The O.C.

I think it's an EXCELLENT article. Yes, I agree there is a tone of GM-bashing in the writing, but the author makes some good points.... ....such as a Malibu SS that should have WAY more power than 240hp in a world of (almost) 270hp Camrys, 244hp Accords, and (almost) 240hp Sonatas. ....and I think THE "SS" model Cobalt SHOULD be the supercharged version. Leave the 171hp 2.4L version as an upscale option for the more pedestrian Cobalts. Although I disagree with the author's assertion that the 2.4L SS is not a performer.....MT got 7.1secs 0-60 in a 5-speed SS sedan. That's nicely quick in my mind. ....and powerful and affordable it may be, but the Impala SS is way to bland to carry the image. I envision something more along the lines of the R/T package-equipped Charger RT....or even something akin to the Charger Daytona models. Let's add a little "bling" to it, emmm-kay? Chevy's whole "SS" product plan is a GOOD start, it's just that in typical GM fashion, it's the overall execution that suffers.

Once again, GM never really called ANY shots at Suzuki......even now, they are more or less equal partners relative to the GM-DAT products and the revised XL7. You underestimate the power and strength of the global Suzuki.

Suzuki has never been based off of GM vehicles until the upcoming XL7. AND, who do you think THAT sharing of technologies is benefiting? XL7 gets a stretch, third-row of seats, AND the HF 3.6L V6....all benefiting SUZUKI buyers, not Equinox/Torrent buyers. You could even argue the Forenza, Reno, and Verona Suzukis are based off Daewoo vehicles that were already in development before GM came along.....not based off of existing GM vehicles. Isuzu, as of recent, is a different matter on the other hand.

I spent three years at Suzuki and I can guarantee you that GM had NO say in how the company was run......regardless of how big their share was. GM was an invisible partner..... It was a sharing of technologies and knowledge (and Tracker/Grand Vitaras)....not much else. Remember there's alot more to Suzuki than just the north american car division. They have thriving ATV, motorcycle, and boat motor divisions and Suzuki in Japan is the 4th largest automobile company in sales. Only in recent years with the rise of GM-DAT has there been any significant influence on ASMC or their products.

ROTFLMFAO I LOVE her! But I love "Violet" from "9 To 5" even better...... "We're gonna need an extra locker for that hat......"

Nissans and Infinitis are not my favorite rides.....but I could HARDLY call them "horrible."

Ahh that's nice. I was just assuming V-series because of the V in your picture-thingy at the bottom of your posts. How has it been for you? What's your fuel economy been like?

I honestly and seriously think the flamers out there are like maybe 5% of the gay population. The other 95% you don't really notice.....cause....they are mostly straight-acting. Even if they are not TOTALLY straight-acting, they at least aren't total flamers. I don't like the extreme sissies either <cough, cough, Richard Simmons>

Yeah I'm like you. I voted "50/50" but in reality I have more straight friends than I do gay friends. It's tough to meet specific gay people as friends, or even to date, when you don't live in a "gay ghetto" for example. Perhaps if I lived off Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, for example, it would be alot different for me. But, I don't....I live in Republican, straight-oriented Orange County (although it IS surprisingly gay-friendly and non-homophobic.) My suggestion would be to volunteer at the local (Long Island?) GLBT center. That way, you can get involved with gay people and the gay community without having to necessarily be part of the "parade scene" as you put it. You can actually do some good.....help kids that are "coming out" and other stuff....but volunteering....as well as meet a new group of people. That's what I did when I first moved to the Bay Area. I was just coming out myself and didn't know where to go to meet people, etc. I joined the GLBT center in Walnut Creek in the East Bay. It was a great way to kick-start my "gay" friendships.

Oh god....now I'm having all kinda of police-officer-fantasies about Fly......

I've never....I mean NEVER have seen SO many Starbucks as when I went to London. They are all OVER the place and even in the grocery stores (Sainsburys, etc.) like they are over here. I mean there were more than Seattle or anywhere else I've been. I asked a friend of mine who was from London what the deal was with that. He told me that people in GB are effing crazy about Starbucks....a very wierd ordeal.

