I keep thinking one of the main problems GM has is that some of division names have been tainted beyond repair due to past history of poor build quality. I know this would controversial, but I think in the long run a new division name would be a fresh start. While I like the Buick name, I dont anyone (Joe Public) will think of it as an alternative to Lexus or Infiniti or even in the same league. I know Pontiac is trying to compete with BMW, but the name just doesnt carry the same weight. I think if GM retires the old division names and come up with something new and fresh that will reflect the new direction these division are headed, the public perception may change. A perfect example is the Lexus SUV's vs the Toyota SUV's. I would think most people would be more impressed by the Lexus. Anyone have an opinion on this?

"...nevermind maneuvers lieutenant, just go straight at them!"
-Admiral Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar

i think part of GM's problem is they have too many divisions, and have their fingers in too many pies. they keep looking at the big picture without focusing on internal issues(build quality, names, VERY bad repair history, etc).

Yes GM needs to fix the public perception of GM.

But Changing the names of their Brands!!!

What get rid of Chevy, Pontiac, GMC.

Give GM 2 more years trust me.

And let Toyota have the crown for a couple of years. They are already starting to see quality promblems the more they expand and get bigger. But that is probably becaue the lazy americans doesn't build as good of a vehicle as the faithful Japanese do.

Don't forget about executives that will get twice as much in retirement pay as they do in current yearly wages.

lilbit01 wrote:i think part of GM's problem is they have too many divisions, and have their fingers in too many pies. they keep looking at the big picture without focusing on internal issues(build quality, names, VERY bad repair history, etc).

I would like to say that GM's build quality is some of the best in North America plants.

They actually have the 3 best Quality in North America. http://www.jdpower.com/special/powerreport/gm05/GM_SPR.pdf And that is with the Buick Nameplate.

Yes Honda and Toyota has great Quality whith the Vehicles they build in Japan. But not so great with the products that they build in North America.

They would initially lose a lot of sales due to brand loyalty, they did with Olds.






www.drluc.ca

The Only reason GM dropped Olds is because Buicks biggest competitor was Olds. And Vise Versa. LOL

I'd say drop Buick or Saturn... Isuzu/Suzuki are covering the same markets, and Buick isn't as much of a hit with the younger crowd as Tiger Woods would have you think.

Pontiac and Chevy oughtta be allowed to go at it without the gloves... I think the GTO, Camaro/Firebird (if there is going to be a Pontiac F-Bod Replacement) and Corvette/??? should compete for top billing. Inter-brand rivalry worked before, it'll work now.

Also, I think removing half of the middle management and converting some more of the plants to automated assembly is a better idea.. as well as shearing the "golden pillow" agreements so that most of the executives responsible for the downfall of GM get hit just as hard as every blue collar worker that will be laid off.




If it's not network news, it's probably the truth getting out.

Some people are like slinkies: Not really good for anything,
but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them
down a flight of stairs.

i dont like the idea of dropping buick, and saturn is just now starting to really make a name for itself (other than crap). as for buick, it's not for the younger crowd. yeah, buicks prime market is slowly dying, but it's also being rebuilt, too. we dont stay young forever, and one'a these days im gonna wanna spoil myself silly.

Gam, i do agree with ya about Pontiac and Chevy, though. Pontiac, with the release of the new GTO, the GXP trims, and hopefuly a replacement for the F-body, should be setting itself up to compete in the sporty section. i personally would love to see, and think it would be a great kick in pontiacs proverbial pants, the return of the JUDGE. simple to do, put an LS7 into a GTO, and sell it for... well... anything less than what the Z06 sells. it's heavier, so the Z06 wont have to worry about competition, and im sure it would sell like hotcakes (if properly priced). heck, for all i care they could de-tune the LS7 a little to keep it from killing the average man. they just need a few more RWD platforms.
as for chevy, i just think it needs some cheaper muscle. yeah, the cobalt's cool, and it's kickin ass, and the Z06 is killer, but where's the inbetween? they'd better come out with the f-body replacement soon, or they're gonna miss out more than they already have... and while they're at it lend some'a that mid muscle to pontiac.

as for production.... i dont know crap about production, so i'll leave that for everyone else.


