Share your thoughts: Is General Motors back on top?

I sure hope so! GM has made major mistakes in the past but I don’t think such a great American icon should be buried by a Japanese company who never competed on a level playing field.

I don’t think so. They still need to prove they can make a quality car. Every year, Consumer Reports rates their cars below average. I’ve owned 3 GM’s and have had nothing but problems. Any savvy buyer would not purchase one unless they have the GM mentality that they are still USA-1. Let me tell you, they are not!

If you are a savvy buyer, you would know GM is now producing world class cars and coming out with technologies that leapfrogging the competitors. But I don’t think you are the savvy buyer you think you are.

It doesn’t matter if GM is #1 or #10. The issue is the quality. They are producing some new, intersting products that are beginning to post positive quality ratings. The company’s direction into improving the quality of its interior materials is something Chrysler needs to catch up to.
In the end it’s customer satisfaction and quality and not the hype. The upcoming Malibu ad blitz is a concern: why the big push? Shouldn’t the product be able to sell itself?

Joe, actually, I am a very savvy buyer. If you “think” that GM is making “world class” quality cars, well, you obviously have no idea of what you’re talking about. If you need some education, just check the auto consumer sites. They will inform you that many of th GM vehicles have poor ratings. If you were really savvy, and not just a GM “fan”, you would see the light on this…..or not! I wish the best for you but GM plants in Australia and Europe have no better quality issues than here. We are just bringing over their problems to the US!

Al,

You sound like one of those GM bashers that use facts from the 70’s to justify your opinion now. GM does make some “world class” vehicles. GM also makes some average vehicles and unfortunately a handful of less steller vehicles.

But I think you need to put in perspective the difference between the “best” and most of the rest. In most cases it is a 50% chance of have 1 additional repair. That’s it.

Look into any brand of vehicle and they all have technicians that repair cars — WOW what a concept….

Well Mike, I only bash what deserves to bashed. Yes, just about any car has it’s problems but, most people don’t buy extended warrantys and GM has the most major repair issues outside their warranty. Hence, why they extended their standard warranty. Is that a fix or just a big band aid? You know, I’m aware of the facts and, I guess, only time will tell if GM will “start” making quality vehicles that will “last”! I’ll give them a chance but I’m not keeping my hopes up.

Al, The reason we are providing extended warranties for free is because we know the vehicle we are building are quality vehicles. We are willing to stand up for the vehicles and are telling customers the same.

I can tell you the “facts” on warranty, because I have seen the numbers. GM’s warranty rates have been going down for years.

A comment about the Malibu blitz — thanks for noticing — this car is new from the ground up and we are ready to take on the current leaders in this segment. GM is trying hard to get potential buyers to look at the vehicle and add it to their list. Once on a customers potential buy list, we think we can win many to the GM Family.

BTW, the only reason I can take the time during the day to answer these questions is because one of our employees has the MRSA virus and our work place is being cleaned before we can go back to work.

This is a copy of an email I just sent to the dealership that I purchased my GM product from.
Below is an email I sent to Southtowne Motors in Newnan GA – where I purchased my vehicle.
When I purchased my 2006 Chev. Trailblazer in Jan. 2006, perhaps I should have purchased the extended warranty. Growing up a Chevy girl, and also currently owning a 1986 Chev. pick up that still runs like a top, I have always thought Chevrolet products superior. But I have to say….my current vehicle is a great disappointment….the interior is poorly made/constructed – during my 30,000 mile maintenance I requested that the plastic casing around the front passengers seat be resecured. This seat is rarely used and when it is – the casing pops loose – there is a huge gap exposed. This casing continues to pop off – now the drivers side is doing the same – and the seat adjustments knobs will not stay on – when you open either door – there is gaping areas between the seat and the casing – (should my 1.5 yr old vehicle look as tho it is falling apart whenever the doors are open) – but thats a small issue…..I had sent an email yesterday inquiring as to the date of my warranty expiration. There is a whining noise coming from the engine area that is getting louder and louder (no dash lights are on indicating service needed) – a few guys that I work with has told me that it sounds like the power steering pump – (there is fluid, and no apparent leaks) – I received a call back from Mr. Ogletree – he was able to bring up my warrant info – which expired at 36,000 miles, my Trailblazer currently has 43,000 miles. I said “Well, that doesn’t do me any good”. His response “I believe that I offered you the extended warranty”. I guess, he really should be telling folks – you ought to purchase the extended warranty – because odds are, you will need it. My response to Mr. Ogletree, “Yes, because Chevrolet products certainly aren’t built like they used to be”. Mr. Ogletree responded “Well….anything manmade is subject to failure”. Which is a true statement….but after purchasing a $30,000 + vehicle and it’s only a 1.5 yr old – that’s not what a customer wants to hear. Perhaps attitudes and responses such as the one I received and having a vehicle already needing repairs, is why I don’t see “Like a Rock” commercials anymore and why Chevrolet is closing plants.