Man this wench is stirring up the &#036;h&#33; on Today, Larry King Live.......I think it's time for her and Barbara Wa-Wa to have themselves a little CAT FIGHT....

Uh.....what about the GIRTH?

Ahhh yes....but DON'T you have a V? Mine's just a little 3.6L VVT V6..... At least Road & Track says MY stick is smoother and slicker than YOUR stick....!

Chery Just kidding...... BMW..... Why? I've owned four of them now (330i coupe 6-speed, 330i convertible 6-speed, 2 X5 4.4i Sports) and I never really "got" what was so special about BMW until I actually lived with one. The "Ultimate Driving Machine!" They've got a special feel you just don't get in a comparable Mercedes or Audi...... Alas....Cadillac won my loyalty THIS time. When the lease is up on the CTS, however, and the business is (hopefully) more and more solid, I'm looking towards upgrading to a 6-series.....in 36 mos or so.

Thanks man....I'm excited too. And also excited that there was another GM car that I could really look forward to getting into.... It was a long, hard, self-fought debate on what to get. It needed to be four doors, somewhat "upscale" as I'll be taking clients and such at times, and (the tough one) I HAD to have a manual transmission. I also wanted somewhat decent fuel economy (hence no V8s like the CTS-v) because my round trip commute to the office is 55 miles a day. The G35 fell off early because I've never really gotten excited about that car. The IS is too "rice-rocket" to me....and I don't like that "image." Not to be raciest (cause I'm not) but here in SoCal, it seems like the new little Lexus is the next "big thing" for all the young asian guys. Plus, it's slightly underpowered in 2.5L/6-speed manual form. TL seems to me like just a nicer Accord. I actually really like the styling of the TL....but I can't see myself actually owning one. Audi A4 was another alternative.....but reminds me too much of a nicer VW. BMW was the absolute closest competitor....and I almost went with it. But in the end, I'll enjoy having something a bit more "unique" than the seemingly-everywhere 3-series. I can just hear it now in my head....... "Cadillac......Cadillac......Cadillac STYLE...."

Does it.....? Have you seen the new Sport package (18-inch wheels) in Diamond White? I can't, for the life of me, find one out here on dealers' lots with BOTH the new Sport package AND Diamond white.....! In fact, the new Sport package in general is tough to find.....

How come EVERY GM rental car I've had that is (supposedly) equipped with auto start (and has the button on the key fob) it never seems to work......? Do they disconnect it on fleet cars for some reason? Or do I just not know how to use it? I thought you basically pushed the auto start button on the key fob...?

