From the Archives: Cheers and Jeers for 2002,03,04

[bobo]

(Admin note: I was able to find the 2002 in my local copy of the old C&G database. It is appended on this post - Avant1963)

Since CSpec asked for them, here's a redux of the prior years' editions of Cheers and Jeers, the customary end of year summaries of all that is good and well and bad and ugly with GM and C&G. I've deleted all the links to the threads since they're dead anyway. The premier 2002 edition of Cheers and Jeers is lost in cyberspace forever with the old forum boards.

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Cheers and Jeers for 2004

Time for the third annual list of the best and worst of GM and C&G during the past year. Outside our little automotive world here, it has been a rough year, with the passing of Superman, continued mayhem in Iraq, an election between two lackluster and competence-challenged candidates, and finally a cataclysmic natural disaster of almost Biblical proportions. There’s nothing like massive death and destruction to help put things into perspective. It was also a year of Passion, the passing of the Great Communicator, and wild weather on the East Coast. On this board, the great forum changeover occurred as Snitz was ditched for Invision. Ted finally got a new (old) computer. saturnfan became the hip Satty. The slate of insiders continued to feed interesting tidbits, often cryptically. The big automotive event was GM bringing out the long-awaited C6 Corvette, but it was Chrysler that had the “it” vehicle, the 300C.

And now, the highlights and lowlights of the past year:

Cheers to Saturn for the Best Automotive Metaphor, the crashing of the Saturn blimp. At least it didn’t burn. The blimp has been fixed and is flying again. In July, the Saturn blimp even achieved an endurance record for a blimp in its class by staying in the air for over 24 hours. While the blimp is not engineered or manufactured by GM, can its restoration and revival portend of great things to come for the distressed automotive division? Saturn seems to have finally found a raison d’etre by becoming the American Opel. But can GM pull it off, or will Saturn ultimately be relegated to completely irrelevant brand and eventually fall by the wayside?


Cheers to thegriffon for Best Scoop, the return of the Invicta nameplate as the Buick flagship on the Zeta platform. Of course, things in this business are fluid, and recent posts suggest this may not happen after all, but we can hope for the best.

Jeers to GM for the Incentive Insanity by letting the rebate business get completely out of hand and coming up with weak marketing campaigns such as “Lock ‘n’ Roll”. And there are other special incentives such as customer coupons, GM Card Bonus Cash, and other hidden rebates, all while increasing prices at regular intervals. Market share is in decline, the portfolio still has too many mediocre vehicles—is there light at the end of the tunnel? GM does have a handful of shining stars—Cadillac, Corvette…um, what else? Where are those gotta have vehicles that will pay the bills? The other halo vehicles, the SSR and GTO, are sales disasters, no help by greedy dealers. The upcoming Solstice will bring in some showroom traffic, but where are the class-leading family sedans, SUVs, and pickups that will sell themselves? Can Lutz pull some trick rabbits out of the hat? Will GMT-900 make the coffers flush again? Or will the mortgage business become the most valuable part of the GM empire as the rest crumbles? More questions than answers now.

Cheers to cmattson for being the Fiercest GM Fan. He purchased a Suburban two years ago and then a Malibu last year, and he continues to defend GM against unfair charges in a rational, collected manner, and without going overboard.

Cheers to Nick for the Best Avatar, the dancing milk carton.


Jeers to GM for Self-Inflicted Damaging Media Exposure by having the highest number of recalled automobiles of any manufacturer in a year ever. It’s easy to scream media bias, but the messenger is not at fault. The fact is that the vehicles are not as problem-free as they need to be. The sheen has to be restored on the Mark of Excellence.

Cheers to PlumCrazy for Best Concept. But which to choose? All works of art, being so much more than just blue ink on paper drawings. The Gen5 Firebird gave a glimpse at what’s not to be, but it’s the recent “rough sketch” Buick Regalia that shows what should be.


Cheers to CobaltCrazy for Best Signature. They may not be as over-the-top as some of the gems of the past, such as SuperSport’s Babershah: Revolutions or aaaantoine’s clever Scion/Toaster sigs, but they have exhibited unmatched graphic design.


Jeers to GM for Worst Send-Off by finally pulling the plug on Oldsmobile, the oldest American automotive nameplate. Lutz arrived too late to save it.

Cheers to the Moderator of Merit, Ninety_Eight_Regency. Landis brings a dignity to the board that counters some of the more youthful antics. He has been the site’s tireless chief news poster, and he had previously unselfishly shared with other members priceless GM media history from his video collection.

Jeers to GM for the Most Pointless Thing in the World: media embargoes. It’s no longer the 20th Century.

Cheers to FlyBrian for Most Significant Personal Development by finding a girlfriend. Yeah, it’s that irresistible “What ‘cha talking ‘bout” charm that finally brought him love.

