Ask the Car People.SM


GM News, New Models and Market Share - READ ONLY

32000 messages,  Last post on Feb 14, 2013 at 7:24 PM

You are in the Automotive News & Views-Archives Forum.

What is this discussion about? Automotive News

Messages Page 2988 of 3201

#29868 of 32000 Re: Chevrolet stores [ateixeira] by tlong

Dec 28, 2012 (2:42 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Dec 28, 2012 12:36 pm)
How can you sustain a franchise selling about 1 car a day?
  
Seriously.
 
I think you now also know why most D3 dealers are also foreign make dealers.

#29869 of 32000 Re: I have a Jetta loaner car... [andre1969] by dieselone

Dec 28, 2012 (3:09 pm)

Replying to: andre1969 (Dec 28, 2012 1:09 pm)
Don't chains tend to stretch out and throw the car way out of tune, so you at least get some warning before it fails totally?
 
My FIL drove 3 Dodge Ram vans consecutively from the late 70's through the early 90's. I think the model years were '77, '84, and '87. All were powered by 318s and all of them needed a timing chain replacement around 100k or so. Two gave him a warning prior to failing, but one failed at 110k while he was towing his bass boat to a fishing tournament out in the middle of nowhere.
 
Seems on some engines timing gears caused lots of problems too.
 
I've had several cars with timing belts. I had one fail, but that was on an '86 Escort and the ford 1.9 was not an interference engine so it wasn't a big deal. Actually it was the water pump which ran off the timing belt that seized and took out the timing belt. Stupid me didn't changed the water pump (which is recommended) when I changed the original belt myself.
 
As long as you change the timing belt at the recommended intervals you should never have a problem. Same with serpentine belts. Break one of those and you're just as stranded. Though you don't have to worry about bent valves;)

#29870 of 32000 Re: Chevy Dealer story [ateixeira] by robr2

Dec 28, 2012 (4:28 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Dec 28, 2012 1:21 pm)
The dealership was successful BEFORE he opened this new store
 
Was it? I'd like to see sales before/after the renovation, to see what impact it had.
 
According to the story, the dealership was on track to sell 1800 cars this year. The dealer's website calls it their brand new 70K sq ft dealership. They have 1000 cars in stock. It was a successful dealership before opening the hunting lodge.
 
Clearly you can't turn down a quarter million dollar quarterly bonus, though, not when you sell about one car a day!
 
Dealerships that sell 1 car a day don't qualify for bonuses of $1 million a year. Dealerships that sell 5 cars a day do - which is what this place does.
 
You're a Toyota lover
  
Am I?
 
Based on the way you defend them in some forums, that's the impression I get.
 
Even Subaru will have a hard time convincing large franchises to give their stores a unique look, because they just don't do enough volume to justify the large investment in a franchise.
 
If dealers want to earn their bonuses and keep their franchises, they will. But here in New England, that's not an issue. This seems to be the look that all the Subie dealers in the Boston area are doing:
 
 

#29871 of 32000 Re: I have a Jetta loaner car... [dieselone] by busiris

Dec 28, 2012 (4:32 pm)

Replying to: dieselone (Dec 28, 2012 3:09 pm)
As long as you change the timing belt at the recommended intervals you should never have a problem. Same with serpentine belts. Break one of those and you're just as stranded. Though you don't have to worry about bent valves;)
 
I completely agree.
 
IIRC, certain 351 CID engines in Fords in the 70-80's time frame were known for timing chain issues, too, but its been a long time, so I might be remembering incorrectly.
 
Here's a video of one...
 
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=WwXkDfFyC5g&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DWwXkDfFyC5- g

#29872 of 32000 Re: I have a Jetta loaner car... [busiris] by steve_ HOST

Dec 28, 2012 (6:06 pm)

Replying to: busiris (Dec 28, 2012 4:32 pm)
Funny, when Ford and Nissan did the joint venture to build minivans, it was Ford that insisted the engines be changed to make them non-interference so there wouldn't be any damage when the belt broke.
 
I'm at 182k on the original timing belt in my Quest. The recommended interval is 105k.
 
This is kind of funny - why wouldn't anyone want to bail from HP at this point? Even if it is to GM.
 
HP accuses IT leaders of orchestrating 'mass departure' to GM (Detroit Free Press)

#29873 of 32000 Re: I have a Jetta loaner car... [steve_] by busiris

Dec 28, 2012 (6:49 pm)

Replying to: steve_ (Dec 28, 2012 6:06 pm)
From your link...
 
GM announced earlier this year that it would hire 500 employees to staff a new software technology operation in Austin. It was not immediately clear whether Hansen and MacKenzie are working for that specific operation.
 
GM announced in October that it would hire 3,000 HP employees who previously performed information technology work for the automaker as part of GM's plan to bring 90% of its IT work in-house from outside contractors. GM Chief Information Officer Randy Mott, who previously held the same position with HP, has been frustrated by the automaker's outdated IT systems since joining the company in February and wants the former HP workers to help streamline those systems.
 
HP, meanwhile, is cutting 29,000 jobs by October 2014 as it struggles with slower demand for printers, services and data-center equipment.

 
Yet, HP found it surprising that 18 employees left to go to GM?
 
Really?

#29874 of 32000 Re: I have a Jetta loaner car... [steve_] by busiris

Dec 28, 2012 (6:51 pm)

Replying to: steve_ (Dec 28, 2012 6:06 pm)
I'm at 182k on the original timing belt in my Quest. The recommended interval is 105k.
 
I am impressed. I don't think I've ever known anyone to get that many miles on a timing belt... You must be living "right"!

#29875 of 32000 Re: I have a Jetta loaner car... [busiris] by steve_ HOST

Dec 28, 2012 (7:00 pm)

Replying to: busiris (Dec 28, 2012 6:51 pm)
My sister just went 150k on the one on her Forester. And it's an interference engine. One guy on another forum went 300k on his minivan.
 
If I commuted on the freeway with a bunch of big honking Silverados and Tahoes tailgating me, I'd change it.

#29876 of 32000 Re: Chevy Dealer story [robr2] by berri

Dec 28, 2012 (7:29 pm)

Replying to: robr2 (Dec 28, 2012 4:28 pm)
I get a kick out of this recent branding the dealers bandwagon a lot of the car manufacturer's are on. Make 'em all look alike just like fast food chains. But even McDonald's allows their franchisee's to make modifications based on local market eccentricities. And remember, it was often franchisee's thinking differently that brought them some of their biggest success stories like the Big Mac. Now we've got a bunch of blue and white look alike Chrysler, Chevy, Ford and Honda dealerships and red and white look alike Dodge Ram, GMC and Toyota dealerships. While I think Chevy and the others can do this legally, I have to wonder if it is really more about booting dealerships and downsizing the number of them. Because honestly, while the dealership brand sign is important, the actual look of the physical building isn't that big of a deal unless it's a run down dump.

#29877 of 32000 Re: Chevy Dealer story [berri] by busiris

Dec 28, 2012 (9:34 pm)

Replying to: berri (Dec 28, 2012 7:29 pm)
Your analysis certainly makes sense, but I suspect somewhere deep inside these organizations there are a few folks on a power trip.
 
One would think a little personalization of an individual dealership, especially one that was doing well in sales, would be encouraged. After all, the is a diverse country, and appealing to the local market's interests can be the difference between success and failure.
 
But, I've seen it happen before.

Messages Page 2988 of 3201

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement