GM Changes

Of some interest back when Ford announced the end of the Crown Vic,Grand Marquis,And the Town Car. My understanding was Hyundai came to Ford wanting to buy all the dies and patterns for the Town Car they were going to take the whole works to Korea and continue building the Town Car under their name. Someone at Ford (a committee I am sure) nixed the deal and it all went to scrap. ED is right there is NO OLD MANS CAR today by this I mean a column shift bench seat good size trunk four door sedan. Closest you can come is the Charger, New Yorker style from Mopar and they ain't roomey. We just got a nice 08 Charger Sheriffs Dept. unit no room hard to see out of and the trunk is small Yeah it is a four door but not roomey like the Crown Vic/Grand Marquis. So far as the small "SUVs" go around here lots of folks call them "Cross Overs". But parking lots a full of them the cash register is ringing for the makers and thats the name of the game.
 
I find it ironic that when they were facing ruin they came with their hands out begging for alms and now they are back making money they kiss us off,they introduce new vehicles with bum warmers,gps,self driving technology,and any amount of bells and whistles,and all in the name of their bottom line,well they can kiss my bottom line:D
 
I will just stick with buying the '03 - '11 Crown Vics and Grand Marquis, as long as I can find low-mile units("we put Pop in a home"). I can put 100,000 miles on one in no time and I know anything that's 4WD or FWD is basically wore out at 100,000 miles.
 
When was the great shrink in US cars? I can recall sitting a 66 Chevelle next to a 68 Fury, and the Chevelle was about 2/3 the size of the Fury.
A few years later every US manufacturer was marketing something the size of a Chevelle as a "full size car". Edward Bernays methods must have worked in the car selling business.

Of course a pound of coffee went on a diet too, as did half a gallon of ice cream.
 
mid 80 was they first stab then it began in earnest in the 90s. but up to 2000 they still has one large body car with a bench seat in each like. I have a leg with nerve damage I can't lay it up agent the center counsel vary long. it's van or truck in anything new for me.
 
I don't know about the rest of the country but around here $50,000.00 plus trucks are everywhere. Fancy leather interiors four doors chrome wheels etc. One neighbor with a horse farm had a bear bones pickup for the farm and a Grand Marquis for go to the store. Now its a new Chevie crew cab Duramax diesel fancy farm hauler the Grand Marquis is gone and the old pick up is in the hands of the grandson. Times change we now only maintain and insure one.
 
Wayne Krakowski said:
I find it ironic that when they were facing ruin they came with their hands out begging for alms and now they are back making money they kiss us off,they introduce new vehicles with bum warmers,gps,self driving technology,and any amount of bells and whistles,and all in the name of their bottom line,well they can kiss my bottom line:D
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What burns me is that when GM was bankrupt, the American (and Canadian) tax payers bailed them out and the company took this money and invested in Communist China! Now, while they are discontinuing production of some models here in North America - like some of the Buicks and Cadillacs - they want to sell Chinese-built Buicks back here in North America! What unmitigated gall! How stupid do they think American consumers are?
 
Obama said that they were too big to fail, I disagree. Should have let them go under, or found some other way to reorganize. The taxpayers should never bail out any private business or bank.
 
Paul Steinberg said:
Obama said that they were too big to fail, I disagree. Should have let them go under, or found some other way to reorganize. The taxpayers should never bail out any private business or bank.
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GM wasn't too big to fail, say nothing of reorganize. The UAW voting block was too big to risk loosing. How many Dollars were stock & bond holders defrauded of? How many Pension Funds took the hit to buy UAW votes?

It's kind of fun here to drive past the UAW Halls, once filled parking lots full of GM cars, today I only see one BMW at the Hall. Delco was sold to Valeo who made the workers a fair offer based on quality and productivity and the building closed 3 years later. UAW workers proudly declared they couldn't afford to work for such low wages. Many still collect Pensions most people would happily put in 40 hours a week to get.

UAW even extorted something called Sub Pay to make up the difference between Unemployment and takehome pay.

UAW has done wonders at Caterpillar and Deere too creating jobs around the globe.
 
Walter Suiter said:
GM wasn't too big to fail, say nothing of reorganize. The UAW voting block was too big to risk loosing. How many Dollars were stock & bond holders defrauded of? How many Pension Funds took the hit to buy UAW votes?

It's kind of fun here to drive past the UAW Halls, once filled parking lots full of GM cars, today I only see one BMW at the Hall. Delco was sold to Valeo who made the workers a fair offer based on quality and productivity and the building closed 3 years later. UAW workers proudly declared they couldn't afford to work for such low wages. Many still collect Pensions most people would happily put in 40 hours a week to get.

UAW even extorted something called Sub Pay to make up the difference between Unemployment and takehome pay.

UAW has done wonders at Caterpillar and Deere too creating jobs around the globe.
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It would appear that the North American automotive industry is taking the same perilous road to oblivion that was taken earlier by the British motor industry. Remember when Great Britain had one of the largest and most productive indigenous auto sectors in the world? They flooded the world with such novel products as the MG, Triumph, Sunbeam, Jaguar, Rover and Land Rover, Morris, Austin, Riley, Hillman, Humber, Singer, TVR, Lotus, Vauxhall, Bentley and Rolls-Royce to name just a few. Today, sadly, most of those glorious names are history and those that are not, are no longer British owned and operated. There were a number of factors that led to the downfall of the British automotive empire - government interference, corporate mismanagement and competition from imports but, the most significant factor was the obnoxious, lazy and incompetently run British labour unions that ran the companies into the ground with shoddy workmanship and constant strikes and unjustified, trivial actions coupled with outrageous demands. GM has shed its long-established and profitable ventures in Australia (Holden), Germany (Opel) and England (Vauxhall) and is now down-sizing its domestic North American operations while investing even more money in Communist China. If this keeps up and if Ford and Chrysler follow suit...soon, like Great Britain, we'll have no indigenous American automotive industry left! So sad a fate for the country that put the world on wheels.
 
