Just in case you didn't know, GM's cars are downright sh*ty when compared to their Japanese competition. They've got no performance, zero reliability, and they guzzle gas like theres no tomorrow. Another interesting fact, the Japanese never tried to push into the SUV/truck market. They were much more market savvy and steered clear of this obviosly greed driven segment that GM took advantage of because of CAFE loopholes. For these reasons, GM deserves to go out of business. 3 million workers sounds like a lot but thats really only 1% of the population. All of this doom and gloom is way overblown and their collapse wont really have a significant impact on the economy.

Holy potatoes, I cant take it anymore. It seems like this is what 90% of Americans truely believe. Everywhere I go this is all I hear. It is so hip for Americans to hate anything American right now.

 

I 2nd that!

 

Consider it a challenge to educate people.

GM needs the help, as public opinion will be important in this.

I look forward to GM presenting its case on why it will be able to make money if it can survive this perfect storm of events. Like it or not, they need to convince the public, it seems to me....

 

Yeah, I'm sure GM's previous 3 decades of car making had nothing to do with the image and reputation that they now have with the general public. It takes more than a few years of putting out good products to turn around 30 years of mostly poop.

I don't believe that is the case now, but the products of the 80's, 90's and early 2000's weren't exactly shining beacons of light in the automotive world.

 

Q. How do you go about weakening a country?

A1: Have a vested interest in the country's economy (via financial institutions).
A2: Run the media.

A1 + A2 = Influence the politicians + Sway the public.

Seriously, the media is trying to tell us GM and Ford should make vehicles that the public don't necessarily want to own. The sales charts suggest the media is wrong. Very wrong.

 

I am going to disagree w/ this part. The by the 2000s GM had reliability down to an art. The 3800s, Ecotecs, and LSx series engines are all extremely reliable. The 60 degree engines had notorius problems w/ intake manifolds but overall are still quite reliable. The 4 speed autos are not just reliable but also extremely smooth and get great economy.

 

60 degree overall reliability? Tell that to alot of people that owned a 3.4L. My parents refuse to ever buy another GM car because of leaky head gaskets at 60K miles on the first brand new car they had bought since the early 80's which was another brand new GM car that gave them nothing but trouble. Since then they've only bought used Fords and Chryslers and have had no trouble. This year they bought 2 brand new Chryslers. I'm all for helping out GM, I believe in the company and what they do for America. I know the media isn't helping their case but it's not just the media's fault.

 

Window motors, interior fit and finish, electrical problems, cars that don't particulary drive that well, and a horribly boring lineup outweigh the strength of the engines. Most people ultimately don't care if the engine will last to 200k if their window motors go out at 40k, their interior and fading and flaking at 50k and their car looks more like it belongs in the early 90s than today.

 

reliability down to an art? really? and then you go on to acknowledge that the 60 degree engines had notorious problems with intake manifolds?

GM quality was still crap well into the 2000's and has only really changed within the last year or two

the 2003-2004 saturn vue with the variable speed transmission is well documented online to be a hunk of scrap. GM had to extend the powertrain warranties on those vehicles they were so bad. my parent's 2003 saturn vue got its 2ed transmission at 23,000 miles and 3ed transmission at 98,000 miles.

 

I've been at it a while, but it seems like one man against a massive media cabal!! All saying the same ****! I got into it with one of my co-workers last night. He had all the typical nonsense spewing from his lips!! So I asked, so what new American cars have you bought, to back up "your" claims...? He says a ford probe.....lol!! I know another guy from a while ago, who also bought one brand new.....NOT a good example!! Nor could he give me any GM examples...It's an uphill battle, believe me, but I agree it must be done!!

 

They've got all that down! So at this point, it doesn't really matter how wrong they are, the people are under their spell now...and they really hate it when it's pointed out to them....I'd say these are tremendous odds against them/US.

 

And Toyota had oil sludge issues...so? Honda is knows for having transmissions go up.

The issue is...an American car breaks and the customer is like "Stupid POS American crap. A Japanese car breaks and it is "I must have been too hard on it or it is just a freak thing because Toyota's are made by the hand of god".

 

Exactly, that state of mind is unbelievable and needs to change.

 

Yes they had the 3800 down to an art. The V8s down to an art. The Ecotec down to an art. The 60 degree series is actually quite reliable with the exception of the manifold leak. Just like the Toyota 3.0 V6 is reliable with the exception of oil sludge.

Why don't you tell that to all the owners of W-body Buicks, Pontiacs, and Chevrolets who have over 200K on their car? The W-body Buicks have won award after award for reliability.

So GM make a blunder by using a new type of transmission and they are making up for it by extending warranties to reduce owner's cost. What they hell else do you want them to do? How about they do like Toyota and blame the owners?

It was a new design for them (as it was for much of the industry at the time) and it didn't work out. They don't use that anymore.

As for people talking about power window motors and such what year were those cars made or designed in? I didn't have any problems with the window motors in the 96 Corsica, 97 Monte Carlo, or 98 Malibu I have owned. Are you just thinking F-bodies (you know the ones designed in 1990)?

 

The CVT's reliability record hasn't been stellar in import brands either. Don't place blame on GM without noting the other manufacturers that have had problems with those transmissions as well.