To Redplanet and GM: Thanks!

[tls2000]

Scott,

I'd just like to throw a quick thanks your way in advance of the NAIAS. Your "Keep the faith" statement has made me seriously reconsider my decision to purchase a Mustang come April.

I was very upset when GM announced the closing of the St. Therese plant 5 years ago, as I had made up my mind at the time to purchase a brand new Trans Am just as soon as I turned 25 (for insurance reasons). I felt like GM had truely abandoned me as a customer at that time and I loathed GM for it.

(enter CZ28.com forum)

This site has kept me up to date on the crazy rumours and "rumours" of the past few years. I have not said much, but I have lurked around watching as a lot of us lost hope of seeing a Camaro again. Just as I had started to give up all hope, and was about to go order a Mustang GT, I started seeing "Keep the faith" on this board and that got my hopes up once more.

Upon renting a 2005 Mustang GT, I had made up my mind. GM didn't care enough about me as a customer, so I was going to take my business to the competition. The Mustang GT was almost everything that I wanted in a car, and I was determined to buy one until once again, "Keep the faith" came to my mind. I wavered on my decision and decided to put it off one more year, in the hopes that GM would come to it's senses and release a new Camaro or Firebird concept.

All indications over the past few months have shown that a Camaro concept will be at the show in Detroit! Once again Scott, you have given me just enough information to keep me interested enough to put off my plans on a Mustang GT.

While I will make every effort to make it to Detriot this year, even if I don't, I know that GM has something special lined up just for the enthusiast who felt so betrayed years ago. Provided that the car meets expectations, and you seem to think that it will, I will be putting my deposit down on one the second that I am able to.

So here goes: GM, I forgive you. I know that you needed to cancel the 4th gens and I understand that you weren't trying to alienate me.

Scott, I am a GM man once again. I have never purchased anything other than a GM car, and if the car that you have alluded to meets my expectations, I suspect that I will be staying with GM cars for a long time to come. Thank you for keeping us as in the loop as you were allowed to do. Thank you for dragging me back to GM every time I started to consider the alternatives. Thank you for being one of the greatest car enthusiasts that I have ever seen. Thank you for keeping the faith in us no matter how many bad things we said about GM.

Tom Murdoch
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

[ADV1]

Great post! just keep in mind that our new car probably won't be around for a few years so don't get your hopes up on having one in a year or so. If you can hold off a little bit longer then you are in the right spot.

I too have been waiting on a new car for quite some time now. Timming is actually working out for me right now as I'm starting my family. If this comes out in 2008 as a 2009 model like we are expecting my daughter will be six and my son will be three. Basically, daycare will not be an issue anymore and my house will be paid off. All of this just in time for my new Z28!

THANK YOU!!!

[jbres79]

Tom, I felt exactly the same way as you did. I was about to graduate from college and purchase a new Trans Am when completed but I was one year too late. I was lucky enough to find a very low KM's 2002 SS at a good deal. I was soooo pissed at GM. I really had no clue what was happening behind the scenes at GM, but this website has sure showed me the light. I will be going to the NAIAS this year in hopes to be blown away by a Camaro concept.

Great post.....

[guionM]

Tom, let me ask you a question.

If it wasn't for the Mustang, and it's success, do you think GM's product planning guys would have brought back the Camaro?


Red and a bunch of other hard working Camaro devotees within GM have been trying everything they could realistically do for many years (try the late 90s!), so I give them trailers full of credit. But if it wasn't for the new Mustang, I doubt we'd see a new Camaro till sometime next decade, if then.

[SSbaby]

Originally Posted by guionM

Tom, let me ask you a question.

If it wasn't for the Mustang, and it's success, do you think GM's product planning guys would have brought back the Camaro?

If I can chime in...

Maybe not Camaro but the Pontiac GTO is a sign GM wants to get back into the field it once dominated.

[Diognes56]

In thanks we will ALL buy your book . Ok, who am I kidding .......... we would have bought it anyway . Thanks RedPlanet .

David

[tls2000]

Originally Posted by guionM

Tom, let me ask you a question.

