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How to save it. Nobody has the right answers just yet. Manufacturers dropping sedans and models that dont sell. Cutting employees and restructuring. Trying to figure out what to make which will include EV vehicles, like them or not. They're coming. My guess is not everyone is going that way. They wont be cheap, and its a new industry. Many wont take that chance. If people dont go for the EV vehicles, what will they have left on the lot to consider buying. You may be driven to another brand to buy because the brand you are loyal to just doesnt carry what you want. Its going to be interesting how this plays out.
The question should be....Why is GM facing the problems it is?
It's facing the same problem that all auto makers are: a shift in consumer preference form sedans to CUV's.
GM is simply being proactive in dropping sedans from their offering to focus on what consumers want. FCA did it two years ago when it dropped the 200 and Dart and Ford announced a similar plan in the spring of this year. Even Honda and Toyota are seeing the change is preference - sedan sales are down and CUV sales are up. Luckily, their models were selling better than the others and they aren't feeling the pinch - yet. But if sales drop down to under 100K annually, they'll both look at dropping sedans.
I agree that American made large vehicles tend to be great, but it's very hit and miss with small and compacts. You really have to do your reading to not end up with total garbage, even in 2018.
I'd have no problem with owning an Aveo or Focus, except I no longer want to drive something that small.
The reason that Ford and now GM are doing away with sedans, as the writing is on the wall. The sales are declining rapidly no matter who makes them. Why spend the millions and billions that is needed to develop the next generation, when they can spend that money on what sells. They can convert those car factories over to SUV and Truck production and be much more profitable, than they will by keep building the vehicles that makes the profit, and get rid of the vehicles which are declining in sales every year, including foreign ones.
The big thing that is killing sedan sales, as they have declined in size to the point they no longer make sense to a lot of people. Tall people cannot even get into one. Not enough room in them for a family, and any thing they buy on a shopping trip.
The small sedans, are also the most dangerous on the road, with many more people being killed in them, than they are in SUVs and Pickups per million miles driven.
There are over 1.5 million deer/car accidents per year in the USA per year. The average repair bill is about $12,000 last time I checked. Deer statistics show that 125 to 150 people are killed in those accidents.
Hit a deer with a car, and you may find the deer in the drivers lap, sometimes getting to heaven real quick, and an average of $12,000 repairs to a car being totaled. Or a SUV or Pickup with a grill guard and it only involves getting to a car wash to get rid of the blood and guts.
My son a long haul owner operator truck driver, hit a deer and it cost $8,500 to repair and he was down 2 weeks while they got parts and repaired the truck. Since then with a deer guard, twice he had to get to a car wash, to get rid of any thing the truck suffered such as blood and guts. The first deer, was in New York going into NYC, not a real rural area.
This week my daughter in law, will have a deer guard put on her new SUV. She travels to meet her clients (she is a social worker with 90 mentally handicapped clients), she has to meet them in person along with a care giver when needed, 3 times a year and that is in an area 225 miles by 40 miles in size. Her manager recently had a deer jump off the bank right in front of her, and not only was the deer dead, but the car was totaled, and she was in the hospital 2 weeks.
As GM, Ford, and FCA continue to lay off thousands of people, America needs to find a way to save its own carmakers. Here are the two things we need to do:
1. Show everyone you know that quality has improved by leaps and bounds:
Yes, American cars WERE, back during the oil shocks of the 1970s and 1980s especially, absolutely terrible. But that isn't the case anymore. Almost ALL Big Three automobiles nowadays are AT LEAST class-competitive, with some models even being among the best that you can buy!!! Yet, VERY FEW people seem to realize that! Even here in import-heavy California, I know PLENTY of people who have or have had various sorts of American cars, some dating back to the early 1990s, that did NOT go straight to the junkyard once they reached 50K miles, instead, they drove them to or WELL past 200K miles!!!
For example:
My Dad's 2006 GMC Sierra Duramax just crossed 200K (most Duramax, Power Stroke, and Cummins engines can reach a MILLION miles if you do all the scheduled maintenance, which most people DON'T)
A family friend just sold his 1999 F-250 diesel after 235K
Another friend owns a 2002 Suburban and a 2007 Cadillac CTS, with the Suburban at 215K and the Caddy just crossed 200K
I know someone from high school whose parents own a 2001 Suburban with 220K
A lady at my old high school has a 2003 Malibu and a 1997 Chevy Cheyenne pickup, with the Malibu at 255K and the truck at 240K
The auto shop teacher at that same school owns a 2001 F-150 with 260K
I know many other people who have American cars/trucks who have driven/are still driving their machines to over 200K, but for the sake of length, I won't list them. So that means you should not believe ANYTHING Consumer Reports says, as they sold themselves out to the Japanese and later Koreans years ago, and failed to even EXPOSE the above!!!
2. Show everyone you know that American made means GM/Ford/Chrysler, but NOT a Toyota/Honda/Nissan/Subaru/Hyundai/Kia/Mazda/etc. put together in the States:
I DO understand that some Big Three cars/trucks are built outside of American borders, BUT, let me tell you this: GM/Ford/FCA EACH, within all their divisions and subsidiaries, own MORE factories IN AMERICA than most foreign car companies COMBINED!!! And who do they employ?! AMERICANS!!! And before you go to the dealer to purchase your Civic/Corolla/whatever, read the following. Buying a foreign branded car, EVEN IF it is built in America, will send AT LEAST 75% of your hard-earned US dollars to Tokyo/Seoul/wherever, [snip]
So, if you are considering buying a foreign branded automobile, REGARDLESS of where it was made and where the parts are sourced, READ THIS!!!
