In Reply to: Re: does anybody know how other GM brands are doing?, Dan [Profile/Gallery] , Wed, 9 Mar 2005 11:37:22

GM's sales are down across the board. The big SUVs aren't selling very well. Ford and Nissan are creaming them in the pickup market (Ford sold 260,000 more pickups than Chevy last year!). These are their profitable vehicle lines.

On the car side, Toyota, Nissan, and Honda are steadily gaining market share, which Chevy, Buick, and Pontiac steadily lose market share. The only bright spots are the new Chevy Cobalt and the new Buick LaCrosse. Every other car line is down.

They have way too much capacity, and the huge (I mean HUGE) weight of retiree benefits to pay. GM has stated that for every vehicle sold, over $1200 of the sale goes to retiree benefits. That's more than is spent on steel. The Japanese manufacturers don't have this cost (in Japan, they have a national health care system, and in the US, they don't have a very big pool of retirees yet).

So they are in very, very bad shape. But to add to it all, while the reliability of their vehicles is getting better and better every year (the Buick Regal is actually the most reliable vehicle sold in the US), the PERCEPTION of their quality is still very low. So folks think it a "smart buy" to get a Camry, but pretty dumb to buy a Pontiac.

Frankly, it looks like Saab is in a death spiral with showroom space taken up by Subaru and Chevys... and soon a 9-3 made by Opel...


posted by 192.55.106...

• Peter Augustsson Saab boss quits, MDViggen, Wed, 9 Mar 2005 05:49:30
  • Too bad they didn't fire Michael Mauer, Donald North, Thu, 10 Mar 2005 18:36:41
    • Michael Mauer Has Worked For Porsche, Ian Glenday , Thu, 10 Mar 2005 20:56:33
  • I don't know how long he was in charge but Saab was, KB88900TC, Thu, 10 Mar 2005 15:35:51
  • Come on Renault save us quick..., MMM, Thu, 10 Mar 2005 01:18:51
    • Re: Come on Renault save us quick..., bob, Thu, 10 Mar 2005 15:06:35
  • Re: Peter Augustsson Saab boss quits - Edmunds, Brian_in_MA, Wed, 9 Mar 2005 10:31:28
    • Re: Peter Augustsson Saab boss quits - Edmunds, AdamB , Wed, 9 Mar 2005 23:01:25
    • So Frustrating, Draken, Wed, 9 Mar 2005 11:21:07
      • Re: So Frustrating, Charlie Stall, Wed, 9 Mar 2005 17:02:23
      • Re: So Frustrating... and being new to Saab, Bill in VA, Wed, 9 Mar 2005 12:20:49
      • Re: does anybody know how other GM brands are doing?, t_mokes, Wed, 9 Mar 2005 11:27:45
        • Re: does anybody know how other GM brands are doing?, Dan , Wed, 9 Mar 2005 11:37:22
          • Re: does anybody know how other GM brands are doing?, compaqted, Wed, 9 Mar 2005 12:57:16 <-- Viewing This Message
          • Re: is that for real?, t_mokes, Wed, 9 Mar 2005 11:59:18
            • No, they are built in China...., MI-Roger , Wed, 9 Mar 2005 15:19:54
            • Re: is that for real?, Dan , Wed, 9 Mar 2005 12:36:49
              • Re: is that for real?, Rick D, Wed, 9 Mar 2005 12:45:25
  • Don't know how to feel about this..., AdamB , Wed, 9 Mar 2005 06:41:14
    • Re: Don't know how to feel about this..., C H Tay, Wed, 9 Mar 2005 16:38:22
    • Re: Don't know how to feel about this..., Dean, Wed, 9 Mar 2005 08:20:54

No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.

• Prev by Date: Seat-of-the-pants feel & dry handling..., sonique, Wed, 9 Mar 2005 12:52:58
• Next by Date: Unfortunetely you are right, to a certain extent..., No.9, Wed, 9 Mar 2005 13:14:06
• Main General Bulletin Board

StateOfNine.com

SaabClub.com

Jak Stoll Performance

M Car Covers

Ad Available

The content on this site may not be republished without permission. Copyright © 1988-2024 - The Saab Network - saabnet.com.
For usage guidelines, see the Mission & Privacy Notice.
[Contact | Site Map | Saabnet.com on Facebook | Saabnet.com on Twitter | Shop Amazon via TSN | Site Donations]

Random Saabnet.com Member Gallery Photos (Click Image)