Unlike the RWD platform for Chevrolet over Pontiac, this would be a wise decision especially when Toyota is throwing money out the window to move the Tundra.

Unfortunately, you do what you have to do. GM is not the only one that takes measures like this when money is at stake.

DIE GM !!!!!

They don’t really need to idle those plants, they just need to change the tooling over to produce relivant vehicles that people want to buy.

Die LP640!

What relevant vehicles people want to buy? That is the problem for GM. Their marketing cant identify the market, and when it can it takes very long to address the need. By the time market address, it is a different market landscape altogether. On top of it GM has a history of poor execution.
The only positive notion for GM is that they started to import Opels under one name or another: for Saturn and for Chevy (what do you think Malibu is?). Holdens seem to be looking good, although GTO was a failure. god help them (or Toyota and NUMMI).

jjt, did you get your Buick?

Not yet.
Patience.
I was thinking about just getting AWD, but discarded that thought.
My olds is still running fine, so it’s not like I NEED a new car. But wityh everybody else buying Xmas toys, there may be an opportunity.

autonutt – you are right to say that GM marketing sucks. that is one of the few things that they haven’t made much progress on.

But anyway, good move by GM. It is good that they are keeping intentory under control rather than obsessing over selling as many cars as possible.

i hope LP640 is cursed has to drive a ford aspire for the rest of his life

All I’m thinking is do I want any of those first few Monday trucks from any one of those 3 plants that have been idled for two weeks. Naw, silly me, I know how easily I get back into ‘work mode’ after only 2 days of doing nothing but trying to forget about work.

Where the **** have you been, Madcapp? Under a rock? Trucks are by far GM’s best selling products. The Silverado has been the second best selling vehicle in the U.S. for a long time. Wake up.

Agreed, 441Zuke.

Ouch 411, but agreed just as well. Every time I see an Aspire on the road, I automatically feel sorry for the driver inside.

441

Lutz plan has failed….. Quit Mr. Lutz.

YOU pushed all the truck redesigns to save GM.

YOU ignored the car market and let GM produce bland unwanted products on old platforms.

YOU screwed Chrysler in the 90’s, now you screwed GM.

Quit and go play golf in your out of touch old age.

Instead of idling plants, why don’t Ford & GM just build them a little slower and spend the extra time building a better quality product. Even without a redesign atleast the workers wouldn’t be rushed and could make sure fit and finish better.

Also not sure b/c of the unions but are the workers getting paid for idle time? If so, this plan is still a waste of money.

Hey, a smart move from GM! Now, Bob, you and me need to have a little chat about that RWD Chevy compact. (Read: I’m gonna kick your ass as a representative of Pontiac fans everywhere)

They were burned buy an incentive war with Ford and DX. They finaly have kicked the incentive habit, give them some credit. This is the part of marketing they screwed up in the late 90s to 2004. Now they need to fix their product forecasting and design teams. Spend some huge money on engineering/QC and slim down mgmnt (which they have been doing).

“The only positive notion for GM is that they started to import Opels under one name or another” Autonut, are you kidding? This is the “only” thing they’ve done? Holy crap – they’re kicking the incentive habit, they offer the best warranty in the country, the vehicles in the pipeline are generating excitement, and 1115s panties are in a knot. I think they’ve done more than import opels to save the company – but I’ve been accused of being a GM rooter…

Last I checked, G8, Camaro, CTS, Malibu, Enclave, etc. are not Opels. The only rebadged Opels are Aura and Astra. Being on the Epsilon platform doesn’t make a car an Opel, so that discounts G6 and Malibu.

Oh, and it’s a two-way system. The Opel roadster was imported FROM Pontiac/Saturn.

I would say GM’s trucks and SUVs are relevant since they are the best selling trucks and SUVs on the market. They have earned high marks on qualify and interior improvements maybe not best in class but very competitive. This is the market changing on them not failure to deliver relevant trucks. On the car side, there is no question they haven’t had relevant products for the past two decades.

I wouldn’t say tha bob lutz is at fault. The truck market is their market even if it is going down in volume it makes them money hand over fist. They need the truck money for cars. Also remember bob lutz is the man that gave us the g6 the GTO the G8 the Sky Aura and Solstice the Mailbu. So when you say he screwed up I say look at ford and look Chrysler holdings. Ford is doing horrible the Taurus is a joke and they need to do something bold ( hehehe) other then minor refreshs. Chrysler is owned by a company that slices and dices companies for a living a rather precarious position. i mean car that have recently been released hmm the jeep compass, sebring, aspen and avenger. thay’re all crap. They are on a good path though they cut alot of the fat out of their line up

Bob Lutz isn’t at fault. Part of the problem is marketing, as already stated. I suppose some of the problem is even the Tundra, which believe me, is horrid. But I think the Chevrolet Silverado is somewhat understated.

I drove one at a Chevrolet dealership a few months ago. Compared to my 96′ F-150 Extended Cab, it was very, very pleasant. Very high quality materials, extremely quiet, very smooth power and ride, roomy although the rear seats are itsy bitsy things, and I liked the overall layout. Body panels fit together very nicely, the truck is accessible all around. There’s alot of things I liked, but most of all the smooth ride and power.
My F-150’s nice although being 11 years old, but the Chevrolet Silverado has great attention to detail. I don’t think enough people recognize that.

Did I ever mention that the Tundra is crap? The interior is cheap and the ride shakes horribly. I’m positive Toyota put this inferior product on the market on purpose, there is no way they couldn’t have noticed the mirrors shaking so badly on the highway, you can’t view anything behind you, and the bed shaking. I also remember the F-150, Tundra comparison test; that is one poor truck.

jajj: I thought the new tundra felt like a high-quality truck.

I thought the interior was rubbish. I don’t know exactly what, maybe because it seems reminiscent of GM interiors from the 90’s, but most likely because of the overall quality of them.

The side mirrors vibrate like a bat out of hell on smooth to slightly rough highways, and is unusable above 50 mph. The bed also shakes and trembles in the potholes and wakes of 18 wheelers and snowplows.

Plenty of power, and an alright transmission, but my biggest concern was the damned vibration, and the interior. Also, I wish Toyota consolidated some truck drivers on placement of certain things, such as winch hookups and other apparel. I don’t see much of an aftermarket for it, either, although I’m sure we’ll see SOME aftermarket in the future.

I think that onstar system is a worthless gimmick. I got enough monthly bills to pay, I don’t need an extra expense for a service that will tell me when my oil change is due, or to make hotel reservations for me. Thats why I got a mobile phone! As for those idiots who love onstar because of the many times they lock themselves out, its always wise to have a spare car key in your wallet just in case. Save your money, use your brain a little more and stop paying for a stupid service you can easily live without. My car doesn’t have anything like onstar and yet I still continue to be alive!

i agree with mr. getreal…lutz is a ****in idiot

and good point planet_drive…onstar is kind of a waste. i have it in my truck now, but i certainly didn’t order it…its ****in standard on everything now. i do know i could do with out it. i posted on another wall before about how onstar and sync are a bunch of **** just trying to lure retards into buying a vehicle because it will become your new best friend as it talks back to you. like you said planet, i have a cell phone and can get myself out of trouble wihtout onstar, and i have fingers to press buttons to play the song i want instead of talking to sync.

the meek will inhabit the earth…when they said meek, i think they meant incompetent

good point, pd. I feel the same way about navigaation, but i think I’ll have to live with it. hell, I’ll get more when i sell the car.

Sync is actually really nice, hbcbob3. I think of it less as another Onstar, but more of a media integration system.