Sobering memo from GM... - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

iwrock · #31 11-07-2008, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

This spring you might!

They are hurting.

The Dodge dealer actualy has a new 2007 Dakota on its lot!

Thats scary that its still there....

I got a deal for you both.... Loaded Ram 1500 Big Horn... 18k out the door...

86560SEL · #32 11-07-2008, 01:55 AM

Our local Lincoln-Mercury dealer went out of business (it has been there since 1955!) and the Chrysler-Jeep dealer next door that had about 300 new cars on the lot every year as far back as I can remember now has about 20 new cars on the lot. Sad, sad, sad, especially for a city of about 52,000 people.

The local Chevrolet-Cadillac dealer (same dealer) still has tons of cars though and seems to be doing well, as is the local Toyota dealer.

86560SEL · #33 11-07-2008, 02:04 AM

That decrease in #s is disturbing.

Remember back in the 1980s and back when over 1,000,000 GM cars were sold yearly?

In 1973 alone, there were over "700,000" 1973 Chevy Impala 4dr sedans sold.... that was just the Impala sedan... that did not include the hardtop sedan, custom coupe, sport coupe, or wagons that year.... then there was the Bel-Air and Caprice models that year. I guess over 1,000,000 full-size Chevrolets sold for the 1973 model year... not including Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac. Buick was selling like 100,000 Electras per year back then and about 70,000 LeSabres per year in the early 70s on average.

In 1972, there were around 99,000 Cadillac Sedan DeVilles sold and in 1973, there were 103,000 Sedan DeVilles sold and even more Coupe DeVilles. Now they are selling what? Less than 10K per year of all models?

Jim B. · #34 11-07-2008, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

Maybe I spoke too fast........I much prefer the 740iL over any $hitbox........even a brand new one.

Did you ever buy that Escalade...........it's probably $40K by now.

HAH!

I saw a gleaming black 2009 one at the Sacramento Auto show a few hours ago.

They want $63,000 MSRP for it.

They still make the longer wheelbase ones too. And they want $74,000 for one of those.

This, from a company with what? $131 m in assets and $191 m in debt, and might not even be around in a few years? That wants to "borrow" 10 m from the government? They are not even credit worthy and the even rep at the car show admitted to me today their stock is "junk" status now.

How the mighty have fallen. No thanks I will pass on those gleaming shiny dinosaurs

Mistel · #35 11-07-2008, 05:30 AM

I find it amazing that the concensus seems to be that SUV's are such crap. Who bought these things and made them so popular?

I had a 6L Chevy truck back around 2003. I put about 10k miles on it and realized that they must have lied about the fuel economy. I could also see that I didn't want to own it if gas prices kept rising so I sold it and managed to get all my money out of it. I can imagine what it would be worth today.

"I frankly never understood why gm put so many eggs in the Hummer basket. They are totally inefficient heavy boxes which dont really have much room in them. They deserve to fail."

I agree. They had so many gas guzzlers but spent no effort on any high MPG vehicle. Even if they would have had crappy sales when gas was cheap, it was very short-sighted to not have any fuel efficient vehicles.

They did know how to make them, they just choose not to. Remember PNGV?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PNGV

The Ford Prodigy makes me laugh. It looks like the Fusion they are making now except get 72 MPG. How can they be so dumb? Why wouldn't they make it?

#36 11-07-2008, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iwrock

2008 C350 for 22k out the door....

WHERE?

75Sv1 · #37 11-07-2008, 09:28 AM

[
They did know how to make them, they just choose not to. Remember PNGV?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PNGV

The Ford Prodigy makes me laugh. It looks like the Fusion they are making now except get 72 MPG. How can they be so dumb? Why wouldn't they make it?[/quote]

Yes, I remember that. A lot of forward thinking. To some extent it was a money grab. But gas got relatively cheaper and the automakers promoted higher profit vehicles. The masses bought it hook line and sinker. I do think some good has come from such programs. Some in the diesel engine technology.
Tom

Fulcrum525 · #38 11-07-2008, 10:28 AM

Well when they go under others will come in to fill the gaps. I'd buy a Citroen.

gmercoleza · #39 11-07-2008, 11:41 AM

A Chevy Aveo can actually be considered a luxury if it is not needed but purchased anyway. Keep in mind that the vast majority of people purchasing new cars aren't purchasing them because they need them; they're purchasing them because they want them. An ongoing economic squeeze will all but guarantee a widespread return to purchasing necessities and foregoing luxuries.

TheDon · #40 11-07-2008, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fulcrum525

Well when they go under others will come in to fill the gaps. I'd buy a Citroen.

oh yea.. total hotness.

raymr · #41 11-07-2008, 11:59 AM

What happens to GM in Europe and Asia? Is it just a US problem or world-wide?

Brian Carlton · #42 11-07-2008, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmercoleza

Keep in mind that the vast majority of people purchasing new cars aren't purchasing them because they need them; they're purchasing them because they want them.

Those people would disagree with you. They can rationalize the "breakdown factor". One breakdown with an "old" car and it's an immediate trade-in. Actually, one must rationalize a trade before such an event might occur.

I've rationalized this with the SD. I'm definitely going to trade it in when the engine has 400K on the clock............don't want to lose the oil chain in the middle of Maryland.