Chrysler is only ready owned by a non American company just like Budwiser.

every GM part I had gotten in the last year is made in China.
 
https://www.usatoday.com/story/mone...obiles-detroit-assembly-plant-suv/2231316002/

Reports: Fiat Chrysler to open factory to build SUVs in Detroit

Fiat Chrysler is planning on building an assembly plant in Detroit. That is good news. The only caveat is that they are going to have to do something about the dependability / quality of their products if they wish to compete. I, personally, like Chrysler styling. I am, however, not impressed with their dependability ratings. I came close to purchasing a Jeep Grand Cherokee for my wife in August. After much research, she opted for a BMW instead. We will see if that was a good choice or not...time will tell. So far, she loves her car. I can't drive the thing; there are too many electronic functions, buttons and displays for my taste. I'll stick to my old-school platform.
 
Whatever you do buy the best BMW factory warranty you can get. Then when the nifty electronics quit its BMWs problem not yours. A good friend went through hell with his BMW while it was still under the normal warranty they simply could not fix the issue after five trips back to dealer. The warranty was getting near expiration he called me looking for advise,mine was call BMW hot line and yell help. He did just that got someone helpful and honest. Asked where he was taking car and said he would be back soon. The return call was (not naming dealers) stop going to dealer A dealer B is only 20 miles away and they can fix it dealer A has a poor record. Took car to B and problem gone first visit. Yes Jeep and Chrysler are bad. My Godson has my old special education school transportation business and they have about 15 Chrysler mini vans in the fleet. He told me "They are putting me in the poor house". He had Ford Aerostar vans before age forced him to retire them said he spent 1/4 on them compared to the Chryslers.
 
Channing Spencer said:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/mone...obiles-detroit-assembly-plant-suv/2231316002/

Reports: Fiat Chrysler to open factory to build SUVs in Detroit

Fiat Chrysler is planning on building an assembly plant in Detroit. That is good news. The only caveat is that they are going to have to do something about the dependability / quality of their products if they wish to compete. I, personally, like Chrysler styling. I am, however, not impressed with their dependability ratings. I came close to purchasing a Jeep Grand Cherokee for my wife in August. After much research, she opted for a BMW instead. We will see if that was a good choice or not...time will tell. So far, she loves her car. I can't drive the thing; there are too many electronic functions, buttons and displays for my taste. I'll stick to my old-school platform.
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Just make sure you get rid of it before it goes out of warranty!!
 
Kurt Arends said:
Just make sure you get rid of it before it goes out of warranty!!
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We purchased a solid extended warranty...The BMW extended warranty is actually a very good deal/idea. The warranty covers regular maintenance on all fluid changes, flushes, brakes, etc...as well as an extended bumper to bumper and extended drive train coverage. We even warranted the windshield against chips / breaks...The windshield thing is actually a separate added insurance policy. It covers the replacement cost and chip repair of a windshield with no deductible. I was sold when the dealership informed me that a replacement windshield starts at $1200. It has a heads-up display feature; I guess that is why it is so costly. Again, I never drive it...it is my wife's vehicle. I think it was too expensive...I was all ready to buy a loaded Subaru Outback wagon for her...She said that it was an ugly car. She shopped online, and found the BMW. I agreed to buy the car...you never know what I may want her to agree to one day.
 
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The factory extended warrantys are the way to go on anything today. I have a good friend retired from AT&T his wife forced him to get rid of their 06 Grand Marquis (only 22k miles) and get a Toyota Hybrid Avalon $42000.00 (52 MPG) and has more gadgets than you can believe all electronic. He purchased the most expensive warranty they sold eight years bumper to bumper. His thought "If it sneezes its their problem not mine". Oh and his wifes reason for the $42k purchase "We have to be green". The car now has 11K miles and most of their driving is done in the 2015 Police Interceptor Explorer bought here.
 
will now you know what green means. green going our of you hip:eek: i never buy the extended warranty, I don't keep them that long and you can get one at your bank for half what the dealer will sill you one for. it doesn't start until the factory one goes off and you pay for it from day one. but then again I not buying another new rig till they get rid of the center counsel. if I hit the lotto I would get me a old one rebuilt and have a new car. doing that with 60 stuff why not 90s. you can get a 90s car for 3 grand put 10 or 15 back into one and your way ahead of a 2019 price.
 
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John ED Renstrom said:
will now you know what green means. green going our of you hip:eek: i never buy the extended warranty, I don't keep them that long and you can get one at your bank for half what the dealer will sill you one for. it doesn't start until the factory one goes off and you pay for it from day one. but then again I not buying another new rig till they get rid of the center counsel. if I hit the lotto I would get me a old one rebuilt and have a new car. doing that with 60 stuff why not 90s. you can get a 90s car for 3 grand put 10 or 15 back into one and your way ahead of a 2019 price.
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I thought the same, ED....Turns out that that, at least with BMW, things have changed. They used to include the warranty in the purchase price of the vehicle...that is one reason why they were so expensive....They still have a warranty, but it is nothing like it used to be. Now they still charge a lot for the car, but they don't include the incredible warranty that they used to.

The BMW extended warranty is actually a good deal. It covers EVERYTHING. The warranty was not that expensive...pads and rotors service/replacement on this car will run about $1800 per axle...The warranty more than pays for itself with the regular maintenance alone.
I am not sold on extended warranties for most purchases, in fact, I am pretty sure most of them are a scam; however, in this case it makes sense.

I just wish some company would build a vehicle that was reliable and that they were willing to stand behind without an additional financial investment from the buyer.
 
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