Enlighten Me! :)
I have an issue with Chevrolet at the moment. I was looking for a cheap car with good gas mileage for my wife. A little compact, small engine car. I have a discount as a supplier. I went to chevrolet, who had a cheap compact car with decent gas mileage, hoping for a car at around 10k. My discount did nothing to effect the price of the car. What's more is that because I used the internet to show interest in the car I got a better price for using the internet than my discount gave me. That's jacked up. When suzuki can offer little cars for 4 grand less than Chevrolet (with my discount) and the warranty extends to 100k miles, why would I shop at Chevrolet? I don't care what I drive as long as it's cheap with good mileage.
Sorry you touched a nerve. I'm car shopping.
I have been saying this for a long time. The Gipper said "the best social program is a JOB". When all the jobs leave the country, how will we live? Are we ALL going to be sweeping the aisles of Walmart at $5.15 an hour? Wake up people, this is our country!
We own three vehicles: two Explorers and one Dodge tin can on wheels (it's fine for what it is, if you don't mind having to double yourself up into a yoga position just to get yourself in and out). HOWEVER, I strongly disapprove of ALL protectionist legislation, and corporate welfare.
GM got themselves into this by trying to be a socialist state instead of a business. It's up to them -- not me -- to dig themselves out. Same with the airlines.
Then pick up your application.Walmart needs intelligent people like you sweeping their aisles.
I have a 2002 Saturn SL that's just about paid off. It's been my best car purchase so far. I'm pretty happy with it. My ex's 1995 Saturn SL2 has over 140K miles on it.
GM got themselves into this by trying to be a socialist state instead of a business. It's up to them -- not me -- to dig themselves out. Same with the airlines.
I was going to say something to that effect, but you said it better than I would have.
Amen, rightwingprof!! Personally, I won't buy American because I want to see the utter destruction of the UAW.
The big three US auto manufacturers are putting themselves out of business.
It is a combination of union greed and corporate greed. The end result is that they have destroyed THEMSELVES.
I have a Saturn and a Toyota.
I ALMOST bought an American car a couple of years ago instead of the Toyota. But I just could not do it. The quality was not there...
I admit that it is getting closer...
Mike
Not related to the article, I've already been considering a Ford F-250 purchase. I've always been a fan of Chevy trucks, but I've really been liking the current 250 design lately. Might still go with a Silverado model, but probably the 250.. sorry Jimmy hehe.
We have a Jeep Cherokee (mine) and a Ford Taurus (husbands). Haven't had a problem with either, so I can't complain.
I owned a Ford Ranger for 8 years, my first brand new vehicle. Never had a mechanical problem with it. The only reason I traded it in is that I needed a bigger vehicle for the family and re-enacting. I now own a Chevy Silverado 2500HD. I love that truck, and as for mpg, I'm in the 10 mpg club. I'd rather have the power then the mileage.
Well, I did struggle, but I read the article to the end. Being that I'm a guest in CUG's "house", I'm not sure I really want to answer ... but Tim made up my mind for me.
I don't OWE anyone or any company "loyalty". They can gain my loyalty by selling me quality products at a price I think is appropriate, else I shop elsewhere. That applies whether it is a car, a television, or a pair of jeans. The label is irrelevant ... I don't buy labels or nameplates. My minvan doesn't drive better because the names says "x" "y" or "z" ... it drives better because quality was built in.
I hear BS all the time about how somebody has a magical Silverado or Lincoln towncar that gets 87 zillion miles to the gallon ... but I have a problem with the physics. That 100mpg carb never did make it out of the "vault" ... and hig heavy vehicles with big engines do not get better gas mileage than lighter vehicles with lighter, smaller and more efficient engines. There's a reason that my Goldwing gets 40mpg .... it doesn't really have to work that hard to get me down the road.
Like Dr, Phat Tony, I'm looking for a vehicle right now .... have a (step)son in need - since he wrecked his vehicle and the payout isn't going to get him much. His mother and I decided we'd buy him a vehicle and "sell" it to him at whatever payments he could afford on a Wla-mart salary (he's handicapped). We wanted something he could "afford" that also got good gas mileage and was dependable. Chevy's offer was a tin can made by Daewoo. Sorry ... but putting a nameplate on a pig doesn't make it a mule.
