Toyota to Buy out GM!

I suspect these will be the headlines in the near future, if GM continues to lose sales.

Reply to
Shoe Shine Boy
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First you'll see "Citi bank buys GMAC."

Al

Reply to
Big Al

Ahhh..a shoeshine boy that is a financial expert. How quaint.

Reply to
Hairy

What does GM have that Toyota needs ?

Reply to
Bob Bitch'n

General Motors is not as incompetent as you may believe. They have two of the most efficient production facilities in North America and produce some truely great vehicles. The issue with GM is perception. General Motors did neglect R&D for many years up until the late 1990's. However since then, GM has pumped billions of dollars into vehicles which meet or exceed what most of the competition is doing. For proof take a look at the 2006 Chevrolet Yukon, Pontiac Solstice or Cadillac STS.

In regards to salespeople, most dealerships are part of larger dealer networks which own dealerships of all different makes. To suggest that GM has the worst salespeople doesn't make sense as often these salespeople are trained by automotive product specialists which don't work for any specific make. The professionalism of a salesperson has more to do with the management style of a particular dealership than the brand itself.

The suggestion that Toyota would buy GM is ridiculous. With cash reserves of over $19 billion, GM is able to push through this latest crises. If GM moves ahead and sells a majority stake in GMAC it'll get another $10-$15 billion. This can be invested in new products which will help off-set shrinking market share. The problems facing GM stem from as far back as 20 years ago when then CEO Roger Smith took his eye off of GM's core business. The SUV craze in the 1990's provided temporary relief but the UAW took full advantage by pushing for even more generous benefits for its members which in turn left GM with little money to pump into product development.

Reply to
Peter Johnson

I think that the original poster may have been pulling our chains: Remember years ago when someone posted a good, well written post that Microsoft was buying the Catholic Church? Nice piece that I stashed away in my files.

Reply to
Jim Higgins

No doubt. But the fact remains, GM deserves a little credit!

Reply to
Peter Johnson

None of which interest me or any of my friends.

Yes management fix the direction of the sales approach. Here in Vancouver, BC many GM dealerships are owned by a very rich man who practiced intimidation of customers when he was a car salesman. I've gone into his dealerships three times over the years and left in disgust each time when they tried to control what I should buy. The last time I even reported them to GM, because they were not interested in selling a very well priced car package GM had run a full page ad on. So off I went to buy a Chrysler and later realized I got the better car. Perhaps I should thank that ugly GM dealership for chasing me away.

Reply to
Spam Hater

GMAC provides GM's current profit. Without GMAC they would be running a significant loss. The $s from the sale of GMAC is needed to cover part of GM's debt.

Reply to
Spam Hater

Good analysis. GM does make some fine vehicles in the U.S., the world-beater Corvette comes to mind immediately, pretty much the entire Cadillac line is very good, as is the Buick line. (Although Buick owners have such a horrible reputation as drivers and being near-dead, I don't see how anyone but a "Buick" person would ever buy one. Certainly no one under 50 .) The new large S.U.V.'s are excellent in their niche, but how could GM be so DUMB as to increase the weight of the Tahoe/Yukon by 500 lb. from the previous generation. And where are the high efficiency diesels that the new SUV's MUST HAVE?

In the end, GM, can and does make some good product, but their costs are just too high thanks to moronic management decisions in the past (The ghost of Roger Smith) and a tremendously greedy UAW. The later is illustrated by the reaction of the butt-head who runs the UAW to questions about what concessions the union might make after GM announced big salary cuts for company management and a dividend cut recently - paraphrasing: "oh, we told them to do this long ago, and we've done all we're going to do to help".

I suspect what it will come to is the old scorpion crossing a river on a frog's back story with GM playing the frog and the UAW the scorpion that stings the frog killing them both because "it's my nature".

-nopcbs

Reply to
GLitwinski

Nevertheless these are top notch cars that are selling extremely well...despite the fact that you and your friends aren't interested in them. GM's costs are far too high (thank you UAW) and their Job Bank program is ridiculous. Imagine, any UAW member that is 'laid off' from GM still gets over 90% of their pay and all they have to do is show up at the idled assembly line. With no work to do, they sit and read the paper. This was a program designed to protect people during brief economic downturns when the plant may be closed for a week or 2 to reduce inventory. Now GM and Ford have thousands of workers that have no work to do as the plants are closed but they still get paid until their contract with the UAW expires in 2007. Ford is even offering $100,000 buyouts for anyone on the assembly line, in addition to benefits. No company including Toyota, Honda, or BMW, can afford this kind of over head.

Reply to
Peter Johnson

"Bob Bitch'n"

Reply to
Booboo Baker

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