Jump to content

Bought our first GM vehicle


F250

Recommended Posts

The difference is we tend to look at things from a business standpoint rather than a consumer standpoint. .

Oh, so that's the formula for business success. Well then I'm getting quite an education from the experts.

 

I have one more question for the masters: If the Ford GT was cheap to build and profitable why did Ford cancel it after a short 3 years?

Chevrolet has the Corvette and Dodge has the Viper why not keep the cheap and profitable GT in constant production?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It wasn't designed to conform to 2007 safety regs.

 

Also, you run the risk with a car like that of having it wear out its welcome. I mean, it's a 100% rich person toy car. You might have some upper middle class retirees buying Vipers or Vettes and creating something of a sustainable market for that. None of that going on with a GT. Only so many people will want one and once they've got them, they're not going to buy another.

 

However, given how well those things have held their value, Ford probably could've gone on building them for a few more years.

Edited by RichardJensen
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A stretch but OK.

So who are you guys really? I mean the self-importance the massive egos...are y'all like retired millionaire automotive executives killing time on the internet? I feel like I've been arguing with John Delorean.

 

Surely with your vastly superior knowledge of the car business you have made your millions running a real corporation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ford GT is way, way in a higher league than the Sky/Solstace. For one, you don't see any Kappas at Collector Car auctions. Lutz' pet projects were disposable, trendy, forgotten fads. Even the Fiero has a stonger cult following!

 

The 53 Vette may have been first, but isn't the best, and collectors don't think it had good driving dynamics. But, one persons treasure is another's ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, so that's the formula for business success. Well then I'm getting quite an education from the experts.

 

I have one more question for the masters: If the Ford GT was cheap to build and profitable why did Ford cancel it after a short 3 years?

Chevrolet has the Corvette and Dodge has the Viper why not keep the cheap and profitable GT in constant production?

Because like Richard said, it was because of the '07 safety regulations and it was never intended to have a long production run.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just a reminder to everyone here who does not have a degree in the humanities:

 

What you say belongs to everyone.

No one here is above being challenged on their premises or their conclusions.

 

And as a reminder to all:

 

If you do not want your ideas criticized harshly, be prepared to defend them. If you do not want your opinions criticized harshly, do not present them as facts. Do not take criticism of your ideas and opinions personally. Do not insult other members.

 

And if you don't like having your ideas dissected and analyzed, go somewhere else. Go to a forum where fantasy reigns and they are quick to boot anyone who makes noise. Go to a forum where you can associate freely with people who think exactly like you and will not subject any of your ideas to critical thought. Go to a forum where you'll never have to think critically--or perhaps at all.

 

BOF has probably banned fewer users than any other internet forum over the past ten years. I think the philosophy of the forum works. If you do not, you are free to go elsewhere.

Edited by RichardJensen
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

GM Ices Kappa; Losing $10k Per Car on Solstice and Sky

LINK

GM Inside News reports that The General has spiked the successor to the Kappa-platform cars: Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky,

Opel GT and Daewoo G2X. GM's financial perils are well known, and the market demand for impractical rear wheel-drive roadsters

in the current economic climate is not so hot (as in ice cold). A dedicated Kappa factory (without flex assembly), the lack of the Kappa

platform's adaptability, the current cars' cost (labor-intensive production, and expensive hydroformed frame rails and major body parts)

all contributed to last week's decision to let the cars die on the vine. And why not? GMI reports a $10k loss on each vehicle built, which

puts the real cost of a Kappa between $30 – $40k. By coincidence, that's the same price range of yet another car Bob Lutz is

championing. Hopefully GM's learned a lesson about low-volume production here: it's best to build on a shared platform on a shared

assembly line. You know; in case that whole Li-ion battery pack thing doesn't pan out.

 

While Ford ended up building just over 4,000 of the intended 4,500 target, I'm sure that the use of third parties for

the majority of GT's assembly and painting work probably kept costs sane as did adding just the final trim at Wixom.

 

Who are we to say whether Ford lost a bomb or not on GT, it was always going to be an exclusive with very limited production

that is vastly different to GM developing and producing Kappa across multiple brands and then witdrawing the platform

and ultimately selling it off to a Spanish car maker.

 

The problem with the vehicle is not so much the vehicle but the way GM marketed them and managed costs.

Edited by jpd80
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A stretch but OK.

So who are you guys really? I mean the self-importance the massive egos...are y'all like retired millionaire automotive executives killing time on the internet? I feel like I've been arguing with John Delorean.

 

Surely with your vastly superior knowledge of the car business you have made your millions running a real corporation.

 

 

Cute-little-kittens-550x365.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cars we like as enthusiasts are not always good business decisions. As an enthusiast I am glad that GM (Lutz) built the Solstice and Sky even if was a lousy business decision. I am also glad that Ford built the GT, good business decision or not.

 

Trying to make endless claims about poor business decisions is OK but as an auto enthusiast I get tired of hearing the endless bantering that goes on about them. I would much rather talk about the attributes of these cars instead of always trying to tear the cars down based on a poor business decision.

