What is Susan Docherty smoking? At the unveiling of the new Buick LaCrosse, the VP of Buick, Pontiac and GMC (which one of these things is not like the other) told Bloomberg that GM aims to keep a “75-day to 90-day” supply of the model on dealer lots. A 60-day supply is considered ideal. But, apparently, a 15 to 30-day overage would be OK, ’cause the supply would be “consistent with similar premium models such as Honda Motor Co.’s Acura TL.” And there we were thinking the LaCrosse was aimed at something in the Lexus portfolio (48-day supply). Docherty’s comparison to the Acura TL is, shall we say, invidious. The TL is a dog, with a 100-day supply on the ground. Also worth noting: Acura dealers have a 62-day supply of RLs and a 32-day supply of the TSX. And if you figure-in Acura’s SUVs, the wayward Honda brand’s total dealer inventory represents a 58-day supply.
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New GM starts . . . when, exactly? [Thanks to TTAC Fan for the link. Blog post courtesy camaro5.com]
Can we get a master list going of all the things people found wrong with the car that QA missed? Let’s keep the list down to just the facts. One of the more common issues found is loose bolts that hold back some type of fluid (ex: oil). I’ll try and go through the posts and edit this post adding everyone’s item making a master list people can print out to take with them and have checked out before they take the ride home. Should help everyone and I hope everyone can chime in here. Especially those that have their ride already and experience problems. Also, pls correct me if I have any mistakes in the list. Thanks.
Also note: This list is mainly a checklist for things wrong that a dealer can immediately fix. A broke transmission or bad driveshaft from dropping the hammer on this beast is something that they won’t know until it actually happens. Thank you for submitting all your issues.
Buickman writes:
Well, we called it . . . new incentive sheets this morning, and already they are being corrected because GM’s own website verification software is wrong.
Check out this email from GM to dealers . . .
“Please be advised that the new Employee Bonus Cash was NOT intended to be compatible with the outboarded APR’s. We are now in the process of getting this corrected to make it not compatible with outboarded APR. Please advise that currently VIN Lookup shows that the two are compatible, however they are in fact not. A formal communication is forthcoming, but wanted to pass this along as I’ve already had a few inquiries.”
Imagine you called a customer when the sheets came out; by the time they arrived at the store, you had to explain that the deal wasn’t available.
If car nuts have learned anything over the last decade, it’s that few categories are easier to stereotype than the hybrid car driver (thanks, South Park!). But how accurate are these images we carry of hybrid drivers as left lane-clogging, smug eco-weenies? A couple of recent reports indicate that we still have much to learn about our high-mileage friends. For example, TheCarConnection reports on a study which shows that hybrid drivers drive more than average, receive more moving violations, and incur more collision costs. And if that isn’t surprising enough, consider an online poll showing that hybrid drivers don’t even care about the environment.
OK, not exactly the same. GM’s CEO Fritz Henderson will earn $1.26 million this year, according to New GM SEC filings obtained by the Freep. That’s 27 percent less than he earned in 2008, but a whole lot more than the $1/year that ousted CEO Rick Wagoner was forced to accept. CFO Ray Young will earn $720,000, a 15 percent pay cut. GM’s controller Nicholas Cyprus will take home $522,000, which is eight percent less than he earned last year. Board members will earn $200,000 as a base retainer, plus, if applicable, $10,000 for service as a chair of any board committee; $20,000 for service on the audit committee, and $150,000 as board chairman. That’s unchanged from pre-bailout levels, before GM’s board was also forced to take $1/year as a bailout condition. In other words, the Iaccoca act of the last nine months was just that: an act. Because paying executives is more important than paying back taxpayers. Meanwhile, AutoObserver notes that the executives in charge of winding down old GM will be making $835/hr and $555/hr. Good times.
Like most people under the age of 40, I never read car magazines. Actually that’s not true. I’ve been stealing copies of Auto Motor und Sport from my dad for years. Even after its long trip across the Atlantic, the anal-retentive German’s anal-retentive car magazine still manages to scoop the American mags on many of the most compelling industry developments. But the real draw is the mag’s road testing, which really confirms every stereotype of Teutonic attention to detail. No metric is too mundane to be measured, graphed and scored… think Consumer Reports for people who actually like cars and think OCD medication is for the weak. On the other side of the equation is evo magazine, which is hands-down the best enthusiast-oriented car magazine.
Note: this video showed a salesman pretending not to understand a Spanish speaking customer. It was removed after someone sent the dealer principal the link to TTAC. His mea culpa comment is below.
Der Spiegel has it on good authority that Porsche’s Wendelin Wiedeking is history. The Porsche/Piech families sent Wendy packing. A new successor is already found: Michael Macht. He is director of production, and has a good reputation in the business—for producing cars. This indicates in which direction the board meeting on July 23 will go.
