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  • Collin MacDonald

    #31
    Re: My wife on the new STS-Is that the front or ba

    Of all the woes and heartache I have with GM, I just picked up my Silverado 2500HD Diesel 4X4 LT club cab (that's a mouthful) truck two days ago. I love it. I looked at Ford and almost bought a RAM Hemi (until I came to my senses), and settled with the proven Duramax with the Allison 5 speed transi. This is my first diesel, but I did not go into it blind, as I talked to many people who own and tow. Everybody that I talked to who owned a Silverado Duramax loved them and had not trouble. Almost every person I talked to with a RAM Cummings had problems from the start. The Ford people like them but some had problems with oil consumtion and power power after a while.

    Still stand behind my previous post. I talked to an executive last night who told me that Lutz is a mere figurehead and rarely shows up at his office anymore. So I guess that figures as he has been there now for over two almost three years with no real results, considering the Colbalt, G6 and the GTO you could almost say he has done nothing.

    I would really like to hear from more people who follows the GM Management practices and hear what they say, would love to hear from more GM insiders especially the design are on what is driving them to design such boring cars?

    Comment

    • Rick S.
      Expired
      • January 1, 2003
      • 1203

      #32
      Re: My wife on the new STS-Is that the front or ba

      Collin,
      You don't really think a GM employee will post negative comments about the company that sends him his paycheck AND list his name here?

      Comment

      • Chris H.
        Very Frequent User
        • April 30, 1990
        • 817

        #33
        Re: My wife on the new STS-Is that the front or ba

        Give me a break. Lutz is everywhere BUT his office. (Actually I have seen him in there) He is constantly at Design Staff reviewing all the vehicles. He is at High level meetings that review the progress of the vehicles that are being developed and he gives his opinion and direction all the time. He is at Low level meetings giving advice and direction to the "lower" types. He is at most of the media events and vehicle launchs and drives. Cars are his passion and he is fully engaged.

        I just sit here and read the stuff that is written in the press and wonder how they come up with it. Lutz sneezes and the press say GM is going out of business or dropping divisions.

        It takes about 4 years from Concept to production for a vehicle. This is not the 2 -3 years it takes to engineer and validate a vehicle from the final design that is feasible for production. So Lutz has not been there from the beginning on any programs coming out now.

        My name is Chris:)

        Comment

        • Clem Z.
          Expired
          • January 1, 2006
          • 9427

          #34
          the facination with diesel pickups

          i wish someone would explain to me the need for a diesel engine pickup unless you drive 50,000 miles a year. the extra cost in when you buy it and the higher cost of fuel and maintenance must eat up the difference in better fuel milage. inquiring minds would like to know. a friend has a dodge cummins pickup with a high dollar stereo that is drowned out by all the engine noise in the cab plus it leaks oil,he has had the rear seal replace several times, all over my driveway when he comes over. my 17 year oil gas engine silverado with 120,000+ miles still does not leak any oil.

          Comment

          • Dick W.
            Former NCRS Director Region IV
            • June 30, 1985
            • 10483

            #35
            Re: the facination with diesel pickups

            Clem, if you are towing heavy loads or driving high miles a year it makes a lot of sense. I could not keep a 454 together over 50,000 miles when I was towing our parts trailer, about 24-25,000# gross weight. The 4-5 mpg killed me. I get somewhere 10-12 mpg with my 99 PowerStroke grossing about 32-34,000#. Zilch oil consumption, no oil leaks.

            To buy a diesel to drive 10,000 miles a year is an ego thing I guess. It used to be that the break even point for buying a diesel was about 27,000 miles. I have not done my math on that lately since I am not in fleet purchasing/maintenance any more.
            Dick Whittington

            Comment

            • Jack H.
              Extremely Frequent Poster
              • April 1, 1990
              • 9906

              #36
              Gee....

              my '93 BB Suburban has 193K miles on 'er now with the factory original engine (I DID have to overhaul the 4L80 AT at 115K miles). Compared notes last year with Roy Sinor at Breckenridge and his equivalent was up to +240K miles without major overhaul/breakdown. Maybe it's a different story if one uses these vehicles for FREQUENT heavy towing.... I only tow my car/hauler 1-2 trips/year.

