GM loses big-time
hk
DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
General Motors Corp. (GM) posted a stunning $15.5 billion second-quarter
net loss, as the auto maker piled up $9.1 billion in charges and
write-downs and suffered a deep drop in North American sales.
The company had warned in mid-July that it would post "a significant
second quarter loss." But the actual numbers were far worse than
analysts had expected, and point to the enormous challenges facing GM as
buyers turn away en masse from its most profitable offerings.
GM shares fell more than 7% in premarket trading to $10.20.
GM reported a net loss of $27.33 a share, compared with net income of
$891 million, or $1.56 a share, a year earlier. Excluding items, the
loss was $6.3 billion, or $11.21 a share.
Revenue fell 18% to $38.2 billion.
Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters had been looking for a loss,
excluding items, of $2.62 a share on revenue of $44.57 billion.
GM's Latin American operation was a bright spot - profit rose to $445
million from $296 million. But Asia swung to loss and European profits
tumbled 94%.
Excluding charges, the North American business had a $4.3 billion loss
as revenue dropped by one-third to $19.8 billion, pushing market share
down to 20.2% from 22.7%.
A year ago, GM swung to a second-quarter profit as it relied on
continued strength in international operations and a slim profit in its
core North American automotive unit to dramatically improve its bottom line.
GM's earnings were also dented by a $1.2 billion loss from its 49% stake
in its GMAC LLC financing arm. Thursday, GMAC swung to a second-quarter
loss as it took a $716 million write-down on leases and recorded more
losses from its Residential Capital LLC unit.
Second-quarter cash levels fell to $21 billion at the end of the second
quarter from $23.9 billion at the end of the first quarter.
The dismal second quarter caps four consecutive years of disappointing
results, dating back to the beginning of 2005, when GM shocked Wall
Street with an abrupt string of deep losses. Since then, Chief Executive
Rick Wagoner has been racing to cut costs, slim down operations and
remake the vehicle portfolio.
*At the same time, Wagoner has invested heavily into emerging markets,
placing big bets in Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia even as
market share dwindles at home.*
- - -
Any bets as to when GM will abandon manufacturing in the U.S. market?
justwaitaf...@gmail.com
Eisboch
"hk" <payer...@mypacks.net> wrote in message
news:2JudnbY7_fXIlA7V...@comcast.com...
No time soon.
Although dismal financial results, the bulk of the "losses" are write offs
and charges to re-tool for the manufacture of more smaller, fuel efficient
cars for the US market.
Sounds horrible, and I am not making light of the problems, but it's not as
bad as the media (and you) are making it out to be.
Eisboch
Eisboch
BTW ....
*This* little news tidbit ought to get your blood circulating ..... :-)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080801/us_nm/walmart_democrats_dc
Eisboch
Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq.
company is having a downturn.
It has a negative impact on individuals who have stock in the company,
retirees who depend on dividends for part of their income,
it has a negative impact on the employees and the local and/or
national economy.
I guess Harry just enjoys seeing others hurt.
Eisboch
"Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq." <ReggieHasLef...@here.com> wrote
in message news:SdCdnTQC6JDYkw7V...@comcast.com...
>>
>>
> I am trying to figure out why Harry is relishing the fact that any company
> is having a downturn.
>
> It has a negative impact on individuals who have stock in the company,
> retirees who depend on dividends for part of their income,
> it has a negative impact on the employees and the local and/or national
> economy.
>
> I guess Harry just enjoys seeing others hurt.
I sincerely don't think Harry wants anybody hurt.
He's in warm-up mode for November. Happens every four years.
Eisboch
hk
I *love* it. It tells me Wal-Mart is scared.
" (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc is mobilizing U.S. store managers to
lobby against Democrats in November's presidential election, fearing
they will make it easier for workers to unionize, The Wall Street
Journal reported on Friday.
In recent weeks, thousands of Wal-Mart managers and department heads
have been summoned to mandatory meetings at which the retailer stresses
the downside for workers if store workers unionize, the paper said."
- - -
Wal-Mart is among the most exploitative major employers in the United
States. The so-called "health insurance" it "offers" its employees is a
fraud. It is a major violator of wage-hour laws. It is the major seller
of crap ChiComm products in the USA.
Larry
_fXIlA7VnZ2d...@comcast.com:
> General Motors Corp. (GM) posted a stunning $15.5 billion second-
quarter
> net loss,
They should have told their dealers tough shit when the dealers
complained that the EV-1 was too reliable to be profitable for their
service departments. But, alas, they crushed them all, rather than give
America its first working electric car in 70 years that the people they
loaned them out to just loved. They loved them so much they followed
the repo crews around and found the storage lot their previous cars were
sent to until the salvage yards could crush them, after removing the
batteries.
This stupid company gets all it deserves. When my father died, I
inherited a 1996 Chevy Caprice Classic barge. Every time you tried to
put down the electric windows, something happened. The 30A breaker in
the panel would trip at times after a blink of all the lights and engine
computer reset. I traced that to a cut in the insulation of the HOOKUP
WIRE the damned car was completely wired with. HOOKUP WIRE! I had no
wiring harness and looked like it was wired by some kids building pedal
carts in dad's garage! The wires were simply wrapped in vinyl electric
tape, loosely, and laid against the sharp, BARE, UNPAINTED metal edges
the doors and anyplace the customer couldn't readily see, was made of.
The cheap thermoplastic simply wore through and shorted the circuit to
ground.
TWO other times, the windows simply fell out of their tracks into the
bottom of the door. Taking the doors apart revealed the scissors jacks
the windows ran up and down on, that looked like those punching jokes
out of an old movie, probably where GM's "engineers" got the idea in
1947, were made with plastic parts that MELTED IN THE PARKING LOT!
Nylon costs too much money to put in the flagship of the Chevy fleet.
We used cheap thermoplastic that melts around 150F. I emailed GM hoping
there was some kind of update parts made of nylon or better stuff. I
have the GM email which said:
"Dear Mr. Butler,
Thank you for contacting the Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center. We
appreciate you taking the time to write us in regards to your 1996
vehicle.
I'm sorry that the runners are warping and your windows are falling out.
If replacing your vehicle is not an option, I suggest keeping it shaded.
Try parking under cover or in the shade as much as possible. You may
want
to invest in a cover for your vehicle to prevent direct exposure to the
sun.
If you should need to contact us in the future, simply reply to this
message or call our Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center at
1-800-222-1020. Customer Relationship Specialists are available Monday
through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Eastern Time.
Again, thank you for contacting Chevrolet.
Sincerely,
The Chevrolet Consumer Support Team"
This is the EXACT text of the stored email on my hard drive. I kid you
not, they wanted me to PARK IT IN THE SHADE!
I hope GM goes completely bankrupt and Toyota, or some Japanese company
with more sane people running it, takes over the plants to build TINY
cars that get 80mpg and TINY trucks testosterone-charged American males
are going to have to learn to live with, now that they've come to the
realization they can no longer afford to drive those Chevy penis
extension pickups with the 500hp engines to the shop for constant
repairs.
GM can kiss my ass......(c;
hk
Reggie is an idiot. I don't "relish" GM's bad news. It means more bad
news for its remaining workforce.
Thank god the Bush-GOP plan to "privatize" social security so
individuals could invest in the flim-flam game called the stock market
got nowhere.
Eisboch
Eisboch wrote:
>> "Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq." <ReggieHasLef...@here.com>
>> wrote
>>> I guess Harry just enjoys seeing others hurt.
>>
>>
>>
>> I sincerely don't think Harry wants anybody hurt.
>>
>> He's in warm-up mode for November. Happens every four years.
>>
>> Eisboch
>
>
> Reggie is an idiot. I don't "relish" GM's bad news. It means more bad news
> for its remaining workforce.
>
> Thank god the Bush-GOP plan to "privatize" social security so individuals
> could invest in the flim-flam game called the stock market
> got nowhere.
>
Thank God most people realize they can't rely on social security alone in
their retirement.
Eisboch
Eisboch
"Larry" <no...@home.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9AED6042AA...@208.49.80.253...
Well, there goes another happy customer.
"Hook-up" wire? No wiring harnesses? Come on Larry. Fess up. Who
"re-wired" your car?
Eisboch
hk
Interesting. BTW, the problems you've outlined here are the result of
"management" decisions, not the decisions of the guys on the assembly
line. If you've ever been in a major league auto plant, you'd know that
*all* decisions are made by supervisors, not the work force. So, using
plastic instead of nylon was a management decision, and not insulting
the wires properly was a management decision.
In contrast, I just a message indicating a nylon/stainless clamp on my
Japanese outboard "might" fail, and there is now an all-stainless steel
clamp available that will be fitted the motor at my next service visit
at no cost to me. The clamp isn't even related to anything critical.
Apparently the management at Yamaha is a bit more attuned to customers
than to paying that 25-cent quarterly dividend. Oh...I'm not claiming
that the Japanese outboards are "flawless," nor are the companies that
produce them.
hk
Yeah, well that wasn't the point, was it...
hk
Oh...and it's not that all corporations are bad all the time.