If it wasn't for the Mustang, and it's success, do you think GM's product planning guys would have brought back the Camaro?


Red and a bunch of other hard working Camaro devotees within GM have been trying everything they could realistically do for many years (try the late 90s!), so I give them trailers full of credit. But if it wasn't for the new Mustang, I doubt we'd see a new Camaro till sometime next decade, if then.

Guy,

I agree with you that the Mustang is what is keeping GM on it's toes here. I am also extremely grateful to Ford for showing GM that there IS a market for a 2 door high powered coupe.



Every time I started to doubt GM, I thought of what Red has been saying for years. Keep the faith!

[turbo96z28]

great post Tom! i think everyone on this board has appreciated ALMOST everything RP has done for us around here. i'm saving my thank yous for NYIAS 06 when i can do it in person .

[Capn Pete]

Hey Tom, I'd recommend a 4th-gen 'til the 5th-gen becomes available. They're still faster than the '05+ Mustangs!!

[tls2000]

They may be faster, but I don't buy used cars..

[Fbodfather]

thank you all for the kind words.

It's been tough over the years....knowing that the 4th gen would be put to pasture....that a plant would be closed........and worse, I couldn't say much of anything to you other than "keep the faith."

I think what most people don't realize is that when I said "keep the faith" there was credibility attached to that statement. If I said that.....and nothing ever happened, I'm sure that at some point in time, there would be a posse in my front yard........with a rope....and burning torches........(and you get the idea) Therefore, I started with the "Read my book"........

I can honestly say -- as I have been for quite some time -- that the future, INDEED looks very bright.

AS to the Mustang helping the Camaro along.......you betcha. Would we have done a Camaro anyway? Well.....who knows.......but I can tell you that there are dealers like my friends:
Greg Heinrich (Fairway Chevy)
Darrell McCutcheon (Reliable Chevy)
Matt Berger (Berger Chevy)
Tom Henry (Tom Henry Chevrolet)
Steve West (West Chevy)
Bill Heard (Bill Heard Dealerships)
Rollie Purifoy (Purifoy Chevy)
Jeff Cauley (Jack Cauley Chevy)
John Rampone (Ramp Chevrolet)
George Moore (Geo Moore Chevy)

and even Jim Perkins.....former VP of GM and General Manager of Chevrolet Motor Division who is now retired and working for the Hendrick organization...and their many Chevy Dealerships.............
......Every time......and I DO MEAN EVERYTIME they had an audience with the top men and women at GM, the Camaro issue came up. They demanded a new Camaro. You can bet that the hiatus of the Camaro affected these dealers in more than one way. First...they all have a passion for the Camaro......moreover, they sold a LOT of Camaros.....and when Camaro went away...so did some profit!

(a tidbit....I was visiting one of the Bill Heard Dealerships back in late 2001.....they had over 130 new Camaros in stock...and were gonna order more.....and Bill's son came out to see me and said "Mr. Settlemire...if you continue to build the Camaro, our 24 dealerships will buy every one of them!" (Talk about "Hard to say 'no' to someone!) But it was not possible to keep the car in production for several reasons.)

In a way, the past couple of years have been hell.
I knew it would be.

I suppose that I could have transferred over to other Brands (turned a couple of jobs down)......but I chose to ride the Camaro out to the end.

Do I regret it?

NO.

Was it painful?
Boy Howdy.

Did I leave the office on many a night so depressed and defeated that I sometimes questioned if I was sane?

Yep.

But you know what?

I wouldn't change what I did.

When you love something that invokes a passion.....you do what you have to do.

Moreover, every time I meet one of you...
........and you tell me about your Camaro (or Firebird) and I see that certain 'gleam' in your eyes....and the passion you show for these cars........I know it was the right thing to do.

I don't mean to imply that I'm the only one that felt that way.....far from it. I know John Heinricy for one felt just as bad as I about the cars going on hiatus........and many many more just like him. I guess my sorry face is just a little more visible than most...............

I know many of you can hardly wait for January 9.

Well guess what?

I can hardly wait as well......because I want to see the expressions on some faces......