Buickmanwannabe, I worked for Buick Motor Divison, and hence, GM, for 11 years, 7 of those in the Flint office. I know the Buick business in Flint quite well as a result. I've also spent time on the line selling cars for a Suzuki dealership in Riverside, CA. (no easy feat I tell you...) and as a Sales Manager at a BMW dealership in Irvine, CA. (one of the largest BMW stores in the country.) When Buickman's "20 Points for a Return to Greatness" were first revealed on here, I posted my candid comments on EACH point.......in fact, I've posted them on here more than a couple of times. To DATE (6-29-06) Buickman has NEVER responded to my invitation to provide HIS rebuttal to MY comments regarding his "20 Points." Here they are again! My comments in BOLD. (My further apologies to my friends on C&G that have to scroll thru these again....) This whole plan seems to be a Michigan-centric proposal that does next to nothing to really address the major challenges that GM faces….those challenges being over-capacity, excessive costs, lackluster product, and in many cases, a severly-ineffective dealer body. Not much of this plan seems relevant in the “real world” outside of Michigan or the Midwest, nor does it address the challenge of selling, marketing, and promoting GM vehicles to conquest buyers. GM’s problems are far larger than depicted in these twenty points. A RETURN TO GREATNESS Step One: When "The Return" is initially announced, we proclaim the elimination of Destination Charges. · First of all, GM needs revenue……and the destination charges are something that’s acceptable industry-wide. There is no reason to get rid of these charges as long as they are in line with other manufacturer’s charges. To do so will reduce one source of revenue for General Motors. Step Two: Ten days after the original announcement we release the next step, the elimination of mid-year price increases. · Customers neither care or probably realize that mid-year price increases actually take place. GM needs to build value in their products and if you build products that people actually want to buy, then occasional mid-year price adjustments won’t be a factor in GM’s success. Step Three: Announcement of simplified quarterly incentive changes. No more pressure to buy now, hurry before it ends, only to be followed by another program. · Simplified incentives are fine. However, you will ALWAYS have the situation where someone buys a car and the next day the incentive changes. This will happen whether the incentive is monthly OR quarterly. The very NATURE of the retail automotive industry, in fact ANY sales-oriented industry, is that there will be pressure to “buy now” as companies attempt to meet or exceed monthly, quarterly, or yearly objectives. Furthermore, customers will ALWAYS worry what the “deal” will be. It is in our very nature to negotiate. We do that on houses, and we do that on cars. This is NOT a GM-only fact of life. Furthermore, even if GM WERE to take this step and reduce the “urgency” of the sale, other auto competitors will NOT….and therefore, their existing sense of “urgency” will give them more powerful momentum. Step Four: Destination Detroit is move number four. In this announcement we explain our decision to bring all future award winning dealers and salespeople to Detroit as their reward for a job well done. · If you are trying to motivate dealers and salespeople, I’m sorry….but a trip to Detroit is NOT going to do it. Hometown pride is great and admirable but it’s a fact of life that Detroit is NOT a leisure or entertainment destination and trying to convince dealers and salespeople to work harder with “Detroit” as a reward will be fruitless at best. I like the idea about a trip to the proving grounds, but in this case, a trip to the Phoenix Proving Grounds would be much more enticing with all the attractions, spas, resorts, and golfing of the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. The expenses saved from executives NOT traveling for this meeting would be minimal and would not strongly impact GM’s bottom line. Step Five: Home Deliveries. We announce an effort of working with our dealers to bring the customer the vehicle of their choice, directly to their place of employment, or residence. · With every “docs-out” or “home” delivery you do, you take profit opportunities AWAY from the dealership, primarily in the finance department. Maybe home deliveries would be more popular in Michigan, where so many retail customers ARE GM employees….and for them, buying a car is not as big of a deal. In fact, when most GM employees buy multiple cars in a year, and work in the industry, they don’t “need” to take delivery at the dealership. This is most assuredly not the case in the rest of the country. Additionally, customers STILL need to come TO the dealership to shop and negotiate. And in many areas of the country, “spot” deliveries (where the customer takes the car home THAT day) are commonplace. Having a customer wait for a home delivery only reduces profit potential at the dealership AND gives the customer additional time to “rethink” their decision and back out of the deal. It happens. Step Six: We announce a very simple and easy to understand incentive...Got GM Get GM. It is a loyalty incentive that anyone can comprehend. If you currently own or lease a GM vehicle, you receive $1,000. It is stackable and compatible with any offering, transferable to family member at same address. No goofy rebate if you own a non-GM car. · A GM loyalty incentive is a good idea. However, you cannot stop offering incentives to owners of competing makes. GM cannot survive on its current owners, employees, and retirees for the purchase of GM cars. GM needs to gain market-share from owners of competing makes and one way to do that is to give them a reason to come into a GM dealership. Unfortunately, at this time, the GM product is NOT enough of a reason to entice these consumers. It may be someday, but not now. Incentives are here to stay and as long as GM remains REASONABLE with their incentives and rebates, that’s not a bad thing. Step Seven: Annual Model Change. Let's return to the regular release of new products after Labor Day, and return a sense of order to the business. · Once again, if GM does this, they will be at a severe competitive disadvantage. One of the reasons that vehicle introductions became staggered throughout the year, was to gain the “upper hand” against a competitor that was also bringing out a new and competing model. Back 50 years ago, when competition was much less, the Big Three were a mainstay of the U.S. retail auto industry, and all manufacturers introduced new cars in the fall timeframe, this was a great idea. The very nature of the industry now and the number of competitors makes this an unrealistic practice. GM may decide to wait until the fall to introduce their new models, but their competitors surely will not. The competition will be more successful in pulling consumers into their showrooms to sell them their newest products instead of consumers “waiting” until fall to see what GM has to offer. Step Eight: Increase Dealer Margin. We will let our retail partners know they have something to gain in our quest to regain share. For each full point of share we regain, we give the dealers another point of margin. · Realistically, any increase in margin will be followed by an increase in price. NOW, if GM products get to a strong