The Car Thread!

[nx1701g]

They were saying on the news while I drove to work this morning that GM may lay off 20,000 people over the next few days to meet the growing bailout requirements they have.

 

[FalTorPan]

I own a 2000 Dodge Durango Sport that I purchased new. It has about 185,000 miles on it, and it's been a great vehicle.

 

[QCzar]

They were saying on the news while I drove to work this morning that GM may lay off 20,000 people over the next few days to meet the growing bailout requirements they have.

You know, I've never seriously entertained the possibility of there being no more GM. It would be incredibly surreal. And ZOMGWTF, what's going to happen to the 'vette?

I hope the hemorrhaging stops soon.

 

[Scout101]

Just got a new one around Thanksgiving: 2009 Toyota Tacoma. Double cab, long bed, TRD Sport, 4x4, pretty much fully loaded. It's a dark gray color, forget what they called it. Don't have a picture of it yet, but she's purty

 

[Mallory]

It could be a lot more than 20,000 people.

GM considering Chapter 11 bankruptcy

CHICAGO (Reuters) - General Motors Corp, nearing a Tuesday deadline to present a viability plan to the U.S. government, is considering as one option a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing that would create a new company, the Wall Street Journal said in its Saturday edition.

"One plan includes a Chapter 11 filing that would assemble all of GM's viable assets, including some U.S. brands and international operations, into a new company," the newspaper said. "The undesirable assets would be liquidated or sold under protection of a bankruptcy court. Contracts with bondholders, unions, dealers and suppliers would also be reworked."

 

[nx1701g]

It could be a lot more than 20,000 people.

GM considering Chapter 11 bankruptcy

CHICAGO (Reuters) - General Motors Corp, nearing a Tuesday deadline to present a viability plan to the U.S. government, is considering as one option a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing that would create a new company, the Wall Street Journal said in its Saturday edition.

"One plan includes a Chapter 11 filing that would assemble all of GM's viable assets, including some U.S. brands and international operations, into a new company," the newspaper said. "The undesirable assets would be liquidated or sold under protection of a bankruptcy court. Contracts with bondholders, unions, dealers and suppliers would also be reworked."

People should be really looking at their loan contracts. When I bought my Ram from Chrysler there is a policy that they can demand IMMEDIATE repayment of the loan should bankruptcy be declared by Chrysler LLC. If GM has the same policy it could be very, very bad for a lot of people.

 

[Emher]

my '93 XJ Sport
I freakin' love this thing!
4WD, I6

my next car will be another XJ
hopefully a 97 or newer . . .

Hey my uncle has one of those, got to drive it a few weeks ago, it is really fun in RWD actually

My 2007 Chevrolet Silverado:

Still love your truck

I hate american cars but I do have a Saturn 2000 model. I got it from my parents, who in turn got it from my aunt. That model (The L) was before American cars turned to crap and I got my license with it. I will look forward to buying a japanese made car when I can though, hopefully in the next few years.

Just out of curiousity, why do you hate American cars?

I don't like the business practices of those companies. I think they have a lot to learn from companies like Toyota and Honda and until they do, they will always produce not very good quality cars. As for the quality, I've test driven quite a few and they are just nowhere near as good as Japanese cars. They're uncomfortable, ride rough and just lack good quality.

Thre words for you: new Chevrolet Malibu. And in Europe: new Opel Insignia. At least GM is starting to get it by now, Ford is attempting to, Chrysler are pretty much screwed. In any case it will take time to change the very perception that you have.

if I could, I would:



click for a youtube vid of one of these beauties

Ooooohhhh....that's a nice one.

They were saying on the news while I drove to work this morning that GM may lay off 20,000 people over the next few days to meet the growing bailout requirements they have.

You know, I've never seriously entertained the possibility of there being no more GM. It would be incredibly surreal. And ZOMGWTF, what's going to happen to the 'vette?

I hope the hemorrhaging stops soon.

SILENCE! Do not speak such blasphemy! Nevermind the Vette, what about my dreamcar Camaro?

 

[Mallory]

Nevermind the Vette, what about my dreamcar Camaro?

It may be on the endangered list.

 

[Emher]

Actually I'm just chiming in a bit with the whole wolrd is ending train there. It has been confirmed that as long as GM remains, the Camaro needs to be made for about 4-5 years to regain the money, or something to that matter. However, it has been hinted "get them while the getting's good" about the V8 version.... :/

 

[Mallory]

Actually, if they actually do go through a bankruptcy there won't be any R&D or engineering costs to recouped, they'll be wiped off the books. I'm far more interested in seeing what "some brands" GM would intend to keep. I'm guessing Pontiac and Saturn would be gone, with Hummer and Saab sold off to the highest bidder. The Corvette is sancrosanct, but I think a retooled GM will be focusing on volume rather than excitement.