Cheers to quionM for Best Non-Automotive Post:

Michael Moore's films are intended to take a critical look at parts of American society that he finds wrong. Whether you agree or not is up to you, but please - again - one needs to not judge a nation of 300 million people based on a few wierdos. Would you agree that Germans are a bunch of psychotic freaks because a man agreed to eat another man's sauteed penis or that a German couple did not know what sexual intercourse was? Wouldn't be a fair assessment, would it?

Cheers to Bizz for coining the Best Non-Automotive Term: ball-funk.

Jeers to the Worst Poster/Troll of the Year. Though he gets on people’s nerves, the refugee from the other board really isn’t a troll, and the board has been mostly mercifully free of trolls. Those that slip in are quickly dealt with. Nobody worth mentioning.

And finally, Cheers to the members and staff of C&G who make it a community, where intelligent discourse can occur in a friendly, tolerant environment. Special mentions go to ocnblu and ehaase, whose sparkling personalities and/or concise, insightful posts greatly contribute to the forums. And also a salute to the Buick fans of the site, who have a passion and dedication that is unmatched. But there are countless others who contribute to make this the forum of choice for so many.

Happy New Year everybody.

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Cheers and Jeers for 2003

The long-awaited best and worst list of 2003 for all things GM and C&G is finally here:

Cheers to AH-HA for the Best Scoop: Future Camaro/Sigma Mass in “Anyone like anniversary parties?”

Runner Up: Saturn Relay

Unfortunately, the actual Relay does not have polymer panels nor is rodent-powered.

Honorable Mentions: bostonspider's “Interesting Pic” thread on the STS
chris’ “What is this?!” Cobalt thread

Cheers to GM for their Best Move, remaking problem child Saturn into an American Opel. The move isn’t official yet, but it appears Saturn may finally get some much-needed direction.
Runner Up: Taking care of the pension problem.

Cheers to GM for their Most Promising Vehicles on the Kappa platform. Small RWD cars—who would have imagined GM would produce multiple vehicles on the only type of platform that can provide pure, unvarnished driving enjoyment. It’s about time the focus was back on cars.

Cheers to Ted for the Most Memorable Concept: There’ve been scores of concepts posted, but the one that sticks out is Ted’s provocatively named Twink, though it’s probably not the concept in which most of us would want to be found behind the wheel.


Cheers to SuperSport for the Best Sig, an artful fusion of design, technology, and social commentary on the human condition.
Runner Up: NOSFerrari2006

Cheers to FlyBrian for being the Mod of Merit: Choosing a “Best Mod” would be like picking your favorite child. You just can’t do it, they’re all special in one way or another. Well, maybe you can, but it doesn’t seem right. At any rate, this honor of dubious value goes to Flybrian, despite the numerous extended absences, for his even keel, quick wit, patience, storytelling skills, and only occasional fits of violence.

Jeers to GM for their Worst Move—Actually, GM didn’t do anything glaringly bad this past year. They almost got rid of GMAC Commercial. We’re still waiting for DOD and hybrids. Five speed automatics are still scarce, and we’re also waiting for the six-speed automatic. More ugly steering wheel designs. The tired Sunfire will be around for a few more years. Oldsmobile is continuing to wind down. There’s no DOHC V6 in the upcoming G6. These are mostly minor quibbles in the grand scheme of things.

Jeers to the personal attacks within C&G and the inter-forum feuds. Also it’s too bad so many lively debates (such as on unions or politics) degenerate into snide remarks and name-calling. Let’s hope this coming year we can all reflect positively on the GM community. And perhaps some things are better said offline. (A small Cheer to TaHoE for trying to strike a conciliatory tone in the thread that could be considered the biggest threadjack ever, from initially offering an olive branch to discussions of Xbox, SimCity, Olive Garden Restaurant, to finally Scarlet Letter.

Jeers to the Worst Poster/Troll of the Year: So many to choose from, but one stands out from all the rest. There’s no reason to give him any more attention, so he shall remain nameless.

Jeers to you-know-who for the Worst Thread: “My new Corvette C6 line-up idea”. This is the universally detested thread with the proposed four-cylinder Corvette.

Dishonorable mention: Outlander’s theft of Ascariss’ Lexus Hatchback.

A couple bonus citations:

Member Most Deserving of a New Computer: Ted, who’s created numerous excellent concepts and members’ signatures on his old Pentium Pro.

Member Most Deserving of a New Car: IchbinJohnk. Not that he’s done anything particularly noteworthy (though he does seem to be a fine chap), but it’s hard not to feel for a guy who’s stuck with a Tempo.

Happy New Year everybody.

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Cheers and Jeers for 2002

Here are what I consider the highlights and lowlights of all things GM and G&G for 2002.

