GM offers gas-price cap for SUV buyers

[Matt Timion]

I'm a bit surprised no one has mentioned this yet:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060524/ap_on_re_us/gm_gas_rebate

Excerpt:

DETROIT - Aiming to capitalize on consumer angst about the high cost of gasoline, General Motors Corp. on Tuesday said it would cap pump prices at $1.99 for customers in California and Florida who buy certain vehicles by July 5.

One hitch to the promotion is that customers must also agree to enroll in the OnStar vehicle diagnostic service, which is free for the first year but after that will cost $16.95 a month. The other is that many of the eligible vehicles are serious gas guzzlers.

The offer is good for 2006 and 2007 model year vehicles. ...

[MetroMPG]

Recent GM marketing has really started to irritate me.

GM Canada is promoting a similar deal: 20 cents off per liter on various cars/trucks.

The key in both campaigns is the discount only lasts one year.

This is no different from credit card companies that lure people with low introductory interest rates, and then slam you with 18% after the promotion period ends. With the main difference being you're stuck driving a vehicle that gets worse mileage than you might have chosen without the discount. AND fuel will be even more expensive in a year than it is today.

Another tag line on a spate of recent Tahoe ads here: "You don't need a smaller car - you need a smarter car."

To which I would respond to GM: "You don't need to offer incentives and questionable marketing to get people to buy your inefficient vehicles - you need to get serious about making more efficient vehicles."

I find I have little respect for manufacturers that don't make at least one efficient, small car.

[psyshack]

I saw that a week or so ago. This from a company going broke. I had to LMAO.

[thisisntjared]

I find I have little respect for manufacturers that don't make at least one efficient, small car."its alright, soon he will be dead... and you will be fine... you always are"

sorry i had to throw that quote in there.

[95metro]

To all MetroMPG said..."Hear, hear!"

As for GM building more efficient vehicles, it won't happen until Chrysler or Ford makes a major move towards it. As I said before, GM is always reactive, not proactive.

Chrysler seems to be on a major horsepower kick right now so I guess they're out.

Ford seems to be the US manufacturers' last hope. At least it seems like they are putting more effort into hybrids and EVs.

Still, someone needs to come up with some American competition to the Prius and Insight. I really don't mind Japanese cars, but at least the American manufacturers should somehow prove that they care. Come on, Chevy! Build a hybrid Metro!

[MetroMPG]

Chrysler seems to be on a major horsepower kick right now so I guess they're out.

Yeah, don't get me started on the Dodge Caliber tv spots that blatantly use Hemi V8 sound effects in the background in the driving shots... Has anyone else seen (heard) these?

Chrysler builds a smallish car, and then they figure the best way to market it is to make it sound like a guzzler?

I read somewhere that DCX got in some trouble because of that (misleading advertising), but wasn't able to dig up any good sources when I Googled.

[95metro]

Yeah, don't get me started on the Dodge Caliber tv spots that blatantly use Hemi V8 sound effects in the background in the driving shots... Has anyone else seen (heard) these?

I haven't heard that. I tend to mute commercials...:D

They offer three engines in the Caliber - thankfully at least one of them gets 35 mpg on the hwy, but they're all mild to wild guzzlers in town. I am impressed with the ingenuity of the drive system.

But, you are right - it's a horrible way to advertise. They're just catering to people's lust for big power.

Of course, if the manufacturers wouldn't build the powerful vehicles people wouldn't be buying them. Look at the mid-late 70s. Even Mustangs, Camaros, and Firebirds were wheezing, anemic vehicles with (relatively) decent mileage...and the Mustang II was one of the best selling Mustangs...people still bought them regardless of what the manufacturers built.

[philmcneal]

short term solutions are always on everyone's mind, it seems that GM wants to get rid of these cars before attempting to build a new era of fueler efficenct cars.

Like their new hybrid powertrains and 6 speeds transmissions, also to add their displacement on demand technology. Oh and the GM VUE green line which has the highest SUV mileage for any hybrid is coming out. Even though its not as full fledged as honda IMA system but still has hypermiing potenial due to its electric motor used to start the engine on/off.

Plus hopefully GM's experience with the EV1 will be apparent in this green line, or some remenence of it. Oh yeah... the price! Its cheapo!!!

[95metro]

Oh and the GM VUE green line

I keep forgetting Saturn is part of the GM line. That's some innovation at least. Whenever I think GM I think of Chevy, Pontiac, Buick, Olds, and Caddy.

[Compaq888]

I wouldn't take a GM vehicle if they paid for gas for it's entire lifetime of the vehicle. I wouldn't even want to own a GM car/truck, if I ever won one at a lottery or was given one for free I'd sell it to a dealer or a used car lot for $5k less than it's msrp price.

