Loyalty is a 2 way street and GM has proven in the past that they have no problem tugging on our patriotism to make a quick buck. When they recover the same CEO's and upper management will then sell the American worker out the first chance they have to make a few extra bucks. After all how many of your GM vehicles already have made in Mexico engines in them now.
GM needs to sell off there Saab devision and consitrate on the americna market, Saab has done nothing but bring the market down.Saab has to be the worst investment GM ever purchased. there reputation for part and service is worse then the UGO. The Hummer marlet is killing them as well. Although I love the Hummer the gas problem is slowing sales down. Toyota is heading in the number one direction and if they get there, there's nothing going to stop them. If they got rid of the union and had health benifits and 401K like most of the corps out there they could save billions.
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69 RS Ragtop [email protected]
Will trade wife for parts!!!
General Motors on Sunday released a YouTube video extolling the lesser evil of a government bailout for the Detroit Three automakers. The four-minute piece reiterates many of the arguments being made by proponents of a government loan package, namely the fact that the American auto industry is one of the largest economic multipliers of any sector of the U.S. economy. A key argument is a potential loss of tax revenue would dwarf the cost of a bailout, not to mention a massive drop in GDP.
The video indicates the industry is faced with an “imminent collapse” that could lead to the loss of 3 million jobs in 2009. The thinking is the failure of either GM, Ford, or Chrysler would would lead to the immediate collapse of the other two, due to the impact on the numerous shared suppliers and other related industries.
Look, it's ridiculous when GM employees purchase more than $17M in Viagra from the health benefit package ($17m was for 2007 only). The biggest purchaser of Viagra in the US !!
My wife has a friend that got laid off from GM two years ago. Because of an agreement with the UAW and GM, she gets 95% of her salary until she is able to find a job that pays as much as she made with GM.
The kicker; to qualify for the 95% salary supplement she gets from GM, all she has to do is show up at GM plant each day and sit with 300 - 400 other employees for 8 hours a day. Please explain how that makes sense?
The room they sit in has 5, 52" large screen plasma TV's, free coffee, donuts, restrooms and parking. Some of the people bring cots to sleep while others even bring the kids during the summer months.
This is happening across the country, GM has thousands of laid off employees getting this package.
The union has got GM by the nuts and unless they are allowed to fail the union has the upper hand.
It makes me sick to see those auto workers riding little robotic equipment while installing parts of the cars... Anyone else ever see that ****? The workers don't have to bust a grape. Try to find a picture of a GM worker with sweat on his or her brow.... It's stupifying.
GM can put out all the propaganda they want but I feel that without getting a handle on the mandatory benefits, medical packages and pension payments the unions have contracted them for, they won't ever survive.
Bail out or not.
I'm not a union hater, in fact I'm a union member. Like most of you, I pay more than my fair share of taxes.
Look, it's ridiculous when GM employees purchase more than $17M in Viagra from the health benefit package ($17m was for 2007 only). The biggest purchaser of Viagra in the US !!
My wife has a friend that got laid off from GM two years ago. Because of an agreement with the UAW and GM, she gets 95% of her salary until she is able to find a job that pays as much as she made with GM.
The kicker; to qualify for the 95% salary supplement she gets from GM, all she has to do is show up at GM plant each day and sit with 300 - 400 other employees for 8 hours a day. Please explain how that makes sense?
The room they sit in has 5, 52" large screen plasma TV's, free coffee, donuts, restrooms and parking. Some of the people bring cots to sleep while others even bring the kids during the summer months.
This is happening across the country, GM has thousands of laid off employees getting this package.
The union has got GM by the nuts and unless they are allowed to fail the union has the upper hand.
It makes me sick to see those auto workers riding little robotic equipment while installing parts of the cars... Anyone else ever see that ****? The workers don't have to bust a grape. Try to find a picture of a GM worker with sweat on his or her brow.... It's stupifying.
GM can put out all the propaganda they want but I feel that without getting a handle on the mandatory benefits, medical packages and pension payments the unions have contracted them for, they won't ever survive.
Bail out or not.
I'm not a union hater, in fact I'm a union member. Like most of you, I pay more than my fair share of taxes.
Rich
Like it or not it is just going to get worse unless we the people change the way we think and work. We want want want but no one wants to work for it. When you work 6 days a week at over 10-12 hours a day to keep things going and the government just wants to take more and more how long can you hold out for. FIX THE GOVERNMENT and you fix the problems.
