An open letter from my brother to General Motors

[DontTreadOnMike]

Dear GM,
Your most recent commercials include the catch phrase "May the Best Car Win," challenging car buyers to put your cars up against any other car, from any other manufacturer. What a wonderfully free market attitude, one which I agree with completely. It's about time the free market was allowed to decide which cars and car companies should survive. My gripe, though, is that General Motors seems only to have adopted this free market stance after being bailed out to the tune of billions by the tax payer. General Motors was rescued from the free market consequences of not being the best. In fact, being one of the worst. The best cars and car companies did win, and GM should have lost, but you weren't allowed to lose. As far as I'm concerned, General Motors already has all the money they will ever get from me. I will never, for the rest of my life on this earth, spend a dime on General Motors products. That's the free market speaking, enjoy.

[Sam Gunn (since nobody got Admiral Naismith)]

GM makes great cars.  Unions combined with mismanaging of funds and ridiculous government regulations are the reasons GM was "forced" into the bailout.

I love my Suburban.  And if I had the coin I would be in a brand new Camaro SS right now.

[Sam Gunn (since nobody got Admiral Naismith)]

GM makes great cars. 

Compared to what?  I think their transmissions are sloppy and overall they're just not as tight as toyotas or hondas.

I guess it depends on what transmissions you're talking about.  I really like the six speeds in the Camaros and Corvettes.  I really like the 4L80E in my Suburban.  What Honda is going to compete with a Camaro or a Suburban?  Can you name one?

[Sam Gunn (since nobody got Admiral Naismith)]

What Honda is going to compete with a Camaro or a Suburban?  Can you name one?

That's it. 

So GM makes 2 great cars.  I guess I can't even really concede that b/c those cars are merely unique and while they might be great for certain purposes, they aren't "great cars" IMO.

Saying that GM makes great cars isn't exactly true.

Also, Honda does make something called a Ridgeline.  Not quite a suburban but close enough.

The Ridgeline is a total joke.  Try going wheeling in that.  Try towing a boat behind it.  Honda has no competitor to the Camaro.  Neither does Toyota.  Honda has no competitor to the entire GM line of trucks which are amazing and very nice.  Toyota's competition (the Tundra) gets worse fuel economy but otherwise is a pretty nice truck that costs more, but in no way beats the GM truck.

[davann]

Honda has no competitor to the Camaro.  Neither does Toyota. 

Didn't the camaro go out of style around 1985 along with Molly Ringwald? It is 2009 man and you are stuck in the 80s!

This might actually be part of the problem with GM, they make cars that do not have a large enough consumer base. Kinda like rap music. Nothing wrong with working the long tail as long as the product produced is fairly cheap to make.

[Diogenes The Cynic]

GM makes great cars. 

Compared to what?  I think their transmissions are sloppy and overall they're just not as tight as toyotas or hondas.

Compared to every Japanese automaker. The Japanese don't get style. They don't make powerful cars, and in a race, the American cars win.

You think that because of a sloppy transmission a car is bad? I think if it looks like a cardboard box on wheels its a joke.

[Sam Gunn (since nobody got Admiral Naismith)]

Honda has no competitor to the Camaro.  Neither does Toyota. 

Didn't the camaro go out of style around 1985 along with Molly Ringwald? It is 2009 man and you are stuck in the 80s!

This might actually be part of the problem with GM, they make cars that do not have a large enough consumer base. Kinda like rap music. Nothing wrong with working the long tail as long as the product produced is fairly cheap to make.

Have you seen the new Camaro?


http://www.newcarpark.com/blog/?p=72
How is this thing NOT sexy?  Greater than 20 mph, 400 hp, into the 12 sec quarter mile range, luxurious inside.  Name ONE Jap car that competes.

[Bill Brasky]

The problem with GM versus Honda versus Toyota and all the rest...

Economical misconceptions.  People are trying to shoehorn economical arguments in with performance arguments.  They don't mix, at all. 

You need to remove the sticker and ignore it completely to have a performance argument.  If you do that, each company can produce some interesting performance vehicles.  Visual design is not to be ignored.  If it is aesthetically pleasing that is a consideration - you have to enjoy the shape.  Mechanical performance is also a consideration, even more importantly.  It could be raw, brutish horsepower, or nimble, agile speed, or a mix of both.  Again, a personal preference. 

