Oh yeah, I was in the tank for Chevy...

Imagine my reaction when I first saw a split bumper, '70 1/2, Z/28!

 

I guess I'm stuck in the past. I still have a z26 and 3rdgen camaro in the garage among other even older GM products.

I may have less passion for GM, but I have zero passion for anything ford or chrysler make.

 

I had so little passion for GM there was a period of a month or two recently when I stopped coming here. Unthinkable for me not to get my daily camaroz28.com fix up until then. I think the bankruptcy talk and general chaos in the American auto industry really soured me for a while.

As far as product goes, I still feel a passion for what GM has out and what is coming in the future - but that whole "cars from China" thing really feels like a slap in the face. One thing that has changed is that I can feel my respect for Ford increasing exponentially. No government assistance, on (somewhat) solid ground, coming out with more exciting product (including the turbocharged V6 lines!) For the first time really in my life, I feel like a Ford vehicle could really be an option for me the next time I go looking for a new car.

 

I haven't become less of a Chevy/Pontiac/Caddy fan, but I have noticed my self becoming more of a fan of Ford.

I'd take a Focus over Cobalt, Taurus over Impala, Escape over HHR.

 

I always have and always will be a GM guy. That being said, I will support all of the US auto manufacturers and will not support any of the foreigners.

I do not care if they have plants here, have employees here, etc. I will never own a car from a Japanese, Korean, Chinese, etc manufacturer.

 

i have always been a GM guy. i have argued with folks so many times i cant even count, about the turnaround being right around the corner. each time this new product was released it seemed it wasnt quite up to snuff, and each time it gets harder to push for GM.

and now it seems that GM truely has import level quality, they are out of cash and in a death spiral.

i will always love GM, but it turns my stomach to think how they ran themselves into the ground.

i actually see myself leaning toward the Ford camp nowadays, though i wish the best for all American companys.

 

HHR has always taken a lot of crap around here, but a co-worker and I recently had one as a rental - I liked it! Surprisingly roomy, quiet and got outstanding gas mileage. The interior was pieced together well. If I was in the market for a handy compact, I'd consider one - especially at the prices you can probably get them at.

 

You and I think a lot alike

1) I've already decided that if my career in the auto industry comes to a screeching halt tomorrow (all Chrysler dealers get their franchise "Yea/Nay" letters tomorrow) and I'm out of a job and need my first DD in over 3 years, I know this seems funny...but I'll likely be buying an Olds. I'll need something cheap and older to drive around in, as I don't want to DD one of the F bodies or my 12 MPG, got-a-loan-on-it truck (or waste putting mileage on it...I'll need that truck for years to come). It'll either be an Alero coupe or an Aurora. The sad thing is, would you believe a loaded '02 3.5 Aurora is only a couple grand more, tops than an Alero? Gotta love GM's Dead Division Resale! And those last Auroras and Aleros are still decent looking cars today.

2) You hit the nail on the head better than I did about how special, tarted up models of basic cars generated a lot of interest, i.e. X11, GTZ etc. We have no sporty Malibu...or even a 2 door Malibu!! I see Altima Coupes all over the place around here!

3) I hadn't written off Pontiac yet...I still had hope Pontiac is still my all-time favorite division, and was just thinking today that assuming I keep my job and things are ok next year, I would like to buy a "Final 500" G8 for my wife if GM does with Pontiac what it did with Olds. That'd be my own personal tribute to Pontiac...the one division that said it all for me, for years.

Some of you seem to be saying "Z24s and cladded Pontiacs suck, blah blah." That isn't the point. The point isn't whether those cars were good in TODAY'S terms, but how they were viewed THEN. And how that same excitement is lacking TODAY.

Its painfully obvious, everywhere you look. It shows in GM's sales.

 

Who cares about "excitement?" Back when they were pushing out these gimmicks, is exactly the same time frame that the Hondas and the Toyotas of the world were getting their reputation for well built, great value cars.

 

Of these cars you're complaining about, did you ever own any? What would you consider to be gimmicks?

My father's old '91 Grand Am SE was probably, in your mind, the pinnacle of this "gimmick" timeframe. Yet that 180hp, 30+ MPG, .86g skidpad circling "plasticky" Pontiac ran rings around equivalent Preludes, Celicas, whatever...period. I had a ball with that car, and probably should have kept it for auto-xing.

I think you're taking your bias a little too far, and not realizing there were some GREAT cars made during those years.

 

The latest generation Aurora is still a remarkably attractive car. I wouldn't mind driving one. If it came in a stick it's possible I'd own one presently.

 

That's hilarious that I'm being accused on "bias" after seeing some of the posts in these threads about worshipping GM, etc. You skirted the whole issue though. Making what you like to call "excitement" cars didn't do them any favors when it came to the competition. The time frame you're talking about is exactly the same time from that Honda and Toyota made their advances. They may have been "exciting" for the guy who's going to buy a GM product regardless of how it compares to the foreign competition, but for the car buying mass public I think it's obvious that they didn't do much.

 

I work for GM and I don't have a problem with whatever motivates your choices. We need to build what people will buy. What you want is of interest.

What my concern for GM is personal. My loyalty is based in my knowledge and enjoyment of the great things they have done, continue to do, and the great cars I have had and have now which were a direct result of what GM did and does. That going away bothers me big time.

I am sometimes confused when folks that choose to come to a GM model celebration site concern themselves whit much other than that which has an effect on that passion in particular. This is a place which exists because of the Camaro.


I'll admit to reading many GM forums and many competitor forums, but it is part of being good at what I do. I read them to find what is motivating their choices because I want their business.

Someone being amazed to find brand loyalty on a brand model site is amusing to me.

I don't expect people on a Camaro site to be loyal or interested in much other than that. It would be nice if they were, but logic doesn't dictate it.

I like Levi 501 jeans. I couldn't care less what cut or color their Dockers come in.

 

I hear you. I'm pulling really hard for Ford these days (in addition to GM, of course). The current and new Fusion are really nice (as is the Malibu).

I thought it odd that you mention Escape over HHR, as I don't really see those as competitors. The Escape really lines up agains the Equinox more than anything. The HHR is basically a Cobalt-sized wagon, which Ford doesn't offer in the Focus anymore.

Focus over Cobalt for me would be possible (I've not been in the revised Focus, so I don't know how they drive) if talking basic transportation. But since I'd be more interested in the Cobalt SS... the Focus doesn't really have a counter to that at this time.

 

I didn't skirt the whole issue. What I'm saying is during those times THEY SOLD A TON OF THESE "EXCITEMENT" CARS. So obviously, uh, those were a good thing, right??? They obviously DID "do much." That's the bias I'm referring to.

The point is now the core cars themselves are vastly better, but fail to garner the same enthusiasm. We're lacking the real "blood pumping" models, if you will.

Others here seem to get what I'm talking about, so I'm not sure what the issue is here.