While HP's telephone customer service for its comsumer products now
sucks (it's been moved offshore and the phones are answered by
automatons who can only read off a script), there still are a few
thinking people employed at the company.
One of my cats has decided the top of my little HP color laser printer
is the best place to nap. The output tray at the rear of the machine
apparently was annoying him, so he bounced on it until he broke it off.
I sent an email to HP (I knew better than to call), and got a response
that a new tray was being sent to me gratis, but that I would have to
pay the $7 shipping charge. More than fair. They want a photo of the
cat, too.
Eisboch
>
> I *love* it. It tells me Wal-Mart is scared.
>
>
>
> Wal-Mart is among the most exploitative major employers in the United
> States. The so-called "health insurance" it "offers" its employees is a
> fraud. It is a major violator of wage-hour laws. It is the major seller of
> crap ChiComm products in the USA.
>
>
>
It seems to me that Wal-Mart has a specific goal to remain a low-cost outlet
for limited income families and/or those that like to pinch pennys when
buying basic necessities. In your quote you left out the part whereby by
unionizing, Wal-Mart would need to raise prices and lay off employees.
Why not let the public chose where they want to shop and work?
Eisboch
Loogy...@gmail.com
> "Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq." <ReggieHasLeftTheBuild...@here.com> wrote
> in messagenews:SdCdnTQC6JDYkw7V...@comcast.com...
>
>
>
> > I am trying to figure out why Harry is relishing the fact that any company
> > is having a downturn.
>
> > It has a negative impact on individuals who have stock in the company,
> > retirees who depend on dividends for part of their income,
> > it has a negative impact on the employees and the local and/or national
> > economy.
>
> > I guess Harry just enjoys seeing others hurt.
>
> I sincerely don't think Harry wants anybody hurt.
>
Yes he does! He's wished injury or death on several people here.
hk
Shop wherever the hell you want. Free choice in shopping is fine if the
"public" has the ability to have influence on how its area is developed.
In our part of our rural, conservative county, we have an older Wal-Mart
store (that I've never been in), but we stopped Wal-Mart dead in its
tracks with its plans to built a "super Wal-Mart" in our area. Wal-Mart
spent a ton of money on PR and political bribes to force it way. All it
took to defeat Wal-Mart was a number of petitions signed by enough
voters to let the county pols know they'd be out on their asses if they
approved building the new store.
Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq.
What Harry is really saying:
Free choice in shopping is fine as long as I can tell people what their
choices are.
Eisboch
>
>
> Shop wherever the hell you want. Free choice in shopping is fine if the
> "public" has the ability to have influence on how its area is developed.
> In our part of our rural, conservative county, we have an older Wal-Mart
> store (that I've never been in), but we stopped Wal-Mart dead in its
> tracks with its plans to built a "super Wal-Mart" in our area. Wal-Mart
> spent a ton of money on PR and political bribes to force it way. All it
> took to defeat Wal-Mart was a number of petitions signed by enough voters
> to let the county pols know they'd be out on their asses if they approved
> building the new store.
>
Your neighbors on fixed or limited incomes thank you.
Eisboch
D.Duck
Historically the "market" returns an annual average 10% return. Is that
flim-flam?
Eisboch
"D.Duck" <D...@ld.duck> wrote in message
news:Q62dnW5pEZT6vw7V...@giganews.com...
>> could invest in the flim-flam game called the stock market
>> got nowhere.
>
>
> Historically the "market" returns an annual average 10% return. Is that
> flim-flam?
>
Please don't confuse this issue with facts.
Eisboch
D.Duck
"D.Duck" <D...@ld.duck> wrote in message
news:Q62dnW5pEZT6vw7V...@giganews.com...
>
Oooops, sorry.
justwaitaf...@gmail.com
> in messagenews:SdCdnTQC6JDYkw7V...@comcast.com...
>
>
>
> > I am trying to figure out why Harry is relishing the fact that any company
> > is having a downturn.
>
> > It has a negative impact on individuals who have stock in the company,
> > retirees who depend on dividends for part of their income,
> > it has a negative impact on the employees and the local and/or national
> > economy.
>
> > I guess Harry just enjoys seeing others hurt.
>
> I sincerely don't think Harry wants anybody hurt.
>
> He's in warm-up mode for November. Happens every four years.
>
> Eisboch
That's why I try to squash it, but it seems with 22 followup posts,
you all want to talk about it here.. Seems you have forgotten what
wafa can do to a group in an election year... geeze..
Wayne.B
wrote:
Harry (WAFA), being the hypocrite that he is, surely does not want any
neighbors like that.
justwaitaf...@gmail.com
> On Fri, 1 Aug 2008 10:27:47 -0400, "Eisboch" <noth...@nowhere.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >"hk" <payer33...@mypacks.net> wrote in message
>
> - Show quoted text -
How would you know? What we do know is wafa will take one side of an
issue today, and another tomorrow, as long as he can piss you all
off.. Like I have said before, I can't see why anyone would bother
debating someone who is not going to debate honestly? It just makes no
sense... You could have more fun debating yourself, and at least then
it wouldn't get personal or vulgar which you know is the eventual
outcome of any debate with our stooges...
John H.
It's the same crap liberals spew whenever they get the chance. If a company
is making a profit, it's bad. If a company is losing money, it's bad. If
refineries were run by the government, it would be good. If cars were built
by the government, it would be good.
What horseshit. But...oh, never mind.
John H.
It would be better if Wal-Mart employees were all government workers. Then
the man would be happy.
John H.
hk
Many retirees were the most vocal against wal-mart's plans at the county
meetings. As I stated, we already have a wal-mart.
This is not a highly affluent county, by the way. It's still mostly
rural, thank god.
hk
What, stimulate discussion? What's wrong with that? I'm bored with your
guitars and kiddie motorcycle racing.
justwaitaf...@gmail.com
> Eisboch wrote:
> > "hk" <payer33...@mypacks.net> wrote in message
> >news:jomdnV9y4YwIhQ7V...@comcast.com...
>
> >> Shop wherever the hell you want. Free choice in shopping is fine if the
> >> "public" has the ability to have influence on how its area is developed.
> >> In our part of our rural, conservative county, we have an older Wal-Mart
> >> store (that I've never been in), but we stopped Wal-Mart dead in its
> >> tracks with its plans to built a "super Wal-Mart" in our area. Wal-Mart
> >> spent a ton of money on PR and political bribes to force it way. All it
> >> took to defeat Wal-Mart was a number of petitions signed by enough voters
> >> to let the county pols know they'd be out on their asses if they approved
> >> building the new store.
>
> > Your neighbors on fixed or limited incomes thank you.
>
> > Eisboch
>
> Many retirees were the most vocal against wal-mart's plans at the county
> meetings.
Sure wafa. Do the math Dick, he makes it up as he goes along..
> As I stated, we already have a wal-mart.
>
> This is not a highly affluent county, by the way. It's still mostly
> rural, thank god.- Hide quoted text -
Don White
"John H." <salmo...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:gvb69492ninnjvr33...@4ax.com...
Well, you worked for the gov't your whole life and seem to be enjoying those
golden benefits. (pension plan).
Your wife is a teacher?? I guess that could be considered gov't work.
Eisboch
<justwaitaf...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:abb7bafd-0a76-4dc6...@i76g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
I'd just sit back and enjoy it. It gets comical. You can't squash it.
It's his reason for being.
Eisboch
hk
> On Aug 1, 11:28 am, Wayne.B <waynebatrecdotbo...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> On Fri, 1 Aug 2008 10:27:47 -0400, "Eisboch" <noth...@nowhere.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> "hk" <payer33...@mypacks.net> wrote in message
>>> news:jomdnV9y4YwIhQ7V...@comcast.com...
>>>> Shop wherever the hell you want. Free choice in shopping is fine if the
>>>> "public" has the ability to have influence on how its area is developed.
>>>> In our part of our rural, conservative county, we have an older Wal-Mart
>>>> store (that I've never been in), but we stopped Wal-Mart dead in its
>>>> tracks with its plans to built a "super Wal-Mart" in our area. Wal-Mart
>>>> spent a ton of money on PR and political bribes to force it way. All it
>>>> took to defeat Wal-Mart was a number of petitions signed by enough voters
>>>> to let the county pols know they'd be out on their asses if they approved
>>>> building the new store.
>>> Your neighbors on fixed or limited incomes thank you.
>>> Eisboch
>> Harry (WAFA), being the hypocrite that he is, surely does not want any
>> neighbors like that.- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
> How would you know? What we do know is wafa will take one side of an
> issue today, and another tomorrow, as long as he can piss you all
> off.. Like I have said before, I can't see why anyone would bother
> debating someone who is not going to debate honestly?
B.S. Previously, when you were lamenting the fact that some illegals
had access to medical care and meds and you didn't, I asked you
indirectly why you didn't take advantage of programs that were available
to you. That shut you up.
hk
Isn't it interesting how lifelong government employees like Herring
trash other government employees? And now that he is drawing a
government employee pension, he still looks down his nose on other
government employees.
