enzl

Four pages of posts for a fleet & livery special? Yikes. No money to tool new doors, I guess...Other than a new way to take me to the airport, I'm not getting the excitement over this.

I can't argue that my point of view is just that, mine! However, I have dealt with unhappy customers calling regarding their unhappiness. My point is more along the lines of GM not managing this Onstar program correctly, and the elimination of millions of potential residual users is valid, given that GM is desperate for revenue in any form.As far as bias goes, please refer to any of the 'Other Guys' recall postings to verify that this board takes a vastly different approach to others' foibles. And, please feel free to disagree with me....that's what makes this place great. I just don't see the loss of a safety feature on millions of vehicles being a positive....

Nassau is the 2nd LX to use the Challenger's shortened wheelbase. They're going to keep the Brampton plant running full speed thru model changeovers....

Unless, of course, its your life or a loved one's. It's my personal belief that OnStar tech has been grossly mismanaged from the beginning, turning a potential windfall of residual payments into a half-assed program that excused/delayed getting highly profitable SatNav options into most GM products--there should have been real-time traffic integration years ago. This analogue switch is just the icing on the cake.

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A.../611210362/1148I'm just calling it like I see it. A Toyota recall gets you guys all up in arms....I could only imagine what this piece of news would stir up. I stand by my statement and have read nothing that alters my opinion that this is a PR disaster waiting to happen.... And just for those here that do not know me...My living is dependant upon GM's success. Constructive criticism is something that GM could use alot more of. You want to provide "fresh ideas for a better GM"?, or "Lets be the best cheerleaders we can be" or "let's defend bonehead moves becasue that's what they want to hear" How about calling the planning on this OnStar issue what it is?: A HUGE mistake! We have dozens of customers that either require updates or have vehicles which cannot be updated. They are not entirely wrong to demand answers, are they? What do I tell them? Tough Sh!t? Take the rose colored glasses off, boys. It's do or die time at the General. They should at least get the benefit of real feedback.

It's not a multifunctional phone...its an emergency system.And even if there's no legal liability, just wait until the press gets hold of a 'child in a wheelchair because GM's Onstar not upgraded. Mom weeping as she tells tale of hours in a ditch pressing button' If this was any other manufacturer, everyone here would be screaming bloody murder. Incredible that anyone can attempt to diminish the PR negative of this type of decision.

Not even close analogy.Press button. Expect help. Lawsuit waiting to happen.

Awful decision to let these customers swing...I don't need to even say what the outcry would be here if it were a co. other than GM.... Gotta keep the old subscribers. One dead or maimed customer will ignite a sh*tstorm....the tech is there. It's clearly a dollars and cents decision, which is depressing.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/11/14/rep...-g6-rear-drive/ Interesting...anyone have another source or some insight?

Oh, and there were a number of 06's with 0% in October, I just grabbed a copy of Automotive News for Oct.31st....Fleet sales are still around 20%, IIRC. It is my understanding from our Toyota store that sales are currently supply constrained...meaning they literally can't get 'em fast enough for many models...The Chevy store I have an office in currently is #1 in our region. There are a number of stores that are going under or being sold in the region. Only Ford's plight makes GM look better right now. Of all of the nameplates GM sells, only Saturn is up for the year. All others are off between 10-20%. How can that be defined as successful?

My bad...they just averaged $3,000 rebates on top of the new 'value pricing'...much better. Check the monthly retail reports to see the disaster yourself. A big chunk of the sales 'increase' came as a result of fleets. Sales in my area were about 80% of targeted numbers for Chevy. Anyone claiming that Toyota's numbers are an indicator of weakness isn't dealing with reality. Again, the numbers last year were so bad for the big 2 that they mean squat.

My point exactly. Good news seems to be bubbling through occassionally. GM, barring unforseen macro issues, should have the ship righted shortly. Their Chinese growth will prove to be a much bigger factor in years to come. That and the Daewoo connection. IMO, will be their engines of solid performance.

