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

[Matt Herring]

NASCAR is already being hit very hard by the economy. Their president was quoted last week as saying he would not be surprised if a major builder (Ford, Chevy, Toyota, Dodge) was not involved in the sport in the near future.

NASCAR got rid of all testing sessions in the top 3 racing divisions for 2009 and I read last week a few of the owner teams are merging to save costs. They might have a tough time qualifying 43 cars each race if teams/garages go belly-up. About 5-10 cars a week enter qualifying without a major sponsor and it will be worse next year at this pace.

Note: I'm not implying that NASCAR is on Ford, Chevy or Toyota's scale in terms of economy impact.

[trikkonceptz]

Originally Posted by Matt Herring

Note: I'm not implying that NASCAR is on Ford, Chevy or Toyota's scale in terms of economy impact.

True, but you get the point, other "things" are directly impacted by this and ignoring it or hoping it will fix itself is like an ostrich hiding its head in the sand. We simply cannot wish it away.

The sad part is the ones that caused this mess are sitting pretty with their money in hand and will never be punished for turning the world upside down.

[dichotomous]

Originally Posted by trikkonceptz

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.

if your business is so very focused that it relies entirely on ONE other entity or business to exist, then your business is risky, companies closing doors will open up other doors, those who just sit and stare at the closed door and complain will live in a dead town, those who walk through the open door, will find different but maybe as good conditions

[Matt Herring]

For those that care to look...

Bob Lutz: Chevy Volt Update | GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by trikkonceptz

The statement of people "Needing cars" is not accurate, new vehicles are a luxury. Today's cars are lasting well over 10 years.

Today's cars? I've owned very few - the current Insight, and a Datsun pickup I bought for work a long time ago are the only two that come to mind - that weren't at least 10 years old when I bought them :-) No, wait: Back in the late '70s I was hit by an attack of buyamericanitus, and got a Chevy Vega. I think that car effected a permanent cure.

But the point I was trying to make still stands. People are going to keep buying cars, according to their tastes and as their financial situation allows. If Ford's not around, those sales and all their associated jobs aren't just going to disappear, they're going to go to other automakers.

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

Imagine the ramifications of no NASCAR :-) The only effect on me would be a gradual disappearance of those puzzling "In Memory of..." white decals on rear windows.

[trikkonceptz]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Imagine the ramifications of no NASCAR :-) The only effect on me would be a gradual disappearance of those puzzling "In Memory of..." white decals on rear windows.

Thats priceless .. LOL

However NASCAR generates billions of dollars in business, from in memory stickers, to apparel, toys, restaurants ..

Seriously these companies are truly woven into our society, whether or not it is in your life. Nature has a way true, so there is no doubt that we would recover from that, but are you willing to weather out that fall out?

It's like asking the suburban world to turn in their cell phones, sounds easy enough, but it would send us back to the stone age ...