[JamesP81]

It's too bad Toyotas and Hondas are the most boring, sterile vehicles on the market.

GM made substandard cars in 70s and 80s. Those days are gone. There's nothing inherently wrong with the product coming out of GM's plants. But when you have the kind of costs they have, you cannot sustain business. Any bailout at this point would be a bailout for union malfeasance, and I want none of it.

It's a shame. Toyotas and Hondas, like I said, are the most thoroughly sterile and boring vehicles on the road. At least some Nissans are fun to drive.

But there's simply no substitute for a Cadillac or a Corvette.

In any case, the only chance of saving the US auto industry is Chapter 11. Bailouts will undo them, eventually.

[RightWhale]

It's too bad Toyotas and Hondas are the most boring, sterile vehicles

Yes, that is what I said when they did the customer survey. Quiet, conservative, excellent visibility, dependable. Gas mileage isn't real good, but it is a heavy vehicle. Told them to keep producing boring sterile vehicles that last long time.

[petercooper]

Didn’t they have any actuaries working there back when they were promising the world to these unions? Jeesh

[TSgt]

I hope they don't go anywhere. I'm sort of fond of my Silverado.

[MichiganMan]

GM made substandard cars in 70s and 80s. Those days are gone. There's nothing inherently wrong with the product coming out of GM's plants. But when you have the kind of costs they have, you cannot sustain business. Any bailout at this point would be a bailout for union malfeasance, and I want none of it.

And there it is, right there. Well put.

Things have changed. The vehicles have been pretty much of comparable quality to foreign models since the mid nineties. New hires are getting a much more reasonable $15/hr. Ridiculous pensions are gone, 401ks now. Current retirees have been told to find their own medical insurance after 65. Management levels have been eliminated. They are being responsible. Now.

But its like someone that makes $40K buying a $500,000 house, furnishing it to the hilt, and then crying for someone to pay their mortgage because they can't afford to even though they're now clipping coupons, shopping at Walmart and have gone back to rabbit ears on their 50" plasma tv.

This is the responsibility of the unions and the Big 3.

[leadhead]

But there's simply no substitute for a Cadillac or a Corvette

That's where Chapter 11 would work for GM.

If they just made their Chevy line (cars,trucks,sports)and their Cadillac passenger line, they would have a sustainable business.

Americans are going to buy 12 million + cars, whether the Big Three are there or not.

The only hiccup in this plan is the cross-production the Big Three do for each other in parts such as windows,steering wheels, etc.

[VOA]

GM made substandard cars in 70s and 80s. Those days are gone.
There's nothing inherently wrong with the product coming out of GM's plants.

GM could make the worlds greatest vehicles.
And they (effectively) might not be able to give them away.

Because of all the middle-aged Americans that grew up listening to
their parents say "We're going to buy GM because it's American."
And after two or more years, heard the same parents say
"This GM peice-of-crap!!! And those GM dealer @$$holes and
vampires-posing-as-mechanics at their dealer shop!!! We'll never
buy GM again. EVER!!!"

Now those kids of the 1970s and 1980s are adults with disposable income.
Think they will even consider a GM product?
Maybe. But most of them recall their parents' experiences and
say "I ain't gonna repeat that mistake of buying a GM".

Amazing how much GM has spent on advertizing over the decades and
they totally failed in analyzing the psyche of their buyers
in the 1970 and 1980s...and that of their offspring.

Even GM can have so many "Lost Generation"s before they go belly-up.

[caver]

“It’s too bad Toyotas and Hondas are the most boring, sterile vehicles on the market.”

I’m not sure how many people agree with you, I don’t. I don’t need some sexy vehicle, I have my wife. I just want a dependable car/truck that gets from point A to point B. Frankly, I won’t pay the money for a cadillac or a Corvette. They are nice but no thanks.