Patterico's Pontifications

7/1/2009

The Great Car Sales Mystery

Filed under: Economics — DRJ @ 1:49 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

Yahoo reports that, in June 2009, GM’s sales declined 33.4%, Toyota’s sales were off 32%, Honda fell 30%, Nissan was down 23%, and Chrysler’s numbers were dismal. It sold 68,297 cars nationwide. In contrast, Ford gained market share and it’s sales were only off 10.7% compared to June 2008. In fact, Ford plans to increase production by 25,000 vehicles. What a mystery:

“Ford’s surprisingly low decline came after a string of months in which it and other automakers reported year-over-year drops of more than 40 percent. Ford’s sales were down 24 percent in May and off 37 percent for the first five months of the year.”

What could cause this disparity? The next paragraph hints at the answer:

“Ford is the sole U.S. automaker to avoid bankruptcy protection and it’s the only one not receiving government loans to keep from running out of money. GM and Chrysler are receiving billions in loans, and GM inching its way closer to escaping Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which allows a company to stay in operation under court protection while it sheds debts and unprofitable assets to emerge in a stronger financial position.”

The government contends car sales will stabilize once Chrysler and GM emerge from bankruptcy and the economy improves. Maybe so. All I know is I’m not interested in buying from a government/union-owned car company.

— DRJ

59 Responses to “The Great Car Sales Mystery”

  1. DRJ: Is it that people don’t want to buy from a “government/union-owned” company or that people don’t want to buy from a bankrupt company?

    One could make the case that the latter is more likely, especially when it comes to cars, the second most expensive purchase for many people. I would be skeptical about warranties being honored by a company that could eventually be liquidated, with or without government intervention.

    Myron (98529a)

  2. Time will answer that question, Myron. GM, Chrysler, and the unions certainly hope you are right.

    DRJ (cdbef5)

  3. DRJ: True. Do you think GM and Chrysler could have survived without government intervention? It strikes me that the people running their boards did not think so.

    I don’t know whether they could have or not. I simply don’t know enough about the industry and sales trends.

    Either way, they were headed for bankruptcy — that much is clear.

    Myron (98529a)

  4. Amen, DRJ. Amen. As happyfeet would say, you are not being part of the problem in taking that position.

    JD (241e9b)

  5. Almost every public poll (at least the ones that I’ve seen) say that the public does not like the deal that the government is making with GM and Chrysler.
    It would seem that those buyers who want to “Buy American”, and have the wherewithall and incentive to buy, are voting with their checkbooks and stiffing the products available from GM & Chrysler.
    It is not inconceivable that Ford, for the first time in over 50 or 60 years, will regain its’ spot as the largest auto/truck manufacturer in the United States.

    AD - RtR/OS! (5fd0fb)

  6. Also, one of the reasons the companies were in trouble before the bailout was because folks did not care for their product line. That it is now gubmint backed will not change that opinion.

    Gazzer (10bcc0)

  7. As an old geezer type, I’ve owned cars for more than 50 years now. All of them have been GM built with the exception of one Swedish built (pre GM) Saab (a great car) and one Ford Explorer. I’ve owned GM cars since I started with a beater 49 Pontiac straight 8. (Hey a kid has to drive something!)

    Driving a Tahoe now–which tried to kill me recently when the steering column came apart (loose bolt simply fell out–I’d say there might have been a problem at the factory). Fortunately it happened at a stop sign, so the car didn’t go out of control before I could have it towed to a dealer. But if the worst had happened, there’s little point in pressing a claim against a bankrupt company.

    I do suspect that there’s a Ford in my future. I don’t want to buy a car from Government Motors, even if they do start to build their business again. And having arrived at the retirement nest egg bond investor class level, I’m not too thrilled that Obama and the UAW decided to screw the secured creditors. They stole from me and my friends–screw ’em.

    Mike Myers (674050)

  8. Among other things, Ford started developing hybrids years ago, while GM & Chrysler are just starting out. Ford’s Fusion Hybrid is considered the state-of-the-art in hybrids, and yes, that’s counting the Japanese.

