Comments on: why do the automakers need a bailout?

By: Ross

Ross — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 03:45:40 +0000

i am a union employee work for ford motor i dont make 70,000 a year i dont have a hoist to lift my parts which can be in exess of 70 lbs and lifting the next one in 55 seconds but when u look at some of the jobs my friends have where the company forces them to sign off on there work 90 days and get hired in full time and they are forced to be a temperary employee for how ever long the company sees fit (know some one who works for IBM for 3 years still temperary was actually fired after 10 years than rehired doin same job) but i belive fully in the unions so that doesnt happen to empolyees what does smokin cigerates have to do with anything either yep tho sum ppl will take advantage of the system where theres a loop hope and take off 25% off there work week but they do not get paid for that tat time off so thoes are not the ones comin close to 70,000 a year either. as far as ergonomics goes alot of it was set up for a different person that worked that possition prior to u being there so yes it can get in your way but alot of it is very helpfull and the electricians who sit in there “cages” we dont constantly have electrical problems but but when we do we need some one one site to fix them immediatly because every minute that the line is down we lose hundreds of thousands of dollars that we cant make back up its lost time so its cheaper to have him there doing nothing in case we need him than to wait for a problem to acure and then call in an out side company to come fix the issue. i have no boat i have no second house actually i dont have a first house i rent 2 weeks vacation yes i love my benifits they are nice but if u dont like what u make an hour or dont like your benifits come put in your application at ford and stop bitching bout what we make what we get in benifits our time off and how much we have to work

By: deborah

deborah — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:10:20 +0000

The fact is that SUV’s are not safer, they are built on truck frames and are not safer. The fact is that if you drive a sedan and get hit by an SUV you have a 50% greater chance of being killed.
It’s just another example of my gun is bigger than yours!

By: Mr. Natural

Mr. Natural — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:04:25 +0000

Why is it that Japanese cars can be made here in America using American workers that produced higher quality cars that last longer?

They do not.

What’s missing here? What’s missing is attitude. American auto manufacterer’s from the top on down are more focused on earning money and bennies than they are on quality.

Wrong again.

I’m sure materials are cut for cost. I’m sure production schedules are speeded up. Ship Ship Ship! If it’s broken, we’ll fix it later!

Again you’re wrong.

I’ve spent a long time in production-oriented corporate America and I can see what is happening without even looking.

That’s obvious. Why let mere fact stand between you and a blustering opinion?

By: Mr. Natural

Mr. Natural — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:36:04 +0000

Daewoo, not Hyundai.

By: Mr. Natural

Mr. Natural — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:31:00 +0000

What part of have your facts straight do you not understand?

By: Mr. Natural

Mr. Natural — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:25:25 +0000

If you didn’t know the answer to that you shouldn’t have written this ignorance infused hit piece.

By: bish

bish — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:54:18 +0000

Next time Coca Cola screws up their recipe, they will ask for a bailout. Or Levi’s, because people refuse to buy pink or orange colored jeans.

By: sarainitaly

sarainitaly — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:24:07 +0000

don’t you think it was in the best interest of the car manufacturers to plan ahead for the rising costs of oil and global warming issues? do you think a bailout, which according to many experts will not help, is spending our tax dollars effectively? don’t you think it is valuable to have a discussion, without resulting in name calling?

do you think if a company has mismanaged their finances or set themselves up for financial disaster through retirement packages, they should be bailed out by taxpayers?

By: sarainitaly

sarainitaly — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:02:02 +0000

what part of *last i heard there was* do you not understand?

http://www.hybridcars.com/decision/return-prius-waiting-list.html

By: Mr. Natural

Mr. Natural — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:34:05 +0000

There is a link but that ain’t it.

By: Mr. Natural

Mr. Natural — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:31:41 +0000

Thank you. Thank you for arguing the merits of the case rather than spewing cliche like a few here.

GM has developed a dual mode hybrid system that is far more advanced than Toyota’s and is set for introduction in addition to their existing hybrids vehicles.

The dual mode powertrain is an brilliant piece of engineering, the equal of anything anywhere in the automotive industry.

It breaks my freakin’ heart to read the comments of some of these posters.

By: Mr. Natural

Mr. Natural — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:22:34 +0000

That’s just the nature of our economy, especially as we don’t make anything here anymore.

That’s another tired cliche.

Sorry guys; I’m losing patience.

If you want to bash America, at least get your facts and econometric data correct.

By: Mr. Natural

Mr. Natural — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:18:02 +0000

You’ve been away too long. GM is selling Opels, Chevys, Saabs, Cadillacs and even Hummers in Russia. They’ve even got three assembly lines going. Who knew? St Petersburg, Kaliningrad and one more. I even met the woman who’s been in charge of increasing their sales at a party several months ago. Not in Russia. Here, visiting Detroit.

But, like someone else said, the big three are run by middle aged men. So she obviously does not exist. Neither, apparently, does my wife.

By: Mr. Natural

Mr. Natural — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:06:49 +0000

Here’s a question for all you creative destruction worshippers.

Why is every other major industrial nation backstopping their auto manufacturers? Look it up. Germany. South Korea. Japan.

By: Mr. Natural

Mr. Natural — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:01:38 +0000

isn’t there a long waiting list to get a prius? (last I heard there was?)

You’re wrong again. Toyota would hardly have postponed its new Mississippi Prius assembly line if they were rolling in orders.

The core problem is the credit crisis.

GM was two years into a three year plan to transition into a hybrid fleet. There were over fifty separate programs in place. They were staggered by the sales drop due to fuel prices, but the credit freeze is what is killing them.

If you want to insult America’s manufacturers, at least get some facts straight.