Saving GM

[Patrolman]

Special show to broadcast at 8PM tonight on CNBC. I plan on taping it.

[bskey]

It was an interesting show! I'm still up in the air on what I think needs to happen vs. what I would like to happen.

[Patrolman]

They actually made the show in July, but then changed it up for the more recent issues. I was disappointed they didn't talk more about the "new" stuff. 90% of it was the same as the July show.

[4Runninfun]

i don't want to see Detroit close down officially, i actually drove through there two summers ago and it was already pretty bad. BUT... at the same time how come it's only the US manufacturers that are doing so bad. For Ford this is nothing new they've been bailed out before and they will need it again. I don't get why they can't follow someone like ummm... Toyota (:D), Honda, Subaru, or Mercedes or any one of the many auto makers they are doing just fine. IMO The heads honestly should be dragged out back beaten and new blood needs to be at the top. the heads have been so greedy and cut every single corner now all they have is a circle and it sure came back to bite them, hard. there isn't a single US auto that i would say i'd actually buy right now if i had the money. how many recalls are out there for any given car? how many things are a known problem but there is no official recall?

so here's my "plan" for the GM, Ford, and Chrysler...

#1 beat and fire the current heads

#2 completely shift your current companies mentality. Stop telling people what you think they want and listen to what they ACTUALLY want.

#3 they don't necessarily need to stop building throw-away cars, but quit putting so much emphasis on them (this is why a company like mercedes ditched your sorry butt, who wants to be associated with crap?) you don't need to push your focus and redesign it every year. it's crap we all know it but some want a NEW cheap car. instead shift time and energy towards good reliable cars, make us excited when a new car comes out. In the 60s how many cars came out that the dealerships couldn't keep on the lot?

I think i'll end my rant here for now, point of the matter is greed is what is bringing these companies down. and they have only themselves to blame.

[Funrover]

You know what kills me in a way "The Big 3" saying. First off a lot of so called foreign car companies are built here in the USA.. Like Honda, Toyota, BMW,etc. and the bailout doesn't even pertain to them...WHY? They employee American workers?

Also, make the big wigs of the others take a pay cut. If they are that concerned they will or they will find another high paying job to feed the greed. It's no secret that many of the American products are CRAP. They are not as safe, they feel cheap and they make barbie jealous with the amount of plastic. I don't want to see the doors shut, I like many Dodge(mainly the pickups and the Challenger) products and I believe that Chevy still makes good trucks. I think if there was a plan for a great revamp that would be awesome, the bailout just seems like a bad idea to me!

[Funrover]

i don't want to see Detroit close down officially, i actually drove through there two summers ago and it was already pretty bad. BUT... at the same time how come it's only the US manufacturers that are doing so bad. For Ford this is nothing new they've been bailed out before and they will need it again. I don't get why they can't follow someone like ummm... Toyota (:D), Honda, Subaru, or Mercedes or any one of the many auto makers they are doing just fine. IMO The heads honestly should be dragged out back beaten and new blood needs to be at the top. the heads have been so greedy and cut every single corner now all they have is a circle and it sure came back to bite them, hard. there isn't a single US auto that i would say i'd actually buy right now if i had the money. how many recalls are out there for any given car? how many things are a known problem but there is no official recall?

so here's my "plan" for the GM, Ford, and Chrysler...

#1 beat and fire the current heads

#2 completely shift your current companies mentality. Stop telling people what you think they want and listen to what they ACTUALLY want.

But then they wouldn't be American companies... :mad::mad: I find they listen a little but lately it appears to be a joke



#3 they don't necessarily need to stop building throw-away cars, but quit putting so much emphasis on them (this is why a company like mercedes ditched your sorry butt, who wants to be associated with crap?) you don't need to push your focus and redesign it every year. it's crap we all know it but some want a NEW cheap car. instead shift time and energy towards good reliable cars, make us excited when a new car comes out. In the 60s how many cars came out that the dealerships couldn't keep on the lot?

Exactly, if you w3ant to make throw away cars.. go ahead, but don't put most of your resources into it. they are cheap, keep them that way. Worry about making a car able to compete with the market


I think i'll end my rant here for now, point of the matter is greed is what is bringing these companies down. and they have only themselves to blame.
:bow::thunb:

[Chris]

I didn't watch the show but recent reading stated that the average UAW employee gets $71/hr. I think that, if it's true, sums up the US auto maker problems.

[Patrolman]

It's no secret that many of the American products are CRAP. They are not as safe, they feel cheap and they make barbie jealous with the amount of plastic.