    Kevin Murphy (805c5b)

  9. Myron, it’s probably both.

    I have owned GM cars since 1992, and the current Envoy is absolutely the LAST GM vehicle I will ever own. Part of that is because it’s not a high quality product, most of it is that I will NOT pay to support a government mugging of bondholders to advance the unions.

    If GM had gone bankrupt back in September ’08, the taxpayers of this nation could have saved BILLIONS. Sometimes it’s just better to pull life support.

    Dr. K (4a5aac)

  10. With a lot of people having the attitude that you do, Mike, you have to wonder who GM thinks will buy those Caddy’s and SUV’s that they want to sell to get, and keep, the bottom-line in the black? The way their business model is, they will never be profitable no matter how many small cars they sell if they don’t have a significant market penetration in the Luxury/SUV segment, and they’re royally pissed-off those potential buyers.

    AD - RtR/OS! (5fd0fb)

  11. Ford received $5.9 billion from the U.S. government on June 23rd to help upgrade factories to produce energy efficient cars. Personally, I’m avoiding any cars made by the UAW (they’ve received enough of my money). Also, my 2008 GM vehicle has had more problems in one year than my previous car, a VW Jetta, had in ten years.

    mark (e33e44)

  12. “Ford is the sole U.S. automaker to avoid bankruptcy protection and it’s the only one not receiving government loans to keep from running out of money.”

    It’s also the only dommestic manufacturer not being run by Obama.

    Corky Boyd (8ee79b)

  13. Ford is screwed too, folks. How are they going to negotiate with the UAW? The UAW = their competition.

    I love Ford quality, but I seriously wonder if Fords will be able to continue its progress.

    Juan (81687c)

  14. And while I would not buy a GM or (LOL) a Chrysler for political reasons, the real problem those companies have is quality.

    If GM stared making awesome cars, I suspect they would gain in popularity. Their warranties aren’t worth anything now that we see how GM negotiates around its obligations, but really, Hondas don’t have long warranties either. I’ve never even made a warranty claim (I’ve only bought new Hondas).

    If Ford’s quality can outpace GM’s as much as it already does, they will continue to dominate. Can the politics really have a long term effect? For a very long time, all the liberals I know have bought foreign cars while all the conservatives bought domestics… the UAW and big three have been huge democrat stooges for a very long time. Ford included. A lot of money from that new F-150 will wind up in Obama’s reelection coffers.

    Juan (81687c)

  15. Who will buy GM cars? The Govmet, that’s who. That’s the feds and (at least) blue states. If necessary for the company to survive, you can be sure that the Govmet (that’s us) will pay top-dollar for them, too.

    That will balance out somewhat the reluctance of the common man to buy from a government-controlled company. Goes against my nature to support thuggery. I’ll stay with Toyota, but might consider a Ford if it would send a message.

    ManlyDad (22e85d)

  16. Manlydad, but the Government already buys so, so many GM and Chrysler cars. The only place to buy more is when the Prius fleets are replaced with Volts (what a waste that will be)

    Why does the Government even need new cars?

    Juan (81687c)

  17. We have a new Tahoe and have been happy with it (although I keep the bolt story in mind). My daughter’s Jetta has been nothing but trouble. My Toyota Highlander chugs along without a problem and my F 150 truck (in Tucson) is trouble free. The worst cars I have had for repairs were Mercedes and BMWs. I gave my Nissan pickup to my daughter and she also has a Honda. The last troublesome car I had was the BMW and that was 15 years ago. My 1994 Volvo was great (I wish I still had it), my 2000 Volvo was junk.

    Oh well.

    One thing I know; GM and Chrysler won’t emerge from BK building the kind of cars Obama wants them to build.

    Mike K (2cf494)

  18. Mike – Ditto on the Saab. I am still pissed that Barcky had to go and ruin Saab for me, and it cost them, as we elected to not buy their SUV this summer, but will buy a used one from a Ford dealer.