Less Fleet sales. Production numbers were sufficient to keep up with retail demand, as of the last AutoNews with production and sales figures...

No. It means that GM's sales were so attrocious last year that the dramatic improvement of the numbers means very little. When your baseline is small, dramatic % improvement will appear much larger.... Also, bear in mind that these sales were achieved with 0%/72mo. financing deals that cost GM in the long run.

The Sonata is a rental dream, however, the Accent and Elantra have had production delays, engine shotages and a strike cripple Hyundai's ability to produce the proper amount of units.

Civic is capacity restrained, as are a few other products in their portfolio. They are also in the midst of shifting Pilot production.As a result, they literally cannot produce more Civics, at this point in time. I believe it's their Acura unit that may be a source of slowing growth going forward, as the RL has never caught on and the RDX is pricey.

...the catch is that neither are out yet. Interesting choices: http://money.cnn.com/popups/2006/autos/crossovers/index.html

How are sales figures vs. expectations? I saw news of about 3500 units last month. Anyone know what projections are and how the Aura is really doing?

I don't get the problem. Why not market them as being everything you might need? (Ex. Tows like a BOF SUV, economy of a car, space of a minivan, etc...) GM needs to push this program up, just like the GMT900's...

If you really think that the above nit-picking is the reason that the Big 2.5 are losing ground, then you just haven't been paying attention very well.For the record, a slew of old-tech engines, 4 speed trannies and yesterdays chassis' have doomed much domestic product from the get-go. The detail you lampoon above only provides further fodder for enthusiast magazines. Now, if you want to say that Toyota's current product is trending in a downward trajectory or that Nissan can't put together a really decent interior, I'd be inclined to agree with you. The first step in solving a problem is recognizing you have one. I believe that GM has owned up to that failing....Mr. Lutz has specifically targeted interior quality and modern engine/tranny arrangements as areas for improvement. You gonna disagree with him too? The magazines only reflect the residual public disdain created by GM when they exibited a similar disdain for the wants/needs of their buying public. It'll change when GM and the others prove they've changed.

Gm's US sales are down 400,000 units from last year's pace. Current news from europe isn't great either. September sales dropped off the map last year, making comparisons between this year and last almost meaningless. Farago isn't entirely right, but, unfortunately, he's not that far off. Factor in the inevitable fight with Kekorian and GM's 'recovery' may be imperiled.

Not special! High quality, yes. Passion. No. They need a little more soul.

It's not special. In the way a $75-100k car should be.I never said it was the same as a Camry, only not different enough. Furthermore, I would argue that you couldn't arrange "super high-end matching leather, very expensive wood, powerful seat massagers, body temperature sensors" in anymore boring a fashion, IMO (of course.)

Still doesn't look special. They need to hire a modern design house to get some new ideas. Many of the interior bits say 'Camry', not 'Lexus' to me.

Since I got called out, I'll take my shot proving that you know little about the car business and, unfortunately (for you) even less about international mega business....First, everyone here would like different sheetmetal. But, if given the choice between nothing and the Commodore. Yes, I guess it's the Aussie, please. 'Sensible thinking' means using all available resources for any and all purposes. I'm guessing you can't read a public company's report and glean exactly how bleak things could get. Those that brandish the B word are not more than a few bad quarters away from being right. Now, you can quibble with the product offering, but keep in mind that in order to have 'murican GM products, you need a relatively solvent GM. They will be mostly offshore anyway, now (>50% GM product sold outside USA). I'm for great product. The G6 is a mediocre mid-market sedan. That's all. It's not a class leading product, period. (And it needed to be to get folks out of their Camries/6s/Accords et al.)I find the Grand Prix gross. I'm sorry. I said it. I've driven a few and thought the design, inside & out, was weak and, if possible, the execution even worse. The Bonneville always struck me as a more balanced product...I guess it was the G platform. And as for 'selfish interests', I'm interested in keeping my 200 Chevrolet employees employed. What are you so worried about? The paper route not a growth industry anymore?