Ya I'm the same way. I have not yet bought an import, but if I were to it would be a CHEAP *** one that I would use as my DD. That's a big IF too. I can find many similar or better American cars in any price range that do the same thing but better and with style

 

hehe, I hope GM does good to.

That being said, GO CAT GO. Thats going to be a power house stock, GM has nothing on CAT

 

You do realize that everything on the dealership level is done by the owners of the dealership and not GM right?

 

I agree.
Also all of thse people can easily pick up a job down the street at the next dealer. I am sure no one was forced into retirement. They cn easily find anther job unless it is a really hick town.

 

Toyota will pass GM this year. Toyota has announced they will produce 9.42 million vehicles worldwide in 2007, and while GM hasn't mentioned production targets, they sold 9.09 million vehicles in 2006 (versus Toyota's ~8.8 million) and their sales have been declining recently, not increasing.

A lot of the things GM might be doing right at the moment (better quality, better interiors, lower structural costs) take a while to be reflected in the sales charts. Meanwhile they are phasing out models (minivans) or starving others (360s), and cutting back fleet sales, all things that have a more immediate impact to sales. GM has publicly stated that the best they can hope for is for their North American market share to remain flat, not increase significantly.

Does GM care? Darned right they do, no matter what they say. It's a terrible thing to lose what many in the company considered GM's birthright. I think they've been #1 since the 1920s so very few people alive today have known any other leader except GM. Also recall a few years ago when Cadillac lost the luxury title to Lincoln, they were so bothered that they fudged their numbers to try to keep the number one spot.

 

It's GM that's about to be "***** slapped" by Toyota. GM's been the arrogant leader for decades and now this little upstart (that actually learned quite a bit from GM after the war) is going to take the crown. GM might be able to take it back in a few years, but that would hardly qualify as "***** slapping" Toyota.

 

R377 being as you work in the industry and obviously have much more extensive knowledge than myself I do think you are missing one thing. GM isn't doing so great in the US but in China, and other overseas markets, they are doing quite well. I think that GM can hold of Toyota this year IF GM China has another big year and the US sales are at least stagnant and do not drop signifigantly.

 

Yes, I worked for GM. Manufacturing group CCRW robotics. Installed many robots all kinds of applications. Even installed and designed the interface for CTS roof Laser braze system (new @ NAIAS). I was salary. Wedged between gm management and UAW. It was abusive. Worked Doubles (no pay), Weekends (no pay), Holidays (some pay but pay cap), travel (massive 3 month stints @ hotel over 3 1/2 year vehicle launch on the floor) (no miles compensation for personnel vehicle), Worked back to back shifts (midnight-day/ Afternoon - midnight), Also many benifit cuts (salary more than Union).

Mgt does not work like I did. UAW got OT and additional days. I was spoon feeding them (UAW) everything on the robots (programming/ IO config/ TShoot problems). I quit. They (gm mgt. and UAW) have been very rough on their 7 level and lower salary employee's. A very stressfull environment for the hands-on/ good Engineer.

There's more stress comming @ gm for your educated salary guy to compete against Toyota and Honda. I hope they can make it. There's got to be a change in the work rules/ policy, and, people held to accountability-responsibility. I'm a big Camaro gear-head and could never buy foreign.
Sorry for the vent.

 

Each manufacturer sets its production targets based on what it thinks the market (in this case, the world market overall) will be and that manufacturer’s projected share of that market. If Toyota’s estimates are accurate, then it will almost certainly surpass GM as the world’s number one manufacturer based on number of vehicles made.

That said, so what?

How many vehicles a manufacturer makes isn’t very meaningful if it is not profitable…should GM make and sell 50% more vehicles than Toyota this coming year, how meaningful is that if it looses money on each vehicle and Toyota makes a profit on each vehicle? Which company is truly better off???

Financial results are not as “sexy” or as interesting to most people as the “number of vehicles made” but I’d suggest that people pay attention to GM’s financial condition and where it’s trending rather than on how many vehicles is makes.

 

China is definitely a wildcard. Call me a pessimist, but I don't see it as a place where GM can gain much advantage on Toyota. Yes GM is currently the market leader and sells about three times the vehicles there that Toyota does. But China is becoming a very fragmented market where every company in the world is rushing in to do business. As markets fragment, they tend not to favour the leader since they have the most to lose, while newcomers collectively have the most to gain. And Toyota has the talent and resources to make some serious gains.

Overall though you're right, if the market as a whole keeps growing, GM's going to gain more volume even if Toyota gains more share. I just don't think it's enough to keep GM on top worldwide.