Interesting Insights Into New GM...

[Jack C.]

Re: Interesting Insights Into New GM...

I almost forget (or tried to). I bought a brand new Chevette with auto and air I think in 84 or so. It couldn't get out of its own way on a steep incline with the air on and a few passangers.

[Ronald L.]

Re: Interesting Insights Into New GM...

The old man beat him on the polished show, surprising actually.

The big hindrance GM has right now is their owners, Washington. That will spell continued interference and distraction, leading to further decline.

Remember those days when Washington wanted to break up GM?

Think about they just did. Pontiac is gone, Oldsmobile long gone. Who says Saturn makes bad cars? Is it they just wish they were bad cars and wish Saturn was gone? because the Chevy's look similar to the washing machine and or fridge?
Those cars new today look a lot better than some of the other offerings, take off the blinders! GM does a good job of killing cars that look good and customers like. Who was around an remembers the infighting to kill the Fiero, the in fighting of the 80's to kill Saturn? What would the dynamics be if it was a team focused on being the best they could be...they just don't get it.

[Robert I.]

Re: Interesting Insights Into New GM...

"http://finance.yahoo.com/news/GMs-new-car-guy-Mark-Reuss-hftn-2963364459.html?x=0"

Thanks that was interesting. I always wonder what car they were driving when they went to Flint?

are they allowed to drive the competition's cars?

You have an ugly car like the Aztec. How would dropping a 7 liter engine into it make it look better? That seems like money down the drain.

[Jim S.]

Re: Interesting Insights Into New GM...

I have been retired for nearly 10 years now. So I can't speak for the New GM. However, back in the 1990s, GM used to purchase several hundred competitor vehicles every year. Those vehicles were mostly located at Milford Proving Grounds. A Division of GM (like Saginaw Steering Gear) could participate in the competitive fleet circulation system.

I was the Steering System Competitive Analysis manager during that time. Every year I made out a list of competitor vehicles that we at Saginaw wanted to drive and evaluate. Every week a different car was brought up to Saginaw for a two week evaluation (so we always had two competitor vehicles on site.) I was responsible for circulating the vehicles through Saginaw management. (Interesting how Lexus vehicles and other top end vehicles always had a waiting list as compared to Corollas and Civics.)

I always drove every car and/or truck and wrote a steering evaluation report on each.

My steering competitive analysis group regularly spent something like $3000 per month going out and purchasing competitor pumps, gears, hoses, etc. The parts were tested, torn down, measured, and in some cases processes were statistically evaluated to compare Saginaw to the competition. I have to say that back in those days, we really had a good handle on the competition.

Saginaw was spun off from GM as part of Delphi Automotive. Things became a lot more restrictive at Saginaw after that. I have to assume that with the Feds owning a good part of GM, there probably isn't a circulation fleet any longer. (Or certainly not to the extend of the old days.)

Jim

[John H.]

Re: Interesting Insights Into New GM...

In my GM days (pre-'85), when I traveled I would occasionally rent a competitive product to evaluate it from an Engineering/Manufacturing guy's perspective; the Finance guys continually beat me up for not renting GM cars when they got my expense reports, so I got tired of arguing with my boss about it and quit doing it.

When I moved to Chrysler in '85, I did the same thing, just wrote "competitive evaluation" on the rental car receipts, and never heard boo from anyone. The Finance VP had a '32 highboy with a blown Hemi in it; may help explain the difference in "car" attitude.

[Chuck S.]

Re: Interesting Insights Into New GM...

...You have an ugly car like the Aztec. How would dropping a 7 liter engine into it make it look better? That seems like money down the drain.

I agree...not one of his better ideas.

It's almost as if he was being "passive aggressive"; you know, like, "Here I am stuck with this lame-a** car...What can I do to really exaggerate this automotive oxymoron? Corporate approved this monstrosity in the first place; maybe they'll love it overpowered with a huge engine."

I hope he's matured quickly and girded himself for the challenge...he'll need his best ideas now. Whiteacre's not a car guy, but has all the characteristics of a manager that won't tolerate failure.