Car Salemen and Politicians.... No Difference.

For almost a month now, in our county, a local dealership is following in the tried and true fashion of the Little Train That Could. No surprise it's a GM dealership, one that's bread and butter comes from the expanse of SUV's planted in their lot. As I mentioned for about a month now the head of the dealership has attempted, in vain, some sort of what could be called 'damage control' in the county paper. They've taken out a full page ad every week to spout the 'truth' about what is really going on with the Big Three auto manufacturers and the misconception of foreign made vehicles, ad as of late, particularly hybrids.

This past weeks diatribe against foreign manufacturers concentrated on hybrid vehicles in particular, and even had focus on the Toyota Prius. Scraping together whatever editorials they can and spinning the information in true politician form the head of the dealership has managed to spread more misinformation than even I could believe. This past weeks 'notice of enlightenment' would have driven away even myself from the thought of getting a hybrid had I not been reading and doing my own research on the technology and the auto makers involved. Here are just a few snippits from the article...

 

The article I mentioned specifically above is linked here...

High Priced, Unreliable Hybrids.

 

Welcome back my friends to the game that never ends. That's right folks, it time for the weekly gameshow, "My Hybrid Is Bigger'n Yours."
Below is the typed version I got today in the mail. The PDF version will probably be available online at the same location above on Monday. I'd say a few stern informative emails with the real facts to this guy would be a good start. Then again from the other GM guy I read in some topic in here he'd most likely only deny and fly his GM falg high. Anyway, time for the laugh of the week...

[align=center:41ab490aa1] WHY DOESN'T GM HAVE A HYBRID?

They do-lots of them. But silly GM didn't think the mission was to build a few high priced little cars with a reliability question. Tom Stephens, group VP of GM power train explains, "General Motors' hybrid strategy focuses on first applying hybrid tehnology to the highest fuel consuming vehicles, such as transit buses and full size pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. A positive impact the whole country could feel." Smog in America's largest cities is a serious issue that affects the lives and health of millions of Americans. You don't have to stand on a sidewalk in a big city very long to realize how polluting a city bus is.

[align=center:41ab490aa1] TRANSIT BUSES FIRST

On October 21, 2003 GM began delivery of 235 new buses wih clean hybrid power that saves the Seattle area 750,000 gallons of fuel per year. That's equal to replacing more than 8,000 internal combustion engine cars. GM hybrid transit buses increase fuel economy by up to 60% - reduce certain emissions up to a staggering 90% while delivering 50% better acceleration. The transit bus is a perfect fit for making a hybrid.
For example:

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        [align=center:41ab490aa1] MORE GM HYBRID BUSES ENTER SERVICE
        
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                I have to ask myself: If these other auto manufacturers truely care about saving our country precious oil and if they truely care about our environment, does it make any sense why they would begin hybrid production on small vehicles that are already pretty good on fuel economy with reasonably low emmisions, while ignoring large fuel guzzling, smoke spewing vehicles that are at the heart of America's foreign oil and clean air problem? Could it be that their only real motive is image after all?
                To date, GM has placed more hybrid buses into service across the USA than Honda, Toyota, and Ford has sold passenger hybrid cars, saving America millions more gallons of fuel and cutting harmful emissions and smog tremendously. The only problem is that the media doesn't write about it.
                On June 29, 2005 the Peter Hart Research Associates released a survey which showed while Americans favor efforts aimed at reducing our dependance on foreign oil, they give to much credit to Japanese sutomakers to meet the challenge. Elizabeth Lowery, GM VP for environment and energy stated, "But while the survey shows that Americans support the same goals that are at the heart of GM's overal advanced technology for improving the efficiency, it's troubling what little credit we're getting." I wonder what it would take to get the media to write something positive about GM's hybrid efforts-wait...I have it...Let's talk Leonardo DiCaprio into riding a GM hybrid bus...the media is sure to follow.
                
                [align=center:41ab490aa1] GM HYBRID TRUCKS, SUVS, AND CARS - COMING SOON
                
                In 2004 General Motors introduced the world's first full sized hybrid pickup. While they are currently only available in western and southern states, they will be rolled out nationally soon. For example, On April 7, 2005, Fort Wayne, IN took delivery of a group of new GM hybrid pickup trucks. These hybrid Silverados and Sierras give the highest city fuel economy of any full sized truck, and are equipped with a high power (2004w) mobile generator with outlets that can power heavy duty power tools and more - a feature not offered on other hybrids. They also offer the ability to recharge while braking, and have the same durability and reliability as the gasoline fueled version. For 2006, GM will introduce a hybrid SUV and will be followed a year later by a full sized hybrid Tahoe and Yukon SUVs. A hybrid Malibu will also be introduced in the near future. When hybrids are ready for mainstream use, you can be assured GM will be the leader in affordability and reliability.

 

I was wodering what hybrids they were talking about that they were leading everyone else around with by the nose. I'm glad I know who I can go to now for a [sacasm]commuter bus[/sacasm]. I mean after all I just see more of those on the roads these days than anything else. I looked at the Silverado hybrid and regular for giggles and, WOW!!! Chevy sure told us off. A whopping 1-2 MPG increase in the hybrid model over the rregular gas model. I'd look up the others but I've got things to do.

Makes me wonder who's concerned mroe about image than actually doing anything good with hybrid technology. Doesn't look like GM, that's for sure. Also, makes me wonder what the real MPG ratings are for the commuter buses.