And yet another GM investment

[LS2JSTS]

This one hasn't been announced yet. But the word is 650 new jobs for a new third shift and major investment in the Flint Assembly complex....

"General Motors Co. is expected to announce a major investment Monday to increase truck production at its Flint Assembly plant, adding a third shift and more than 650 jobs, according to sources familiar with the plan.

The plant in economically ravaged Flint, builds big trucks, such as the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. It employs about 2,000 hourly and salaried workers. GM hourly workers on layoff would be eligible for the jobs added at Flint Assembly.

The sources didn't have details on the amount of the investment, or exactly how the money would be used.

GM officials declined to comment Friday.

Gov. Rick Snyder is scheduled to visit Flint on Monday, but a spokeswoman for the governor declined to divulge details."


Yet another GM investment

 

[Quest]

lol! Didn't they (or general public) know that crude oil pricing hitting over 120USD is just around the corner again (like what happened approx. 3yrs ago)?

Q.

 

[crosseyedwx]

Originally Posted By: Quest
lol! Didn't they (or general public) know that crude oil pricing hitting over 120USD is just around the corner again (like what happened approx. 3yrs ago)?


It doesn't matter. That's not the way it works at Government Motors...

But I digress. Sorry mods if that skirts the line...

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: crosseyedwx
Originally Posted By: Quest
lol! Didn't they (or general public) know that crude oil pricing hitting over 120USD is just around the corner again (like what happened approx. 3yrs ago)?


It doesn't matter. That's not the way it works at Government Motors...

But I digress. Sorry mods if that skirts the line...



Hmmm.. Apparently YOU don't know that the Ford F series is STILL the best selling vehicle in the USA, and the big GM pickups are right up there in the top with them.

 

[JHZR2]

lol!

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: crosseyedwx
Originally Posted By: Quest
lol! Didn't they (or general public) know that crude oil pricing hitting over 120USD is just around the corner again (like what happened approx. 3yrs ago)?


It doesn't matter. That's not the way it works at Government Motors...

But I digress. Sorry mods if that skirts the line...



Hmmm.. Apparently YOU don't know that the Ford F series is STILL the best selling vehicle in the USA, and the big GM pickups are right up there in the top with them.


Hmmm .. Apparently short memory.

And this time it will be worst. But its not like they don't know what they are doing. They have been in business for years!

 

[LS2JSTS]

Hmmmm...It would seem that those numbers are only half of the story. Were car sales up in 2008?

Seems to me that car sales were drastically down in 2008 as well...lets see...

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/05/by-the-numbers-2008-phew-glad-thats-over-edition/


And in the same year you quote, 2008, three of the top ten sellers in that dismal down year were trucks.

The top ten best-selling vehicles of 2008 were:

1. Ford F-Series

2. Chevrolet Silverado

3. Toyota Camry

4. Honda Accord

5. Toyota Corolla

6. Honda Civic

7. Nissan Altima

8. Chevrolet Impala

9. Dodge Ram

10. Honda CR-V

 

[mechanicx]

And let's not forget GM is making several fuel efficients cars like the Cruze, Volt and most of their cars and trucks have good fuel economy for their class. It wouldn't be smart to not build what is currently selling as well.

 

[LS2JSTS]

Originally Posted By: Quest
lol! Didn't they (or general public) know that crude oil pricing hitting over 120USD is just around the corner again (like what happened approx. 3yrs ago)?

Q.


The pick up truck has a core buyer group that doesnt go away based on price, they are buying based on need. Despite what many around here like to claim over and over, most pick up truck buyers actually use their trucks, they aren't some fashion statement. 1,000's of companies that buy fleets of them and rotate them on a regular basis. 1,000's of smaller businesses that do likewise. Huge State and Federal contracts that buy up a bunch of them each year.

Trucks may lose a little market share here and there when gas prices go up. But that only chases away the marginal buyers, the core group that actually use their truck are still buying, and will continue to do so into the future.

The figures that Bill posted clearly show this to be true. Even in a down 2008 market, with high gas prices, where trucks lost almost 25% of their market sales share...They still held the top two spots in total sales

 

[LS2JSTS]

Not worst, betterer...lol.


http://www.freep.com/article/20110124/BUSINESS0101/110124025/1319/GM-adds-third-shift-at-Flint-plant

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: crosseyedwx
Originally Posted By: Quest
lol! Didn't they (or general public) know that crude oil pricing hitting over 120USD is just around the corner again (like what happened approx. 3yrs ago)?


It doesn't matter. That's not the way it works at Government Motors...

But I digress. Sorry mods if that skirts the line...



Hmmm.. Apparently YOU don't know that the Ford F series is STILL the best selling vehicle in the USA, and the big GM pickups are right up there in the top with them.


...and if you add the GMC Sierra sales with the Chevrolet Silverado, GM outsells Ford every year.