His wife is also a government employee, so she'll be getting a
government employee pension, too. And they participate in a
union-sponsored government employee health benefit plan.
Herring is your typical right-wing Republican hypocrite.
justwaitaf...@gmail.com
>
> - Show quoted text -
At least my stories and opinions are real...
John H.
It would be much more fun to see him make a fool of himself.
justwaitaf...@gmail.com
>
> - Show quoted text -
Pfffft.... I investigated several options, I could not afford any of
them with my income. I suppose if I were working with a fake id, I
could make my income look any way I wanted.. But alas, they need my
money to pay for the crims....
John H.
By talking to himself.
Loogy...@gmail.com
>
> - Show quoted text -
Then leave.
Loogy...@gmail.com
>
> - Show quoted text -
I'll tell you another thing, Harry's word is completely worthless.
Calif Bill
"Eisboch" <not...@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:_tSdnc9SstAikw7V...@giganews.com...> in message news:SdCdnTQC6JDYkw7V...@comcast.com...
>>>
>>>
>> I am trying to figure out why Harry is relishing the fact that any
>> company is having a downturn.
>>
>> It has a negative impact on individuals who have stock in the company,
>> retirees who depend on dividends for part of their income,
>> it has a negative impact on the employees and the local and/or national
>> economy.
>>
>> I guess Harry just enjoys seeing others hurt.
>
>
>
> I sincerely don't think Harry wants anybody hurt.
>
> He's in warm-up mode for November. Happens every four years.
>
> Eisboch
>
I just think that Harry does not really care one way or the other about
people. Harry is caring about Harry. Like is post the other day about
letting the Loogie's etc. vote.
Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq.
Harry,
You forgot you had Just in your bozo bin.
Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq.
Do you remember all of his long and boring anti-handgun "debates". He
"approved" of shotguns, but anyone with a handgun was using the gun to
compensate for having a tiny penis. As soon as he got a handgun, he
starting boring us of photos of his targets and "stumpy""
hk
Really? It is hard for me to believe any parent would allow a small
child to race motorcycles.
John H.
Larry
dn...@comcast.com:
> Apparently the management at Yamaha is a bit more attuned to customers
> than to paying that 25-cent quarterly dividend. Oh...I'm not claiming
> that the Japanese outboards are "flawless," nor are the companies that
> produce them.
>
Your Yamaha is about as Japanese as the Japanese steak house over by the
mall. Your Yamaha was made HERE. His Evinrude was made THERE....(c;
No, I don't know where the Yamaha plant is for the Northeast....
hk
The company is Japanese. I have no idea where the motor was "made." I
suspect its pieces and parts were collected from around the world and
the engine itself was "assembled" in one location. Or something like that.
There are no more new Evinrudes, just as there are no more new Indian
motorcycles. The lineage of both is dead and buried; just the name
survives.
Larry
news:VPCdnZr9s6ad7A7V...@comcast.com:
> I have no idea where the motor was "made."
Mexico?
hk
Actually, I believe the crates say "Made in Japan," and that isn't
referring to the crate... :>) Next time I am at the dealer's, I'll
check.
Richard Casady
>There are no more new Evinrudes, just as there are no more new Indian
>motorcycles. The lineage of both is dead and buried; just the name
>survives.
There haven't actually been any since the fifties or before. Just
Outboard Marine, sold under the names of both Evinrude and Johnson,
for the same engines.
Casady
hk
Not entirely true. Outboard Marine's predecessor company, ELTO, was
founded by Ole Evinrude, and his son, Ralph, formed OMC and served many
decades as its chief exec. In later years, the Johnson and Evinrude
brand names had some products identical under the cover and some
different. I recall a 5-1/2 hp Johnson, a 7-1/2 hp Evinrude, a 10 hp
Johnson, a 15 and 18 hp Evinrude. I believe both lines had 25 hp
engines. I think from that point on, both lines had the same engines
under different hoods and in different colors. There also were some
9-1/2 hp engines built to stay under the 10 hp limit on some lakes.
Ralph Evinrude retired in the 1980s.
My father was an Evinrude dealer from the end of WW II until the mid
1960's, when he dropped Evinrude and took on the Merc line. His best
friend was a Johnson dealer. His friend's boat store and marina is still
operating, though I don't know who is running it. I sold my father's
boat store within a year of his death and we sold the marina property to
a - blech- condo developer.
Richard Casady
>In later years, the Johnson and Evinrude
>brand names had some products identical under the cover and some
>different. I recall a 5-1/2 hp Johnson, a 7-1/2 hp Evinrude, a 10 hp
>Johnson, a 15 and 18 hp Evinrude. I believe both lines had 25 hp
>engines. I think from that point on, both lines had the same engines
>under different hoods and in different colors.
We had a 51/2 Evinrude. It was a fiftieth anniversary model, whatever
year that was. There were no sizes unique to either brand. The only
discernable difference on any of them was the outer cover. I was there
and went to the boat stores and everything.
hk
Perhaps by then the sizes were homogenized. There were different
offerings in different sizes in the time period I was discussing.
Larry
news:m4ednUN2VcURBA7V...@comcast.com:
> Not entirely true. Outboard Marine's predecessor company, ELTO, was
> founded by Ole Evinrude, and his son, Ralph,
My first outboard motor was an ELTO. It was part of the Christmas
present given to me by my grandfather and his friends, which included an
old oak rowboat painted State Park Green because one of the friends was
a park maintenance superintendent at the local state park. One of the
other old friends showed up one day with a spiffed up 1hp ELTO outboard
from way, way back that had set up in his garage for decades. He had
disassembled it and fixed anything wrong with it, including a new
little fat spark plug that looked like someone had squashed it end to
end with a brass thumbscrew I was really soon to learn was not to be
touched or gotten anywhere around when it was putting away on my new
boat! As it was right under the gas tank where a finger would surely
touch it as you tried to lift the motor up to get it out of the mud, you
soon learned to shut it down BEFORE reaching back there and finding
yourself on the end of Mr Ole's big magneto!
I have no idea what it's model number was but it had an open flywheel
you wrapped the starting rope around, a water cooled cylinder jacket
that was fed by a little piston pump I suppose ran off some kind of cam
in the foot that had a tiny little pipe sticking out the bottom of the
water jacket and, most amusing to an 8-year-old yacht owner went squirt-
squirt-squirt in time with the pop-pop=pop of the little 2 stroke
engine. A spark lever was marked in front by a little metal strip
around the bottom of the flywheel and there was a throttle lever on the
front of the tiny carb next to the choke lever, I think I remember,
feeding premix 15:1 Quaker State SAE 30 and Grandpa's Tractor Gas into
the crankcase.
Any guesses as to its manufacturing date would be most appreciated.
I've wondered about it for years.
Of course, my mother and grandmother were livid when they found out
saying I'd be dead in a month from drowning in the lake. "How can he
drown?", my grandfather told her. "He's got his floating cushion right
under his behind!" That was all the PFD I ever remember anyone at
Owasco Lake carrying in their boat...a square, dark green, floating boat
cushion. We were fine. I'm still here at 62! I'd been driving
Grandpa's 7.5 Sportwin and 40hp Scott-Atwater since I was big enough to
hold onto the tiller or see over the steering wheel of his Penn-Yan
runabout!
ELTOs were fantastic motors. Mine would start if you spun it with your
fingers once you got the spark and throttle pointed to START....(c;
With my 1 gallon premix gas can I could cruise all day with Robb Munn,
my best friend....
Canuck57
> GM shares fell more than 7% in premarket trading to $10.20.
Surprising it was that little. They lost almost twice their market cap.
Anyone taking shorts on $2?
> GM's Latin American operation was a bright spot - profit rose to $445
> million from $296 million. But Asia swung to loss and European profits
> tumbled 94%.
I would branch out and buy GMSA, they don't have lethargic management and
union up the but (yet). But then again, cancer does travel.
> Excluding charges, the North American business had a $4.3 billion loss as
> revenue dropped by one-third to $19.8 billion, pushing market share down
> to 20.2% from 22.7%.
Wait until next quarter.
Good luck Ontario CAW/US UAW GM. Time has arrived for payment. Management
has let you idiots go so long in a fantasy, there is no hope now. GM is
spining down the toilet so fast that no one sees it. Chrysler down, GM
spinning and Ford working on keeping up. The auto business, just waiting
for someone to shoot it.
At least if I buy a Tata Nano for $4000 I know I am getting a cheap car.
Canuck57
>>
>> General Motors Corp. (GM) posted a stunning $15.5 billion second-quarter
>> net loss, as the auto maker piled up $9.1 billion in charges and
>> write-downs and suffered a deep drop in North American sales.
>>
>> The company had warned in mid-July that it would post "a significant
>> second quarter loss." But the actual numbers were far worse than analysts
>> had expected, and point to the enormous challenges facing GM as buyers
>> turn away en masse from its most profitable offerings.
>>
>> GM shares fell more than 7% in premarket trading to $10.20.