I kind of assumed you were a GM rep Mike! As for your warranty numbers, anyone can go from terrible to bad….that would be a plus! I’m sure the numbers are better….but not good!

As for Peppermint’s comment above, I rest my case. She is not alone. I have members of my own family who are going through the same thing. I guess time will tell but, for now, GM is not a good product. Hopefully, they will learn!

Again I have to voice the minority on this site. GM has and does build solid vehicles. I work in auto repair and I have seen problems with all makes. That is what happens with a manufactured product, especially one as complex as an automobile. I would say the majority of GM’s problems of late come from perception that evolved from the 3 major problems they had. One was the cylinder heads on quad 4’s (later known as 2.4 liter twin cam), the 3.4 liter twin cam in the cutlass supremes and grand prixs that were a high performance motor that the average consumer had no idea how to take care of, and the rear disc brakes on the first gen W-cars that GM was sued over. Yes, I am aware of the buick rendezvous and pontiac aztec, god knows i worked on enough of them. I am also aware of the 3.1, 3.4, and 3.8 liter intakes. I have fixed enough of them also. But comare that to hondas automatic transmissions in the odyssey, acura TL, and accord failing just out of warranty. Or priuses dying at highway speed for know reason. both of the latter corporation pretend don’t happen and will tell the customer they are SOL. Where I have fixed many GM vehicles out of their warranty that GM paid for willingly. Of course your service advisor has to submit it that way. Most will not do it because they don’t get paid as much to do a warrany repair as they do for a customer pay. There in lies the problem. Just my 2 cents.

JD powers has been showing the GM turnaround for years now with Cadillac and Buick consistently being in the top 5. It won’t be long until they knock off the Lexus brand. I can’t wait. As for consumer reports, they never seem to know what they are talking about.

GM is the master of “Bait and Switch” while the products are nice to look at, the world class models are few and over-priced.
I am not surprized that a repair tech praises GM. I am sure that GM does more to keep them employed then any other maker of cars (except Yugo).

Actually, we aren’t that busy. Most of our days were spent doing oil changes. I forgot to mention I worked for a Buick dealer…you know..the #1 rated for quality by JD Power….

Ahhhh, Jeremy, that’s “initial” quality! Shouldn’t every car have an excellent rating for initial quality? It might be me but I think that should be a no brainer.

In some regard it may be a good thing that the imports have a larger volume of cars on the road right now. Now people are beginning to realize that they are nowhere near perfect. GM gets a bad rap because someone they know drove a GM product that had a major problem. When GM sells 20 times the amount of cars as say nissan or acura, the chance of this happening would be much greater. Now we are beginning to hear these same stories in toyotas and hondas. Imports aren’t so perfect after all…

I have owned a 2004 Cadillac Seville for three years. The quality of the car surprises me everday. I traded a 2000 Lexus ES for it. The Seville now has 110,000 miles on it in just over 3 years. I don’t beleive that GM has a quality issue in product. I wish that I could say the same about their dealerships and fallow up care. I have been to 4 dealerships all over the state of California. Toyota has GM beat to death in the quality of care for the cars they sell. GM SUCKS big time. If I buy a new car again, I doubt that I will buy a GM. Why? Because Toyota seemed to care about the customer even after the sale!!!

GM and Ford need to check on their European competitors. Thes US makers are letting the oil companies run their business. In Europe the majority of new cars are diesel and great strides are being and have been made in clean diesel technology. Gm and Ford seem to think flex fuel is the way to go. They are wrong. Diesel fuel can be produced from squeezing the oil out of just about any plant on the planet, some of which are very hardy trees. Ethanol and other grain fuels are taking about a gallon of fuel energy to produce a gallon of fuel. Hydrogen is worse, taking two gallons of energy to produce the equivalent of one. Biodiesel will power our vehicles for the next century if everyone gets on the same playbook.

