GM offers to pay difference between gas price & $2

[Pi rules]

Article here (http://blog.wired.com/cars/index.blog?entry_id=1488303).

To get consumers to buy its vehicles, General Motors is offering $2 gas for one year on many of its larger vehicles.

The promotion is on new GM vehicles and requires signing up for the OnStar service (free for the first year). GM will pay the difference between the average price of gas in the state where drivers' reside and $1.99 when they fill up a Hummer, Tahoe, Suburban or other large vehicle.

Isn't this admitting a weakness in your marketing pitch? "We know our vehicles guzzle gas, so we'll kick back some of the cost." Great, sign me up. Oh wait, what happens in years 2-7 when gas hits $4 and $5?
It would still cost more/week in a Hummer than a car. I'm sure environmentalists love this new (desperate?) move.:rolleyes:

[mommalina]

Originally Posted by article
To get consumers to buy its vehicles, General Motors is offering $2 gas for one year on many of its larger vehicles.

.....now if only that were combined with the magnanimous one-time $100 "rebate" for higher gas prices some nut jobs in Congress want to give us.

Wow! What great incentives! Maybe I'll I run out and buy one of those GM cars and start driving again. .... :car: .... ooops! first I gotta pass a test and get a new driver's license.:help:

Lina

[Seth]

General Motors is a tired car company that's about to die. Ditto for Ford and Chrysler. Compared to Japanese vehicle manufacturers such as Honda, these "yesterday thinking" companies produce shoddy, poor quality vehicles. Kind of like newer E-Machine computers.

In the words of Homer Simpson, "What's that one good American car"?

[mylanta]

General Motors is a tired car company that's about to die. Ditto for Ford and Chrysler. Compared to Japanese vehicle manufacturers such as Honda, these "yesterday thinking" companies produce shoddy, poor quality vehicles. Kind of like newer E-Machine computers.

In the words of Homer Simpson, "What's that one good American car"?


Sad but actually so true. They are lagging behind every Japanese maker and just never seem to catch up. Finally waking up with hybrids? I can just imagine what those will run like.

[compusimple]

They might suffer same fate as the american made diesels.

Elliott

[Seth]

Sad but actually so true. They are lagging behind every Japanese maker and just never seem to catch up. Finally waking up with hybrids?

Hybrids are the next big thing. I imagine fuel cells will follow. Honda and Toyota are way in front of the pack when it comes to hybrids.

I've always owned domestic vehicles, but after extensive research on reliability and quality, I purchased a 2003 Honda Civic in 2002. I'm extremely impressed with the quaility. In the four years that I've had it, I've had no mechanical problems. Heck, I haven't even had as much as a squeek.

Back in 2002, I also test drove the 2003 Chevrolet Impala to compare it to the Civic. Keep in mind that the Impala is actually $10,000 more than the Civic, and is in the Honda Accord class. Now if all you were used to driving was domestic vehicles, than you probably would think the Impala is a good ride. But when compared to the Civic, the Impala's lack of quality was blatantly evident. Specifically, a noisy and kind of clunky drive train, internal components and controls that seemed loose and cheap, and a poor stereo that didn't even come close to my Civic's stock stereo.

Now that I've driven a Honda, I'll never purchase anything else. Every Honda owner that I talk to, nods their head in agreement when I say that.

[mylanta]

Seth,
One other thing that grabbed me is the Impala is $10,000 more new but 2 years later, guaranteed they both have the same resale value, and if nothing else, that should convince anyone that checks into it. Take the American car and then age it 2 years in the Kelly Blue Book and then compare to 2 year old comp Japanese car. It will change your thinking.
Oh and there is another avenue...I recently bought my second Jetta diesel. There are people drving around my county using french fry fat in conversion kits...some day these will use canola oil right off the line and the milage is only slightly lower than hybrids with no recalls.

[Seth]

Seth,
One other thing that grabbed me is the Impala is $10,000 more new but 2 years later, guaranteed they both have the same resale value, and if nothing else, that should convince anyone that checks into it. Take the American car and then age it 2 years in the Kelly Blue Book and then compare to 2 year old comp Japanese car. It will change your thinking.
Oh and there is another avenue...I recently bought my second Jetta diesel. There are people drving around my county using french fry fat in conversion kits...some day these will use canola oil right off the line and the milage is only slightly lower than hybrids with no recalls.

Yes, after two years they have the same value. So the impala lost $10,000 compared to the Civic after some time off the lot.

I've heard only good things about the Jetta. Pretty soon one of the fast food joints "combo's" will include some fry fat for Jetta owners:)

[mylanta]

It's amazing. Drive a diesel jetta and you will buy one. They are about 1,000 lbs heavier than ordinary Jetta, and the ride is better than American car because of that. There is nothing about the vehicle that in any way seems different than a gasoline engine, except that the mileage is double. Speed handling if anything give it more power and the newest one is a 6 speed automatic tranny that actually gives practically the same mileage as stick.