STUDY: More buyers avoiding GM, Chrysler during rescue

[Bimmer325]

Autoblog

[daves87rs]

Gee, I wonder why?

[ShadowDog]

I'm sorry, but this 'No $#it, Sherlock' report has not been countered enough with the proper facts, of which I have only ever read once, that suggested companies under bankruptcy protection have legal responsibilities to uphold. For the auto industry, it means providing all services for warranty protection and parts. The media is very quick to point out the nastiness of the current situation; however, few appear to think that it's newsworthy enough to provide the truth.

[Daryl Z71]

"Honda is faring even better with a 13% increase, but no automakers are seeing more favorable results than Hyundai and Kia. The Korean automakers have picked up share in this down market, and their consideration rating is up by 59% and 50%, respectively."

Gee I wonder why that is? If someone told me to buy a new car and I could return it if I lost my job id be more interested in buying their product too. Wow what idiots...

[hyperv6]

"Honda is faring even better with a 13% increase, but no automakers are seeing more favorable results than Hyundai and Kia. The Korean automakers have picked up share in this down market, and their consideration rating is up by 59% and 50%, respectively."

Gee I wonder why that is? If someone told me to buy a new car and I could return it if I lost my job id be more interested in buying their product too. Wow what idiots...

The key to Hyundia is they have been growing for the last few years. The key is they finally have a good qualtiy car with a good warranty and the monthly payments are less than most for the kind of car you buy.

Hyundia has Toyota and Honda worried.

The sad thing is if I recall one of the key people at Hyundia is originally from Buick.

[Daryl Z71]

The key to Hyundia is they have been growing for the last few years. The key is they finally have a good qualtiy car with a good warranty and the monthly payments are less than most for the kind of car you buy.

Hyundia has Toyota and Honda worried.

The sad thing is if I recall one of the key people at Hyundia is originally from Buick.

lol that is pretty sad. I know that Hyundia doesn't have 1 product id be interested in.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

(That's all I have to say)

[daves87rs]

I'm sorry, but this 'No $#it, Sherlock' report has not been countered enough with the proper facts, of which I have only ever read once, that suggested companies under bankruptcy protection have legal responsibilities to uphold. For the auto industry, it means providing all services for warranty protection and parts. The media is very quick to point out the nastiness of the current situation; however, few appear to think that it's newsworthy enough to provide the truth.

Since when do people care about the facts?

[daves87rs]

The key to Hyundia is they have been growing for the last few years. The key is they finally have a good qualtiy car with a good warranty and the monthly payments are less than most for the kind of car you buy.

Hyundia has Toyota and Honda worried.

The sad thing is if I recall one of the key people at Hyundia is originally from Buick.

+1

[Bimmer325]

It's funny how quickly Hyundai went from being regarded as a joke to being regarded as one of the smarter car companies in the market right now.

[siegen]

The picture at the top is priceless. Lol.

It's funny how quickly Hyundai went from being regarded as a joke to being regarded as one of the smarter car companies in the market right now.

Don't be fooled, Hyundais and Kias still sell based on their price and warranty. The "Assurance Plus" program they offer has only helped things. But interestingly, their sales so far haven't reflected any of this. The quality of materials and design still lags behind the competition.

[Bimmer325]

The picture at the top is priceless. Lol.

Don't be fooled, Hyundais and Kias still sell based on their price and warranty. The "Assurance Plus" program they offer has only helped things. But interestingly, their sales so far haven't reflected any of this. The quality of materials and design still lags behind the competition.

IIRC, Hyundai was the only carmaker to post sales gains in January, something like a 15% increase (Haven't checked out February's numbers yet). That doesn't reflect that they're doing something right? Selling cars based on an industry-leading warranty isn't a bad thing, either. And I wouldn't necessarily say their quality lags behind the competition. Most Hyundais match or exceed the comparable model from GM or Chrysler in terms of interior quality nowadays. Oh, and the Genesis and Genesis Coupe are among the most impressive new models from any carmaker right now, let alone Hyundai. I go to school in a pretty affluent area of Connecticut, and on more than one occasion now I've seen a Genesis sedan parked alongside Bimmers/Benzes/Lexuses/etc. in someone's driveway. Seriously.

[daves87rs]

Well, people want value, and a low price point.

Why pay 25 grand when you can get a car pretty close for 17?

[gmcbob]

This doesn't surprise me at all.

A couple of basic thoughts pop into my head when I think about all the BS going on right now when it comes to (auto) bailout talk and GM.

1) GM needs better PR people. For the last 4 years they seem to be either asleep or non-existent. That's why they generally get pretty negative press.

2) Time heals all wounds. They basically just need to get through this next couple of months, get their money from the Govt. and hopefully have the market turn back around. I'm kind of thinking they'll get their money. This will all come down to politics - while the bailouts are generally unpopular, disgruntled (and jobless) UAW worker votes will be harder to get back than people who just simply oppose bailouts. Granting GM more money will not be a make or break deal for a lot of voters in two years when they completely forget that it even happened in the first place. But a GM factory worker that was laid off because GM had to go bankrupt due to lack of Govt. funding - well that's a whole different story. Those people would be hard pressed to vote for him again. Obama and his advisers aren't stupid. If they haven't considered this idea, I'd be surprised.

3) Americans don't like the idea of bailouts, and they're scared about GM going completely under - but that's right now, March of 2009. Americans have pretty short term memories, and I know that if (once) GM gets their money and when by July or August it's no longer a hot topic, the same folks that think GM can go and screw themselves now just might be buying one of their cars. Maybe not this summer, but in a year or two - it won't even matter if the product is competitive and priced correctly. People will forget or not really care that this happened by then I think.

Edited March 24, 2009 by gmcbob

[Teh Ricer Civic!]

3) Americans don't like the idea of bailouts, and they're scared about GM going completely under - but that's right now, March of 2009. Americans have pretty short term memories, and I know that if (once) GM gets their money and when by July or August it's no longer a hot topic, the same folks that think GM can go and screw themselves now just might be buying one of their cars. Maybe not this summer, but in a year or two - it won't even matter if the product is competitive and priced correctly. People will forget or not really care that this happened by then I think.

I know plenty of people still sore at the bailout of Chrysler in the 80s.

[hyperv6]

It's funny how quickly Hyundai went from being regarded as a joke to being regarded as one of the smarter car companies in the market right now.

It all goes to prove you can make a silk purse our ow a sows ear.

GM too can turn it around but they need to make a lot of correct calls and the economy to improve. They also need more time since they are so large it is hard to right a ship this big. That is the one advantage of a smaller GM. Quicker to react.

Hyundia is not my cup of tea but to most people cars are just transportation. If they can buy one cheap and not have to spend money to repair it over 100,000 most are happy.

They could care less where it is made or if it is sporty. THey just want un offensive reliable cheap transportation.

GM needs to deliver the biggest bang for the buck.

They did with the ZR-1 now lets do the same with the Cruze.

[Oracle of Delphi]

No sh*t, really?

[daves87rs]

No sh*t, really?

[BuddyP]

It's funny how quickly Hyundai went from being regarded as a joke to being regarded as one of the smarter car companies in the market right now.

Yet a couple months ago their sales were down 48% from the previous year.

[Drew Dowdell]

Media makes it happen.

[daves87rs]

Media makes it happen.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Media makes it happen.

Careful there, sir...

You're making too much sense. People who make sense here at C&G get attacked for being "paranoid, narrow minded or EXCITED!!!!!!!"