Yes, Al, every car should..but they don’t…think about that. Also buick is #1 or #2 in their long term dependability also. Jeff also makes another good point that I have been telling people forever. The chances of you knowing someone with a GM vehicle far overshadow knowing someone who owns anyother one brand. What it really boils down to is that ALL cars break..ALL of them including you precious Hondas and Toyotas (otherwise they wouldn’t have technicians:)) It just depends on how much you want to pay to fix it! You want to know what is the cheapest to own and operate and what will put up with total neglect find out what you local auto technicians are driving. Techs generally never maintain their vehicles and fix them only if they absolutely have to. I usually change my oil but the rest of the car is a “let’s see if that will last a little longer”. Mainly with the tires that are worn out but you get the idea. What do I drive you ask? 1997 Olds Cutlass Supreme with 179,000 and counting. It still get 30mpg and I drive it 80 miles per day roundtrip to work. No “check engine” light on, and everything works.

Diesel is coming to the US, GM is getting the technology from their Opel division. Quite a few cars are going to have the diesel option in 09 and ‘10 cars.

Well, Jeremy, what a surprise, a mechanic who has a car with 179,000 miles on it! What a shock! I used to keep my cars for over 100,000 too when I was younger. It never means it’s a quality vehicle….it just means I baby’d it for all that time and had the means to do so. But, “real” people can’t do that….hence, the big expense. All cars do break, eventually! Some, like GM, break more frequently and more expensively. I’m just quoting recent facts, that’s all!

Al, I am 29 years old and i don’t baby it! That poor thing and seen 5000 rpm more times than I care to admit. I have raced it alot from stoplights, (not smart I know), and just generally like to drive fast. It just amazes me that people keep seeming to think that GM vehicles are so fragile. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and preferences. I love GM vehicles and will drive them until I die. They have never left me stranded and I can’t thing of one that I babied at all. I have owned several from the model year 1976 all the way to 2005 with my wife’s Saturn Vue. And every single one of them were damn good cars!!

Well, Jeremy, it must be nice to be in the minority. I’m happy for you. I am 50 years old and have not had the same “luck” with GM vehicles. My family and friends have experienced the same. In fact, of all the people I know and have known, not one has had a good thing to say about GM products. Amazing how the majority knows.

Hey Al then why is GM going to be the #1 selling car company for like the 80th year in a row? We get that you don’t like GM vehicles, point taken. But obviously alot of people still do, and they have made great strides in the last 5 years. If they can come up with more great looking cars that draw attention, GM will hold onto the #1 title for the forseeable future.

Jeremy, are you not getting this? Most of them are return customers who buy one make of vehicle for their lives! GM has a large following. Same with Ford and Chrysler. Most people will continue to by the same make over and over again. My Dad was a big Dodge fan for many years. He had a lot of junk cars but kept buying Dodge!! There are a lot of people who still do so. This does not mean it’s a quality product. Look, we agree to disagree. You have your opinion and I have mine. I just have my facts straight…..many don’t! I can live with that…. hope they can too.

Quantity and quality are two very different variables. Statistics are the devils tool when it comes to manipulating the facts. I think it is too soon to tell.

What is important? Well, I’ll answer that. Quality, durability, re-sale value, safety rate high among my concerns for a vehicle. Number one in sales could mean a lot of things but it doesn’t necessarily mean it measures up to the qualities I hold important to a vehicle.

Don’t listen to me though and don’t be a slave to rhetoric think for yourself.

The way I see it, to honestly judge a vehicle, go drive one with 80k mile on it and then make comparisons. I have driven Hondas with 150K on them and they amazingly feel tight as if nearly new. I also own a Ford F-150 with 150K in it and it still runs well, but I have also spent extensive money to keep it that way.
All cars drive great when they are new, 80k miles seems to be the the milestone to making or breaking a car. None are perfect.
As for playing against foreign makers on a level playing field, I think the US companies put themselves at a disadvantage with some decisions they made over the years. Toyota and Honda did not force GM and Ford to make the business decisions that they have made, they just exploited them.
As for me, I own a Chevy Malibu (assembled in Canada with 52% American parts), Ford F-150 (assembled in Canada with 72% American parts), and a Dodge Caravan (assembled in Mexico with 61% American parts). All are decent vehicles but I would consider a foreign car.