Andy

it's not how fast you go, it's how you get there that counts.
ZZP XP cam, 1.6 rockers, 105# springs, speedbuilt FWI, 3.3" modular pulley, TOG headers,
3" exhaust, flomatched injectors
'97 GTP 14.06@100.6mph pre cam w/ 3.5" pulley, I/E

Get rid of Saturn? Saturn is the only devision that's actually selling cars!!





Red 2005 Saturn Ion-3 Coupe

My opinion:

Cut Buick, quickly!

GMC should concentrate on heavy trucks only, there's no sense in sharing the exact same vehicles among two divisions.

Pontiac claims to be the performance division, PROVE IT! drop the wave, no minivans, suv's or crossovers. Cars. Performance cars. Stiffer suspensions larger brakes for all models, move the persuit to IRS with the 2.4 as either the base engine, or an option on all models; use the buick 3.6 in the G6 GXP, anything above the G6 should be RWD. Last resort, rebadge Opels as Pontiac.

Satrun: move their cars slightly uplevel, at least on par with Honda/Toyota. High quality small/midsize cars; the same idea as Olds was in the past, but modernized

Chev: continue on the same path; trucks, suv's, vans, and cheaper cars. I'm doubtful anyone will ever take chev cars seriously as anything more than economy anyway.

That's their main division whoes right there; each one would cover a specific market segment, without all the dead weight of today. Then they can concentrate on killing off the dead weight in the labor force - Starting with the very top, then the very bottom. No one deserves double their salary on retirement. Unskilled, repetitive, monkey-ish labor doesn't deserve $20+/hour.

That's my opinion on what they need. Feel free to comment/argue/disagree/add, whatever.







"i promise we won't get drunk, and go out in boat in the dark, stand up in the boat and fire the gun into the air unless we have life jackets on."

GM should have cut Buick off instead of Oldsmobile. Oldsmobile lowered it's median buyers age to the 40's while Buick still is stuck the the over 60 crowd. The only reason Buick stayed afloat was because the LeSabre was the best selling car in it's class. Now they've moved Saturn into Olds' old position so now they are competing with Buick , Who's the genius that thought that up? Isuzu will probably drop out of the light truck suv market all together in another year or so considering their recent sales figures. GMC probably should stay where it is, it's nice to have an alternative if you don't care for the styling of Chevy trucks. Although they should add some brand specific luxury features to their trucks to add a bit more of separation.

I agree that GM needs to axe some of its divisions. Ive heard some stuff about them maybe dropping Saab and maybe also selling off Hummer. Saturn is not going anywhere since its moving uprange and Pontiac and Chevy are doing fairly well. I think most of us know that these new SUVs on the GMT900 platform are kind of a make or break for GM. So well have to see how they do. I personally expect them to do very well. Its amazing because if we had universal health care here, then GM wouldnt even be in this position.

Quote:

Its amazing because if we had universal health care here, then GM wouldnt even be in this position.

What's interesting about that, is Canada does; Canadian workers circumvene the whole healthcare ugliness.

Yet, GM continues to close down Canadian plants...

More for Mexico I guess.





"i promise we won't get drunk, and go out in boat in the dark, stand up in the boat and fire the gun into the air unless we have life jackets on."

gm wouldnt drop saab
and they wouldnt sell hummer
those are 2 of the most successful names under them

The Whole Selling off Hummer is becaue The Billionare Kerkorian ws trying to buy his way onto the GM Executive Board. His plan was to sell off Hummer and GMAC.

But GM already had in plants to sell off 51% of GMAC and they are in the process of that now. This will get GMAC out of Junk status that it is in because of the problems that GM has been going through. GMAC will be able to give GM loans cheaper and the GM junk status won't hurt GM in getting loans. While GM is able to retain 49% of GMAC's profits. That is better than Kerkorian's of just selling 100% of GMAC.

Kerkorain aslo thought the name Hummer is worth more than what they will make. But with the Buzz and how well the H3 has been doing looks like he was wrong there.

NO


-





“Things fall apart. The cracks get wider: More paper is used, with increasing ingenuity, to cover them. Madness implodes, as people are slowly crushed, or, perhaps worse, help in crushing others.”

--Jon Savage
--Melody Maker’s Review of Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures when asked “ How has Unknown Pleasures has affected you”