GM is A JOKE!

[corrosivefire]

GMs process of making vehicals just does not work. They are still mass producing on a line while other companies like Toyota are using a cell structure to make the different cars. This allows toyota to find defects and repair them much quicker and allows for greater customizability. GM also still deals with suppliers on a 1-2 yr contract basis last time I believe. They give the supplier the contract because of price not neccassarily quality. Toyota has long term contracts with suppliers, thus the better products them make to supply toyota directly affects how many products they get to make and sell to toyota. Thus the suppliers try to innovate their products each year and make them better. Ever heard of TQM? They have less to lose and a lot to gain. SInce the suppliers to GM only have a short term vested interest which is to make a cheap part to have a low bid, then they get low quality parts. This also allows for less innovation. Most japanese companies follow the Toyota way, well its actually called the keiretsu system. Companies are switching over quickly like DaimlerChrysler.

[fajita23200]

Originally Posted by syr74

Sometimes it is as much the particular model you buy as the car company that made it. The Grand Am is just a disaster, has beem through every redesign actually. Everytime someone I know buys one I ask what in the hell they were thinking.

You are right, the G/A is junk.The 2.4 is an evil motor that should be sent back to hell.I'm not even sure what motor they have in them today.But,I say"Be afraid,be very afraid(of major repair bills.)

[BMW_4.4i]

Originally Posted by T. Hazuki

I, myself am not a domestic car guy. My family has alway bought Japanese except for our pickup. Japanese cars go forever and they are just great all around cars! never buy american!

Toyotas, nissans, honda's etc. are the best. After owning a Tahoe, Blazer, and other GM's i would have to say that they are all pieces of s*it.

My wife had the Blazer - when we brought it home and pulled in the garage, it was crooked, the whole truck was out of alignment. 10000 miles later - the raditator died. At 20000 miles, the raditator died again. The tires where wearing unevenly - it would go back (we leased it) before it needed new ones. By the time 36000 miles came, no speakers worked, the tach was dead, and there were numberous other problems with it.

The Tahoe was mine. 40000 miles, the transmission went. The tires were wearing unevenly, and the radio couldn't receive a signal if its life depended on it. It had to be towed a countless number of times for little falures here and there. It just wasn't realiable. I only put about 75000 on this truck

Ever since i have boughten imports. I have a Rav4 (the company car) a 2000 Land Crusier (which i am going to sell) the 4Runner, and the BMW X5. I also had a 97 Land Crusier 40th anniversery eddition. None have ever had any problems. The 97 Land Crusier had 90000 miles when my lease was up. The 00 Land Crusier has 130,000 miles on it now. I still drive it time to time. Never replaced anything - and got about 100000 miles out of the tires. That shows a perfect truck. The X5 4.4i is nice but the only reason why i bought it was because it was fast, and i am not a huge fan of the Sequia's styling. I needed something somewhat big and i really liked the Bimmer.

I have never really been a Ford fan, and all the freakin recalls really bother me. The Explorer has got to be the worse assembled truck on the market. (I don't know about the new ones, but the 95-00 were aweful)

That is just my opinion/experiences. You don't have to agree.

[BMW_4.4i]

Originally Posted by corrosivefire

GMs process of making vehicals just does not work. They are still mass producing on a line while other companies like Toyota are using a cell structure to make the different cars. This allows toyota to find defects and repair them much quicker and allows for greater customizability. GM also still deals with suppliers on a 1-2 yr contract basis last time I believe. They give the supplier the contract because of price not neccassarily quality. Toyota has long term contracts with suppliers, thus the better products them make to supply toyota directly affects how many products they get to make and sell to toyota. Thus the suppliers try to innovate their products each year and make them better. Ever heard of TQM? They have less to lose and a lot to gain. SInce the suppliers to GM only have a short term vested interest which is to make a cheap part to have a low bid, then they get low quality parts. This also allows for less innovation. Most japanese companies follow the Toyota way, well its actually called the keiretsu system. Companies are switching over quickly like DaimlerChrysler.

Absolultly.

[fajita23200]

Originally Posted by Oldengineer

I'd agree with you that your Vette is a great car. However the Chevy 4's and V-6's on the market pale in comparison to Chevy's V-8s.

Regards:
Oldengineer

I agree with the v6 comment.But,my 98 Cavalier(4banger) is still going.Quite well too.It,had its share of small problems early on.But,I bought the extended warranty.It saved me some money.Now I pretty much have had 0 problems.

