Quote:
Originally Posted by fbodfather
hmmmmmmmmmmmm........no one is forcing anyone to do anything of the sort.
We CAN provide the best products -- and many many many surveys show that we do.
I'm not telling you to buy GM -- but I AM asking you to consider GM -- and if you don't then please favor Ford or Chrysler for your transportation needs. (and yes, I note you drive a Neon - and I'm pleased it isn't a Honda or a Toyota!!!)
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Let me say first off, I am a GM man. Both grandfathers and my father worked at Harrison's (now Delphi) in Lockport, NY. I grew up with all GM's and probably will stay that way. I think the problem with what your saying is this. For 20 years, GM vehicles were crappy. Execs didn't care about what consumers wanted. The build quality was terrible, materials were cheaper than vietnam hooker. They made shitty cars and they expected people to continue to buy their cars because they didn't forsee competition actually hurting them. Thought they were too big and people would always buy from GM first. Turned out they were wrong. I think GM is paying the price not for the last 5-10 years, but for the 20 years prior to that. GM cars and trucks have gotten a lot better from the mid to late 90's to now. But worst thing for GM is this. It is much much harder to gain a customer back that you lost, than it is to keep an existing customer or gain someone new to the market. To regain a customer that you lost for reasons of poor quality, poor value, poor resale, etc., you have to spend (cannot remember the exact #'s) approx 3 times as much than to keep that customer in the first place. GM is at a point now, where they must spend tons on marketing and ads to try to reattract customers that they lost. Its not about patriotism or buying American made, although I want to thank Fbodfather for pointing out all the Chevys that they build in the U.S. It's about getting a product that has quality. Like Fbod said, they still get people asking for the oldmobiles at auto shows, they're are still a lot of people that think GM cars are still what they were from the late 70's to the mid to late 90's. So even though their current product line is very good, and very competitive. There are a lot of people who were turned of to GM's and other domestics, that have yet to be won back. It will take a lot of effort, and they may not ever come back. Its not because their unpatriotic or unamerican, its GM reaping what they sowed the last 20 years.
That being said. I will continue to buy GM now, because I know they now make a good, quality, reliable, competitive car again. And I cannot wait to get my Camaro and later, the Volt.
P.S. I am in a bit of the same boat. I get out of college, I have a lot of education and some experience. Most places want someone with more experience. Doesn't 5 years of studying that field count for anything. Come on, companies want too much. Guess what I can learn on the job. They want my age, education, but someone with 2-4 years of experience. That person doesn't exist. And its great for my to have shelled out all this money for the education they require, but do they want to pay me what that education is worth to them, Hell no.