GM to Announce Closing or Sale of Pontiac Brand

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Fri Apr 24, 2009 12:39 pm

The news is just hitting CNBC now. No article to link yet, but it's on their home page. - AB

Chuck Branscomb · **Posted:** Fri Apr 24, 2009 4:15 pm

Quote:

The company that gave us "the goat" is going away.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/30391708/site/14081545

Here's another link about Pontiac also stating Chrysler is gone: http://www.dailytech.com/Reports+Chrysler+to+Go+Bankrupt+GM+to+Kill+Pontiac+Monday/article14961.htm

This is pretty sad...just when they produce something like the G8 GXP too. Given the parts sharing, development cost sharing, etc, etc, can they possibly sell "Pontiac" off to anyone? Who would buy it? I think it is likely gone for good. :cry:

When I was 13 I taught my older sister how to lay rubber in my dad's 1968 Firebird 350 H.O. All of my screaming shift, shift, shift as she was just spinning way over the limit in 1st gear went unheard resulting in a rocker arm/push rod failure. My dad must have wondered what the heck happened to result in the clatter and 7-cylinder power, but he didn't say much and just repaired it himself. He's 81 now. Perhaps I can now talk to him about the ordeal. :lol:

Adam Ligon · **Posted:** Sun Apr 26, 2009 6:28 pm

GM has been an example of how NOT to run a business for going on 15yrs now. Losing money in their automotive divsions by the millions ea yr.

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2009 9:42 am

Adam Ligon wrote:

GM has been an example of how NOT to run a business for going on 15yrs now. Losing money in their automotive divsions by the millions ea yr.

They would likely be profitable if they didn't have insane legacy costs like the pensions and healthcare they pay for due to the UAW. - AB

Adam Ligon · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2009 9:52 am

Aaron Buckley wrote:

Adam Ligon wrote:

GM has been an example of how NOT to run a business for going on 15yrs now. Losing money in their automotive divsions by the millions ea yr.

They would likely be profitable if they didn't have insane legacy costs like the pensions and healthcare they pay for due to the UAW. - AB

They would be profitable if they stopped making cars, period. GM's non-auto divisions are the only ones that actually make profit.

Donnie Barnes · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:41 pm

Adam Ligon wrote:

Aaron Buckley wrote:

Adam Ligon wrote:

GM has been an example of how NOT to run a business for going on 15yrs now. Losing money in their automotive divsions by the millions ea yr.

They would likely be profitable if they didn't have insane legacy costs like the pensions and healthcare they pay for due to the UAW. - AB

They would be profitable if they stopped making cars, period. GM's non-auto divisions are the only ones that actually make profit.

And I think that's because of what Aaron said.

--Donnie

Graham Jagger · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 12:53 am **Posts:** 1718

Donnie Barnes wrote:

Adam Ligon wrote:

Aaron Buckley wrote:

Adam Ligon wrote:

GM has been an example of how NOT to run a business for going on 15yrs now. Losing money in their automotive divsions by the millions ea yr.

They would likely be profitable if they didn't have insane legacy costs like the pensions and healthcare they pay for due to the UAW. - AB

They would be profitable if they stopped making cars, period. GM's non-auto divisions are the only ones that actually make profit.

And I think that's because of what Aaron said.

--Donnie

Aaron's point is the biggest reason GM is in trouble. Poor management and build quality is secondary. If they could dump the debt made in previous UAW deals they wouldn't need the bailout money. They are stuck eating that one. Can't really just blame the UAW for all of GM's woes either.

In the past several years their build quality, innovation, and approach has changed for the better. Unloading Pontiac is a good idea. They can just take cars right out of Holden since that is what Pontiac was turning into anyway. They should be unloading Buick too. All they need there is a new Chevy for Senior Citizens to replace the LeSabre/Century car :wink:

Of course I'm a Chevy die-hard and don't want to buy foreign cars if at all possible. Not that I won't. Just prefer not too.

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2009 4:00 pm

Graham Jagger wrote:

They should be unloading Buick too. All they need there is a new Chevy for Senior Citizens to replace the LeSabre/Century car :wink:

I'd just kill Buick domestically and sell it overseas. It's the best selling brand in China... and 1.3 billion people can't be wrong

- AB

clinehall · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2009 4:19 pm

I don't know if it would have turned things around, but not making the GTO a retro body (mustang, mini, now challenger and camaro) was a serious mistake. Might have brought abunch of baby boomers back if it had some resemblance to the old goat.

David Spratte · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2009 4:47 pm

Adam Ligon wrote:

Aaron Buckley wrote:

Adam Ligon wrote:

GM has been an example of how NOT to run a business for going on 15yrs now. Losing money in their automotive divsions by the millions ea yr.

They would likely be profitable if they didn't have insane legacy costs like the pensions and healthcare they pay for due to the UAW. - AB

They would be profitable if they stopped making cars, period. GM's non-auto divisions are the only ones that actually make profit.

Aside from performance division stuff and the Corvette, has then been any vehicle from GM that people would actually buy prior to the 2008 model years?

I get that they the UAW agreements share some of the load, but it's on the company's decision makers that have resulted in them not manufacturing a product that people want to buy—not the UAW.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2009 4:56 pm

don't forget Suburbans, and Chevy Trucks, David. good products for those that need such vehicles.

problem is they put all their profit margin in these and got bitten by the gas price bubble. other than the new Malibu i see nothing Chevy has built that is worth a damn in a long time. not since the '80's Monte Carlo.

David Spratte · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2009 5:32 pm

steve remchak wrote:

don't forget Suburbans, and Chevy Trucks, David. good products for those that need such vehicles.

problem is they put all their profit margin in these and got bitten by the gas price bubble. other than the new Malibu i see nothing Chevy has built that is worth a damn in a long time. not since the '80's Monte Carlo.

Sure. But Even then, I think, at best, they split that segment with Ford. I haven't done the research, but I think a split is being charitable.

My only point is that this whole train wreck is way too complex to hang on one entity. It takes a village. . . .

Adam Ligon · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:49 pm

David Spratte wrote:

Sure. But Even then, I think, at best, they split that segment with Ford. I haven't done the research, but I think a split is being charitable.

My only point is that this whole train wreck is way too complex to hang on one entity. It takes a village. . . .

Agreed.

And it all still comes down to all the top level decisions made that led to where GM stis now. Those have been 99.9% bad/wrong for the past 15yrs.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2009 8:00 pm

David Spratte wrote:

steve remchak wrote:

don't forget Suburbans, and Chevy Trucks, David. good products for those that need such vehicles.

problem is they put all their profit margin in these and got bitten by the gas price bubble. other than the new Malibu i see nothing Chevy has built that is worth a damn in a long time. not since the '80's Monte Carlo.

Sure. But Even then, I think, at best, they split that segment with Ford. I haven't done the research, but I think a split is being charitable.

My only point is that this whole train wreck is way too complex to hang on one entity. It takes a village. . . .

yes GM has been tapping on their own coffin nails for some time now agreed.

and Ford probably has a greater margin of the pick-up market. but the discerning buyer has always gone with a Suburban.

of course an X5 is a fine DD / work vehicle also. :lol:

MarcusMcRae · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2009 8:17 pm

Aaron Buckley wrote:

I'd just kill Buick domestically and sell it overseas. It's the best selling brand in China... and 1.3 billion people can't be wrong

- AB

That's pretty damn funny. I have a hard time understanding that.

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GM to Announce Closing or Sale of Pontiac Brand

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