[nukepower]

gm knows those gaskets are shit and they leave them on there to weed out dickheads like you. if you know anything about gm cars the first thing you do on a 3.1-3.4 is the intake gaskets. i know people who have had those gaskets leak for months without replacing them and not have any problems. i bet when you were done with the gaskets you started the car and it was knocking. i would go as far as to say you didnt mark your intake/exhaust pushrods. i would even venture to say you didnt know that they are different sizes and if you cross them up the valves hit the pistons.
i would even venture to say gm doesnt care if you dont like there cars. i would also say that they dont want people like you who dont know shit about cars to work on there cars.

[Oldengineer]

Originally Posted by camaroincal

3.8 3800 is a great engine.

Yea - its a great engine - made by Buick, not Chevy.

Regards:
Oldengineer.

[J_Swigz]

this thread is still going?

[gigglesnirt]

american power at its finest.......

[Metradyne]

I cant complain about my truck. A 97 Sonoma with 129K miles on the clock. The 4.3 has given me years of reliable service. Some of the engine accessorices have been replaced and it's on a second transmission (due to the transmission fluid cooler rupturing) but I've been very pleased with it.
I look at my mom's Impala, which was tinkered with by the Dealer before we even bought it and it's had countless problems... headlights, transmission gasket, and horrible front suspension problems. I'm not sure who to blame on the Impala, but the thing is a joke.

[neverbuygmagainguy]

I bought a GMC 4x4 SL Sierra, with the 350 and trailoring package. To date is only has 90,000KM on it. I have had my share of problems, but what infuriates me is the inability of GM's Goodwrench garages to fix my problems the first time. Problems occurs too many times, and it takes too many trips to the garage to fix each problem. You argue with the shop manager that it is warranty work, and he says it is now. My wife has a Honda Civic, with 150,000KM, and to date we have replaced the muffler cause we had too, and the timing belt cause I wanted to.

GM is in the business of SALES, selling cars, not making them. Hoever this short sighted vision is costing them market share big time.

While I have owned two other trucks prior, and also had disappointing results, I will document only the truck I currently own.

(1) Gear selector stick very very hard to move up and down. This problem came from the factory. I am amazed and wonder why the mechanics who previously drove the truck never reported it as a "problem found during routing maintence". Anyway, when I pick up the truck, it is so easy to move I can shift using my baby finger. Anyway I pull out of the GM parking lot, and drive down the street. I hit a pothole and the stick fell down into 1st gear. My tires did the lock up and bounch thing, my rpm gauge hit way up. I turned the truck around and took it back to the garage. After the second trip they fixed it. Their offical answer was that something broke when I hit the pothole. Bullshit... it was like that when I started it in the GM parking lot.

(2) Truck is pulling to the right. The first two trips to get it fixed did nothing. The 3rd trip I was happy, or so I thought. My truck was pulling straight as an arrow. Anyway I drove to Nova Scotia, then to Maine, and then back to Ontario. Two days later when washing the bugs of the truck I happened to look at my front tires. OH MY GOSH!!! The outside of each front tire was gone!!! The rubber was worn down to nothing, a bit more and the wire would of starting sticking out. I had my suspicisions.... and took it to a 3rd party wheel alignment specialist. He confirmed my suspicisions. The alignment or "toe" was set inwards 7 degrees on one tire, and 7.5 on the other.!!!!! I drove over 5000KMs on two tires that were scuffing inwards thus grinding away the outisde. I went to the GM garage, and argues and yelled, and to make a long story short, I was wrong as far as the manager is concerned when I accused them of deliberatly setting my tires like that. The 3rd party told me that for both tires to go 7/7.5 degrees, could only mean one thing....humans hands did it. So I bought new tires, plus paid for four wheel alignments.

(3) A few months later I had a new problem. My anti-locks would kick in, when I put the brakes on. The GM garage informed that the beerings on the left side were shot. I said only after 30,000KM they are shot already!!! If you had screwed up my wheel alightment this would not of happened, there would not habe been all that strain on the beerings. He said' that is your opinion and that is not what happened". So I asked what are the chances of the right side going soon. He said "nope we checked it, and it is rock solid".

(4) Two months later antilocks started kicking in again. Went back to gargage and right tire bearings were gone!!! Hmmm imagine that!!!