Three years ago I bought a Japanese vehicle and I got rid of it before the warrantee ran out because it had a grinding noise in the drivetrain.The dealer replaced the wheel bearings but that did not fix it. I think the grinding noise came from the transmission. I got rid of the vehicle before it caused me to pay a huge bill. This had to be the worst vehicle I ever own. Now I’m buying a GM vehicle and love it.

I observe the industry as somewhat of an enthusiast,but do not work in it. Our personal family rule is that any car we buy that commutes to work or long distance must achieve 30 mpg or better with normal driving. We have not found a GM car for years that would do that and provide a level of build quality acceptable to us. I think the Cavalier/Cobalt or Pontiac Vibe would be the only ones that qualify on mileage, but not on overall quality. To us, quality includes NVH and the driving experience as well as simple durability and reliability. We have been driving VW or Subaru for years and sell them still running at 200K miles. Until GM can meet all those parameters, they are not back on top. Frankly I think it is time for the horsepower war to stop and fuel consumption to be cut drastically in the national interest. This from a man who has owned V-12 Jaguars, Porsches, twin-turbo Mitsubishi GT 3000’s etc. GM design is improving dramatically, but the product remains irrelevant to me personally, the real bottom line.

GM makes cars that are very reliable and some that are not so reliable. So do the rest of the auto manufacturers. It’s up to the consumer to do their homework and make sure they are getting a reliable car. Personally, I will never buy a car with a less than average reliability rating. Unfortunately, the percentage of GM’s cars with a less than average reliability rating is slightly greater than 50 percent. Some other manufacturers are doing better. I think GM’s cars are improving steadily as are most other cars, but they do suffer a perception problem from the past. Hopefully as they get their manufacturing costs under control, they’ll be able to put more into quality.

Peter:

Interesting that you mention the Pontiac Vibe, because it’s actually identical to the Toyota Matrix. The two were engineered by GM and Toyota (though as I understand it the car is basically a Corolla), and are built on the same line at the NUMMI plant in California (which also builds, if I recall correctly, the Toyota Corolla and Tacoma).

Knowing that it’s basically a Toyota, would you re-consider a Pontiac Vibe?

And while I’m on the subject — does anyone have the Consumer Reports new car issue handy? I’d love to know how initial quality of the Pontiac Vibe and Toyota Matrix compare to one another — theoretically the quality of the two should be the same. If they differ, that could indicate a pro-Toyota bias in CR.

The Matrix and the Vibe are exactly the same via Consumer Reports except the depreciation. The Vibe has a higher depreciation due to it being a GM product. Toyota holds it’s value longer.

Al, what I am getting is that you don’t like GM. It’s kind of like the whole “I hate Wal-Mart because….” rhetoric that goes around. The most attacks go on the largest target. We are a country that loves to route for the underdog and the little guy and GM is not the little guy. You say you have your facts straight and someone who loves GM (me) have no clue. I do…you couldn’t give me a 99-05 Grand Am or Alero, they’re junk! Or a 01-up Aztek or Rendezvous for the same reason. I will never own any GM minivan or the S-10 4wd pick-up or blazer, also complete junk. BUT, their mid-size cars (intrigue, regal, century, impala, lacrosse and grand prix) are really nice and have few if any problems. The full-size pickups and SUV’s also have few problems. The Cobalt and Malibu/G6/Aura are extremely nice and well built. When you work for a GM dealer you see it all. I am not blind. I know the Honda accord and civic (especially with a manual trans!!) are very reliable and nice vehicles. Just a pain to work on. Toyota’s quality is about the same as GM some things being better than others. I have heard some complaints on a lot of euro cars as far as just being expensive..lol. You drive what you like to look at and what feels comfortable for you.

Buick’s Chinese division designed a incredibly beautiful full size car and it was showed to the US dealers who nixed it since it would compete with Lucerne (which is a great car but doesn’t sell much due to it’s lousy rear design). It’s just unbelievable. I think it’s the design that is keeping GM from sprinting. Look at the new Pointiac G8 – a fantastic car. We get the Pointiac look and the rest of the world get a superior looking car. The can’t sell the Pointiac look oversees but they insist on it here. It’s embarrasing. Once they excell in design and improve long lasting qualities, they will reign.

Al — thanks!

