Automotive News, Media & Press - GM Closing 4 SUV & Truck Plants

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080603/ap_on_bi_ge/gm_factories

Hummer may get the axe too??? Bad times my friends, Bad times

I'm scared if this gas crisis were to subside they'd bring back the huge vehicle's in drove's and we'd be right back where we are not long after. I hope gas goes down but at the same time I'm worried it would just lead to a worse mess in the near future if the car companies let up now.

Hummer may get the axe too??? Bad times my friends, Bad times

Agreed. I always thought it would be nice to see Hummer revamped into a Jeep competitor. Jeep has an off-road pedigree, Hummer has a poseur pedigree while claiming to be the king off-roader. Revamp it and make it live up to the image.

Meanwhile, give both high end professional work trucks, AND 'luxury' trucks to GMC ("We are professional grade"), and leave the econo and super light duty truck sales to Chevy, excepting only the Escalade because it's too popular.

The Torrent should also be kept - as an SRT Jeep/X5/X6/Cayenne competitor, make it AWD, but street duty, not off-road.

As it sits though, Hummer seems about useless. If something had to go, it should be that, but it would still be a shame to see anything *have* to go.

Just read the same thing here:
http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/03/news/companies/gm_announcement/index.htm?cnn=yes

Looks to me true...

It also says that they are idleing the canada plant, what does that mean for the camaro?

Maybe they will shorten the name to the Chevy Ca [Ka] and give it a 63 horsepower engine.

Probably the right move at this time.

It's amazes me how many people say GM is so slow to react when few knock Toyota for opening their Texas Truck plant with their gas hogs, and Nissan has their worst in class mileage Armada and Titan.

The Media and many of the public will jump all over American Companies and ignore foreign companies as if they are golden.

Probably the right move at this time.

It's amazes me how many people say GM is so slow to react when few knock Toyota for opening their Texas Truck plant with their gas hogs, and Nissan has their worst in class mileage Armada and Titan.

The Media and many of the public will jump all over American Companies and ignore foreign companies as if they are golden.

Yeah but those companies seem to have a lot more smaller vehicle's to choose from, while American cars bread and butter seemed to be bigger vehicle's.

Car dealerships are going to see a flood of trad-ins on SUV's and trucks soon....expect the values of your SUVs and Trucks to Tank.

Car dealerships are going to see a flood of trad-ins on SUV's and trucks soon....expect the values of your SUVs and Trucks to Tank.


I work at a Honda dealership......believe me when I tell you it's already happened:barf:

Oh yeah.

Thats fine with me. I'll buy an '08 GMC dually when they are worth nothing due to 6 dollar diesel.

Doesn't bother me, I only drive 4 miles one way to work.

It does suck for GM though.

Oh yeah.

Thats fine with me. I'll buy an '08 GMC dually when they are worth nothing due to 6 dollar diesel.

Doesn't bother me, I only drive 4 miles one way to work.

It does suck for GM though.

just remember your gonna have to keep it till you pay it off cause it ain't gonna be worth jack unless you wanna roll over the negative equity into your next purchase.

Probably the right move at this time.

It's amazes me how many people say GM is so slow to react when few knock Toyota for opening their Texas Truck plant with their gas hogs, and Nissan has their worst in class mileage Armada and Titan.

The Media and many of the public will jump all over American Companies and ignore foreign companies as if they are golden.

Right.
And last I checked their 'Gold Standard',<-:eyes: epitome of all,<-:eyes: sacred & beloved by the sheeple everywhere Camry did NOT exactly get 50 MPG either. :nono:
Same goes triple for their Landcruisers and LX570s as well!!

HUMMER is realistically the only GM brand with value (even with high fuel prices) and one that could be sold to another automaker, investors or back to AM General. Just like Jeep with Chrysler.

The rest of GM’s brands, even Saab, have basically zero value outside of GM to anyone else. GM’s restructure should include the closure of every brand except for GM’s core business which is Chevrolet and possibly Cadillac. HUMMER could exist fine with these two brands if GM properly managed it’s business.

Not only does it have the best customer retention, it also provides more profit to GM per unit sold than anything else they make (though that may have changed) and has a unique, premium image that can’t be replicated by any other GM division or other automakers, again like Jeep.

A leaner GM is a GM that can prosper in these times and can react quickly to shifts in the market. It’s a GM with new leadership, with just Chevrolet and Cadillac and with the resources and talent to make exceptional vehicles for both brands the capitalize on their rich histories and nameplates.

Sadly, I don’t think we’ll ever see this happen before Chapter 11.

