Recent Comments:
Bush says no bailouts for automakers {Autoblog}
Jul 16th 2008 2:44PM "If you think Honda doesn't get help from the Japanese gov't then you're just naive. Comparing Japanese industry to that in the U.S. is not an apples to apples comparison."
The reason why the D3 is in this mess is not b/c of Japan. The D3 would have faltered regardless as another company would fill in the void from VW to Hyundai / Kia (which has grown by leaps and bounds). The D3 also get helps from our gov't through tax breaks, bailouts such as for Chrysler, to CAFE loopholes for E85 trucks which give them a 25mpg rating on a 12mpg Explorer. Imagine how worse off they would be if it was still the D3 owning 80% of market share today and with no competition in small cars they'd only sell SUVs b/c of the profit they made. You can't excuse greed and short sightedness and blame it on Japan (the tried and true excuse they've used for 30+ years). Next is the "Buy American" where the Aveo or Vibe, etc. are rebadged foreign cars or the Fusion hencho en Mexico!
Japan's gov't is highly involved with their automakers b/c they work together...just like the employees work together with their management and the suppliers work together to ensure success for the entirety of their business. Versus D3 management's antagonistic approach that everyone else is their enemy. You don't make friends nor do you survive long when you throw everyone under the bus.
Bush says no bailouts for automakers {Autoblog}
Jul 16th 2008 10:24AM Now come on. Who really thinks Bush is smarter than Obama? Bush can't even tell a joke right (fool me once
!) - or when he explains something then re-explains it in the Bushisms, or when he gives the German Chancellor backrubs, or when this president too more vacation days than any other in history. I'm no Obama fan but compared to Bush - Obama is very smart.
Bush says no bailouts for automakers {Autoblog}
Jul 16th 2008 9:52AM The Detroit 3 need to learn a lesson...when finding oneself in a big hole and you aspire to get out of it...rule #1 is stop digging!
The Detroit 3 have gone through several stages of denial and blaming that the big culprit to their failure were themselves. Instead of reinvesting the money they made into the company they bought others (quick fix) and gave out billions in dividends to share holders who wanted money (and cared less about survival of the company). Trying to maintain this moronic "status quo" has ruined the companies and has put them where they are today. It has not been the market - it's been their blind eye approach to the changing market and preparing for the future. A major cleaning of the house is needed at GM as they are still the same coy SOBs that have no focus and it takes 30% drops in market share for them to finally see the light and a big slap on the hand for giving out loans to anyone with a pulse (yep the repomen are very hard at work these days). Chrysler and Ford have been revamped and are making improvements faster but probably not quick enough.
Now looking for which company to file bankruptcy first and cut the stranglehold on union contracts and health care, dealer franchise agreements, and cut out the poisoned moronic management that's lead them on this downward spiral (their egos are so big that they can't even blame themselves but everyone else).
Wagoner to Obama: Automakers need research money from feds {Autoblog}
Jun 26th 2008 4:51PM Wagonner and Lutz need the Federal money so the US Gov't can fund their research and the money GM doesn't have to spend by themselves can be paid out in dividends, lobbying, and bonuses for management. GM is suffering from instead of investing their profits back into the company they paid the overlords unrealistic salaries and kept a big dividend to keep the shareholders happy. Why do R&D when in 8 years a CEO presides over > 33% drop in market share (32% - 20% overall). There's only one way that Wagoner is still CEO and that is b/c GM can no longer function nor hold its management accountable (notice there is not hard facts on a "turnaround"). It's all deception and lies at RenCen.
Put your name on Dale Jr.'s race car {Autoblog}
Jun 26th 2008 10:07AM Ness Karsux
Gordon Assisy
Pablo Knotwite
Red Nexownly
Upcoming Ferrari supercars based on FXX and Millechili concept {Autoblog}
Jun 23rd 2008 10:49AM Yet another "supercar" article. I've never read so many announcements about "supercars". As much fun as they are to drive - it's getting really boring reading about all of them in one form or another. It's not like 95% of the readers here will ever have driven one or even seen one in person.
Majorly boring:
- New mfgrs coming back from the dead or sprouting up out of nowhere
- any talk of emissions re: supercars
- Ring times
- Spy shots of "we can make out the turn signal lamps now"
- Richy Rich crashes his supercar
- They slapped on a supercharger and now it's really fast.
- Stat sheet racing
Chevy Trax concept joins Beat on TF2 set {Autoblog}
Jun 20th 2008 1:14PM Is this a GM commercial or a movie? How much money does GM spend to have every Autobot a GM product? Ever watch the Matrix Part 2 movie - the big highway scene...every car out on the highway was GM product except for the Ducati.
NHTSA investigating 2.7 million GM vehicles over engine fires {Autoblog}
Jun 18th 2008 5:35PM Are these cruise control related - did TI and the subsequent MFGRs produce the unit - like the one that Ford had installed on some 16M trucks/suvs/cars?
It was bound to happen: K Car Club springs up {Autoblog}
Jun 18th 2008 1:16PM Is this more along the lines of a survivor based club rather than appreciation of them?
NASCAR sued for being racist, sexist of all things {Autoblog}
Jun 11th 2008 11:31PM NASCAR used to be a fun series - like hockey of racing as you're just waiting to see 'em fight. I used to watch it when I was younger and the cars were...well real cars based on "stock" from the factory using stock steel body panels such as Dodge Daytonas, Monte Carlos, etc.
Nowadays...tube frame, fiberglass clad, stickers for headlights, boner medications advertising...then they are still using OHV and carbuerators - it's frickin 2008 and outside of GM's use in pickups and sparingly in the huge engined Corvettes - these technologies have been left behind. But the worst part was about that time NASCAR started pushing for the lowest common denominator of fans - the red of the rednecks - those that travel all over the US in their Rickety Vehicles and pickups with popup campers that look 2 steps from catching fire or flipping over, they have no jobs just welfare checks or alimony, 5 kids who don't go to school b/c they are "goin to tha raeces", one toothbrush but it's used for cleaning out their pipe, and sleep in Walmart parking lots.
Recenty (past 2 years) there's been a lot of defections as attendance and viewers have dropped (before crazy gas prices).
