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Automotive News & Views 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
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Replying to: anythngbutgm (Jan 30, 2009 5:05 am) I find it odd that of the three epsilon cars the Malibu gets really good reviews and ranks highly in CR while the Aura and G6 are heavily critized. The platform has a lot of potential. I Believe that Chevy could do an "SS" type Mailbu with more aggressive throttle response, firmer suspension and 18 inch low profile tires, ground effects package, faux carbon fiber trim. This would be one for the TL/ BMW 3 Series wanabees. There should be a Malibu coupe as well, to replace the G6 and take one the Altima 2 door and Accord 2 door. I believe that in the next few years that personal semi-luxury sporty coupes will become popular again. The front drive Pontiacs are a waste of effort, all of the resources allocated for these cars should go to Chevrolet. In GM's lineup Chevy should be the Toyota/Honda/Ford/Nissan applinace fighter. If Pontiac survives its best use would be niche outfit, with high performance RWD sedans, coupes and roadsters. If not then Pontiac should be dropped altogether. What is the point of it selling inferior versions of Chevy products?
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Replying to: TIMGT5 (Feb 01, 2009 4:02 am) The point is Buick/GMC dealers wanted "Chevys" to sell to their customers, but couldn't become a Chevy dealer, usually because there is already a Chevy dealer in close proximity.
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Replying to: bpizzuti (Feb 01, 2009 6:33 am) I think there really should be only 2 applications of the Epsilon chasis, one should be a "Joe Six Pack" version, The Malibu, this would be GM's Accord/Camry fighter. and an upscale version (Buick possibly) to take on the ES 350/ Acura TL. Any badging beyond that is a waste of resources. Same thing with Lambda X-over, there is no need for 4 itenerations of this same car. Concentrate on 2, Drop the GMC and Saturn ( The brand is definately going anyway) Keep the Chevy version to go against the Pilot/Highlander/CX 9. An upscale version to go against the MDX/RX. No company should produce products that compete with itself. GM needs only one model for each purpose, and to target each specific demographic. Eliminating excess duplication cuts costs. If GM is to survive it must shrink to fit the times.
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Replying to: TIMGT5 (Feb 03, 2009 1:52 am) Are you saying Toyo shouldn't market the Camry and the ES? They're essentially the same car. Honda shouldn't market the Civic and Accord with models parallel in the Acura line? Are you saying Marathon shouldn't market Speedway gasoline? SuperAmerica gas?
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Replying to: imidazol97 (Feb 03, 2009 5:49 am) In both cases, they may be the same platform, but they don't compete with each other directly. The Lexus/Acura versions are much higher trims, more expensive, with features not found on the "peon" version. That's like marketing an Enclave and a Traverse: they're in different price strata. While you really COULD get away with making them both trims of the same model (and they do in some countries), we Americans are snobs and our luxury cars must have different nameplates from the cars for the unwashed masses.  However, what difference is there between the Cobalt and the G5? Malibu and Aura? Equinox and Torrent? 99% of the time the only difference is sheetmetal and badge.
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Replying to: bpizzuti (Feb 03, 2009 6:16 am) In the General's case there is too much price overlap in the Aura, G6 and Malibu, which actually dilutes the platform and is confusing to the customer. It has always been a flaw in GM's strategy not to specify its brands. Every brand trying to be everything to everybody does not work. |
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I've posted support for GM all over Edmunds, but I'm running out of gas. I buy lots of cars and have been trying to buy new GM products for years. Over the past four years, I have bought six cars. I always go to the domestic dealers first because I feel it is a patriotic duty to support our own AMERICAN companies. Unfortunately, of the six cars I've bought since 2005, only two have been American--a Corvette C6 convertible and a Pontiac G6. When I was ready to trade my BMW, I tried to buy a Cadillac CTS but it would have cost me $5k more than the Mercedes C350 I ended up buying (and about $2k more than the BMW 335 I considered). The MB is smaller, but much more opulent. When I went to trade my 2006 Honda Odyssey for a 2007 GMC Acadia, I again found the difference to be about $5k (versus a loaded 2007 Odyssey Touring). So, although I really wanted the Acadia, I bought the Odyssey. When GM's 0% financing came out again, the dealer from whom I bought the G6 called. I took the Odyssey up to the lot and found that loaded Acadias were now stickering near $50K! Are they nuts? I can buy a Mercedes ML350 and have enough left over to put 50% down on another G6 for my other kid! I actually felt bad for the salesman Advice to GM? Try putting realistic prices on your Moroney sticker and reduce dependency on silly incentives. I'm not suggesting you use Saturn's "No negotiation" strategy, but you've got to realize that no sane person is going to pay $50K for an Acadia.
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Replying to: vinnyny (Feb 16, 2009 9:39 am) 
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Replying to: vinnyny (Feb 16, 2009 9:39 am) The point of that, I think, is to get the "big score" in rural areas, where they can negotiate less: car dealers almost NEVER negotiate around my area, because there's comparatively few. Luckily, I work near White Plains, and can always hit them over the head with that and get them to move, but a lot of people are not willing to drive an hour-plus to go to another dealer. Of course, even here GM shoots itself in the foot: though one must drive an hour to look at another Acadia, one can drive 2 minutes north and look at an Outlook, or 1 minute south and look at a Traverse. Curiously, the Chevy dealer doesn't tend to move much either... |
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Replying to: steve_ (Feb 16, 2009 12:52 pm)
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