    I test-drove an Audi R8 today. I am in love, and lust.

    Myron – Why don’t you just insinuate that we are racists?

    JD (241e9b)

  19. VWs can be pretty damn bad. I saw a study once that said an 8 year old Toyota has a lower cost of ownership than a 2 year old VW. Audis are VWs, by the way.

    SAABs aren’t being built anymore… that’s a Chevy with a blue badge and a relocated ignition switch.

    BMWs can be very bad if they are not maintained very well, but they are good at what they are. I still love them (I have an old one).

    Juan (81687c)

  20. Myron,

    the people onthe boards of GM and Chrysler have only proven that they have no idea what they are doing… who cares that they thought Uncle Sam would help?

    They needed bankruptcy a long time ago. That’s government help. I only hope that Honda isn’t harmed by any unfair competition and taxes.

    Juan (81687c)

  21. Wouldn’t it be ironic if the Chevy Camaro saved GM? Now, I have always associated Camaros and Trans Ams with mullets and big beefy engines, and that does not fit very well in the enviro small econobox hybrids that Barcky wants to force them into.

    JD (241e9b)

  22. Is it that people don’t want to buy from a “government/union-owned” company or that people don’t want to buy from a bankrupt company?

    People bought cars from Chrysler in 1979, under largely similar circumstances.

    But, as I have pointed out, GM’s problem isn’t that it can’t sell cars. It’s problem is that its costs are too high.

    Steverino (69d941)

  23. Don’t bet on the Camaro, JD. I’ve heard a lot of diehard Camaro fans decry its styling.

    SPQR (72771e)

  24. SPQR – My father has a ’69 Camaro Super Sport convertible. He has been restoring it ever since I wrapped it around a guardrail and a tree when I was 16. The pics I saw on TV were pretty sharp. The purists are never happy.

    JD (241e9b)

  25. Warranties…are they that important?
    The best car I own, and have owned for 33 years, sold new in 1967 with a 6-mos/5K-mile warranty and a long list of exclusions. But, it is a performance vehicle that has some collector value, and is still one of the most satisfying cars to drive, particularly when driven hard.
    It was not built by a government controlled car company, and the quality was engineered in from the get-go (No, it’s not German).

    AD - RtR/OS! (5fd0fb)

  26. JD, my wife is the Camaro fan and she isn’t a purist. She was looking forward to the new one and was already trying to talk me into buying it. Until she saw one on the road. Now she just thinks it look like a Dodge Charger …

    SPQR (72771e)

  27. Comment by Steverino — 7/1/2009 @ 3:19 pm

    No, its’ problem is that it is not allowed to produce its’ low-margin cars in factories that are located in low labor-cost areas (or countries).

    AD - RtR/OS! (5fd0fb)

  28. If GM/Chrysler are crushed into dirt after taking government money, other companies will be much, much less inclined to take bailout money.

    So yes, I want GM and Chrysler to fail. Miserably. I want businessmen to look at them and say “holy moly, there’s no way in heck I’m taking bailout money from the government.”

    This is a great way to undercut Obama’s plans to enrich himself and his cronies with our tax money.

    Daryl Herbert (a32d30)

  29. AD – Is it an AMC Pacer or a Corvair?

    Better Half just picked up her new Volvo this afternoon. I do not know which one she got, as she surprised me with this information.

    JD (241e9b)

  30. BUZZZZ!
    I’m sorry, you choose poorly; but thank you for playing.

    AD - RtR/OS! (5fd0fb)

  31. Even more obvious — Ford is building much better cars than it did 5 years ago. The same is not true of the other domestic manufacturers.

    Revealing anecdote from a Hewitt broadcast a few weeks ago:

    He had a long-time Ford dealer on the show after the GM takeover to talk about its implications. After talking about that for a few minutes, they turned to the state of his current sales. He echoed the info in the post here — his sales were down, but only marginally. And, there were certain models that he could not keep in inventory because they sold as fast as they arrived.

