General Motors

Topic: General Motors (Read 6779 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: General Motors

Reply #15 – June 16, 2005, 02:04:10 PM

I know it's really nothing to prove a point, but I've drove 3 GM vehicles
in the past 5 years, none for very long.
They were: 1994 Chevy Caprice, 1988 Chevy truck, 4x4, w/305 and auto, 1986 Chevy S-series Blazer.
The Caprice was the best of the lot, but just like all the other GM stuff, bland and boring.
As for the truck and SUV, too heavy, underpowered, and bland and boring...
Guess I have a right to complain, still have the caprice and the truck.

Few years ago, I worked at a park brake cable manufacturer that made
cables for, you guessed it, GM.
They closed doors last fall, and moved all operations to Mexico, and another plant about 120 miles away from here.
Some of you guys in Canada and Michigan may have heard of the company, it's Dura Automotive systems.
I guess it's like this all over. Might oughtta buy some land, and get a few horses, getting to where hay is cheaper than gas, lol.

Re: General Motors

Reply #16 – June 16, 2005, 02:15:10 PM

Although GM has been in a slump, esspecially this passed six months, things have been looking up this week. As for those 25k jobs, GM as been trying for a dogs age to get the UAW to negotiate on the health care issue, but they have been stonewalling GM every time the topic hits the table. I always thought a Union's job was to, 1) obtain better working environments, benefits packages, competative wages, etc. for it's members, but also to, 2) Ensure job security.

I'm sorry, but if you stonewall your boss with a wage deal, you're going to get let go. The UAW let those 25000 workers down, IMO.

And they're not all fired. The jobs will be phased out by 2008.

Now look at the news this week. The UAW has finally agreed to talk with GM on Health Care packages. They still maintain it's not their fault, but they're willing to talk now. Great for GM, but it sucks for those 25k people who had to put the point accross.

Even more, Pontiac has already sold out ALL Solstices for the coming year. They sold the first 5000 in something like 41 minutes. The GTO is sold out. The Cobalt (and Pursuit in Canada) are selling very well.

GM was working on a Sigma lite platform to make downmarket full size RWD cars, but put that on the back burner to get their all new line of full size Trucks and SUV's out, which will be fall 2006. All will be available with a new hybrid system, which adds an electric motor to the arse end of the transmission. I think their share of full size trucks and SUV's will come back up when that happens.

Buick needs help. That's for sure.

Pontiac is in no danger.

Saturn, with the new sky, will get some more attention, but I just don't see hardly any Ions or Vue's on the road, and never an L series. They Sky though, hot car, and I'd own one if they put something beefier under the hood.

And finally, GM stock has gone up, after news of UAW talkshiznit the air, by 8.5% (+$2.40ish). The highest they've been in three months.

Bottom line, they've got so much capitol, and are still the worlds largest corporation, so they will not be going under. The finances of GM/Hughes can pull them out of anything.

That said, GM needs to start taking more chances. After the Aztec, they're afraid of pushing the envelope, and let other companies test waters first, then jump on board. (PT Cruiser > HHR)

And for **** sakes, if you're puting a 305hp 5.3L small block V8 in the Impala and Monte, make it RWD!

Oh, and the Camaro is comming back in '07. There is talk of a retro job. (letting ford test the waters again) :)

Re: General Motors

Reply #17 – June 16, 2005, 02:27:14 PM

Quote from: FordTruckFreeek

I know it's really nothing to prove a point, but I've drove 3 GM vehicles
in the past 5 years, none for very long.
They were: 1994 Chevy Caprice, 1988 Chevy truck, 4x4, w/305 and auto, 1986 Chevy S-series Blazer.
The Caprice was the best of the lot, but just like all the other GM stuff, bland and boring.
As for the truck and SUV, too heavy, underpowered, and bland and boring...
Guess I have a right to complain, still have the caprice and the truck.

To be fair, the 305 was a complete POS motor. Put a real small block under the hood and you'll be happy. ANYTHING but the 305. I'd call it the only SBC failure, EVER.

Re: General Motors

Reply #18 – June 16, 2005, 04:14:51 PM

To be fair, it IS underpowered, but it's the way Grandpa ordered it.
But it's had a lot of quality issues, something an adult driven truck with
well under 50,000 miles shouldn't have...
Of course, I am biased for Ford :D :hick:

Re: General Motors

Reply #19 – June 16, 2005, 04:32:13 PM

The 305 aint a bad engine. I'll agree it is under powered, but our Caprice still pretty quick for how big it is. It just needs to be put in something reasonable, I mean come on a truck with a 305? Heck my freinds got a shortbed 1500 and the 4.3 in it is just as good.

