Topic: My new Malibu

[rrocket]

Yea.  With the #1 and #3 selling cars in the USA, the best selling luxury brand in the USA and near the top in market share in the USA, most car companies would be lucky to "lose their way a bit" like Toyota....

You could insert GM in place of Toyota in that same statement ~ mid-80s (like when the Cutlass was #1).  We all know how that one turned out!   

I still say they're not doing bad.  Without declaring BK and the careful massage of government hands..not to mention a smear campaign against them.  Not a bad year after all...all things considered.  GM in the 80s never had that to worry about it and they STILL tanked.

Maybe you'll have an argument in 30-40 years if Toyota declares BK.

[CatsEye68]

I still say they're not doing bad.  Without declaring BK and the careful massage of government hands..not to mention a smear campaign against them.  Not a bad year after all...all things considered.  GM in the 80s never had that to worry about it and they STILL tanked.

Yes, all GM had to worry about back then was Toyota dumping cars into the US market thanks to Japan, Inc., subsidizing their efforts with currency manipulation and other assorted trade shenanigans.

[rrocket]

I still say they're not doing bad.  Without declaring BK and the careful massage of government hands..not to mention a smear campaign against them.  Not a bad year after all...all things considered.  GM in the 80s never had that to worry about it and they STILL tanked.

Yes, all GM had to worry about back then was Toyota dumping cars into the US market thanks to Japan, Inc., subsidizing their efforts with currency manipulation and other assorted trade shenanigans.

    Yea..that was the reason....

[TopGun]

Yes, all GM had to worry about back then was Toyota dumping cars into the US market thanks to Japan, Inc., subsidizing their efforts with currency manipulation and other assorted trade shenanigans.

I'd agree with the Japan Inc. comment.  The Big 3 didn't do themselves any favours by trying to fight it by limiting the number of imports...that just lead them higher up the food chain and the creation of Lexus and Acura.

Don't forget about the shareholders either that demand quarterly returns.  It just doesn't lead to good decisions over the long-term.

[rrocket]

Yes, all GM had to worry about back then was Toyota dumping cars into the US market thanks to Japan, Inc., subsidizing their efforts with currency manipulation and other assorted trade shenanigans.

I'd agree with the Japan Inc. comment.  The Big 3 didn't do themselves any favours by trying to fight it by limiting the number of imports...that just lead them higher up the food chain and the creation of Lexus and Acura.

Don't forget about the shareholders either that demand quarterly returns.  It just doesn't lead to good decisions over the long-term.

Yep..that was Autopact.  They got sued by the Japanese and lost in a WTO case because the Big 3 were imported made in Europe cars with no tariffs.

And yes...one of the single largest reasons for GM decline was accountability to shareholders.

[Murano2005]

Any GM car feels good for the first year.  After that it starts to squeak, clunk, ding, and all kinds of other things.  Just bad quality.  Stay away. You get Japanese or Korean, if a few years it is still the same as when you got it. That's the difference in quality.

[CatsEye68]

Any GM car feels good for the first year.  After that it starts to squeak, clunk, ding, and all kinds of other things.  Just bad quality.  Stay away. You get Japanese or Korean, if a few years it is still the same as when you got it. That's the difference in quality.

No, that's utter nonsense.