Cheers to GM for putting the focus on product and being serious about performance again and giving us the GTO and the V-Series Cadillacs. This is surely just the beginning of great things to come.

Cheers to GM for gaining market share after decades of declines. Now if they could only wean themselves from $3000 rebates.

Cheers to makfu for the best post in discussing the 1979 Cadillac Seville Opera Coupe. While unable to grasp the stunning beauty of this piece de resistance, makfu can still wax eloquently:

quote:
That "car" should be set on fire, the smoldering remains of which should be cut into 6x6 inch pieces, piled into garbage bags then placed in a car crusher. The cube should be buried in a landfill in Staten Island where its intrinsic evil can be safely stored for all eternity.

-Mak

Cheers to Flybrian for the best thread, on unions, which evolved into a spirited discussion (or virtual fisticuffs?) between Shantanu and Simmsmail.

Cheers to evok, AH-HA, and thegriffon for providing all the insider information that makes us craving for more. It also goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway, cheers to Walt and the moderators for their great job in maintaining the high level of intelligent discourse in the forums.

Jeers to GM for entering the unholy alliance with Ford to engineer 6-speed automatic transmissions. While this move may make sense to the bottom line, there is still something disturbing about it, and it seems about as natural as infanticide or coprophagy.

Jeers to Chevy for taking the ugly stick and whacking the Cavalier and Silverado. At least, perhaps, the new styling is consistant with the rear end of the Impala and the overall odiousness of the Monte Carlo. Here's hoping Lutz will do his thing here. And what's with only 200 hp out of the 3.5 liter V-6 in the Malibu?

Jeers to GM for practically giving away the bread and butter mid-size sedan market, with nothing in sight that indicates a turnaround. Also, there's no sense in beating to death the topic of cheap interiors. Or the less than dignified way Oldsmobile is leaving us.

Jeers to Saturn to giving the world the ION and more reasons to ridicule GM.

Jeers to the worst poster on C&G, but I don't want to say who it was.

Happy New Year everybody.

[NOS2006]

Well I was the runner-up. To one. Two years ago. I'm sweet. :P Thanks, though, bobo!

[Northstar]

Ha, that was back when NOS was NOSFerrari. I was thinking about the Cheers and Jeers thread a few days ago and was hoping bobo had one planned for 2005 as well, I look forward to reading it.

[Satty]

Turns out I was WAY off on that Saturn Relay scoop.

[NOS2006]

*Mental note to self* Never listen to Satty's "inside scoops"

[Cory Wolfe]

Well... I remember last years... and how I didn't make it, haha. I can't wait to read this year's. :D

[NOS2006]

Yep, you're pretty much guaranteed on there..

[chris]

wow a.) my cobalt spotting was two years ago! b.) i played a slightly important role in cobalt history! feels good to see that brought up again, i'm a complete ham for the spotlight.

[avant1963]

I found the 2002 edition from Bobo on my local copy of the database. It is included in Bobo's post above. Enjoy.

[Bimmer325]

Well I've never been on one. :P My computer's kept me off C&G for quite some time in recent weeks, so it doesn't look like my luck will change. :o :P Edited December 31, 2005 by Bimmer325

[ichbinjohnk]

Hehe...well, I'm no longer saddled with the Tempo.

[CSpec]

Dun dun DUNNNNN



Best concept of 2004, easily. :D

And thanks bobo for posting these again.

[NOS2006]

lmao! No shitt...

[trinacriabob]

Nick's dancing milk carton was mentioned. But what about Silkey? I miss Silkey. Too bad he HAD TO GO.

[bobo]

Silkey? I don't remember Silkey.

[Satty]

Nick's dancing milk carton was mentioned.  But what about Silkey?  I miss Silkey.  Too bad he HAD TO GO.

[post="65774"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Silkey?  I don't remember Silkey.

[post="65785"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Nick had that sig with the pimp in it.

[the_yellow_dart]

I've never been mentioned... Nice vette proto. Who posted that mess? I remember it.

[Nick]

Nick's dancing milk carton was mentioned.  But what about Silkey?  I miss Silkey.  Too bad he HAD TO GO.

[post="65774"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Yea...I miss Silkey as well <_< Edited December 31, 2005 by Nick

[NOS2006]

I've never been mentioned...

Nice vette proto. Who posted that mess? I remember it.

[post="65797"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

My first chop EVER...

[Satty]

We ought pin this one as well.

[Turbojett]

wow

a.) my cobalt spotting was two years ago!

b.) i played a slightly important role in cobalt history!

feels good to see that brought up again, i'm a complete ham for the spotlight.

On behalf of all the Cobalt-drivin' Sons of B's on this forum...thank you.

Oh Man...I remember...The TWiNK. I also remember begging Ted to burn it, flush the ashes down the loo, and never speak of it again.