    Asked for an explanation, he offered a simple one — new Ford management several years ago dedicated itself to engineering and manufacturing upgrades, and it has paid off with better cars.

    Evidence? He said that 5-6 years ago, his dealership did about $100,000 a month in warranty repair work. This year they are lucky if they do $10,000 a month in warranty work.

    Ford is finally building nice cars that don’t break. I’ve owned only 1 Ford my entire life (impulse buy of 1991 T-Bird SuperCoup — supercharger with a 5 speed).

    But, I’m just about ready to pull the trigger on a new Flex.

    Shipwreckedcrew (7f73f0)

  32. JD has driven an Audi R8 and is love or lust. And I can understand why. My wife had a 2000 Audi A6 Quattro–an extremely beautiful sedan. It replaced a Lexus ES 300 bought new in 1992 (she finally got to stop having to take my GM hand me downs).

    The Audi replaced the Lexus. My wife does get persuaded by advertising campaigns and the campaign for the then new Lexus ES 300 was a doozy. It was supposed to be trouble free motoring in the lap of luxury. Well it was somewhat luxurious,s but it sure wasn’t trouble free. When the Lexus was replaced by the new Audi A6 it came with one great accessory: the absence of spousal griping about her car. For us long married guys, that’s an option that’s very valuable.

    Fast forward 6 years: the Audi A6 now has 80,000 miles on it. The Quattro transmission fails completely about 70 miles from home. Taken to the nearest dealer where a rebuilt transmission is transmission is installed (new one would cost $6,000, rebuilt would cost $3,500). We pick the car up, and 40 miles from the dealer (and about halfway home) the rebuilt transmission fails–completely–at night in the middle of a busy freeway cloverleaf (the I-5 91 junction northbound for the Southern Californians among us). Wife was able to creep off the freeway without getting killed, parked the Audi and never set foot in it again. These days she’s in a Honda Accord.

    The only reason for that long tale of woe is to repeat the line from the service manager at the Audi dealership that made the repairs. There was an Audi dealership and a Nissan dealership side by side, owned by the same family. The service manager presided over both the Nissan and the Audi service operation We were talking about what to do after the first transmission failure–$6,500 new in a $10K car that has 80,000 miles on it?

    The qoute, based on wisdom acquired from running service for both Audi and Nissan:

    “You lease German cars; you buy Japanese cars”.

    Mike Myers (674050)

  33. Juan, my BMW was beautiful but the dashboard had to be replaced for electrical gremlins after 3 months and at 59,000 miles, the timing belt broke while on a trip. That blew the engine. The belt was due to be replaced at 60,000. I had had the car in for service early because I was taking a trip to the wine country and they told me, as I picked it up, “we’ll replace the belt when you get back. It’s almost ready.”

    My Mercedes 450SL went through $1200 catalytic converters like they were oil changes. Then, a lady turned left in front of me and I hit her. She had a VW bus and it hit just on the grill of my car. The result was 6 months in the shop and god knows what it cost. I had two 450s, then MB priced me out of the car.

    Mike K (2cf494)

  34. All I know was that once in a land very far away and in a distant time, a company called Pontiac made something called the “goat.” The car was a beast on the road, had minimal mechanical problems, and looked pretty damn stylish as well. Today that company no longer exists – but Nissan, Honda and Toyota easily matched Pontiac’s market share decades ago, and have remorsely marched onward, using Deming’s advice that was completely ignored and mocked by the pooh – bahs of Detroit. They had met the enemy, and the enemy was themselves.

    Dmac (f7884d)

  35. Deming’s problem wasn’t that the auto execs didn’t believe in his work, it was they knew in their heart-of-hearts that they could never get Walter Reuther to agree to it.
    They sold their souls, and the wealth of their investors for labor peace.

