Is GM in trouble with young buyers?
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 403
From: Pittsburgh Pa USA
or something like this http://www.edmunds.com/news/conceptc...6/article.html
.....
well get rid of that paint job. But with those aftermarket parts pushing 300 horses...... That'd be a nice car. Still not a Camaro though.
.....
well get rid of that paint job. But with those aftermarket parts pushing 300 horses...... That'd be a nice car. Still not a Camaro though.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,232
From: Orlando, FL USA
That little saturn would be a hot little entry for those in our age group looking for a little pocket rocket but dont want to blend in with the whole civic thing.
I know its been mentioned before on this board but GM should turn Saturn into the Japanese compact fighter. with the right designs and factory backed aftermarket, they could do it. then they could focus most of their attention in making ALL Chevy and Pontiacs QUALITY and not worry about making the J-cars cheapo looking and sticking crapmobiles like the Aveo into a rich historied automaker like Chevrolet
I know its been mentioned before on this board but GM should turn Saturn into the Japanese compact fighter. with the right designs and factory backed aftermarket, they could do it. then they could focus most of their attention in making ALL Chevy and Pontiacs QUALITY and not worry about making the J-cars cheapo looking and sticking crapmobiles like the Aveo into a rich historied automaker like Chevrolet
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 195
From: In a meeting
Originally posted by hotrodtodd74
Let me weigh in with my 2 cents worth.
Why would any car company in its right mind go after an age group (teens, people in their early 20's, pre-college grads) with part-time employment at best? I remember what is was like back then. You really can't afford much by way of cars working part time. I once looked at an early 90's Trans Am when I was in my late teens or early 20's and the insurance alone priced me out of that purchase!
The problem with GM is not so much what can be sold to young people now, but having those vehicles that young people aspire to own when they can afford it. You know, those cars you drooled over when you where young. The ones you may have hung posters up in your room. That is the way to get 'em hooked. But what do you do without cars like Camaros and Firebirds? Corvettes are still around, but they are too expensive for most.
Let me weigh in with my 2 cents worth.
Why would any car company in its right mind go after an age group (teens, people in their early 20's, pre-college grads) with part-time employment at best? I remember what is was like back then. You really can't afford much by way of cars working part time. I once looked at an early 90's Trans Am when I was in my late teens or early 20's and the insurance alone priced me out of that purchase!
The problem with GM is not so much what can be sold to young people now, but having those vehicles that young people aspire to own when they can afford it. You know, those cars you drooled over when you where young. The ones you may have hung posters up in your room. That is the way to get 'em hooked. But what do you do without cars like Camaros and Firebirds? Corvettes are still around, but they are too expensive for most.
College educated kids outside of the rust belt can't stand any American cars--Hondas are best early; grow up to an Acura or Lexus; finally get to a BMW or Mercedes. American cars have no panache for them. These folks laugh at F-Bodies and Vettes. I don't think Detroit's marketing folks spend nearly enought time among college kids and young adults in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, LA, Seattle and Portland. If they did, they'd surely see no one wants any of their cars. As this group will one day have lots of income and will probably influence others' buying habits, GM needs to appeal to them.
Among professionals (doctors, lawyers, accoutants--with generally big incomes) I know, except for SUVs, none of them will even consider an American car.
Something is definitely wrong.
Disciple
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,479
...not just young buyers ... ALL BUYERS ... outside of the Corvette, which I can't afford ... there isn't a "gotta have" vehicle in the GM line-up. They offer discounted appliances. 
From what we've seen of the future so far, I'm not holding out a lot of hope that things will change enough.
From what we've seen of the future so far, I'm not holding out a lot of hope that things will change enough.
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 145
From: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Possum ... you'll like the following comment from
http://wardsauto.com/ar/auto_why_toyota_wants_2/
Quote
- - - - - - - - -
Bob Lutz is another aging GM executive who's skeptical about Scion.
“The worst thing you can do is design a car for young people, and say, ‘You're going to like it because we designed it for you,” says Lutz, 70, vice-chairman for GM's product development and unofficially dubbed the auto maker's “product czar.”
“I may be wrong and Toyota may be right,” he says. “But you need to design vehicles that are universally attractive. You make strong vehicles attractively priced for young people. That's the recipe.”
- - - - - - - - - end of quote
I'll take the guionM approach to this ... I ask my oldest kid ... my 13 year old can't shut up about Subaru's (WRX STi Type RA, Spec C) and Sony Playstation (SOCOM), but he refers to the Scion as "a dorkey loser mobile" I think that implies that he doesn't approve.
Marketing to generation Y is like herding cats ...
Ted
http://wardsauto.com/ar/auto_why_toyota_wants_2/
Quote
- - - - - - - - -
Bob Lutz is another aging GM executive who's skeptical about Scion.
“The worst thing you can do is design a car for young people, and say, ‘You're going to like it because we designed it for you,” says Lutz, 70, vice-chairman for GM's product development and unofficially dubbed the auto maker's “product czar.”
“I may be wrong and Toyota may be right,” he says. “But you need to design vehicles that are universally attractive. You make strong vehicles attractively priced for young people. That's the recipe.”
