GM moves nearly 2,000 hybrids in September

This merger actually makes quite a bit of sense. Cerberus owns 51% of GMAC, GM owns the rest. GM swaps GMAC for Chrysler. GM sells Jeep and the Dodge Ram to Renault/Nissan. GM keeps the minivan. (Chrysler minivans lead the market and make up 40% of total minivan sales while GM eliminated their minivan to concentrate on SUV's) It also shuts down a competitor. A merger may also allow GM to renegotiate terms with their dealer network and consolidate from separate dealerships to combined "GM" dealerships.

It makes absolutely no sense if the government gets involved a makes the combined company keep 30K employees that aren't needed.

 

the only thing that makes any sense for GM in all of this is if they get all of GMAC back or sell it all and can start another captive. GMAC is worse than a normal bank right now.

 

Its unclear to me whether the two-mode is just inherently less efficient, or because its so complicated and expensive they have to cut corners everywhere else reducing overall efficiency. Either way I'm not very impressed with the 2-mode Vue.

Vehicle --------------- Pas Vol ----- Cargo Vol --- Total Vol
2009 Saturn Vue Hybrid -- 97.7 --------- 29.2 ------- 126.9
2009 Saturn Vue --------- 97.7 --------- 29.2 ------- 126.9
2009 Toyota RAV4 ------- 108.2 --------- 36.4 ------- 144.6
2009 Honda CRV --------- 103.8 --------- 35.7 ------- 139.5
2009 Toyota HiHy 4WD --- 145.4 --------- 10.3 ------- 155.7
2009 Ford Escape Hyb ---- 99.5 --------- 27.8 ------- 127.3

Vehicle --------------- EPA Comb -- Annual Fuel -- Annual Cost
2009 Saturn Vue Hybrid --- 28 --------- 536 ------- $1608
2009 Saturn Vue ---------- 22 --------- 681 ------- $2043
2009 Toyota RAV4 --------- 24 --------- 625 ------- $1875
2009 Honda CRV ----------- 23 --------- 652 ------- $1957
2009 Toyota HiHy 4WD ----- 26 --------- 577 ------- $1731
2009 Ford Escape Hyb ----- 32 --------- 469 ------- $1407
* Assumed 15,000 miles per year @$3 per gallon.

Vehicle --------------- Curb Weight ---- GVWR ---- Max Payload
2009 Saturn Vue Hybrid -- 4265 --------- 4900 ------- 635
2009 Saturn Vue --------- 3825 --------- 4825 ------- 1000
2009 Toyota RAV4 -------- 3300 --------- 4730 ------- 1430
2009 Honda CRV ---------- 3389 --------- 4560 ------- 1171
2009 Toyota HiHy 4WD ---- 4508 --------- 5935 ------- 1427
2009 Ford Escape Hyb ---- 3669 --------- 4720 ------- 1051

Vehicle ------------------ HP ----- Weight/HP -- Torque
2009 Saturn Vue Hybrid - 172@6500 ---- 24.8 --- 167@4500
2009 Saturn Vue -------- 169@6200 ---- 22.6 --- 161@5100
2009 Toyota RAV4 ------- 179@6000 ---- 18.4 --- 172@4000
2009 Honda CRV --------- 166@5800 ---- 20.4 --- 161@4200
2009 Toyota HiHy 4WD --- 209@5600 ---- 20.5 --- 212@3600
2009 Ford Escape Hyb --- 153@6000 ---- 24.0 --- 136@4500

Vehicle ----------------- MSRP ---- CR Reliability -- CR Owner Satisfaction
2009 Saturn Vue Hybrid - $27,930 --------- NA ------------- NA
2009 Saturn Vue -------- $23,050 --- worse than av -------- 57
2009 Toyota RAV4 ------- $21,500 - much better than av ---- 73
2009 Honda CRV --------- $21,095 - much better than av ---- 76
2009 Toyota HiHy 4WD --- $34,700 - much better than av ---- 76
2009 Ford Escape Hyb --- $29,305 --- better than av ------- 73

Compared to the RAV4 and CRV, the regular VUE appears to be smaller, heavier, more under powered, less fuel efficient, less reliable, less popular with its owners and more expensive. The hybrid model makes it the most fuel efficient, but adds almost $5k to the cost. It saves ~$270 per year over the RAV4, but costs ~$6500 more and is still smaller, heavier, and slower. It also loses a lot of payload capacity, 635 pounds is pretty anemic. With 4, 175 pound adults and no cargo you will be over GVWR. The Ford Escape Hybrid is a little more expensive ($1375) than the Vue Hybrid, but for a similar size its lighter, less underpowered, more reliable, has more payload capacity and is much more popular with its owners as well as much more fuel efficient.

Rob

 

I have tested Opel version of Saturn Vue, and it is by far the worst small SUV on the market... It is Daewoo product and that can be seen and felt everywhere. Not even german media likes it...

 

Thats very interesting, I didn't know that. I knew the Aveo was a Daewoo, but didn't realize the Vue was as well. Wiki just shows it as a rebadged Opel, which I assumed was Euro GM designed. You have to go to the Opel Antara's page to see that its designed by Daewoo. Figures. I wonder how many of the people who buy the Vue despite all its shortcomings and higher price because they want to buy American know that its designed in Korea and made in Mexico?

Opel Antara - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Saturn Vue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rob

 

oh my God! What if they ALL closed?!? Think how terrible it'd be if we had to resort to building a decent commuter rail system, like the rest of the world. Please, tell me it won't come to that.

 

Why Ford Needs The GM-Chrysler Deal Done - Forbes.com

In the talks between General Motors and Chrysler, no one has more at stake than Ford Motor...

...Now Ford Credit is a key to Ford Motor's survival. Unlike GM, which sold a 51% interest in GMAC to Cerberus in 2006, Ford steadfastly refused to sell its finance company, which it considers a strategic asset.
An automaker's finance arm is more than just a bank that lends money to consumers and dealers, says Andrew Shapiro, managing partner at Casesa Shapiro Group. "At the end of the day, it's a marketing tool" that can be used to help manage inventory, he says.
GM lost that opportunity when it ceded control of GMAC to Cerberus. It paid the price recently when Cerberus--likely seeking to pressure GM into a deal for Chrysler--announced GMAC would no longer provide loans to consumers with credit scores below 700. That choked off sales at GM dealerships, forcing the automaker to spend precious millions on a national advertising campaign to reassure consumers that credit was still available (through other lenders) for GM vehicles.
The moral of this story is don't lose control of your captive finance company. When sales of a certain model turn soft, for instance, Ford can turn to Ford Credit for subsidized incentives to woo buyers and make way for better-selling models.