              Comment

              • Collin MacDonald

                #37
                Re: My wife on the new STS-Is that the front or ba

                Chris,

                Well this is a good thing to hear from a person who knows first hand, and I certainly stand corrected if the information you posted is correct. OK so where are the results of Lutz, the Buick LaCrosse? the Colbalt, the new Chevrolet HHR? Why can Lutz build a Viper, Prowler, LaCross, and so on at Dodge, and what do we see here at GM after two years. Of course the press is going to report everything about this guy, as it should, after all he is Lutz right? I am just saying, as the post deals with the WOES at GM, is GM needs to restructer and become smaller and more focused if it plans to stay and compete in the global market. Having several brands fostering the same car is not the way to make profit. Having employees with benifits the exceed the job and company worth is not a good way to manage the company (Union or no Union). But to continue to build cars like the SSR overpriced, underperformer, and specialzed to a small nitch, is still not the way to become competative. Lutz is the the end all nor the answer, it goes much beyond him....GM better wake up soon, otherwise there will be a demise of the entire company.

                Comment

                • Chris H.
                  Very Frequent User
                  • April 30, 1990
                  • 817

                  #38
                  Re: My wife on the new STS-Is that the front or ba

                  OK, I have very first hand info on the LaCrosse. We had about 1 -2 years in Design Staff and Engineering work into the car. At that time Engineering specifications were at the top and Design Staff was down below. Engineering showed up with "Criteria" (radius's on sheet metal, HVAC minimum openings on the front of the car, etc.) and Design Staff had to meet them. Just before Christmas, I think 3 years ago, Lutz looked at what was sitting in the studio and said stop. I, even though I had been working on it before that time, agreed it was, well, unattractive. But no one wanted to delay the program. Lutz said they had over Christmas to fix it without starting from scratch. When we got back they had worked wonders. Engineering jumped in with all hands and "bent" the criteria. This is what Lutz did. Told Engineering they need to start working harder to get what Stling wanted. Now the car is not the most sporty, beautiful car in the world but it is attractive, just not out there like the 300. What we felt is wanted in the conservative mid size sedan market. Look at the Camry and Accord, about as plain and conservative as possible. It is also based on the carryover W platform and was constrained with long overhangs, etc. The bottom line is that the LaCrosse was not designed by Lutz. He saved it from what it was going to be. I feel it is a very attractive car. And if I was not driving my "mommy"mobile minivan would get one. But that is my opinion.

                  I do not understand the Cobalt question. The press reviews I have read give it pretty good reviews. It is inexpensive, has a nice interior and a darn good price.

                  The SSR is a low volume vehicle that was brought to production because the concept car was given high praise and at the time the press was complaining about the domestics having beautiful concept cars but not building them. The XLR is another.

                  The sedan market is very conservative. All the high volume vehicles are plain. I think the problem today is the next big thing in styling for sedans has not come along. Ten years ago the Audi started a new trend and every one copied. ie Passat, Altima, Maxima, Accord, Ford 500. The cars that people and press praise are retro cars like the 300, PT cruiser and Mustang.

                  Comment

                  • Collin MacDonald

                    #39
                    Re: My wife on the new STS-Is that the front or ba

                    Chris,

                    I am saying this with all due respect, the LaCrosse has the nickname already of the LATAURUS. It looks like a Taurus from the front and back. Now if we talk Buicks I come from a strong Buick family. My Grandfather started to buy Buicks starting in 1921, every two years until the day he died, less the war years. He died three months after he bought his final Buick in 1985, and Electra Park Avenue. When I became of age to purchase my car, I wanted a 1968 Camaro SS, but instead, becasue my Grandfather ruled the house, I had to buy the GS400. So back to subject at hand. Are you comparing the LaCross to the Camry and the Accord, I thought Saturn did that... A Buick should be compared to an Audi, Volvo (thats a stretch) or a BMW...that is the class Buick should be in, the mindset of GM should be higher like the QUALITY of the product used to produce the car, and the CUSTOMER SERVICE after the sale that does not exist. Have you ever owned a new BMW....I can only afford the Mini-Cooper, but their service department (BMW) treats me with as much respect as if I owned a 700 series BMW. I purchase a new 2002 Corvette, and have had little to no respect when I bring my car to the dealership. CUSTOMER SERVICE is missing.

                    OK not lets talk about the Colbat...are you serious? This is nothing more then a redesigned Cavilier, which was a redesigned Vega, which was a redesigned Chevette...come on be serious....their is nothing special that I would want to buy a Cobalt. I certainly would buy a Passat, or a BMW 300 series or even a Mini Cooper....hey I did that...before I would ever buy a Cobalt. FYI I have purchase well over 35 Chevrolets in my live, because I feel so strong about the Chevrolet product, I know Jon Moss, Scott Siettmeyer, and John Hiency (sp), and was a big supporter of the Camaro and Corvette, but know I have every right as a customer to voice what I think is wrong, and yet you still are not listening Chris, you are and example of what I and many many others are talking about and why I bought a Mini, vice the Cobalt...you guys are just not building what the public wants. Why did it take Mini less then two years to certify their car in the US from ground up design and it takes GM three plus? I just don't understand why you guys at GM don't get customers together and listen to them like the Germans and English do.... You guys design a car and buy the time you get it on the showroom floor it looks like a design of a European design from two year before. Do you really think the Cobalt, LaCrosse, and HHR will sell. You have to go to Austrailer to get American Muscle, you have to insist on building the Monte Carlo as front wheel drive and then insult it by putting SS badges on it, give it a supercharger with on an increase of 20 HP...then you take take a great selling car the 94-96 Impala SS, discontinue it, and then insult the nameplate with an underpowered front wheel drive care and call it and Impala SS.... Shall I go on...so again what has Lutz done to make us a car that is priced within means, has performance and is equal to the quality leaving Europe or Japan...just tell me, what car?