GM was building some of the best trucks ever made. The 1999 through 2006 Silverado and Sierra are almost bullet proof. Mine has almost 500,000 miles on it and it is my daily driver. I also have a Tahoe with around 240,000 that has been excellent. Now the NBS 2007 Tahoe I had was a POS. The Trailblazer we had was a POS. My brother had a malibu that was a POS. They insist on putting that crap active fuel managment on everything and it sucks so we no longer buy GM vehicles. I am going with Toyota. They have manufacturing plants here and somehow they can keep their quality high. Chrysler has always been and still is crap. I will never own one of their products. Ford has screwed most everything they make up with the eco engines. They even screwed their diesel powerstroke engines up and they used to be incredibly reliable and long lasting.
They produce cars and trucks and soon become aware of widespread issues. What do they do? They try to deflect until the warranty period runs out and then it is the owners problem. I had my fill of it and will no longer support them. As far as I am concerned, all three can go bankrupt.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CALGUY
Not everyone wants, or can afford a Corvette, but all the things wrong with other GM vehicles , absolutely does not involve the Corvette.
Many of the older ones are still on the road, and have in access of 250,000 miles on them.
Recently a C5 owner who bought his new in 2000, donated it to the Corvette museum.
The car has 775,000 miles on it, and still looks like new.
I can't speak for the newer Corvettes as to how good, or bad they are , accept when it comes to style.
The C7 , in my mind abuse the privilege of being ugly.
I wouldn't take one if it were given to me.
I am getting up there in years, and I fully expect my current C5 to be my last car.
I am very happy with it in the years since I have owned it, and see no need for another car.
As for people buying foreign vehicles, , that is their choice.
For me, I wouldn't.
Bob.
They started putting Active Fuel Management on the corvettes now too, including the Z06. Can you believe they even put it on the Z06? It has had all sorts of issues too since it is the same junk AFM on the trucks and some cars. Who the hell buys a Z06 and wants something that increases the fuel mileage very minimally if at all and the trade off is less horsepower due to the special cam, lifters and tuning? Whoever made the call to put that crap on the Vettes is an absolute idiot.
It's a place for money to die. Look at Ford and GM's stock prices since 2000. There is no reason to be involved in the car business. Labor rates are way way too high for the shareholders to get a return on their money.
Yes, the US does make some good really cars now. IMO the best in the world for the money especially.
The reason that Ford and now GM are doing away with sedans, as the writing is on the wall. The sales are declining rapidly no matter who makes them. Why spend the millions and billions that is needed to develop the next generation, when they can spend that money on what sells. They can convert those car factories over to SUV and Truck production and be much more profitable, than they will by keep building the vehicles that makes the profit, and get rid of the vehicles which are declining in sales every year, including foreign ones.
The big thing that is killing sedan sales, as they have declined in size to the point they no longer make sense to a lot of people. Tall people cannot even get into one. Not enough room in them for a family, and any thing they buy on a shopping trip.
The small sedans, are also the most dangerous on the road, with many more people being killed in them, than they are in SUVs and Pickups per million miles driven.
There are over 1.5 million deer/car accidents per year in the USA per year. The average repair bill is about $12,000 last time I checked. Deer statistics show that 125 to 150 people are killed in those accidents.
Hit a deer with a car, and you may find the deer in the drivers lap, sometimes getting to heaven real quick, and an average of $12,000 repairs to a car being totaled. Or a SUV or Pickup with a grill guard and it only involves getting to a car wash to get rid of the blood and guts.
My son a long haul owner operator truck driver, hit a deer and it cost $8,500 to repair and he was down 2 weeks while they got parts and repaired the truck. Since then with a deer guard, twice he had to get to a car wash, to get rid of any thing the truck suffered such as blood and guts. The first deer, was in New York going into NYC, not a real rural area.
This week my daughter in law, will have a deer guard put on her new SUV. She travels to meet her clients (she is a social worker with 90 mentally handicapped clients), she has to meet them in person along with a care giver when needed, 3 times a year and that is in an area 225 miles by 40 miles in size. Her manager recently had a deer jump off the bank right in front of her, and not only was the deer dead, but the car was totaled, and she was in the hospital 2 weeks.
Grill guards are regularly referred to as damage multipliers.
I am getting up there in years, and I fully expect my current C5 to be my last car.
I am very happy with it in the years since I have owned it, and see no need for another car.
I have a C6 with 74K miles on it. I'm going to keep it as long as possible. The C7, as it is now, is too "flamboyant" for me.
Back to the subject, folks want SUVs and Trucks, not domestic sedans. Regarding sedans, it's either Japanese (honda, toyota, nissan) or German luxury (Audi, Mercedes, BMW)
The damage is done, and now one wants domestic sedans.
2. Show everyone you know that American made means GM/Ford/Chrysler, but NOT a Toyota/Honda/Nissan/Subaru/Hyundai/Kia/Mazda/etc. put together in the States:
<snipped xenophobic racist rant>
So, if you are considering buying a foreign branded automobile, REGARDLESS of where it was made and where the parts are sourced, READ THIS!!!
Just NO.
I prefer facts. Read this, instead, published by American University in Washington, D.C.'s
Kogod School of Business Research Auto Index Made in America Auto Index 2018:
IIHS conducts vehicle tests to determine crashworthiness — how well a vehicle protects its occupants in a crash. TOP SAFETY PICKs by year can be researched here:
There is, as of this writing, only one of the "Big Three" automaker's vehicles that gets a top safety rating and that is the little 2018 Chevrolet Volt.
When the "Big Three" automakers' vehicles are also the safest vehicles in their category for the category of vehicle that I want and need, then I will seriously consider them, but not before.
Last edited by PJSaturn; 12-03-2018 at 06:38 PM..
Reason: Copyrighted image.
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