......and I want to be around in 25 years when people say "remember wayyyyyyyy back in January of 06 when we first saw that great concept???"

Again.....thank you for the kind words.........

MORE IMPORTANTLY....to many of you.......

THANK YOU.......

........for 'keeping the faith!"

[Ryan's LT1]

Originally Posted by Red Planet

thank you all for the kind words.

It's been tough over the years....knowing that the 4th gen would be put to pasture....that a plant would be closed........and worse, I couldn't say much of anything to you other than "keep the faith."

I think what most people don't realize is that when I said "keep the faith" there was credibility attached to that statement. If I said that.....and nothing ever happened, I'm sure that at some point in time, there would be a posse in my front yard........with a rope....and burning torches........(and you get the idea) Therefore, I started with the "Read my book"........

I can honestly say -- as I have been for quite some time -- that the future, INDEED looks very bright.

AS to the Mustang helping the Camaro along.......you betcha. Would we have done a Camaro anyway? Well.....who knows.......but I can tell you that there are dealers like my friends:
Greg Heinrich (Fairway Chevy)
Darrell McCutcheon (Reliable Chevy)
Matt Berger (Berger Chevy)
Tom Henry (Tom Henry Chevrolet)
Steve West (West Chevy)
Bill Heard (Bill Heard Dealerships)
Rollie Purifoy (Purifoy Chevy)
Jeff Cauley (Jack Cauley Chevy)
John Rampone (Ramp Chevrolet)
George Moore (Geo Moore Chevy)

and even Jim Perkins.....former VP of GM and General Manager of Chevrolet Motor Division who is now retired and working for the Hendrick organization...and their many Chevy Dealerships.............
......Every time......and I DO MEAN EVERYTIME they had an audience with the top men and women at GM, the Camaro issue came up. They demanded a new Camaro. You can bet that the hiatus of the Camaro affected these dealers in more than one way. First...they all have a passion for the Camaro......moreover, they sold a LOT of Camaros.....and when Camaro went away...so did some profit!

(a tidbit....I was visiting one of the Bill Heard Dealerships back in late 2001.....they had over 130 new Camaros in stock...and were gonna order more.....and Bill's son came out to see me and said "Mr. Settlemire...if you continue to build the Camaro, our 24 dealerships will buy every one of them!" (Talk about "Hard to say 'no' to someone!) But it was not possible to keep the car in production for several reasons.

In a way, the past couple of years have been hell. I knew it would be. I suppose that I could have transferred over to other Brands (turned a couple of jobs down)......but I chose to ride the Camaro out to the end. Do I regret it? NO. Was it painful? Boy Howdy. Did I leave the office on many a night so depressed and defeated that I sometimes questioned if I was sane? Yep.

But you know what?

I wouldn't change what I did. When you love something that invokes a passion.....you do what you have to do. Moreover, every time I meet one of you...and you tell me about your Camaro (or Firebird) and I see that certain 'gleam' in your eyes....and the passion you show for these cars........I know it was the right thing to do.

I don't mean to imply that I'm the only one that felt that way.....far from it. I know John Heinricy for one felt just as bad as I about the cars going on hiatus........and many many more just like him. I guess my sorry face is just a little more visible than most...............

I know many of you can hardly wait for January 9.

Well guess what?

I can hardly wait as well......because I want to see the expressions on some faces......

......and I want to be around in 25 years when people say "remember wayyyyyyyy back in January of 06 when we first saw that great concept???"

Again.....thank you for the kind words.........

MORE IMPORTANTLY....to many of you.......

THANK YOU.......

........for 'keeping the faith!"

You're the man, Red.

[91_z28_4me]

Originally Posted by Red Planet

thank you all for the kind words.

It's been tough over the years....knowing that the 4th gen would be put to pasture....that a plant would be closed........and worse, I couldn't say much of anything to you other than "keep the faith."

I think what most people don't realize is that when I said "keep the faith" there was credibility attached to that statement. If I said that.....and nothing ever happened, I'm sure that at some point in time, there would be a posse in my front yard........with a rope....and burning torches........(and you get the idea) Therefore, I started with the "Read my book"........

