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What if you were in charge of GM?

874 messages,  Last post on Oct 28, 2009 at 10:20 AM

You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires

What is this discussion about? Automotive News, Classic Cars, Concept Cars, Future Vehicle


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#114 of 874
Re: If I were in charge [gagrice] by Mr_Shiftright HOST
Dec 02, 2008 (10:00 am)
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Replying to: gagrice (Dec 01, 2008 7:20 pm)

Nobody needs to help Washington to look bad. Hedge funds, derivatives (sold as insurance instead of as stock) , oil futures (not regulated like other commodities!!)---all these are the product of a complete lack of supervision and regulation. A idea or a practice is not dependent on who is thinking it or doing it for the idea to be good or bad. The sharks smelled blood because somebody dropped a three course meal in the water. Who did what is not the issue. The issue is how to stop repeating old mistakes.
 
I certainly don't want taxpayer monies used to fatten up the automakers for hedge fund managers.
 
I see where the Big Three are driving fuel-efficient cars to DC this time and leaving the jets behind.
 
Close barn door, horse gone.
#115 of 874
Re: driving to the brink of ruin [steve_] by nippononly
Dec 02, 2008 (12:31 pm)
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Replying to: steve_ (Dec 02, 2008 7:49 am)

Wiedeking makes good points. Add two to the list of reasons I am against the bailout.
#116 of 874
Re: driving to the brink of ruin [nippononly] by Mr_Shiftright HOST
Dec 02, 2008 (3:40 pm)
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Replying to: nippononly (Dec 02, 2008 12:31 pm)

Just read where GM wants 18 BILLION bucks to avoid "total collapse".
 
Holy crap! 18 Billion!
 
(quote)
 
""There isn't a Plan B," said Chief Operating Officer Fritz Henderson. "Absent support, frankly, the company just can't fund its operations." He said GM would need $10 billion to $12 billion by late March"
#117 of 874
Re: driving to the brink of ruin [Mr_Shiftright] by fezo
Dec 02, 2008 (4:06 pm)
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Dec 02, 2008 3:40 pm)

That does make the eyes pop.
 
Then, after much talk to the contrary, their only elimination of brands is to try and sell Saab (who is buying?), well or kill Saturn (getting warmer) and make Pontiac a niche brand. Pardon me for saying so but hasn't the market already done that?
 
If Pontiac is a niche brand what the heck is Buick with three models? I'm getting confused...
#118 of 874
Re: driving to the brink of ruin [fezo] by fezo
Dec 02, 2008 (4:38 pm)
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Replying to: fezo (Dec 02, 2008 4:06 pm)

Yikes! Just looked at the numbers for the month. They sold 852 Saabs in November. Yes, that's the whole country. What do you figure the market wants for that company?
#119 of 874
Re: driving to the brink of ruin [fezo] by bpizzuti
Dec 02, 2008 (5:48 pm)
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Replying to: fezo (Dec 02, 2008 4:06 pm)

Needed: Chevy, Cadillac
 
Not needed: any brand not named Chevy or Cadillac.
 
When are they going to get this? Note that car company with the blue oval logo, which only has three core brands plus a Swede, and is doing mucho better than General Morons right now, with 6 brands plus a Swede? And that particular Swede sells nothing unique, so it's really 7?
 
I guess I'd do nothing if I were in charge of GM...apparently I don't meet the job requirements: my IQ is higher than 5.
#120 of 874
Re: driving to the brink of ruin [bpizzuti] by fezo
Dec 02, 2008 (5:50 pm)
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Replying to: bpizzuti (Dec 02, 2008 5:48 pm)

We could fix you up with a lobotomy...
#121 of 874
Re: driving to the brink of ruin [fezo] by bpizzuti
Dec 02, 2008 (6:06 pm)
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Replying to: fezo (Dec 02, 2008 5:50 pm)

That would still leave it at 6, proving that I still have more brains in my little finger than Waggoner has in his entire head.
#122 of 874
Re: driving to the brink of ruin [Mr_Shiftright] by kernick
Dec 03, 2008 (6:35 am)
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Dec 02, 2008 3:40 pm)

Holy crap! 18 Billion!
 
That's no more the final number than - the Big Dig in Boston originally costing $3B. All that is, is something GM thinks is palatable to get the ball rolling. Once they get this money committed, it is easier to come back and say "we just $10B more every 6 months because the economy hasn't turned around". It is much easier to ask for $18B and $10B and $10B ... rather than to come in and say "we're going to need $75B for the next 3 years, and we'll have a hell-of-a-time making any profit, to repay any of the loan".
 
Check the history of the Big Dig or many other projects, and you'll see the "teaser amounts" given to get the project approved, and then how it snowballs from there. ABC actually carried a similar story last night, about the visitor center at the Capitol. That center would never have started (hopefully due to public outcry) if the real-cost had been told.
 
We're a bunch of saps, or just powerless, to believe the costs we're presented when approving these projects. Even here you see proponents of giving the Big3 $25B and that will be enough. Well that $25B figure lasted what, 2 weeks, before it was revised - which way? UP. What a surprise!!!
#123 of 874
Wouldn't want to be in charge... by lemko
Dec 03, 2008 (6:49 am)
Reply
...of GM as it is now. I also wouldn't want to be President as things are now.

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