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Automotive News & Views Do You Favor A Government Loan To The Detroit 3?
3958 messages, Last post on Oct 02, 2009 at 4:52 PM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
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Replying to: cooterbfd (Nov 30, 2008 9:06 am) Regards, OW
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Replying to: nippononly (Nov 30, 2008 12:03 am) There's really no difference in engines on these cars, although the Malibu has a wider variety. It offers the 2.4 4-cyl with a 4-speed automatic or 6-speed auto, a 3.5 OHC V-6 with a 4-speed auto, and the 3.6 DOHC V-6 with the 6-speed auto. Oh, and the hybrid. The Aura only offers the 2.4/6-speed and 3.6/6-speed, and the hybrid. I think the 3.5 V-6 is fleet-only though. And the 2.4/4-speed auto does let the Malibu come in at a cheaper base price. As for the badge-engineering, this is one of those cases where I don't mind it. The cars are at least different enough, style-wise, to have different identities to me. It's not like how Ford or Chrysler would often just change the easy stuff like grille inserts and taillight lenses to come up with a different car. I like the rear of the Aura better than the Malibu. Something about the way the Malibu's tail just ends too flat doesn't sit right with me, and the taillights seem unfinished, somehow. And up front, the grille of the Malibu seems a bit swollen, sort of like a Camry. So with the rebadging, I guess I look at it as GM giving you a choice in style. Same basic car, but some may prefer the Malibu's style to the Aura, and vice versa. In contrast, if you shop for a Camry, Accord, or Altima, you're pretty much stuck with how they look. If you like the style, fine, but if not, you either have to deal with it, or shop elsewhere. I guess the same could hold true for GM though. You might not like the style of the Malibu, Aura, or G6! As for the cupholders, I hadn't noticed. I'll have to check that out the next time I sit in one.
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Replying to: andre1969 (Nov 30, 2008 2:05 pm) |
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Replying to: cooterbfd (Nov 29, 2008 1:37 pm) There will be a lot of people like us which will = much fewer new car sales with each passing year. Ironically, resale value of used domestic cars may skyrocket as there will be an increasing demand for the ones that survive as the years go on. I'd be exponentially more likely to buy a 6 year-old 2009 Cadillac or Buick versus a new Lexus or Toyota. |
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Replying to: circlew (Nov 30, 2008 10:39 am)
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Replying to: cooterbfd (Nov 30, 2008 3:56 pm)  I purchased a bumper-to-bumper extended warranty just before the original expired and lucky I did. The only thing I was stuck with was the air bag sensor for $600...and the fluids when the A/C compressor was repaired which wasn't covered in the plan. Regards, OW |
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Replying to: cooterbfd (Nov 29, 2008 5:08 pm) 'Why would they leave?', gagrice correctly asked. GREED is why they won't leave. Greed and profits are the two basic pillars of capitalism. This country needs at a minimum 10 million new vehicles annually. 12-14 million units is a 'normal' year in this new tighter environment. Any company that has a multi-billion dollar manufacturing presence here and is making $Billions in profits here is not going to just up and leave....except the Detroit 3 which can't seem to exit fast enough. In fact the 'outsiders' are increasing their presence here while the D3 are shrinking their's. Why? There's money to be made here...$Billions!!! As to your other point about the cost of labor, you simply have no idea of what you're talking about. With the current $ vs JY exchange rate the US labor costs are among the lowest among the developed countries. I assume from your parrotted statements that you are a UAW member. Do you realize that one of the key points that the UAW wanted to happen has just occurred? Hmmmm....? It's been pushing for the JY / US$ to trade for less than 100 / 1 for years and years...that's the whole accusation of currency manipulation. Well for the past several months it's been happening. Today it's at 94 / 1. The UAW should be ecstatic....except for the fact that the transplants here generally are not affected by currency issues. US$ are US$. |
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Replying to: andre1969 (Nov 30, 2008 2:05 pm) However... the trunk opening ( or lack thereof ) in the Malibu is a HUGE mistake. It's a big trunk it's just than you can't put anything into it that isn't near flat. Other than that the Malibu is every bit a serious competitor in a very crowded market. |
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Replying to: steve_ (Nov 23, 2008 9:41 am) It seems things get together for me, happened to just read Road & Track January 2009 issue (not mine don't subscribe and can't remember the last time an issue was read). 1953 Buick Skylark Convertible restored and for sale at stableltd.com for $225,000. It's white so not the one I saw almost forty years ago. Another story in the issue at Tech Bits, about Portland, "Are cars desireable in a city? or even necessary? While I have never met Ed Wallace, I will not link his site or the Ft Worth paper. But again this sunday's article has continued to increase my admiration for his expressed opinions. |
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Replying to: tired_old_dave (Dec 01, 2008 7:06 am) The hearing crank up again tomorrow so I guess the Big 3 will spend today polishing up their testimony as they carpool to DC. |
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