>>
>> $891 million, or $1.56 a share, a year earlier. Excluding items, the loss
>> was $6.3 billion, or $11.21 a share.
>>
>> Revenue fell 18% to $38.2 billion.
>>
>> Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters had been looking for a loss,
>> excluding items, of $2.62 a share on revenue of $44.57 billion.
>>
>> GM's Latin American operation was a bright spot - profit rose to $445
>> million from $296 million. But Asia swung to loss and European profits
>> tumbled 94%.
>>
>> revenue dropped by one-third to $19.8 billion, pushing market share down
>> to 20.2% from 22.7%.
>>
>> strength in international operations and a slim profit in its core North
>> American automotive unit to dramatically improve its bottom line.
>>
>> GM's earnings were also dented by a $1.2 billion loss from its 49% stake
>> in its GMAC LLC financing arm. Thursday, GMAC swung to a second-quarter
>> loss as it took a $716 million write-down on leases and recorded more
>> losses from its Residential Capital LLC unit.
>>
>> Second-quarter cash levels fell to $21 billion at the end of the second
>> quarter from $23.9 billion at the end of the first quarter.
>>
>> The dismal second quarter caps four consecutive years of disappointing
>> results, dating back to the beginning of 2005, when GM shocked Wall
>> Street with an abrupt string of deep losses. Since then, Chief Executive
>> Rick Wagoner has been racing to cut costs, slim down operations and
>> remake the vehicle portfolio.
>>
>> *At the same time, Wagoner has invested heavily into emerging markets,
>> placing big bets in Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia even as market
>> share dwindles at home.*
>>
>> - - -
>>
>> Any bets as to when GM will abandon manufacturing in the U.S. market?
>>
>
>
> No time soon.
>
> Although dismal financial results, the bulk of the "losses" are write offs
> and charges to re-tool for the manufacture of more smaller, fuel efficient
> cars for the US market.
They have been retooling for 4 decades.
WTF.
> Sounds horrible, and I am not making light of the problems, but it's not
> as bad as the media (and you) are making it out to be.
Worse, bankrupt GM.
GM is toast.
DK
> hk wrote:
>>>
>>>> I *love* it. It tells me Wal-Mart is scared.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Wal-Mart is among the most exploitative major employers in the
>>>> United States. The so-called "health insurance" it "offers" its
>>>> employees is a fraud. It is a major violator of wage-hour laws. It
>>>> is the major seller of crap ChiComm products in the USA.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> It seems to me that Wal-Mart has a specific goal to remain a low-cost
>>> outlet for limited income families and/or those that like to pinch
>>> pennys when buying basic necessities. In your quote you left out
>>> the part whereby by unionizing, Wal-Mart would need to raise prices
>>> and lay off employees.
>>>
>>> Why not let the public chose where they want to shop and work?
>>>
>>> Eisboch
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> the "public" has the ability to have influence on how its area is
>> developed. In our part of our rural, conservative county, we have an
>> older Wal-Mart store (that I've never been in), but we stopped
>> Wal-Mart dead in its tracks with its plans to built a "super Wal-Mart"
>> in our area. Wal-Mart spent a ton of money on PR and political bribes
>> to force it way. All it took to defeat Wal-Mart was a number of
>> petitions signed by enough voters to let the county pols know they'd
>> be out on their asses if they approved building the new store.
>>
>
>
> Free choice in shopping is fine as long as I can tell people what their
> choices are.
WAFA is talking out of his ass...again.
DK
You know he *can't*.
DK
Did you get WAFA's "my father" story, too? It's legendary.
Eisboch
"Canuck57" <dave-n...@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:RROkk.50596$nD.3370@pd7urf1no...
>>
>> Although dismal financial results, the bulk of the "losses" are write
>> offs and charges to re-tool for the manufacture of more smaller, fuel
>> efficient cars for the US market.
>
> They have been retooling for 4 decades.
>
> WTF.
>
>> Sounds horrible, and I am not making light of the problems, but it's not
>> as bad as the media (and you) are making it out to be.
>
> Worse, bankrupt GM.
>
> GM is toast.
I'll try again.
Automakers build what the consumer buys.
Eisboch
Larry
@pd7urf1no:
> At least if I buy a Tata Nano for $4000 I know I am getting a cheap car.
>
>
Dave, do they have Nanos in Canada, yet?
I'm seriously considering flying to Canada to buy a Smart ForTwo DIESEL
they won't sell me in South Carolina. I found out I can import it as it is
on the EPA list of excluded cars way back to 2004 Smart Cars so bringing it
home isn't a problem.
They sure don't lose their value very much. Used 2005 Smart Diesels are
$CN12000 in Toronto.
Larry
_vSdnRAjquSVIg7V...@giganews.com:
> Automakers build what the consumer buys.
>
> Eisboch
>
>
This consumer is trying to by a DIESEL Smart ForTwo but Smart USA doesn't
want to sell me one....dammit.
I may toss caution to the wind and fly to Canada and buy one, even used.
They're plastic so the salt doesn't eat them up there. The diesel is
important to me as I want one to burn on Vegetable oil like my other
diesels do.
Wayne.B
>I'll try again.
>
>Automakers build what the consumer buys.
>
>Eisboch
That's true up to a point but GM and Ford pigged out at the party.
They knew very well they were making much higher margins on their big
vehicles, and as a result, put way too little funding into R & D for
fuel efficiency. The handwriting has been on the wall for quite
awhile for anyone who cared to look, but GM and Ford had their head in
the sand. Is there any doubt that they could have produced high
quality efficient vehicles, similar to Toyota and Honda, if they had
put an effort into it?
Calif Bill
"Wayne.B" <waynebatr...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:l9n794lv34m5hp0mq...@4ax.com...
And Toyota and Honda have also taken a bad road. Looking at new vehicle for
SWMBO. Liked the Acura MDX. People complaining about mileage. 12-18 mpg.
Look at the new Tundra. Same size as an F150. 14 mpg highway. Toyota
Highlander Hybrid. $49k. Like the look and feel of the Saturn GreenVue.
32 mpg highway, 20+ around town. $25k. My daughter bought a new Sequoia
last year. $48k, and probably gets the same crappy mileage as the same size
Ford Expedition. About 14 around town, and 16 highway. Look at all the ads
for the Japanese cars. Touting the performance.
Canuck57
> Although dismal financial results, the bulk of the "losses" are write offs
> and charges to re-tool for the manufacture of more smaller, fuel efficient
> cars for the US market.
>
> Sounds horrible, and I am not making light of the problems, but it's not
> as bad as the media (and you) are making it out to be.
Sounds worse actually. Posting a quarterly loss that is more than twice as
much as your market cap well, in my books is serious bankruptcy coming on.
GM's troubles are understated, and in fact it is probably too late for GM as
we know it to come back from this.
My guess is GM will be broken apart. The US side will just go bankrupt
while if GM has any profitable divisions off shore they will be bought
piecemeal by others.
Target price, $0.20 as a speculation buy.
Canuck57
The same way unions work.
Canuck57
> I am trying to figure out why Harry is relishing the fact that any company
> is having a downturn.
Harry might be like me, a former stock holder of GM. Fortunately I got out
without too much of a loss.
GM is the kind of company you want to see smashed, bankrupt and broken
appart. Between incopentant lethargic managment and dumb union rant the GM
company has been run into the ground ripping off shareholders for too many
years.
No one believes the same promises made by management and unions 20-30 years
ago today do they?
> It has a negative impact on individuals who have stock in the company,
> retirees who depend on dividends for part of their income,
> it has a negative impact on the employees and the local and/or national
> economy.
>
> I guess Harry just enjoys seeing others hurt.
I was lucky enough to get out at $30. I feel for those who buy an hold. GM
is a stellar let down and a prime example of what is wrong with corporate
management in North America.
Canuck57
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> He's in warm-up mode for November. Happens every four years.
>>>
>>> Eisboch
>>
>>
>> news for its remaining workforce.
>>
>> Thank god the Bush-GOP plan to "privatize" social security so individuals
>> could invest in the flim-flam game called the stock market
>> got nowhere.
>>
>
> Thank God most people realize they can't rely on social security alone in
> their retirement.
>
> Eisboch
But those that don't become democrat/socialists. And then target the moneys
of those that saved. Taxation for redistribution of wealth
(institutionalized government theft).
Democrats promises are dangerous.
John H.
wrote:
snipped
> a prime example of what is wrong with corporate
>management in North America.
>
No generalizing there!
Canuck57
"D.Duck" <D...@ld.duck> wrote in message
news:Q62dnW5pEZT6vw7V...@giganews.com...
>
> "hk" <payer...@mypacks.net> wrote in message
> news:TJadnaHcibdvkg7V...@comcast.com...
>> Eisboch wrote:
>>> "Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq." <ReggieHasLef...@here.com>
>>>>>
>>>> I am trying to figure out why Harry is relishing the fact that any
>>>> company is having a downturn.
>>>>
>>>> retirees who depend on dividends for part of their income,
>>>> it has a negative impact on the employees and the local and/or
>>>> national economy.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I sincerely don't think Harry wants anybody hurt.