Better be careful with that statement or my :princess: might beat you up! :)

[Patrolman]

SO having finished my MBA and reading up on the material that I could find about US auto manufacturing processes and such, I think that I should be in the revamp process. My dad even thought that I should write in to GM and volunteer to take on an initiative free of charge or on a contract basis. I likely know more about cars/trucks that most of the leadership at any of the Big-3. A business person who has actually rebuilt engines and transmissions.... Hmmm....

Obviously, GM and others were raking in big $ during the heyday of the SUV. I think $10k from every Suburban was straight profit. $10,000! They should have been putting that into their piggy bank. Instead, the entire industry was drinking champagne. Now they don't want to drink out of the toilets when they don't have the cash reserves.

The other staggering factor is production revamp time. The Japanese can change a factory line to make a completely different model in 6 months or less. The US needs 18 months to make a new model. When all your factories are making SUV's, then you either have to wait 18 months or just shut down when the feces hits the ventilator.

[bskey]

.....they didn't talk more about the "new" stuff. 90% of it was the same as the July show.

:lol: that's 'cause nothing's changed in Detroit since July....... of 1983 :lol: :p


Take the bailout money, put it in privatized accounts for the Detroit retirees and current workers, then let them rely on medicaid, Social Security and all of the other gov't programs out there. Then let the big 3 go under, restructure without all of the anchors, then they will have hope.

And yes, I think they need to make Bob Lutz pay back 85% of every dollar he has made. It must be nice to make huge money to drive an American Icon into the ground. :mad: Friggin Pirate! Arrrgggghhhh.....

[Funrover]

Better be careful with that statement or my :princess: might beat you up! :)

Hey I have American products also. I like the older ones myself.

[Chris]

:lol: Hey Aaron, have you met Jeff's wife?

It's not what you said, it's the namesake you used.

:oops:

[Pathrat]

I can't say much about the automaking process, since I don't have enough information about it. I will say that the pervasive practice of rewarding bad behavior has been on its way to becoming a part of American culture. Numerous examples exist from my little company all the way up to massive GM. I do agree that the CEO's and upper echelons, who were paid to be the final responsible party, should be held to that responsibility. So far, it seems like they are paid to exist and "make the hard decisions" regardless of the propriety or nature of the results.

Nay, I had not thought about the impact of state-sponsored health care and retirement on competitiveness of international corporations. Good point.

Reliability. Efficiency. There is something not appealing about these concepts when it comes to automobiles?

I wish I made $71 an hour.

[Chris]

The real problem is GM has been in big trouble long before the economic downturn and they're probably too far gone to save even with the gov't bailout. It's improbable that they can make enough changes and survive.

[Patrolman]

:lol: that's 'cause nothing's changed in Detroit since July....... of 1983 :lol: :p



That is funny! Unfortunately the changes in 1983 weren't for the better either! I think everything went downhill in 1973... Smog pumps, cats, 4 cylinders...

[Patrolman]

The real problem is GM has been in big trouble long before the economic downturn and they're probably too far gone to save even with the gov't bailout. It's improbable that they can make enough changes and survive.

I think selling off some of the crap labels that they bought might be a good start. They need to close some labels all together too. Close Buick. They did with Olds. They should think about Pontiac too. Maybe Cadillac? They want to sell Saturn, but I think it would be worth keeping. Sell off some of the other crap stuff though they bought. Saab? WTF? Volvo? Went to crap after GM got it.
http://www.freep.com/article/20081207/COL14/812070447/1081
I guess Ford is thinking of doing the same. Land Rover? Jaguar? Not sure what they were thinking. Both have gone to crap as well since Ford bought in.

Ugh... :(

[Patrolman]

:lol: Hey Aaron, have you met Jeff's wife?

It's not what you said, it's the namesake you used.

:oops:

They haven't met so I can't really fault him. :)

[Funrover]

They haven't met so I can't really fault him. :)

I am lost???? :confused:

[SCRubicon]

I think selling off some of the crap labels that they bought might be a good start. They need to close some labels all together too. Close Buick. They did with Olds. They should think about Pontiac too. Maybe Cadillac? They want to sell Saturn, but I think it would be worth keeping. Sell off some of the other crap stuff though they bought. Saab? WTF? Volvo? Went to crap after GM got it.

I was thinking the same thing. Too many items on the menu.

[Chris]

Lost and confused Aaron? Is this something new for you? :D


Jeff's wife is Barbie ;)

[bskey]

Ford owns Volvo now... and should sell them. I think Ford needs to sell everything but Ford and Lincoln. GM needs to keep Chevy and Caddy... maybe Saturn if they can become more like Scion.

[Chris]

I'd like to see something like that too though I think they should create a company for each one and let them compete against each other. Ford vs Lincoln vs Cadillac vs Chevy, etc. Also toss all the heads that brought the companies down.

How about the Hummer, wasn't that a bit of genius when all other companies were building smaller, more fuel efficient cars?