Jeremy,

I have nothing against GM, Ford, Chrysler or any other car maker. I just call them as I see them. I hope they all straighten up their act and improve. True, some of the foreign cars are starting to show some bad quality and, it was bound to happen. But overall, they are still superior. It will take a lot of effort on the part of the US car makers to make up a good bit of ground. GM is one that has a long road ahead of them.

Aaron, your welcome! And, BTW, I really enjoy your articles. It’s refreshing to see the consumer’s point of view when you do your test drives. Thank you for speaking for us.

Aw, shucks, Al, now you’re makin’ me blush.

Lars, your comment about GM nixing the Buick model is not really true. GM took many things from that model, the biggest one being the way they create a hand-sewn leather look while intsead using a machine. That same process is now being used on the interior of the new CTS and will be in the STS in the ‘09 model year. This idea that GM is a bunch of old med sitting in Detroit counting their money just isn’t true anymore. Cadillac is a fine example of what direction the new GM is moving to.

) Take care Aaron…keep up the good work!

I definitely think the global car buyer has gotten GM’s attention. GM has finally taken off the kidd gloves on design & quality. While they used to let the other brands actually produce the prototypes while they sit back and see how it sells, GM has brought out some great new very appealing designs with quality to back up the advertising. I have my eye on the new CTS, just rode in a friend’s, it’s a great ride! Beautiful, thoughtful details, true luxury. The new Saturns are also attractive as a family car. It was only a matter of time before the real quality issues that Toyota has always had surfaced. They looked great compared to the GM cars of the 70’s and 80’s, so who cares if they smelled like a toxic waste dump after a few years and had some major transmission issues? Never owned one, because my friends who did always had issues with them, so stayed away and glad I did.

My little Chevy Venture has 105k and runs great, even on these rough Texas roa. And love my husband’s EXT, but will keep the Venture and sell the EXT since it’s held so much value. We can use the van for everything we need for the home, kids, pets and enjoy the CTS luxury.

Not to stray too far off subject here, but, I own a ‘92 Lexus LS400. I have owned it for 10 years and the only reason it is still in the great shape it is, is because I have spent a truck load of money on the car. I love this car but I have often thought to myself that I could apply this expensive upkeep to any car and it would be in great shape too. The point is that no matter what you own it costs a lot of money to maintain it and keep it like new. If you buy a new car, any car, and just change the oil in it you are driving a roulett wheel of problems. Now having said that I will concede the fact that there are many models of cars that are just plain poorly engineered and will have more and larger problems. Just my 2cents

It’s been almost 20 years since I’ve owned a GM product. Last May I sold my 97 Civic and purchased a Chevy HHR after exhaustive research and test drives. The Honda was still running great, but body integrity left a lot to be desired-numerous rattles and squeaks. Wind and road noise were a problem from the beginning, as has been the case with the 3 Hondas I have owned. The HHR thus far has been a joy to drive-quiet, practical and economical. I was willing to give GM another chance(mainly since there are few choices for this type of vehicle)and to this point I have not been disappointed-hopefully my long term experience will be satisfactory as well. It’s obvious to me at least with the HHR that this is no longer the GM of two decades ago.

The reliability problems Toyota is going through are disappointing, however, historically, Toyota has been quick to respond to reliability and design issues.

As for GM, though they are number one in sales, they don’t seem to be making a profit. They can’t keep running this way forever. If they can maintain a reputation for building reliable cars for a good ten years, then might return to being number one AND making a profit. In the mean time, they really should increase their warranty to 10 years and 100,000 miles. If their cars are so reliable, they won’t lose any money.

Meanwhile, even though Toyota is down, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai and even Ford is doing pretty good. GM can’t get lazy or they’ll go under.

GM’s problems began with three little words. ‘front wheel drive’ The General rushed trash such as the cavalier and citation into production and took away all our beloved rear wheel drive cars. This new technology was a bid to compete with foreign built cars and was an abysmal failure. GM and Ford suffered the most on this score. Chrysler took notes from euro manufacturers such as VW and Japans Mitsubishi and came out with the K cars and the Magicwagon which was a trendsetter. Although the chryco products were not worldbeaters by any imagination they saved Chrysler from extinction. GM and Ford suffered in a long uphill battle and as a result lost their market share by this shift. I have to agree with songsmith Tom Petty, take back your front wheel drive!!! Its so refreshing to see Cadilac claw its way back with real cars again. Lets hope the General can follow the lead here with Chevy and all. I drive a german inspired FWD Saturn and it is a fine car that has just been replaced by the great Aura. But for true driving pleasure I climb into one of my old RQWD Pontiacs and mash the trottle!

