GM gashes us again!
 

So GM is laying off about 14,000 workers and closing 5 plants in an effort to control losses. After around 60 billion in bailouts 10 years ago that cost taxpayers 11 billion, it seems like deja vu all over again! I get the propaganda about being accountable to share holders, but how about accountability to the rest of the country. It is astounding that GM is in financial difficulty so soon after all the mea culpa's expressed a decade ago. Unfortunately, lots of working class folks will be taking a beating in the mid west and Canada due to these pending actions. Coincidentally, no plant closings in Mexico or China were announced. So ask yourself before you throw 80k into a new tow rig - do these despots deserve your financial commitment? I for one voted with my wallet in 2008 when I bought a new F-350, and have bought 3 more Ford trucks since. I admired Fomoco for liquidating assets instead of taking a public bailout. I love my C7 ZO6, but really despise the prevailing attitude at GM. Regardless of what the GM spin was back in 2008, they continue to demonstrate the inability to deny short term profit, for long term stability. The president is understandably disappointed, as this will certainly affect the gains he made in those states where GM is a major employer. Gm should reconsider the long term ramifications of this action. You can only cry wolf 20 or 30 times before people get suspicious. Just my 2 cents.

So....you think its a better option for GM to keep building cars that dont sell??? So they continue losses until they need another bail out?? Ford has basically nuked almost all of its car production as well,,,

You are making my point. GM needs to produce vehicles that are competitive within a market niche, rather than delaying new model introductions and trying to amortize costs long term on outdated and unpopular vehicles. Ford's market plan although controversial, did not come with plant closings and huge layoffs. Not being a homer, I own two chevs right now, my "98 HD 3500 is a forever truck and owes me nothing. I just do not understand Gm's inability to recognize flawed marketing techniques decade after decade. It seems like they are incorrigible.

its simple..you dont design next years car the year before, you design and plan many years ahead. Several years ago when this model year was being planned, the green bubble was in full swing, downsize, economy, alternative energy was all the rage, E85.

I got gas yesterday for $1.99 a gallon, the green bubble burst, so America is back to being America wanting bigger and beefier.

SPRSPTR, They have posted $7.5B in profits thru the first 3 quarter's of 2018. How is that just like 10 years ago? They are not asking for a bail out at all based on what I am reading. Where are you seeing that it is 2008/2009 all over again?

As I see it the profits are from the tax break and them buying back their stock and such. Just like all the top level money makers, they are going to make them selves more money. Just simple capitalism

Should have let GM die 10 years ago rather then bail it out..... survival of the fittest apply's to poorly run companies too....

I think the real issue is that we have not figured out what to do with all the people that lose their jobs and the effect it has on other businesses around.

That is the real issue, because the people that no longer don't have a income don't disappear. We really need to figure out how to make the transition and its not just with factory workers, technology is driving a lot of people out of work.

Many years ago I was in China (as a supplier to Shanghai GM), and seen people doing some work. I laughed and told my Chinese resident engineer in America we would automate that. He looked at me and asked

"But what do you do with the people then?". Very good point.

Ok that is weird a picture of me and my team just popped up on the computer, we were on a Chinese bus! Right after I posted the above!!!!!!!

Yeah, that goes for most of the automakers though. Why do they always have to look like a roller skate? Do they always have to have a Start Ship Enterprise themed body style?

I do know that GM recently put an insane amount of money into the truck and suv lines, a lot of which hasnt even hit the show room yet.. And that info isnt internet conjecture, It's straight from one of the senior engineers that was working on it, GM also has a lot invested in autonomous extreme efficiency military vehicle research next generation stuff.... that last sentence will self destruct in 5-4-3-2..........

As a retired DoD employee which dealt with many contractor's, there were none of them not making lots of coin doing research for the Military

Company's can't make dependable window switches, but they can make self driving cars that zip down the freeway at 70 mph... whats wrong with this picture?? lol

Bad Mojo
 

Agree with the sentiment but truthfully, there would have been a huge economic impact with that scenario. A lot of support manufacturing and sub contracting would have been lost also.That would practically guarantee a depression, not a recession as experienced. I feel the bailouts to GM and Chrysler were generally worthwhile, the problem is GM's selfish, consistently flawed business plan which disregards the efforts by President Trump and the American taxpayers in general, and their workers specifically. GM should have had a contingency plan in place that would have softened the blow a month before Christmas! The song remains the same at GM, profits first, deception second, workers a distant third.

I knew GM gave up ever since someone approved that hideous DEF tank.

can they , would you take a nap in that car at 70 ,,,

As if the Aztek wasnt the first clue.....

I wouldnt take a nap in that car doing 10 mph in the parking lot lol

The odd part about this conversation is that we are almost there again. If you have seen the movie/documentary "Too Big To Fail" or read some of the stories, this country was on the verge of a real meltdown. IMHO they had no choice to bail GM out as well as others.

The part that I still have a problem with is that nobody went to jail and nobody lost their SEC license. I think we are headed there again. Matter of fact, if Trump doesnt go in again in 2020 it will happen immediately. If he does go in 2020 it will last a little longer but not much. But its coming, the question is how bad will it be.

And it just gets worse... I just saw a Toyota commercial on TV... Chuck Norris has sold out !!! Instant Hero to Zero status !! Total douchebag move.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...128b6d68aa.jpg
got this one for free and had it running in an hour.... it was an awesome beater

Disappointing news. I imagine a giant company such as GM is immensely complex to run but it’s still inexcusable. One thing I always scratched my head at was it’s like they make the same vehicles just with different badges on the front. Chevys and GMCs are just about the exact same thing , but GMC is “professional grade”? So the Chevy is the “average joe grade”? Remember Saturns?....

I was a GM guy before 2009, never cared for anything blue oval, but now I’m a Ford guy. Yes ford took a loan (because the government mandated that they begin designing more fuel efficient vehicles) but loans get paid back! Not bailing them out 10yrs ago would’ve been bad for everyone, employees, customers, even competition. I thought I read somewhere that ford actually voted for the bailout.

What happens when you let study groups influence your design more than the original designer. I remember when they gave one away on one of the very first "survivors". Had to laugh at the lengths GM was going to to get rid of them.

Toyota and the other Japanese auto makers make very nice vehicles. Thank goodness Toyota and Nissan got into the 1/2ton game, otherwise I’m betting 1/2tons from the big three would be over 100k. Got to have competition.

Yup, I loved spending their money.

Who buys cars anymore ? SUV's, pickups and minivans are the rule and the big 3 have enough existing manufacturing capacity for them.

They are putting all their eggs in 2 baskets. Chevy is going to release the newly re-designed trucks and the new mid-engine Corvette and be back on top by 2021.

You're an idiot if this is what you think! What percentage of people buy brand new corvettes?? Maybe 3% if you are lucky!! We are heading for another recession if people do not remove their heads from their a$$. Invest in what the market and people want stop jamming electrification up our ASS$ES we are not all a bunch of tree hugging Hippie’s, what about the rural areas? what about the American farmers, truckers?? Mess around with the u.s auto market and watch the economy crumble again!!!

Sorry for the rant! This $hit pisses me off!

C7 vette is the only thing Chevy has going for them imo. Mid engine vette is sacrilege. Kill the fiero because it was taking corvette sales? Then copy it?! How dare you?! lol.

A Fiero with a supercharged LS motor, there's a thought.

never mind, been done

You must be brilliant and sent your message to GM because the plant that builds the Volt is on the list of those being closed.