Response to Malorn's poll about Toyota and Economy

I would then blame every IDIOT in the corporate management pool at GM, Ford, DC et al.

In case you have serious ATHD, THOSE fools have caused this mess. And their idiot politician friends.

 

Hey last time I checked, it was OUR big business "leaders" who created that, and our clueless politicians who allowed it.

Go whine to them, they're responsible.

BTW: don't even for a moment try to believe the All Mighty All Caring All Knowing GM isn't making a bundle off China and Japan. Get real.

 

Actually that worked with Iraq because Iraq was a pushover. Really it was.

China on the other hand ... they don't respond too well to bluffs.

 

Um ... why are you addressing this to US??

Why are you not addressing that excellent point to your Senator, Congressperson, maybe a letter to the Prez, and at the next shareholders meeting of GM, Ford, DC, Boeing, Microsoft, SAIC, et al?

 

I already have addressed every elected official including Bush. How about you? What have you done?

 

china yes, but Japan?

 

"I believe in theory you are trying to pointout that over time this all evens out. My questions for you if that is the case how long has the US been running a trade deficit with Japan and what are the dollar amounts involved? I guess you say we are selling a lot of chopsticks to China so we are probably even or running a surplus with them."

Um, no. Your reading between the lines missed the mark.

I am pointing out that:

1. GM is already a global corporation and not on the verge of extinction. One reason is that it implements its strategy for profitability on a global basis. Hence my comment about moving jobs hither and yon. In general, GM doesn't care where cars are made or sold, as long as there's a profit in it.

2. The trade deficit with Japan and/or China is irrelevant to GM's and Toyota's profitability.

3. Toyota is just like GM, except it makes more money because they make better decisions.

4. There is no rational way to conclude that GM is going out of business anytime soon.

 

Bankruptcy may be just around the corner.

 

And there you have it. The unsupported premise in one short sentence. You'll forgive me for deciding not to take it seriously.

Thanks for playing. Come back to play again when you've got something more substantial. Until then, Johnny will tell you about the lovely parting gifts* you'll receive.

Karl B.

* - if you don't play golf, it's always a set of golf clubs. If you do play golf, it's a gift certificate from the Spiegel catalog (Chicago, IL 60609).

 

Its the only way out of the legacy costs that GM and Ford are both saddled with. 1.4 million retirees healthcare and pensions.

 

Even if you're right, which I am not granting...

Bankruptcy does not equal going out of business. GM could declare bankruptcy tomorrow and still be a huge car maker for the next 40 years.

Of course it wouldn't hurt if they got some decent top management...

Karl B.

 

Fords sales drop over 25 percent this October. I predict GM's sales drop will be even more steep. I know most of you think I am crying wolf, but my sources say that GM and Ford are in the second month of a car selling depression.

 

When GM or Ford can sell me a hybrid (or even better a fuel cell car), with 4 seats (and as much room as the Prius), NAV, all the options my prius has, and the same or better mileage at $30K or below, I'm in. Of course that assumes it isn't an ugly, soulless POS like most American cars are.

 

Why don't you quote it in context?

 

I and my co-workers/peers have done the same. We have also addressed and even been invited to speak at the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce.

May I suggest approaching the issue in a sane and nicely worded style? You'll get a lot more attention if you're smartly dressed in a nice business suit, carefully groomed, and have Yale grammer. Maybe ToastMasters might help.

If you suddenly yell "THE SKY IS FALLING!" you tend to scare the "straights" and you certainly scare the sheeple. The sheeple then all go BAAAA and scurry away.

Oh, also make sure to shower the same morning as your presentation, use very nice cologne, and keep those pits dry.

 

So what? They'll pull a Chapter 11, ditch all their bad debt, make US pay for their mistakes, and in a year it will be Business As Usual, S.O.P. "Hey check out our new SUV's, we'll throw in $500 worth of gas too."

I really thought it was cute how GM has claimed their most profitable business unit was GMAC. That was a pure Ponzi Scheme. Think about it: they were advertising these absurdly low interest rates, 0.9% and even 0.0%, yet they claimed GMAC was rolling in dough.

That is patently surreal. How can GMAC make money by charging an interest rate far below what any legitimate bank or credit union would charge?

Oh, right, I forgot. GM builds the "true" cost of financing into every vehicle they build. Other car makers play the same game anytime they have some absurdly low finance rate.

I special ordered my 2000 GMC Sierra SLT 4x4. As optioned the MSRP was $45,000 Canadian. I had to take a call on my cell phone and the salesperson had quickly filled out the GMAC paperwork. The salesperson naturally assumed I would be financing my truck.

I got off the phone, looked over the paperwork, noticed he had only knocked off $1,500, tore it in half, and took out my checkbook. I told the salesperson he had better do WAY better than that as I was paying for it outright, or I would cheerfully march out the door.

He finally settled on $39,000 plus taxes. Hello?? They refused to go lower than $43,500 if financed, but for a cash sale they went down to $39,000? Thus, GM builds in the "true" cost of financing. What a Ponzi Scheme.

We even had a Chevy dealer troll a few months back who tried to engage me in a discussion of how GMAC worked, including some concept of "real" money. I'm still not sure if this Chevy dealer was referring to counterfeit currency or not.

So if you're still whining about the poor General, blame the idiots who run the General. Don't expect me to follow the Credit Binge to help bail out the General, as the Credit Binge is what is flushing us down the drain.

I really had better show the co-workers this tomorrow morning. It has replaced Mad Moo and Bird Flu as conversation starters at the coffee machine.

 

Except that a lot of American cars aren't made in America anymore...