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GM launches Facts and Fiction site to correct what's written on the bathroom wall
There's a lot of smack talk about Detroit automakers these days, and while some of it is spot on, other myths are no more credible than what's written in the men's john. General Motors is apparently tired of fielding questions surrounding this bathroom fodder and the embattled automaker is busting out its own Sharpie to dispel what it feels are untruths. GM has created a Web 1.0 site called GM Facts and Fiction on which are several statements often said in the media and around the water cooler that its feels are untrue. For example, much talk has come up concerning government bailouts, and GM Facts and Fiction counters that the federal money would not be a bailout but rather low-interest loans earmarked for developing fuel-efficient vehicles. Other topics of purported myth include fuel economy, product desirability and the Chevy Volt. Hit the link below to see GM's latest five fact-and-fiction posts, and let us know if you think the automaker is on the mark or just scribbling lavatory graffiti of its own.
[Source: GM Facts and Fiction]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Torrent 4:03PM (9/05/2008)
Ooh this can come in handy.
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Rob 4:03PM (9/05/2008)
Fact or Fiction: GM conspired to slow or block light rail development.
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mike 4:06PM (9/05/2008)
Fact or Fiction? Wagoner makes as many millions a year as GM loses billions a quater?
alex 4:15PM (9/05/2008)
That may be true, but how long ago was that? I doubt any of the current execs have had anything to do with it.
It's like me saying; "fact or fiction: GM quality was worse in the 1970's?"
Rob 4:27PM (9/05/2008)
Alex - One leaves consumers with a choice, one doesn't.
mike 4:29PM (9/05/2008)
Alex, OK GM lost 13 Billion is USA only about 3 weeks ago, and Rick made almost 15 Mil in 2007 and over 15 Mil in 2008. Rick alone makes more in one year as top 9 Toyota executives COMBINED.
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/gm-ceo-rick-wagoner-scores-144m-for-07/
John 4:30PM (9/05/2008)
Quote: "Fact or Fiction? Wagoner makes as many millions a year as GM loses billions a quater?"
Fact or Fiction: Hollywood liberals make upwards of $100 million a year, are responsible for nobody but themselves, and are never criticized for their salary. However it's somehow wrong, according to liberals, when CEO's who are responsible for tens even hundreds of thousands of employees in high paid jobs when they make several million dollars.
Todd 4:50PM (9/05/2008)
Fact: GM killed off the EV-1 at the request of Exxon/Mobile and the Bush administration.
Myth: The Volt will not meet the same fate.
jg 5:01PM (9/05/2008)
'Fact or Fiction: Hollywood liberals make upwards of $100 million a year, are responsible for nobody but themselves, and are never criticized for their salary. However it's somehow wrong, according to liberals, when CEO's who are responsible for tens even hundreds of thousands of employees in high paid jobs when they make several million dollars. '
That is the dumbest justification for executive salaries that I have ever heard.
Snake420 5:12PM (9/05/2008)
John most hollywood types are generally actually good at their jobs and liked for their work. The same for athletes. For the most part if they are bad at what they do, they'd loose contracts, popularity, and eventually their careers.
Almost no one thinks Rick is doing a good job and the fact that hundreds of thousands of jobs depend on his incompetent decisions makes it even worse.
I say he should put himself on a merit based pay scale. The better the company does, the better salary he gets. And vice-versa.
tekdemon 9:21PM (9/05/2008)
Just how many Hollywood liberals make over 100 million a year?!? Even the very top movie stars don't make that kind of cash.
But regardless, the movie stars who make a lot of money are also the same ones who bring in the customers for the film companies. You know, they manage to sell tickets when they're in a movie. How this compares with Wagoner is beyond me.
simianspeedster 12:47AM (9/06/2008)
"Fact: GM killed off the EV-1 at the request of Exxon/Mobile and the Bush administration."
Fact: you should be wearing a tin foil hat if you believe that supposed fact.
tom 12:02PM (9/06/2008)
John,
What does being liberal or conservative have to do with anything here? Why would you even try to make this a political argument?
mike 4:05PM (9/05/2008)
Why spend money and time building good cars?
This is much better, or making commercials that say we hate big oil and later pulling them back is also a good way of wasting money.
I simply do not understand why the largest share holders do not sue the members of the board?
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alex 4:20PM (9/05/2008)
It's called "marketing," say it with me "mar-ket-ing." Every company does it, and spends millions doing it. If they wouldn't market their products, they wouldn't sell them.
GM does make good products, but they also want to break the stereotypes. That's where this comes in.
Not to mention, this website did not cost them much.
Soccer Mom 4:12PM (9/05/2008)
Regardless of the GM's past, it seems to have a future. Personally, I find their latest offering quite appealing (Malibu, Cruze), not to mention superb (Camaro and huh, upcoming Volt).
Chrysler may turn around after firing that bast@rd who uglified their lineup with the "edge" design language. Hey, keep it coming, and soon you wouldn't need a website to refute myths.
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Sandeep 4:16PM (9/05/2008)
I don't think Chrysler's biggest problems were due to the style. They simply were very unconvincing products- the interiors were chintzy, the engines are mediocre (either inefficient or underpowered, take your pick) the recent redesigns were actually steps backwards in the eyes of some journalists (I'm thinking Liberty and Sebring here).
There's since been some rethinking on their part, but the damage was so thorough it'll take some seriously deep pockets to turn this around in time.
Frank 4:24PM (9/05/2008)
Fact or Fiction:
The time spent writing this crap is time and resources GM could be using to fix cars so they can speak for themselves?
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kaslings 4:46PM (9/05/2008)
You're right, because the 5 guys in the IT department who made the website, are also the 5 guys in QA testing the cars, and the same 5 guys are also design engineers.
stratojet 11:09PM (9/05/2008)
The time to write these statements were not spent by the engineers or the designers. If you read through all of them, you will see tehy make sense.
Roll eyes!