GM: We 'betrayed' U.S. consumers

Wow they must be getting really desperate, for actually coming out and admitting they did the U.S. wrong...

DETROIT (Reuters) – General Motors Corp on Monday unveiled an unusually frank advertisement acknowledging it had "disappointed" and sometimes even "betrayed" American consumers as it lobbies to clinch the federal aid it needs to stay afloat into next month.

The print advertisement marked a sharp break from GM's public stance of just several weeks ago when it sought to justify its bid for a U.S. government on the grounds that the credit crisis had undermined its business in ways executives could never have foreseen.

It also came as Chief Executive Rick Wagoner, who has led the automaker since 2000, faces new pressure to step aside as GM seeks up to $18 billion in federal funding.

"While we're still the U.S. sales leader, we acknowledge we have disappointed you," the ad said. "At times we violated your trust by letting our quality fall below industry standards and our designs became lackluster."

The unsigned open letter, entitled "GM's Commitment to the American People" ran in the trade journal Automotive News, which is widely read by industry executives, lobbyists and other insiders.

In the ad, GM admits to other strategic missteps analysts and critics have said hastened its recent decline.

"We have proliferated our brands and dealer network to the point where we lost adequate focus on the core U.S. market," the ad said. "We also biased our product mix toward pick-up trucks and SUVs."

Source

As a person(sucker) who bought a 1999 cadillac deville I already knew this first hand. This particular car is famous as the worst of GM's products, for Head Gasket failure. This car is essentially a lawn ornament now at only 140,000 km.

I currently also own a 1985 GMC Jimmy Full SIze 4x4, with the bulletproof 305. This truck is a TANK, at almost 300,000 km she still runs like a top and believe me I drive her hard, and offroad.

The point I'm trying to make, is the drastic drop in the quality of their products.

Unless they go back to carbureted v8's I will never buy another GMvehicle.

to Cadillac's Northstar V8 - the lousiest piece of crap ever on 4 wheels

Is a company who's products fail like this consistenly, fit to be bailed out???

At times we violated your trust by letting our quality fall below industry standards and our designs became lackluster.

This statement takes the blame off of their greed and lack of innovation and places it on lackluster less damnable issues.

I mean really. Industry standards? Lackluster designs?

How about...

Lack of technical innovation in the green department?
We had electric engines in the 1890's but it took over 100 years for them to introduce a "hybrid". Wow such blazing development speed! Did they hire a team of snails?

It costs roughly $1,274 to produce a car from start to finish. They make over 12,000% profit per vehicle sold.

They make billions per year in profit, if not tens or hundreds of billions per year.

Over the decades did they never stop to think maybe to save some money for the future? Or did it all go into the pockets of the top brass?

And yet they have the nerve to beg and plead for assistance now that sales have slowed to a trickle.

And even worse. The government that is supposed to be looking out for your best interests has agreed they need monetary assistance.

Incredible.

Originally posted by baseball101
"We have proliferated our brands and dealer network to the point where we lost adequate focus on the core U.S. market," the ad said. "We also biased our product mix toward pick-up trucks and SUVs."

Source

GM has, and will continue to dump billions in overseas adventures, especially China....the majority of the bailout "loan" will go to bolster their positions overseas first and foremost...

They betrayed the US consumers the very day they started using over seas made components in domestic vehicles and called them American cars.

That was what....20 or so years ago give or take.





Cheers!!!!

What is the deal with all of these companies and people coming out saying they did wrong or failed the Americans?

If they are looking for sympathy they won't find none here. They should have owned up to their wrongs a long time ago.

They should have gotten rid of the union workers a long time ago. How many places have you worked at that, they pay you 18-20 bucks an hour just to pump fuel in these vehicles after they come off the assembly line? Or to push a broom? I blame the union's for letting this get out of hand. And the NAFTA. Thank's Bill.

reply to post by RolandBrichter


Exactly, while they are asking for tax payer money they have invested billions oversea.

The latest ventures in Russia and Germany.

Sounds like the GM Public Relations department has been reading the postings about GM on ATS.

Nothing we don't all know. Quality sucks, too many models that are far too crappy.

You know, if GM were to concentrate on building two of the best cars anywhere, with great engineering, great value, great quality, and great durability, they could roll big time.

Think about this. The two most successful cars in history were:

Inexpensive to purchase

Inexpensive to operate

Easy to repair

Economical to drive

Simple in design

Compact and fuel efficient

Lacking the bells and whistles

Just good, inexpensive, reliable transportation.

