Thousands of dealers could soon close their doors.
The automotive business stinks. Thousands of jobs lost with more cuts to come. Factories closing almost daily. People hurting. Benefits cut or eliminated. Dealers dropping retail flies. Hubris, excess, arrogance and denial in the executive suites — and in Congress. And on and on and on.
But nothing, nothing can graphically show the terrible auto crisis like these horrific photos of unsold, stockpiled cars around the world.
Click here for photos
WOW!!
What a mess. I’d take one off their hands, but I’m much more worried about hanging on to my job and thus my home. I suppuse I’m part of the problem since I’ve stopped spending any money on anything but food from the grocery store and bills. We better all hope Obama is successful in getting the economy going. The alternative is an abyss.
With the revealation in the Feb. 23 Detroit News that, “Among the eight members named Friday to the Preseidential Task Force on the Auto Industry and the 10 senior policy aides– only 2 of the 18 own American car models; I realized that sending billions to bail out OUR auto industry still may not help in selling cars.
Maybe it’s tme to think our of the box?
I propose a billion dollars worth of unsold American cars be purchased with the bail-out money. Those cars, trucks and SUV’s are then given to legitimate non profits– Schools, Boys Clubs, Salvation Army, etc. Why? The best advertising is still WORD OF MOUTH. These vehicles would be driven hard by a lot of difference people and WORD OF MOUTH would spread on how good American cars have become.
We could have a potential TwoFer. Surplus cars and trucks are moved off the lots. And a large grop of people have a positive experence driving Amercian cars and in turn tell others about it. So when the economy comes back and everyday people can purchase cars– even people from places like Washington D.C. might consider American cars. What good is bail-out– if most people outside of Michigan still prefer foreign cars?
My story. I had previously purchased a VW and then a Honda Accord. I accidently drove a friend’s Chevy Impala for a long trip and was so impressed I make the Impala my next purchase. I drove that Impala for 116,000 miles without any problems and sold it for the blue book price. I have probably told a 100 people the same story– I also include that I got better gas milage when carrying 4 people and luggage that the Honda or the VW!
And to it take a step further, my wife and I now prefer American cars. I drive a Pontiac G P and my wife drives a Chevy Maxx. Both have over 40,000 on them with no problems and excellent gas milage. My wife is even upset that GM has discontinued the Maxx– she likes her’s so much she was already planning on buying another one!
The most vivid presentation of the nature of the global economic problems I have seen. Even luxury brands are being impacted, something different than during other economic declines.