WTF?

GM, Chrysler Want Up To $21.6 Billion

Yeah?  Me too.  Get in line.

Not to sound too much like Abe Simpson here, but in my day if a fella wanted money, he started an automobile company or something!  This is capitalism, money isn't given, it is earned, right?

When was the last time you saw a Packard dealership or a Studabaker dealership?  Right.  I thought there were two sides to American business: Success and failure.  If you can't compete you sell out to your competitors or you shutter the windows!  I mean, if you expect the government to keep you in business, go live in Cuba!  We don't do that comm'nism stuff 'round here!

Ronald Reagan must be spinning is grave!
::)

If they want money, China can buy them with cold hard cash.

Hold on a sec... isn't that enough to make a million or two cars?

Why not just give the money out to people who need new cars, and tell 'em to buy American ;)

Hold on a sec... isn't that enough to make a million or two cars?

Why not just give the money out to people who need new cars, and tell 'em to buy American ;)



This is a better idea.

Yeah?  Me too.  Get in line.

Not to sound too much like Abe Simpson here, but in my day if a fella wanted money, he started an automobile company or something!  This is capitalism, money isn't given, it is earned, right?

When was the last time you saw a Packard dealership or a Studabaker dealership?  Right.  I thought there were two sides to American business: Success and failure.  If you can't compete you sell out to your competitors or you shutter the windows!  I mean, if you expect the government to keep you in business, go live in Cuba!  We don't do that comm'nism stuff 'round here!


It wasn't GM's fault that the credit market froze though. I mean mean car sales for 2008 were supposed to be between like 15.5 million units-15.8 million units in the US than the high gas prices and than the credit market froze forcing lower sales(13.2 million units sold for 2008 in the US.) Nobody in the car industry(even the Japanese Car makers) would have predicted such a low number of cars sold once the 2008 sales year started.

All the car makers that sell cars in the US have predicted a very slow year for car sales in the US. The number of cars that are supposed to be sold in the US for 2009 are supposed to be in between 10.5 million-11.1 million units sold.

As far as Chrsyler thats a totally different siutation since Mercedes did own Chrysler from mid 1999-2007 I think.

Why not just give the money out to people who need new cars, and tell 'em to buy American ;)



Because even though it's free, It's STILL a Chrysler ;)

Because even though it's free, It's STILL a Chrysler ;)

Hey wait a minute, I'll take a Viper or a Challenger without any complaints.  8)
That or maybe a Jeep (a real Jeep, not a Cherokee or that Patriot/Liberty junk), those are the only cars they have worth a damn.

It wasn't GM's fault that the credit market froze though. I mean mean car sales for 2008 were supposed to be between like 15.5 million units-15.8 million units in the US than the high gas prices and than the credit market froze forcing lower sales(13.2 million units sold for 2008 in the US.) Nobody in the car industry(even the Japanese Car makers) would have predicted such a low number of cars sold once the 2008 sales year started.

All the car makers that sell cars in the US have predicted a very slow year for car sales in the US. The number of cars that are supposed to be sold in the US for 2009 are supposed to be in between 10.5 million-11.1 million units sold.

As far as Chrsyler thats a totally different siutation since Mercedes did own Chrysler from mid 1999-2007 I think.


Herein lies the irony.  The average slob like me has listened to the Right for 28 years tell us it's un-American to rely on the government to fix your problems and immoral to blame anybody but yourself for your plight...and for 28 years we have watched the corporations turn to government for hand-outs and call this or that problem not their fault. 

But wait...I don't have a problem with government helping people.  The Republicans do and it is Republicans who exalted the "free market" as the answer to all our problems.  They still do no, matter how obvious the premise is crap and no matter how insane it sounds to defend it!

Of course, we've been hearing this from the Right for a good deal longer than 28 years; I just choose that span of time because it was 1981 when St. Ronnie became president and the right-wing crazies started shifted their agenda into high gear!
::)

I want more money too, but I have to EARN it!

Why can't they be like Ford?

I want more money too, but I have to EARN it!

Why can't they be like Ford?


Ford's time will come.
::)

I want more money too, but I have to EARN it!

Why can't they be like Ford?


Because then their football team would suck.

I want more money too, but I have to EARN it!

Why can't they be like Ford?


Yep, Ford's slogans say it all:

Ford... Built Tough

Ford... Has a better idea

It's time to buy a Ford

Yep, Ford's slogans say it all:

Ford... Built Tough

Ford... Has a better idea

It's time to buy a Ford


I think it's time for Ford to buy Chrysler!