[kickflipjr]

Yeah, I was a bit upset when i heard about GM's gas deal. It seems like they just want people to buy the SUVs and other guzzlers that are not selling good.

[Matt Timion]

Yeah, I was a bit upset when i heard about GM's gas deal. It seems like they just want people to buy the SUVs and other guzzlers that are not selling good.

The possible upside of this is that GM might stop producing these vehicles. If the only way they can get rid of them is by bribing the buyers with gasoline discounts then I believe the future of the hummer is not very promising.

[SVOboy]

I think gm is just trying to keep the 15mpg stuff afloat until it can push e85 enough to make people not care again about getting bad mileage, *shrug*

[Ryland]

Still, someone needs to come up with some American competition to the Prius and Insight. I really don't mind Japanese cars, but at least the American manufacturers should somehow prove that they care. Come on, Chevy! Build a hybrid Metro!


Suzuki/geo/Chevy already makes a hybrid, the Twin Hybrid, (seats 4, I'm pretty sure)
http://eur.news1.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/xp/dennis/20060306/19/3920655858.jpg
slightly smaller then the metro, got 85mpg, a few years back it was in Popular Science magazine in the list of "cars amaricans don't want" because it was "funny looking" and "not smooth enough" but what do you exspect for a $9000 car? so they did a good job of killing off the demand for it, thanks Poplular Mecanics!

[psyshack]

Was on the news this am. Ford is going to follow GM's we will give you gas if you buy our junk type promo.

[Matt Timion]

Suzuki/geo/Chevy already makes a hybrid, the Twin Hybrid, (seats 4, I'm pretty sure)
http://eur.news1.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/xp/dennis/20060306/19/3920655858.jpg
slightly smaller then the metro, got 85mpg, a few years back it was in Popular Science magazine in the list of "cars amaricans don't want" because it was "funny looking" and "not smooth enough" but what do you exspect for a $9000 car? so they did a good job of killing off the demand for it, thanks Poplular Mecanics!

What a cool car! I'd buy it.

[95metro]

Suzuki/geo/Chevy already makes a hybrid, the Twin Hybrid, (seats 4, I'm pretty sure)
<IMG style="; WIDTH: expression(this.width > 800 ? 800: true); max-width: 800px" alt="" src="http://eur.news1.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/xp/dennis/20060306/19/3920655858.jpg" border=0>
slightly smaller then the metro, got 85mpg, a few years back it was in Popular Science magazine in the list of "cars amaricans don't want" because it was "funny looking" and "not smooth enough" but what do you exspect for a $9000 car? so they did a good job of killing off the demand for it, thanks Poplular Mecanics!

No kidding...I'd buy one too. Were they ever actually released? Now I'll have to do some Googling...

http://www.jcars.ca/index.cfm?spec=28
http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?articleID=4127
http://www.stevejarvinmotors.com.au/suzuki/concept/

Crap...they're japanese only minicars. Two-seaters, but rated at 75 mpg...easily 100+ mpg with FE driving. Check out this dash! Definitely based on the Swift-clone line I would say - just look at those wheel covers and wiper/turn signal controls.

http://www.jcars.ca/photos/Suzuki_Twin_dash.jpg

[kickflipjr]

http://www.jcars.ca/photos/Suzuki_Twin_Hybrid-Front.jpg

Oh it is so cute. Like a cross between a metro and a beetle

[philmcneal]

i'd still buy GM if the price is right. Still waiting for their cheap affordable hybrid, hey if it gets the same gas mileage (in terms of hypermiling) more than a full fledged hybrid (ford escape) I'm all ears!

I still believe in comebacks.

[psyshack]

i'd still buy GM if the price is right. Still waiting for their cheap affordable hybrid, hey if it gets the same gas mileage (in terms of hypermiling) more than a full fledged hybrid (ford escape) I'm all ears!

I still believe in comebacks.

Phil

I figure they owe me a free car. Im in the hole about 100k the way I see it from buying and driving there junk!

[krousdb]

The last American car I bought was an American Motors. I have never owned another American brand. I have however owned Hondas, Subarus, an Acura and a Toyota. I don't see anything interesting in the American offerings. Nor am I impressed by the quality.

[The Toecutter]

I'd buy a GM product if they offered an EV1 or similar highway capable EV.

I even got a few dirty looks from a GM lot when I asked for one last year. The salesman tried to convince me that there was no such thing, before finally admitting there was but claiming no one wanted them. Then claimed they were only availble in Florida today. Couldn't even get the state right, and apparantly couldn't admit that GM crushed them all(They were only leased in California and Arizona, and were all crushed by last year).

Otherwise, any gas guzzling high maintenance crap does not appeal to me in the least. I don't care if it is GM or Toyota.(Yes, even the Prius still uses gas and requires lots of maintenance on the IC, although nowhere near as much as a GM product.)