>>>
>>> He's in warm-up mode for November. Happens every four years.
>>>
>>> Eisboch
>>
>>
>> Reggie is an idiot. I don't "relish" GM's bad news. It means more bad
>> news for its remaining workforce.
>>
>> Thank god the Bush-GOP plan to "privatize" social security so individuals
>> could invest in the flim-flam game called the stock market
>> got nowhere.
>
>
> flim-flam?
I don't think so either. I average 12%. Have 80% in cash right now looking
for a bottom. But should have put out more shorts.
It really comes down to this. If the democrats win, the market will have a
short term gain until the democrats will have to come clean on how they will
pay for promises. Then the market will continue losses until people figure
out credit-card-debt-print-money management does not work. Which is really
what this downturn is all about. Someone put a pin in the debt balloon.
And to make it worse, we have a credit card generation flat broke out there
that want those that saved to pay for it.
Eisboch
"Larry" <no...@home.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9AEDEA5CBAE...@208.49.80.253...
The "Smart" car's availability in the USA is a little confusing. For
several years a company (forget their name) have been importing them,
modifying them to meet US safety standards and selling them. This was done
without the blessings of Mercedes, who owns the Smart car product line.
Mercedes has introduced "official" Smart cars to the US market, but as you
have discovered, only two models are currently available. If demand
warrants, they plan to make available other models, including the diesel.
That's how I understand the current situation. I also heard or read that
Mercedes was going after the company that was importing and modifying them
to curtail their business.
You need to make sure you are buying from a dealer who is officially
authorized by Mercedes. Otherwise, warranty issues may not be honored.
I've also considered buying one, just for fun. Still thinking about it.
Eisboch
Eisboch
Time will tell.
Eisboch
Canuck57
LOL.
I too, GM can kiss my @$$. So can Chrysler. Anyone notice their dealers
too have their lots full? Too full actually? That is a lot of depreciating
plastic inventory out there.
"Larry" <no...@home.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9AED6042AA...@208.49.80.253...
> hk <payer...@mypacks.net> wrote in news:2JudnbY7
> _fXIlA7VnZ2d...@comcast.com:
>
>> General Motors Corp. (GM) posted a stunning $15.5 billion second-
> quarter
>> net loss,
>
> They should have told their dealers tough shit when the dealers
> complained that the EV-1 was too reliable to be profitable for their
> service departments. But, alas, they crushed them all, rather than give
> America its first working electric car in 70 years that the people they
> loaned them out to just loved. They loved them so much they followed
> the repo crews around and found the storage lot their previous cars were
> sent to until the salvage yards could crush them, after removing the
> batteries.
>
> This stupid company gets all it deserves. When my father died, I
> inherited a 1996 Chevy Caprice Classic barge. Every time you tried to
> put down the electric windows, something happened. The 30A breaker in
> the panel would trip at times after a blink of all the lights and engine
> computer reset. I traced that to a cut in the insulation of the HOOKUP
> WIRE the damned car was completely wired with. HOOKUP WIRE! I had no
> wiring harness and looked like it was wired by some kids building pedal
> carts in dad's garage! The wires were simply wrapped in vinyl electric
> tape, loosely, and laid against the sharp, BARE, UNPAINTED metal edges
> the doors and anyplace the customer couldn't readily see, was made of.
> The cheap thermoplastic simply wore through and shorted the circuit to
> ground.
>
> TWO other times, the windows simply fell out of their tracks into the
> bottom of the door. Taking the doors apart revealed the scissors jacks
> the windows ran up and down on, that looked like those punching jokes
> out of an old movie, probably where GM's "engineers" got the idea in
> 1947, were made with plastic parts that MELTED IN THE PARKING LOT!
> Nylon costs too much money to put in the flagship of the Chevy fleet.
> We used cheap thermoplastic that melts around 150F. I emailed GM hoping
> there was some kind of update parts made of nylon or better stuff. I
> have the GM email which said:
>
> "Dear Mr. Butler,
>
> Thank you for contacting the Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center. We
> appreciate you taking the time to write us in regards to your 1996
> vehicle.
>
> I'm sorry that the runners are warping and your windows are falling out.
> If replacing your vehicle is not an option, I suggest keeping it shaded.
>
> Try parking under cover or in the shade as much as possible. You may
> want
> to invest in a cover for your vehicle to prevent direct exposure to the
> sun.
>
> If you should need to contact us in the future, simply reply to this
> message or call our Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center at
> 1-800-222-1020. Customer Relationship Specialists are available Monday
> through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Eastern Time.
>
> Again, thank you for contacting Chevrolet.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> The Chevrolet Consumer Support Team"
>
> This is the EXACT text of the stored email on my hard drive. I kid you
> not, they wanted me to PARK IT IN THE SHADE!
>
> I hope GM goes completely bankrupt and Toyota, or some Japanese company
> with more sane people running it, takes over the plants to build TINY
> cars that get 80mpg and TINY trucks testosterone-charged American males
> are going to have to learn to live with, now that they've come to the
> realization they can no longer afford to drive those Chevy penis
> extension pickups with the 500hp engines to the shop for constant
> repairs.
>
> GM can kiss my ass......(c;
>
>
Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq.
> Larry wrote:
>> hk <payer...@mypacks.net> wrote in news:zrednWQ0jPFAjA7VnZ2dnUVZ_h-
>> dn...@comcast.com:
>>
>>> Apparently the management at Yamaha is a bit more attuned to
>>> customers than to paying that 25-cent quarterly dividend. Oh...I'm
>>> not claiming that the Japanese outboards are "flawless," nor are the
>>> companies that produce them.
>>>
>>
>> Your Yamaha is about as Japanese as the Japanese steak house over by
>> the mall. Your Yamaha was made HERE. His Evinrude was made THERE....(c;
>>
>> No, I don't know where the Yamaha plant is for the Northeast....
>>
>
>
> The company is Japanese. I have no idea where the motor was "made." I
> suspect its pieces and parts were collected from around the world and
> the engine itself was "assembled" in one location. Or something like that.
>
> There are no more new Evinrudes, just as there are no more new Indian
> motorcycles. The lineage of both is dead and buried; just the name
> survives.
>
Remember when you talked disparagingly about anyone who would buy a
Japanese car or engine when someone was talking about a Honda 4 stroke?
I think you said someone about "From the people who brought you Pearl
Harbor".
Canuck57
"Eisboch" <r...@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:_vSdnRAjquSVIg7V...@giganews.com...
Can GM build these?
http://jalopnik.com/343003/the-2500-tata-nano-unveiled-in-india
Doubtful, they would have to price them for $25,000 not $2500. Easier to
import them. Once the India market is saturated, maybe they will. I also
hear China has a 4x4 SUV for under $10K.
I think given people are not making more, the expensive cars are over priced
Dodo birds. Because people are on to this, if I buy a GM piece of crap, why
pay the price when a Tata piece of crap will do?
GM has been out of touch too long. Looking at the Chrysler lots here in
town, I suspect Chrysler too is in deep - deep trouble. Too much expensive
inventory. And local market conditions are relatively good.
GM is just waiting for chapter 11. The time has come like computers and
TVs, to import cars as North American made is just too expensive.
The thing is, Tata has the same attitude as Henry Ford did.
Mind you, all that being said you will not get my F150 out of my hands, it
pulls the boat. Just facing the facts that most people can't afford the
expensive depreciating iron/plastics any more.
Canuck57
"Calif Bill" <bmcke...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:svydnStX4Z3ecw7V...@earthlink.com...
In the year I bought my F150, there were more foreign parts in it than the
Tundra. Both assembled in the USA. I like my F150. More of them on the
road for cheaper parts when it gets older. But I get better gas mileage
than above, guess it depends how you drive it.
I don't subscribe to the Japanese myth any more. Sure, once they were
better but had a imported Nissan Pathfinder changed my mind.
Canuck57
> "Canuck57" <dave-n...@nospam.net> wrote in news:IQOkk.50593$nD.27486
> @pd7urf1no:
>
>> At least if I buy a Tata Nano for $4000 I know I am getting a cheap car.
>>
>>
>
> Dave, do they have Nanos in Canada, yet?
Haven't seen them yet. But Canada once had the Lada from Russia so I expect
maybe someday. With all the green hype, and big 3 over pricing in the
Canadian market I bet the people are asking.
We do have "SmartCars". Over priced too. See them for 2 seasons a year.
Trouble with any of these mini cars, add -30C and 8" of snow and they stay
in the garage until spring.
> I'm seriously considering flying to Canada to buy a Smart ForTwo DIESEL
> they won't sell me in South Carolina. I found out I can import it as it
> is
> on the EPA list of excluded cars way back to 2004 Smart Cars so bringing
> it
> home isn't a problem.
You might be able to get a used one cheap if you go to the snow areas. Many
buy them, then discover the heaters are no good in winter as is the
traction.
Each year we do our Christmas shopping in Montana as many Canadians do.
