2006: The year GM loses top spot.

[Nilsen]

The future is sailboatcars

[Rolex]

Please, beet1e. It is the mold costs, process and time to assemble that were wickedly improved. I'd really like to have a civil and intelligent discussion about this without the threat of it being locked. Please don't do this.

I don't think your prediction, Tex, is extreme. Both GM and Ford could be in severe capital stress in a few years. I have 3 main worries:

1. The availability and cost of investment funds needed to bring about the technology and tooling.

2. The lack of successful corporate turnaround history and culture, particularly who the jockey will be. There are only a handful of people in the entire world capable of pulling off a change of course of an organization so large, and with so much momentum.

3. I don't forsee the economy being better next year, or the year after, than it has been the last few years. If growth slows, they will have more difficulty stopping market share and profit loss. Toyota, Honda and Nissan have strong balance sheets and enormous available funds, in addition to more global reach and market share into other growth areas beyond just North America.

Here's a possiblity that won't be accepted easily: GM or Ford may no longer be wholly American companies in a few years.

I also agree that hybrid engines will just be a bridge, but whomever captures the lion's share of the market will be king of the jungle for the next shift.

[Ripsnort]

Won't be long before Germany passes up Japan.

Check out "Unpimp your ride" video on the URL below (Select "Preview")


http://www.thenewsmarket.com/CustomLink/MediaDetailsEx.aspx?GUID=6939f018-dfd2-4944-a777-0ff7984fc2eb&CustomPage=1&ParentGUID=eaae0a35-f386-4c72-98f5-6726da3881d1

[Nilsen]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
Won't be long before Germany passes up Japan.

Check out "Unpimp your ride" video on the URL below (Select "Preview")


http://www.thenewsmarket.com/CustomLink/MediaDetailsEx.aspx?GUID=6939f018-dfd2-4944-a777-0ff7984fc2eb&CustomPage=1&ParentGUID=eaae0a35-f386-4c72-98f5-6726da3881d1

[Stringer]

Originally posted by Thrawn
Isn't that be recursive?  Doesn't a total commitment to reducing waste in itself produce waste?  How does a company solve that?

Cripes solving the problem of the waste created by solving the problem of wastes...etc.

Thrawn,
I would encourage you to look a little deeper into their system.  You are off the mark.

[lasersailor184]

The future is sailboatcars

Now this man is thinking the right way!  Ironically our school should pick up 4 Land Sailors in the near future.

[Kaw1000]

Wtg America....keep buying those foreign cars!!.....when GM and Ford go down kiss our country good-by...If GM goes down so does roughly 900,000
jobs!!...People dont reilize that most profits of foriegn car sales goes back to that country....also....they say"these cars are built in America"these statementS are great publicity for dumb Americans that dont know the inside scoop.
   Is it too hard to see that the rubber makers, the plastic workers,metal workers and so many others are losing thier jobs because these forieghn car makers are importing everything to make these cars in America??
   I could go on and on...but heres the bottom line...If you go to japan or China...Do they buy american made products..no...because they are loyal to their countrys and the products They build. We as Americans dont look at it the same way its sad to say.
    Don't give me the foreign cars are built better than American cars..everyday I see Chev and ford cars with 150,000 to 250,000 miles and still running strong!!


WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!!

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by Kaw1000
Wtg America....keep buying those foreign cars!!.....when GM and Ford go down kiss our country good-by...If GM goes down so does roughly 900,000
jobs!!...People dont reilize that most profits of foriegn car sales goes back to that country....also....they say"these cars are built in America"these statementS are great publicity for dumb Americans that dont know the inside scoop.
   Is it too hard to see that the rubber makers, the plastic workers,metal workers and so many others are losing thier jobs because these forieghn car makers are importing everything to make these cars in America??
   I could go on and on...but heres the bottom line...If you go to japan or China...Do they buy american made products..no...because they are loyal to their countrys and the products They build. We as Americans dont look at it the same way its sad to say.
    Don't give me the foreign cars are built better than American cars..everyday I see Chev and ford cars with 150,000 to 250,000 miles and still running strong!!


WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!!

You might want to say this to those working on assembly lines in the U.S. (as well as suppliers) for many foreign automobile companies and see what their reaction is. They may feel that you are taking food out of their mouth, since they work for a foreign company in the U.S. and cash their paychecks here, thereby injecting money into our own economy.

Of course "profits" except those made by dealerships go back to foreign countries, its how they gain capital by building more assembly lines and a better line of automobiles.

Your theory is about 25 years outdated.

[Stringer]

Here's a couple of links to the Job Banks program:

The first one takes a good view to both sides of the equation:

http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0510/17/A01-351179.htm

The next one is an editorial:

http://www.assemblymag.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/BNP__Features__Item/0,6493,167172,00.html

[FUNKED1]

Originally posted by TexMurphy
Personally I predict that if GM and Ford dont have have a hybrid engine out within two years at least one of them will file bancrupcy.

You do realize that Toyota loses money on every hybrid they sell?
I repeat:  Toyotas hybrid cars are not profitable.  It's all about good PR with envirowhackos and other lefties.

[J_A_B]

Given the inherent complexity, hybrid cars seem like a mechanic's dream.  The ones I've seen are also tiny and uncomfortable.


I'll stick with my V-8 Buick, thanks.  


Let the city people drive the tin cans.  


J_A_B

[Kaw1000]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
You might want to say this to those working on assembly lines in the U.S. (as well as suppliers) for many foreign automobile companies and see what their reaction is. They may feel that you are taking food out of their mouth, since they work for a foreign company in the U.S. and cash their paychecks here, thereby injecting money into our own economy.

Of course "profits" except those made by dealerships go back to foreign countries, its how they gain capital by building more assembly lines and a better line of automobiles.

Your theory is about 25 years outdated.

yea maybe.. but what do u tell the 30 to 40 thousand people that worked in gm and ford factorys when they lose their job??? yea they are injecting money into our ecomony   about half of what it used to be!!  again  WAKE UP!!

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by FUNKED1
You do realize that Toyota loses money on every hybrid they sell?
I repeat:  Toyotas hybrid cars are not profitable.  It's all about good PR with envirowhackos and other lefties.

It is true that Prius originally lost money.  Building the hybrid did cost more than it was sold for, at first.  But over the years, Toyota managed to overcome production expenses to reduce that cost to below the window-sticker price.  By late 2002, the THS design had proven so successful that Toyota decided to invest again.  That made Prius, once again, unprofitable.  Fortunately, the new HSD design was created for use in the entire fleet of Toyota passenger vehicles, every single model... which means it is quite inappropriate to place the entire burden of that research & development solely on just one vehicle, Prius.

By the end of the 2004 model year, there will be 250,000 Prius on roads worldwide.  In early 2005, a hybrid version of Toyota Highlander and Lexus RX400 will be introduced.  Both will also use the HSD design.  The following year, 2 or 3 more HSD equipped vehicles are expected to debut.  That same year, Nissan is expected to begin selling hybrids using HSD as well.  Toyota is clearly on the way to achieving profit.  Losing money will soon be just a memory from the past.

 

[Thrawn]

Originally posted by Stringer
Thrawn,
I would encourage you to look a little deeper into their system.  You are off the mark.

I'm sure I am, that's why I was asking question.  

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by Kaw1000
yea maybe.. but what do u tell the 30 to 40 thousand people that worked in gm and ford factorys when they lose their job??? yea they are injecting money into our ecomony   about half of what it used to be!!  again  WAKE UP!!

We tell them the same thing that we told Boeing Employees when we lost 50,000 jobs in 2002. Find another job.  Most did. Those that did not went to school, got a better education, and a better job. Unemployment is at its lowest in this state in 6 years! In 2002 it was 6.9% unemployed, now it is 5.3%.(shrugs)