Forget what you knew about GM. The lumbering entity known as General Motors Corporation is gone, and today, its surviving staff and assets have been reborn as the lighter, more nimble General Motors Company. To be sure, GM isn't entirely out of the woods--not yet. Among the obstacles that the...Read More»
The U.S. House of Representatives is considering not one, but two bills that would provide legal remedies to the 2,100 dealers cut from the Chrysler and GM networks during each company's recent restructuring. Although the text of those bills hasn't filtered into the congressional database just yet...Read More»
Nothing is quite as insulting as when a customer's complaint isn't taken seriously. "Excuse me, sir, but your employee spat in my coffee!" Nothing. "M'am, he refuses to give me a refund!" Bupkus. "Your mechanics are rifling through my truck when I bring it in for service, and they're stealing my...Read More»
Kia is poised to conquer—in reputation, reach, and market share—this year, in a very significant way. And it could bring a better dealership experience. As a host of other automakers and brands are holding back, Kia has shifted into high gear with several very significant introductions: the...Read More»
The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) has rolled out a national ad campaign relying, quite simply, on the cuteness of kids. The print ads depict adorable tykes (or rugrats) discussing how their lives have improved since mommy and daddy bought a new car and rely on sweet-as-sugar but...Read More»
General Motors has decided that maybe it's not such a great idea to ditch 41 dealers from its nationwide network. This comes as members of congress have second thoughts of their own about the GM bailout, thanks in part to the fallout from the preceding Chrysler bailout. When Chrysler cut 789...Read More»
In a move that's sure to please certain talk show hosts pushing for a GM boycott, the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission has said that auto dealers for the new General Motors might not be granted licenses to operate in the state. In a nutshell, LMVC executive director Lessie House is opposed to...Read More»
You might remember U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) from such hits as "The 2009 Auto Show tour" and "Don't close my GM plant!" Well, now the man who's had it in for Detroit is working on legislation to help dealers who've been cut by Chrysler and General Motors. In a nutshell, Corker's legislation...Read More»
Auto dealerships are closing across the country, as General Motors and Chrysler slash themselves down to market-appropriate size. Some cuts are coming quickly and deeply--nowhere more so than in northern Virginia, where Pohanka Chrysler-Dodge is discounting its last 40 cars as it prepares to close...Read More»
In light of yesterday's news from the Centers for Disease Control that Onstar raises accident survival rates, owners of Fords with the Sync system may wonder about their own chances using the similar system. Ford has recently added a "911 Assist" function to the latest version of Sync, which is...Read More»
Fritz Henderson, GM's new Obama-appointed CEO, has said that everything is up for review as the company tries to restructure. That may include a move from downtown Detroit, if the terms and conditions are right. GM doesn't have any plans to move yet. Of course, it had no plans to kill or sell...Read More»
Sometimes just when you think the industry can't get any weirder...it does. Take, for instance, two news items that crossed our desk in sequence today. First, Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal area reporting French carmaker Renault and its partner Nissan have apparently joined former race...Read More»
Tinseltown car tech -- Mercedes has launched a new campaign touting its BlueTEC vehicles and the Hollywood types who love 'em. Presumably, said types are happy to drive clean diesel autos, but given Sheryl Crow's expression in that publicity shot, we're not really sure. Please back away from the...Read More»
As noted earlier, we may not be trained "numbers people", but TCC staffers can usually hold their own on the brave frontier of math. Still, we've had a tough time wrapping our heads around the Big Three bailout bottom line, thanks largely to conflicting dollar figures floating across the interwebz...Read More»
