Where would we be today if?

[Lincsong]

I was just thinking to myself, since Ford and GM minivans sit on the dealership lots and are mostly sold to rental companies they should restyle them to look retro ala a big HHR. Instead of the sliding doors put in suicide doors. They'd still have the mpg as the current crop but would probably sell. But then I'm not an Ivy League self absorbed bonehead who Ford and GM hire.

About ten years ago I worked for a Chevrolet/Cadillac dealership in Frisco Bay. (Another bonehead move by GM putting those two together. Chevrolet buyers are not going to be "flipped" into a Cad and Cad buyers aren't getting flipped into a Chevy. It should be Buick/Cadillac so each brand compliments each other and buyers can be flipped to the different models) Well back to my original thought. I was reading one of the Cad salesman's Cad book and in it there were stupid things in the realm of; "Deville buyers aren't so much interested in style as comfort, so emphasize comfort rather than the style" Good lord, no wonder Lexus ate their lunch and left them with the bill.:rage: It really was the Escalade (the semi-offical vehicle of the NBAlol ) that saved Cadillac. Back in '98-'99 Cad was on it's last legs. Then the dressed up Tahoe came and resusitated Cad. If you go into a Lexus dealership you're treated good, go into a Cad dealership and well, it's a hit and miss kind of thing. Lexus is a LUXURY car make Cadillac has become a dressed up car make.

FIRE ALL THE ACCOUNTANTS! AND GET TOUGH WITH THE UAW! That's the only way to save GM and Ford.

 

[dhermann1]

Retro-mobile

Well, even tho the 41 Buick is my ultimate dream car, I think this 48 really represents the iconic Buick. The modern Buicks have echoed this grill, in the same way that Cadillac had kept the egg create grill, but a Buick with the kind of massive chrome that this baby has would surely sell, wouldn't it?

 

[Forgotten Man]

A brief history.

In the roaring twenties, there was a great deal of independent auto manufacturers. Such as Stutz, Franklin, Rio, Moon, Cord, Graham, Hupmobile, Studebaker, Hudson, Essex, ( a division of Hudson motors) and many, many others! In fact, there were over 100 or more automobile manufacturers in the mid to late 20’s. They all started to drop like flies soon as the Great Depression hit. The only ones to survive were Ford and its subsidiaries (Ford and Lincoln; Mercury was added to the Ford family in 1939)
Chrysler and De Soto made it through (Plymouth was born in 1928) Dodge Brothers were independent until the mid 1930’s. GM made it through along with its Subsidiaries as well. By 1933 Essex was dropped from the Hudson Family, Pierce Arrow closed their doors and many other makes started to loose their shirts as the crash took it’s toll on the industry. Most of the companies who went out of business weren’t closing because of ill management, there simply were not enough people buying cars during those years to support so many companies! The “Roar” of the 20’s was silenced to a low mumble.

Few independents made it through the dark clouds of the Depression. Duesenberg, Pierce Arrow died early on into the decade, Graham, Nash, Studebaker, Hudson and Packard saw it through… Graham and Hupmobile made it to about 1941 then tossed in the towel.

The post war years saw a boom much like the 1920’s. A good deal of American’s wanted to build cars to make a quick buck since so many Americans wanted a car NOW! Soon as V-J day was over, people wanted to buy a new car… all the GI’s were coming home and starting families and they wanted new wheels! A good deal of people tried to cash in on the boom, but the only man who made a good mark on the industry and who had a good chance at making his dreams come true was Preston Tucker. For all those who saw the movie “Tucker; A Man and His Dream” all know what happened. By the late 40’s it was really hard to break into the auto industry with such big names as Ford, Chevrolet and Chrysler. Tucker was doomed from day one but, he did make 51 cars and we are lucky to have about 48 of those today.

By the 1950’s, Packard was far from its glory years of the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s. Packard soon merged with Studebaker in the mid 50’s. Nash also joined up with Hudson. The years of independent auto manufacturers was coming to an end.

Today I often wondered what a 2007 De Soto would look like, had Chrysler hold to that name… it probably look close to what the 2007 Dodges look like today hahaha. Could any of you imagine the ad campaign for a 2007 Stutz? Hahahahah, kinda funny to think about.

There ya are, the glory days of the automobile industry of America.

FM~

 

[Forgotten Man]

PT Cruiser and HHR...
It would be nice to see that styling on a larger vehicle. Why doesn't Chrysler make a "Grand" PT Cruiser? Surely, someone can apply the retro styling to a full-size SUV.

You know, I often thought of that my self... why can't they make those "Retro Rides" into a larger full sized car... Chevy's HHR is a reflection on their older designs for the Suburban... now, why can't they make their Suburban look like they used to and in the same size? I think that would be really neat!

As for the PT, Chrysler needs to size it up a little... also, maybe introduce a four door convertible! I think it would be neat to see Chrysler bring back the hump trunk! I don't like the hatch back approach to the PT's... make a sedan man!

FM~

 

[John in Covina]

Don't forget that we only recently lost the Plymouth name from the Chrysler line up.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

Don't forget that we only recently lost the Plymouth name from the Chrysler line up.

there's been talk about Chrysler pumpin out a Chrysler Barracuda...doesnt look all bad...of course it doesnt look like they'll make it either...though it could tail on the bumper of the new Challenger...if they played it right...[huh]

 

[Diamondback]

Sorry, but the only new-builds that are getting my $$, unless Jeep comes out with a "Commemorative Model" made to look just like a WWII MB or Pontiac opens a line for up-teched third-generation Firebirds, will be the '09-up DeLoreans, assuming those even get to construction.

Failing any of those, I'll take an older vehicle and give it a full teardown/rebuild to my own specs before I gamble on some outsourced, underengineered piece of crap.

