Official Off Topic Thread

[ABQShredHead]

Seriously.

I drive a 1999 CR-V, 117,000. I had a 1998 CR-V, 161,000. It could have gone over 200k but the insurance didn't want to pay to fix the liftgate. It got rear-ended while parked last December, the offender hit it doing 50mph in a Ford Explorer. His car was towed away, I taped the back window and drove mine 267 miles home and then for the rest of the week. The thing had hardly any damage at all. I've also never had much service needed on my Hondas, but my mom's Blazer has been in the shop more times than a cancer patient.

My '80 Chevrolet Caprice (tank) absolutely destroyed the front end of a li'l Japanese car when the driver (drunk) pulled out in front of me one night. I hit the car at no more than 15 mph since I was already slowed considerably since he wasn't the only one who pulled out in front of me. I drove that car home with a scratch on the bumper.

 

[Iced Dog]

Haha, sounds like the '77 Grand Prix I used to drive around in my teens...now THAT was a tank!

Ah, found a pic of that model...

 

[J-Dubya 777]

I love those old GPs! I didn't realize it when I bought my 2008, but it is the final year of this model.....

 

[razoredge]

Hmmm... millions a year to management responsible for making key decisions and guiding an enterprise toward turning a profit for investors, or billions a year to ridiculous payments to union workers responsible for... working?

Yeah, seems like a wash.

I was only asking you if you were interested in the full story or simply wanted to concentrate on 1/2 of the story. No one and I mean no one needs to make even a million dollars a year. Least not executives of failing companies... you know.... those making "key decisions" that have run the companies into the ground. I wasnt making excuses for American auto workers but you just did a "good" job trying to make excuses for execs whom made these labor agreements, what did they care anyhow when they had their own agreements for millions plus lifetime perks locked down ?

We fell behind somewhat in auto technology, at least applied auto technology, product build and design quality which is in engineering, these were all faults of cheap "key decision" bean counters. There was much crying about money for R&D yet 10 million or so easily skimmed from the pockets of a few execs.... still leaving them with millions would have went along way. Billions for millions of employees is nothing compared to millions for a handful of employees.

You are correct, it didnt wash well at all, pay now or pay later, 3 decades of poor management decisions has left American industries in a shambles and a handful of elite extremely fucking rich for these "key decisions".... bravo! :Smokin:

 

[razoredge]

I love those old GPs! I didn't realize it when I bought my 2008, but it is the final year of this model.....

I didnt think Pontiac and Buick would even survive to 2010 but it seems they will... barely. Its just a matter of time before its only Chevy and Cadillac.... ironically the two divisions most responsible for giving GM its bad rep. the past 25 years.

 

[J-Dubya 777]

I didnt think Pontiac and Buick would even survive to 2010 but it seems they will... barely. Its just a matter of time before its only Chevy and Cadillac.... ironically the two divisions most responsible for giving GM its bad rep. the past 25 years.

I've actually had Chevy trucks since 1993, and one car, the Impala that drowned. Very few issues with these vehicles. My first car was a Pontiac, a Catalina, and so far so good with the GP.

 

[razoredge]

I was more refering to the cheaper Chevy cars and car of other divisions powered by the smaller Chevy engines. Then a few Cadillac powertrains were problematic. Im guessing your Impala and the GP had/have the 3800 V6 powertrain ? That was the Buick powertrain developed in early 80's and further refined through many generation and is nearly bullet proof with extreme high mileage potential, it is the only drive train I have bought for the past 15 years. My daughter has a 97 GP GTP which is the supercharged 3800 engine, it has 130,000 miles and has never needed anything other than typical parts that wear out on any vehical, brakes and struts, thats all.

 

[ABQShredHead]

My Venture van has a 3400 V6. The power sliding doors are the only issue on that thing. The motor is rock solid, but a certain dumbass mechanic has cost our pocket books dearly, starting with an inability to do an oil change correctly. Last cost was $320 to pay a (different, trusted and recommended) mechanic to replace the cam position sensor that kept going in and out. Why was it failing? New mechanic found it curious that the sensor was covered in old, dry oil. Go figure.

My new $5000 2003 Cavalier is a great little car. Gets me 28 MPG driving around the town. Sure, it's not anything near my '95 Z with 330 HP, but it's ok. My fault for wrecking the old lady.

But, back to the argument about executive salaries. Execs are in the position of running a company. As a board member, you would want the best executive available, correct? Somebody with a proven track record of making companies successful. But, all the other companies out there - not just car companies, but all companies - want the same thing. If I was a proven executive, I would go to the highest bidder myself. I have the skillsets companies are looking for (as a successful executive) and I deserve to be paid for those skills.