Hitting 50 was tough. I’ve reached the point in my life where I no longer ask “Is That All There Is?” I now ask, “Why did I eat that bowl of mocha chip?” I’ve entered the phase Passage’s author/plagiarist Gail Sheehy calls “Refreshed (or Resigned).” Paint me parenthetical. Recently, I’ve been wondering if I should resign myself to the fact that the car industry is full of liars, weasels, cheats and sons of bitches. And lighten-up. See the good in the people and products which make pistonheads purr. And then my daughter refused to go to bed; she trashed her room like a coke-fueled 70’s rock band. “I have anger issues,” Lola said, when she finally ran out of steam. “That’s OK,” I assured her. “It runs in the family.” So here are five things I hate about the August issue of Car and Driver.
Your automotive industry bailout probably just became a little more expensive. Automotive News [sub] reports that the House of Representatives has passed a spending bill including provisions to reinstate dealers culled during GM and Chrysler’s restructuring. The measure now moves to the Senate, where 24 co-sponsors of a similar bill should have little problem rounding up votes (although Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid tells the NYT that the bill is not at “the top of the agenda in the Senate at this time”). The problem is that President Obama has urged congress to dump the reinstatement bill, indicating that he will almost certainly veto it. Meanwhile, a non-legislative “solution” to dealer grievances is still being touted as the ideal solution. Which indicates that GM and Chrysler will have to pay off dealers, a move that would likely cost taxpayers even more money.
Or, as the Man Of Maximum puts it at Fastlane, “It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time.” “It” being the idea of rebadging the Pontiac G8 as a Chevy Caprice.
“With my new “marketing” hat on, upon further review and careful study, we simply cannot make a business case for such a program. Not in today’s market, in this economy, and with fuel regulations what they are and will be. I know that we’ll get a lot of complaints from G8 lovers, because I’m one of them. And the product guy in me is complaining as loudly as anyone. But the marketing guy says there’s no case. With budgets being what they are for the time being, the resources must be allocated elsewhere.”
Here’s the real auto sales stimulus: your choice of a gas or gun voucher. Max Motors owner says the deal generates a lot of publicity (oops!) and “really angers liberals.” Check out the broad range of reactions to this sales gimmick at Max Motors’ website (via USA Today).
Last night, make that early in the morning here in Beijing, I received a pleasant phone call. The lady identified herself as working for a large and reputable German newspaper. We exchanged German pleasantries, as much as they exist. Then she said: “You wrote about RHJ, Ripplewood and Opel? Do you know anything about Tim Collins’ connections?” I confessed that I know of a recording artist named Collins, but his first name is Phil.
“TIM Collins, the owner of Ripplewood,” she said. “Sorry, never met the guy” was my answer. She says: “Ok, maybe I have to dig around his old compatriots myself.” With these words, she bid me ta-ta.
Are you the type who is worried of black helicopters? The New World Order? The Trilateral Commission? The Bilderbergers? Then read on. If you think conspiracies are bunk, skip to the next post.
I just had to put the page break in there, somewhere.
I purchased a 2006 Honda Civic and loved the vehicle right up until I went over a speed bump now the car is NOT the same and I am so frustrated and heartbroken. I went over a speed bump this month and as soon as I went over it there was a horrible grinding noise that appeared to be coming from the sterring rack. Then to my horror, the car was NOT in Drive but somehow, having gone over the bump caused the vehicle to go into Neutral. When I tried to steer, the wheel did NOT have the tightness but rather was very loose! The steering would not go in the direction that I wanted it to. Immediately, I put the car in Park turned the ignition off and just sat in shock. My car is only 3 years old and it only has 18,400.00 klm on it. I thought to myself, how can this be happening? I haven’t had a problem before! The very next day, I took it in to the Honda dealership. They had it on the rack and also took it out for a test drive. The service person who took all my information looked into the computer and said I have the extended warranty for 5 years and this should be covered. It was a relieve to have the 5 years. However, the service guy told me that they can’t find anything wrong with my vehicle. I can’t believe that! I again was in shock! I know I am NOT loosing my mind! The car slipped into Neutral from Drive and a horrible loud griding noise from the sterring wheel could be heard OVER MY MUSIC! The steering wheel would not turn in the direction I wanted it too. I explained to the service guy what I had experienced from the car and that there is something terribly wrong and what I went through with this car is NOT NORMAL! The serviceman said there is nothing more that they can do for me! I asked what was done to the car. He said the mechanic looked at the brake line and all underneath the vehicle and that they went on a test drive with it and it appears to be FINE! At this point, I did’nt know what to do. In shock, frustrated and very upset, I drove home. The steering was way off! I had to oversteer just to do a basic right and left turn. Before the speed bump incident that was NOT THE CASE! I can differentiate between tight steering and a loose steering wheel. The steering wheel does not sit in center nor does it go back smoothing. Instead, it goes back in increments as if something is caught, broken, holding it. I have to bring the wheel back myself. Yet, I am NOT a MECHANIC and the mechanic and staff can’t see the problem. I can’t help but ask myself if I didn’t have the extended warranty would they be able to find the problem, fix it and how much $$$$ would I be out of pocket?
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