Mary T. Barra - I’m bored so…

[4wd]

I was a devotee to "The General" from my earliest driving days in the mid 70s. We have owned two Monte Carlos, several Chevelles + GMC trucks before I switched in the late 80s over to Fords. Right away their interiors and the much better (IMHO) factory paint made me a fan quickly. Ford's 1990s 5.0 302cui fuel injected engines became a favorite. Those 302cui engines seemed bullet proof and ran like heck.

One day we were reminiscing about vehicles and the wife and I both realized that every single GM car we owned (not the trucks for some reason) we had to shell out cash to repair or replace the transmissions , mostly between 30,000 to 60,000mi. WHY? No unusual or severe service. These days, I would be in a quandary if I needed a truck. I most likely I would end up looking at Toyota or RAMs.

Just seems to me from internet and even BITOG, it sounds like many owners of Ford / GM trucks have lots of complaints or things they do not care for. Maybe RAM trucks too? But I just have not seen much if any gipping about the RAM trucks compared to the other two...
Strange too that there is not the same level of complaints about Ford or GM other offerings like their SUVs? Lots of them on the roads.

You would actually need to know the numbers in use and somehow moderate the failure types and rates into a ratio …
Pretty hard to do …
I have two Chevy SUV, a Jeep, and Lexus - no complaints
Have owned dozens of vehicles - never a survey

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

You would actually need to know the numbers in use and somehow moderate the failure types and rates into a ratio …
Pretty hard to do …
I have two Chevy SUV, a Jeep, and Lexus - no complaints
Have owned dozens of vehicles - never a survey

Right. I forgot. You remind me, the very same I have noticed about Chevy as of late. I hear and see no one fussing about issues with their Chevy SUVs so?

I don't know. Maybe truck owning men are just so very much more inclined to tell and talk or post things about their failures and repairs?

Could maybe most SUV drivers either truly not have lots of issues or do they just not have a habit of talking autos & mechanical subjects?

Heck I don't know but I bet most here have the same experience as me. Hearing a lot of complaints about trucks than any other vehicles on the road.

The point was not to insult any certain vehicles. It was more about what others are hearing since I am aware a lot have truck (engine) complaints these days. Ford and GM owners. Have owned dozens of vehicles too - never a survey either

Oh yeah. I have never had an engine issue in ANY vehicle I have ever owned.

 

[GMBoy]

Mary Barra is not my favorite person at all. She is the death of GM but I will stop at that.

When I was still at GM (I retired in 22) and the lifter issues were still happening even as we launched T1. I point blank asked her when she came on a plant tour what she could do to push something to fix it since it has been a known issue since atleast 2010 thru various iterations of these 5.3/6.2 motors and we should have it figured out by now. She told me "just focus on what you can do here at Arlington to build quality trucks" - I told her "you do realize that every truck we build here has those engines" and walked away.

 

[Panda87]

Could it be said that all the recent engine failures (6.2 bottom ends & 5.3 cam-lifters) are working in Mary Barra’s favor to push consumers closer to her beloved EV desires? These current issues really don’t seem to effect how she interacts during interviews etc.

Remember when she said back in 2010, “No more crappy cars”?

 

[userfriendly]

Remember when she said back in 2010, “No more crappy cars”?

She didn’t say anything about trucks.

 

[JimPghPA]

My dad and all my brothers grew up driving GM. Dad's gone, and out of the 4 brothers and I only one still buys GM, and that's because of some credit card his wife and he use to earn thousands off on a new GM vehicle.

 

[Panda87]

She didn’t say anything about trucks.

Fair point, lol

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Marry knows what she’s doing the 6.2 and 5.3 issues are bad but she knows many will trade in when next Gen trucks and SUV comes out . Knowing there are many loyal GM customers

GM brand loyalty really needs to be studied. It exceeds most religions. And it's generational.

It doesn't matter how many genuinely bad GM products someone has bought, they'll go back time and time again and never consider another brand.

My cousin has a 2017 Chevy 1500 that's gone through 3 transmissions, an engine ... and he is going to replace it with another chevy. Because that's all him and his father have ever bought.

 

[MalibuRam65]

GM brand loyalty really needs to be studied. It exceeds most religions. And it's generational.

It doesn't matter how many genuinely bad GM products someone has bought, they'll go back time and time again and never consider another brand.

My cousin has a 2017 Chevy 1500 that's gone through 3 transmissions, an engine ... and he is going to replace it with another chevy. Because that's all him and his father have ever bought.

That’s crazy smh

 

[Enthusiast]

Mary Barra is not my favorite person at all. She is the death of GM but I will stop at that.