Last December the only people who got home on time were 4x4 and trucks. A
friend with a Vette and hybrid eco type contraption had to stay in Great
Falls for 3 unanticipated days. Both now have a 4x4.
> They sure don't lose their value very much. Used 2005 Smart Diesels are
> $CN12000 in Toronto.
If it was in ace shape, offer them $9 or 10K? Also consider Winnipeg.
Canadians are just figuring it out, while it is nice to have one vehicle
that is "green" and efficient, the other still needs to be a 4x4 V8 or V6.
Where I live, every 3rd vehicle is a truck, SUT or SUV. They don't plough
my road in winter and only see the Smart Car up the road from May to early
November. Makes more sense in SC, nice state BTW.
Don White
Canuck57
"Don White" <whi...@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:48946978$0$4011$9a56...@news.aliant.net...
Amazing how they picked just past mid-summer for that PR test. Right after
seasonal road repairs and ideal driving conditions.
Now how about they try that say on January 10th. Bet it will not be so
easy. Say north shore of Superior, 1-6" of snow every other day at -10C.
Maybe hit a deer in NW Ontario. Or perhaps the -35C with blowing snow of
Manitoba. Get a slight break in SK as -15C is more typical. Get to Calgary
in time for a chinook inversion and get 1 good day before a storm. Rogers
pass, will be fun when you hit the 8" pothole followed with 4" of pack ice.
Then down hill to Vancouver if the axles are not broken.
As a second summer time car though, I bet they are neat. But here are the
economics. I only need one good vehicle. A vehicle depreciates
conservatively at a rate of $3,000 per year. I can't drive 2 at once. If I
have 2 vehicles, I would have to *save* at least $3000 in fuel for it to be
economical. That is 30 tanks! I don't use that much in a year total.
And 30 tanks, I could drive coast to coast easily and pull a boat with 5
passengers. A/C works too.
So, I keep my F150 V8. Works all year for all my needs. Even at -30C it
gets warm enough the inside is habitable. No space problems for 4 flats of
24 beer, fishing gear, hauls a boat and if I drop by Costco and see a fridge
or TV that works I just flip it into the back. Or a load of firewood for
the fireplace. Got me through that ugly December snow storm last winter
from a Montana/Alberta sneak snow storm.
They be fair weather cars. Seen them here, May through October.
Larry
news:xcZkk.154620$gc5.54872@pd7urf2no:
> If it was in ace shape, offer them $9 or 10K? Also consider Winnipeg.
>
> Canadians are just figuring it out, while it is nice to have one
> vehicle that is "green" and efficient, the other still needs to be a
> 4x4 V8 or V6. Where I live, every 3rd vehicle is a truck, SUT or SUV.
> They don't plough my road in winter and only see the Smart Car up the
> road from May to early November. Makes more sense in SC, nice state
> BTW.
>
>
Thanks for the advise. I didn't think of the snow problem. Here, it's the
heat. I have a remote sensor digital thermometer on the intake of my AC
unit where it can actually measure the air, not the radiation. It's
reading 92.8F at 1PM and I live on the river which cools the place off a
bit. In the parking lot at the mall, crowded today by an annual back to
school even the state runs called "Tax Free Weekend", where the sales tax
machine is turned off for ONLY A FEW items kids need for school making the
parking lot full, it will be 50C outside and 70C inside those locked up
cars! Air conditioning is to South Carolinians like snow tires and tire
chains are to Canadians....(c;
Larry
$9a56...@news.aliant.net:
> http://www.wheels.ca/article/29504
Wow! Thanks!
"By the numbers
Distance (Halifax to Vancouver): 6,168 km
Diesel fuel used (total): 337 litres
Average fuel consumption: 5L/100 km
Total cost of fuel (average $1.05/L): $353.85"
His diesel must be set a little rich and there are several programmers for
the EPROMS in it to improve the mileage. A team of Italian auto
journalists took a smart from Rome to Nuremberg over the mountains and got
3.3L/100km with two adults aboard and luggage. I think it depends on their
driving habits, too. He was trying to rush it in 9 days so probably kept
his foot in the injection pump most of the way, giving us a sort of worst-
case-scenario figure.
It's just awful that driving this tiny diesel car STILL costs $CN350 to go
across.....in a country with plenty of oil...but the same central bankers
as us.
Larry
@pd7urf1no:
> Now how about they try that say on January 10th.
If they have any brains, they'd be driving it across from Miami to San
Diego on January 10th, leaving the snow to the boys from Possum Lodge!
Larry
news:Q6adnbGam-Ge0QnV...@giganews.com:
> That's how I understand the current situation. I also heard or read
> that Mercedes was going after the company that was importing and
> modifying them to curtail their business.
>
> You need to make sure you are buying from a dealer who is officially
> authorized by Mercedes. Otherwise, warranty issues may not be
> honored.
>
I won't buy a warrantied new car unless I'm forced to. For the
difference in price between new and 2 year old used anything, I can set
up my own repair shop and staff it with the finest mechanics. I haven't
played the dealer-to-get-warranty-work-fiasco in decades. I want
professional mechanics to work on my cars, not some low life the dealers
hire.
In Charleston, SC, that would be Star Motor Service:
http://www.starmotor.com/
The best Mercedes mechanic, one of Star's owners, was killed in an
unfortunate motorcycle accident a couple years back, but his brother
still owns the business and you'll find him, not in the office, but out
under the cars where he's been since I met him in the 1980's, when they
worked out of a rented garage and didn't have a pot to piss in when they
came here from Germany. The facility and reputation speak for
themselves. Owners drive from Charlotte and Atlanta to Star for expert
overhauls on fine Mercedes cars. One of the classics they stow for a
millionaire collector is Chairman Mao's 1966 600 Pullman limo, complete
with Chinese Communist flags and a phone stalk of rotary dial carphones
in the passenger compartment that is fully bullet proof. I've ridden in
it right where Mao sat! Star rebuilt it for the owner when he bought
it, drove it to Charlotte for the Mercedes car show and brought back
several trophies for their trouble....in grand style, of course. It's a
monster!
When Stephan was alive, I called him to see if I could get some help for
a Canadian sloop that had a cracked fuel filter housing on its Mercedes
aux engine. Steve said sure and for me to ask the owners if they minded
him bringing his boys with him to see the boat. It was fine. Steve
lived for his kids and this was on their time with him, the weekend.
He removed the cracked fuel filter and took it to his shop on Saturday
morning. He heliarc welded the housing and machined it so you could
barely detect where the crack used to be. Back to the boat, he
reinstalled it and they all took the boat out into the harbor for "sea
trials" as the Canadians called it to let the boys have a hand in
sailing this beautiful yacht. Sea trials lasted until nearly dark,
Steve's boys now proper sailors, and he refused the yacht owners offer
to pay him for his lost Saturday.
It's too bad he's gone. His boys miss him something awful, all 4 of
them!
With service like this at our disposal, warranty service by some clods
at a dealership just isn't a good idea. I'll be glad to pay. My
mechanic is Melan at Star. He's from the former Czechoslovakia and is
simply amazing to watch working on the cars. Unable to get a ball end
socket that's part of the windscreen wipers for my 1973 220D antique, he
fabricated a new one in short order that's working perfect. Like the
Reinerts, he worked for Mercedes in Stuttgart, too, going through their
whole apprentice program before working in the factory....(c;
No thanks. I don't need warranty service and a $20,000 depreciation.
Larry
news:1IYkk.51720$nD.39029@pd7urf1no:
> http://jalopnik.com/343003/the-2500-tata-nano-unveiled-in-india
>
> Doubtful, they would have to price them for $25,000 not $2500. Easier
> to import them. Once the India market is saturated, maybe they will.
> I also hear China has a 4x4 SUV for under $10K.
>
The Tata Nano rollout video is on YouTube.
I think America IS ready for another Yugo-priced car. I suspect the Nano
is far better quality than the Yugo was, however. Asian cars, even the
cheapest ones, are better than what UAW slaps together, not giving a damn
about anything but paycheck.
Our corporations are the ones at fault. They built the crap, now are going
to have to eat it, too.
GM took back all the EV-1's because the DEALERS were furious it didn't need
so much SERVICE at their overpriced shops. The lucky people who road
tested them for a year loved them and begged GM to sell their cars to them.
GM said no and sent around the repo companies to steal them back when the
testers refused to turn them in.
GM is the stupidest elephant on the planet....
Richard Casady
>o thanks. I don't need warranty service and a $20,000 depreciation.
We bought a Lincoln Navigator, two years old, for twenty less than
new, with sixty five thousand on it. It developed a leaking valve
guide at one seventy five. What service? The spark plugs that we
replaced at a hundred thousand were still good.
Casady
Eisboch
"Richard Casady" <richar...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:4896a6b2...@news.east.earthlink.net...
Ever see how they replace the spark plugs on a Navigator?
Interesting.
BTW .... Mrs.E. wouldn't part with hers even if gas went to 10 bucks a
gallon.
Eisboch
Canuck57
> GM took back all the EV-1's because the DEALERS were furious it didn't
> need
> so much SERVICE at their overpriced shops. The lucky people who road
> tested them for a year loved them and begged GM to sell their cars to
> them.
