Their full size trucks are more like 1/4 ton. Not quite equal to a 1/2 chevy or ford. I had a toyota truck with the v-6 and it was a piece of shit.....Swore never again. I put 360k miles on my 92 chevy 1/2 ton, I used it for work, after 160k miles I blew out the rear end but after that never had another problem. The jap trucks are very stingy when it come to hp and tq. Like I said the toy was great for stupid house stuff but when I needed a real truck it fell way short.
Market share declining + pension & health benefits increasing = A slow death for GM.
I think the trucks are OK but the cars are totally uncompetitive. I've driven several of their new mainstream type models lately and even a Hyundai Sonata is better now... it's pretty sad and an article in the WSJ said they canceled development on new sedan platform because they anticipated the cash would not be available for that and the estimated payouts for pension/benefit obligations.
They're perfect for a guy with a dirtbike or the trip to home depot for some plants but not much more than that.
There's a huge market for that out there...homebody guy's who have a small toy, don't do any towing, yet want the versatility of a run to the Depot or a quickie camping trip. HUGE market for that.
Most of us here on the boards aren't in that market though. :rollside:
Last I checked, the domestics don't even produce their own Diesels or heavy duty tranny's and most of the trucks are built in Canada and Mexico. Whatzzzsup with that?
Cummins diesel engine made in the USA. As far as the rest...I think most engines/trannies are made here but maybe with Japanese logos/design, I'm not too terribly sure. My 2 Dodge trucks are both built in Mexico. Good? Bad? I dunno.
I have to agree.... If GM keeps it up, they will be passed by Toyota as #1 in sales. thats pathetic.
Toyota has been negotiating to open new production plants in the U.S. Hopefully those lay-offs from GM will find jobs at Toyota
GM needs to clean up their act. That goes for everyone, management and labor. Being uncompetitive is an institutional thing.
Just north of me in San Antonio,Tx. they have started ground breaking on their new Truck Plant and are already taking Job apps. it's supposed to be friggin' HUGE
on the radio they are asking for approx. 2000 people for electronic techs alone
Their full size trucks are more like 1/4 ton. Not quite equal to a 1/2 chevy or ford. I had a toyota truck with the v-6 and it was a piece of shit.....Swore never again. I put 360k miles on my 92 chevy 1/2 ton, I used it for work, after 160k miles I blew out the rear end but after that never had another problem. The jap trucks are very stingy when it come to hp and tq. Like I said the toy was great for stupid house stuff but when I needed a real truck it fell way short.
Actually the axle and gear size on my landcruiser is lot closer to Dana60 size (3/4 ton) than Dana44/ GM 10 bolt size (1/2).
I'm surprised you got that many miles out of a 1/2 ton tranny. I used to track all the repairs at my last job for a contractor and 7 out of 8 had their 4l60e die before 150k, and the 350 vortecs were prone to leaking manifold gaskets... mine slowly leaked enough coolant into the motor and cooked all the bearings @ 155k. I really really hated that truck.
But I've driven a 3/4 ton 454 and that one was at 225k before we traded it...sorry to see that one go.
I think GM should bring in workers from Mexico, China and India and pay them like 50 cents an hour with no health benefit. Now, I can buy a GM truck for only $500.00 each. Wouldn't that be nice ?
I think a toy would start rolling backwards trying to tow my boat up chiraco summit. Nothing beats chevy and ford 3/4 ton trucks. But they do have room for improvement. Most people don't need a truck that heavy duty so the market share for thses trucks are differant than 1/2 ton trucks. GM needs a complete overhaul of their buisness plan and lineup. More desiels and better mpg with more power.....= market share.....Also bring back the camaro with the Big Hp ls6 and ls7 option. It makes more sense to have the best out of every class of car and truck then 5 of the same breed of lame boring car. Leave the econo shit box cars to the Japs.
Actually the axle and gear size on my landcruiser is lot closer to Dana60 size (3/4 ton) than Dana44/ GM 10 bolt size (1/2).
I'm surprised you got that many miles out of a 1/2 ton tranny. I used to track all the repairs at my last job for a contractor and 7 out of 8 had their 4l60e die before 150k, and the 350 vortecs were prone to leaking manifold gaskets... mine slowly leaked enough coolant into the motor and cooked all the bearings @ 155k. I really really hated that truck.
But I've driven a 3/4 ton 454 and that one was at 225k before we traded it...sorry to see that one go.
I think that one was a 700 R4. I did the tranny fluid replacement every 40k miles and did the big cooler and pan. I did most of my work in phoenix in 115 deg. heat back then so I really kept up on the maintainence. I also replaced the rear end with the 14 bolt 1/2 ton unit that was avaliable by special order and never had a problem past that. I got it out of the junk yard for $350 and never had a problem. I t was a great truck. My 96 that I replaced it with was great too. In fact I sold that to my dad who still drives it. The 4x4 silenoid went out in it, a seat actuator went bad and a dist. went bad but that was because the seal was'nt replaced correctly between the cap and housing but that's all the problems so far with over 180k miles. I've had the best of luck with my chevy's and I don't baby them.
the big problem with american auto makers is they only look about 5-10 years
out. the japanese auto makers are looking 20-40 years out.....
everybody remember the gas crunch of the early 70's? alot of people went out
and bought a $2,500 strippo toyota..... and then ran that car till it had 200k
on it, and might have changed a battery, brakes once, and an alternator.....
then went and resold the car, and bought another one cause the first one
was soo friggen good on lasting..............
they started with the strippo cars.... then got a little bit bigger... (almost no
one was watching this happen) now, you got Lexus, bigger toyotas, bigger
nissans, (of old Datsun fame) Acura, and list goes on.......... they're cars
have remained reliable...... check the value of a 5 year old Honda Accord
VS a comparable domestic offering....... it's a joke really......
so the big wigs at GM are now wanting to kill benefits to US workers... then
they want to out-source more parts.... it's not getting and rosier here soon.
I still love CHevy's.... And I still LIKE my ford, but the little Nissan I bought
used at 60k on it, now has 88 on it, runs like a scalded cat, hasn't used
any parts yet, and I can still get the 4500 I paid for it back tommorrow....
--Sherpa
this in by no way means I don't want another CHevy....... Jay-?
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