But that's just me... and that's probably one of the biggest reasons why I either walk or catch a bus everywhere I go.lol

 

[Feng_Li]

On a practical note, it's a lot easier to get a carseat and associated child in and out of a taller vehicle (SUV, minivan) than trying to work the straps while bent over at the waist to get in the door.

Also, you're sitting up higher with a better field of view.

Before mandatory car seats, that was less of an issue.

Yeah, but you feel faster in a low car. lol

That's one of my only complaints about my Legacy. The other is the bloody 90s passive-aggressive seatbelts...

 

[Flivver]

You aren't likely to get another station wagon like the Caprice. Is this one like yours?:

No, mine is pretty much stock except for a custom Flowmaster dual exhaust system.

I am in the process of making it into a pseudo Impala SS Wagon. It's a rather simple affair...new grille, 17" SS wheels and matching tires. I have all the stuff, now I just have to *do* it.

 

[Flivver]

I was just thinking to myself, since Ford and GM minivans sit on the dealership lots and are mostly sold to rental companies they should restyle them to look retro ala a big HHR. Instead of the sliding doors put in suicide doors. They'd still have the mpg as the current crop but would probably sell. But then I'm not an Ivy League self absorbed bonehead who Ford and GM hire.

About ten years ago I worked for a Chevrolet/Cadillac dealership in Frisco Bay. (Another bonehead move by GM putting those two together. Chevrolet buyers are not going to be "flipped" into a Cad and Cad buyers aren't getting flipped into a Chevy. It should be Buick/Cadillac so each brand compliments each other and buyers can be flipped to the different models) Well back to my original thought. I was reading one of the Cad salesman's Cad book and in it there were stupid things in the realm of; "Deville buyers aren't so much interested in style as comfort, so emphasize comfort rather than the style" Good lord, no wonder Lexus ate their lunch and left them with the bill.:rage: It really was the Escalade (the semi-offical vehicle of the NBAlol ) that saved Cadillac. Back in '98-'99 Cad was on it's last legs. Then the dressed up Tahoe came and resusitated Cad. If you go into a Lexus dealership you're treated good, go into a Cad dealership and well, it's a hit and miss kind of thing. Lexus is a LUXURY car make Cadillac has become a dressed up car make.

FIRE ALL THE ACCOUNTANTS! AND GET TOUGH WITH THE UAW! That's the only way to save GM and Ford.

Many good thoughts here, Lincsong.

The Ford minivans are already cancelled and the GM minivans will be gone after model year 2009. That HHR-themed minivan sopunds like a great idea!

And your comments about the "suits" that write the dealer manuals sure ring true. Their insight into what customers really want is almost nil.

We'll see this morning if GM chooses to get tough with the UAW. If so, the strike is set to begin at 11AM.

 

[Flivver]

The Dodge Magnum is classified as a truck not for EPA reasons but because the storage floor is flat when the seats are lowered. Yeah, nuts, but what do you expect from the government?????? Chrysler had fought to get the PT Cruiser classified as a truck but the gov said NO because the floor wasn't flat when the seat was dropped. Any Californians here own a Dodge Magnum???? Does the DMV charged you that stupid "weight fee" that they slap on trucks????

The flat floor allows a vehicle to be classed as a truck if the manufacturer wants to.

Because car CAFE (27.5 mpg) is higher than truck CAFE (22.2 mpg) the Magnum (24 mpg combined at best) helps truck CAFE if classified as a truck but would hurt car CAFE if classified as a car. So it is to Chrysler's advantage to classify the Magnum as a truck.

Of course, the "rules" will all change if the government adopts the proposed 35 mpg by 2020 standard.

 

[dhermann1]

On strike

And now the UAW is on strike against GM. I don't know what it all means, but it ain't good for anybody.
http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/169981.html
(Shakes head in dismay)

 

[Twitch]

panamag8tor- that's why I'll keep my 96 El Dorado Touring Coupe a long, long time.

 

[panamag8or]

panamag8tor- that's why I'll keep my 96 El Dorado Touring Coupe a long, long time.

Nice. The CTS/STS both look similar, except for the 4-door thing. I am past having to "lean up" to let people in a car. 4 doors all the way for me.

 

[Twitch]

I don't ride anyone around in back and the WIDE doors make ingress/egress more comfortable for ME.

 

[jamespowers]

I don't ride anyone around in back and the WIDE doors make ingress/egress more comfortable for ME.

Exactly why I own one of these:

 

[scotrace]

Exactly why I own one of these:

So you're the one. lol

 

[Lincsong]

The flat floor allows a vehicle to be classed as a truck if the manufacturer wants to.

Because car CAFE (27.5 mpg) is higher than truck CAFE (22.2 mpg) the Magnum (24 mpg combined at best) helps truck CAFE if classified as a truck but would hurt car CAFE if classified as a car. So it is to Chrysler's advantage to classify the Magnum as a truck.

Of course, the "rules" will all change if the government adopts the proposed 35 mpg by 2020 standard.

That's why Chrysler orginally wanted the PT Cruiser classified as a truck but the governmnet balked because of the floor. I could understand Chrysler opting for the Magnum to be classified as a truck, that means selling more Hemi's in the trucks.

 

[Flivver]

That's why Chrysler orginally wanted the PT Cruiser classified as a truck but the governmnet balked because of the floor. I could understand Chrysler opting for the Magnum to be classified as a truck, that means selling more Hemi's in the trucks.

Exactly! And those Ram Hemi's are *very* profitable.

 

[jamespowers]

So you're the one. lol

If someone ran you off the road driving one it was likely my wife not me if that's what you mean.