Awful, terrible, horrible news to have break just a day ahead of the Michigan primary. DOOooooOOOOOM

[Stinky The Clown]

How do Man on Dog and Dog on Car approach autoworkers and former autoworkers in the face of *this* news??

Detroit automakers race to keep up with sales
By TOM KRISHER | Associated Press – 45 mins ago

DETROIT (AP) — Auto sales are growing so fast that Detroit can barely keep up.

Three years after the U.S. auto industry nearly collapsed, sales of cars and trucks are surging. Sales could exceed 14 million this year, above last year's 12.8 million.

The result: Carmakers are adding shifts and hiring thousands of workers around the country. Carmakers and parts companies added more than 38,000 jobs last year, reaching a total of 717,000. And automakers have announced plans to add another 13,000 this year, mostly on night shifts.

But there's a downside. The newfound success is straining the factory network of the Detroit automakers, as well as the companies that make the thousands of parts that go into each vehicle. This could lead to shortages that drive up prices.

>snip<

Lots more at the link.

http://news.yahoo.com/detroit-automakers-race-keep-sales-080141880.html

To have factories backed up and facing the prospect of shortages is actually not a good thing. It is a VERY good thing.




The thread title is sarcasm. I should think having to say this is unnecessary, but these days I take nothing for granted.

[jehop61]

1. LOL

Man on Dog and Dog on Car. Wonderful! I'll be using that myself.....with your permission, of course.

[Fuzz]

2. Obama is forcing people to go into debt to buy more cars from the government owned company!!!!

[gratuitous]

3. While taking away their guns

And force-feeding them birth control pills! PH34R!

[malaise]

4. And forcing their children to go to college

Terrible man

[Sparkly]

5. Next thing you know, he'll want kids to have food and medicine.

Which means they'll never have a good work ethic. Why can't we make them wait on the 1%'s kids?

[BlancheSplanchnik]

19. I suspect he thinks women own their bodies, too!!!

And deserve equal pay!!!

HERESEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEe!!!!!!!!

[Keystone Writer]

6. What is the mileage on the new GM models?

[Stinky The Clown]

8. Lemme guess. You don't really want to actually get an answer, do you?

Your asking the question suggests a different agenda.

[Keystone Writer]

12. No agenda.

I just assumed this thread had GM experts that had the answer on the top of their heads. I drive a car that gets 24 MPG, so it's a question I keep asking because it's a consideration for my next car.

I'm very happy about GM's turn around.

[Sparkly]

16. Nota GM expert, but I can Google

Chevy Sonic gets 40 mpg highway: http://www.chevrolet.com/sonic-hatchback-car
The Cruze gets 42: http://www.chevrolet.com/cruze-compact-car/

Buick Verano gets 32 mpg highway: http://www.buick.com/verano-luxury-sedan.html

I'm interested in the Chevy Spark coming out soon: http://www.chevrolet.com/spark-mini-car.

[Keystone Writer]

17. Thanks for the info.

That Spark is a cutie, but I figure it's more of a city car than one that has to drive long stretches of road like we have in Florida.

Thanks for the MPG info. I'm not adverse to google. I just thought someone had the info on the tip of their tongue. I was looking for that 40 mpg, however. Glad to see they have the options.

[Roy Ellefson]

18. MPG

I purchased a 2012 Chevy Sonic earlier this month...so far I'm getting about 35mpg on average. I couldn't be happier with it. From what I can tell it's a great vehicle at a great price.

[Keystone Writer]

20. With these gas prices

It makes them all look attractive.

[lacrew]

7. Should I buy Stock?

Here is a Wall St. Journal recap of 2011 sales:

http://online.wsj.com/mdc/public/page/2_3022-autosales.html

You can see what was hot...and what was not...and how each major company performed in market share.

It shows GM actually had a year to year DROP in sales...contrary to the article. They are selling more cars...but fewer trucks.

Ford is up in all categories, same for Chrysler...I don't know what is going on with Chrysler, but the numbers are off the chart.

Mixed bag for most foreign labels, with the exception of Hyundai being up...and Mitsubishi, Saab, and Suzuki way, way down.

Honestly, I didn't know some of these companies even still existed.

There are some anomalies...like BMW domestic cars going to zero...did they close the plant?

I am not curious enough to know which manufacturers actually build/assemble in Detroit...or even domestically. My quick take: Ford and Chrysler have hit the ground running this year...but GM's drop in truck sales has hurt the overall bottom line. A mixed bag really.

I know Hyundai builds domestically (I don't think any sold in the US are imports anymore). You can see that Toyota's domestic builds are outpacing their imports. GM strangely had alot of imports last year, which has dropped to only 108 sales...I wonder what model that was...they must be building it here now. Honda and Nissan dropped off in import sales, but increased domestics.

Probably the result of a weak dollar, and a 'Buy American' provision on ARRA expenditures..but the trend seems to be a reduction of imports. Will it last? I think Americans have the oldest inventory of cars ever right now...so with gas prices going up, I can see alot of small cars replacing the older ones. My money would be on th eFord Focus and Hyundai Sonata...oh, and the Chevy Cruze.

[Stinky The Clown]

9. I'm gunna take a flyer here . . . . .

. . . . you're no longer with your E.F. Hutton guy, are ya?

[sarcasmo]

10. Republican spin

It's Obama's fault.

[Ebadlun]

11. See, this wouldn't have happened under Romney

There would be no cars to buy and no-one able to buy them. A perfect equilibrium of supply and demand.

[Motown_Johnny]

13. and yet American Axle & Manufacturing closed it's doors Saturday

http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/wayne_county/american-axle--manufacturing-closes-its-detroit-area-plant-for-good-at-midnight


^snip^

DETROIT, Mich. (WXYZ) - The doors closed for good Saturday at American Axle & Manufacturing’s Detroit area complex that once employed thousands.

“For them to get rid of us now, it’s just crazy, I don’t understand it when they’re making money,” said Rodney Coleman who put in 17 years at the company.

The UAW met with union members Saturday afternoon to discuss the status of negotiations with AAM and what will happen once the plant closes for good Saturday night at midnight.

“Now we don’t know what we’re going to do. How are we going to pay our mortgages, pay our car notes, and feed our kids and things of that nature? So it just sucks,” said Coleman.

[Fearless]

14. They could restore the benefits and wages they stole from workers

in the name of padding their own pockets and almost destroying the car industry. ...For starters.

[lpbk2713]

15. Talk about a coincidence ...

I was just reading how rMoney wants to drop out of the race and endorse Obama for Prez ...


Link: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/02/09/1063390/-Romney-Concedes-Election-and-Endorses-Obama


It appears the time has come for Mittens to live up to his word.

[WillyT]

21. K & R !!!