[Absolut Speed]

Last fall, GM announced a reduction in GTO production and had to offer large rebates on this brand new model to sell off inventory

In December, GM had a 301 day supply of SSR's on hand.

Then the XLR gets a production cut from 23 to 12 a day. There's a 200 day supply of them out there. Cadillac hoped to sell 6,000 annually, but through 18 months, sold just 4,744.

February, GM decides to cut $1500-$2000 off the sticker mid-year on Trailblazers/Envoys/Rainiers and currently has 0% for 60 months to get them selling again. TrailBlazer sales fell 46% compared with January 2004. Envoy sales were off 52% and Rainier 27% according to Autodata reports.

Then for March, the factory that produces the LaCrosse & Grand Prix is shutting down for a week.

Then the earnings forecast for 2005 drops 80%. Stocks drop to 8 year low.

I think this goes back to cutting the Camaro and Firebird out of the lineup.

[trackbird]

Kevin... as far as the 6 grand profit and assuming that an automaker won't sell at a lost, my question to you is this.  What about the situation of overstocks?  The automaker is in a position of having too many units already available for sale that aren't moving, and also a production line that costs the company PLENTY of money for every hour it's shut down.    What provides the lesser of two evils?  Which position is losing less money?  As far as the 6 g profit... I don't think only the automakers are seeing that.  I'm pretty sure that the dealers are seing quite a bit of it as well.  Just a couple of more thoughts to toss out... I'm just not sure to agree or disagree with all of this.  One way or another, I don't exactly like it.

Garrett,

I was somewhat kidding, but that's the way the "average" person seems to think about things. I'm not saying they have 6 grand profit, just that many people won't pay 6k more for a car tomorrow (if they ended the rebates) than they would have today. So, the rebates have to "stay".

That's all I was saying. You dig a hole and get stuck in it.

my new car will be the new Jetta GLI or Audi A4 quatro.  2.0 turbo, amazing interior, nice ride and sporty feel, decent warranty...plus my girlfriend has a jetta...only complaint i have with it is how they positioned the oil filter facing the front of the car.  opposite of the hondas if anyone has worked on them.  there is very little room to work with, and the front air dam swoops under the engine making it a pain to reach in the first place.  intake manifold and useless plastic blocks access from the top. 

as far as windows go, i have a rivet gun, i can fix it.

Just be aware that most of my VW's (4 new ones since 2000) have spent some or considerable time in the shop. Out of 4 cars, they've all had problems, every one. (and I still love the cars :stupid: )