MY GM PREDICTIONS:

[smitty77]

But the point being- you should all feel better about the UAW losing a LOT of ground this year. Now that the wage is $10 lower than our competitors we should see an enormous increase in the sales and profitability of GM as the economy starts to turn around.  

In some ways I feel sorry for the UAW workers as I know I would be pissed to lose benefits, but at the same time happy to still have a job even at a lower pay rate.  Considering the labor restructuring and the cutting of some brands, I feel GM would be in a good position to capitalize on this next round of economic growth that should happen in the next 5 or 10 years, but I don't think they can accomplish this until Lutz is out of the picture.  A new company out of bankruptcy needs new people at the helm.  Younger people with fresh ideas and a forward thinking attitude.

GM needs to embrace alternative fuel and hydrogen technology.  Top Gear did a piece on the Honda Clarity, their new hydrogen powered version of the accord.  In their view, this will replace electric vehicles, and if you watch the vid you may be convinced as well.  Once again, someone has beaten them to the punch.  GM needs to jump in with both feet and come up something sharp and stylish that will attract the next generation of eco-friendly consumer before they get left behind AGAIN.  When was the last PURE GM innovation?  Something they had before ANYONE else?  Not in my lifetime that I can remember, and I'm 32.  They need to innovate to survive in today's car world, not just copy someone else's ideas.  Here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffRagsjSpkE

As an example, the CEO of my company came to my co-worker a few months ago and said:
"We're looking into using product X as a new technology in hot-mix asphalt.  Do some testing and let us know if it looks like it will be feasible."
My co-worker asked (I was thinking it too):  "Making that product could be tricky.  What have others done in the past?"
The CEO's answer:  "Can't we be the first to hit the market with a new technology?"
This is what makes companies successful.  Taking risk to innovate, and accepting setbacks as part of that innovation.  GM needs to do this, in a big way.

[DnStClr]

Yeah. Innovation seems to be a foreign word to GM. I'm with you on the video on hydrogen cars. It's about time.

[Stewart G Griffin]

So anyways, as the starter of this thread, this sort of makes me like i'm on the board of directors for this thread.

Therefore, i really think we should concentrate, for now, on how to keep pontiac.

1) Since we, technically, own gm, we should allow some rich guy (like the dealer in michigan) the buy part of pontiac.  Under this proposal, the new owner buys 90% of pontiac and gm keeps 10% ownership.  They, pontiac and new owners, get to use existing and/or future designs, parts, gm engineering, existing employees, market channels etc.   So, in this case, the cars remain the same---they're still designed by gm.   The only real difference is the new owner is basically paying for everything.

After a while, gm has the right to buy back the brand fully at a pre-determined price.  Don't worry, the investor will make a tidy profit.

[Stewart G Griffin]

Save pontiac, continued:

1) What do you think of my plan?

2) i also disagree that "pontiac has been gone since 1971" or "pontiac has been gone since 1979 or 1981 etc."  What's under the hood DOES NOT make or not make a pontiac;  Pontiac has always been about the package, the atmosphere, the styling.  Pontiac has always been another gm car---with minor different styling since at least 1955 to now.   And what's wrong with that?

(except fiero)

[1HI4x4]

I don't think anyone cares but you, about Pontiac. When I was a young "redneck car kid" I was profoundly a Chevrolet guy, I once refused to go on a double date because the other dude wanted to drive and he drove a Ford. Those days are long gone, and even more recently since GM has taken money from my pocket to survive I could care less if they ever sell another car. They haven't done anything inovative in years, the Volt is a joke atempt at all electric car. GM trucks today have no styling, the frame hangs down a foot below the body, they use the smallest tires out of all of the heavy trucks 3/4's and up. They are litterally a joke of a company compared to what they once were. If I needed a new car today I would go buy a Ford because they are the only domestic automaker that hasn't needed one penny of my money to stay afloat. Judging from the sales volume at Ford, I'm not the only American that feels this way. So if GM wants to survive they not only need to dump Pontiac, they need to dump GMC as well. But they aren't worried about surviving because the giverment has already shown they won't let them fail.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/economy-watch/2009/08/july_auto_sales_numbers_will_b.html

[Irish_Alley]

i really don't car about gmc Pontiac and all them I'm going to take 1k of my paycheck and invest it in Chevrolet stocks. or i just might keep it for my self muhhhhhhahahahahaha

[smitty77]

1) What do you think of my plan?