enough point of acceptance in the marketplace, this increase in price should not be a big issue. They are NOT at this point of acceptance yet. Asking GM to increase margins without a corresponding increase in price is asking GM to give up revenue they desperately need right now. Step Nine: Get On The Street. Each month, each salary member of VSSM would be required to spend one day in a randomly selected dealership service department, preferably in write up. · All GM employees, (and employees at any manufacturer for that matter) should spend time working in a dealership to get a true feel for the retail environment. However, I don’t see this as being a big impact to the dealership’s productivity. It’s a good idea, but not a big enough impact to probably be included as one of the points in GM’s “Return To Greatness.” Step Ten: AARP. This is a fantastic demographic, and another opportunity to simplify incentives. Make it a year-round program. If you belong to AARP, you get $500 off any GM product, buy or lease. · AARP is a good program, and a good targeted marketing incentive. However, like above, the impact is likely to be way too small to add to GM’s “Return To Greatness.” AARP, in the overall scheme of things, is a highly-targeted demographic and a correspondingly small proportion of the car-buying public. This incentive would primarily be aimed at GM retirees or Buick consumers. This incentive would do next-to-nothing towards helping convince shoppers at BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Toyota, or Lexus stores to come into a GM dealership. Step Eleven: Brand Merchandise Offerings: Include with each delivery a coupon for $50 off, or towards, merchandise from an affinity catalog. · Good idea. You could target the brand merchandise offerings to match the individual GM divisional brand image. HOWEVER, once again, the impact from this promotion would do little to correct GM’s market share slide. GM’s problem today is WAY bigger than this. Step Twelve: Auto Shows. Instead of the current practice of giving rebates to certain residents of surrounding counties, let's offer auto show tickets to those who test drive our products. · Auto shows cost, $9, $10, $11 to get in. I don’t see this as making any impact. Auto show tickets alone aren’t going to bring new consumers into a GM dealership. Step Thirteen: At year end, instead of giving our employees a cash award for profit sharing, reward them with stock, and make them true partners in the company's success. · A nice idea, however, this does nothing to help fix the “core” problem at GM….and that’s the competitiveness of their products and the perception of GM products in the marketplace by those consumers that GM NEEDS to attract from the Japanese and European car shoppers. Step Fourteen: PEP Cars. Quite often, GM executives turn in their factory demos with the mileage just under the next price discount level. This practice is both frustrating and annoying. The inconsideration shown to fellow employees, and retirees, is inexcusable and unacceptable. · No impact from this point. GM PEP cars are a phenomenon that only merits any importance from people living in Michigan (or surrounding states where people work at GM factories, etc.) where the majority of GM company cars are in service. Furthermore, these PEP cars are usually sold to GM employees and retirees. Complaining about losing out on an additional GM discount, when you are already getting a substantial discount on a PEP car is a needless and petty point to argue when it has nothing to do with GM gaining market-share in places like Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, and New York. Step Fifteen: Referral Savings Account. Similar to the GM Card (another crisis), GM announces a program to accumulate a savings of $50 for each referral who buys or leases a new vehicle. · At $50 per referral, a consumer would never accumulate enough dollars to make the incentive strong enough to pull him/her into a GM dealership. Once again, maybe GM employees in Michigan might utilize such a program but in the REST of the country, how many people do you really think would refer a significant number of people to buy a GM car, then to actually redeem those dollars at a GM dealership? GM has to get people to CONSIDER their products for purchase FIRST before you can think about those consumers actually referring someone to buy a GM vehicle. Step Sixteen: Free GM Smart Care Maintenance Agreement to all GM Retirees. This 36 month 36,000 mile program would offer free recommended maintenance to all GM retirees. · Simply MORE “legacy costs” at a time when GM most assuredly does NOT need them. GM retirees are NOT going to save GM so there is little point in spending money in this way to further incentivize them. They are most likely going to continue to buy GM vehicles ANYWAY due to the discounts they receive. GM needs to spend money to improve product and increase market share….NOT foster goodwill with retirees. Step Seventeen: GM Card. This was one of the best programs GM has ever had. That was until someone decided to take earnings away, and thereby alienate thousands of employee cardholders. · I cannot comment as I am unfamiliar with the GM Card and recent activity that has supposedly made it a less-than-desirable incentive. Step Eighteen: Sales Guilds. For years GM had brand specific sales guilds. Now, everything is combined into the GM Mark of Excellence. It's a decent enough program, but it would be more effective to return to the old days of Buick Salesmaster and the Chevrolet Legion of Leaders. · Unlikely to strongly impact GM’s falling market-share. The salespeople need good, competitive product to sell. That’s the first step. Step Nineteen: Direct Factory Communication: Imagine going to your local dealer and ordering a new vehicle. >From that point on, you might receive a call from your salesman with an update as to the order status. Usually though, no contact is made until the vehicle arrives. Utilizing the internet, GM could send information directly to the customer, informing them of their order's progress at the various stages, including when the vehicle is scheduled for production, when it is actually built (including the new VIN), and the estimated shipping, and arrival, dates. · What percentage of GM vehicle purchases are actually custom-ordered? Not many. Due to this fact, this point has very little impact on GM’s overall challenges. Step Twenty: Reinstatement of Regional Sales Training Classes. Years ago, GM offered professional sales development classes at their regional training centers. · This point adds serious cost, which GM cannot afford right now. Sales training is ALWAYS beneficial, but most manufacturers these days utilize various computer and internet tools to train salespeople. Additionally, the dealership sales managers should be empowered to make sure their respective sales forces are properly trained. That is one function that the individual GM district sales manager should be responsible for on a local level. Regional sales training centers are an unnecessary expense. If a salesperson is not disciplined enough to utilize the computer, internet, and print materials available to him/her, than they shouldn’t be in the business in the first place. Once AGAIN......, I welcome Buickman's candid rebuttal to ALL my comments on the above post. Let's see if he actually responds THIS time.......