GM has the most retirements so they have huge payouts everymonth. Toyota has not been around long enough to feel it but they will over time. Unless they dont care about their workers at least GM stands behind them for the most part. Not saying they are perfect but I know alot of guys that have retired from GM and they are very well taken care of and I think that is the largest problem they have.
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Chris Fesler
Fesler Built - Scottsdale, AZ
The real problem is some think it's always a supposed to be a gravy train. I was at a friends house last week and a lady there was saying how bad things are. I had to ask what is so damn bad? I don't know of any generation that hasn't had their own obstacles. Most much worse.
I am sure GM will get bailed out so it's about a worthless discussion. How about not making so many cars. It's a pretty simple business practice called supply and demand. You have 100 trucks on the lot it's going to be a buyers market. Toyota only sends enough trucks to create a market to where they can get a reasonable amount. Not have to give the farm away on every truck or car. How about trying to get after Americas youth. Eventually the tried and true mid western americans aren't going to be around to buy American anymore. No one around here buys domestic cars. For a successful professional like myself...I feel like Caddilac is my only choice from GM and domestic auto makers. Still has the old man stigma in my mind. Things have to change if they aren't going to need bailed out again in 2 years. The same old strategies that have failed, will fail next time. This roller coaster ride is far from over.
I think that some stuff has just gotten over priced. 52K for a new pickup truck that I was looking at is a big hit. I'm going to end getting a used dually diesel..
My opinion, If the automakers do go down, there will be no debate as to whether or not we will go into a full-on economic depression as opposed to a "bad recession" or just having a "lousy economy".
Not only that, but the knowledge loss to the country will be tremendous if that industry is gone, and that is a very hard thing to put a price tag on.
People in this country are, by and large, completely ignorant of the massive consequences that are at stake here. They are completely numb from hearing about all the wall street issues these last few months, and feel this is just “more of the same” stuff.
On top of that, the media has spent decades conditioning people to believe that the American auto industry just doesn't produce anything that is any good at all, when we all know that some of what they produce is best-in-class, and best in the world in many cases.
Rich you are right, the employee situation is a complete mess. My hope is that any money they get, will come with some real enforceable stipulations on how they must use it (hopefully to reduce their pension and healthcare obligations for retirees and get that monkey off their backs…complete restructuring, union re-negotiations, etc, etc). Part of the problem, for GM in particular, is bad mortgage debt via GMAC financing (Ditech) So they should be directed to get out of that business...
I never would have had a manufacturing plant to go to work in back in NY as a college kid and get my career started, if it wasn’t for these three guys who were our main customers. I also spent many years in the defense industry and saw the auto makers technology contributions there firsthand. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is a real national security issue if they were to disappear.
Anyway...enough ranting...Even though they have HUGE management problems, I still called my congressman in support of help in the form of LOANS for the US auto industry.
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1969 Camaro/ Tom Nelson TT 434 / Wayne Due C5 / DSE QLink / and a bunch of other stuff...
Ok heres my 2 cents, I own a bodyshop I really dont sell parts or have an inventory of stuff besides paint and materials but lets look at it this way, say I sold tires and I have a huge inventory that I already paid for now my buisness is about to fail what do you do? sit on my pile of tires and keep them at retail price or do I cut my loss and sell them even if its less than I paid for them its not smart but at least I can pay my bills and stay open for awhile longer. Now I know gm is having some good sales but give me a break if your about to go out of buisness sell some of this stuff and sell it cheap, your not going to be selling these gas guzzlers anyway so price them to move even if you loose some money at least you'll keep your doors open. Price them cheap and sell them with no warranty so they wont loose out even more in the end and if you want a warranty you'll have to pay for it.
Ok I admit I was shopping for a Trailblazer SS and when I just went on the Chevy web site they have an entire section with the video and links telling people what they can do to save them and the US Auto Industry.
I have to say that is pretty scary when a Co. puts something like that out there. Things have to be beyond bad. The effect would be pretty devastating. For those who think that the Gov bailing them out and that there is nothing to worry about should read some articles being posted.
Most feel that the Auto Industry should be left to file Chapter 11 and let whatever happens happen. The banks were bailed out as they feared everybody would pull their money out of banks. From what I gather they are treating GM as any other Co in trouble and feel bailing them out would be a poor investment.
Problem is with all the scare who is going to buy a car not knowing what will happen. Not good!!!! It will also cripple the aftermarket part and service Industries.
Brian Hobaugh SCCA National Tour June 2014
First Hemi 'Cuda Convertible Ever Built
Short clips: Goodguys Pleasanton autocross and pit videos
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