GM finally admits to producing crappy vehicles.

[m42]

The government should not have intervened, but now that they have:

Will this really help? They economy didn't destroy them, their refusal to alter their business model did.

General Motors (GM) needs $18 billion from the government and taxpayers and wants the American people to know why.

In an open letter titled “GM’s Commitment to the American People” which ran in Automotive News, a trade journal ready by industry executives, lobbyists and other insiders, the beleaguered car maker candidly acknowledged it has disappointed U.S. consumers and pledged to do better. It said recent strides to improve the company have been hurt by the economic downturn, which is why it needs the loans.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/transportation/gm-makes-case-americans-admits-mistakes/

[John A Roark]

Funny... the Big Three are posting profits elsewhere in the world--just not here. Hmmm..........

[John Scott]

Move the manufacturing entirely out of the US and a better car would be possible.

[John A Roark]

I refuse to blame the Big Three after a bout of thinking I did this week.
I looked at the fools' paradise that is America these days and said to myself, "Self ('cause that's what I call myself), why are we in the state we're in?"

Government. Washington. Entrenched bureaucracy. The Hamilton legacy.

In the end, 97.4% of every problem we face can be traced back to Washington and laid at the feet of the Federal Government.

The withholding of taxes is the only thing to get their attention.
Choke their money, choke THEM.
We gotta do it, folks.

[ExpaFr]

I don't know to much about GM, what I can tell you is that Ford merit what they get.

I had a old Ford Probe (engine made by Mazda) a few years back, from my experience I bought all the parts from Mazda. Yes, buying the same parts from them is 66% cheaper.

When you go to Ford, they just tell you a bunch of lies, parts come from Japan and are more expensive, etc.

For example: I needed a new distributor for my Ford Probe. In Ford the part cost was $1080, then went to Mazda the same part was at $300. You cannot imagine how much cheaper the other parts were... Reliability of this car was a nightmare, the car broke down every 4 months, and we decided to resale it.

Now I will buy only Japanese car or truck, because they are reliable and parts are reasonnable.

Back to the big three, begging for taxpayers money will be just a temporary fix, even if they go hybride, that will not change the fundamental which is reliability. Why Japanese are better? Just because they build quality and I love quality.

Politically it is great for some congressman (not all) to show that they are saving employments, etc...That's just more messy than before. At the end we will pay the greed of big tree CEO and inconscientes people from congress.

I wish to see the gov making realistic decisions, letting the big tree falling in bankuptcy, then help building one big automaker company, with reliable vehicules at affordable prices. Let's not forget efficiency too.

And stop hopeless bailouts !