OK so are they saying they are going to stop building the 2500-3500 trucks and keep the 1500's or are they all done? What about the Avalanche?

just remember your gonna have to keep it till you pay it off cause it ain't gonna be worth jack unless you wanna roll over the negative equity into your next purchase.

Nah I'll buy it from the poor bastard who paid $60 large for it.

I already looked into buying new. Then promptly looked the other way lol.

In my opinion the second round of the golden days are over (or at least in hiatus for many years, just like the early 70's)
I hope GM learned from their slow transitions to gas saving cars back then, and I think they have. I saw one article stating that technology will be focused on MPG and alternate fuels and will be the end of the horsepower wars. I agree with that statement. HP does not sell right now, Green sells. People will be selling off their high HP cars for economy due to necessity, not desire. There will be many of us keep our fun cars, but many others will just not be able to do so anymore. High food costs, loss of equity in homes, gas prices, dwindling jobs and tight lending practices will be keeping buyers from showrooms.
Cars are once again going to become basic transportation and a lot of the fun factor will be gone. Possibly in 20 years or so when good alternative fuels are found and good power can be made with them then we may once again see fun and powerful cars come back.
This is of course my opinion based on what I am reading as well as trends I am noticing with my own business. I really hope I am wrong, but have a bad feeling I am not.

Oh well , it was fun while the party lasted ! Back to loud stereo's & big graphic decals . With four & six cylinder cars with SS & GT decals plastered all over em . Its now official ! The SECOND death of the muscle car has arrived . And just like last time , its the fuckin arabs & OPEC that brought this all about . Don't ya just love them money grubbing sonsabitches ?

Oh well , it was fun while the party lasted ! Back to loud stereo's & big graphic decals . With four & six cylinder cars with SS & GT decals plastered all over em . Its now official ! The SECOND death of the muscle car has arrived . And just like last time , its the fuckin arabs & OPEC that brought this all about . Don't ya just love them money grubbing sonsabitches ?

The muscle car never died during the first and real fuel crisis of the 1970s and I doubt the muscle car is going anywhere now. You can count on Ford to keep carrying the torch with the Mustang, but can you count on GM?

The genre that will die hard is trucks and SUVs. Like muscle cars in the 1960s where everyone was making one and cashing in the market shrunk to it's actual size after the fuel crisis, but it didn't die. Trucks will go through the same thing, they aren't going anywhere but many automakers will bail on them.

Honestly, I never saw any purpose for GMC or Hummer to exist in the first place, so I'm actually kind-of happy...

The muscle car never died during the first and real fuel crisis of the 1970s and I doubt the muscle car is going anywhere now. You can count on Ford to keep carrying the torch with the Mustang, but can you count on GM?

The genre that will die hard is trucks and SUVs. Like muscle cars in the 1960s where everyone was making one and cashing in the market shrunk to it's actual size after the fuel crisis, but it didn't die. Trucks will go through the same thing, they aren't going anywhere but many automakers will bail on them.

They may still exist, but won't be the same. Do you remember that little hunk of junk that Ford called the Mustang in the 70's. Wasn't it basically a Pinto or something like that? The muscle cars are going to get stripped down once again I fear.
Yes, I agree the trucks and SUV's will suffer the hardest fate and maybe it is about time. I see way too many SUV's with only 1 or 2 people in the seats. We have a Suburban, but also have 5 kids between the two of us so we fill every seat and only take it when there are at least 3 kids with us.

Meanwhile, give both high end professional work trucks, AND 'luxury' trucks to GMC ("We are professional grade"), and leave the econo and super light duty truck sales to Chevy, excepting only the Escalade because it's too popular.

GMC needs to be discontinued. It's redundant, and it's time to trim the fat.

Oh well , it was fun while the party lasted ! Back to loud stereo's & big graphic decals . With four & six cylinder cars with SS & GT decals plastered all over em . Its now official ! The SECOND death of the muscle car has arrived . And just like last time , its the fuckin arabs & OPEC that brought this all about . Don't ya just love them money grubbing sonsabitches ?

Factory "high" performance was only dead from 1975 to 1985. In 1974, you could still buy a 455 Super Duty Trans Am, which was a pretty stout car. And by 1986, we had an intercooled turbocharged Grand National that was nearly as fast stock as most every "original" muscle car was.