As a company board, I wouldn't settle for anybody less than the best to run my company. But, I would put performance milestones into the equation on the bonuses. I wouldn't simply sign up the best of the best and say after six months or a year they would receive a large bonus - I would say they have to show the same proven performance they have shown with other companies before they get any money. Which, of course, would probably mean I wouldn't get the best of the best - the company down the street promising to simply pay on schedule would get him/her. Which would eventually cause me to change my mind about pay-for-performance and simply hire the best of the best based on their track record, which may or may not at all be attributed to them but the people they formerly worked with.

Executive leadership is of utmost importance to the success of a company. I am finding that out with every new day in my current company, believe me. Wrong decisions are a dime a dozen.

 

[_Gentleman of_the Snow_]

Thanks for the kind words about my car, guys 'n' gals!

I decided to take a picture of the car with myself as well:

Here's the interior, since this was getting discussed earlier:

And here's a picture of my previous car... what a boat this baby was! It's sad to let your first car go, but what's even sadder is that they only gave me $500 for it!

 

[Kenneth R.]

Man, now I can't track you by your plates

 

[razoredge]

Thanks for the kind words about my car, guys 'n' gals!

I decided to take a picture of the car with myself

I like the rear quarter view of that car, we looked at a few at one time.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mark - None of that helps the case of executives that have run companies into the ground. The goslings with follow the goose, a few million to be good enough for them, 60-70 shall have to do for the workforce. Shoe fits both feet and there is not a difference, its far larger than pointing the finger in one direction and you'll convince many others no different.

 

[_Gentleman of_the Snow_]

Man, now I can't track you by your plates

Hahaha, hey, man, you never know!

 

[J-Dubya 777]

Im guessing your Impala and the GP had/have the 3800 V6 powertrain ? That was the Buick powertrain developed in early 80's and further refined through many generation and is nearly bullet proof with extreme high mileage potential, it is the only drive train I have bought for the past 15 years. My daughter has a 97 GP GTP which is the supercharged 3800 engine, it has 130,000 miles and has never needed anything other than typical parts that wear out on any vehical, brakes and struts, thats all.

The Impala had a 3.4 L if I remember right, a bit smaller than in the GP.
The GP does in fact have the 3800, which is one of the reasons I chose it.
I have to drive nearly 100 miles a day for work, and I need longevity in this vehicle since I'll be paying for it for a while. Been a great car so far...Just wish it handled better in snow, it's kinda torque-y, but I've adjusted to it. The Impala handled suprisingly well in the 1 snowy winter I had it.

 

[Iced Dog]

My 2000 Pontiac Grand Am has over 200K miles on it, and still going strong (had it since 2004). However, the engine itself has about 100K miles less on it...apparently the previous owner blew out the original somehow.

 

[Phanto]

I don't even have my own bicycle. Feet and public transportation!

I own a driver's license though.

 

[ABQShredHead]

Just wish it handled better in snow, it's kinda torque-y, but I've adjusted to it. The Impala handled suprisingly well in the 1 snowy winter I had it.

Haha... I still remember the big blizzard in '06 and white-knucklin' the Z all the way home. That drive - about 8 miles - took an hour and a half. It's pretty fun to try to put that much torque to the rear wheels with performance tires when the street is a 2-inch-thick sheet of ice. Yay for third gear.

I miss that car.

EDIT: Not at all the kind of person I want associated with our country's legal system. Be sure to write your congresspersons.

 

[HackerX]

Australian made cars are in the same boat really (except the American owners are milking the australian companies of their "profits"). Overpriced. You can't just call something "quality", put a "quality" price tag on it and expect people to believe you.

So I drive an import, a Nissan Skyline R34 sedan. It is one sexy car.

 

[razoredge]

Australian made cars are in the same boat really (except the American owners are milking the australian companies of their "profits"). Overpriced. You can't just call something "quality", put a "quality" price tag on it and expect people to believe you.

I've been of the impression that Holdens were good cars. A few of the newer chassis platforms are now coming from Holdens engineering.

 

[HackerX]

They're a lot better than what they used to be, sure. They're still a long way behind the mark. They're still cheaply made, so fall apart under scrutiny far to easily.

 

[razoredge]

They're a lot better than what they used to be, sure. They're still a long way behind the mark. They're still cheaply made, so fall apart under scrutiny far to easily.

This would be the bean counter cheapness I was talking about earlier. GM's past CEO's and their entourage from the 70's, 80's and 90's were hell bent on cheapness in many vehicals and cashed in big time, playing their cards with board members. In doing this the company fell behind in advancements made in Japan and Europe, it was a slow process but they pulled it off. As I said earlier you had to know which models to look at and which to stay away from. Another problem was funding for R&D was spred in specific places becasue the company was so big with so many models. So Im not saying no technical advancements were made but that they only happened in certain random areas while others were kept as they were and milked for all they could get out of them. Now today the company pays the price. They are working on it, too little too late and still letting things slide they should not.... all while earning 5 million plus lifetime perks a year.... go figure.......