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Just did a quick search. GM peaked at 600k manufacturing employees, today its 40k or 1/15th of the peak number. The rest of those jobs are gone forever.
I worked at a Chevy dealership in 1973 Jammer.
They were replacing 40 engines a month in the Vegas and the cars were 3 months old. The cylinders were sinking in the aluminum blocks and the head gaskets failed.
Gm tried to tell their customers it was due to Prestone antifreeze.
You know anyone who would replace the antifreeze in a 3 month old car?
The first small block Chevy engines (1955) burned oil at the rate of a quart in less than 200 miles. The manufacturers solution was to pour Bon Ami down the carb while the engine was running, to scuff the cylinder walls.
My Grandmothers 61 Oldsmobile burned oil like a sieve until it hit 20,000 miles and the chrome moly rings finally seated in the cylinders.
My aunts brand new 65 Cadillac ate up the factory tires in 6000 miles. She asked me what tires she should buy. I told her Michelin radials. She replaced them (the Michelins) 13 years later with 65,000 miles on them because the side walls were dry rotted. The tread was still good.
The 73 Chevys at the dealership where I worked would not keep running if you started the engine and put the car in gear. You had to let the engine run for 3 minutes before it would not stall when you put it in gear.
You see, people remember when they got a car that was a disappointment, even more so when it was an outright lemon. Fool me once shame on me, keep on trying to fool me and you are out of here.
That same year (1973) Subaru brought its first car into the US. Honda was selling civics by the tens of thousands. They got 50 MPG and did not stall when they were cold. I spent a lot of time finishing the job the factory workers left unfinished at GM while they made a good living and I got the crappy crumbs. The warranty labor was pitiful.
The Vega was supposed to be the first computer built car. It didn't even have primer under the headlight doors. They rusted away in months. I have seen a Buick with a 6 inch diameter hole in the fender, 6 months from the day it was built.
With all of those nightmares due to GM poor quality control. I still went to Long Island New York to pick up a 99 Eldorado for my mother. I flew to Orlando Florida to pick up another Eldorado for Pop. His car cost $6000 with 60,000 miles, a 2001 model. It was close to 40 grand new.
They live about 250 yards from a very fine mechanic, since I am too old and beat up to fix their cars for them anymore. They have enough cash in the bank to buy almost any new car sold in this country. They even managed to get 31 MPG in the Eldorado driving up to Delaware to play the slot machines.
Have they (GM) improved their quality, absolutely.
Am I going out and buy a new GM product?
Probably not. I like to give all new cars a few years to see which ones are really the winners. Heck I even wait a couple of years for the movies to come to my TV at home.
Last post on this thread for me.
regards
Mech
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