I am not sure where this should go, so here it is. Feel free to put it in whatever thread you want.
My brother Justing recieved this email from GM. This is not a hoax, so he tells me. It even came with the GM logo and letter head as if it were delivered USPS.
Dear Justin White,
You made the right choice when you put your confidence in General Motors, and we appreciate your past support. I want to assure you that we are making our best vehicles ever, and we have exciting plans for the future. But we need your help now. Simply put, we need you to join us to let Congress know that a bridge loan to help U.S. automakers also helps strengthen the U.S. economy and preserve millions of American jobs.
Despite what you may be hearing, we are not asking Congress for a bailout but rather a loan that will be repaid.
The U.S. economy is at a crossroads due to the worldwide credit crisis, and all Americans are feeling the effects of the worst economic downturn in 75 years. Despite our successful efforts to restructure, reduce costs and enhance liquidity, U.S. auto sales rely on access to credit, which is all but frozen through traditional channels.
The consequences of the domestic auto industry collapsing would far exceed the $25 billion loan needed to bridge the current crisis. According to a recent study by the Center for Automotive Research:
? One in 10 American jobs depends on U.S. automakers
? Nearly 3 million jobs are at immediate risk
? U.S. personal income could be reduced by $150 billion
? The tax revenue lost over 3 years would be more than $156 billion
Discussions are now underway in Washington, D.C., concerning loans to support U.S. carmakers. I am asking for your support in this vital effort by contacting your state representatives.
Please take a few minutes to go to www.gmfactsandfiction.com, where we have made it easy for you to contact your U.S. senators and representatives. Just click on the "I'm a Concerned American" link under the "Mobilize Now" section, and enter your name and ZIP code to send a personalized e-mail stating your support for the U.S. automotive industry.
Let me assure you that General Motors has made dramatic improvements over the last 10 years. In fact, we are leading the industry with award-winning vehicles like the Chevrolet Malibu, Cadillac CTS, Buick Enclave, Pontiac G8, GMC Acadia, Chevy Tahoe Hybrid, Saturn AURA and more. We offer 18 models with an EPA estimated 30 MPG highway or better ? more than Toyota or Honda. GM has 6 hybrids in market and 3 more by mid-2009. GM has closed the quality gap with the imports, and today we are putting our best quality vehicles on the road.
Please share this information with friends and family using the link on the site.
Thank you for helping keep our economy viable.
Sincerely,
Troy Clarke
This is an email advertisement. If you prefer not to receive any unsolicited marketing emails regarding GM vehicles, click here.
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The marks of General Motors, its divisions, slogans, emblems, vehicle model names, vehicle body designs and other marks appearing in this email are the trademarks and/or service marks of General Motors Corporation, its subsidiaries, affiliates or licensors. ?2008 GM Corp. Buckle up, America!
General Motors Corporation
100 Renaissance Center
482-A00-MAR
Detroit, MI 48265
Sucks to be them. What's so wrong with Chapter 11? Everyone else is doing it. It must be cool.
Win all of the awards you want, I still see a lot more new Toyotas and Hondas with temp tags on them than Chevys.
Since it's a bit related, here's an article from Forbes on why Honda has continued to not suck, business-speaking, for decades:
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2006/0904/112.html
A couple find/replace operations and that article would be about Google.
This sounds like absolute desperation....
I've seen this before.
As much as i would like to see GM fail(the corporation) for their past sins i really want these people to keep their jobs.
Sure the union was demanding and no doubt threatening strikes when they wanted more money, and gm caved. It doesn't change the fact that they need these jobs and the country does too.
The sad thing is that the people who should suffer through this(upper management and that retarded wagoner) will be the ones least affected since they have made their MILLIONS off of Gm's downfall over the last decade.
The scare tactics are really starting to get old.
When a company like GM goes into Ch 11, it continues to operate. Sure there would be some (much needed) plant closures, but to imply 1/10 of Americans will lose their jobs as a result of GM going Ch 11 is absurd.
