Comments on: Opel set for partial split from GM

By: Wheelnut

Wheelnut — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 08:38:36 +0000

Have a read of the artile in the MArch 09 issue of Wheels called “Meltdown in Motown” and youll get more of an idea as to what caused all the trouble in Detroit.

There is one particular statement which sums it all up

“Arrogance Complacency and Mowtowns suffocating small-town mindset compounded the problem”

It’s like the joke [ Andrew M said on another GM Topic ]where a man was living in an area that was being flooded.. 3 times people came by in their boats to rescue him and he said “no God will save me”.
In the end the guy drowned and when he was in heaven he asked God “why didn’t you save me? God replied “I sent 3 boats to rescue you.”

The signs were there but they [PRick Wagoner in particular] chose to ignore them.

By: Phill

Phill — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 08:20:58 +0000

I’d rather get cars from GM than Chery or Tata.

By: In Persepective

In Persepective — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 04:30:59 +0000

The Japs are not in trouble, they need to time to re-adjust as they will … GM, Ford and Chrysler however are just simply SCREWED !!!!!!!

GM more then anyone else and by an ocean mile.

By: Andrew M

Andrew M — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:35:34 +0000

Pauly,
but you cant blame the US manufacturers for still building what the US consumers want…..

Even through the “fuel crisis” the F-Truck sat nicely on top with the sales crown on its head.

You would be laughed out of the meeting if you walked in there and said “guys we gotta stop making these things”.

and further to that, as Frenchie says, even the Japs are in trouble

By: mark

mark — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 10:48:58 +0000

frenchie, the japanese companies are not in trouble as such. as they are putting plans in place in order to make sure they do not suffer the gm effict as i like to call it! lol. as for gm splitting its entities, this is just a ploy by them to try to leach as much money out of as many goverments as possible before they go belly up so the gm fat cats can still get their payouts!!!!
they think that because jobs are on the line govs will get sucked in, oh wait ruddy already did! the german gov won’t though as if opel shuts, in the long run it will make vw/audi stronger as less competition. that will see them expand in years to come, recreate jobs, make them a bigger europe #1 and best of all from a german point of view screw over the cocky americas!!! lol, no pun intended in ref to ww2, maybe.

By: Frenchie

Frenchie — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 05:25:18 +0000

I think that GM will cut jobs in Europe as nobody is buying cars of any sort. Labour cost in Europe are very high and the German government are not interested in bailing out, particularly helping GM.

All this GM bashing is just making the whole situation worst. Even the Japanese manufacturers are in trouble!

By: Pauly

Pauly — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 04:46:22 +0000

I am glad GM is burning to the ground. They insisted to keep making fuel guzzeling cars and now look where it’s left them! They were so blind to what was happening around the world. I suppose that sums up Americans as a whole anyway.

Good on Opel and vuaxhall. Best of luck.

By: Captain Mainwaring

Captain Mainwaring — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 04:28:27 +0000

Remember PanAm? Different industry, but GM is the new PanAm, 40 years later.

By: GM Nutters Are Jokers

GM Nutters Are Jokers — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:23:55 +0000

haaaa … more bad news for GM – it just keeps getting better and better and all while the 2009 Consumer Report that was just released in the US slammed GM for thier questionable vehicles as they got smashed by the Japanese manufactuers.

Honda ranked first with 78pts followed by Subaru with 75, Toyota 74 and Mazda 73. I beieve Hyundai and VW scored 70 or there abouts while Ford ranked down the list on 63pts all while GM scored a pathetic 57 with Chrysler ranked dead-last.

Worth noting … while 70% of Ford’s fleet received a rating of AVERAGE or ABOVE (9well done to them), only a pathetic 17% of GM’s fleet received the same.

As always and only naturally expected – GM is the most screwed-up, lost and incompetant automotive brand of them all

By: Frontman

Frontman — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 02:37:38 +0000

And to think I said it was unfounded (at that point) yesterday when talking about the Cruze…. ;-)
Possibly the best thing that could happento Opel/Vauxhall, however if I was to be taking them on I’d want more than just 25%, I would be after full controlling interest whilst still having access to some of GM’s hardware

By: Andrew M

Andrew M — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 02:30:00 +0000

It was probably quite an obvious parting when you look at it.
GM made their future clear when they invested the future of their small cars in the less cost infected Daewoo facility
It sort of made Opel redundant when they did that

wouldnt be surprised to see the other half sold off when the market strengthens a bit in the future

By: Schah7

Schah7 — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:03:40 +0000

This is “music to my ears” hearing & seeing the slow DEMISE of G.M.& its subsidiaries.
There is so much more to choose from now, which people have finally “seen-the-light” and are just doing.

By: Ford Go Alot Better

Ford Go Alot Better — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:02:51 +0000

Good for Opel, Gm have stifled the brand and now Opel can swing its arms a little maybe not for long because of debts but they can have a go.

By: Naughtyius Maximus

Naughtyius Maximus — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:48:28 +0000

Holden’s decision to go down road of the Cruze seems truly sound and that is the bigger picture…..unlike some drawing weak line that it lines up against Viva and Astra and is a conundrum model.