The Ford Model T and the Volkswagon Bug.

Somebody needs to get back to the basics. Don't apologize. Fix it.

Originally posted by dooper
Sounds like the GM Public Relations department has been reading the postings about GM on ATS.

Nothing we don't all know. Quality sucks, too many models that are far too crappy.

You know, if GM were to concentrate on building two of the best cars anywhere, with great engineering, great value, great quality, and great durability, they could roll big time.

Think about this. The two most successful cars in history were:

Inexpensive to purchase

Inexpensive to operate

Easy to repair

Economical to drive

Simple in design

Compact and fuel efficient

Lacking the bells and whistles

Just good, inexpensive, reliable transportation.

The Ford Model T and the Volkswagon Bug.

Somebody needs to get back to the basics. Don't apologize. Fix it.

You mean like these?

reply to post by RolandBrichter


LOL that link is priceless. We in America have been begging for cars like that for how long now? I mean hydrogen cars? Why have we not heard about this over here? Why do they give the good stuff to other countries? You know the Toyota Yaris that has been making a KILLING here in the states. Ford has had a vehicle like that in Europe for 8 years now!!!! WHY ISNT IT OVER HERE!!!!!! These guys deserve to suffer big time.

On a side note though these banks need to go through the mill like the Autos have been. I think its crappy to let the banks get away scotch free while taking it all out on the Autos. Disgusting.

You know, overly the last day or two, I have had a shift in opinion about the big 3. What changed my opinion of them? How successful they are everywhere in the world except North America. They have no trouble selling cars around the world and making good profits except for North America.

Here is an example: Ford's most advanced assembly plant operates in rural Brazil
(Pay attention to the last line. It pretty much says it all)

These guys aren't stupid, their hands are tied by the unions because of their so called "good intentions." Get rid of the unions and you will quickly see those types of plants in North America. Oh wait, the Toyotas and the Hondas of the world have already done it successfully in North America. In fact, they continue to build these high tech 21st century plants. The difference? No unions to protect obselete jobs and wages that the market determines.

[edit on 8-12-2008 by Cool Hand Luke]

I have a 95 plymouth neon, which is a chrysler.. and i know alot about auto mechanics..
Quality in parts has declined..even at the dealer. Usually, the parts are at least USA made..but the companies taht buy the parts for assembly, could have been made in china, thialand, India , Poland even..i remember an article of a guy, that buoght an ac delco oil filter (a GM line) and discovered on teh box, it was made in POland!!! This was a few months ago, form an Advance auto parts store..
Chryslers do have strong engines, good mileage, and thier automatic transmissions have been known, to last 270,000 miles plus...but headgaskets seem to be a problem... and the rest of the cars are all plastic held together by screws... by contrast..GM automatic transmissions, from what i read, are really well kown, for failing at 70,000 miles...thats an investment right their..and its ALL over a $5 plastic seal..
This makes me think, part of the reason thier in trouble..a $5 seal causing transmission failure at 70,000 miles would = no one wants to buy your car!! as the word spreads....
to me, its kinda a truthful joke i made up eceomonically. a billion dollar auto industry goes bankrupt because of a $5 seal lol
Now hows that for comparison!

My point in my reply is..is for example...GM had simply gotten a $7 or $9 seal, non plastic, who knows,..theyd still be cranking on the auto cash register, and peoples opinions would have changed to positive...
well honestly, last timei ever heard of anyting good about a GM i was 11 years old and it was 1985 ....
Neons have a bad headgasket problem..but at least Chrysler stpeed up to it..correcting the headgasket with MLS (multi layer steel)... thiers a chrysler dealer north of me..i used to go to alot.. parts department guy was always mad cool..but... in the back parking lot hidden, their was always Collant all over the ground, dripping into a sewer drain in tghe back...and piples of used and rusted oil drums, full of god knows what...
that made me think..man how could chrysler allow this to happen..engine coolant(propelyn glycol) is toxic to animals and humans...for all i know, it could be driopping into the water suplly orr beachwater once in the sewer!
I never said nuthin, because i know...ide either get sued so bad, my head would spin.. or theyd make it really dif#t for me, whenever i showed up..
sad isnt? i had wanted to emaiil chrysler regarding this.. but of course, it would prob have gone in one ear and out the other;...as such is things today..