My dad just bought a 4Runner, and when he was shopping for vehicles he told me he absolutely would not buy from a Big 3 company because of this whole business with begging congress for a bailout. Not just asking for money, but showing up in a gulfstream, and refusing to accept the idea of cutting their personal salaries to $1 to share in the troubles of their companies and employees. So screw the Big 3, till they get new leadership and a new business plan they don't deserve anyone's respect of loyalty.
Quote from: R-inge on November 25, 2008, 07:58:27 AM
My dad just bought a 4Runner, and when he was shopping for vehicles he told me he absolutely would not buy from a Big 3 company because of this whole business with begging congress for a bailout. Not just asking for money, but showing up in a gulfstream, and refusing to accept the idea of cutting their personal salaries to $1 to share in the troubles of their companies and employees. So screw the Big 3, till they get new leadership and a new business plan they don't deserve anyone's respect of loyalty.
Did your dad get an amazing deal on the 4runner?
Quote from: Lebowski on November 25, 2008, 08:10:25 AM
Did your dad get an amazing deal on the 4runner?
I didn't ask what he paid (sort of a thing in the family, we don't talk about money much for some reason) but he said he talked them down pretty far.
GM is toast(doomed to chapter 11), there really is no way around that.
The SNL skit pegged it pretty good. If you give detroit money the only thing they have planned is to ask for more when they run out. How 25 billion is going to turnaround companies that are currently BURNING through 4-7 BILLION a month is beyond me. The problems within detroit are so deeply entrenched that major changes are required to really turn these companies around. Cutting costs, closing factories and cutting wages isn't enough. GM, i focus on them because in a way they are the "frontman" for detroits problems, is easily 2 - 3 times the size it needs to be in every capacity from labor to the number of brands they have.
These old school tricks shouldn't work in this age of technology
Quote from: R-inge on November 25, 2008, 08:11:39 AM
I didn't ask what he paid (sort of a thing in the family, we don't talk about money much for some reason) but he said he talked them down pretty far.
He prolly told the salesman he was gonna go to the GM dealership across the street if he didn't give him a lower price. :lol:
Quote from: giant_mtb on November 25, 2008, 10:00:50 AM
He prolly told the salesman he was gonna go to the GM dealership across the street if he didn't give him a lower price. :lol:
He's a good haggler, so no doubt lol.
i was always hard on gm when i first joined spin (before, as well) - speaking highly of the honda accord and toyota camry - blasting the big three for building sub par cars. i remember all of the nasty responses when insisting that gm, chrysler and ford needed to look to honda and toyota for "direction". well, i was right, but not smug. after all, the public was snapping up all of those large trucks and suv's. naturally, the u.s. car companies were faced with supply and demand - to be fair. i started a letter writing campaign, as i felt these companies were ignoring the car buyer (i.e. midsize family sedans).
now the dilemma. i see the reasoning behind both significant options - chapter 11 and a bailout. millions of jobs are at stake. congress must insist on MAJOR changes from the big three IF even a single penny is given to each automaker.
want to make your voice known - write your public servants. one cannot just point fingers and bitch. i gathered dozens of letters from local citizens, friends and auto club members. it feels good to do something.
no matter the view you take - i suggest writing and/or calling asap.
Once they're in office, they don't give a fuck about what you have to say unless they can spin it into something that will get into the media for PR/campaigning's sake.
Without a real plan that has a good prospect of success (something that has eluded the Big 3 for a couple of decades), does a bailout do anything more than delay the inevitable?
I haven't heard anything to indicate that a bailout will actually save these companies. It just gives them more money to burn off, which at the current rate will maybe be good for about 6 months.
Is keeping these companies afloat another 6 months worth $25 billion of taxpayer dollars?
Good question. I'll let ya'll that pay taxes figure it out.. :-)
My answer would be no though.
(And I Do Not Like GMs, except the Vette. Although we've gone through a lot of Fords and have a Dodge..)