GM- General Motors - Insider Trading / Merging with Chrysler?

[aiki14]

So Gm has been the weakest stock in the DJIA all day and then they get downgraded late in the afternoon. How many people knew the downgrade was coming? I want to know who they were, I hope the SEC does too. Somebody made a serious killing on this, and it is nearly certain they acted in a nefarious manner.

[jacobnbr1]

You trying to imply "INSIDER TRADING"????

Naw??!


You think these markets are honest? Ca-mon AIKI you know thats the rhetoric and propaganda to make it "LOOK GOOD" for sentiment purposes only.

[aiki14]

You trying to imply "INSIDER TRADING"????

Naw??!


You think these markets are honest? Ca-mon AIKI you know thats the rhetoric and propaganda to make it "LOOK GOOD" for sentiment purposes only.
I am no neophyte, but this is so obvious it's absurd. Usually they are a little more under the radar, just to fool the rubes.

[stideas]

That would call for some serious allegations. SEC is impotent and definitely would not do anything even if they knew about this.

I just feel bad for people whose retirement accounts have been diminishing every day coz of all these imbeciles.

STI

[jacobnbr1]

I am no neophyte, but this is so obvious it's absurd. Usually they are a little more under the radar, just to fool the rubes.

There comes a time when the "UNDER THE RADAR" no longer needs to be justified.

Think of it as an "IN YOUR FACE" thing and it is much easier to wrap your mind around.

Kinda like the "LEGAL/JUSTICE" system, it is all rhetoric and propaganda to make it "LOOK GOOD'' but if you ask the right questions you figure out quickly that it is all a hoaks/scams run by "JACK BOOTED THEGS, CROOKS AND LIARS"

[aiki14]

That would call for some serious allegations. SEC is impotent and definitely would not do anything even if they knew about this.

I just feel bad for people whose retirement accounts have been diminishing every day coz of all these imbeciles.

STI

Absolutely spot on.

[Bolimomo]

That would call for some serious allegations. SEC is impotent and definitely would not do anything even if they knew about this.


SEC is only potent in banning the small guys for shorting the financial stocks. The outcome is still the same anyway.

Oh, yeah... and IBM needs protection too.

[primer]

I thought the exact same thing, aiki, when I heard the S&P announcement. Down ~20% in the morning on no news, then along comes the downgrade? Hmm.

[Bolimomo]

Hey for GM selling at $5.00 a shares...

How about buying 1000 shares of the stock (at $5000 + comm) and write 10 x Oct 5.00 covered calls ($0.83 each = $830 - comm). Keep rolling this month after month. If GM stays at $5.00, you get your money back in 6 months even if eventually GM goes to zero).

I don't trade options much. Is there anything wrong with this strategy?

[Rich]

So Gm has been the weakest stock in the DJIA all day and then they get downgraded late in the afternoon. How many people knew the downgrade was coming? I want to know who they were, I hope the SEC does too. Somebody made a serious killing on this, and it is nearly certain they acted in a nefarious manner.


Aiki, This goes along with the one famous post you made a while back about shorting.

I remember when I was first starting out and you were trying to convey how the market becomes dangerous when brokers short stock but don't have the stock to short. I personally believe this is one of the MAJOR reasons this market turned. Someone on Fox stated that with one company there was like 5 million more shares that were shorted than what was actually out there to be traded!!! I thought of your post when I heard this, and immediatly understood why this can ruin/control/swing a market dramatically!

So, in answer to your question, its not just knowing who 'knew' this, its the same point you brought out before, the authorities to be do little to enforce the rules and protect us who are doing our best to be honest. I'm begining to think there are more dishonest people in powers to be than there are honest ones.

This was a terrible hard way to learn one of your lectures.....

Rich

[Florida]

Hey for GM selling at $5.00 a shares...

How about buying 1000 shares of the stock (at $5000 + comm) and write 10 x Oct 5.00 covered calls ($0.83 each = $830 - comm). Keep rolling this month after month. If GM stays at $5.00, you get your money back in 6 months even if eventually GM goes to zero).

