Clownzilla

I agree! I drove a new SAAB 93 last year and thought it was a GREAT car.........except........all the buttons, info, chimes, etc.... Yes, it looks great, but I almost got into a wreck just trying to get that info screen thingy to work right. Now, look at the Pontiac GTO, three simple nobs for AC/Heat, and a VERY simple and understandable display for CD/Radio. On top of all that it looks very high quality AND very clean. I think SAAB should get some interior ideas from it's brother, Holden (maker of the GTO, if anyone dosen't know for some strange reason).

I agree on the looks (never had a chance to smell it though). This proves that peoples eyes are closed to the actual car. All they see is that fact that it's Japanese. This is the same reason why people buy Nissans. Nissan's (Even Infiniti's!) have a robust amount of cheap plastic inside (we get this peices of junk traded into our dealership). Suzukis are even a better example.......JUNK!

I like how GM dosen't try to be all "wiz-bang" to save gas mileage. Relativly simple technology like DOD, 6 speed trans, areodynamics are much less expensive and far reaching than hybrids. Anyway, GM has to save their money for hydrogen................now that's a "wiz-bang" technology thats worth the money!

I see a simple solution. Add HEAVY Tariffs against Japanese goods (autos, electronics, etc.), and Japan will change their polocies FAST. Face it, the USA is one of the primary (if not THE primary) importer of Japanese goods in the world. Companies like Toyota would start losing their billions in profits (very fast) if their cars and trucks were thousands of dollars more. Yeah, our anti American citizens would be angry for a while, but not for long, because Japan's economy could not last in that situation. Seems way too simple.......................

The flexible manufacturing is HUGE for GM, and will change where they build cars and how labor is handled. Bankrupcy would be huge too, and VERY bad for unions, but would be bad for GM too (or anyone else that decides to do it). I think bankrupcy will be a last resort for GM and suppliers, and not a means to an end. I think the flex system will be the beginning of a major turn around though.

Remember, Tru-Flex means Cadillacs in Europe, SAAB's in China, Chevy's in Australia, etc.. This is really not about losing jobs in the USA, but expanding the global market place for GM cars and rucks.

True..........I wonder if this will make union strikes less powerful. Hmmmmm.......

I agree with the hydrogen. GM has test cars now AND induvidual power units testing to run houses, businesses, factories etc.. I might be wrong but I think DOW chemical is using GM hydrogen power units to produce some power for some of their factories. Where is Toyota? Honda has a test car running around, where is the rest? GM's future is hydrogen, not just for cars, but to power our world. In the meantime though, I think GM should start using their diesels from Europe here.They are MUCH better than they used to be, a person can get close to hybrid gas mileage (even more on the highway), they are a time tested technology, and they are less expensive. Where is Toyota? Honda? I can't name one vehicle of theirs with a diesel (there could be one though). Put these Euro-diesels in Cobalts, Aveos, Canyons, CTS', and on, and on, and on, then you can compete with hybrids. Stay on top of the hydrogen "fad" with not just cars but with homes, business', and factorys, and Toyota will have some HARSH competition.

According to the factory web sites Z06 starts at $65,800 Viper SRT10 starts at $85,745 $20,000 difference...........a lot of money. Granted the Viper does have a vert. top and the Z06 dosen't.........but $20,000. I think the Corvette has consistantly been a good value for the money for a sports car (no matter what package), and I think the GTO is following the same path.

Unions have destroyed the manufacturing sector of the USA economy. There is a reason why SO MANY companies have to go outside the USA to do business. Unions also expect to fall back on some sort of idealistic job security that should not even exist. JOB SECURITY IS A BUNCH OF CRAP! The only reason why a persons job should stay secure is if that person (and that person only) makes themselves worthwhile to society. If you are worth it, they WILL want and need you. I am tired of unions forcing a company to give "workers" free benefits, perks, etc, where they are not even close to being deserved. You know, this country used to be a country of blood, sweat and tears. Then unions came along. Don't get me wrong, early unions were an absolute necesity due do real worker abuse. Real as in forced 24 hour days, physical harm, and even death. Now they have evolved into a gigantic prize machine. To where workers "abuse" is having to pay for some of your benefits, not long enough breaks, and not getting paid "enough". Like I said, I am not against the American working force, I am against the union "working force". So I will keep posting my thoughts and beleifs on boards like this until unions are run out of this great country of ours.So people like me and MANY others can educate the remaining few about what is really screwing up this country. So we can change this country back into a country of "work for what you get, and fight for it" once again.

Face it, my quote "BS" IS the asnwer to our economic problems. As labor is concerned, the USA factory labor force is somthing of the past. We must find other lines of work. If you don't want to do somthing else besides factory work, then you can just starve and die in the streets............it's all up to you. Remember, I'm against unions, not the American workforce.

The quality of a Benz has fallen GREATLY in the past couple of decades. A friend of mine has a 1982 Benz Convertible. It's a high quality, solid, well built car. We recently got a 3 year old Benz convertible traded in to the dealership I work at, and the thing was litterly falling apart. Buttons were cracking and coming loose, door panels were starting to seperate from the door, seat leater was starting to wear FAST, and on, and on, and on. I have seen similar exampes too. There is a BIG reason why they are loosing money. I agree though, they should make cash off of 80,000 cars.