Flawed because it includes GM in every aspect.  If you get away from GM engineering, then maybe you can "build excitement" again.  See my previous post of decades of lack of innovation.  When they did have a creative idea (Saturn), they went and took a fledgling, moderately successful car company that actually had a shot at competing with the foreign cars and squashed it by taking it under the corporate wing.  My wife owned 2 of them in the 90's, and for $8500 for the SL1 and $11000 for the SL2 (we opted for the DOCH 4cyl on the second one with better interior and A/C) you couldn't find a more fun car to drive for such short money, and get 42 mpg on the highway with a 5 speed to boot.

2) Pontiac has always been about the package, the atmosphere, the styling.  Pontiac has always been another gm car---with minor different styling since at least 1955 to now.   And what's wrong with that? (except fiero)

And the same could be said for Oldsmobile, which I thought should have been saved before Pontiac.  In the end Stewart, it's just a name.  The uniqueness of the brand fell apart after the GTO, lost a lot of steam after they stopped producing Firebirds, and was completely dead when they stopped the Fiero.  Which by the way, was a refreshing departure from the norm for GM.  I had a buddy that owned 5 of them (3 at once), and they were remarkably fun to drive.  Go ahead and save Pontiac and GMC and kill off Chevrolet, it makes no difference.  You still end up with the same car and truck.  The simple truth is GM needs to stop making duplicates of everything and diluting their own market share of the auto industry.

[1HI4x4]

i really don't car about gmc Pontiac and all them I'm going to take 1k of my paycheck and invest it in Chevrolet stocks. or i just might keep it for my self muhhhhhhahahahahaha

You would be better off to invest it in beer, then at least you would have a pile of cans to show for your money.


http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hkp1qvTiuC6iGsxcyVECWOmx9f-AD9A6RUE03

[VileZambonie]

GM has some pretty slick tricks up their sleeves with engineering. They've come up with some really good technology and don't forget how many other manufacturers have followed in GM's footsteps. Even OBD2 is a giant GM copycat. Ford Engineering is the worst and I would never buy a Ford especially just because corporate GM, the unions and the government made a bunch of problems for themselves. I could care less if Pontiac, Olds, etc... goes. I would like to see GMC Cadillac & Chevrolet stay though. That being said if they were smart there would be more than subtle differences between GMC & Chevy trucks. Nevertheless I will never buy a NEW car anyway so I could care less if they all fall off the map at this point.

[eventhorizon66]

Nevertheless I will never buy a NEW car anyway so I could care less if they all fall off the map at this point.

My sentiments exactly.  I can't ever see myself spending so much money on a new car, when I could build a better, more personalized car for a fraction of the price.  I think $16K for a new Cobalt is just as outrageous as $80K for a new BMW 750.  Neither of those (or anything in between) is even on my radar.

[Stewart G Griffin]

1) OUch!  It's seems apparent that nobody here really likes pontiac;  Maybe you all didn't grow up in a GM family and actually lived with and rode in and drove pontiacs.  Maybe then you would understand.


2) Anyways, i've been doing some more thinking (here we go again) and i was thinking that maybe Oprah would be the perfect invester person i was talking about refering to my plan.  It seems she likes pontiac---remember when she gave away all those grand-ams?   She has ALOT of money.   And, it just seems like she is associated with pontiac.

i'm thinking of writing her a letter.

[Irish_Alley]

the only money she will invest is if there is a Pontiac in Africa
but i think we all see something you don't, yes Pontiac is a good car but you have survive it like trying to survive out in the wild you have to ration your food while you still have it not when your down to the last Twinkie they say "we have a problem".

[dumbucket1]

I love pontiac. I have always thought they were better looking than their counterparts. Just right now I cannot buy any brand of new car period so I am not real concerned with who is coming and who is going.

[Irish_Alley]

burn um all

[VileZambonie]

Nevertheless I will never buy a NEW car anyway so I could care less if they all fall off the map at this point.

My sentiments exactly.  I can't ever see myself spending so much money on a new car, when I could build a better, more personalized car for a fraction of the price.  I think $16K for a new Cobalt is just as outrageous as $80K for a new BMW 750.  Neither of those (or anything in between) is even on my radar.

You want to talk about a waste of $ check this out. I have a customer with a Land Rover right now who has 55K on it. The trans is shot, the wheel bearings and tires are shot let alone a slew of other problems. They still owe $27k on this thing and a new trans by itself no converter is around $8k. A used one is $2900 and for me to rebuild it is at least $1500 labor plus parts. People waste so much money on cars all because of a badge.