Re: General Motors

Reply #20 – June 16, 2005, 05:39:26 PM

Well, mine was completely useless in my truck, and it sucked back fuel like there was no tomorrow. It ran like a top, and didn't burn oil, but it was still a pig.

The 383 owns it in all ways.

Re: General Motors

Reply #21 – June 16, 2005, 06:02:13 PM

But a 383 is a stroker engine.

In my opinion, I think GM should just kill off its entire lineup and switch to its Ausie platforms. The Monaro, Commodore and Ute are all rear drive fully independant LS1 or v6 ecotec powered. But they are the exact same thing under the skin. There are front drive platforms as well. And currency conversion puts a V8 Six speed four door sedan at 19 grand. Who hear thinks this would not work? If GM did this they would cut there costs and bring themselfs back with record sales with an entire new lineup.

Of course we could all sit back as GM dies and Ford, Chrysler and Toyota become the new Big Three with Nissan trailing slightly.

The GTO is just a rebadged Monaro, only thing differn't is the front headlights, grill and Bonet ( hehe had to say that).

I do think they need a new engine. Pushrods have bent for the last time.

Re: General Motors

Reply #22 – June 16, 2005, 07:30:43 PM

Even if they took only their full size rwd platform over, they could be way ahead.

Who here thinks the GTO should have been a Monte Carlo? It actually looks like the Lumina Monte already, but an evolution. Anyway, the GTO wasn't ready to come back. (should have seen a firebird first)

But the Commodore could have been the restyled Impalla. I don't know. They can fit a V8 before they can ship one over? :disappoin

GM needs to wake up. They know what we want, they just can't help but bucher a great idea. They're doing fairly well with their FWD platforms, they're just selling them to far up the market. Above the malibu, we don't need another FWD car. AWD, sure.

Anyway. I think they may be catching on. This new Cobalt is a pretty good FWD platform, since it has so many Saab designs. I think the new Grand Prix is a nice vehicle though, which is why the Impala is still around I guess, to keep costs down.

Anyway, yeah. Should have been a Monte. I'm tired of NASCAR getting away with backwards FWD's.

Re: General Motors

Reply #23 – June 16, 2005, 09:08:43 PM

Nope, it shouldn't have been a Monte Carlo. That name's been tarnished beyond repair. The Monte should disappear for a decade or so, enough time to let the world forget about how forgettable it is, and then a new, RWD version should debut.

In the mean time, the GTO should've been a Chevelle :D

I think GM made a big mistake by delaying the new RWD platform. Sure, their truck sales have been sagging, but with gas prices rising trucks are gonna slow down anyway. Surely a mild refreshening could've done the trick for awhile while GM straightened its car line out. Now, by the time they finally do, the 300/Magnum/Charger novelty would have been long worn off and GM will be viewed as coming to the party with too little, too late (as always). GM should've put all of their resources toward invigorating their car lines.

And once again, Ford is not immune. All of Ford's cars, save the Mustang and GT, are absolutely BORING. The Five Hundred is boring enough on its own, but when compared to the 300/Charger/Magnum it's REALLY boring. It's a real shame, too, because another fifty horsepower would have made all the difference and would not have been all that difficult.

Who wants to bet the Five Hundred gets a quicker-than-normal facelift, with less boring looks, more power, and (dare I say it), a V8 option? Ford had better do something, because they bet the farm on the Five Hundred, and considering that I have seen exactly one driving on a public road since its debut (compared to the dozens of 300's and Magnums I see daily), I'd say Ford lost the bet.

Re: General Motors

Reply #24 – June 16, 2005, 10:06:09 PM

GM has a lot of nameplates they could use

something id love to see done, and probably many others, is GM using an aussie platform, reworked sheetmetal, and a turbo powerplant, and calling it a Grand National, but theyd easily ruin it

another problem is, no one has cars to compete with some of these imports, the SRT4 (not import), the EVO, the WRX, these cars are *rather* inexpensive, and each runs circles around a stang GT

Re: General Motors

Reply #25 – June 16, 2005, 10:16:53 PM

Quote

and considering that I have seen exactly one driving on a public road since its debut (compared to the dozens of 300's and Magnums I see daily), I'd say Ford lost the bet.