I don't trade options much. Is there anything wrong with this strategy?


What if GM goes to zero in less than 6 months, not much chance on writing a call on a company that is out of business, not many buyers for that option.

Unlikely this would happen, but it could. More likely that the stock keeps drifting down, which lowers the premium you can collect each month, plus the value of your shares decrease.

Best case is the stock stays right where it is at for 6 months, which is highly unlikely.

[jacobnbr1]

You may be looking at the wrong factors and ignoring the obvious.

The obvious painting on the wall is this=

The consumer pulse and confidence gm, ford and diamler are in the crap house big time...

There are not enough suckers born each day to keep them going.

The pulse of the consumer ( and i have have 1st hand knowledge of the facts because i am in the automotive industry) is that they are not reliable enough and they break too often to the point where folks be thinking it was built to fail.

folks are buying toyo,honda, hyundai, mitsu's etc...

They are just fed up wit it.

[Survivor]

The big three threw it away a long time ago.
Sad but true...

Quote: Preston Tucker 1954, someday we might buy our cars
from our former enemies. :thefinger: He was right.

Fifty years from now the US might buy dynamite from Al Qualda
because it explodes better than US dynamite??? :sheep:

[Florida]

You may be looking at the wrong factors and ignoring the obvious.

The obvious painting on the wall is this=

The consumer pulse and confidence gm, ford and diamler are in the crap house big time...

There are not enough suckers born each day to keep them going.

The pulse of the consumer ( and i have have 1st hand knowledge of the facts because i am in the automotive industry) is that they are not reliable enough and they break too often to the point where folks be thinking it was built to fail.

folks are buying toyo,honda, hyundai, mitsu's etc...

They are just fed up wit it.

I beg to differ,

Folks are not buying anything!!

Toyota's September results showed a higher rate of decline than GM.

As for the quality issue, in years past there was something to your thoughts, but today, that is not the case. Over the past 10 or so years, the quality of the American made vehicles have matched or in fact bettered that of their foreign counterparts. What we have is a perception issue when it comes to American vs. foreign vehicles. Many people I know swear by the reliability of their foreign autos, but they are making more trips to the dealer for repairs than I am with GM vehicles. I have owned 7 different GM vehicle over the past 10 years and still own 2 of them, and you can count the trips I have made to the dealer for repair on 1 hand, (knock on wood).

I too have first hand knowledge of the facts, having been in the automotive industry for over 30 years. All of the manufacturers, be they domestic or foreign are suffering right now, but that too will pass. I doubt seriously that Toyota, Honda or any of the others would have survived so far if they were saddled with the same overhead issues like retirement, healthcare and union costs like the big three have.

Personally, I will take the bus before buying a foreign vehicle. Why contribute to the profits of the foreign companies, we need the US economy to be strong.

"When better cars are made, GM will make them"

[aaronchall]

And nothing makes our economy stronger than direct foreign competition. If it weren't for Toyota, Ford's byline would still be "Found On Road, Dead." I have a Toyota, a Mercury, and a Chevrolet, and I happen to be rather pleased with them all.

Aaron

[jacobnbr1]

I beg to differ,

Folks are not buying anything!!

Toyota's September results showed a higher rate of decline than GM.

As for the quality issue, in years past there was something to your thoughts, but today, that is not the case. Over the past 10 or so years, the quality of the American made vehicles have matched or in fact bettered that of their foreign counterparts. What we have is a perception issue when it comes to American vs. foreign vehicles. Many people I know swear by the reliability of their foreign autos, but they are making more trips to the dealer for repairs than I am with GM vehicles. I have owned 7 different GM vehicle over the past 10 years and still own 2 of them, and you can count the trips I have made to the dealer for repair on 1 hand, (knock on wood).

