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Top 10 Turnaround Tips for GM/Ford/Chrysler - READ ONLY

161 messages,  Last post on Feb 14, 2010 at 8:26 PM

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What is this discussion about? Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford

Messages Page 1 of 16

#1 of 161 Submit ideas to -Top 10 Turnaround Tips for GM/Ford/Chrysler by globalhobo

Mar 03, 2006 (11:49 am)

As an economist who cares much about the U.S. auto industry I think it would be helpful to send a clear set of tips to the U.S. makers about the best ideas from readers of this forum to help them turn their products and profitability around.
 
The best suggestions from outsider car enthusiasts will hopefully seep into their plans and actually take root in future actions.
 
I challenge all readers to contribute their best (top 10) ideas on this forum and, before July 1, '06 to read as many tips and respond again by voting for the best ideas to be made available for GM/Ford/Chrysler executives to read.
 
(Please refrain from submitting micro-issue tips such as "Make louder horns on the 2006 Ford Fiestas")

#2 of 161 Top Ten by lemko

Mar 03, 2006 (12:36 pm)

10. No FWD Buicks or Cadillacs. Luxury and near luxury cars should be RWD/AWD. Same goes for serious performance cars. Impala SS = RWD. Monte Carlo = RWD. I'm sure a lot of people would like their own NASCAR racer.
 
9. If OHC/DOHC is what the public wants, give it to them.
 
8. If the public wants hybrids, give them hybrids.
 
7. Work with suppliers as does Toyota and Honda. Don't beat them up over pennies. Quality components make quality cars. Maybe the components will cost more, but think of the expense as an investment rather than a cost.
 
6. Don't let shareholders push you around and make you focus on short-term gains. Do as your competition does and look at the long-term. Better quality = increased sales = increased dividends.
 
5. If you demand sacrifices of your workers, make real sacrifices yourself and set an example. Show them you're serious by throwing away your "golden parachute" and show them you will be just as screwed if the company sinks as the guy on the factory floor. Heck, if I were CEO, I'd go down to the factory floor myself and bolt cars together to serve as an example.
 
4. First beancounter who wants to sacrifice quality for cost savings gets fired and is permanently banished from the auto industry.
 
3. Just reverse-engineer a Camry and/or Accord and match or exceed the quality.
 
2. Get rid of troublesome dealers. You could have the best darn product in the world, yet these idiots will give you a bad reputation. Pull their franchise and give it to somebody deserving.
 
1. Concentrate on CARS! You got trucks and SUVs down pat.

#3 of 161 Re: Submit ideas to -Top 10 Turnaround Tips for GM/Ford/Chrysler [globalhobo] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Mar 03, 2006 (12:44 pm)

Replying to: globalhobo (Mar 03, 2006 11:49 am)
1. Kill off your "dead" brands....Pontiac, Lincoln.
 
2. GM: Push Corvette further upscale. Ditch the XLR after you do that.
 
3. Begin an IMMENSE dealer training program to vastly improve the sales and service interface with the customer. WARNING: the "car wars" of tommorow will be won IN THE SHOWROOMS and SERVICE OUTLETS.

#4 of 161 Re: Top Ten [lemko] by dglozman

Mar 03, 2006 (12:48 pm)

Replying to: lemko (Mar 03, 2006 12:36 pm)
Funny, if you take away #10, 5 and 2 - you basically want to be like Honda or Toyota... And you still like big 2.5.... You just admitted that Honda/Toyota are building superior cars

#5 of 161 Re: Top Ten [dglozman] by lemko

Mar 03, 2006 (1:06 pm)

Replying to: dglozman (Mar 03, 2006 12:48 pm)
Trouble is, they're still butt-ugly and/or bland. About the only Japanese car I could possibly see myself in in a Lexus LS. Yeah, it's bland, but its decent size and passing resemblance to an S-Class helps.

#6 of 161 Suggestions by mirth

Mar 03, 2006 (1:19 pm)

- Increase warranty periods. You don't have to match the Koreans, but beat everyone else.
 
- Innovate - beat the imports with technical advances. Stop playing catch-up.
 
- Don't just make the cars "as good as" the competition - leap frog them. Beat them on everything: power, fuel-efficiency, styling, safety, price. You're going to have offer MUCH better value than the competition to steal sales.
 
- Come out with more new models faster. You're getting killed in this by the imports.
 
- Stop badge-engineering everything to death (Chevy/Pontiac/Buick, Ford/Mercury). Come out with one model and keep improving it year over year.

#7 of 161 Curious by anythngbutgm

Mar 03, 2006 (1:33 pm)

Why is there even a debate about a Chrysler turnaround? Sales are up something like 3% for them and has anyone seen the snipets on the new Sebring/Stratus/Avenger? Seems that a Fusion-like effort is in store for the next generation. Also, 300 sales (And their siblings) aren't showing any signs of slowdown. The Caliber is here, and looks promising and the Dodge trucks still manage a top ten leader in sales. If anything, I think MB needs the turnaround more than Chrysler, even though I don't see Mercedes floundering that badly...
 
And over at Ford, the Mustang is huge, the Fusion twins are garnering plenty of attention, the F-series Trucks are still #1 in sales and with the infusion of the 3.5l in the lineup, the 500 and Freestyle look to increase their appeal. Seems like Ford has gotten there act together, or is at least TRYING to get together. The efforts are already showing.
 
It's hilarious how things are playing out. Really it is. GM is (has been)floundering so badly, all the garbage that they have been putting out on the market is finally catching up to them and they are on a brink of Chapter 11 (NO I didn't say going out of Business). But all the Pro-demestic GM diehards are lumping the group into the misery?
 
Why? To get more not-so-GM diehards into the scare as well? Think "Hey GM has a problem right now, let's make it look like the others do too!?!?" I don't get it.
 
I guess since Toyota is revving up to be the #1 Automaker very soon, that means all other import brands are as well huh?

#8 of 161 In the end... by john_324

Mar 03, 2006 (1:51 pm)

...there's just one:
 
Make cars that people want to purchase, not ones they're merely willing to accept.
 
If they don't, eventually the domestic auto industry will go the way of the domestic television industry...

#9 of 161 Yeah, but... by mirth

Mar 03, 2006 (2:11 pm)

...sometime people don't know what they want until you come up with it. People didn't know they wanted an iPod until Apple created it.

#10 of 161 Re: Yeah, but... [mirth] by john_324

Mar 03, 2006 (2:46 pm)

Replying to: mirth (Mar 03, 2006 2:11 pm)
I'm sure whoever comes up with the first practicable hover-car will make a killing.
 
If the big 3 can do it, teriffic! But that's hardly the kind of plan to bet the firm on...in the meantime, there's plenty of well-known things that people want that GM et. al. aren't delivering.

Messages Page 1 of 16

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