> GM said no and sent around the repo companies to steal them back when the
> testers refused to turn them in.
>
> GM is the stupidest elephant on the planet....
GM, my guess will be bankrupt inside of 16 months if not bought out. The
only thing holding them up is would you want to be the banker to go to your
boss and say guess what, we are just about to have a multi-billion dollar
default? How they can eat a loss like this with the debt load... has to
hurt. In fact, bankers probably are moving in now (if they were smart).
Chrysler has been quiet as of late. But the private equity partners via
Cerberus Capital Management in the Chrysler deal must be livid. They seem
to be restructuring (shell game) putting possible winners into one pool and
liabilities in another. Sort of like dump the dogs into one company and let
it die. While the other one takes off. Legal yes, moral, not so sure. The
20B+ pension liability is a dog. I feel sorry for those that will get the
pension burn here.
Ford, hard to tell. They are on a knifes edge but the only Detroit 3 that
has much of a chance if any. Depends if the "family" can motivate lethargic
management and kick some union ass real hard. Tata would like a peace of
their market and the competition fierce.
I wouldn't invest in these three unless they were well timed shorts. Looks
like a company I left in 1995 is also drowning more shareholder value,
NorTel. But that is another story.
Canuck57
Private equity buy at say $3B?
Canuck57
Have no idea how the A/C works in them. I have one in my F150, and really
only need it for 15 days a year. But nice to have for more. Sort of the
opposite problem. But my guess is the A/C, if they have it can't be too
good, but maybe good enough to make it liveable.
Might want to rent one for 2 to 3 days.
Canuck57
I was thinking the Trans-Canada highway. In places like Toronto it
resembles a big city interstate. In other places, mostly west of Sudbury
Ontario to the Pacific it doesn't classify as a state quality grade highway
in most places. Embarrassing actually. Just getting through three western
provinces, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, I guess you hit near 80
traffic lights if not more.
When I go to northern Ontario fishing, I always go down to I94 or #2 across
the top. Cheaper accommodations and fuel with better roads. Adds about 160
miles but I more than make it up in time.
I just wanted them to take the same route in the winter. Bet they do the
Miami to San Diego in the winter when A/C in Nevada and New Mexico, Arizona
isn't as critical. PR.
Eisboch
>
>Looks
> like a company I left in 1995 is also drowning more shareholder value,
> NorTel. But that is another story.
>
Nortel was one of many that got clobbered when the telecom hype bubble
burst. It's hard to believe how many big boys completely missed the boat
on that one.
Eisboch
Canuck57
I will stick with my F150. @1.05L, say gas was $1.10 at the time, but
closer to $1.25 now for either... could make it in nice A/C roomy comfort,
quiet, stereo and not crawl up BC hills for $1000. So I would save $647 or
so for 9 days travel. Ok, well I would like to save $647 but to be in a
seasonal vehicle cramped?
I still want to see those PR people do that in January on the same route in
Canada. Or do that Miami to San Diego in July.
Would not doubt the pettle was to the metal. Doing the prairies, 55mph
(almost 90kmh) is well, so boring. Want to do at least 70mph (112kmh or
so). Probably 120kmh. Which does increase fuel use. My F150 seems to get
the best mileage between 100 and 110kmh with cruise on. When you hit the
prairies, you make a small but steady rise in altitude that will drop your
mileage. Winter also drops it further. From Regina to Calgary you go from
600 to 1100 meters. From Calgary to Rogers pass, add another 250 meters for
1350 or so. 3.28 feet in a meter makes 4428 you peek altitude. In Thunder
Bay, only 310 meters on the shores of Lake Superior. But I do notice my
F150 fuel mileage goes right up at lower altitudes. Always seem to leave
sea level Vancouver wondering if their fuel is somehow better.
Larry
news:iM6lk.156490$gc5.149024@pd7urf2no:
> Have no idea how the A/C works in them. I have one in my F150, and
> really only need it for 15 days a year. But nice to have for more.
> Sort of the opposite problem. But my guess is the A/C, if they have
> it can't be too good, but maybe good enough to make it liveable.
>
> Might want to rent one for 2 to 3 days.
>
>
It was 92F the day I test drove a Smart ForTwo gas one here. The $600 AC
plant slowed down the little engine quite a bit, but at 92F you can
overlook that really easy! It did a good job cooling the interior, in
spite of the HUGE windows all the way around that let the sun have at the
interior. If/when I get one, I think a nice velcro'd Sunbrella top you can
stick in place on Velcro pads custom fit over the top with a cartoon
drawing of car windows full of smiling kids staring out at you and waving
would help cool it off in the parking lot....(c;
\
Talked to another owner at the mall today. He was thrilled with it and has
owned it for nearly 4 months. His is bright red with black trim. He says
it gets really hot with all the black interior and those huge windows
sitting in the sun, but blow that hot air out and run the AC cools it off
in a fair amount of time for such a little engine.....
http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=14826
Here in the South, we have many ways of keeping our cars cool all
summer....Some even work when the car is parked at WalMart like this one!
....and resemblance to the CBC Possum Lodge van installations is purely
coincidental....(c;
Canuck57
Ya, I was lucky on that, sold at $50 on the way up. Was kicking my brains
until it hit the big negative turn. Bought a small position back in at
$3.10 before the reverse, but took a small loss at $2.80 on the sell.
But there is truth to what they say, if you bought a $1000 of NorTel, and
$1000 of beer back then, you will still have the Miller empties for 10 cent
return.
NorTel surprised me again visiting them the other day. Reverse split 10:1
at $3 or so, reset it to $30 and now down to $6 something. That means what
was once sailing over $1000 is now at $6.50. NorTel is now chasing beer
caps. Good management is hard to find.
But on the light side, NorTel was at one time, up until about 1994 with
before Stern impact was felt at my level, a good company. Left in 95.
Ferchat (?) was the last really good CEO as Stern was just an over hyped
clown looking for a fat pension out of the employee coffers. Probably still
paying the bastard some $960,000 a year. Left a lot of good friends that
since like myself, scattered. Unfortunate NorTel is a victim of
unscrupulous greedy executive management and crazy incompetent over rated
directors. Could have at one time given Cisco a run for their money with
the right management. And all they have to is give a crap about the
company.
http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=NT&t=my&l=on&z=m&q=l&c=
Via tinyurl if the above is broken:
Canuck57
> "Canuck57" <dave-n...@nospam.net> wrote in
> news:iM6lk.156490$gc5.149024@pd7urf2no:
>
>> Have no idea how the A/C works in them. I have one in my F150, and
>> really only need it for 15 days a year. But nice to have for more.
>> Sort of the opposite problem. But my guess is the A/C, if they have
>> it can't be too good, but maybe good enough to make it liveable.
>>
>> Might want to rent one for 2 to 3 days.
>>
>>
>
> It was 92F the day I test drove a Smart ForTwo gas one here. The $600 AC
> plant slowed down the little engine quite a bit, but at 92F you can
> overlook that really easy! It did a good job cooling the interior, in
> spite of the HUGE windows all the way around that let the sun have at the
> interior. If/when I get one, I think a nice velcro'd Sunbrella top you
> can
> stick in place on Velcro pads custom fit over the top with a cartoon
> drawing of car windows full of smiling kids staring out at you and waving
> would help cool it off in the parking lot....(c;
Actually, if diesel and great mileage, and not too cramped I would ownd a
second "efficient car". Really makes sense for ordinary commutes. But they
do have limitations.
> Talked to another owner at the mall today. He was thrilled with it and
> has
> owned it for nearly 4 months. His is bright red with black trim. He says
> it gets really hot with all the black interior and those huge windows
> sitting in the sun, but blow that hot air out and run the AC cools it off
> in a fair amount of time for such a little engine.....
>
> http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=14826
> Here in the South, we have many ways of keeping our cars cool all
> summer....Some even work when the car is parked at WalMart like this one!
LOL. That was a hoot. Bet too it was cheaper with the generator than
getting the original fixed. That CFC or old A/C fluid is part of the past
for the most part.
> ....and resemblance to the CBC Possum Lodge van installations is purely
> coincidental....(c;
Never saw that. CBC, you must be a fortunate Canadian GC holder who didn't
have an old man that was a US citizen/tax evader holding you up with INS.
Discovered of course on my GC application and when my now estranged and
deceased father got nabbed at the border that I found out years later. Now
I know why he didn't want me to go to the US to make 2 times the gross and 3
times the net for a more efficient economy. Probably slipped a bit. But
love the US... Left when my H1B ran out. Oh well. They were good times.
Wisconsin fishing, don't get me started. Need to win the lotto 649 and I
will be there for 2 weeks nailing Coho, King, Steelhead, Walleye and Bass
until my bursitis kicks. That is, see the doc, then do Minnesota. For the
winter, lake Okeechobee for the winter. Spent Christmas once there nailing
so many Crappie I could count them. Missed that elusive big mouth though.
Need to convince the wife to let me retire early to Rainy River.
