kpc655

It's good news for any toyota investor or potential investor. They're stock is at all time lows..it's a great bargain right now (gm's too for that matter).

a government takeover of the healthcare industry would also most likely involve a constitutional battle. Arguing for support of such actions under the "general welfare" clause or commerce clause would be a real stretch.

this is having a huge impact on some of chrysler's plant..much bigger (for now anyway) than anyone else. whoops...looks like it was just resolved with chrysler..for now

Doesnt make sense..."volume brand" is not a strategy. It might be an output..but certainly not a strategy. They had the right idea in the past in targeting different economic segments as they related to one's age position in life, but nowadays with brand loyalty shrinking this doesnt make sense. Particularly when each brand merely takes the same product and rebadges it. cut mercury and focus lincoln on the high end market (cadillac, lexus etc.)

I'm considering balance sheet health, customer base, and most of all product. Ford's got too much capacity, too many brands and a fragmented product line. Mullaly is doing the right thing..but its too slow. Hopefully not too late. I also work with all 3 and i can say that in terms of the employee's i work with Ford's and chrysler's are the most disorganised. the internal systems are in shambles and the confidence level of the employee's is pretty bad. Employee confidence more than most things is indicative of how the company will perform. just one man's opinion. If i were a betting man (which i am), i'd be long on GM.

Ford & chrysler are much closer to bankruptcy

I think it's ridiculous ford has to pay to get rid of workers. And we wonder why they can't compete.

this popped up in my Toyota new alerts today. thought it worth sharing. http://stoptheaclu.com/archives/2008/01/27...y-toyota-plant/

Is it really any wonder why the middle class is "struggling"? 2 people..5 cars 1 person...8 cars etc. etc. only making a generalization, i'm not saying anything specific about people here. Most americans dont live below their means. sorry..couldnt help it.

When there's blood in the streets...BUY!!!

Import tax would also hurt the middle class as it raises the prices of goods imported.

Much to their dismay, politicians really can't make much of an impact on the economy. To give bush/clinton credit or blame for whats happening under them is unrealistic. they can nudge it a bit one way or the other, but the economy of america is far bigger than any administration.

i got the same mail..only this was also at the bottom of the one i received. Washington , D.C . HELLO!!! ... Are all your calculators broken?? Tax his land, Tax his wage, Tax his bed in which he lays. Tax his tractor, Tax his mule, Teach him taxes is the rule. Tax his cow, Tax his goat, Tax his pants, Tax his coat. Tax his ties, Tax his shirts, Tax his work, Tax his dirt. Tax his tobacco, Tax his drink, Tax him if he tries to think. Tax his booze, Tax his beers, If he cries, Tax his tears. Tax his bills, Tax his gas, Tax his notes, Tax his cash. Tax him good and let him know That after taxes, he has no dough. If he hollers, Tax him more, Tax hi m until he's good and sore. Tax his coffin, Tax his grave, Tax the sod in which he lays. Put these words upon his tomb, 'Taxes drove me to my doom!' And when he's gone, We won't relax, We'll still be after the inheritance TAX!! Accounts Receivable Tax Building Permit Tax CDL License Tax Cigarette Tax Corporate Income Tax Dog License Tax Federal Income Tax Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA) Fishing License Tax Food License Tax Fuel Perm it Tax Gasoline Tax Hunting License Tax Inheritance Tax Inventory Tax IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax), IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax), Liquor Tax, Luxury Tax, Marriage License Tax, Medicare Tax, Property Tax, Real Estate Tax, Service charge taxes, Social Security Tax, Road Usage Tax (Truckers), Sales Taxes, Recreational Vehicle Tax, School Tax, State Income Tax, State Unemployment Tax (SUTA), Telephone Federal Excise Tax, Telephone Federal Universal Service Fe e Tax, Telephone Federal, State and Local Su rcharge Tax, Telephone Minimum Usage Su rcharge Tax, Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax, Telephone State and Local Tax, Telephone Usage Charge Tax, Utility Tax, Vehicle License Registration Tax, Vehicle Sales Tax, Watercraft Registration Tax, Well Permit Tax, Workers Compensation Tax. STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY? Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids. What happened? Can you spell 'politicians!' And I still have to 'press 1' for English. I hope this goes around THE USA at least 100 times What the hell happened?????

Relax, I was merely commenting on the fact that it doesnt make sense to draw timing conclusions from a picture..as you did. All manufacturers hide the body till the last minute, the concept cars never match the final produciton cars 100%.

Hard to draw timing conclusions from a picture. Development goes on seperately for allot of components. Plus i'm sure they dont want a repeat of the Z06 fiasco when someone put one on an unenclosed carrier with no cover. They're gonna hide the body until the last minute. The challenger got delayed..but from my friends at GM the Camaro should be on track for an 09 MY launch.

I wonder what that number includes. If its only the daily fixed costs..then so what. They've got to pay it regardless. I'm assuming GM doesnt have to pay workers when they are striking..is that right? if so then they are SAVING all those costs as well as the normal costs of production (components etc.). Might actually be a win for GM in the short term to reduce inventory. This is of course ignoring the long term effects on supplier costs, product development leadtimes etc. GM has too much capacity but it made sense to keep churning out vehicles because the cost to not do so was virtually the same. Now they just need to address the watered down over branding and the labor costs..but it appears that is "in work". Next up...ford?

Allot of people have critisized GM (and others) for agreeing to contracts that were too generous in the past. Hopefully this stops now so that the company can survive.

I had a smart forfour for a bit...total POS. but it'll probably sell, particularly to those that live in the city. i actually wrecked the one i had last year. it completely crumpled. ironically i hit a focus (my fault), the focus had minor damage but the front fenders on the smart broke their mounts and were pushed back over the doors.

Looks good. but my god ford, sell the convertible in the states! i saw one at the bank the other morning and that thing looks good. i'm sure it'd sell over there

ease up on the exclamation points

better quietly than "loudly". that could really fuel the problems!

How many union members really feel that their better off with the current iteration of the Union? seriously..i'm not trying to start an argument here. if i were part of the UAW i don't think i'd want them negotiating for me. 40 years ago, maybe. but right now the union is concerned more about its own survival than that of all its members...which is a definite conflict of interest.

Short article..but mulally makes some good points. i'm curious though, i know ford targets ford, mercury and lincoln to specific demographics...but i wonder how well they reach them. meaning..if you look at say 2000 to now, how closely did the actual sales demographic meet the targets. thats probably not info ford would share.

I'm all for competition, but i'm surprised GM would walk away from this. Ford, GM and DCX, i mean Cerebrus, i mean chrysler corp..whatever, should go in together and sponsor the team. never happen though.

Leave the escort name in the grave ford's like the 40year old loser who hasn't moved on from high school...kind of like the uncle from napolean dynamite. Ford..quit livin in 84! All of ford's past succes's were completely new and innovative, not warmed over versions of previous cars (Taurus, exploerer etc.) but it seems like the only way they think they can be successful today is to go back and hijack the old brands.