GM marketing finally does something right

[nuch_ss396]

I went to the movies tonight with my kids to see the new
Transformers movie. WOW ! It was absolutely awesome.

I was pleasantly surprised to see one of the good robots
transform into of all things the new Camaro concept car.
Now, I don't want to start a war here, but one of the bad
robots transformed into the new Mustang. What does that tell us

The special effects were unbelievable! I'd suggest this
as a good movie for the family. Damn few of those these
days.

GM kept the Camaro concept car's starring role a secret.
Smart marketing move for them. It's about time they went
on the offensive with this car. I'd love to hear Ford's
side of the story.

One of the best movies I've seen in some time. Worth seeing.
Steve

[70 copo]

Fast paced and on the order of the movie independance day. Camaro is the star of the movie. Well worth the ticket just to see the cars.

I think we may see demand for mid to late '70's Camaros go up with the kids. Even that car was portrayed in a positive way. That is rare.

My rating 3.5 stars out of four.

[GRB]

When I was a kid it was said 'As GM goes so goes America'. Maybe it was and still is true. I don't know. But I do know that watching GM slice into obliteration is always in the back of my mind. And maybe it's misguided but I try to buy American more than ever. YMMV

[Keith Tedford]

GM had better do something positive. I was on a two hour drive on a local four lane highway lately. I was amazed at how few North American cars that there were on the road. People have really bought into this Japanese and Korean thing. They will actually pay more for this stuff. It doesn't look good.

[427TJ]

[ QUOTE ]
I was amazed at how few North American cars that there were on the road. People have really bought into this Japanese and Korean thing. They will actually pay more for this stuff.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you remember, 1970s American cars were, on average, poorly built and sucked gas. The 1973 Arab oil embargo scared Americans enough that many opted for Datsuns and Toyotas while Detroit arrogantly ignored the Japan threat. Yes, Ford made the Pinto and Chevy made the Vega (and there were a few others) but the Japanese saw a demand, jumped in, and were mainly ignored by American auto makers until it was too late. Not until the Ford Taurus was there a well-built American sedan to threaten Honda Accord sales. America's strong suit has been the full-size pickup but now the Japanese are in that market too. People have bought into the Japanese thing because the Japanese build solid, reliable cars. If I want a 300,000-mile (or more) car that gets 30 (or more) mpg, I buy an Accord. The '90s Taurus, a great car, was as close as you could get to that. My '90 Mustang, which I bought new, was garage-kept*, only driven in sunny weather, and was six years old with 60K on the odo when the plastic window (exterior) trim began to deteriorate. I looked at that and sadly decided to trade it in on a new '98 Accord in late '97. (*I had also had to have the black paint professionally polished twice to keep the oxidation from ruining the paint.) My wife still drives the Accord, it has 165K on the odo, it gets 30 mpg (V6) and it'll go to 300K. I'm not so hot on the Korean makes but I'll bet price is a big reason people like them. In 1991 my sister bought a new Hyundai for 9K. She drove the b*lls out of that car and it finally crapped-out after 115K miles. For 9K in early '90s dollars that's not bad, especially at 30-plus mpg. My wife wants a minivan and I'm going to buy her a new Odyssey, period. Having said that, I am getting ready to buy a full-size truck and it'll be American (and used).

Keep in mind that it was GM** that invented the idea of "planned obsolescence" back in the '50s because they wanted you to come back every two years and buy a new car. They did that mainly with aggressive styling updates and great marketing--after two years a car was just too old and dated and new styles were the in-thing. By the 1970s planned obsolescence meant that Detroit built cars poorly so people would be forced to buy a new car every few years. Well, that's when the Japanese pounced. They may have had help from the Arabs in '73 (who were mad at US support for Israel) but Japan's timing was basically perfect.

One other major aspect is that Japanese cars have been marketed to us as being "smart." Honda advertizing goes right at the "smart" aspect of owning one. We all crave to be seen by others as being smart, right? The car magazine spin on Japanese cars has been positive almost from the beginning (almost). Marketing is usually 90% BS but the Japanese have backed it up with very well-built cars. Lee Iacocca finally saw the light with the K-car and Chrysler minivan and he sold millions. Trouble is, he dared Americans that "if [we] could find a better-built car, buy it" and so we did. Those '80s Chrysler minivans all burned oil. There was a time when every Chrysler minivan I saw on the road had a blue smoke trail behind it. It is extremely unlikely that you'd see that from an Odyssey.

I see lots of older Hondas on the road but not many '80s K-cars. We could whip Japan's ass if we wanted to but Detroit just doesn't seem to want to.

And no, it isn't labor's fault.


**GM also quietly bought up numerous electric street car companies after WWII using front companies, including systems in the SF Bay Area and Los Angeles. They allowed the street car systems to fall apart and cut operating schedules until commuters were forced to buy a car. Mission accomplished.

[427TJ]

When Alan Mulally took over Ford recently, he was asked what he drove. He said, "a Lexus." The press asked him why. He said, "Because it's the best built car there is." That was the new Ford CEO talking.

[nuch_ss396]

Someone should have put that idiots head on a pole for that!

[69LM1]

Two Words:

"Dr. Deming"

Look him up and you'll see a large reason why manufacuturing is where it is in the USA in relation to imports, specifically asian imports right now.



R

[nuch_ss396]

[quote.....**GM also quietly bought up numerous electric street car companies after WWII using front companies, including systems in the SF Bay Area and Los Angeles. They allowed the street car systems to fall apart and cut operating schedules until commuters were forced to buy a car. Mission accomplished.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bill,

Don't forget that a well known tire company was in that conspiracy
as well. I believe it was Firestone. And yes, you're correct.
The American car makers only have themselves to blame for
their woes. Ponder this thought: If the Japanese had not
cleaned the US automakers clocks, what crap would we be
driving today. Stiff competition breeds better products. Unfortunately,
the big three didn't see it that way until their eyes were opened.
They were dumping total crap on us and they got blind
sided.

I don't drive a foreign car at this time, but the Acura TL
will most likely be my next car.

Steve

[nuch_ss396]

[ QUOTE ]
Two Words:

"Dr. Deming"

Look him up and you'll see a large reason why manufacuturing is where it is in the USA in relation to imports, specifically asian imports right now.



R

[/ QUOTE ]

Rich,

Demings work was discussed here previously. He was a visionary and ahead of his time.

Arrogance on the part of industry leaders drove him away. I doubt they've learned much since then.

Steve