GM closing Ontario, Detroit, and Ohio factories
#166
Lexus Fanatic
Here's the report from Bob Lutz:
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2018/11/...ffs-not-silly/
So, Mike what do you have to say about Bob Lutz now? He still good or does this make him an idiot too?
EDIT: JDR beat me to it!
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2018/11/...ffs-not-silly/
Bob Lutz called GM’s transformative decision “not silly at all.” Adding, “the hard fact is in North America…passenger cars are simply not in demand.” And he’s not wrong. Demand for passenger cars is faltering with crossovers, SUVs, and pickup trucks stealing customers. Earlier this year, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles laid out a five-year strategy focused on crossovers and SUVs. Ford also made news when it decided to eliminate passenger cars from North America in the next few years. U.S. consumers aren’t fans of sedans and hatchbacks anymore.
“This is just economic reality, and it’ll hit everybody,” Lutz said in the interview. “It’s also a sign of changing times as demand shifts from cars.”
“This is just economic reality, and it’ll hit everybody,” Lutz said in the interview. “It’s also a sign of changing times as demand shifts from cars.”
EDIT: JDR beat me to it!
#167
Lexus Fanatic
I tend to take what Bob "Tesla is headed for the graveyard" Lutz says and believe the opposite. He also said Tesla would never make it to 2019. Hmmmm.
#168
Lexus Fanatic
Here's the report from Bob Lutz:
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2018/11/...ffs-not-silly/
So, Mike what do you have to say about Bob Lutz now?
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2018/11/...ffs-not-silly/
So, Mike what do you have to say about Bob Lutz now?
Also interesting that most other companies outside of Ford and GM show no sign of dumping their sedans. Dodge and Chrysler, of course, dumped their smaller ones, but are apparently keeping the Charger and 300.
And I checked out the new Avalon today. I'll talk about that in another thread, as Dave wants us to keep other test-drives out of this one.
Last edited by mmarshall; 12-04-18 at 03:33 PM.
#169
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
He's correct about sedans waning in demand. But that doesn't mean that they all have to be axed....nor did he say that he personally supported such a move. He likes big sedans himself.
Also interesting that most other companies outside of Ford and GM show no sign of dumping their sedans. Dodge and Chrysler, of course, dumped their smaller ones, but are apparently keeping the Charger and 300.
Also interesting that most other companies outside of Ford and GM show no sign of dumping their sedans. Dodge and Chrysler, of course, dumped their smaller ones, but are apparently keeping the Charger and 300.
Toyota can keep their sedans around because they can increase the price to offset the lower volume when that occurs. Toyota can also export as well. And the Toyota plants are working at 15% capacity and just one shift like some of these GM plants.
Last edited by Toys4RJill; 12-04-18 at 03:38 PM.
#170
The unions hold just as much responsibility for this as the dying sedan market does. If GM wants to lower costs, their only way to do this seems to be to close plants, layoff workers, etc. The unions WILL NOT work with GM to negotiate lower wages, benefits, etc. even if this means keeping more jobs. All this being said, I'm not sure if GM even considered renegotiating contracts before coming to the decision were at now. Unless, they start off with the most drastic scenario and negotiate with the unions from here. I'm curious to see how this all plays out, both for GM and politically.
Last edited by COOLIS; 12-04-18 at 03:43 PM.
#171
Lexus Fanatic
The unions hold just as much responsibility for this as the dying sedan market does. If GM wants to lower costs, their only way to do this seems to be to close plants, layoff workers, etc. The unions WILL NOT work with GM to negotiate lower wages, benefits, etc. even if this means keeping more jobs. All this being said, I'm not sure if GM even considered renegotiating contracts before coming to the decision were at now. Unless, they start off with the most drastic scenario and negotiate with the unions from here. I'm curious to see how this all plays out, both for GM and politically.
#172
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
mmarshall. Have you seen the film Roger & Me? I highly, highly recommend you see it if you have not. I think everyone should see the movie, it is related to what we are all discussing in this thread. Very very sad film. The closing of these GM plants are just catastrophic.
My heart goes out to all those who will losing their jobs. Such a tragic event. The people getting evicted was just so sad.
My heart goes out to all those who will losing their jobs. Such a tragic event. The people getting evicted was just so sad.
Last edited by Toys4RJill; 12-04-18 at 05:02 PM.
#173
Lexus Fanatic
Also interesting that most other companies outside of Ford and GM show no sign of dumping their sedans. Dodge and Chrysler, of course, dumped their smaller ones, but are apparently keeping the Charger and 300.
You're not looking at this objectively at all.
And like Jill said, GM isn't dumping all their sedans for now, just they aren't planning on making the models built at this plant when they idle the plant. Do I think they will cancel more sedans? Yes.
#174
Lexus Fanatic
mmarshall. Have you seen the film Roger & Me? I highly, highly recommend you see it if you have not. I think everyone should see the movie, it is related to what we are all discussing in this thread. Very very sad film. The closing of these GM plants are just catastrophic.
My heart goes out to all those who will losing their jobs. Such a tragic event. The people getting evicted was just so sad.
Don't remember seeing all of it, but I might have seen parts of it. How old is it?
Roger Smith never impressed me. He represented the worst of GM, during a time when, IMO, some of its worst vehicles were produced.
#175
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Here is an article on some of the women who work at the plant.
https://www.chatelaine.com/news/osha...-closing-2019/
https://www.chatelaine.com/news/osha...-closing-2019/
#177
Lexus Fanatic
Here is an article on some of the women who work at the plant.
https://www.chatelaine.com/news/osha...-closing-2019/
https://www.chatelaine.com/news/osha...-closing-2019/
Thanks. I noticed one of them wrote to Premier Doug Ford. Is he any relation to Toronto's Ex-Mayor Rob Ford, or don't you know? I'm sorry for Rob that his life was cut short by (apparent) cancer, but I cannot say I was impressed wth him. He ran around constantly acting like he was either drunk or high on something, and there were some reports that he was smoking crack.
#178
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks. I noticed one of them wrote to Premier Doug Ford. Is he any relation to Toronto's Ex-Mayor Rob Ford, or don't you know? I'm sorry for Rob that his life was cut short by (apparent) cancer, but I cannot say I was impressed wth him. He ran around constantly acting like he was high on something, and there were some reports that he was smoking crack.
#179
Lexus Champion
Thanks. I noticed one of them wrote to Premier Doug Ford. Is he any relation to Toronto's Ex-Mayor Rob Ford, or don't you know? I'm sorry for Rob that his life was cut short by (apparent) cancer, but I cannot say I was impressed wth him. He ran around constantly acting like he was either drunk or high on something, and there were some reports that he was smoking crack.
Many people here compared Donald Trump to Rob Ford, and now Doug Ford is compared to Donald Trump. Enough said.
#180
Lexus Fanatic
Many people here compared Donald Trump to Rob Ford,