From supportthebigthree.com’s founder Sid E. Taylor’s press release:
I have been consistently frustrated by the misinformation and untruths I have seen on websites and in the media about the Big-3. In addition to the outstanding vehicles they produce, many fail to recognize the contributions the Big-3 have made and continue to make to the infrastructure of this Country. I feel compelled to do my part to correct the misconceptions and get the word out about these fine Companies that have supported our American infrastructure. They are committed to America because it is American. Instead of criticizing them, I believe we should be thanking and supporting them for their innovative, high quality, safety driven cars, trucks, SUV’s and Hybrids, but moreover, for being the steadfast stewards of our American infrastructure for so many years.
So when did the thousand days start? TTAC’s put in a call . . . [thanks to gamper for the link]
So, looking at the group’s Web site, I see that they list the Daewoo Chevy Aveo as a car we should be buying. As opposed to, say, a Honda built in Ohio or a Nissan built in Tennessee….
hmmm… who started this “group”… Fritz, Marchione, and Mullaly?
Didn’t we already support the Big 3 for the last half year?
I’m going to guess 75 comments for this piece.66 nay and 11 yea. Let me be the first to say yea.
mikey :
August 11th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
I’m going to guess 75 comments for this piece.66 nay and 11 yea. Let me be the first to say yea.
YEA!!!!!!!!!!!
(sure, this is gonna work. yup)
From a FAQ on financing: Dealers are probably the best source for financing options as they have relationships with both local and national lending agencies.
It’s difficult to say who is behind this site, but it’s obvious they are closely connected to the industry. By not naming names they lose any credibility. Given the above, plus the overall tone of the site, I’d say it’s a group of dealers needing to move product in order to meet bank obligations. Hell, maybe it’s the banks, themselves. In any case, it’s very lame.
boo.
Support your community first, support American built/assembled, support dealerships your comfortable with and who are at least somewhat ethical. Support companies that support your causes.
I’m not really interested in supporting an industry that has been irresponsible just because it’s “American.”
Sharpen the knives . . . or check your cup. Depending on your viewpoint.
This doesnt look suspicious, does it? The site is laid out just like a manufacturers site was used for a template. And like detroit iron it was rushed to market too soon. “Buy our cars, help us finance the plants in other countries that will get the jobs”.
If you’ve been paying taxes in the US, you have been supporting the Big 3, whether you wanted to or not (no, Ford did not get an outright bailout, but they were the beneficiaries of massive loan guarantees).
If you want to be truly American, how about letting “free market capitalism” (novel idea, right?) decide the fate of these companies?
If you want to find who is behind the site, do a whois search with Network Solutions. The site was created on December 8th, 2008 and the administrative contact is listed with an email contact address at a firm in Warren, Michigan.
Holy crap. Where to begin??
1) “To solicit your financial assistance,,,”. Uh, no thanks, I gave at the office – through my freaking taxes, moron.
2) “…to learn about the Big-3 and how America and Americans must support them as repayment for their last 100 years of unconditional support to America.” Unconditional? Freakin’ unconditional?? Can you say Mexican factories, asshats?? Plus, ain’t several hundred billion in sweet bailout cash enough?? Not to mention this is the second time around for ChryCo?
Dear God, what gall.
Not a chance.
To Sid and the UAW, FOAD.
I’m guessing Sid’s licking some government-owned Detroit ass to get some extra funding for his first second venture, which is also conveniently located at the same address as Big-3 Advocacy:
http://reallife101.org/about.html
Nah. My true feelings were in the original post…but thanks anyway!
Sorry, but one more point.
The Big-3 web site states that “We are an independent organization and are not in anyway affiliated or endorsed by General Motors, Ford Motor Company, or Chrysler, LLC” Oh, really?
From the web page for E&T Controls in Warren, MI:
“Sid E. Taylor, brings over 38 years of automotive experience to his role of Chairman and CEO. This experience includes 22 years as an employee at General Motors and 16 years as a supplier to DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors.
Mr. Taylor is also the chairman of S.E.T. Enterprises, Inc. an ISO QS-9000 and TS 16949 certified operation, which he founded in 1989 after leaving a management position with General Motors. S.E.T. Enterprises, Inc., is a $200 million full service provider of metal processing services that supplies blanking, cut-to-length, slitting and engineering services to the automotive industry. The company counts Ford, Daimler Chrysler, Tower Automotive and Toyota among its customers. S.E.T. Enterprises is headquartered in Warren, MI and has facilities in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.”
Gall squared.
Send me the money and we will talk.
There is not any other industry that involves huge dollars that moves at a faster pace of innovation and invention than the automobile industry. They excite the economy and emotions of average Americans to a larger degree than Wall St., tech or anything else you can mention.
I already gave them tens of billions of dollars and I didn’t even get a free oil change..
WTF?
Their website lists this address:
30500 Van Dyke Avenue, Suite 701
Warren, MI 48093
This building is right across the street from GM’s massive Tech Center.
But more interesting, it is the same office building where Campbell Ewald, Chevrolet’s ad adgency is headquartered.
… probably just a coincidence.
This is all sorts of stupid. Buying a car because it’s an American-brand (which, as we here know means squat) is disingenuous at best.
The same people screaming about “choice” and the “free market” are also likely to be the first people to deride drivers of “import” cars– ultimately, the participants in the economy vote with their collective wallet, and we have voted against GM and Chrysler (Ford is somewhat less screwed, and actually seem to be getting their act together without publicity stunts [Volt] or buyouts by foreigners [Fiat]).
