Really Hate to Post this DP

[Pixguy]

Through April total sales of trucks was about 190,000 for Ford and about 180,000 for GM, similar percentage to recent history. GM's are wt the end of their platform run and new product will be hitting the market over the next 12 months, newer product always boosts one company for a while, then the others catch up.

Is this light duty, 1/4 to 1 ton trucks? Not sure about the rest of the country, but in New England, Ford seems to outnumber all others.

Not really taking sides and not speaking of anyone in this post, but ....


I would be willing to bet that a LOT of nay sayers about the GM / Government bailout would sound differently if GM had just went bankrupt and dissolved totally.

Probably a majority of those nay sayers would be saying stuff like:

"Why didn't our Government step in and protect U.S. jobs?"

Yea, I guess there are people that are "wishy washy" like that with no core beliefs.

 

[crazyal]

I fail to see how buying a foreign owned brand that benefits Japan profit wise, is somehow better for the country than buying a brand that was bailed out with taxpayer money. It's like shooting your foot because your pissed off that you stubbed your toe.
Government ownership was down to about 25% after the November 2010 stock sale, not sure if more has been sold yet. But soon the company will be free of government ownership. This was not the way I would like to see things done, but like Harley Davidson and many others, it was overall better to save the jobs than hope they somehow got spread to other U.S, companies.

I don't care. GM became a dead brand in my eyes the moment the government bailed them out and screwed over the stock holders. GM took the bailout and now they must live with the fact that a number of people will never buy their products again.

Besides which is better? Sending profits to a US based company who pays foreign workers to build it or a Japanese based company who pays US workers to build it? Prove me wrong but the amount of money sent overseas due to profits is very small compared to how much money from the sale of a new car goes towards pay for the workers, contractors, and taxes.

 

[sandman2234]

I don't care.
GM took the bailout and now they must live with the fact that a number of people will never buy their products again.

Probably the same people that jumped ship from Ford when their diesels went down the tube???? People I know will NEVER buy another Ford truck due to loosing their tails on a 6.0. I could probably find someone that won't buy a Toyo because they put bad windshield wipers on it, or a Dodge because they didn't use the right type of light bulbs and they keep burning out. They are people that are stubborn, pig headed and not willing to examine their circumstances to see what really is the problem. I seriously doubt GM will go under because they took the bailout money, but more likely would have gone under had they not done it. All the money lost to the stockholders by taking the bailout would be what had they just quietly closed their doors without a bailout?
David from jax

 

[sandman2234]

Well, that is all in fine. My 08 Titan pulls every week, sometimes as much as 10,000#, has 48,000 miles on it, and has never been in for a single repair. Not even a light bulb.

Chris

My 2001 Silverado went over a hundred thousand before it went for a repair, and it was originally a truck owned by a machine shop (where I worked for a while).First repair was one of the daytime driving lights. 48K ain't hard to do, heck even my Daughter's Jeep went further than that (and still going strong over 200K) with limited maintance from her. I have to take the keys away just to check the fluids, lol.
David from jax

 

[greasemonkeyok]

Uh, the government didn't screw the GM stockholders - GM (mis)management did. The company was bankrupt, and the common stock was worthless. Maybe the bond bullies had something to pi$$ and moan about, but they knew the risks just as did the stockholders.

Do you really believe liquidation and sale of the assets would have left anyone better off? Who was going to purchase the assets of a failed US vehicle manufacturer? China? Oh Oh - wait a minute, I know, you think Sara Palin or some other air-head was going to bail GM out, right?

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

I don't care. GM became a dead brand in my eyes the moment the government bailed them out and screwed over the stock holders.

Never let reality get in the way of a good rant. Let's say there was no bailout. GM goes bankrupt. Sell the assets. Pay the creditors. The Stock Holders are last in line - think they would have done any better.

Think about it - actually really think...................

 

[bp fick]

These companies, in my view, are international. I don't think of them as "US" or "Japan", etc.

They are "owned" by their stockholders. If the majority of Nissan stock is owned by Americans, would that make it an "American" company? If the majority of GM stock is owned by the French, would that make it a "French" company? Does where a corporation finally pays its corporate tax determine the "country"?

With all the news of so-called "American" companies dodging US taxes by claiming to be corporations of some obscure island nation somewhere, it all leaves me rather callous about this worn out conversation, frankly. Show me the jobs.

I don't care much about the so-called "nationality" of these international corporations, because I don't believe they themselves think in those terms anymore. Likely an outdated concept.

Just show me the jobs.

 

[toppop52]

Well, that is all in fine. My 08 Titan pulls every week, sometimes as much as 10,000#, has 48,000 miles on it, and has never been in for a single repair. Not even a light bulb.

Chris

Thats proof, you're a lucky man!

 

[lduren]

Uh, the government didn't screw the GM stockholders - GM (mis)management did. The company was bankrupt, and the common stock was worthless. Maybe the bond bullies had something to pi$$ and moan about, but they knew the risks just as did the stockholders.

Do you really believe liquidation and sale of the assets would have left anyone better off? Who was going to purchase the assets of a failed US vehicle manufacturer? China? Oh Oh - wait a minute, I know, you think Sara Palin or some other air-head was going to bail GM out, right?

I thought I was going to post saying that Hummer was sold to a Chinese company, but this article says otherwise: GM to shut down Hummer after China deal fizzles | Reuters

 

[crazyal]

Never let reality get in the way of a good rant. Let's say there was no bailout. GM goes bankrupt. Sell the assets. Pay the creditors. The Stock Holders are last in line - think they would have done any better.

Think about it - actually really think...................

Since this is a tractor forum I'm not going to correct you on the differences between the various types of bankruptcies and who gets paid what when assets are sold.