    AD - RtR/OS! (5fd0fb)

  36. Ford did receive a $5.9 billion loan from the Feds about a week ago. (Nissan and Tesla received loans too – $1.6 billion and $465 million.) Conservatives need to find a way to make the knock “socialism” stick, or come up with another word for it. This thing where government runs everything will destroy our society.

    http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a1jInlK4Miho

    Wesson (03286d)

  37. ZOMG Blame the UAW.

    imdw (017d51)

  38. Chrysler and GM would have been better off going belly on their own.

    In no uncertain terms they are still broke but now they are obligated to nitwits in Congress.

    The idiot that ran GM failed miserably when he debuted in Congress.

    Now we have Obama who could not manage a pay toilet running the show with an incompetent as the Car Czar.

    Can you imagine a car designed by the post office?

    Typical White Person (d9d435)

  39. The UAW is the common factor in the failures of the big car companies. What is instructive is that the steel industry went through the same transition 20 years ago and the big companies went into BK and small companies emerged or survived. Steel production stayed high and the mini-mills were able to deal with the changed market in ways that Big Steel never could. The NY Central RR went through BK and we still have railroads. This will be different because the UAW, after killing Michigan, has the key to the White House and they will require a silver bullet fired over still water to get them out of our industrial hair.

    My nephew is a union member going through a four year apprenticeship as an elevator installer and repair technician. He has a bachelors degree and is making very good money. That is a craft union. What is killing us now are the industrial unions, made up of unskilled workers who are using political muscle to maintain jobs that are not economically of value. They are government workers or hotel maids and maintenance men, or auto workers who cannot make anything like their union wage in a free market. A highly skilled plumber or electrician or elevator installer has a trade and can go into business for himself.

    The only hope these industrial union members have anymore is political pull. They cannot make it on ability or efficiency. Even teachers should be able to market themselves as skilled workers and professionals but the ed schools have driven all sense from the curriculum. They could get by with one year of training now as long as they were literate. Lots of them aren’t, even after four years and more.

    Mike K (2cf494)

  40. If we could replace teachers in the classrooms with retired NCO’s, the kids would have a much better chance of becoming productive, learned, adults.

    AD - RtR/OS! (5fd0fb)

  41. I have mostly driven Dodge pickups for many years, my current one is a 2006 Dakota 4×4 which is running well. I will never drive a govt-run compant product, my next truck will be a Ford or Toyota.

    John Cunningham (1cb7c8)

  42. Mike K, that BMW sounds like quite a monster, but I bet you still have some fond memories. BMWs probably are more reliable now, but reliable cars was not what I was meaning when I said they were good at what they are.

    The new camaro is hideous. I wanted one until I saw one last week. It looks like a Mustang with an aero kit. Maybe like a Charger that was microwaved.

    And the V-6 is slower than the V-6 Accord. The SS is only slightly faster in a straight line, and slower in the turns. Sports cars have to be gorgeous or fast, and this is neither.

    Juan (cab674)

  43. “Gearheads”
    I love you.

    firefirefire (89ba9b)

  44. Going to get warranty work on ANY vehicle isn’t a whole lot of fun. I imagine potential customers don’t want their warranty experience to be anything like going to the Post Office. That’s why I’m not buying a Government motors car anytime soon.

    Obama’s already going to raise my taxes, NO WAY am I going to voluntarily give him my money!

    fiestamom (cf47bb)

  45. I have leased 2 BMWs: a 2003 and a 2006 325i. No trouble whatsoever. Except I hit a deer with the 2003. Drove it some 80 miles to a repair shop – $3000 in damage, including a mashed radiator.

    I think BMWs are some of the finest cars int he world, and Consumer Reports seems to agree.

    Dr. K (eca563)

  46. K, I have an old 7 that is not reliable in many ways, but the fundamentals are bulletproof. Electronic problems galore, but the motor cannot die, the tranny is a tank, the timing chain is invincible, and the sieve radiator and heater core never overheat the engine.

    I’m not surprised that BMWs of recent vintage are better… modern electronics alone would be a huge gain. The ‘free’ maintenance has to lead to a much healthier fleet, too.

    Beyond that, though… these cars are mostly quite fun and comfy.

