haypops

In one respect Sweeden seems an atypical choice for an electric (hybrid) car. Battery power drops rapidly in cold climates doesn't it?

I read that the solstice/sky production is going to move from Wilmington to Bowling Green (3 $h!s?). What is going to happen to Wilmington?

Maybe ghosen was smoking some of thesamestuff they had over at VW?

Gamma, Alpha, zeta, etc. This seems like a lot of new "stuff". Any one want to speculate what this does to Ford and Chrysler contract negotiations and future competitiveness? Do they have similar plans?

It's not just pro sports though. My daughter got a $5000 signing bonus as a nurse. By the way her hospital went union and when she tried to join the union management they said she couldn't. They declared her management because they pay her an extra $1.20 per hour as charge nurse. What a hoot/gimmick.

Isn't the only California GM facility of that size fully utilized by Toyota? Perhaps you would have GM use precious resources to build a new plant when they have facilities elsewhere that are empty/underutilized.

Although no one my family has been a union member, I tend to side with them 99% of the time. However, I do not understand the signing bonus thing. It should seem to further differentiate the "new hires" from the lucky ones who get a higher wage plus a signing bonus. Perhaps the signing bonus should go to the union to set up a job retraining program.

There are smaller trailer setups that handle 3-4 cars only (compared to 11 vehicle specialty built trailers that are the norm). These smaller trailers can sometimes be pulled by heavy duty pickups, although medium duty trucks are also used. This is all I saw on I70 in Utah and Western Colorado were population is sparse.

Never heard of that. I wonder how that works as the cars have a delivery charge included on the sticker. Does GM rebate a certain portion to your dealership if they go to the railhead themselves?

One of my many son in laws is a car hauler for an independent company. In the past they have delivered Toyota vehicles, but then went to doing it "in house". It could vary by region I suppose.

Souldn't he be driving a Rambler?

Interesting! My #1 son in-law bought one of those coolers that plugs into the cigarette lighter. Worked great; costs $50.

Although I didn't know about the PCs, I too was thinking how expensive could it be? The engine will require liquid cooling any way. Remote cooling lines for auxiliary transmission coolers are nothing new, why not for the battery pack? How cool do the batteries need to be? The cooling system can also warm the batterers in cold climates if necessary (assuming the auxiliary engine is running).

You mean that you don't buy the arguement that a Corolla wagon is a crossover? :AH-HA_wink:

I wonder if this might be so advantageous to the manufactueres that Toyota will want to join and be forced to go union?

Your sales guess is actually pretty good. Vibe sales for 2005 were 64K and in 2006 it was 45,000 units. This is NOT a big percentage of Pontiac sales but barely gets into double digits (14 and 11%). I suspect that a few people buy the Vibe because its a Toyota and end up staying for the better service most Pontiac dealers provide. Still the biggest benefit to GM is getting Toyota to use its factory and pay its retirees and other workers benefits.

Perhaps they do for the production overcapacity and to pay the union workers and their retirees.

Year to dte sales for the Vibe are less than 25,000 units, hardly a consistent seller. ON the other hand it has been around for a long time and the refresh will help out its poor sales.

And no Value package sub LX model either?

Ok what is the good reason? Just kidding.

Something like this?

?? That's just 75 pounds per person!! Not going to work out well in my family of lard asses.

Selling a new technology like that to competing manufacturers would probably increase consumer acceptance also?

I think so but it will be by stepping over the dead carcase of Chrysler. Just my opinion and not meant to insult anyone either.

The Fusion is down 20% and the Mustang is down 35%. These cars are heart of their batting order so to speak! The auto industry is getting so competative that it isn't fun to watch any more. It's like a scarry movie.