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GM should get out of the car business in general.
http://wallastoninvestments.com/tuesday-morning-wallaston-report

They certainly have a lot of brands, but attempting to get every market seqment.

They should help dealers focus on the service side of the business to create loyal customers for the ones that they do have buying their product.

http://www.autouniversity.com

This is one of the most ridiculus articles I have read in a long time.

1. GM looses money when it cuts brands, lesson learned by Oldsmobile due to dealer buyouts.

2. If anyone poaches GMs marketshare it might as well be themselves. The dollars earned from a customer buying a Chevy Traverse ends up going to the same place the dollars from a Saturn Outlook go.

3. Different marketing to different segments is what has made the General so successful in the past, and there is no reason to believe it will do anything else. The only thing GM needs is a clear strategy for each brand which they have very well developed. Ford would be ecstatic to have that kind of marketing.

4. Right now Toyota is all the buzz and challenging GM for the number one sales spot. The problem is staying near the top for them. Their marketing is actually pretty weak. With reliability concerns hovering over them like a hawks waiting for the kill their only selling point is eroding. Styling and Performance are not high on their appeals and without durability they end up having Korean and in the future Chineese brands destroying their market share.

You obviously have not taken into account the costs of maintaining each brand

Not only do all those brands need money to be maintained, but money is lost because of all the differences in the models. Making 20,000 each of three (now four since the Chevy CUV has been added) dash boards costs more than making 60,000 of one design.
The only reason all these brands still exist is that it costs GM money to pull franchises from the dealers. There is no other sound business reason to keep them alive. And there is no way to make clear brand distinctions between that many makes. Is there anyone who really believes that a GMC pickup is "professional grade" while a Chevy built on the same assembly line is not?

The differences in style is no more cost than a trim change especially at the scale GM is at. Marketing costs are no more for GM as a whole than Toyota.

Also the point is its extremely costly to pull a brand away from so many dealers. GM did the math with the Oldsmobile experiment and had they known then what they know now, would have not axed Oldsmobile.

They have the option of pulling away those brands and did axe one. Are they in better shape because of it? No. Are they in better shape for cutting costs and labor, yes.

The differences between platform twins runs far deeper than "trim." The Saturn Aura, Chevy Malibu and Saab 9-3 are all on the same platform. I don't believe any of the exterior metal, glass, lights or plastic is common between the brands. The same can be said about most of the interior. They all have some level of unique powertrain.
The Saab may appeal to different buyers, but GM doesn't need both the Aura and the Malibu.

I used to think it was Pontiac that needed to die. Now it appears they should just roll a few Saturn models into the Chevy lineup and kill the brand.
And GMC still needs to go away.

There is nothing to talk about GM and Ford already made UAW buyouts as part of impending bankruptcy plans.... UAW knew that GM and Ford are already dead so they stripped them out of pockets before the undertakers (shareholders) get any dime

There is nothing to talk about GM and Ford already made UAW buyouts as part of impending bankruptcy plans.... UAW knew that GM and Ford are already dead so they stripped them out of pockets before the undertakers (shareholders) get any dime

Farewell GM and Ford, never mind Chrysler

GM and Ford had been losing market share yet they are handing out cash to UAW purses ever since I can remember when... They cant do both giving and competiting with the almighty Tokyo!! What it tell me is that GM and Ford is already undergoing bankruptcy proceedings and UAW doesnt wish to miss the party!! Shareholders not invited!!!

And we thought we won the War HA,just the battle.

Why doesn't GM just axe Saturn and start Oldsmobile again. And while American automakers are at it, Chrysler needs to bring back Plymouth.

Ask any UAW retiree, it was a great ride...

An important fact is that at the end of the Civil War the North had one important factor it's industrial output was five time that of the South. We won World War II because the American automobile industry produced! There is no more Packard, Hudson, Studebaker Willys to produce war materials. When GM, Ford and Chrysler are gone who is going to defend the US. Maybe France, Japan or India.

Last year GM recalled less vehicles than Toyota. GM has, in most cases better itnital quality than most imports. I guess however it's just not the "in thing" to buy something manufactured by an American company for Americans.

One day when its all gone it will be too late to be sorry.

I was an Oldsmobile van buyer. Now that they have axed the brank I really liked, it looks like I will leave GM. The Pontiac brand sucks...It never was as good as the Olds.

the unions are the cancerous leeches that is killing the domestic cars and trucks...

Only a fool would think Gm will close down. Ford is the one building carsa that blow up and catch fire all the time. Look at the recalls. Saturn has really turned around. I love what they have done with the Vue. We have always owned Gm veh9icles and they are the best hands down. Ford cannot compare. Toyota is garbage. Toyotas are NOT comfortable and the prius is a cute idea but not practical. Gm is coming out with more hybrids this year than anyone else. The malibu is coming and the Tahoe is already out. They have also beaten them all with safety. Onstar is a safety blanket that no one else offers. Yes there are cell phones. Ive been in wrecks when the phone was broken on a desert road and no one around. To have that reassurance is awesome. We will not own anything else but Gm vehicles. Not t mention being able to connect your car with your family plan on verizon. We have NEVER EVER lost a call. driving up to lake tahoe has been no problem. Ive owned 2 brand new fords and they had to take both back because they couldnt fix them. Thank you Gm for making such dependable reliable vehicles. We will be customers for life!

I had an Expedition E.B. 01 and it caught on fire inside our home garage. Purchased 04 Chevrolet Suburban and it would overheat in line to pickup my children from school. So they adapted an extra fan that was to help the radiator in keeping cool at the Chevy car deaslership also when I had the first oil change done there too they suggested that it needed a tire rotation and alignment???? I called my husband to let him know and he was very upset after that service if I would not have it done the service man said that my warranty would be revoked???? How about them apples a brand new veichle and to be going through this B.S. So to me and my Family neither company is worth having for not keeping for what they are so proud of. No wonder they are in the situation that their at. It is unbelivable to me to have a payment with all the warranties and to our disadvantage it never covered a dam thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!