    Juan (cab674)

  47. Of course, K, even a new chevy POS can be trouble free if you keep up with the fluids.

    A car hasn’t earned the title ‘reliable’ with fewer than 6 digits on the odometer.

    Juan (cab674)

  48. Stick with Nissans and Toyotas and support non-union American jobs in the process. Toyotas are consistently tops in reliability for sedan and compacts.

    voiceofreason2 (590c85)

  49. Nissan over Honda? I don’t see why unless you like trucks.

    Toyotas are solid, but so dull. Unless you like trucks.

    Juan (cab674)

  50. 31, Shipwreckedcrew, Do you still have the Super Coupe?

    I am a charter member of the Super Coupe Club of Iowa, and the current At Large Member of the club.

    If you want talk about anything Super Coupe, http://www.sccoia.org.

    90 Super Coupe killed by Katrina

    PCD (02f8c1)

  51. I/we are looking at a Toyota Tundra or Sequoia, as they are both outstanding, and just happen to be made right here in our very not dirty little socialist state.

    Better Half loves her new Volvo.

    JD (e59ffa)

  52. The V6 Accord is overrated – mileage is overstated, power is just so-so, seats are uncomfortable, the car itself is a complete bore. We just got rid of it after exactly 1 year for a brand new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR. Now THIS is a hot car. No UAW, either, which we will never fund again after Fords, GMs, and Chryslers in our recent past.

    My personal ride is a 2007 red VW GTI with modified exhaust and sound. Extremely hot, not a moment of trouble or repair. We call it the Hot Tamale. Nothing but trouble with the AMGs, BMW and customized Porsche Turbo we’ve had. Repair City, all of them. Nothing is buggier now than Mercedes technology. As you can see, though, we love our cars and we buy a lot of them. UAW can pound sand.

    Peg C. (48175e)

  53. I have been back on American metal since 2000. My first car, a ’75 Mustang II was weak kneed and a shadow of what a real Mustang should be, so I trod down the path of a ’77 320i, ’80 900 Turbo, ’83 Toyota Cressida (only to be replaced 8 months later by a ’84 Cressida when I was t-boned, pushed across the intersection, up over a 1.5′ curb and hit a metal pole on that side with absolutely no injury whatsoever). That ’84 Cressida was great – lasted me until my ’92 Acura legend (215k miles) until I came back and pick up my Lincoln Navigator. 135k miles later I still have it, a few minor fit/finish issues at this point, but after 9 years I’m still happy.

    I test drove a new Fusion Hybrid and a VW Jetta Tdi and I’d take either one for the mileage, but the Fusion was definitely the more refined/nicer of the two (at 3-5k more money).

    Fred Smith (a980e6)

  54. Hubby, who reads Edmunds fanatically and studies cars constantly, says the new Camaro’s steering wheel is too big and the visibility is limited. I just don’t like the Ford family and the Ford Foundation, and of course the UAW.

    Peg C. (48175e)

  55. I think BMWs are some of the finest cars int he world, and Consumer Reports seems to agree

    Hmmm, I seem to remember CR usually dumping loads of crap on Beemers regarding their hideous lack of reliability, not to mention the enormous costs of service repair at their dealerships. Either something must have drastically changed recently or you’re mistaken.

    BTW, a buddy who works for the Chicago Police Department told me awhile ago that most cops rate the following cars as having the biggest jackasses for drivers (not applicable to anyone here, of course) – and they tend to write more tickets to them accordingly, based on reputation alone in some cases:

    – Porsche
    – BMW
    – Hummers

    I’d add from my own personal observation here that Escalades have a high proportion of douchebag drivers (particularly among women for some reason), with the Lexus SUV a close second. It seems that the larger the SUV, the greater propensity for acting badly.

    Dmac (f7884d)

  56. I should clarify – vehicles that are favored by the criminal element play a large role here, as evidenced by those cars/Suvs that have a high theft rate. I’ve owned three Nissan Maximas over the course of a decade +, and they had a terrible rep for awhile, due to criminal’s preferences for the large trunk’s ability to carry loads of contraband and firearms away from prying eyes. They also had a correspondingly high theft rate, as evidenced by many cars ending up in illegal chop shops.

