GM's new ad push

Inkara1

Well-Known Member
Read about it here.

The CEO will say how he was skeptical of GM too before he joined the company and they'll offer a two-month money-back guarantee. They'll also copy Lee Iacocca's "If you can find a better car, buy it" ad campaign.

Here's the thing, though. People aren't buying GM, but it's for reasons other than whether the car handles, accelerates, stops, rides, etc. as well as Honda's or Toyota's offerings. Several of the cars coming out of their factories now are widely considered to be at or near the top of their classes. So why aren't people buying GM? Ask anyone who's had to replace an alternator after only 60,000 miles. Ask anyone who had the intake manifold gasket go out on them. Ask anyone who had bought their GM car because they got a great deal on it and were happy with the car until they ran into some need for repair that was major, disabled the car and was very expensive to fix. Memories are very long for those sort of things. Toyota, Honda, etc. have a better quality reputation and that's a big reason why GM is pretty much screwed. It's a catch-22: "We need you to buy our cars, which do everything Honda and Toyota do and do it better, so we can prove that you won't be seeing Mr. Goodwrench all the time." "I don't want to buy your cars because last time I did, I had to pay $900 to replace the intake manifold gasket after 55,000 miles, the brake rotors warped every time I had to make a panic stop, the check engine light came on every time I drove the car such-and-such particular way, and the anti-theft system shut off the engine WHILE I WAS ON THE FREEWAY because it suddenly thought I was trying to steal my own car, so you're going to have to show me that I won't be seeing Mr. Goodwrench all the time before I step foot in one of your showrooms."
 

Altron

Well-Known Member
That's similar to what the Korean car companies are facing. You can make some money by selling a shoddy product, but it ruins your reputation for a long time.

Their cars are all good, but everyone still remembers the horrible American and Korean cars from the 1990s, and don't want to take the risk.
 

Luis G

<i><b>Problemator</b></i>
Staff member
The CEO will say how he was skeptical of GM too before he joined the company and they'll offer a two-month money-back guarantee.


That has to be one of the dumbest guarantees (but indeed clever), since it is rare to have a brand new car fail within two months, hell it is even rare for it to fail before one year.

If they really wanted to get people buying their stuff they should provide a several thousand kms warranty and the option to get your money back if the car fails within warranty.
 

Inkara1

Well-Known Member
It's not a "defective car" guarantee, it's a "if you get buyer's remorse/if you don't like the car as much as when you test-drove it" guarantee. the car would have to be returned between days 31 and 60 of ownership and it has to have less than 4,000 miles on it.
 

Nixy

Elimi-nistrator
Staff member
Well, I'm not buying GM again because their drastic price drops over the last couple years mean my car is now worth less than I owe on it. Fuck GM.
 

Gonz

molṑn labé
Staff member
That's typical. As soon as your bumper clears the parking lot, you lose 30-40% of new value.

I'll not buy GM because it's Government Motors.
 

Inkara1

Well-Known Member
Well, I'm not buying GM again because their drastic price drops over the last couple years mean my car is now worth less than I owe on it. Fuck GM.

GM cars never hold their value anyway. Even without the drastic price drops you'd probably be in the same boat. I thought you looked at resale values before you bought.

Has yours needed any major repairs yet? How many km?
 
I hate working on anything GM in the 80s, but for some reason other than that I have good luck with chevies and caddies....

Put me in a Ford with an auto tranny and if the tranny lasts a week it is only because someone put a chevy engine and Turbo Hydromatic tranny in it! I am OK with sticks and even Lincolns but I shit you not I have blown numerous Ford Auto trannies or theey were blown before I got in the cars/trucks. They are prone to piss fluid everywhere....

I once test drove a 91 Mercury Coagar, power everything, all leather, 5.0, nice car, would have bought it but the tranny dropped and only ran in first to limp back to the dealership on the test drive! I went in with them wanting something like $2200, and when I left they were begging me to take it for $400 and they would put a tranny in it! I bought a caddy instead!
 

Altron

Well-Known Member
Which 80s GM products you talking about? My '89 Oldsmobile was rock solid. Over the ~18 months I owned it, I had to replace the alternator, the battery, one sealed beam headlight, one 1156 tail light bulb, get the A/C compressor belt tightened, and put on a new set of tires.

I started driving the Maxima in 2007... had to replace both oxygen sensors, replace the front VC gasket, replace the alternator, replace the starter, replace the battery twice, I had problems with the MAF sensor, the exhaust mounts, the left LCA, the front suspension, all this crap. In its current state, I have a check engine light due to the EVAP canister, I need to replace the rear VC gasket, and I need to fix the exhaust because it has rusted out somewhere.
 

chcr

Too cute for words
GM cars never hold their value anyway. Even without the drastic price drops you'd probably be in the same boat. I thought you looked at resale values before you bought.

Has yours needed any major repairs yet? How many km?

NO cars hold their value. It's one of the reasons I never buy a new one. Makes no fiscal sense.
 

Altron

Well-Known Member
NO cars hold their value. It's one of the reasons I never buy a new one. Makes no fiscal sense.

In spring of 2006, my dad bought a 2005 Mazda6 wagon. MSRP was about $27k. He paid $18k. The car had roughly 8900 miles on it. At 8900 miles, it's nearly impossible for the car to have been poorly maintained, since the only thing it's had done has been one oil change.
 

chcr

Too cute for words
Working in a garage doesn't hurt that bottom line either, does it?
No, but I do most of my own work. Honestly they don't give employees such a great deal. Cost +10 on parts but nothing on labor. I used to be in the parts business before I started doing this so I can usually beat their parts price.

In spring of 2006, my dad bought a 2005 Mazda6 wagon. MSRP was about $27k. He paid $18k. The car had roughly 8900 miles on it. At 8900 miles, it's nearly impossible for the car to have been poorly maintained, since the only thing it's had done has been one oil change.

Exactly the way to do it. Your Dad understands.
 
Top