GM is shutting plants and slashing staff

originally posted by: Stevenjames15
a reply to: schuyler

I worked for GM as a service adviser for years. Sadly they make junk! And they HAVE MADE JUNK FOR DECADES. I would bet that ALL of your vehicles have broken down and have at least been in for recalls at least once. Foreign automakers stole the American market due to American automakers putting out junk for decades. I know people that have 30-40 year old Honda's and Toyotas. Lexus's with over a million miles on them. America can blame the laziness of Americans for this problem.

Oh, please. What does "they make junk" even mean? That's just absurd. And you bet wrong, completely wrong. I have three GM vehicles: a 2007 Classic Silverado Duramax with zero problems. No recalls. I have a Cadillac CTS VSport. Recall? Yeah, some sort of seat malfunction that only happens when you remote start the car, which I have never done, that MIGHT happen. I MIGHT take it in when it's convenient for me, but it really has no impact. BFD. And I have a C7 Corvette that has had zero problems. None. Nada. No recalls. No problems. Just oil changes. So you LOSE the bet by assuming you know stuff that you absolutely do not. The fit and finish on the two cars is immaculate. I easily compare it to Mercedez and it easily equals it. When you say stuff like "They make junk" you lose credibility. Get real. It's hyperbole that makes no real sense at all. It's laughable.

Spent 20 years in GM engineering and they only way they know how to cut is closing plants and getting rid of some middle management that will be replaced in a year or two.

Worked in Engineering and the only projects that got funded were from the top down no matter how bad they were engineering wise just keep throwing money at it. I don't think I ever worked on a project that went into production just throw money at ideas that we could prove they were junk from the git go.

Still better than Chrysler or Ford

a reply to: schuyler

what you have doesn't matter the obvious numbers speak for themselves, very limited thinking

originally posted by: Willtell
You’ve had to have worked in an auto plant to understand that the technology of robotics just isn't ready to move humans out yet.

Number one, 20 to 30 and 40 years ago they were already into robots in the plants.

They don’t use them for every kind of job in an auto plant.

People weren’t laid off much due to that.

The cars still need the human touch since robotics, building and operating a huge plant, actually might be more expensive than human beings.

People forget robotics are extremely expensive and have to be maintained and the building of an automobile along a very very long assembly line at this point still needs human beings rather than robots.

Sure one day it might take over all of the manufacturing but when you see the work in an assembly plant you’ll immediately see that robots will NOT for a long time yet move out human beings from making cars.

But investing into the technology keeps it from stagnating.

Honeslty, your views mirror mine in regards to robotics, 'cept this was back in the early to mid 90s. Nowadays, robotics have become much more advanced and can so much more too.

This isn't unique to the US, rather all developing nations with advance manufacturing bases.

In the future, we'll have to redefine what our economy actually IS and find ways to supplement it. In the future, hard labor will go the way of the Dinosaurs...

originally posted by: toysforadults
a reply to: schuyler

oh cool beans

DETROIT/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - General Motors Co (GM.N) said on Monday it will cut production of slow-selling models and slash its North American workforce in the face of a declining market for traditional gas-powered sedans, shifting more investment to electric and autonomous vehicles.

but, i'll take your anecdotal evidence for what it's worth (not much)

My worldwide sales figures are "anecdotal evidence"? ROTFLMAO. That's just ludicrous. Do you even know what "anecdotal" means?

Yes, "car" sales are declining, just like Ford said the same thing. Idiots quickly jump on that and say, "Look! Look! Car sales are declining!" and COMPLETELY MISS what is really happening. It's all about SEDANS. Meanwhile, in the real world, SUVs, Crossovers, and Truck sales continue to increase because, apparently, people no longer like "sedans." So to the pedantically impaired, SUVs and crossovers are not "cars." So they can actually claim with a straight face that "car sales" are declining.

And really, what is wrong with investing in electric vehicles? That's a GOOD thing. That's what all car manufacturers should be (and are) doing.

a reply to: schuyler

people aren't buying their cars so they are shutting down plants how ridiculous do you want to make this conversation?

stop being ridiculous

Bloomberg

General Motors Co.’s sales fell about 13 percent in August as the automaker pulled back on sales incentives, especially for full-size pickups, people familiar with the matter said.

meh, don't waste my time anymore

a reply to: Willtell

Thanks for posting this; I'd missed it somehow, busy morning.

Just hope this isn’t a sign the economy is going down.