I couldn't agree more. If Ford would give the 500 a 4.6 option I believe it would sell more. An AWD V8? The british folk have been blessed with high horsepowered AWD's for years. Hell even puppiesan gets High Powered AWD's.

Ford "should" take the 500, stuff a 4.6 sohc (to keep price down) supercharged V8 and throw a 5 speed behind it. Give it more aggresive styling and hell call it the Galaxy.

GM should Bring the Commodore over, name and all. I would buy one right now.

In saudi arabia the Commodore is sold as a Lumina SS. Same car just chevy badges. And no EGR or Smog equipment.

Rumor has it the Lumina SS was sold in 98 or 99 IN THE US. I havn't been able to locate one though.

Quote

something id love to see done, and probably many others, is GM using an aussie platform, reworked sheetmetal, and a turbo powerplant, and calling it a Grand National, but theyd easily ruin it

Oh please no. As much as I would love to see a new Grand National and actually own a vehicle that would wear that badge I have to say I would not want GM to do that. You are right in saying they would screw it up. And besides it's called the Calias. But I don't know if they still make it.

Re: General Motors

Reply #26 – June 16, 2005, 10:46:25 PM

You'll wait a long time before you see a 4.6 in the Five Hundred - the 4.6 is very wide and heavy, not suited to a FWD vehicle (case in point, the very unsuccessful 95-99 Continental). Besides, I doubt it would fit anyway.

Now, the new V8 offered in the Volvo XC90 (which happens to share its chassis and AWD system with the Five Hundred) would be a natural fit. This V8 is based on the Taurus SHO V8, but stroked & poked to something like 4.4 liters and making over 300 horses. It's a 60-degree engine (meaning it's narrow and relatively light) and was designed to be used in FWD/AWD applications. And producing the engine in mass quantities would make it more economically sensible for the Five Hundred AND the XC90. Economies of scale. It would also give SVT another much needed product. And give it to the cops as well. The Crown Vic is fionally gasping its last, especially with much more modern (and vastly superior) police offerings about to come from Chrysler.

Granted, at a bit over 300 horses it would be no Hemi 300C beater, but it would be close and would certainly give the Chevy Impala SS a run for its money (or, more likely, beat it silly), as well as anything from puppiesan and Korea. Actually, I doubt it would take much to make the engine at least match the 5.7 Hemi's 345 horses (but not likely the 6.1 Hemi's 425). Lose the CVT (which would probably be very short lived behind a V8) and offer up at least a five speed automatic, and preferrably (but extremely unlikely) a six-speed standard. I know I'd drive one if it was done right.

Re: General Motors

Reply #27 – June 16, 2005, 10:59:00 PM

The XC90 powerplant in the Five Hundred makes sense. An already available motor with good performance would keep costs down and may also make the Five Hundred a more attractive candidate for lucrative contract purchases for high volume orders such as Police vehicles and Taxis.

Re: General Motors

Reply #28 – June 17, 2005, 12:07:19 AM

GMC needs to pull there heads out of there asses. They killed the f car and yes sales weren't the greatest but they don't have any thing to fill that slot. Yes there are to many of the same cars in there platforms. They also have quallity issues. Such as interior and A/C. when I bought a 93 tempo and my buddy bought a 93 caviler. 1yr later his car interior was falling apart and the thing had bad chassis problem and lot of electrical problem. at the 2yr mark Gm bought his car back and gave him a 95 bretta and that car had to have the A/c compressor replaced 4 times in 3yrs that he had it. All the while I had my 93 tempo that I even delivered pizza in and had 285,000 miles on it and nothing major ever. Now why is GM going down You tell me.

Re: General Motors

Reply #29 – June 17, 2005, 11:02:05 AM

A GNX could easily be pulled off, if it's put in the right hands at GM. Namely, Caddilac designers. Tell me you wouldn't kill to see that on the road.

This is all Buick really needs to get some much needed attention. Because, I'm not sorry to say, the Lacrosse just isn't doing it.

And I'll say it again. The Camaro is coming back VERY soon. Practically straight out of Lutz' mouth. And we should all know by now, that when Bob says he's going to do something, it gets done.

As for the Monte, I think this is what the Monte needs NOW. Why wait ten years, when you can revive the nameplate in one?

And we're most likely getting a Chevelle, (GM is hinting at that, too) soon after the Camaro hits the streets. And an aside, the Dodge Challenger is on its' way back soon as well. They want a piece of that Pony pie as much as Chevy.