I think it's time for Ford to buy Chrysler!


I think that Ford will Dodge that deal.  ;D

I think that Ford will Dodge that deal.   ;D


good one.

Ford and GM aren't the only companies that have built crappy vehicles. Some VW parody slogans come to mind:

"Drivers wanted - tow trucks needed"
"Fu**enbroken"

Why are we bailing out the biggest screwups? I'm half tempted to tell the IRS I'm not paying my taxes this year, because I didn't approve of this bailout or any of the others. If 50,000 or so others did this, they couldn't jail us all...

signature banned as well

No one wants to hear it but VW is going to be one of the biggest auto makers of the world now, despite past conceptions on their workmanship in the past. Believe me, there are THOUSANDS of Tennessee residents just chomping at the bit for jobs at the new VW plant opening there.

That being said, I'll say, with most unpopularity, that just some, some of the downfall and current situation of the US automakers is OUR, the US car buyers fault.

Can you really blame them?!?

We bought in droves gas gussleling SUV's, we STILL bought huge unneeded full size trucks, equipped with unnecessary V8 motors. We made absolutely sure NOT to buy the US car makers awful p.o.s. "economy" cars in the past. Even though they had almost 30% better gas millage than the big boy trucks and SUV's

The result is GM, Chrysler and Ford figuring that the only thing US buyers will buy from US car makers is oversized, stupid designed and under engineered SUV's and big rear wheel drive cars with LOUSY gas millage.

And thats just EXACTLY what they produced in droves, its what WE TOLD THEM WE WANTED, so we want to blame them for deciding to manufacture the products that we WANTED to buy, and the cheapest product that they could produce with the largest profit margin.

When the gas prices and economy dropped out we didn't want to have anything to do with the huge behemoths, but we can't honestly put 100% of the blame on the car makers 'cause we certainly shaped their business model to get them to where they are today. :-\\

No one wants to hear it but VW is going to be one of the biggest auto makers of the world now, despite past conceptions on their workmanship in the past. Believe me, there are THOUSANDS of Tennessee residents just chomping at the bit for jobs at the new VW plant opening there.
Well, for a while last year, VW was the biggest company in the world


That being said, I'll say, with most unpopularity, that just some, some of the downfall and current situation of the US automakers is OUR, the US car buyers fault.
..
When the gas prices and economy dropped out we didn't want to have anything to do with the huge behemoths, but we can't honestly put 100% of the blame on the car makers 'cause we certainly shaped their business model to get them to where they are today. :-\\

Well said.

No one wants to hear it but VW is going to be one of the biggest auto makers of the world now, despite past conceptions on their workmanship in the past. Believe me, there are THOUSANDS of Tennessee residents just chomping at the bit for jobs at the new VW plant opening there.

That being said, I'll say, with most unpopularity, that just some, some of the downfall and current situation of the US automakers is OUR, the US car buyers fault.

Can you really blame them?!?

We bought in droves gas gussleling SUV's, we STILL bought huge unneeded full size trucks, equipped with unnecessary V8 motors. We made absolutely sure NOT to buy the US car makers awful p.o.s. "economy" cars in the past. Even though they had almost 30% better gas millage than the big boy trucks and SUV's

The result is GM, Chrysler and Ford figuring that the only thing US buyers will buy from US car makers is oversized, stupid designed and under engineered SUV's and big rear wheel drive cars with LOUSY gas millage.

And thats just EXACTLY what they produced in droves, its what WE TOLD THEM WE WANTED, so we want to blame them for deciding to manufacture the products that we WANTED to buy, and the cheapest product that they could produce with the largest profit margin.

When the gas prices and economy dropped out we didn't want to have anything to do with the huge behemoths, but we can't honestly put 100% of the blame on the car makers 'cause we certainly shaped their business model to get them to where they are today. :-\\


There is truth in what you say, but on the other hand, the auto makers pushed the SUV's and trucks REALLY hard in their advertising.  I know the theory is that demand shapes the market but, again, that is only partly true. 

"It is only in the era of monopoly that the capitalist mode of production takes over the totality of individual, family, and social needs and, in subordinating them to the market, also reshapes them toi serve the needs of capital"
    -Harry Braverman, Labor and Monopoly Capital, Monthly Review Press, 1974

This is an excellent book for anyone who would understand the dynamics of modern capitalism. 

VW's are often like the Kia of European automakers.  It's more than just a perception that they have workmanship issues -- look up Warranty Direct's stats on the number of claims per car covered they have for VW's.