I hope that GM can make a turnaround for the sake of all Americans. This company is a part of American history and inginuity that I want to see staying at the top of the automotive industry. If GM will get the backbone to not be held hostage by the UAW they would stand a better chance of being competative in todays automotive industry. You have to realize that if they cannot compete with other manufacturers they can only cut costs in areas such as production, product deveopment, and other areas that make them less desirable to the consumer. I can already hear the UAW ranks screaming at that statement but reality is what it is.

We can all argue till the cows come home, but it’s not what Consumer Reports or JD Powers say or us, for that matter, it’s what the buyers of used cars are willing to pay extra for one used car versus another, aka “resale value”. When millions of car buyers have had bad experiences they will gravitate to those cars where millions of others have had fewer bad experiences. Now that Toyota is experiencing quality issues, these shall not go unnoticed by the buying public, as their resale value begins to slide, just as GM’s did years ago. Be patient, don’t rile yourselves as the numbers eventually will tell the story. On the upside, all cars are being built on a quality first basis, as opposed to a planned obsolescence, as the big three did in the 60’s and 70’s when the Big Three enjoyed 90% of the market. Unfortunately, that stigma of a policy of greed shall dog them forever.

As an industry insider & enthusiast, I can tell you without a doubt that General Motors IS on the way back up. The naysayers are ill informed, in that they have not enough facts or experience with the newer products. NEWER products is the key. Products like the Chevy Cobalt, HHR, Malibu (have you seen the ‘08?!), Silverado. Pontiac Grand Prix, Vibe, GMC Acadia, Sierra, Buick LaCrosse, Lucerne, & Enclave (more wow). These are all world class.
I would put those head to head with any other vehicles…then let’s compare costs to own, to MAINTAIN, experience, etc. I am confident that after 200,000 miles or whatever we chose, the GM product is equiv. or better.
It is also worth noting that GM would not have enhanced the standard warranty if it was going to cost them huge amounts of money. That makes no sense for a company to trying to get right. It addressed the perception issue.
She’s a big ship to turn around my friends…you may want to buy your stock now

For years Toyota and Honda have been making better cars that GM. But that is changing.
point one – Toyota recalled more vehicles that GM in 2006.
point two – While Toyota lost several key recommendations in the recent Consumer Reports list, just about every important new vehicle from GM earned a recommendation in their forst year ( Saturn Outlook, Saturn Aura, GMC Acadia..I think there are more as well.)

The bottom line, people should buy the vehicle that fits their needs and personal tastes, but they should no longer ignore vehicles just because GM (or Ford) produces them.

Having read all the posts in this column,I have seen two things that I must comment on.One poster said that Chrysler needed to work on interior quality.We have owned Chrysler products since the “K” car debut.We have NEVER had any problem with interior quality.I believe the solution for some posters is called soap and a leather conditioner.As for front wheel drive being the bane of cars,I am originally from N.W. PA.(a great place to be far from)Front wheel drive was a godsend to protect us from drivers who could not drive in the winter.I never needed studded tires on any of my front wheel G.M. cars.Yes, I drove G.M cars for thirty years until the quality went into the toilet.I have now owned Chrysler and Dodge products for the last twenty years and have not had problem one with my Concordes and especially no trouble with my Dodge Magnum.My wife has driven Sebrings for the same amount of time,and she loves them.Possibly,G.M will have a winner with the new Camaro,if built for quality,but the Challenger from dodge will be a formidable opponent.I am not bashing G.M.,BUT UNTIL THEY PROVE THEMSELVES TO ME,I will not be a purchaser.By the way, I have no axe to grind, nor will I have to save a job as if I was a G.M. REP.

One other comment.A poster said he liked to rabbit start from red lights and he was impressed with the speed of his vehicle.I have been driving for 54 years and I must say that the only cheve that would touch my Magnum(with the Hemi engine)is probably the Corvette.The Hemi kicked G.Ms butt in the 60s,when I was still an avid G.M. FAN,but it will still do it today.I think ALL car companies should not worry so much about horse-power.There is no need for a street car to go 190 mph.That is just plain stupid.They ALL should equip cars with an engine kill switch that could be used by law enforcement,to stop the idiots that run from police in high speed chases,and slaughter innocent people in the process.These morons should be prosecuted as the murderers that they are.