Well, I guess we should all be driving Korean Chevys, Canadian Chryslers, and Mexican Fords, then.
Here’s an anecdote:
I work with an idiot (who’s a racist, gun-nut Republican, along with most of the rest of my coworkers; I hate rural America) who drives a Mexican made 20ish-mpg PT Cruiser, because he wanted “an American car that’s good on gas.” He seems to be only dimly aware that a significant proportion of “foreign” cars are made here, and vice versa.
Hearing things like this makes me mad, because it’s so unbelievably ignorant– for most people, their car is their 1st or 2nd most expensive possession, yet most people don’t know squat about it. If it has a bowtie, oval, or uterus on it, it’s apparently automatically “American.” Ugh.
paul_y :
August 11th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
This is all sorts of stupid. Buying a car because it’s an American-brand (which, as we here know means squat) is disingenuous at best.
….
Can’t believe I am about to go down this road but oh well.
What do you do for a living? Seriously?
If you spent just 1 day in the auto industry you would understand that where a car is put together is just a small fraction of the entire industry. It’s funny that some on here really think that the transplants impact on the US of A is equal to the domestics. There is no comparison.
There is alot more to it than just factory/production jobs.
Remember, the domestics also provide jobs right here in the USA for products that they sell all over the world.
Are the domestics perfect? no. But they are all we got. Like it or not. We’re stuck with em.
Re lahru –
“There is not any other industry that involves huge dollars that moves at a faster pace of innovation and invention than the automobile industry.”
For starters, ever hear of the biomedical/life science, aerospace, or computer science industries….?
How about if you had to drive a PT Cruiser to a doctor`s office for a 64 Slice CT Scan – are you sure that you would still pick the Chrysler as the `innovative` one?
I am 100% in favor of supporting the Big 3. Please buy a Honda, Toyota or Ford at your earliest convenience!
We are an independent organization and are
not in anyway affiliated or endorsed by General Motors, Ford Motor Company, or Chrysler, LLC
Other than the fact that they are their customers. They also don’t have an issue with taking money from Toyota.
GM’s biggest problem is it’s attitude. It has a seething, searing, burning hatred for its suppliers, dealers, and customers. It doesn’t much care for cars and trucks either. This was clearly demonstrated to my mind in the mid-80s although some place it at the early-to-mid-70s.
How painfully long must we wait for the deluge of books detailing the incredible depth of GM’s distain, contempt, and arrogance for everyone they do business with?
GM is 6-feet under in their own sewage but are thoroughly convinced they are on the top of the world.
The people filling the Tubes for the New GM are, with an exception or two, the same people who were in the Tubes at the Old GM.
The difference is the arrogance is ratcheted up a notch as they were able to screw their suppliers, dealers, customers, investors, and communities with their fake bankruptcy.
tooling designer: ‘Like it or not. We’re stuck with em.’
Hopefully not, at least not in their present form.
Pontiac LeMans by Daewoo! GREAT American car!
Or not.
I’ll climb back into my hole now. If I was a real UAW zombie, I’d drink your blood and throw you down the hole. Ish.
@ tooling designer
Are the domestics perfect? no. But they are all we got. Like it or not. We’re stuck with em.
Maybe a more accurate way to say that would be;
“Look around the table. If you don’t see a sucker, get up, because you’re the sucker.” Amarillo Slim
allythom :
August 11th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
tooling designer: ‘Like it or not. We’re stuck with em.’
Hopefully not, at least not in their present form.
Yeah hopefully not. That way the millions who depend on them directly and indirectly will pay the price. All of those engineers, designers, marketing people, accountants, etc. really should suffer. Please.
Funny that people on here also think that the auto industry consists of UAW rank and file and Fat Cat Execs. Wake up.
Ahahahah, good joke Robert.
Uh….
Wait…
Somebody actually put this up?
It’s all been said by other commentators, but this is all sorts of stupid.
There’s a reason why the big 3 are in the hole. It’s because AMERICAN consumers stopped buying their vehicles. So what this guy is saying is that either the American consumer is an idiot, or the Big 3 made vehicles not enough people wanted to buy. Period. There’s no other explanation. The whole “Japanese import taxes” stuff that Autoextremist keeps chugging is not enough to explain the hole in which the Big 3 are, that they dug themselves.
>Not a chance. To Sid and the UAW, FOAD.
DITTO that!
tooling designer :
August 11th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
It’s funny that some on here really think that the transplants impact on the US of A is equal to the domestics. There is no comparison.
——————————————-
It’s funny that some on here doesn’t realize what separated the US of A from the US of SR.
Do you honestly think Americans are smarter than Russians? The only difference is:
You buy what’s the best available in the US of A.
You buy what’s the Chairman thinks to be the best for you in the US of SR.
If the (formerly) Big 3 were so good, the imports would never have gotten a foot in the door, much less come to dominate the market. Many import brands tried and are no longer available because they failed. This has finally happened to the Big 3 despite their home court advantage.
sorry but years of mistreating my family and providing us with shoddy products has meant no one in my house, nor any of my relatives purchase domestic vehicles anymore.
Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
@CarPerson,
I think GM’s attitude problem is not hatred, but that they just don’t care–either about their product or about their customers. when you manufacture something even one tenth as complicated as a car you really have to care about what you are building.
I should qualify that: they certainly do seem to care about the Corvette and a few other models. But I don’t think they really care about their customers.
And now they are floundering to try to stay alive.