The Big Three management is interested in their own pay and rewards. The UAW has been allowed to run unchecked. The result, today, is the American automobile…second to those produced in this country by foreign-owned companies. They both should be ashamed of themselves, they have failed our nation.

74 Nova – Paint began to flake, blister, and fall off after 2 years – rear quarter panels were rusted through within 5 years – brake lights failed so often, I kept spares in the glovebox.

82 Lincoln Town Car – At the time, it was my dream car. However, the climate control never worked right (AC would become full blast heat when going up hills or accelerating. It also began to stop at red lights and stop signs in the hottest days of summer, and would not restart for 5 – 10 minutes. (This greatly endeared me to everyone behind me at the red light). It was Vapor Lock, and the whole fuel delivery system would have to be rerouted away from the exhaust manifold (at my cost, even though Ford engineered the damn thing). Goodbye, Town Car.

I bought a used 82 Dodge Reliant K-car next. I was driving along, and the car kicked, like someone had slammed the brakes for a split second. And this happened over and over. The dealer found the problem – a MAP (mass airflow processor) sensor had gone bad. Then the new MAP sensor went bad in 2 months, and another 2 months, and another 2 months – That car ATE MAP sensors so often, I learned to change them myself. This ended when both the engine’s oil pump began to fail (intermittant oil pressure light)and the transmission began slipping so badly, forward motion was almost impossible. Both happened at 149,000 miles.

At that time, Datsuns (now they are called Nissans) were travelling 200,000, 300,000, sometimes 1,000,000 miles – with OEM equipment. I needed a cheap car, having spent much money repairing my American made cars.

1999 – I bought a Hyundai Elantra – mistake ! It was dependable, but its gas mileage for such a small car was lousy – I got 22 MPG (barely).

I’m getting older now, as my arthritis reminds me. I need something easy to get into and out of. Much research later, I narrowed my choices down to 2 minivans – Chevolet Venture, and Honda Odyssey. Due to my past experience with american cars, I bought the Honda Odyssey. No problems with over 110,000 miles on it.

So you ask, What has GM ever done to me?

GM, Ford, and Chrysler have cost me plenty of money, lost time, and heartache, while I paid and paid to fix THEIR mistakes. Now their crappy reputation has came around and bit them in the ass when they can least afford it. Karma’s a bitch, sometimes. They earned this disaster, one crappy car at a time. Ask Consumer Reports, if you don’t believe me. People remember things like this, when spending their hard earned money.

But don’t you ever, EVER, call me a GM hater, you snibbling little brat. GM earned all the hate they are receiving. I gave GM a chance – TWICE. I gave Ford a chance. I gave Chrysler a chance. THEY let ME down. I owe them NOTHING. Let GM impress me – but they won’t impress me hiding behind the American flag, behind patriotism, or behind a government bailout. Losing the UAW – THAT would impress me. Otherwise, it’s business as usual – closely followed by Chapter 7 liquidation.

GM can continue to make cars during the reorganization – and remake its image at the same time. GM can start with a clean slate, and hire new employees. Gm can bring in experts from Japan to show them how to empower their new employees to police quality control. EVERY employee would have the authority to stop the assembly line, if a quality fault was found. GM has been bested by the Japanese – it’s time for GM to adopt their management style (which cannot happen with the UAW), or die a deserved death. “If you can’t beat ‘em…”

You provided me with 30 minutes of entertainment…sweet.

“http://www.donkeykongonline.com/donkey-kong-online-game.html”

2)
“GM says its total hourly labor costs are now $69, including wages, pensions and health care for active workers, plus the pension and health care ”

3)
“Toyota says its total costs are around $48. The Japanese automaker has far fewer retirees and its pension and health care benefits are not as rich as those paid to UAW workers. “
————————————————–

Labor hours to build a car:
Toyota: 29.9 hours
Nissan: 30 hours
Honda: 31.6 hours
GM: 32.4 hours
Chrysler: 33 hours
Ford: 35 hours

So GM pays about $21/hour more for labor, and if it takes 32.4 hours => $680, plus compared to Toyota this adds 2.5 hours => $172.50 for a total additional cost adder of $852.50 (This agrees closely with a number I think DonC quoted earlier. Sorry Don, sometimes I have to run the numbers before I believe them)

I find this interesting and makes me take a different look at the problem. Maybe the Union cost adder is not as big a problem as I had suspected. I think the major hit is the pension, which I have heard adds a minimum of $1500/car.

So tell me are they going to hold the patents on this battery as well?
No… not this time… Its all part of the plan… Big Oil now owns the batteries, and its win win for them.

To all the Haters of GM, what did they ever do to you?

I say go G reaseM onkeys! Yo buy shares Now, and retire in 5 years! EREV is changing N.A.
and this is your chance to get rich.

-oh yea and canada will get Camaro, the bumper and import laws have been harmonized to be the same as USA as of last year.

Don’t believe the Hype.
AONE GE GM CVX

1)
“GM says the average UAW laborer makes $29.78 per hour, while Toyota says it pays about $30 per hour. But the unionized factories have far higher benefit costs.”

2)
“GM says its total hourly labor costs are now $69, including wages, pensions and health care for active workers, plus the pension and health care ”

3)
“Toyota says its total costs are around $48. The Japanese automaker has far fewer retirees and its pension and health care benefits are not as rich as those paid to UAW workers. “

Indulge me. Let me tell you a story.

A friend of mine went to Europe. He got a Eurail pass. While he was traveling in Germany, it was hot, so when the train stopped, he went for something cold to drink. Most everyone had the same idea, so the line was long, and he was late. The conductor said he missed the train by 30 seconds. He was pissed. He watched the train sit there for 2 minutes before it left. He thought he was being singled out as a foreigner. But hen a few stops later, the same thing happened to an older German couple, and they just took in in stride. “OK, we missed the train. We’ll get the next one.”

Then he went to Italy. He ended up getting on the wrong train, but it was OK, the conductor worked it out, they switched trains, and the train took off 5 minutes late, but everything worked out. It was all chaotic, but it worked.

The point is that Europe has distinctly different cultures. In America, we have Germans and Italians driving on the same roads. This creates a lot of stress! But the clash of cultures also creates an environment that fosters innovation. Not everyone thinks alike, and that’s OK! So I guess I’m a proud American!!!