Well they may be, For now. Myself, I’m hoping that GM reaches a new height it’s never been before. With all these new vehicles they’re producing with greater quality and finish; I wouldnt be too suprised if their sales jump. Despite how excellent Toyota is addressing problems at a moments whim; as a GM fan, I hope that Toyota does slip up and “pulls a GM” eventually. The lower quality reports from Consumer Reports is only a sweet tease of what could be to come.
Oh well Toyota, I guess thats what happens when you immerse yourself into the American market too much. You taliored your vehicles to to the big, fat, and ugly. If you want an example, take a look at the new Scions.

GM still lags in technology (an example is their continued use of many 4 speed automatic transmissions). Styling is getting better, but they’re 10 years behind the Japanese in tehcnilogy and design and the gap may be widening.
They still don’t have a clue about how to build a 4 cylinder engine.

It’s comical that all the things that people bought Toyotas for, as opposed to GM cars are disappearing in Toyota’s struggle to usurp GM’s #1 sales position. Toyota is sadly becoming that giant, greedy, monster that so many consumer’s loathed about GM. To achieve the ego driven status of #1, Toyota has gotten fat and lazy, forgoing concern about quality and reliability, in lieu of meeting bigger production quotas and faster product development schedules(exactly what brought GM’s downfall). In the meantime Honda and Hyundai keep getting better and better, still content being the bridesmaids(for now). The sad thing is that the struggle is now about being #1 in the numbers dept. as opposed to being #1 in the quality dept.

Zora Arqus Duntov carried Chevrolet to defeat Ford(Lincoln,Mercury) as the car to own for speed in the middle fifties, before that GM was known as “Your Daddies Car”.
Ford never came back as speed controlled, and Now Chrysler started Dominating (60’s)NASCAR.
Ford Corp. Being owned by family (For the most part) is doomed to follow the Leaders .

I hope GM is on an upswing. I’ve owned primarliy GM cars, as well as some Fords. The worst of the bunch? FORD. Hard to work on, getting new parts is always a chore (if YOUR car was made mid-year, etc….) For me, GM has had consistent quality…from my 70s model Buick and Chevy to my mid-80s Buick, Suburban, Cavalier and Yukon. I have an ‘01 Aztek with 194,000 miles on it, and all I’ve done is brakes, and an ignition switch. That’s quality, in a nutshell….high miles, no leaks, no burning of oil OR water…and yes, I’m aware of the intake gasket problems, however, I’ve not had a problem (yet). If they could keep doing that, they would sell more cars. If they could get the costs under control, it would be even more affordable. As much as I like my new(er) car, it still doesn’t beat the quality of my ‘79 Impala, or my ‘85 LeSabre. Quality AND a clean, crisp appearance. If only they could get back to a QUALITY car and not something that’s just “thrown” together and sold on a whim.

Wow, 194k on your Aztec! Us Honda owners figure that it’s time to think about handing down our “just broken in” Hondas to our kids when they hit 200k…Those kind of mileages aren’t going to impress Honda/Toyota/Subaru owners. As a former salesman in all 3 companies, there’s usually at least 1 car in the service dept with 250-500k on any given day. I used to take domestic car buyers back to show them. They bought every single time…so did I… I drive a CRV(my last one had 235k,but died in a crash).

I’ve owned mostly Hondas and, while they have been good reliable cars, Our current 04 Civic EX is maybe the worst of the bunch. I expect that like hawaiian don said the car will go 200,000+ miles. What I am less happy with are interior build quality and mileage. There is a harmonic buzz in the dash when the revs reach about 2200rpm. The dealer just said “well it’s not an Accord”. Then we tried another new Civic (back in 04) they had on the lot only to discover that it too had the same buzz. Then the B pillar trim started falling off every once in a while. Our Civic is a manual which we thought should be good for decent mileage. We were wrong. 32mpg on the highway isn’t bad but the fact is my old 94 Civic manual trans got 40mpg often. Also cars twice this size get mileage close to this level(on the highway). The primary reason for the mileage seems to be the gearing in the tranny. In fifth gear going 60mph the engine is already turning over 3000rpm. At freeway speeds it is closer to 3600-3800rpm. Not good for mileage or for interior NVH. It is disappointing because we’d likely be saving significant fuel if they had just spread out the ratios more(or added a sixth gear). I suppose that with the old EPA standards being set at 45mph Honda wasn’t motivated to make any changes. To be fair to the car, city mileage is very good (close to 30mpg) but we don’t live in or near a city. The problems the car has had aren’t that big, just a bit surprising to an old Honda guy. We also have a 00 Toyota Tundra. Good truck with an annoying oversight. The door detents are so weak that the doors swing right back into the legs of anyone unfortunate enough to be in their way. Yup it hurts. Dumb oversight. But still not that big of a deal. I mention these things because I’ve never heard them mentioned elsewhere as magazines and critics seemed oddly willing to let these design defects go unmentioned. Because of these experiences, I will be more observant during test drives and I won’t be ruling out the domestics sight unseen.