People often talk like performance was dead from 1973 until the '97 LS1 came out, but that's just foolish. In the mid-to-late '80s you could choose from plently of cars that had mid-low 14 second (or better) performance right from the factory; Turbo Buicks, Corvettes, Camaros & Firebirds with L98s, and even 5.0 Mustangs. Only the big block muscle cars of the late '60s would be able to keep up with these '80s cars, something like a run-of-the-mill stock 350ci A-body car from '68-'72 wouldn't stand a chance against an '87 Grand National. Granted, those cars (in stock form) seem slow today, but we've been spoiled by the affordability, availability, and performance of stock LS1 cars.

Point being, things weren't bleak for nearly as long as people seem to think.

Oh well , it was fun while the party lasted ! Back to loud stereo's & big graphic decals . With four & six cylinder cars with SS & GT decals plastered all over em . Its now official ! The SECOND death of the muscle car has arrived . And just like last time , its the fuckin arabs & OPEC that brought this all about . Don't ya just love them money grubbing sonsabitches ?


Can't really blame them, its the investors who are drive the price of crude oil up, people keep buying oil stocks and its now the hottest thing on the market so up it goes.......OPEC is just getting all the benefits.

Factory "high" performance was only dead from 1975 to 1985. In 1974, you could still buy a 455 Super Duty Trans Am, which was a pretty stout car. And by 1986, we had an intercooled turbocharged Grand National that was nearly as fast stock as most every "original" muscle car was.

People often talk like performance was dead from 1973 until the '97 LS1 came out, but that's just foolish. In the mid-to-late '80s you could choose from plently of cars that had mid-low 14 second (or better) performance right from the factory; Turbo Buicks, Corvettes, Camaros & Firebirds with L98s, and even 5.0 Mustangs. Only the big block muscle cars of the late '60s would be able to keep up with these '80s cars, something like a run-of-the-mill stock 350ci A-body car from '68-'72 wouldn't stand a chance against an '87 Grand National. Granted, those cars (in stock form) seem slow today, but we've been spoiled by the affordability, availability, and performance of stock LS1 cars.

Point being, things weren't bleak for nearly as long as people seem to think.

If you're in the car business where May GM sales were off 28% from last year. And last year wasn't so hot either. I might want to agrue if things are bleak or not. For the American Automobile Industry to be here 30 years from now will require those in auto sales to get their heads out of their ass. Selling is 80% attitude. More folks have been in the business than are in the business today. People don't quit an easy job where they can make money too often.

:angel: Jakes Dad

OK so are they saying they are going to stop building the 2500-3500 trucks and keep the 1500's or are they all done? What about the Avalanche?


They are not going to stop making any of the trucks except the Trailblazer eventually, they are just going to cut production, and close the extra plants they are not going to use anymore. They make the Tahoe at 2 plants, the Suburban at 3, and the Silverados at 4. The Avalanche is only built in Mexico.

If you're in the car business where May GM sales were off 28% from last year. And last year wasn't so hot either. I might want to agrue if things are bleak or not. For the American Automobile Industry to be here 30 years from now will require those in auto sales to get their heads out of their ass. Selling is 80% attitude. More folks have been in the business than are in the business today. People don't quit an easy job where they can make money too often.

:angel: Jakes Dad

:huh:

You quoted my post, but what you replied with has absolutely nothing to do with what I wrote.

I said that performance (not sales) wasn't as bleak/dead during the late '80s and early '90s as what people seem to recall. And that the 'dark age' of performance only really lasted for about 10 years, not the ~25 years that some people seem to "remeber".

You're talking about current sales figures. Totally different topic there. Maybe you replied to the wrong post. ;)

GMC needs to be discontinued. It's redundant, and it's time to trim the fat.

agreed! comparing a GMC to a chevy its like looking in the mirror twice and moving your hair an inch to the side, pointless...

Page 1 Post #1 GM CLOSING 4 PLANTS

I though what you quoted and what you posted was good information. I mentioned why these plants were closing. GM Sales off 27.5% in May. You spoke about the performance era. Is it dead or alive can always be debated. The auto industry has changed ie 4 more plants closing. My comment was it will die if those in auto sales allow it to die. Sales are off - it's my fault!

Jakes Dad

Honestly, I never saw any purpose for GMC or Hummer to exist in the first place, so I'm actually kind-of happy...
I agree on that.

GM has had too many divisions with too many bueocrats for too long. They operate much like the federal government does, except they have the ability to contract when the federal gov. only continues to increase in size.

I think this is a good move for them, but the question begs, why didn't they make a shift sooner. These things were starting to rear their heads about 4 years ago. While I still believe that we are going to see a correction in oil (and it has already started), it probably will not be back to $28~42 a barrel.