Toyota's offer is a car that they've sold in Europe for 10 years and finally brought here to replace the Echo, which replaced the Tercel. I had a Tercel that lasted for 350 THOUSAND miles before I gave it to my mechanic when I bought a Camry.
Back to loyalty. Where's the loyalty that the big three had for their customers? When the UAW threatened a strike every year ... what did they do? Did they protect the cutomer, or pass on the costs to the customer? Loyalty isn't a one way street .... it has to flow both ways, or it dies.
Y'know, I've never heard of a Wednesday car from a Japanese company. I've never heard horror stories about marbles in the quarter panel. I have heard thhat the big three have improved their quality and are catching up to or have caught the Japanese. WHY did we have to catch up? We were the best, and in some things still think we're the best? Heck, even in motorcycles, "we" (the US) only improved the quality and started giving some value for the high prices ... when the Japanese bikes started blowing the Harleys and others out o fthe water on every measure. My goldwing is STILL the lowest cost large motorcycle on the market (as well as being the most dependable). You want my loyalty to an American bike? Built that better mousetrap instead of whining about jobs going offshore.
Tim (who will be one of my favorite examples of "the
Of the? Well Pete, I have driven and drive many cars in my job. Toyota isn't really better than GM or Ford. You want to see Jim and others out on their ass, well, since you are not from here I guess you don't care about this country, only what you can get out of it before it all caves in. Fine. You also place no monetary value or honor on work. UAW has not striked in several years, so that is a straw dog that you set up to knock down. Go buy your Toyota Tundra, they build them in Texas, so you'll support your state. Just remember, these jobs are not as good as the ones that they are replacing. I hope you will wake up when your job is threatened, but you'll probably blame the "Liberals" when you are collecting your unemployment check (which, I am sure, you are also against). Jim, I'm carrying your water for you. Feel free to chime in any time.
I have a '95 Ford truck, and I'm not the least interested in cars - you couldn't get me to buy one. You can't put a dirtbike in the back of a car unless it's a big old Delta-88 convertable or some other giant Detroit-iron PaleoCar-thing. I remember all the weird shit American Motors used to put out: the Matador! That would sell well across the border.
A buddy bought a new Nissan truck, the new big one - it's got lots of stuff, leather seats, seat warmers, auto-this and electric-that, and makes good Horsepower. It holds his dirtbike(s) and was cheaper - but I think it's a pimp.
However my truck is a stodgy throwback and not all swoopy-lines or pretty chrome. It's got the last pushrod engine, hand crank windows, *vent windows* and no leather or GPS or DVD player, no smoked-windows or chrome rims - no Brokeback-Cadillac pussy-crap. It's not even jacked-up like a f*#%ng missle-launcher.
Goddammit you can't even find a good goddamn truck that doesn't have a lot of goddam auto-everything - that's bullshit. I'm going to have to keep mine until it's a blackened grease-spot or burning hulk (I said it was a Ford) on the road, until the wheels fly off... shit...rant...damn.
Keith!Thank you! A REAL American! (I don't expect Pete to understand, It's an American thing).
I got a bit carried away... I need to get out on my dirtbike more often and wipe away of the pent-up civilizational brain-lint.
hey Tim .... sorry my original post was too long and got truncated. truncated ... that has nothing to do with trunks, y'know.
"I don't expect pete to understand, it's an American thing" .... what would that be, Tim ... besides hating American companies like Wal-mart?
are you trying to say that supporting unions, no matter how destructive they are, is American, and not supporting unions is un-American? Guess the majority o fthe country must not be American these days, huh>
Nah, I don't want to see Jimmyb lose his day job at all .... I'm pretty confident that, being a conservative and all, he's actually earning every cent of his paycheck. Heck, he's even mentioned the company he gets a paycheck from more than the union ... which proves he knows which side o fthe bread butter goes on. I consider Jimmyb one o fthe good guys ... heck, he's conservative, likes guns almost more than me, has a good sense of humor ... what's not to like? Heck, if he rode a motorcycle (without straight pipes) I'd even buy him a beer ... LOL.
