GM to pull the plug on Pontiac

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- General Motors is preparing to announce that the Pontiac car brand, once marketed as GM's "Excitement division," will be killed off, according to a source familiar with the decision.


money.cnn.com...

Sorry, this was supposed to be in the "breaking news" forum. Feel free to move.

Originally posted by cautiouslypessimistic
Sorry, this was supposed to be in the "breaking news" forum. Feel free to move.

Oh, ha, I have done that before. No worries, I am sure the mods will move it. If you want you can click the alert button beneath any post in the thread and alert the mods that you have accidently posted this in the wrong forum. Actually I just alerted them to the fact. It will be moved shortly.

Anyway, Yes, I have heard that they were planning on killing off the pontiac. There are a number of other cars that GM is going to stop making. I am trying to think of what they are, it has been a while since I have seen or heard the list.

I am thinking Buick is one, but take that with a grain of salt because I am not 100% sure. Hummer is one I believe that they plan on axing soon.

This is a move by GM to stay afloat. I don't know why, but I just want to see them go under. It would be bad for the economy probably but I do... Perhaps it is my experiences over the years with all the rude GM car salesmen. They are ridiculous

have you ever been to a Toyota dealership? They are great. They just have a set price and don't try to pressure or trick you into buying all these unneccasary add ons, and it isnt a hassle! What a concept, make buying a car easy and not miserable!

I have always suspected that the treatment you recieve at a GM car dealership was a part of the reason their car sales are down and foreign car sales are up( for the most part)...

thanks for sharing. I saw this article earlier and thought about posting it, but usually when I do, I have been beaten to the punch anyway!



[edit on 24-4-2009 by gimme_some_truth]

Love your avatar, gimme....

Hummer production is suspended as of right now:
www.autoblog.com...

Havent heard anything about Buick though.

The thing that I find more interesting is that I have yet to hear that Ford is shutting things down. they have produced a very subpar product for a long time now.

Originally posted by cautiouslypessimistic
Love your avatar, gimme....

Hummer production is suspended as of right now:
www.autoblog.com...

Havent heard anything about Buick though.

The thing that I find more interesting is that I have yet to hear that Ford is shutting things down. they have produced a very subpar product for a long time now.

Thank you, the pic was chosen by me but the avatar itself was made by Roswell1.

I didn't realize that they have already suspended the production of Hummers although as time goes on I suspect they will have to kill it off totaly anyway, Those Gas guzzlers are going to die one day.

[edit on 24-4-2009 by gimme_some_truth]

Like I said though, it is odd to me that Ford, whose product line relies SOLELY on their SUV's and Trucks, is still chugging along.......

I worked for a supplier of the auto industry and was laid off two months ago. I keep hoping for that good news, the word that things are finally picking up, People are buying cars again...

But NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

All the news is bad. Every day.

(sigh)

Perhaps someday I'll get to go back to work.

Originally posted by mrwupy
I worked for a supplier of the auto industry and was laid off two months ago. I keep hoping for that good news, the word that things are finally picking up, People are buying cars again...

But NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

All the news is bad. Every day.

(sigh)

Perhaps someday I'll get to go back to work.

I'm SO sorry to hear that. My simpathy is with you. Have you considered retraining into a different area? I know most people have a very hard time with career changes, but I'm afraid the american auto industry will NEVER get going again.

reply to post by cautiouslypessimistic


Right now I'm not that worried about it. I have some money in the bank and the unemployment checks are enough to cover the bills. A year from now I will be getting worried, If I'm not either back at work or doing something else.

For right now, this is the first time I've been without a job in decades. I'm rather enjoying it.

Originally posted by cautiouslypessimistic
Like I said though, it is odd to me that Ford, whose product line relies SOLELY on their SUV's and Trucks, is still chugging along.......

Actually you raise a good point. Ford is going to make it through. I guess they expected that something like this was going to happen and made the required decisions so that they wouldnt be in GM's position?

I just don't know. What a confusing mess it all is right now huh?

Originally posted by mrwupy
reply to post by cautiouslypessimistic

 

Right now I'm not that worried about it. I have some money in the bank and the unemployment checks are enough to cover the bills. A year from now I will be getting worried, If I'm not either back at work or doing something else.

For right now, this is the first time I've been without a job in decades. I'm rather enjoying it.

Ha, nice, well enjoy the free time! I work for a school district, so I often forget that most people dont get 3 months off per year.....