Larry
news:rZ6lk.156502$gc5.9111@pd7urf2no:
> When I go to northern Ontario fishing, I always go down to I94 or #2
> across the top. Cheaper accommodations and fuel with better roads.
> Adds about 160 miles but I more than make it up in time.
>
>
I graduated from high school in 1964. That day we left for a
circumnavigation of the Great Lakes my dad had been dreaming of for a
decade in his 1960 Rambler station wagon towing a '62 Shasta 13' travel
trailer, our home on wheels. Western Ontario on the Queen's Highway was
just beautiful until the trailer hitch weld broke in the truly middle of
nowhere. We coaxed it behind us by moving all our stuff to the rear of
it to take the weight off the hitch springing up and down on the front
crossbar until we found a phone booth alongside the road I will never
forget. There was nothing there....just a modern aluminum and glass
phone booth.....until you went inside.
Inside that phone booth, bolted to the aluminum was an old manually
cranked Bell System telephone right out of the 1920's. It had a big
earphone on a cotton covered brown cord and the carbon mic stuck out the
front of the box with a crank handle on the side to signal the operator.
My parents were apprehensive but I persisted as it looked well kept and
workable. A single wire ran up the outside of it to a single telephone
wire that went West, the direction we had been heading.
I listened to the receiver after giving the crank about 4 good turns. A
click, then the nicest Canadian telephone operator in the country came
on the line to ask what number. I told her I wasn't sure and that we
were from upstate NY and our trailer hitch was broken. "What number is
on the front of the phone?", she asked me. I read it off. "Let me make
a phone call. Just keep the earphone to your ear. I'll be right
back." There was a click of her disconnect and I waited about 5 or 6
minutes....no music on hold in Western Ontario's wilderness...
She came back and said, "You folks just stay right there. My husband is
on his way in the truck to take you into town. Bill (somebody) is
headed to the Chevy dealership and will get his welding machine all
ready before you get there to fix it." ROLLS ROYCE never provided this
level of service to its customers. A nice man in an old Chevy truck
rolled up to the trailer we had already unhitched from the car and
blocked the tires. My dad followed him into town and Mom and I stayed
with the trailer.
About an hour or so later, the old pay phone started ringing, so I ran
across the road and answered it. "Son, your dad and Harold got the
hitch all fixed with Bill's welding and they're on the way back to you
by now. They'll be there in a few minutes.", she told me to reassure us
help was on the way.
This was on a Sunday morning in 1964. We found out later she had called
the church where Bill and his family had just started in to hear the
service. Bill told my dad he'd rather go to the shop and weld that
hitch than listen to their pastor drone on and on about something he'd
heard a hundred times before.
Dad and I hitched the trailer to the car before Mom hauled our saviour
inside for some homemade campstove cookies and a hot cup of campstove
coffee she had perked for them. By that time, it was, of course, much
later than we had intended and Harold, our saviour, said he didn't want
us driving on that road in the dark because it was Moose mating season
and some real monsters we'd already seen would be on the road in the
dark. So, he went over to the phone and rang his operator. They didn't
have a place to put our trailer up for the night with power, but there
was an outside outlet, toilet with showers at the fire station in town.
So, she called the fire chief to make arrangements for us to stay behind
the firehouse for the night so we could start fresh the next morning.
Noone stayed at the firehouse, but they left the back door open for us
and refused to take any donation to the firehouse's fund. Bill, our
welder, also refused to take a dime, Canadian or US, for dragging him
out of church. The welding he did was fantastic as it was on the car
after a few more thousand miles of towing our little trailer many years
later when the old Rambler was a NY road salt rusted out hulk.
I was 18 at the time and not very observant as most teens are, so I
can't tell you even what the name of the little town in Western Ontario
was....but I can see the whole place in my mind's eye as I'm typing this
old farts reminiscence of the finest Canadians we ever met, helping
complete strangers broken down in their town.....on a Sunday morning.
I wonder if that phone box is still just sitting there.....miles from
nowhere.....
Larry
news:4896a6b2...@news.east.earthlink.net:
> We bought a Lincoln Navigator,
I always drove European cars, mostly British like Morris Minors....
My father always hounded me to "buy American" as he was always a Chevy
man.
When I moved to Iran in 1976 to work for the Shah's air force, I sold my
car and most of my possessions as I had no place to leave them. The
rest I just gave away to anyone who wanted it.
I came home 28 days before the Shah fell in '79 and needed a car. I had
plenty of cash from my nice Iranian job and the 10.8% interest my
Iranian bank paid on savings accounts, so started immediately looking
for a nice car, but not new. I ended up with a 1973 Lincoln Mark IV
Cartier addition that was a light buckskin brown inside on the leather
and out...loaded, with about 80K on it from a local used car dealer.
You didn't have to worry about a front end collision because YOU were
1/4 mile back from the accident...(c; It had the longest hood I'd ever
seen! The front bumper was 3 feet in front of the radiator! She was a
cruising machine and I got her at a real bargain.
I tried to get my father to drive her around to see how nice she was to
drive but he wanted nothing to do with a car "THAT LONG"....(c; A local
mobile home dealer had traded it in on a new Mark VI, I think was the
current model and the used car dealer had bought it from the auction.
It was in first class condition, it's 460 cu in fire-breathing, top-
fuel-eliminator engine hardly broken in.
I kept it about 12 years until it finally got so hard to keep running it
just wasn't worth the effort any more. I worked for government
contractors, so most of my driving was covered for mileage or actual
cost....I always chose actual cost because the Lincoln drank like a fish
and mileage would never had covered it. Ever see a car with a 4-
cylinder FUEL PUMP?!... When you stomped the pedal it shot off into the
next country hardly breathing hard....but it sounded like someone
flushed a toilet under the trunk!...hee hee.
My first Lincoln experience was when I was a teen. My grandfather owned
a 1957 Lincoln Landau 4-door hard top, black inside and out, loaded as
they came, but without AC as we lived in New York where there's only 1
day of Summer before it snows again...well, it did then. It was a great
car for dates with the girls....IT HAD A SEPARATE REAR SEAT HOT WATER
HEATER that kept naked girls toasty warm in any weather....(c;
I have a friend who had a Navigator to tow his Grady-White runabout
around with after he sold his Hatteras 56 and moved into a big house.
He's a big department head at the Medical University of SC, a medical
scientist who is well paid. I tried to get him to pimp it out like the
drug dealers did, but he didn't have it long enough because it was too
tall to drive into the MUSC parking garage his private parking place was
in....poor planning on his part. Fun to drive but hard to back up the
boat with. You had to leave the back doors open to even see the boat
when you are that high off the ground...(c;
Larry
news:sI6lk.111081$kx.65643@pd7urf3no:
> Ford, hard to tell. They are on a knifes edge but the only Detroit 3
> that has much of a chance if any. Depends if the "family" can
> motivate lethargic management and kick some union ass real hard. Tata
> would like a peace of their market and the competition fierce.
>
>
I walked into the Ford dealership to look around and a salesman came to
ask me what I'd like to see. I told him a brand new Ford Fiesta
hatchback that got 65mpg from its tiny Korean engine....just like my
friend James has that runs faultlessly since way back when he got it new
for peanuts.....
They had huge beasts with huge discounts....ONLY.
Every American car I looked at USED to be a small, easy to feed, cheap
to keep model, except for the cars that were SUPPOSED to be big. Now,
ALL the American cars, even Saturns, are HUGE!.....STUPIDLY HUGE!
Car inflation has happened at Asian cars, too....Instead of following
their hearts, they tried, unsuccessfully, to guess what Americans
wanted....ending up with such gas guzzlers as the Toyota Tundra clone of
the F-250 guzzler truck.
I looked at Hondas and they've all grown HUGE over the years....The
salesman asked what I wanted there. I told him a new Honda 600:
http://www.honda600coupe.com/
like the one I SHOULD have bought the day they came out at the Honda
motorcycle shops. It was a great little car....(c;
http://www.honda600coupe.com/Photos_of_my_Honda_600_Coupe_-_page_1.html
We HAD the right cars back in the 1960's! We were just too stupid to
KEEP them! Look on this webpage at how SIMPLE the engine compartment
is...it's one-throat motorcycle carb behind the simple, air cooled,
cylinder block. That dryer hose and fan on the port side is the HEATER!
The car is AIR COOLED and has no water cooled system! It's basically a
600cc, 4-cylinder Honda motorcycle....one of those that run ALMOST
FOREVER....with electric fans cooling the heads...
Larry
news:sI6lk.111081$kx.65643@pd7urf3no:
> Ford, hard to tell. They are on a knifes edge but the only Detroit 3
> that has much of a chance if any. Depends if the "family" can
> motivate lethargic management and kick some union ass real hard. Tata
> would like a peace of their market and the competition fierce.
>
>
Here's an even BETTER Honda 600.....the original in perfect condition:
http://www.honda600coupe.com/Honda_600_Sedan_at_Route_22_Honda.html
How cute and detailed it looks.....AND SIMPLE!