Now Tim, on the other hand, Wal-mart hating liberal that he is .....
... and speaking of how great some Japanese cars brands are .... should I mention how much Volkswagon SUCKS?
I'm supposed to be on vacation, but I'm at work, because my motorhome, built by Winnie on a VW Eurovan chassis .... won't start. The local VW dealership has it and says it appears to be the starter. Starter? In less than 7000 miles? Are they getting their parts from Chrysler?
Hey, by the way, Timmy .... did I mention that I'm WAY more redneck than my born and raised Texas wife? Yeehaw!
I've owned four vehicles in my ever-so-short driving history, and each one has been a GM product.
General Motors puts out a superior product when compared to Ford, Dodge, or foreign makers. Keep in mind I'm NOT a GM employee, simply a lifelong GM driver.
My parents owned an '88 Ford F150 that they bought in '92 when it had only about 15,000 miles. By the time it hit 85,000 we had to totally rebuild the motor and transmission. The paint was chipping off the day they bought it, and it rode like...well, crap.
In comparison, my 1994 GMC Jimmy with 134,000 miles still runs just like they pulled it off the showroom floor.
Maybe it's just a matter of personal opinion, but I've come to discover that GM builds a superior product and will remain a GM customer for life.
"I've come to discover that GM builds a superior product and will remain a GM customer for life."
... Steve the Pirate
heh, and the 85 year old woman who works for GM as a janitor (she transferred from being a spot welder 10 years ago) ... who was featured in a newspaper article last night .... really appreaciates it. She has no intention o faccepting the $35,000 buyout offer and will keep her $85,000 a year job (as a janitor) ... which, coupled with pensions, comes out to $124,000 a year.
GM needs loyal customers like you in order to be able to afford gilt-edged janitorial service! 
Great read.
I have had many GM vehicles in the past 25 years. I have never had any problem. GM surpasses the competetion in many areas, media bias never reports it. When Ford or GM have a recall its front page news. When the competetion has a recall you find the story on page 5F.
That's true.
The media has a bias against US auto mfg's and conservatives alike.
I just don't get it.
I stumbled across your blog while I was doing some online research. I personally believe that the reason many Americans prefer foreign cars is simply because, unfortunately, our competitors often produce a better vehicle, more reliable and with better gas mileage. Sad, but true.
The problem is American companies' business strategies. Toyota thinks long-term, gm only looks to the next quarter. Many Japanese companies have a payback period of around 10 years; American executives are too dam cheap and too dam impatient requiring payback period of one year!!! SPEND THE MONEY ON THE GOOD STUFF!!!!! NO MORE MEXICAN SH|T!!!! They should really bring back the Geo Metro.
It's also difficult to find an American car with a sunroof, especially a small car. It's pretty easy to find a Civic with a sunroof, even into the 80's.
Their pushrod engines are OLD!! Use DOHC design . At least 80-100 hp per liter. The non-Z06 corvette should be making about 600 hp, Z06 could make around 650-700!
GM still uses four-speed automatics--OLD!!! 6-speed and CVT anyone?
And the new Camaro BETTER be available with t-tops!!!
Oh also, factory workers do NOT deserve 70000 a year--that's as much as an engineer makes!
I say, start workers around 25000 per year plus a good health package, salary-paid, pay every week not every other week, 30 hrs a week, 4 weeks off every year, raise every year to make about 70000 per year at retirement time and pension starting at 65
executives would also get a pay cut
They would still get the employee discount, and then gm can afford to make better cars with the new wages and new business system
That way they wouldn't need to give everybody the employee discount in order to sell their cars.
FUCK THE REPUBLICAN PARTY!!!
SAVE THE EARTH....RUN OVER A CONSERVATIVE!!
I hope you roll over in your SUV and die asshole!!!
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