GM is going to announce the death of the Pontiac brand. I have had them for years and own a 2001 Grand Prix GTP. It still looks stylish, has lots of pep and is fun to drive even after 120k miles. It also gets 22 mpg overall and I can get 30 mpg on the hwy from a SUPERCHARGED ENGINE! Why in the world would they kill the brand? I guess the bean counters (and the govt) are getting their way.
They're keeping Buick, which to me is an old man's car. (Sorry if I offend any old guys out there, but I'm one of you) [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
Why keep Buick? Because GM says it is a big seller in China. Who cares about China???? Build cars that Americans like and we'll buy them.
I don't know how old you are, but as with the rest of the world, things are changing. Since you own a Pontiac (as does my eldest daughter), I can understand your not wanting GM to do away with the brand. Personally, even though I have not owned one in many years, I was disappointed when they did away with Oldsmobile, which was my favorite of the GM cars. Fifty to fifty-five years ago, it seemed that Cadillac really was the "Cadillac" of American automobiles. Oldsmobile was next, then Buick, and if you couldn't afford the "luxury" cars (as I couldn't) then Chevrolet was a dandy. And it seemed (have no proof other than working in the auto parts business) GM used Pontiac as an experimental car where they tried the new stuff. Some year models were great, some were terrible. If something new turned out good, it would be on the others a year or two later. If it turned out bad, well, Pontiac was the only brand affected.
But of course that was back before they started using the same engines, same transmissions, and in some cases, the same platform for all of their brands. [img]/forums/images/icons/frown.gif[/img] Since they started that, I don't see any reason for them to have so many brands, if they're basically just alike.
OK, they made the announcment today that they'll lay off another 21,000 emplyees and do away with Pontiac. But what I don't understand is why they're keeping GMC since, the GMC is just basically another Chevrolet, isn't it? I can remember when there were some differences besides the name and trim, but I don't think that's the case anymore.
Bird they are keeping GMC because any GM dealer can sell GMC trucks but only a Chevy dealer can sell Chevies. So if they cut GMC they would lose a lot of sales. Generally if I have a choice I buy a GMC. I find I can (used to anyway) get a better buy on GMC than from a Chevy dealer. The base line GMC usually is about a 1/2 grade better than the bottom Chevy. The trucks are identical and made on the same assembly line. Its not unusual for a dealer to get a truck with half GMC markings and half Chevy.
I guess you're right, Jim. Of course about a mile and a half north of me is the James Wood Autoplex and, as far as I know, he sells (and stocks) everything GM makes. I don't know if they count it as separate dealerships or all as one, but I know he's got a huge inventory of Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC, Buick, and Pontiac cars and trucks, including the larger commercial trucks.
Bird i don't understand the mystery of dealerships either. I know the guy who owns most of the dealerships in Sierra Vista the closest big town. He bought them up as separate dealerships. The chevy Cadallac is one location and the Buick, Pontiac, Gmc is a different location. I ask him once why he did not consolidate them just for parts compatibility he said that GM would not let him do it that he had to maintain the separate locations. I think he owns every dealership in town except for the Dodge Jeep and Toyoto.
Jim, James Wood's dealerships may be "separate" for all I know, but at least they're right next door to each other, if they're separate. Naturally, they have quite a number of different buildings so I guess they could keep separate parts stocks.
Having grown up in the auto parts business with my Dad, I know that it wasn't uncommon for some identical parts to be in different boxes with different prices for different cars; i.e., you might have identical parts that fit both a Chevrolet and a Cadillac, but the Cadillac part would be in a different box with a different part number, and a much higher price.
Jim,
The replies on this thread illustrate the idiocy of the current situation. Decisions are being made using some of the most screwed up logic possible. GM shouldn't have to worry about whether a dealer is in one or TWO locations. Who cares as long as they're selling and servicing well-made GM vehicles. I own a Chevy Silverado p/u. I would have probably got a GMC if I hadn't found this one. If TOO MANY BRANDS is a big part of the problem, why keep both Chevy and GMC? If it's because of some stupid logic in either the Chevy or GMC dealers' agreements, then get the lawyers together and CHANGE the agreements. Instead, we lose a brand with decent mileage and looks in order keep 2 that, as is pointed out, are built on the same line.
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