Kill the Messenger - this time the LA Times

[tw]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

You were talking about 70's and 80's during which fuel injection was not universal by a long shot.

Thank you for admitting technology found even in German WWII fighter planes could have been in production in 1975 GM cars. So why was technology stifled until fuel injection (and other innovations) appeared in 1992 in competition products? Some are so in denial as to now try to obfuscate this discussion. They would fill the air with nitrogen oxide pollution - and even claim that catalytic converters were for NOx reduction. Even the original catalytic converter was only for the burning of hydrocarbons - because the engine did not. Nonsense. No. Outright lie. Someone has been listening too much to GM propaganda rather than learning reality. If GM propaganda was so accurate, then why is GM losing so much money – and now even attacking the LA Times for only publishing the obvious facts?

Daimler products cost less to manufacture than a comparable GM car - in part because so many Americans keep buying those inferior GM products. So many Americans so hate America as to not let GM engineers use technologies both developed and stifled in America. They buy the crap. That vote says “Keep making crap”.

Chrysler was the perfect takeover for Mercedes. They could still sell the Benz with large profit markups, and then sell the same car in much greater numbers as a Chrysler. Massive profits from the rich and large profits from the masses by selling the same platform. The Chrysler 300 is but one example of a Mercedes sold under the Chrysler name. Expect more Mercedes sold at Chevy prices under a different brand name because Daimler products cost less to build than pathetic and boring GM products. And BTW, even the BBC tonight discusses those boring GM products. BBC specifically used the word “boring”.

In the meantime, what do some Americans do? They continue to buy the crap GM products. A patriot believes in the free market - buy the best. But some Americans only make the American economy worse. They pay more for the crappy GM product. So crappy that it cannot even be exported.

Correctly noted is that GM has never made all its content. Therefore the average salary of a GM production worker (GM employee and their suppliers) was somewhere around $30K. Japanese labor cost more. And still the Japanese car costs less to build. Why? Numbers were provided previously. A superior product takes less man-hours. Just another reason why a GM car - using less expensive labor - costs more to build than a comparatively equipped Mercedes.

What does GM management blame? The government, the tax structure, their pension funds (which GM management under funded to mask losses on their inferior products), the education system, you, me, the labor unions ... everyone except the enemies of America - GM top management. Especially Rick Wagoner who was losing money for GM’s North American operation when he was promoted to CEO.

Numbers posted were correct. Assembly line workers did get paid more. But when the labor numbers all averaged out, the GM worker averaging $30,000 per year (about $20 an hour) got paid less than his Japanese competition. Still the GM product cost more to build. Who did management blame? Blame the overpaid unions (and not the grossly overpaid top executives who did not even know how to drive).

BTW automakers were not forbidden to sell their emission technologies to other companies - even their competition. Why is the EGR valve developed in Chrysler found in all other cars? Clearly this must violate some federal law... not. But then I keep knocking down myth after myth. The bottom line is that a GM product costs more to build than a Mercedes and it still an inferior product. So inferior because GM management still will not put the 70 Hp/liter engine in all cars. You can tell which GM cars have the lowest performance engines. They are the ones that make the most noise - and are therefore wearing out faster.

Watch GM run to the government for protection. Maybe ask for another $100 million to develop a hybrid engine? No. A $100 million to develop a hydrogen fuel vehicle - which even fundamental science says is not feasible. But then when did Congress look at facts when bribery of Congress is legal? We all get rich - in GM and the Congress. People protected by public fools whose entire decision is based only on "Buy American" - screw the numbers.