How come CTS doesn't get that center stack for '07? I know the NG CTS is supposedly coming in '08......but I figure the tooling would have been done for the SRX making installation (at least for one year) in the CTS (since they share hard point as far as I know) a no-brainer to do....!

It's the same product decision as BMW offering a 325i (low-power 3.0L) and a 330i (high-power 3.0L) ....or M-Benz offering a C230 (now a 6-cylinder), C280 (a bit more power) and C350 (max performance.) Or Lexus with an IS250 and an IS350. Audi with a 2.0T (4-cylinder) and a V6 version. I just think that Cadillac should put a bit more differentiation in the 3.6L versus the 2.8L......

To me, this interior reminds me of the new 3-Series' interior...... When you first see it in pictures, it also looks too boring and spartan. After you sit inside one, however, the quality of the materials, fit, and switchgear really make a standout impression..... At least they are simplifying the dash designs instead of evoking an interior style as advantgarde as the Bangle'd exteriors......

I think it's a big improvement over the old CR-V.....to me it looks a bit more "mature." The front end is distinctive..... but not as ugly as say the wierd front end on the Subaru Tribeca. It's still not my cup-o-tea.....but should do well for Honda. At least it DOESN'T look like the RDX.....

The only bitching you'll hear from me is the cheap interior..... I actually LOVE the actual look, styling, and layout of the interior but the hard plastic on the center console and around the lower part of the dash is the same hollow, brittle hard plastic you find in something like a Cobalt.....and the door panels seem cheap to me....not upscale. However, I don't mind the softer, "dot-matrix" pattern on the upper dash. That is at least distinctive and unique. Also, when you order the luxury package which includes the power lumbar seats, the switches and switch panel on the side of the seat containing the power lumbar switches looks really cheesy and tacked-on. Other than that, I think it's a fabulous car (which I've always said in my rants.)

Yeah.....and I wonder how many of his Buick customers in Flint were cross-shopping their purchase with Toyota, Honda, Lexus, BMW, Acura, Kia, Hyundai, Mazda, M-Benz, Audi, or even Ford and Chrysler???