Outside of the continuing wave of Blago news, this is the big story.
This parody ad of the Big 3 pretty much sums up my thoughts on the whole pathetic, preventable story.
……

Did General Mess-up use this same strategy after inflicting the Corvair and Vega on unsuspecting buyers?

dan708, I owned a 1965 Corvair Corsa coupe (140HP) and there was nothing wrong with it that simple maintenance didn’t fix. Remember, Ralph Nader doesn’t drive!

On the other hand, the Vega was a piece of garbage.

The major issue here is one of quaility. From 1955 to 1973, the Big 3 really did produce some nice cars.

55-57 Bel Air – GM
67-73 Chevelle – GM
68-72 Satellite/Road Runner – Chrysler
68-72 Barracuda/Challenger – Chrysler
65-69 Mustang – Ford

You’ll notice they’re all muscle cars.

What happened was the OPEC (Organization to Pilfer Every Cent) oil embargo in 1974. Smaller, fuel efficient foreign cars fit the bill while the Big 3 became the Insignificant 3. They tried to work with the UAW which just sucked the money out of the automakers. When Nissan opened a plant in Tennessee, it was without union labor. That’s why they opened it there! The UAW screamed foul but the american car buyer saw the low cost and quality and made the capitalist decision; vote with your wallet.

I own two Toyotas. But being 6′4″, I’d like something that fits ME. I was thinking of buying an Impala. However, if the government bails them out, I’ll buy another foreign car. The quality will drop even further as the gov’t buys adds in all the automotive trade rags to blow smoke up our @sses about how great the new gov’t cars are.

Think Lada or Yugo. Great cars! NOT!

What we are asked to do is pick up the Legacy Costs of the UAW agreements plus lazy ass management. If we do there will be no reason for Detroit to get their heads out and do what they need to do–build cars we want at a price we are willing to pay-once.

# The first question is, what changes has Chrysler made to help itself? Since Chrysler became an independent company in 2007:

* We eliminated over 1.2 million units of capacity, or 30 percent;
* We reduced fixed costs by $2.4 billion and, separated over 32,000 employees – including 5,000 on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. And at the same time …
* We invested in product improvements – over half a billion dollars in our first 60 days
* We improved our latest JD Power quality scores, and reduced our warranty claims by 29 percent; Part of our business model transformation includes alliances and partnerships – for example – the agreements to produce vehicles for VW and for Nissan. As a result, through the first six months of the year, Chrysler met or exceeded our operating plan, ending the first half with $9.4 billion unrestricted cash.

# Why does Chrysler need the funding? We need to address the unprecedented drop in vehicle sales caused by the financial crisis. U.S. sales are down from a 17 million unit selling rate in early 2007, to an estimated 11 million unit selling rate for the fourth quarter of 2008 – a 38 percent decline. We lost 20 percent of our sales virtually overnight when the financial market crisis forced us out of the consumer lease business. With customers not buying … with dealers not ordering … with our plants not producing … Chrysler’s cash inflow has suffered.
# So how will the bridge loan be used? Cash will support ongoing operations as we continue to restructure the business, including in the first quarter alone:

* $8.0 billion in payments to parts suppliers $1.2 billion for other vendors
* $900 million in wages
* $500 million in healthcare and legacy costs
* $500 million in capital expenditures

Fortunately we have had one bad car; unfortunately we never could get Ford to own up to it-they kept arguing with us. Damn Ford Granada did keep running I must admit that. Windows opened and closed when that wanted, same with the doors. Mirrors would not hold position, seats came apart-and Ford argued. The paint job made the car look like it had a disease. And Ford argued.
Being who I am I still drive American-my wife and kids all drive Japanese or BMWs.
I now have a 2004 Town Car-Rear Wheel Drive thank you- and a 2005 F-150 and they are excellent. But I want to pay for them ONCE.
But Ford wants to argue.

After getting all my shots, I’m gonna ride that burned-out husk of a Barbie doll into the ground!

After those 10 minutes are up, time to go hit up Obama for my “failed expectations” bailout!

Iraq will likely be doing the same in the financial industry 50 years from now.

Bad management + bad unions + virulently punitive and systemically incompetent government = FAILURE!