[Shotimes] RE: (OT) GM may be ripe for an extreme makeover

[Ron Porter]

No, it's that they listen to the dealers too much.

Remember that consumers (us) are not the mfrs customers, they sell cars to
the dealers. Just like buying a PC or a TV, you don't buy directly from the
mfr.

Ron Porter

-----Original Message-----
From: Seth Alan Kuiper [mailto:shoverine@mac.com] 
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2005 9:51 AM
To: Donald Mallinson
Cc: Shotimes; V8List SHO
Subject: Re: (OT) GM may be ripe for an extreme makeover

I heard somewhere that the main problem with domestic automakers is their
contract with the unions and how much they owe their retirees.  Foreign
automakers are not saddled with this burden (to my knowledge).  Streamlining
sounds like a good idea, but I don't know if it can solve the problems of
the big three.  

Seth

 
On Friday, April 29, 2005, at 06:27AM, Donald Mallinson <dmall@mwonline.net>
wrote:

>Ron,
>
>I thought this story hit on an important concept that GM (and Ford too) 
>should take to heart.  It used to be that the GM concept was that Chevy 
>was the entry level car and as people became more affluent they moved to 
>a different brand.
>
>What is wrong now IMO is that each brand kept fighting for a "full" 
>lineup of vehicles rather than staying with their initial strength.  
>Through the boom times, this was OK, but now with so much new 
>competition cutting up the pie, GM and Ford (and DC will find this out 
>too) need to specialize their brands. 
>
>Buick doesn't need an entry level car, or midrange, it needs a good 
>entry level luxury car.  Pontiac doesn't need big vans or even entry 
>level cars, it needs sporty cars, no trucks.  Chevy needs great entry 
>level product.  Cadillac is the shining star with vastly improved world 
>level product throughout the line now, and they need to keep pushing 
>hard to keep up and get past the competition.  The other brands should 
>drop a bunch of vehicles that just compete with themselves.  And maybe 
>it is time to either drop GMC or make it the ONLY GM brand with trucks, 
>and make them spectacular.
>
>As all the European and oriental makes become wallowing full-line 
>makers, they might start having some of the problems that have caught up 
>American makers.  They are trying to be everything. I know that a LOT of 
>Porsche people just went ballistic when Porsche announced an SUV of all 
>things.  Now there is talk of a four-door Porsche?
>
>BMW was luxury, but they now want entry level and are trying to be all 
>things with SUV's, and can a pickup be far behind?  Honda now is getting 
>into trucks.  Might they be smarter to stick with being the smart sedan 
>people?   Many wonder where in the heck Mercedes is headed.
>
>Maybe GM and Ford can streamline, specialize and become leaner and take 
>back the market.....or not.  It would be nice though.
>
>Don Mallinson
>
>
>
>Ron Porter wrote:
>
>>Here's an article from the front page of the Money section in today's USA
>>Today (the Cover Story). The online story is not as visually strong as the
>>print version, but the two links within this link:
>>
>>http://tinyurl.com/bghco
>>
>>See also the "damaged goods and "inventory" links.