I said years ago that GM should spin or sell hummer and make massive cuts as well as axe some of it's brands to be able to compete amongst the competion and diverify itself more, but it's ashame when the company doesn't understand that.

I think GMC should be the next brand dropped. Hummer at least has a specific niche that can't be filled by another brand as easily as Chevy can fill the place of GMC.

Actually I think GMC will become a bigger liability than Pontiac or Buick in the coming years. It really should be the next brand that gets the axe, and soon IMO.

HUMMER is a unique brand with a unique image and recent heritage. It does something that no other brand foreign or American can do, just like Jeep.

You can't say any of those things about any of GM's other brands today. GM has rendered all of them damn near irrelevent. Wagoner's knee-jerk statement regarding HUMMER yesterday just showed publicly how badly managed their company and brands really are.

GM has to concentrate on it's core business, it's core is Chevrolet and that brand is GM's strongest.

GM has to concentrate on it's core business, it's core is Chevrolet and that brand is GM's strongest.

I think Cadillac is equally important to GM. You're probably correct in your statement that Chevy and Cadillac alone could carry GM, producing a much leaner, more nimble, more profitable company.

I own a gmc dd rcsb, and i will never sell it
man, with all thse hi gas prices , its only a matter of time before ppl start selling there escalades cheep, ill be watching like a vulture:devil:
i need bling, gas prices b dammed

HUMMER is a unique brand with a unique image and recent heritage. It does something that no other brand foreign or American can do, just like Jeep.

You can't say any of those things about any of GM's other brands today. GM has rendered all of them damn near irrelevent. Wagoner's knee-jerk statement regarding HUMMER yesterday just showed publicly how badly managed their company and brands really are.

GM has to concentrate on it's core business, it's core is Chevrolet and that brand is GM's strongest.


Don't build H-1's: today
Originally for off road Military use

H-2 is built off the 2500 HD

H-3 is a Colorado

Unique - don't think so but then I remember Flames, coffee can exhausts, chopped tops and Flat head V8's on many a car and I thought those were special.

:secret2: Jakes Dad

I find it like a breath of fresh air. When I was younger I was a truck guy. Now it's like American's have a reality check. All these big SUV's and Trucks, hauling nothing but one person, whats the point in that? People will be ready to buy a Mustang GT or Dodge Charger before a gas gulping SUV. So I find it to be the semi death of the Truck/SUV's.

I think GM is underestimating how well a reborn El Camino would sell with fuel prices as they are....

I think GM is underestimating how well a reborn El Camino would sell with fuel prices as they are....True, the utility of a small pick up truck but the handling/fuel economy of a V8 car.
Maybe that aerodynamic G8 nose with a nice 6.0L/6.2L and a 6 speed (manual and/or auto) for some low RPM/high MPG highway cruising. :nod:

On the issue of closing any GMC dealerships, it would reduce GMs outlet to sell their trucks. As long as they are selling, there is no incentive to close any dealerships. Personally, I have always liked the styling queues of the GM vs. the Chevy. Truck sales to people who use them as personal transportation vehicles will be lost. People who use them for there intended purpose will continue to buy.

GM still has their act together more than any other manf on 1/2 ton trucks. They were the first to go with cylinder on demand, and currently have the best in class mileage for the 1/2 ton truck. If anyone should be hammered for being introducing Inefficient vehicles at the exact wrong time it should be Toyota with the "finally" full sized Tundra and Nissan for their worst in class gas mileage full size vehicles.

It's rather confusing how so many people that post on an LS based board think of the Japanese Auto makers as being Clairvoyant. They are anything but. Having been an Engineer for one of the Japanese big three I can assure you they have as large or larger of a disconnect from their consumer as GM does (I add that this is of course model specific).

If GM is as messed up as some people would lead you to believe, we would not have the LS motors, a decent truck, The GTO, the re-introduction of the F-body, the new Malibu (with world class reviews), etc etc.

And if the Japanese are so infallible, they would have made money on the Supra, Nissan would not have a 100% recall and buyback of the late eighties mini van, Toyota would have copied the Caravan earlier and dropped the Previa, etc etc. I still don't know how Mitsubishi can stay in business as an Auto manf.

On the issue of closing any GMC dealerships, it would reduce GMs outlet to sell their trucks. As long as they are selling, there is no incentive to close any dealerships. Personally, I have always liked the styling queues of the GM vs. the Chevy. Truck sales to people who use them as personal transportation vehicles will be lost. People who use them for there intended purpose will continue to buy.

Some GMC dealers can be converted to Chevy to handle the increase in sales, rather than closing every one.

