Carl, as I look out my office window to the parking lot there are about 40 cars in our lot. I see a Pontiac Sunfire, my Deville and a Ford cube Van. Other than that it is Honda, Nissan and Toyota, 2 VW and an Audi.

Every time someone in the office goes on about GM job losses and what not I tell them to go look in the parking lot and thank one another!

73SC wrote:

---

My wife's 99 Suburban is a tad under 200,000 km now, it had one warranty job, a battery made in Mexico. Besides gas oil tires and brakes I have no expenditures to report. That's a pretty good record of reliability and quality over 9 years.

---

That beats my Corolla, it's an 01 and it had a repair done to a part in the ventilation system go that never goes normally.  Don't remember what it was.  Had to get a new clutch last year, but that could have been from my driving so i can't fault them for that.  Overall though good solid car over 260,000km...but still your Suburban having less wrong has it beat in this case.

I have many friends (car enthusiasts) who have been investing in GM stock over the past few months figuring it was a sure thing that GM would be able to turn it around, get the support and aid they need, and they would all make a killing. I have been telling them for at least year that I wouldn't touch GM stock with a 10 foot pole. I was chastized and accused of being a traitor and called things you couldn't mention on here......but, and it doesn't give me any great pleasure to say it to them, "I told you so". GM is a financial basket case and has been for quite some time. Just recently some of the major investment banks (American and European) said that GM stock is essentially "worthless" yet people kept on buying it. The chickens may finally be coming home to roost now. The only way GM can get out from the onerous conditions that are killing it in the US is Chapter 11. They have to MASSIVELY cut costs acrosss the board - unions, suppliers, white collar salaries, selling plants and land to make a financially viable company. If GM survives, they will end up being roughly 1/2 the size they are today....

Carl Stevenson wrote:

---

It always irked me how the Consumer Reports always crapped on the domestics. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. The writers likely had no clue that many of their friends/relatives make their living off automotive be it directly or indirectly.

---

        What made them experts!   Why would so many people, listen to these morons, who couldn't get a real job.. 

sounds like the wheel speed sensors on the 1500 pickups. they recalled the '99-'02s a couple/3 years ago to clean out the rust between the sensor and hub assy. yet the 2500/3500s have the same problem and all years to '06 are still acting up, but are not part of any recall. 

I wonder how much executives make and do thay really need those figures? if they set the example, perhaps others would support them quicker. bottom line is, give the consumer what they want/will buy for a price they can afford.
What about smaller comapnies of any kind - they don't get or even ask for gov't bail outs!