Ironically, the stats generally suggest that Mazda is actually the most reliable automaker.  They're definitely an unlikely choice, but I've always liked how they were a cheaper version of Honda and Toyota.

VW's are often like the Kia of European automakers.  It's more than just a perception that they have workmanship issues -- look up Warranty Direct's stats on the number of claims per car covered they have for VW's.

Or you can just ask us about our VW Jetta that barfs gas every summer. :P

Ironically, the stats generally suggest that Mazda is actually the most reliable automaker.  They're definitely an unlikely choice, but I've always liked how they were a cheaper version of Honda and Toyota.


My dad had a Mazda truck he bought in 1995.  It ran up until the summer of 2007, and it only died then because it was totalled in an accident.  Mind you, it was still on all the original major parts, including the battery.

Or you can just ask us about our VW Jetta that barfs gas every summer. :P

My dad had a Mazda truck he bought in 1995.  It ran up until the summer of 2007, and it only died then because it was totalled in an accident.  Mind you, it was still on all the original major parts, including the battery.


I sold my old Honda Accord for about $300 bucks when it had 200,000 miles on it.  If it hasn't rusted out, it's probably still on the road!

Yep, Ford's slogans say it all:

Ford... Built Tough

Ford... Has a better idea

It's time to buy a Ford


heres a new one for Ford

Found
On
Road
Dead

heres a new one for Ford

Found
On
Road
Dead


Fix And repair Daily

Fix And repair Daily

er...

Fix Or Repair Daily, shurely?

(what about "Front OK... Rear Destroyed"?)

VW's are often like the Kia of European automakers.  It's more than just a perception that they have workmanship issues -- look up Warranty Direct's stats on the number of claims per car covered they have for VW's.

Ironically, the stats generally suggest that Mazda is actually the most reliable automaker.  They're definitely an unlikely choice, but I've always liked how they were a cheaper version of Honda and Toyota.
I've had 2 Mazda's actually a 1998 Mazda 626, and now a 2007 Mazda 6. I had an Acura in between those 2 Mazda's. The Acura was a great car  but my 2007 Mazda 6 is built as tight as the Acura is! I think its actually the best mid-size car that the UAW ever built(2003-2008 Mazda 6) since the Mazda 6 was built in Ford Motor Company's owned Flat Rock, Michigan Plant. I have sat in the brand new 2009 Mazda 6 its way nicer inside than my 2007 Mazda 6 but I don;t know how build quality is. My other Mazda(1998 626) was built in Flat Rock, Michigan too.

Yeah VW's are great cars but build quality is a thing not to be desired in VW's.

er...

Fix Or Repair Daily, shurely?

(what about "Front OK... Rear Destroyed"?)
Actually, in the past 2 years Ford is the most reliable automaker in the US beside Honda, Toyota, and Mitsubishi in Consumer Reports. The Ford Fusion is as reliable as Honda Accord or Toyota Camry but maybe because Ford had 3 years to research Flat Rock Michigan's plant which builds the Mazda 6 which is based off the same platform as the Ford Fusion!! THe Fusion is built in Mexico.

Chrysler-I think they can go on to borrow more Government Money for the time being because the amount of money they are aking for is not as much as GM is asking for from the government. GM should just go into bankruptcy I know I said I was against GM filing for bankruptcy a few months ago in fear of tarnished brand image but who is buying a car now anyway. I mean this is a good opportunity for GM do balance their accounting books, and costs. Be time GM gets out of bankuptcy the car market in the US is gonna rebound by 2012 I think to around 14.5-15.0 million units a year sold in 2012 I think.

Herein lies the irony.  The average slob like me has listened to the Right for 28 years tell us it's  to rely on the government to fix your problems and immoral to blame anybody but yourself for your plight...and for 28 years we have watched the corporations turn to government for handouts and call this or that problem not their fault. 

But wait...I don't have a problem with government helping people.  The Republicans do and it is Republicans who exalted the "free market" as the answer to all our problems.  They still do no, matter how obvious the premise is crap and no matter how insane it sounds to defend it!

::)
The irony of your post is when George W. Bush announced when he was going to loan GM and Chrysler money he said maybe I have to reexamine my stance on  "Free Market Principles" or something to that effect I think.

The irony of your post is when George W. Bush announced when he was going to loan GM and Chrysler money he said maybe I have to reexamine my stance on  "Free Market Principles" or something to that effect I think.


Yeah, and which orifice did he say that out of and how can you tell the difference anyway?
http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/10/sunny.gif