And I’m not saying to cut production to a point where it can’t keep up with sales demand, but rather to shift a portion GMC’s production to Chevy, just enough to meet demands. The vast majority of GMC buyers would buy a Chevy (before a Ford, Dodge, or import) if GMC was not an option. And the few buyers GM would lose still wouldn’t trump the cost savings of discontinuing the brand.

We are in an industry shift. We will not see a resurgence of large truck sales until there is a cheap and readily available replacement for gas that would negate the need for a more efficient vehicle in the eyes of the average buyer. This is not going to happen in the next decade. GM doesn’t need a separate brand just for trucks. Ford and Dodge sell trucks under one name only, respectively. GM should be doing the same with Chevy.

Again, I see no case for the retention of the GMC nameplate.

GM still has their act together more than any other manf on 1/2 ton trucks. They were the first to go with cylinder on demand, and currently have the best in class mileage for the 1/2 ton truck. If anyone should be hammered for being introducing Inefficient vehicles at the exact wrong time it should be Toyota with the "finally" full sized Tundra and Nissan for their worst in class gas mileage full size vehicles.

It's rather confusing how so many people that post on an LS based board think of the Japanese Auto makers as being Clairvoyant. They are anything but. Having been an Engineer for one of the Japanese big three I can assure you they have as large or larger of a disconnect from their consumer as GM does.Good points. :nod:

Actually Chrysler was the first to have cylinder deactivation on a truck.

Whether or not it actually saves any fuel when these things are averaging mid teens (the same as old trucks that didn't have it) per tank is up for debate.

When the Silverado and Tahoe debuted I said both were disappointingly bland and play-it-safe designs that would not weather well when fuel prices go through the roof. Which was correct. The Silveardo borders on vanilla ugly, the Tahoe is just ok. Neither have the style that draw people or make people want to covet them.

Making cars that look like crap has been a huge problem at GM for a long time. At least he Camaro is getting it's original iconic looks that it deserves.

When the Silverado and Tahoe debuted I said both were disappointingly bland and play-it-safe designs that would not weather well when fuel prices go through the roof. Which was correct. The Silveardo borders on vanilla ugly, the Tahoe is just ok. Neither have the style that draw people or make people want to covet them.I don't know man, I'm not really a truck either way but I've always thought that the latest editions of the GM truck line up were pretty cool looking, definite improvements over what came before them and certainly most will agree that the Escalade and Denali models carry some serious style. :pimp:
You're not actually implying that a Sequoia or a Tundra are just oozing with pizzazz now are ya? :lol:

Good riddance.

Actually Chrysler was the first to have cylinder deactivation on a truck.

Whether or not it actually saves any fuel when these things are averaging mid teens (the same as old trucks that didn't have it) per tank is up for debate.

When the Silverado and Tahoe debuted I said both were disappointingly bland and play-it-safe designs that would not weather well when fuel prices go through the roof. Which was correct. The Silveardo borders on vanilla ugly, the Tahoe is just ok. Neither have the style that draw people or make people want to covet them.

Making cars that look like crap has been a huge problem at GM for a long time. At least he Camaro is getting it's original iconic looks that it deserves.

One huge mistake that GM made was the last remodeling they have done to the trucks which has tremendously increased drag due to a larger more open grill.

This has more than no doubt killed off any benefit of the DOD except on the city streets. I would kill for the old 2002 body style. Much more aerodynamic.

One huge mistake that GM made was the last remodeling they have done to the trucks which has tremendously increased drag due to a larger more open grill.

This has more than no doubt killed off any benefit of the DOD except on the city streets. I would kill for the old 2002 body style. Much more aerodynamic.

agreed

This will be the 70s -80s all over again, people who buy suburbans will be schools, hospitals, people who pull campers, troopers etc and tahoes will be purchased by the same groups. Trucks will be purchased for people who need trucks, nothings dead, they are just trimming down.

GMC sells well, and the reason GM sells more pickups than anybody else. There are also countless people who are dumb enough to beleive GMC makes a better truck and will buy nothing but a GMC regardless of being a Chevy in different cloths.

GMC sells well, and the reason GM sells more pickups than anybody else. There are also countless people who are dumb enough to beleive GMC makes a better truck and will buy nothing but a GMC regardless of being a Chevy in different cloths.

I disagree.

I highly doubt that a potential GMC buyer would move to Ford or Dodge if GMC wasn't an option. The vast majority of them would buy a Chevy. Chevy is the bigger name, and the bigger seller, thus it's the one they should focus on.