http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Dispatch/070503markets.aspx Ouch. I hope the movie helps them out.
They can start by making cars that people actually want to buy. If I were to buy a car right now, GM would probably be the last place I'd look since there's so many better options out there. Personal opinion of course.
Maybe that "Decepticon Attack" on their website for the movie did more damage than they thought..... But seriously, they need to make a better product, pretty soon the Big Three will be Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai....o.k. maybe not Hyundai, but you get the picture...
It is important to note that the 90% plunge is presumably comparing first quarter 07 to first quarter 06.
Bring back the Firebirds! I think the only cars currently being made that I actually like the way they look are Fords.
You couldn't give me an American-built car today. Combine the lack of quality with the unsustainable labor agreements the Big Three have with their unions, and short of a government funded bailout or a complete reinvention, I don't see any of them existing in anything resembling their current form in another decade or two.
I'm not surprised. With the rising popularity(still) of Toyota and Honda, and the fact that car sales in general the first 4 months of 07 compared to 06 were horrible. I can see that happening. The sales at my lot were down 50% from last year. And the finance companies I work with are all hurting because most dealerships are in the same position. People get out there and buy some cars DAMMIT!!
I would only suggest that, based on what I've read, there really is no longer a lack of quality (generally speaking) in American built cars. The problem is the overwhelming perception that there still is.
I tend to agree, I have owned several dodges and fords that did just fine, hell I put 200,000 miles on a neon I had before trading it in for a caravan, and I had an older caravan that I put 180,000 miles on before wrecking it. Now, I have had trouble with GM cars, but they were all older (pre-1991)
Anyone on here that is knocking down GM quality has NEVER driven a newer GM model, otherwise you would be singing a different tune. Period. And please Razerwire, of any higher end vehicles, only GM has the vehicles I'd purchase... besides exotics... Of course if you're into those tiny tin can rice rockets maybe GM isn't for you.
I agree with that as well, I own an 01 GM (chevy) and have had nothing but normal routine maintance with it and it now has 75000 miles on it. Basically just brakes, tires, oil and I think I replaced the battery. On top of that it is has been called the WORST car made by chevy, the camaro! LOL. I Love my car. She is good to me. It is hard to break the conception of lack of quality however, while over looking the large amount of recalls toyota and honda both have had recently. I believe toyota actually had more then GM recently. GM, Ford and Dodge have to overcome people's perceptions, which is sometimes very hard or impossible to do. Just food for thought.
Taking donations! *puts hands out* How bad this news is depends on who you ask and how you look at it. GM's profits are down from a year ago, but they turned a profit, unlike Ford and DaimlerChrysler. See here and here for other points of view.
There is quality in American cars/trucks, but if its too good, they will stop producing it. Case in point, my F-150 with a 300 straight six. This is by far the best engine Ford (or anyone else) has built in terms of quality and engine life. Its not peppy, or super fuel efficient, but it has a reputation of lasting more than 300,000 miles. Ford stop producing it. Jerks.
I'll concede that could be the case nowadays. Still, Japanese cars have been consistently reliable for twenty years. The Big 3 might be doing well right now, but I'm not going to spend the money now and risk the year I do so being the one they decide to ease up on doing things right. Given this story about GM's profit, it appears the average American consumer agrees with me. Don't get me wrong--if I could buy an American car with the same confidence I can buy a Japanese model, I would. In a heartbeat, I'd support business here (which is one reason I'm glad so many Japanese factories are located stateside nowadays) rather than send my cash overseas. But I won't do so at the expense of my pocketbook. And a lot of blame still rests with labor agreements.
Usually it's rare that a movie helps a car company in it's sells (atlist not since the Smokey and the Bandit movies that helped pontiac in it's Trans Am...If any other that I can think of now). The worst part of all is ,it's gonna be the assembly-line employees that are going to feel this (Either by a decrease in their salaries or job cuts).
Toyota is second in manufacturing capabilities to GM, but thats prob. because GM has like 6 ot 7 companies under it. I drive a Toyota, and I can easily say that they are probably the best car company out there. As for Hyundai, they rank 3rd in customer satisfaction in the world, right behind Porsche and Lexus. Hyundai is makin' some damn fine vehicles these days. i personally am not a Honda fan, but you are probably right.
I love when people read the article before posting. It's the declining housing market that brought them down, not the sales of their cars.
Who wants to spend all this money on a gas guzzler anyway? Gas just broke 3 dollars here, and its only May. What about June? July? And worst of all, August? Toyota will soon PWN all of the Big Three.