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GM Headed For Bankruptcy Again?

Discussion in 'Other Cars' started by zenMachine, Aug 18, 2012.

  1. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    The recent GM exec's bonuses have been huge - and that's obscene considering how many millions gm still owes taxpayers (Vis a Vis GM stock) . That kind of policy takes me back to when gm executives were flying into Washington in corporate jets to beg congress for money.

    SGH-I717R ? 2
     
  2. ProximalSuns

    ProximalSuns Senior Member

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    No they don't. GM has no technology, no production capability. They are slowly going out of business. They can keep downsizing to keep from going bankrupt but they are surely going out of business.
     
  3. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    They're the #2 seller of hybrids by quantity in the US.... They have great technology in the Volt, but it sure isn't coming anywhere close to competing w/the Prius family in sales.

    As for your latter points, we'll see. It will be interesting if they go bankrupt a second time.
     
  4. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

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    You may want to shut off your signature.

    You do understand that the executives aren't the sameones that flew to washington.

    I did not hear about obscene bonuses, and it doesn't come up on Google. How much were they.
     
  5. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    Comparison of an LBO to the loans GM has with the US taxpayer in the form of stock is a silly argument.
     
  6. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    Compensation based on short-term gain rather than long-term well being is yet another resemblance to the past.
     
  7. ProximalSuns

    ProximalSuns Senior Member

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    Except GM is not selling any hybrids other than the Volt which is a very limited production car, sold at a loss to meet a regulatory requirement.
     
  8. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    So, the Malibu Hybrid (eAssist), LaCrosse eAssist, Regal eAssist, and the (tiny #) of two-mode hybrids like the Tahoe, Silverado, Tahoe, etc. hybrids don't count as hybrids?

    With those sales numbers, you may as well say that Honda, Ford, Kia, Hyundai and others are "not selling" any hybrids either...
     
  9. ProximalSuns

    ProximalSuns Senior Member

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    Correct.
     
  10. Avi's Advanced Automotive

    Avi's Advanced Automotive Independent hybrid repair shop

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    Some in my industry refer to them as Government Motors
     
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  11. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Silverado counts. But doesn't the malibu simply turn the motor off at a red light? Nobody can seriously call that a hybrid.

    SGH-I717R ? 2
     
  12. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Oh I know the Exec's ain't the same . . . just their policies (like doing buy downs to make it look like they're making tons of money):
    Bankrupt GM And Chrysler Give Managers Big Bonuses - Up To 50% Of Salary - After Taxpayer Funded Bailouts | Sad Hill News


    I'l love to think things are changing for the better. But when it comes to our leadership (corporate & market leadership, as well as the Obomney's of both of our political parties) - the lion's share are morally bankrupt. Oh well - we get what we cultivate.
    .
     
  13. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

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    GM before the bailout was entirely sales volume driven, with huge cost structure. They have been restructured to greatly reduce costs, and now seem more profit than revenue driven. You may notice there no longer is a saturn, pontiac, oldsmobile, saab, etc.
    Those huge bonuses are for the salaried workers, not for the top executives. Top executive compensation is low for the industry. Part of the restructuring was big salery cuts. It looks like labor costs didn't go down as many had hoped, but this definitely is not for those running the company. The guys that ran the company into the ground took home much bigger paychecks and bonuses.
     
  14. Skoorbmax

    Skoorbmax Senior Member

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    I like the talk of the Malibu. I realize now also that "Mild Hybrid" is a euphemism for "Our hybrid power train more or less sucks, so we call it mild."

    What GOOD hybrids does Chevy have? They certainly have nothing in the passenger car market that's any good I can think of when considering the cost premium. I think the Tahoe Hybrid is pretty good: 20 mpg city for that massive behemoth is good, but nothing in the car market. Instead they have the Cruze Eco and throw its highway number around as if that's what matters. They're doing it with the Malibu Eco commercials, too. Glad that article pointed out how the Altima without "mild-hybrid" beats its mileage figures.

    There's in fact nothing on the market from Chevy of any interest to me personally.

    Not sure about the author's continued cheering of VW. His number comparison isn't fair; VW is a premier brand--as far as non-luxury brands are. It sits a notch below the luxury brands, IMO and its vehicles are priced accordingly, so it's not a surprise that for the same number of vehicles sold their income would be higher. This is in fact represented in the only very slightly better profit margin; their cars are indeed pricier.
     
  15. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    Malibu "Eco" uses eAssist (other GM vehicles w/it use have eAssist in the name). It's their 2nd gen BAS mild hybrid system. 2012 LaCrosse Comes Standard With New eAssistâ„¢ Fuel-Saving Technology, For 37 Mpg Highway Fuel Economy In A Full-Size Sedan discusses it. It's a bit more than an auto start-stop system.

    Their previous gen system was a real winner, not: little FE improvement, apparently unreliable, apparently not priced properly and w/multiple battery pack recalls in some of their vehicles.
     
  16. usnavystgc

    usnavystgc Die Hard DIYer and Ebike enthusiast.

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    IMO, GM is a disastrous company that consistently lags behind their customers needs. They seemingly have no ability to plan for the future and always look to past success for the future (ie:Camaro ZL1). What a joke and disappointment. We should not have bailed them out. I live in Bowling Green, KY and I still see their private jet land at our airport (obviously no lessons learned there). Many are to blame but, I put the blame on the big execs and the labor unions. When you have no vision for the future, you are doomed to failure. When you demand wages and benefits beyond an employer's capabilities, stand by to lose your job.
     
  17. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    I'd hazard to say that Nissan has a corp. jet or two but here's how they do things differently:
    You call this a ‘temp’ job? : Economy
     
  18. Skoorbmax

    Skoorbmax Senior Member

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    A sad reflection on the economy as much as Nissan, that these people would even feel they have no choice but to agree to it.
     
  19. drinnovation

    drinnovation EREV for EVER!

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    Their technology, just the overall most efficient car with an ICE engine, the best plug-in hybrid on the planet
    With a fleet median of over 175 MPG (from voltstats.net) , nothing from your precious toyota is even close,. Ford is even farther behind. But this has been pointed out before to you, so clearly facts don't influence your views.


    What reputable source is saying they are selling the volt at a loss?
    What "regulatory requirement" is the Volt satisfying in most states? Compliance cars are things like the Fit EV. The Volt is the number 2 hybrid in America, and the best selling EV in America and in europe, and is outselling the Prius PHV by a significant margin. It is on pace to outsell the original prius first full year sales by a modest margin.

    Given you think that is just limited production "compliance", it helps explains a lot of your posts.
     
  20. ProximalSuns

    ProximalSuns Senior Member

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    Brand loyalty is fine. Blind loyalty is not.

    GM offers no hybrids, never did and doesn't plan to in the near future which is the only timeline GM has because they offer no hybrids in their production line. Volt is a low volume car built to meet government requirements for fleet mileage. Volt's nice but really has nothing to do with GM's imminent demise due to Volt's low volume. GM sold 9 million cars in 2011. 8,000 of them were Volt is 0.00089% of GM's business.

    Ford has Fusion hybrid vs. Camry and now C-Max vs. Prius.