This Made Me Sick Today...GM begging for support

[Matt Herring]

I'm a subscriber to the GM Volt newsletter and over the past few months I've enjoyed receiving the updates about the car. It has been very informational and very low-pressure from a marketing/pr angle. It is (allegedly written) by a non-GM everyday citizen...believe that one and I'll sell you a bridge in Brooklyn.

Today, I nearly became physically ill when I received the newsletter. What is this crap GM is trying to do? Begging consumers to bail them out of the mess they created by threatening to halt/delay/end production of the Volt? While I was considering Volt vs. Prius for a PHEV option...GM just lost my interest. If this is the kind of crap they are going to pull now...what happens when I am a customer of their company...will they beg me to buy two Volts instead of one?

Here's what I received in my email:

Dear Volt enthusiast:

The auto industry is at the brink of collapse, and the Chevy Volt is in peril.

Please consider helping by signing the letter to the US government at this link:

GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site » Blog Archive » GM-Volt.com Letter to the US Government

[Frank Lee]

Disgusting. GM CEO makes over $60,000/day. Just look at the fabulous expertise 60k gets you!

[Matt Herring]

the guy that runs this blog is allegedly a doctor running an informational site about the volt yet he somehow has unprecedented access to gm execs and the latest breaking news about the volt.

[NeilBlanchard]

Hello,

The same person is credited with running another site, that appears to be more balanced:

All Cars Electric | Electric Car News, Information, Reviews, and Discussion

[Johnny Mullet]

If the Big 3 go down the tubes, consider 30% or more of the nation unemployed. This is not only auto workers, but factory and delivery workers who are involved.

[jamesqf]

Why? People are still going to buy about X number of cars & trucks each year. If the Small 3 go down the drain, they'll just buy about the same number from Toyota, Honda, and the others. The parts suppliers will ship to different factories, the delivery people may pick their truckloads in Alabama (or at the dock) instead of in Detroit, car salesmen will work on different lots, or maybe the same lot with a different sign...

[i_am_socket]

I think any company should be left to live and die on its own, no matter how big. People and support industries can adapt and move on. If the US based manufacturers close up shop, it's their own fault. I'm sure the "imports" would love to pick up a few extra factories.

I've never supported the Gov. bailing out any private industry. If they can't figure out how to run a sustainably profitable business, then tough s**t.

[trikkonceptz]

Originally Posted by i_am_socket

I think any company should be left to live and die on its own, no matter how big. People and support industries can adapt and move on. If the US based manufacturers close up shop, it's their own fault. I'm sure the "imports" would love to pick up a few extra factories.

I've never supported the Gov. bailing out any private industry. If they can't figure out how to run a sustainably profitable business, then tough s**t.

That statement while having some truth also carries a lot of ignorance. Here's why. Let's say by your logic Ford fails. Now micro manage the problem. A local Ford dealeship closes as a result, which use to sell 400 cars a month and was managed properly, now the 300 people there are unemployed, a casualty of poor upper management. Now the vendors that supplied that dealership with parts for service, take a large hit or close because their are no other dealerships in the area or the other surrounding dealerships will not increase sales in order to take up slack. So they close despite running a good business.

All those employees, they eat @ surrounding restaurants, buy gas at local gas stations and buy products @ stores all in the area around the dealership. All businesses that were running soundly before this dealership closes.

So true A large corp like Ford could use a bit of re tooling, but letting it fail, impacts a much greater spectrum of the business world than its own employees. Globally even, because many parts are sublet to other countries like Mexico. So the impact of even one of the big three closing its doors will have world wide implications which will require a larger hand out than what is needed to slow the bleeding currently.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by trikkonceptz

A local Ford dealeship closes as a result, which use to sell 400 cars a month and was managed properly, now the 300 people there are unemployed, a casualty of poor upper management.

You really need to look at a larger context. So the Ford dealership closes. People still need cars, and they'll have to go to Toyota, Honda, etc dealerships to buy them, Those dealers will have to add staff. The people who own Fords will still need service & repairs, so the independent mechanics will need more staff. Honda & Toyota will have increased sales, so they will ramp up production at their US factories (hiring more workers), the suppliers will be making parts for them instead of Ford...

In a few years, the only difference will be significantly increased quality & fuel economy.

[trikkonceptz]

The statement of people "Needing cars" is not accurate, new vehicles are a luxury. Today's cars are lasting well over 10 years. Your larger context statement does not include time, if Ford lets say were to dissappear, true eventually you would have no choice but to buy from competitors, but in that interim you would destroy a local economy.

I do not know where you live, in Florida the impact would be small, but have larger ripple effects, in smaller cities or towns it would be crippling.

The excess sales or increased sales volume from another manufacturer, lets say Toyota, would result in minimal staff increases on the sales floor and have no impact in other dealer areas.

Imagine the ramification of no Ford or Chevy in NASCAR ... believe me this is much larger than people think.