When I was still at GM (I retired in 22) and the lifter issues were still happening even as we launched T1. I point blank asked her when she came on a plant tour what she could do to push something to fix it since it has been a known issue since atleast 2010 thru various iterations of these 5.3/6.2 motors and we should have it figured out by now. She told me "just focus on what you can do here at Arlington to build quality trucks" - I told her "you do realize that every truck we build here has those engines" and walked away.

I don't understand the hype behind her. The transmissions developed while she's been the CEO have not been bulletproof, the engine problems seem to me like they've gotten worse. Not better, The popularity of the Impala went from the bestseller in it's class, to being less popular than the model it replaced, The sales of the Camaro collapsed, etc. at what point do we take a step back and say this person isn't fixing the problems? I don't like everything that Sergio did at FCA, but at least the interiors were a massive upgrade, the rear-wheel drive transmissions became a lot better, The LX cars became industry leading in terms of power and the interiors were again massively improved, etc. What really has Mary fixed?

 

[ArrestMeRedZ]

DEI hires don't have to fix anything. At their best, they just shouldn't break things. She isn't at her best.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

Mary Barra is not my favorite person at all. She is the death of GM but I will stop at that.

When I was still at GM (I retired in 22) and the lifter issues were still happening even as we launched T1. I point blank asked her when she came on a plant tour what she could do to push something to fix it since it has been a known issue since atleast 2010 thru various iterations of these 5.3/6.2 motors and we should have it figured out by now. She told me "just focus on what you can do here at Arlington to build quality trucks" - I told her "you do realize that every truck we build here has those engines" and walked away.

Standard - pre programed , (smarter than everyone in the room attitude) upper manager response. Brush you off with her answer to the uncomfortable question calling out to her greatness and wisdom on the spot.
What should have been an informative discussion with a valuable hands on employee was unimportant in her mind.
Simple facts below her experience, industry knowledge or education level? Maybe? The brush off technique actually may have been learned in one of those expensive special "people manager" "truth to power" "how to manage / manipulate others" courses they attend.
That is one of the type things they learn these days as opposed to knowing how to get results thru old time hard work and innovations. Or do they consider lay offs results?

 

[MalibuRam65]

Marry Barra has been very lackluster to say the least, But hey it’s been working for her transmissions problems engine problems it doesn’t matter Mary still winning . When you have loyal GM customers who keep on buying there products knowing the problems regardless and all you have to do is string them along until the warranty expires is smart on Her part. Not Bad for a DEI hire

 

[Elmo Howe]

GM has a proud history of fine engines.

The infamous Oldsmobile 350 diesel
The no cylinder liner Chevy Vega 4
The Cadillac V8-6-4
Cadillac LT-4100
The stretchy head bolt Northstar V8

They seem to have forgotten how to make reliable engines since the 1960s

And, lest we forget, every boat anchor they made in the " malaise era " ( 70s - 80s ).

 

[BHopkins]

GM has a proud history of fine engines.

The infamous Oldsmobile 350 diesel
The no cylinder liner Chevy Vega 4
The Cadillac V8-6-4
Cadillac LT-4100
The stretchy head bolt Northstar V8

They seem to have forgotten how to make reliable engines since the 1960s

Name an ICE auto manufacturer who hasn't had their engine design failures.

 

[robbobster]

Our two vehicles have L83/6L80 drivetrains. I buy CPO and knew what I was getting into.

Im not a GM loyalist be any stretch, but my money went farthest with the Silverado and Suburban sitting in my driveway, and I’ve “planned/budgeted for the worst, and hope for the best” with both.

Scorecard so far:
3 torque converters (I paid for 2, warranty paid for 1)
1 transmission (warranty paid)
1 DOD hardware delete (I paid)

IMHO the real GM died after the BK, when liabilities were heaped on the “old GM” while the “new GM” started fresh. But that neither here nor there, didn’t affect my purchase decision.

 

[fantastic]

They seem to be putting up substantial investments for the new 5.7L & 6.6L engines.

 

[bullwinkle]

Name an ICE auto manufacturer who hasn't had their engine design failures.

Toyota had the best track record until the newer Tundra V6 came out. The CAFE craze is to blame for a lot of these engine issues… Could never figure out why MPG was so important in a pickup? Always thought that was what economy cars were for!

 

[fantastic]

Toyota had the best track record until the newer Tundra V6 came out. The CAFE craze is to blame for a lot of these engine issues… Could never figure out why MPG was so important in a pickup? Always thought that was what economy cars were for!

They set the standards with OEM's at the table for input. They don't tell the OEM's how to build it. I'd say a Tundra is considered an all around family vehicle that needs to be the weekly cruiser for all sorts of traveling. Vehicles have gotten more expensive so consumers need good reason to buy & fuel economy is an important consideration. Believe it or not even Semi truck companies have responded to better MPG b/c it's in demand by the customer/company. PC-12 Is coming with 20 grades next!