On the other end of the spectrum, pure economical considerations without much regard to street performance OR visual design.  I think the foreign automakers win there, because they manage to incorporate better performance into the economical designs for comparatively the same price.  (give or take a little bit)  Domestic automakers tend to skimp on the quality to deliver economy, whereas foreign doesn't - as much.  The additional quality translates into slightly longer life of the vehicle and fewer repairs. 

[Sam Gunn (since nobody got Admiral Naismith)]

That's fair enough, although I think people just haven't been looking at the new American economy cars.  My brother has a 2006 Cobalt which rolled off the lot for 12 grand brand new.  It's pretty nice considering the price.  Way faster than my sister's Civic, more horsepower and far more torque fed through a way nicer manual transmission (which to be fair is Italian).  More comfortable and more spacious too.  And cheaper.  But word on the street is that GM is actually losing money on the Cobalts (non SS models) so they can help out their average fleet fuel economy ratings and help put their name out there.  I've seen a lot more of them driving around lately though.  Time will tell on the endurance of the motor, but since it's based off of solid technology I think it should turn in at least 150k before needing much if any work in the motor department.

[Diogenes The Cynic]

That's fair enough, although I think people just haven't been looking at the new American economy cars.  My brother has a 2006 Cobalt which rolled off the lot for 12 grand brand new.  It's pretty nice considering the price.  Way faster than my sister's Civic, more horsepower and far more torque fed through a way nicer manual transmission (which to be fair is Italian).  More comfortable and more spacious too.  And cheaper.  But word on the street is that GM is actually losing money on the Cobalts (non SS models) so they can help out their average fleet fuel economy ratings and help put their name out there.  I've seen a lot more of them driving around lately though.  Time will tell on the endurance of the motor, but since it's based off of solid technology I think it should turn in at least 150k before needing much if any work in the motor department.

I rented a few on vacation. Solid cars.

[Bill Brasky]

I think in the last two-three years, this is a valid observation.  But I doubt its in the companies best overall interest to eat a loss for every vehicle produced as an advertising campaign. 

[Sam Gunn (since nobody got Admiral Naismith)]

I think in the last two-three years, this is a valid observation.  But I doubt its in the companies best overall interest to eat a loss for every vehicle produced as an advertising campaign. 

Yeah I think the price has gone up a few grand since he got his.  But they are still good cars even at 16k.  I borrowed it to drive from LA to Tahoe and got 42 mpg too.  He's came down from LA to SD to hang out a few times and gotten 42 mpg as well.  Great highway fuel economy.  My sister's civic will barely break 33 on long trips, and around town gets more like 20.  And it cost more even though she bought it a year old and is the same base stripped model. 

I see no comparison in this class of car.  Maybe the mid sized cars and mini-vans the Japs are competitive, but those don't interest me so much.  Of course I drive a Suburban, and its obvious that I see it as "Go Big (useful trucks/luxury cars) Or Go Home (economy class)"

[DontTreadOnMike]

All I know is I'm in to my 85 Mercedez 300 turbo diesel. The odometer stopped at 250,000 3 owners ago and it's still going. It will never die. You can't say that about any new cars, GM or Honda....although hondas do seem more durable than GM.

[Sam Gunn (since nobody got Admiral Naismith)]

All I know is I'm in to my 85 Mercedez 300 turbo diesel. The odometer stopped at 250,000 3 owners ago and it's still going. It will never die. You can't say that about any new cars, GM or Honda....although hondas do seem more durable than GM.

Good on your Merc.  Diesels rock for that matter.

I gotta say though that I love my small block Chevy.  I'd take an SBC over any Honda motor any day for performance and durability.  Of course that may not apply to economy cars, because it won't fit in one.

[Diogenes The Cynic]

All I know is I'm in to my 85 Mercedez 300 turbo diesel. The odometer stopped at 250,000 3 owners ago and it's still going. It will never die. You can't say that about any new cars, GM or Honda....although hondas do seem more durable than GM.

Mercedes builds good cars.

Hondas seem more durable, but with a little elbow grease, you can make a GM last like forever.