 

[nx1701g]

I asked about the Camero when I was car hunting a few days ago. The local GM dealer - he was one of their preferred dealers and thus could do the best deals - said that the Chevy Camero is only going to be released in limited numbers according to the latest paperwork he'd seen.

 

[S'kai]

Just to jump in here in favor of hybrids, alternative fuels, tree-hugging and the cars of the future.

'Nuff said.

 

[QCzar]

^Man, that's geektastic!

 

[Emher]

Actually, if they actually do go through a bankruptcy there won't be any R&D or engineering costs to recouped, they'll be wiped off the books. I'm far more interested in seeing what "some brands" GM would intend to keep. I'm guessing Pontiac and Saturn would be gone, with Hummer and Saab sold off to the highest bidder. The Corvette is sancrosanct, but I think a retooled GM will be focusing on volume rather than excitement.

As said, as long as GM exists, the Camaro will be built. There have such a hugely positive response that they know they have hit on their hands.

Pontiac is being kept, retooleted into "sporty performance", Saturn is gone. Hummer is sold if anyone is intrested, and Saab...is toast it seems since nobody wants to buy it and the Swedish goverment, henceforth known as Quslings, don't want to give them loans to save it. Somehow they see LOTS of people in the Swedish industry losing their jobs as a good thing. And it makes me sad since Saab is my favorite domestic brand.

As for what a "retooled GM" will be we'll know that in a few years. Sadly it will depend a lot on CAFE-crazieness what happens.

I asked about the Camero when I was car hunting a few days ago. The local GM dealer - he was one of their preferred dealers and thus could do the best deals - said that the Chevy Camero is only going to be released in limited numbers according to the latest paperwork he'd seen.

Well there's never been something called a Camero

And no no no no! This is very wrong! A mod at a Camaro forum I'm at have as his signauture a rant that says basically "Your dealer is an idiot". Because most of them are, and most aren't car guys and don't know jack shit about what they're selling! GM's goal with the Camaro is a high-volume, affordable sports coupe for the masses, with very nice performance in the base enginge (the 3.6 liter 304 hp Direct Injection V6), and totally decent mileage (27 mpg for the V6, which with manual transmission menas 30 mpg? easily). The Camaro is NOT Chevy's version of the Dodge Challenger, which is low volume and targeted towards baby boomers. The only thing he might have confused it with is the fact that the majority will be V6s, since that's what they're focusing on, the V8s are for the enthusiasts they reckon.


And S'kai, I counter with the Chevrolet Volt.

 

[Holdfast]

It could be a lot more than 20,000 people.

GM considering Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Along the same lines, I heard they're thinking about demerging Opel/Vauxhall in a last-ditch effort to restore core profitability (or rather, reduce the gushing arterial bleed of cash down to something slightly less immediately life-threatening). If they do that, those two companies are totally fucked; they're totally dependent on GM (plus euro government subsidies).

Just to jump in here in favor of hybrids, alternative fuels, tree-hugging and the cars of the future.

'Nuff said.

That's hilarious.

 

[NCC1701]

A friend of a friend of mine has one of these:

Let's just say I'm tempted to kill him just to have his car, the wanker! Not that I could afford to run it, anyway

I just have my crappy old 1995 1.8L Nissan Bluebird, just went over 250,000 km, so I'll be cam chain time soon, yay! I am also looking at getting a late 90's 2L Primera stationwagon in the next few months:

They're decent enough, and not too expensive to buy or run, which is all I ask for in these difficult economic times.

Oh, and Emher, I got your "boring" Toyotas right here btw:

 

[Tim]

I just bought a brand-new 11-year-old Toyota Rav4 and I absolutely love it.

Speaking of garage finds...

$3 million?!?! Does the garage come with it? I know it's a 57s, but damn even the junkers?!

Look again. That Bugatti is by no means a junker--and one of only 17 examples made. I'm somewhat surprised it didn't fetch more.

 

[Finn]

All those pictures make me want to wash my 2006 Hyundai Elantra. It still has the road salt and dirt from when I was still up in New Hampshire. I don't drive it much these days now that I drive it. It's a beautiful car when clean (gold )

 

[QCzar]

So if Chrysler goes belly up, is there anyone interested in buying up any of their assets or maybe even specific models or will that be it?

*yes, it's a bump. sue me*

 

[John Picard]

My 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 5.2L. I rebuilt the engine three years ago after buying the truck and noticing a knock in the engine. Shortly afterward, I logged over 12,000 miles driving from Oklahoma to Canada to Ohio and back over a 1 week period.

The yellow car is a 1972 VW Super Beetle I picked up for $200. I'm going through it right now (it's on 4 jack stands in my garage) and it'll be my daily driver.