Hmm, not necessarily in the near term. But I'd guess that may not augur well for the future as it appears this move is in response to a need to significantly reduce costs by stopping the manufacture of GM's least popular and lowest margin vehicles. As well, it gives GM breathing room to ramp up production of more advanced vehicles, autonomous vehicles and electric vehicles. It also gives GM access to capital necessary to modernize existing plants such that they can produce new vehicles faster, more efficiently and with far fewer human workers. And that's the trend that should worry everyone. We may be reaching that point that will be remembered as "Peak Human" in terms of job needs.

a reply to: toysforadults

There are a lot of people that aren't interested in new cars - people haven't been interested in them for well over a decade...... which is where we got the "Cash for Clunkers" crap and subsequent ch.11 filings.

I'm not entirely sure what their plan is, considering they seem to be wanting to move in a direction to further separate themselves from reality and what consumers actually want..... which is what leads me to believe this is over money and profits.

You're spot on with the comparison of American vehicles vs. Foreign vehicles though - one builds vehicles for the consumer, the other builds vehicles for the company's profit margin; except Volkswagen, they ended up pretty crappy too.

a reply to: dragonlover12

A need for speed, I concur what a thrill it is to red line the needle.

GM is too big and unwieldy.

They make way to many models and off shoots of cars and trucks.

They should cull the flock and have a more focused business model, that is unless you as a tax payer would like to bail them out again.

The tier industry that support GM will likewise be hit hard. The domino effect of this will be felt pretty far down stream.

They are cutting 6 models of vehicles: Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac CT6, Cadillac XTS, Chevy Cruze, Chevy Impala, and Chevy Volt.

GM/Chevy is in a bad position right now.

Their Stabilitrak system is a total bust and is deadly. It's in most of it's vehicles.

It independently controls the brakes using the steering sensor, speed inputs and a motion sensor.

It is completely out of control in slick situations, overriding normal recovery maneuvers.

My truck shot off the road, and my dad's Yukon has shot off the road twice in the rain.

It's over complicated and throws bad speed signals. It uses frequencies to measure speed,so it's too tempermental. It sends the wrong speeds with water leaks at the speed sensor plugs and activates the brakes trying to right a unneeded problem and takes over control.

It activates the brakes in a corner, which is a major no-no.

I'm a better-than average driver, driving trailers and offroading, etc, and it put me in the ditch at 25 mph on a small slick spot.

If you have one of these lemons, just unplug your steering wheel angle sensor to disable the system before you die, then file a claim.

It's inside, under the dash, on the steering shaft. Easy to find. To re-activate, center steering wheel and plug it back in.

The negative effects are loss of guidance lines in reverse and stabilitrak disable dash light.
Small price to pay.

These car companies need to get out of the computer business.

I dropped over 30k on this truck and am furious. Gmc used to be the leader in quality.

It has some pretty bad quality control issues, like the gas pedal bracket flexing, giving a half inch of pedal travel before sending a throttle pushed signal, giving a mushy, crappy response off the line. Bad driveshafts causing vibration at highway speeds.

Canada is yanking them fron the road, they have a lot of snow, so it's a bigger problem.
GMC US is trying to avoid it, but it's a matter of time.

They are going to need another bailout.

Not good.

originally posted by: Arnie123
May or may not be, either or I'm just happy you didn't make this out to be Trump, if anything he got them to think.

--- On topic ---

This honestly just sounds like restructuring and adapting to a new era, something all companies seemingly have to come to terms with.

Hell, even executives getting a pay cut.

Good for GM, would like to see what they bring to the market.

Of course, it was Obama's fault.

I'm digging into the schematics to disable traction control while not disabling the abs now.

-For those that live in the mountains and country

It's absolute garbage and gets you stuck.

I'll update when I crack it.

Cull the heard??

Pontiac
Oldsmobile
Hummer
Saturn
Saab

All culled in the last 10 years give or take.

a reply to: mikell

Un-Stabilitrak sure feels like population control

a reply to: Mandroid7

Thanks for the heads up, I know a couple of guys who think GMC trucks are the best. This should really grind their gears lol.

originally posted by: Mandroid7
a reply to: mikell

Un-Stabilitrak sure feels like population control

No fun to diagnose or fix I can tell you that.

a reply to: Mandroid7

I had a ram 1500 once, the clutch broke twice on me. Once while driving, it broke and almost caused me to have a fatal accident on the highway.

That was a good start. Now cut models.