I can honestly say -- as I have been for quite some time -- that the future, INDEED looks very bright.

AS to the Mustang helping the Camaro along.......you betcha. Would we have done a Camaro anyway? Well.....who knows.......but I can tell you that there are dealers like my friends:
Greg Heinrich (Fairway Chevy)
Darrell McCutcheon (Reliable Chevy)
Matt Berger (Berger Chevy)
Tom Henry (Tom Henry Chevrolet)
Steve West (West Chevy)
Bill Heard (Bill Heard Dealerships)
Rollie Purifoy (Purifoy Chevy)
Jeff Cauley (Jack Cauley Chevy)
John Rampone (Ramp Chevrolet)
George Moore (Geo Moore Chevy)

and even Jim Perkins.....former VP of GM and General Manager of Chevrolet Motor Division who is now retired and working for the Hendrick organization...and their many Chevy Dealerships.............
......Every time......and I DO MEAN EVERYTIME they had an audience with the top men and women at GM, the Camaro issue came up. They demanded a new Camaro. You can bet that the hiatus of the Camaro affected these dealers in more than one way. First...they all have a passion for the Camaro......moreover, they sold a LOT of Camaros.....and when Camaro went away...so did some profit!

(a tidbit....I was visiting one of the Bill Heard Dealerships back in late 2001.....they had over 130 new Camaros in stock...and were gonna order more.....and Bill's son came out to see me and said "Mr. Settlemire...if you continue to build the Camaro, our 24 dealerships will buy every one of them!" (Talk about "Hard to say 'no' to someone!) But it was not possible to keep the car in production for several reasons.

In a way, the past couple of years have been hell. I knew it would be. I suppose that I could have transferred over to other Brands (turned a couple of jobs down)......but I chose to ride the Camaro out to the end. Do I regret it? NO. Was it painful? Boy Howdy. Did I leave the office on many a night so depressed and defeated that I sometimes questioned if I was sane? Yep.

But you know what?

I wouldn't change what I did. When you love something that invokes a passion.....you do what you have to do. Moreover, every time I meet one of you...and you tell me about your Camaro (or Firebird) and I see that certain 'gleam' in your eyes....and the passion you show for these cars........I know it was the right thing to do.

I don't mean to imply that I'm the only one that felt that way.....far from it. I know John Heinricy for one felt just as bad as I about the cars going on hiatus........and many many more just like him. I guess my sorry face is just a little more visible than most...............

I know many of you can hardly wait for January 9.

Well guess what?

I can hardly wait as well......because I want to see the expressions on some faces......

......and I want to be around in 25 years when people say "remember wayyyyyyyy back in January of 06 when we first saw that great concept???"

Again.....thank you for the kind words.........

MORE IMPORTANTLY....to many of you.......

THANK YOU.......

........for 'keeping the faith!"

Scott the faithful of the ribbon will always follow you.

Redplanet

[91Z28350]

Scott,

Not only do we thank you, but I really hope that the senior management of GM thanks you as well. In these days of corporations being seen as faceless, mega-billion dollar entities, your passion, support and "encouragement" to keep the faith, have added a human touch that the General CANNOT put a price to. Real easy to be furious with a corporation, hard to be mad when you see the passion and joy someone has for something you also care about.

Long before (as in 2000 when the news broke) I ever even had an inkling that a place like this existed, I had written to Chevrolet decrying the demise of our beloved F-Body; but like many things in life, I had come to just accept it. Then I discovered this site, and hope (and frustration) began all over for a new Camaro. Now with the public introduction a mere 34 days away,I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas again! Please pass on our thanks to all who were involved in keeping the dream alive.

PS- Please do let us know who to bombard with requests for making the car once we see it. Somehow I just don't think you would come here and spin junk, I for one am confident that the car will rock.

[CLEAN]

Originally Posted by Red Planet

Darrell McCutcheon (Reliable Chevy)
they sold a LOT of Camaros.....

Assuming it's the one in Dallas, thats where MINE came from!