I hate to say it, but chapter 11 might give GM the flexability to start their move out of the USA and Canada. I think we all have to face the fact that unions won't go away and they will keep pulling what they have pulled for decades. GM simply can't survive in this environment. People think a strike here would be bad (which it would), but wait until the UAW contract comes up. GM can't go another contract with rich UAW benefits and concessions. Of coarse the UAW will say NO WAY. I predict a strike to go on for MONTHS with the upcomig UAW contract. Dealers will go under and GM will lose MORE market share. Will Toyota take the lead then?????????? I remember the GM strike of the late 90's, and the dealer I worked at (and still do) was hurt BAD! We had no cars to sell (except Catera's), and so many customers went to the competition due to the lack of inventory to sell. Expect strike with the next UAW contract to be much worse. GM HAS TO GET OUT OF THE USA AND CANADA! Sad but true.

Well, they have done dumb things in the past but this might be the king of dumb. Remember, unions don't always use logic. :lol:

Well, they will strike and hurt GM even more then they are hurt now. GM will lose market share due to lack of product and trust of stabiliy, and the CAW will poke the beast yet again. It's reason for GM, GM fans, and GM dealers to worry, but one thing is starting to show more and more. Every time unions do this crap, they are risking losing their jobs for good. It will hurt seeing all GM vehicles built outside of the USA and to a lesser extent Canada, but we will have to get used to it. Plus we all have to realize that the UAW contract in a couple of years will most likely result into one of the biggest strikes anyone has seen in world history. GM HAS TO GET OUT OF THE USA AND CANADA TO SURVIVE! Sad but true.

THe word bling is a blow to the english language! Plus, I think Cadillac needs to ween their Escalade off of the gangster rapper image and carefuly move to the "American Excess" image. Cadillac needs to be the car that tells people that "I have made it in this world and I'm going to shove it in your face". The other luxury makes can keep the image of "I am rich and can afford this car". There is a BIG difference. :lol:

Yes it would.Although, GM has had Euro-diesels for years that (I would think) they could could bring over to the USA. They would get dangously close to hybrid mileage, plus like the article said, it is a tried and true technology. I'm surprised that GM has not taken advantage of this possible market(wait, no I'm not........). Even though they are "enviromentaly undfriendly" (they have gotten MUCH better folks), there are many people who would want a reliable, simple high mileage engine. Even though I eat, sleep, and breath GM, I have been kind of craving a VW Jetta with the 1.9L Turbo Diesel. It's spec. is 38 mpg city, 46 mpg highway!

You know, I never understood that either. If a company is required to abide by orginized labor, they should be able to do it based on THEIR state of business. Anyway, I said it before and I will say it again (and with this union stunt, even MORE people will agree with me) if GM wants to survive, we will have to look towards countries like China. Very sad, but VERY true.

Nissan-Infiniti interiors are #$%^. They are WAY too plastic like, and look like somthing off of Judge Dread. We even had an 04 (I think) Infiniti Q45 traded into our dealership recently, and I sat in the thing and let me tell you..................it is ALL cheap plastic. The bottons don't even feel solid. This is a $40,000-$50,000 "luxury" car. I have seen many other Nissan products, new and old, and they are all the same. Even though I don't like Japanese cars, I can see the quality of Toyota and Honda, and can see why people buy them, but people are buying Nissans just becasue they are made in the magic land we like to call Japan. I will give Nissan some credit for their pretty good exteriors on their vehicles though.

True.........GM needs to get these SUV's out but needs to do it right. As long as GM has some 6 speed tech to show that they need business, then they will be fine easing into 6 speeds for all of these SUV's. AS LONG AS THEY DON'T TAKE SEVERAL YEARS TO DO IT! Personally, I think 6 speeds should be across the whole GM line.............................if money were not an issue......but it is. It's an easy way to gain MPG. Oh, and the Sequoia only has a 5 speed auto, so GM is already ahead of that game.

Bottom line........the future of SAAB will be Opel, Holden, and Vauxhall

I agree. People need to understand that no matter what he does, he is doing it 100% for more money. He is an investor and thats what he does. He could care less about what other people think GM should do, he will use his clout to do what he thinks should be done (He will only get to about 9.9% clout though). Still, up to 9.9% is a lot of stock. He has already stated that GMAC is WAY undervalued because of it's connection with GM, which from a business standpoint is VERY true. GMAC actually makes money, GM does not. I think all he wants to do is try to convence GM to spin off GMAC, not help GM. If anything he will hurt GM by taking away it's only big profit making center.

It's simple, I think he just wants his investment to work, good for us or bad for us, he just wants good returns. Can't blame him though for wanting a seat, he spent some MAJOR cash on GM stock. Don't know what this will really mean for us though (besides him wanting to spin off GMAC).

No, it's a copycat version......the Chinese do this all the time. It's comical to see some of the cars they try to pass off as their own (search the web for some). They are usually peices of junk. On the other hand, if the company is affiliated with a respected company like GM, VW, Honda, etc., then they will be MUCH safer and in al, better engineering.

If the GM, BMW, Mercedes, ????, hybrid alliance holds to their word, a Tahoe with the stated gas mileage mounted with the hopefuly outstanding hybrid system will be (in my opinion) a more attractive purchase that any Toyota SUV out there.