should GM drop saturn

renovation · Post by **renovation** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 11:40 pm

i heard today that Saturn is one for this thing Wagners talking about getting rid of .i think GM should combine Pontiac and Saturn and do what they said when Saturn first came to be. keep it as a diffrent car line and sell and make these cars not as a copy of every other car they make .but different and unique from all there other car lines.

today about every Saturn sold is just a copy with a little different body trim or panel then all the other car lines. even the assembly plant in TN. is not making the cars there any more . all this has happen under Mr Wagners watch as GM CEO. he should be removed and a new fresh head should be appointed CEO . he sure has taken the company down a dark path . even if it was not all his fault .its time for a change .

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 7:36 am

I read elsewhere that they're thinking of ousting Saturn, Saab, Pontiac, maybe GMC. IMO, Buick should go too.

The problem I see is that they sell too many vehicles that are essentially the exact same model as others with another tag. That use to work 40 yrs ago when many didn't know better but today, it's easy to see that one's not that much different than another.

I've never understood why GMC exists when they're the same as Chevy.

Ford could easily drop Mercury too.

eGoCeNTRoNiX · Post by **eGoCeNTRoNiX** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 8:16 am

EvilHorace wrote:I've never understood why GMC exists when they're the same as Chevy. Ford could easily drop Mercury too.

And GMC usually commands a higher price than Chevy... And ./agreed on the Ford/Mercury thing..

eGo

Err · Post by **Err** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 8:55 am

While dropping duplicate brands is a start, GM and the rest of Detroit needs to rethink their business model. I think that you don't need a new model every year. For example, why make a 2008, 2009, and 2010 Car? You know you're not going to sell all of the previous model year and you're not going to refresh it until 2011. Make a normal production run of the 2009 model and don't make a 2010. I doubt the public will notice. Car companies are making too many cars. There can't possibly be enough buyers out there.

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 1:12 pm

There can't possibly be enough buyers out there.

That's always amazed me for years now especially being that today, new cars are expensive and for most, buying one requires taking out a huge loan. They do amazingly sell off all those cars however.
I've never bought a new car nor do I plan to unless tons of free money falls into my hands and then it'd have to be an exceptional car, nothing basic or average.
As for the new models every year, I think that's done just to be competitive with everyone else and although most companies cars are essentially the same for about 5 yrs now, they make minor improvements or additions every year just to draw people in.

And GMC usually commands a higher price than Chevy

....BUT why? Is the GMC version of the same Chevy truck somehow better? I doubt it.

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 2:13 pm

....BUT why? Is the GMC version of the same Chevy truck somehow better? I doubt it.

Won't work better, but it will have a wood grain dash

nitro237 · Post by **nitro237** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 7:07 pm

....BUT why? Is the GMC version of the same Chevy truck somehow better? I doubt it.

I have a GMC and I did ask this question when I was truck shopping. Mechanically they are the same. The base model of the GMC has a few more options than the base model of the Chevy. That is why the GMC base price is a little higher. If you config the base Chevy the same as the GMC they will be about the same price. They usually have a different grill and front end.

I bought the GMC because it had everything I wanted and I preferred the look of the GMC better.

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 7:53 pm

Guess that's like some Lexus vs Toyota models. A Lexus ES 350 is the same car as a V6 Camry but has more "good stuff" added, mostly interior and maybe a few electronic add ons. Can't see why the ES 350 costs over $10K more though. I'd just get the Camry.

wvjohn · Post by **wvjohn** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 10:10 pm

My favorite of upbranding was a Lincoln branded F-150, hate to think what that cost.

eGoCeNTRoNiX · Post by **eGoCeNTRoNiX** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 10:55 pm

wvjohn wrote:My favorite of upbranding was a Lincoln branded F-150, hate to think what that cost.

I Loved the Tailgate on one of those models.. When I still had my F-150 I thought about changing my tailgate for the one off of those.. The one that opened like van doors outwards instead of down..

eGo

Key Keeper · Post by **Key Keeper** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 10:59 pm

Lets not forget the Harley Davidson Ford pickups. Another one, the Isuzu pup...nothing but an S-10. Some japanese companys do the same thing. Look at Lexus and Toyota, Nissan and Infinity, Honda and Acura...Though I would still own any of the latter than a Ford taurus, or any dodge product for that matter. Almost all the American manufacturers have turned to garbage. Cars will barely make it out of warrany these days and when they do go south they cost bookoo $$ to fix. If Im going to pay out tha nose to fix my car I only want to do it maybe once or twice. The average transmission overhaul on a honda civic runns around 2500 bux but you will most likely only have to do this once in the cars lifetime where on average on an American made product it will need to be done every 80,000 miles.

Executioner · Post by **Executioner** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 11:32 pm

I think the transmission issues were Chrysler only. I had 2 Caravans were the transmission crapped out after 75,000 miles. I currently have a 2001 Ford Crew Cab that has 101,000 miles on it. My only problem with the car has been one coil that went out, and the clutch fan - twice.

Going to Las Vegas last week, the damn clutch fan broke. As soon as I exceeded 2000 rpm's, the damn thing would come on even traveling 70mph and a temperature of 60°F outside.

eGoCeNTRoNiX · Post by **eGoCeNTRoNiX** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 11:38 pm

Executioner wrote:I currently have a 2001 Ford Crew Cab that has 101,000 miles on it. My only problem with the car has been one coil that went out, and the clutch fan - twice.

Going to Las Vegas last week, the damn clutch fan broke. As soon as I exceeded 2000 rpm's, the damn thing would come on even traveling 70mph and a temperature of 60°F outside.

Also, keep an eye on the Intake Manifold.. If you start noticing weird surges in your idle, get it checked before it causes too much damage. And the clutch fans.. Don't get me started lol My truck had 245k on it when I sold it. Clutch Fan was bad and it sounded like a Mac Truck at all speeds above 2k rpm lol.. But no tranny issues at all.

eGo

renovation · Post by **renovation** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 5:07 pm

the ford pick up that was a really a joke was the special f-150 they made a couple of years ago called the Blackwood or something like that .it had a special green black metallic paint and trim package and i beleave like only a handfull were sold. then they had to return them back to the factory to be strip down and refitted because they were so over priced no one bought them.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.h ... A9649C8B63

eGoCeNTRoNiX · Post by **eGoCeNTRoNiX** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 7:53 pm

That's the one that has the tailgate I loved..

eGo