Maybe it's just me...but it seems like GM has issues because many of their vehcles just don't compare favorably to their competing domestic cars. Also, GM seems to waste a lot of money on technological flops. Consider, quad-steer, which they used to insist that it would take over the market. It died because it was overpriced and not heavy duty enough for the serious towing market. That represents how many millions in R&D down the drain? Look at their Envoy XUV, that never sold. Look at the Aztec, 'nuff said. Any bets on how well the fugly Malibu Maxx is gonna sell?

Don't get me wrong, I like GM, and they do make some good vehicles. But, what they have going for them is torn apart by the mistakes they have made, and continue to make! Both Ford and DCX have unique vehicles that sell well, like DCX's LX large cars, and the Mustang. Chevy has the Vette, but the market is too small to make a lot of money.

I think chevy needs to re-evaluate the market, and determine what the people really want. That's how I figure they'll eventually pull themselves out of this mess.

 

china has found oil and how long before they self stain them selfs with their own cheap oil and labor? gm can cut down to 3 brand names and still make a bundle. heck they could make money with 2 chevy and caddie. hurting them right now, sab, saturn, pontiac, gmc, buick, hummer,all of them have low sales right now. how much money has ford dumped into jag? and lost. gmc they are not going anywhere for a long time

 

Mofw's Question about not stocking parts in the factory: I retired from Ford at the KC assembly plant in 2001. The answer is yes, they have what they call "just in time" parts delivery. Some times it works, sometimes we went home early. Anybody heard about the new car from China thats coming here in 2006. It will sell for $6995 and have a ten year warrenty?

 

Yeah, it will be unamed and have a giant, oval, gold embossed sticker in the trunk that says "Made In China"


Keep it up, threads like these make for enlightening reading

 

Yes they do (well I know Ford does anyway), its called "just in time", suppliers have to provide required parts on a "as required" basis, usually only for 1/2 a days production or so.

 

All auto makers use Just intime supply method now. It just saves money for storage, Plus any bad runs will be caught without have 500 extra worthless parts.

 

Don't think China will catch up, We engineer half there production line right now. In the furture they will be designing and make no mistake there quality control will only improve over time.

The real problem China has right now is the people there are getting smarter and educated. The goverment in the long run will not be abe to stiffle information forever! They are trying right now to control the internet and we supplied the programmers and engineers to do it for them. With that comes the complete control of the technology need to move on the other things.

They steal what they can't buy, Clinton gave most of it to them. One reason they got into space in a 1/3 of the time it took the US and Russia. They had all the mathmatical calculations needed, Which took Ten years of research that they did not need to do.


Hell they even blew a rocket up to streep all the boards from it. It was a US satelite that was being lauched for us "In China" Our Goverment are a bunch of Crack heads and drunks to even let that stuff even leave the US.

 

read below, sorry double post

 

I agree with a few others having said that GM is just too big. They should find a niche and go for it. Take Ford. They have the F-Series line of trucks(SUV's too, since there basically trucks without a bed). . .and the Mustang. . . and a couple cars I have never heard of, but they put all that energy into their trucks, and look what we have? How many years have they been #1? Just my humble opinion

 

I really don't want to get into the politics of it, so I'll leave that part alone. I think that the problem GM, Ford and Chrysler (more mainly Dodge) have is they can not put a vehicle out there without hearing how unreliable it is. I've never had to take my truck back to Ford to have anything fixed on it but whenever someone talks about trucks with me I hear, "well I'm gonna by a Toyota because I don't need any problems." If not that I will hear, "I know this guy that owned a Nissan and he never had to take it in for repairs."

This is obviously pure bull, if a Nissan or a Toyota never needed to be repaired then why would Nissan and Toyota dealerships have shops and warranties? GM and Ford need to both smartin up, learn from there past mistakes and put out a product that will run forever. For instance, how long have Fords been burning down houses because of that cruise control issue? How many other issues has Ford ignored for 3+ years and are scared to do recalls on?

If GM was smart they would cut back on so many different product lines. Choose to either produce the Sierra or the Silverado, don't produce both, same with their mid size pick ups. From there they would need to just do a complete redesign on their truck, programs like TheTruthAboutTrucks.com will scare you away from even getting a ride in a Silverado. Of all the different trucks presented on that website, Chevrolet and GMC defenitly have got to be embarressed. They should just take what Nissan does with it's Titan and provide a factory spray in liner. Team up with a company like Line X or start their own variant of the liner. Oh and for goodness sake, make a better looking truck! Oh and make sure it doesn't share the same exact from end as every Chevy SUV/Truck, change it up a bit, this ticks me off about Ford too.

Oh and heres a link for people who don't think that Toyotas are recalled.

- Chris

 

I think a company needs to diversify.
Its just that they need to understand the market they are heading into.
I believe Ford understands and caters for the "truck" market better than any other company at the moment.
I would have no problem with them manufacturing lawn edgers, just as long as:
They understood for the market and catered for it
It was within Fords core values (built Ford tough)
They made money from it.

The problem is, too many automotive manufacturers see a segment, and say "here is a sales oppurtunity" and they jump in and build a vehicle that isn't what people want.

Honda is a good example of how to do it:
They rarely step into a segment they don't understand.
E.g. Ridgeline, it will never be the most popular truck, but Honda knows what people want (even if those people aren't you or me), which is a truck which is easier to drive
I have no doubt they will follow Honda's core values, which are generally:
Cheap to run
Good build quality
High reliability

I am sure they will make money from it to, and thats the important thing.

 

I think we are saying that Toyota and Nissan have problems as well, but because of the processes they follow, they are far less frequent.

Toyota (like pretty much every other automotive company in existance) has had recalls, but they have had less than their fair share.

If you feel like it, count up the number of recalls for Ford products and compare them to Toyota.

Ford recalls
http://www.automotive.com/used-cars/...ord/index.html
Toyota recalls
http://www.automotive.com/used-cars/...ota/index.html

I am not jumping on the Toyota band wagon by any means, but this partly explains why they are becoming more successful, as the customer isn't impacted anywhere near as severly.

 

BigF350- great post, and some interesting points. I personally don't understand the Ridgeline, but I don't have to. The real question is- does Honda understand who's going to buy the Ridgeline, and does that product cater to that customer group? My guess, given Honda's track record, is yes.

re: Diversification. I could make an argument that diversification has been a lot of GM's undoing. They've gotten involved in so many businesses, it's hard to focus on the core business. Financial services, re-insurance, satellite communications...good grief, who's on second? omigod, who's got Buick this week?

The Northwest Chapter of FTE
we don't get lost,
we just get found

 

Well actually if you read the financial reports then GM is lucky to be diversified right now. It is there other units that have kept them from going complete bankrupt. Right now if they had to stand on their automobile division then it would be gone.

 

True Rollie-

I wonder, though, what kind of products GM would have if they weren't so focused on the other stuff. Once upon a time, GM had car guys instead of accountants running the company- and the product line showed it.


The Northwest Chapter of FTE
we don't get lost,
we just get found