- - - - - - - - - end of quote
I'll take the guionM approach to this ... I ask my oldest kid ... my 13 year old can't shut up about Subaru's (WRX STi Type RA, Spec C) and Sony Playstation (SOCOM), but he refers to the Scion as "a dorkey loser mobile" I think that implies that he doesn't approve.
Marketing to generation Y is like herding cats ...
Ted
Registered User
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 2,610
From: Cincinnati, OH
Companies are trying too hard to make cars that will appeal to us (us collective for my generation). They need to take a step back and look at the **** comming out of the design room, would they have driven it as a kid? If yes, then produce it. If no, then start over. Jesus christ its not like we're from Mars. They could stand to do some market research at conservative colleges in the midwest to counterbalance all the **** they hear in California.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,713
From: The Golden State
Originally posted by Ted 99 TA WS6 Conv
...Bob Lutz is another aging GM executive who's skeptical about Scion.
“The worst thing you can do is design a car for young people, and say, ‘You're going to like it because we designed it for you,” says Lutz, 70, vice-chairman for GM's product development and unofficially dubbed the auto maker's “product czar.”
“I may be wrong and Toyota may be right,” he says. “But you need to design vehicles that are universally attractive. You make strong vehicles attractively priced for young people. That's the recipe.”
I'll take the guionM approach to this ... I ask my oldest kid ... my 13 year old can't shut up about Subaru's (WRX STi Type RA, Spec C) and Sony Playstation (SOCOM), but he refers to the Scion as "a dorkey loser mobile" I think that implies that he doesn't approve.
Marketing to generation Y is like herding cats ...
Ted
...Bob Lutz is another aging GM executive who's skeptical about Scion.
“The worst thing you can do is design a car for young people, and say, ‘You're going to like it because we designed it for you,” says Lutz, 70, vice-chairman for GM's product development and unofficially dubbed the auto maker's “product czar.”
“I may be wrong and Toyota may be right,” he says. “But you need to design vehicles that are universally attractive. You make strong vehicles attractively priced for young people. That's the recipe.”
I'll take the guionM approach to this ... I ask my oldest kid ... my 13 year old can't shut up about Subaru's (WRX STi Type RA, Spec C) and Sony Playstation (SOCOM), but he refers to the Scion as "a dorkey loser mobile" I think that implies that he doesn't approve.
Marketing to generation Y is like herding cats ...
Ted
Cars my kid loved: the Mustang Mach1, a decked out (or riced out, depending on your point of view) Pontiac Sunfire, the Corvette, the Escalade
, the Magnum wagon , and finally, the Grand Am GT, and the normal assortment of aftermarket thingys downstairs.Bob Lutz is right on this, youth aren't going to buy something simply because it's marketed to them. Besides FWD and 4 cylinder engines, today's youth want the same thing us older folks and our parents wanted when we were young. A low cost, good looking car that we can upgrade to our own tastes & budget. Whether it's custom paint, wheels, stereo upgrades, engine or chassis upgrades, or all the above.
A breadbox on wheels ain't it.
Last edited by guionM; Apr 30, 2003 at 03:24 PM.
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Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 10,285
From: Albany, NY
I'm 23 and Most people my age and younger lover all the new Caddies
H2 is VERY popular too, At the NYC auto show this past weekend Hummer was probably the post popular brand , and they even had 2 displays (one with the trucks and one with the cars)
The problem is all the cars kids think are cool are expensive.
The only cheaper ride that 15-24 people seem to like a lot is the Xtreme I hope the Colorado sport does just as good (Colorado Xtreme would have been a better name)
H2 is VERY popular too, At the NYC auto show this past weekend Hummer was probably the post popular brand , and they even had 2 displays (one with the trucks and one with the cars)The problem is all the cars kids think are cool are expensive.
The only cheaper ride that 15-24 people seem to like a lot is the Xtreme I hope the Colorado sport does just as good (Colorado Xtreme would have been a better name)
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 403
From: Pittsburgh Pa USA
Cars we like:
F-bodies: awesome, just they don't make them anymore
Grand Am: ok styling, needs a better motor
J-Bodies: 2002 styling right on, just needed some more power, what happend in 2003?
Caddies: pretty cool, but we have no hope of affording them anytime soon
S-10: seems to be the civic of trucks ( no offense meant, just very popular)
Anything else? Not really.
F-bodies: awesome, just they don't make them anymore
Grand Am: ok styling, needs a better motor
J-Bodies: 2002 styling right on, just needed some more power, what happend in 2003?
Caddies: pretty cool, but we have no hope of affording them anytime soon
S-10: seems to be the civic of trucks ( no offense meant, just very popular)
Anything else? Not really.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,713
From: The Golden State
Originally posted by stik6shift98
?? clarification needed
?? clarification needed
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 403
From: Pittsburgh Pa USA
By the styling, I was talking about the nice wheels, small non-ricey spoiler, good looking stock ground effects. They looked great in yellow and black in my opinion, all they needed was the blower GM kept mentioning. I know they came out with a 2.4 litre supercharger that ads 40 horses, but why do they only use 2.2 now.....
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