell you that GM IS making better cars. ---------- Post added August-17th-2012 at 10:39 AM ---------- I think the point of his argument was that government spends money for political decisions. Government cost accounting usually underestimates fringe and overheard costs of their employees, and certainly underestimates the cost of long term pension and healthcare benefits. With a contractor, the government is not on the hook for any of those costs. And people write articles for political gain as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinsmarydu Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 There are 3 paid off (for many years) GMs in my driveway, one of which is a black/black leather '99 Monte Carlo, with badass Yokohama tires. Love that car!! Hail! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejaydana Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Anybody who pays attention to the motor industry knows GM HAD to shrink. Look how many models they had that competed with their very own brands. Of course the article has some politicized content but I found the focus on the Malibu to be interesting at least and while GM may in fact be making better cars than they previously did I would NEVER choose a Malibu over an Accord or a Camry or a Passat or even now over a Sonata. The long term quality is simply not there and the touted "initial" quality rating is not worth much unless you are somebody who just leases a new car every year. It's all about a car that car reliably make it to 100k 150k and 200k and more miles. The story of GM from the mid 60's to present day should be taught in business schools in a course of what not to do to stay relevant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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