Originally posted by gimme_some_truth

Originally posted by cautiouslypessimistic
Like I said though, it is odd to me that Ford, whose product line relies SOLELY on their SUV's and Trucks, is still chugging along.......

Actually you raise a good point. Ford is going to make it through. I guess they expected that something like this was going to happen and made the required decisions so that they wouldnt be in GM's position?

I just don't know. What a confusing mess it all is right now huh?

I find it quite interesting that Alan Mulally (Ford CEO) previously worked for Boeing, a VERY heavily government contracted company, and one VERY involved in black ops.

He is also a CFR member...

Ut oh! What about the warranties and repairs and parts for Pontiacs? Oh, that's right, the federal government will take care of that for Pontiac owners. And I, a Jeep and Mazda owner will help to pay for these warranties and such.

that is interesting about ford's CEO. It seems all the big companies that have a CEO in the CFR are makin it. Like the the banks that were somehow saved while others got eaten up.

Originally posted by SunnyDee
that is interesting about ford's CEO. It seems all the big companies that have a CEO in the CFR are makin it. Like the the banks that were somehow saved while others got eaten up.

Yes sir, the CFR ties continue:
Banks that are doing okay:
Citi
Chemical
BofA
Morgan
Chase

Every one of those banks is HEAVILY populated with CFR members:
www.apfn.org...

I own a Pontiac Vibe (which is the little sister of the Toyota Matrix).

Actually the Pontiac Vibe / Toyota Matrix is a joint venture done in NUMMI (New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc.) Fremont California plant.

Since that plant produced the Chevrolet Nova (similar to the Toyota Sprinter) in the mid 80's, I hope they will keep the Vibe under a Chevrolet badge.

By the way, in is a Vibe, not a Matrix that is ship back to Japan as a Toyota Voltz.

en.wikipedia.org...

Anyway, by dropping the Pontiac name it is a whole car history segment gone (no nostalgia really).

THe bottom line is that the give a crap, poor quality, they will buy what we build mentality from the 70's and 80's has come home to roost. Whole generations were seduced by Hondas and Toyota, quality and service.

They made cars people wanted and they made them reliable.

Im sorry to see Pontiac go as a former owner of a 1964 GTO, but its been dead for years and finnaly someone is going to claim the body.

GM needs to axe Buick as well.

You go with
Cadillac as your luxury division
Chevrolet as you mainstream
GMC for your trucks

Done and Done

Originally posted by PopeyeFAFL
I own a Pontiac Vibe (which is the little sister of the Toyota Matrix).

Actually the Pontiac Vibe / Toyota Matrix is a joint venture done in NUMMI (New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc.) Fremont California plant.

But Ill bet that the Matrix outsells it by a large margin as GM has destroyed any confidence people have in thier products.

Originally posted by FredT

Originally posted by PopeyeFAFL
I own a Pontiac Vibe (which is the little sister of the Toyota Matrix).

Actually the Pontiac Vibe / Toyota Matrix is a joint venture done in NUMMI (New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc.) Fremont California plant.

But Ill bet that the Matrix outsells it by a large margin as GM has destroyed any confidence people have in thier products.

It does, for the reasons you mentioned, but people who know about the Vibe/Matrix venture understands that it is the same car.

Those days you have a better deal for a Vibe (cheaper, better financing, more standard options, longer warranty, etc.), but a smaller resale value (if you keep it forever, it does not matter).

In fact it is a Pontiac concept to start from, with Toyota mechanical components (engine, power train, etc.).

It used to be built side by side (Vibe/Matrix) on the same plant, but now the Matrix are assembled in Ontario, Canada.

So far, my Vibe is poised to became my best car ever (after 6 other cars), no wonder it is in fact a Japanese Car with an American Badge.

Sad to see the Pontiac brand, mostly for the Vibe.

Now does some of you knows, what is worst as far as re-sale value:

A- You own a car having the date/year, just before it got revamped but that car model still exist (like last two year Vibe when compared with actual Vibe).

B- That car model no longer exist, but the brand remains.

C- The brand no longer exist (like Pontiac, let say), but the mother company (GM) still exist.

D- The mother company (GM) is filing for bankruptcy, restructuring and new owner still unknown.

E- The mother company (GM) is over (no longer exist), have to find small garage that can still do the mechanics (scrap yard for body part, in case of accident),