 

Not sure about the rest of you but I for one am glad the OP bought a Saturn Sky. I like the Sky and I would have one myself if I could have many different cars in my stable. Heck I would love to own one of the few Solstices Coupes that got produced as well.

 

Dave

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just a reminder to everyone here who does not have a degree in the humanities:

 

 

What you say belongs to everyone.

No one here is above being challenged on their premises or their conclusions.

And as a reminder to all:

 

If you do not want your ideas criticized harshly, be prepared to defend them. If you do not want your opinions criticized harshly, do not present them as facts. Do not take criticism of your ideas and opinions personally. Do not insult other members.

As someone who's about to receive his third humanities degree (and fourth overall), I concur with this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

F250,

FWIW the vehicle you bough is probably worth $10K more than what GM sold them for.

That's gotta be the bargain of the century for buyers - especially now in the used market.

 

While we berate GM for producing vehicles of questionable commercial relevance in the

mid 2000s, GM loss is buyers gains.

 

I hope you /your family have many pleasurable miles

Edited by jpd80
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

F250,

FWIW the vehicle you bough is probably worth $10K more than what GM sold them for.

That's gotta be the bargain of the century for buyers - especially now in the used market.

 

While we berate GM for producing vehicles of questionable commercial relevance in the

mid 2000s, GM loss is buyers gains.

 

I hope you /your family have many pleasurable miles

 

Thanks, If you were closer than half a planet away I'd sure as hell buy you a beer or two.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cars we like as enthusiasts are not always good business decisions. As an enthusiast I am glad that GM (Lutz) built the Solstice and Sky even if was a lousy business decision. I am also glad that Ford built the GT, good business decision or not.

 

Trying to make endless claims about poor business decisions is OK but as an auto enthusiast I get tired of hearing the endless bantering that goes on about them. I would much rather talk about the attributes of these cars instead of always trying to tear the cars down based on a poor business decision.

 

Not sure about the rest of you but I for one am glad the OP bought a Saturn Sky. I like the Sky and I would have one myself if I could have many different cars in my stable. Heck I would love to own one of the few Solstices Coupes that got produced as well.

 

Dave

 

Well I got to drive the Sky today! Why? Because the tires i ordered arrived, mounted & balanced them shot an alignment then ran it over to our Chevy store to program an extra remote with their scan tool, Yea, that's why I get to drive it. LoL Anyway for a few of you car guys here are some suspension shots that explain why it handles so well but not why it only sold for $25k new, Note all control arms are aluminum and the Bilstein shocks. This is a standard 2.4L not the Red Line turbo,

 

IMG_20150417_081310_932_zpsjqkujdrn.jpg

IMG_20150417_081301_667_zpsul7nfyzj.jpg

 

And why did I replace the tires when the previous owner replaced the factory Goodyears with new crappy Chinese Runway Enduro 619s that still had 7/32 tread depth? Because he wasted his money on Chinese tires that were only 3 years old and were already cracking and making noise.

 

IMG_20150417_153917_475-1_zpsovrirshf.jp

 

And I love these plant stickers

IMG_20150417_190357_650_zps0ng3gb3e.jpg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just remember that originally Holden had planned to use those components on their original Alpha proposal to GM.

I can only imagine what could have been possible had GM been able to diversify / re use Kappa suspension in such a way...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cars we like as enthusiasts are not always good business decisions. As an enthusiast I am glad that GM (Lutz) built the Solstice and Sky even if was a lousy business decision. I am also glad that Ford built the GT, good business decision or not.

 

Trying to make endless claims about poor business decisions is OK but as an auto enthusiast I get tired of hearing the endless bantering that goes on about them. I would much rather talk about the attributes of these cars instead of always trying to tear the cars down based on a poor business decision.

 

Not sure about the rest of you but I for one am glad the OP bought a Saturn Sky. I like the Sky and I would have one myself if I could have many different cars in my stable. Heck I would love to own one of the few Solstices Coupes that got produced as well.

 

Dave

Well said!

Thank you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

And why did I replace the tires when the previous owner replaced the factory Goodyears with new crappy Chinese Runway Enduro 619s that still had 7/32 tread depth? Because he wasted his money on Chinese tires that were only 3 years old and were already cracking and making noise.

 

IMG_20150417_153917_475-1_zpsovrirshf.jp

 

 

 

Oh, they only crack like that when you drive the car. That's not covered by the warranty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From what I've heard, the Sky & Solstice were great bargains, but not as much as the Chrysler Crossfire. Again, congrats on your purchase. But, as a Ford fanboy, I'm still waiting for a Ford that I can buy that Ford is paying me $10K or more to take off their hands.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As someone who's about to receive his third humanities degree (and fourth overall), I concur with this.

I am so impressed by people that brag about their degrees. Do you know how many degrees Henry Ford held? He was a pretty smart fellow as well wouldn't you agree?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

From what I've heard, the Sky & Solstice were great bargains, but not as much as the Chrysler Crossfire. Again, congrats on your purchase. But, as a Ford fanboy, I'm still waiting for a Ford that I can buy that Ford is paying me $10K or more to take off their hands.

I still think the Crossfire is a great looking car.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...