                    Again not aimed at you personlly, just a frustrated FAITHFUL customer who hate like heck to see the demise of something I grew up with, I love cars, I love Chevrolet, I hate what is happening, and I wish more people would speak out, because I know they agree with some of what I say.

                    Collin

                    Comment

                    • Collin MacDonald

                      #40
                      Re: My wife on the new STS-Is that the front or ba

                      Chris.

                      I invite you to email me via my private email, I certainly would like to discuss this with you more off-line...like I said, I may seem to be harsh, but my heart and sole is with Chevrolet and GM...I want them to be the best, but I am afraid they are lossing touch with customers.

                      Comment

                      • Dick W.
                        Former NCRS Director Region IV
                        • June 30, 1985
                        • 10483

                        #41
                        Re: My wife on the new STS-Is that the front or ba

                        GMC thinks so much of their customers and dealers that they have ONE service engineer that covers the whole SE, from the NC/VA border to the keys of FL. Real service oriented. Toyota has passed F..d as the #2 auto manufacturer in the world and have their sights set on GM. Wall Street Journal had an article yesterday that addressed that.

                        Historically when the "bean counters" head up GM they make money, what has happened this time? Usually when engineers run GM they make no money but have exciting products. GM is wallowing in the waves like a ship with a broken mast. Hard, tough decisions are going to have to be made. They can only bleed so much cash and sell so many assets.
                        Dick Whittington

                        Comment

                        • Chris H.
                          Very Frequent User
                          • April 30, 1990
                          • 817

                          #42
                          Re: My wife on the new STS-Is that the front or ba

                          Wow, I no longer work at GM. I certainly was in no position to save all GM. But I did work hard as most of the other employees do and still feel I did a great job.

                          You are right about the Taurus comments. No one tried to copy it. Look also at a neon rear end. Many others look very similar. Heck I have been told the front end looks like a jaguar or lexus (quad headlamps)

                          The cavalier looks nothing like a vega and shared no engineering. Vega was rear drive. As far as the Cobalt being a warmed over Cavalier, I would not know. Never had anything to do with it. Just read the reviews.

                          Buick has to earn back its position. It is now an old mans/womans car. It does have better quality and dealer satisfaction than Toyota (mid size). (JD Powers) We lost it when Buick was pigeonholed to older folks and Pontiac to sporty younger folks.

                          We do have customers in and ask questions. Clinics thru out the country. We had outstanding feedback when comparing the LaCrosse to the Camry and Accord and those are the customers we are after (uplevel versions of both). Sorry we do not compete with Audi and the likes.

                          What do you think of the interior of the LaCrosse? How about the 3.6L engine? I still like the styling. It actually is selling well. Issue is the press compares the volume to the Regal and Century which were mainly fleet sales toward the end.

                          We probably should stop this line, seems to have gotten off the Vette track. I just hope that the domestic auto industry does not go the way of most of the rest of our country. Out of business or overseas. Not much is built in this country anymore.

                          Chris

                          Comment

                          • Ralph Harlan

                            #43
                            Re: the facination with diesel pickups

                            My '74 1/2 ton full-time 4wd suburban went almost 20 years daily towing boats around the east coast - Coral Gables to Cape Cod & west to Dallas & the Great Lakes. Often 26,000 loaded, with only a 350 & 350T/H. Only place I had a problem was in Virginia where DOT stuck a 45 mph limit on my passage thru their fine state.

                            We were trying to determine last inspection whether we were coming up on 400,000 or 500,000. Original & several replacement speedos long since, so we lost track of the total miles. One engine rebuild and trans @ about 189,000. Several transfer cases. Looks like hell - and the 350T/H finally gave out again! Got right at 10mpg - loaded or empty, a/c on or off. Biggest problem I had was rear wheel brgs.

                            But you're right, I don't think the newer versions would compare. My brother had the newer ('90's)3/4 ton 4wd, and if we'd hooked them bumper to bumper, for outright pulling power the '74 would have not known his was there. But his looked nicer and rode nicer, and was worth a LOT more on the market!

                            Comment

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