I’ve been a Chevy loyalist for years. ‘71 C-10 pickup, 79 Monte Carlo, ‘85 AWD Astro Van, ‘99 Malibu, ‘99 Blazer, 2002 Trailblazer, 2003 Saturn Vue (doesn’t count,) and now a 2007 Suburban. The body gave out on the pickup and Monte Carlo before the drive train did. I live in Wisconsin, salt in the winter, go figure. The Astro Van had some tranny problems between 1st and 2nd gear every 50K miles, it was flawless above and beyond that, and died a glorious and firey death at 151K miles. Awesome vehicle. More interior room than a Suburban, point and shoot in the snow. After that, I’d still have the ‘99 Blazer if I didn’t rear ended by a semi. The car was flawless, and appointed to the nines. The ‘99 Malibu had the 16V, 4cly engine. Just as good as an Accord any day. Now comes the most perfect car in the world, the 2002 Trailblazer. Anything any other manufacurer could do the Trailblazer could do better. I had the I6, and could keep up with knuckleheads from Illinois in their Mercedes Benz on the interstate. Lots of horsepower obviously, good on gas, roomy, more legroom for the front passenger than the Astro, could go through anything, ergonomically the best car I’ve ever owned, and when my Saturn dies I’m getting another one. Another key, KEY thing is that that Ford’s Explorer doesn’t offer 2WD on their 4WD models. You are either in AWD, then 4WD hi or low. DUMB! The Chevy offers 2WD plus AWD, 4WD hi/low. I got the ‘07 Suburban because we have a recent addition to the family. Basically an uber Trailblazer.

So…is Chevy back? They’ve always been there for me. If read the other entries, and I concurr that the car should sell by themselves, and not on design queues they’ll go far. We live in America though. We sell advertise ala Harly Earl / Brook Stephens, “planned obsolesence.” The car looks good, but how will it run? That is the question of the day. AND! If we are selling cars on style queues why is the Impala so blase? What a nondescript jellybean!

GM, crash and burn already.

I would never buy a gm vehicle nor will my five kids my son bought a foerin car and the rest of us has ford I have three neices and they also drive fords.I pray daily for toyota or fords to come out on top. I am trying like heck to get my story out there for the whole world to read and I will one of these days.I would promote fords any time any day and if I am on the streets or even a doctor I tell them that fords is the best and I tell them why and most agree why I would be mad.

Few economists would disagree that it is good for the US economy for GM, Ford, and Chrysler to do well. So hopefully GM can turn things around the honest way; by building great cars and trucks. If they do, perhaps they deserve the top slot. We’ll see.

In Nov. 07 I had the sliding door on my Chevy Venture malfunction on me….causing me to be seriously hurt…GM nagged me to get it to the dealer to find the problem..Of course they couldn`t find one…No of course not, some one has the say keying as I have….my doors lock, open at other peoples press of a button…GM pretty much told me to Go To Hell when I discussed the results of the trip to the Dealership…..My big bitch is, if this was a child or elderly person caught like I was it could have meant death even…Thanks for taking the time to read this and warn other owners of the chance they take having this SPECIAL door on their vans,,,,

I believe that our north american companies should remain that way, and terifs added to products that are from other countries to put them on the same playing fields that our companies are on. I guess I just believe in equality, something that our governments have forgotten.

I have been driving american cars all of my life. Out of all those many cars, I was never been left stranded. As of today I drive my 99 Z28 camaro, which gets decent gas mileage and never breaks. I drive this thing everywhere and I mean everywhere long road trips. So all you people that say American cars suck, just go check out a toyota dealership and see all of the cars in there with numerous problems.