(5) Took my truck in to get detailed, washed, waxed, etc. Cost me 80$ bucks. Picked it up, and it was completly dirty as I left it. Went back inside and the manager asked "did we miss a spot"?? Unbelieveable.

(6) Picked out a set of medium sized mudflaps for the truck, with the lettering GMC. Picked up the truck, and find Chevy on my truck!

(7) Got a antifreeze leak on the engine block towards the drivers side rear, and it drips on the exhaust below. Picked up the truck and was told "your truck is fine, it is not leaking". I popped the hood, pointed, and asked "why is my resovoir bottle empty then?"...answer.... "I dunno".... then I looked underneath and pointed, and "whose coolant is that on the ground?" and he said "probably someone elses". I just paid an hour of labour to be told this??

I only got 90,000 KM on the truck!!! Today, My wipers have an intermittent electrical problem, and I noticed that sometimes the little yellow light on the Air Cond button stays on even when the fan switch is turned to OFF. My starter freezes up in the winter time, and today I got a new one. I turned the key and my starter failed to engage properly. Instead the thing sounded like a circular saw trying to cut metal. I have another problem that I'm not sure is a problem or is it is normal....I have never notives it before so I think it is another new problem. If I don't drive the truck for two weeks, it is very hard to start. I can turn that engine over for a minute and nothing happens. I let the key go, and listen and notice that the whine from the fuel pump is not there. Try the key again, and then 30 seconds later the truck starts. Turn the key back and then forard again, and now I hear the fuel pump.

Meanwhile my wife's little ar keeps on going, no questions asked. I hear this from everyone that has owned a GM too. Too many problems too often, and unbelievable crappy service at the garage.

I am waiting a few years, cause I hear Honda is making a SUV/truck type vehicle. Hopefully it got 4x4. If they make this, then I will buy it, if not maybe another Honda, or I might try a Volvo SUV with all-wheel drive, or maybe their S60.

Regardless, no more GMs for me, and guess what....my dad has stopped buying, his bothers and their sons have stopped too!! ....and what do you think we will tell our sons when they wanna buy a GM......?? That is why GM is losing market share!!

[MagicRat]

I agree with your last statement and the reasons, but it seems as if your local garage is at fault in most of these circumstances. If its still under warranty, use a different dealer. If its no warranty, go anywhere else.

[neverbuygmagainguy]

Originally Posted by MagicRat

I agree with your last statement and the reasons, but it seems as if your local garage is at fault in most of these circumstances. If its still under warranty, use a different dealer. If its no warranty, go anywhere else.

--------

Sorry dude, my problems with the truck mentioned about span three different GM garages, and my previous truck will add another two GM garages.

I will probably trade the truck in soon for a Honda or Volvo. Its too late for anyone to suggest me a reason to buy another GM.

[MagicRat]

Originally Posted by neverbuygmagainguy

--------

Sorry dude, my problems with the truck mentioned about span three different GM garages, and my previous truck will add another two GM garages.

I will probably trade the truck in soon for a Honda or Volvo. Its too late for anyone to suggest me a reason to buy another GM.

I am not going to defend GM; they have dug their own hole, for a variety of reasons. I am saying that the problems you have are not GM, they are mostly the result of poor service and repairs outside of GM's responsiblity.
Sure, blame the crappy garages. That is where the blame lies. But all you seem to have had is a stiff shifter from new and some minor electrical glitches after 90,000 km.Thats not doing too badly. Unless there is stuff you have not said, everything else is the result of the independent garages and dealers.

[kenwood guy]

Originally Posted by MagicRat

I am not going to defend GM; they have dug their own hole, for a variety of reasons. I am saying that the problems you have are not GM, they are mostly the result of poor service and repairs outside of GM's responsiblity.
Sure, blame the crappy garages. That is where the blame lies. But all you seem to have had is a stiff shifter from new and some minor electrical glitches after 90,000 km.Thats not doing too badly. Unless there is stuff you have not said, everything else is the result of the independent garages and dealers.

I would have to agree people dont take care of there cars for whatever reasons start forming opinions about different companys anycar can last a long time if you take car of it any little problem can become a bigger proplem if you dont take car of it and not to mention people shop around for car service and most people would go to the mom and pop place where they do a half ass job then the the owner sells the car and bam the proplem happens all over again and the does not even half 75K miles on it!! my point is just take care of your cars people and learn about the one you want to buy before you buy it