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: crosseyedwx
Originally Posted By: Quest
lol! Didn't they (or general public) know that crude oil pricing hitting over 120USD is just around the corner again (like what happened approx. 3yrs ago)?


It doesn't matter. That's not the way it works at Government Motors...

But I digress. Sorry mods if that skirts the line...



Hmmm.. Apparently YOU don't know that the Ford F series is STILL the best selling vehicle in the USA, and the big GM pickups are right up there in the top with them.


Hmmm .. Apparently short memory.

And this time it will be worst. But its not like they don't know what they are doing. They have been in business for years!




Reading your article, Bill - you clarify the point that Trucks will continue to top the sales list:


QUOTE:

Despite the biggest sales drop in decades, however, some things haven't changed. The Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado continued to occupy the top two sales positions among all cars and trucks -- the same spots they were in last year -- beating the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Toyota Corolla, which rounded out the top five. The Dodge Ram finished eighth.

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
It wouldn't be smart to not build what is currently selling as well.



That is the very point I try to explain to people who complain about GM investing so much in SUV's and trucks. While some want us to drive small cars, the market just proves that many people are not interesed in small cars.

With GM finally getting good at cars and the trucks still going well - soundd like success to me!

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: GMBoy


Reading your article, Bill - you clarify the point that Trucks will continue to top the sales list:


QUOTE:

Despite the biggest sales drop in decades, however, some things haven't changed. The Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado continued to occupy the top two sales positions among all cars and trucks -- the same spots they were in last year -- beating the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Toyota Corolla, which rounded out the top five. The Dodge Ram finished eighth.



Correct. BUT I hope we will all agree that since oil IS going up and fuel will be closer to $4 a gallon (I doubt we will ever see $2.xx fuel EVER again) that this is going to take the "recovery" (another joke term) and throw it out the window. When fuel is higher and the economy gets worst (which it will) then full size trucks are going to stop selling in major numbers. Will they be on the top? Maybe. Maybe not. But there WILL be LESS of them sold.

And if trust me, governments are not going to be buying as many any vehicles as they have. So I hope ANY SMART vehicle manufacturer does not put too much of their future in large vehicle sales like they have in the past. Between fuel costs, economy, CAFE and such large full size anything sales are going to plummet IMO.

Take care, Bill

 

[whip]

Chevy has the Cruz and the Aveo replacement. The Malibu is a good selling car. It's scheduled for a re-design in the next year or two. I don't think GM is putting all their eggs in the truck basket.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: whip
Chevy has the Cruz and the Aveo replacement. The Malibu is a good selling car. It's scheduled for a re-design in the next year or two. I don't think GM is putting all their eggs in the truck basket.


Notice that I said "too much" which is FAR from "ALL".

 

[subiedriver]

When gas does hit $4/gallon, I'll be glad I'm not filling a 26 gallon on a 12 mpg truck, once a week, lol. I'll stick with my 32 mpg in the summer time, Subaru. Even at $4/gallon, I can fill it for $48.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: subiedriver
When gas does hit $4/gallon, I'll be glad I'm not filling a 26 gallon on a 12 mpg truck, once a week, lol. I'll stick with my 32 mpg in the summer time, Subaru. Even at $4/gallon, I can fill it for $48.


Yeah. My truck will "only" cost $136 to fill! Thankfully it gets high teens to lower 20's and I only drive it for pleasure. My 40+MPG car is the main rig. Even at $4 a gallon its $46 to drive 500 miles.

Ouch....

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Originally Posted By: GMBoy


Reading your article, Bill - you clarify the point that Trucks will continue to top the sales list:


QUOTE:

Despite the biggest sales drop in decades, however, some things haven't changed. The Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado continued to occupy the top two sales positions among all cars and trucks -- the same spots they were in last year -- beating the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Toyota Corolla, which rounded out the top five. The Dodge Ram finished eighth.



Correct. BUT I hope we will all agree that since oil IS going up and fuel will be closer to $4 a gallon (I doubt we will ever see $2.xx fuel EVER again) that this is going to take the "recovery" (another joke term) and throw it out the window. When fuel is higher and the economy gets worst (which it will) then full size trucks are going to stop selling in major numbers. Will they be on the top? Maybe. Maybe not. But there WILL be LESS of them sold.

And if trust me, governments are not going to be buying as many any vehicles as they have. So I hope ANY SMART vehicle manufacturer does not put too much of their future in large vehicle sales like they have in the past. Between fuel costs, economy, CAFE and such large full size anything sales are going to plummet IMO.

Take care, Bill



I agree with you, Bill. I am just glad that GM has finally started to get with the car program as proven with the recent new models so I have a better chance of keeping a job. No more eggs in one basket, if the market shifts to small cars due to gas prices or whatever, GM can still sustain.