    Dmac (f7884d)

  57. I don’t like any of the new cars. I am content modifying and improving my 97 Ford Thunderbird LX. No supercharger, turbo or giggle gas yet. By the end of summer I’ll have transformed a pedestrian 145HP V6 into a 230HP V6 using only OEM Ford parts.

    Obama’s brainiacs know nothing about cars. Oh, when I’ve got the mechanicals done, would love to take on the “New” Camaro and the “New” Challenger V6s on a combined road and drag competition like the Car Craft Real Street series. I’m sure I’ll beat the new Detroit knockoffs.

    PCD (02f8c1)

  58. This might be useful in this discussion–why GM cannot meet BHO’s vital fuel-efficiency standards. They will, therefore, never survive.

    Fuel Standards Are Killing GM

    ManlyDad (22e85d)

  59. I’m in the market for two cars, replacing a Corvette and a Ranger pickup, this year.

    Before the GM BK I had a set-to with a Pontiac dealer over a new Solstice GXP coupe. The bottom line was they would not order it with On-star deleted. The dealer actually tried to bully me (the guy writing a check for the cash value of the car) and seemed to think it was a negotiating trick when I walked out. No, Snideley — I walked out because I was done with you.

    I think people underestimate the degree to which slimy, ignorant salesmen and the US dealer experience in general have damaged and continue to damage the reputation of the manufacturers. The manufacturer’s logo is on the car dealer’s sign, but the factory has no control over what goes on in that building, and when the customer leaves feeling sour, that logo reaps the transference. A few months later, I took the expiration of Pontiac with equanimity. It wasn’t a murder, it was suicide.

    Pre-BK I was leaning back towards a Corvette, but I expect the replacement for the Corvette will be a used car or even a classic car (I already have a 1965 Mustang, which I’ve had since 1986 and is undergoing rebuild #3). I don’t feel like I need to give Barack and his UAW enablers any money — “I gave at the office” as a self-employed taxpayer.

    If the company fails hard there will always be sources for parts for an enthusiast car. A friend is rebuilding a 1969 Camaro and during his rebuild, more and more previously-unavailable parts have been reproduced. You can actually buy complete body shells/unit bodies for classic cars like that Camaro, old Mustangs, and E-Type Jaguars. You could build the entire car without a single original piece (of course, you’d play the devil trying to register it. Kinda helps to have a real VIN).

    My own experience with BMWs (633 csi) was dreadful. A comfortable car, beautiful looking and ergonomic inside, but treacherous handling in the wet even after putting on the dealer’s recommended tires ($400 each Finnish jobs IIRC). And did it ever break! Parts were expensive and the car was frequently down for a week or more waiting for BMW’s dreadful supply chain to excrete them. That soured me for good on the white-blue propeller logo — and Chris Bangle’s horrible styling a few years back just double-nailed the coffin.

    One of the hazards of travel is getting a Chrysler product as your rental car. Anybody get stuck with a Dodge Caliber lately? You know, the ’71 Corolla stank about that much, but Toyota quickly established a positive trend. Chrysler’s stuff is worse-made than it was in ’71 (and it was pretty horrible then). Sometimes a company’s management has put it in a place where the humane thing is to give it the Old Yeller treatment.

    My Ford Ranger is just being replaced because of old age and wear and tear, and it will probably be replaced by a new Ranger. I’m a cheap Yankee and usually buy cars one year old, but the new trucks are competitively priced with the year-olds right now. I know GM makes an equivalent small work truck (and I know Toyota doesn’t any more, unfortunately), but I can’t see myself buying a GM truck. I pay many thousands of taxes that my government uses, partly, to support the no-good bums at GM. That’s support enough.

    I gave at the office, stop trying to sell me your cars….

    Kevin R.C. O'Brien (82fba3)


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