I too have first hand knowledge of the facts, having been in the automotive industry for over 30 years. All of the manufacturers, be they domestic or foreign are suffering right now, but that too will pass. I doubt seriously that Toyota, Honda or any of the others would have survived so far if they were saddled with the same overhead issues like retirement, healthcare and union costs like the big three have.

Personally, I will take the bus before buying a foreign vehicle. Why contribute to the profits of the foreign companies, we need the US economy to be strong.

"When better cars are made, GM will make them"

"No ones buying anything"

No shat!

Im saying that if they are purchasing a vehicle it will be from the other guys not the big three.

Face the fact that the corporate three have plunged quality control for the exchange for the almighty dollah, and GM will be the last to come to the table with a "BETTER CAR".

You have to ax yoself this question before you spend 20-35k for a new car.
do I spend 25k today to get me 100k miles or 25k today for 200k miles?

I aint gonna argue about it when the obvious paint on the wall tells the truth, look at the share price..
If gm was doing such a fine outstanding job then the share price would show it wouldn it?

[Survivor]

To each his own... I ran the following cars into the ground.
1966 Chrysler Newport 383 engine, 200,000 plus
1980 Ford pick up 300 straight 6 cylinder, 280,000 mi. sold it.
!977 Plymouth Fury, 318 V-8, 285,000 mi, it ran another 4 years after I sold it.
1978 Cadillac Coupe 425 V-8, 165,000 mi. winter road salt was
getting to it after 15 years. Not pretty, ran great.
1970 Cadillac Sedan de Ville, 472 V-8, 173,000 mi.
1970 Cadillac Fleetwood, 125,000 plus, rust got it.
1972 Dodge Dart 225 6 cylinder, 173,000 rusted out.
I am an ASE Master Certified Mechanic for 25 years I could write a
book on the junk Foreign automakers turned out. Pick one, they all have flaws.
Proper care gets most to 200,000 miles.

[jacobnbr1]

Ehh...Those years are where the quality control was the strongest.

[Survivor]

Remember the day when you couldn't wait for the new cars to come out? now,
no one really cares as the body changes are too slow to evolve.
Any 1957 GM, Chrysler, Fords were cool.
1965 was another great year for GM, Cadillac, Oldsmobile,
Buick, Chevrolet, Pontiac was the car of the year.
1967, 1968 was more stylish offerings by GM. Big block V-8's
The cars were beautiful, long low and fast, chrome.
68 Cadillac Eldorado, timeless classic.
GTO, Camaro, 1968 Firebirds, 1965 Olds Starfire,
65 Pontiac Grand Prix with real teak on the dash board.
Buick Electra and Wildcat's.
1968 Cadillac 472 cu,in.375 hp Engine.
1970 Cadillac had a 400 horse 500 cu.in. 550 ft.lbs of torque.
1971 had many unique features on GM cars.
1971-73 Buick Riviera fast back.
1977 Olds Cutlass out sold everything their was except the
VW Bug. I know I missed some other great ones.
Hide away headlights, Chrysler Imperials, 69-70, 440 V-8.
It was nice back in the day. Thank the Gov., Arabs, and stupidity.
Along comes the 1973 Arab oil embargo and crushed the automobile markets.
Some cars held their style and reliability
by the early eighties it went down hill fast in most cases.

[Rich]

Dad had a 1968 Coupe DeVille Convertable!! We sold it for $900 AHHHHHH

Also had a 1968 with a 289 AND 1969 Cougar, Dad wouldn't go with the Cobra Jet engine though@

I use to work at the Mercury dealer and delievered all the hot Cobra Jets and Hi Performace 289's. The Lincolns were fun too!
Darn, I never had so many traffic tickets LOL

I then bought a 1969 Charger with a 383 Hi Performace and rebuilt it for more power. Sweet sweet car, pure black. My father made me sell it or I was out of the house, Sold it for (guess) Yep, $1000 . I would have been able to retire if I held on to those cars!

Then the 70's came, NOTHING ran right and sticker said 20 mpg's but they were always 50% wrong!

Rich

[wehttamsivad]

A lot of people buy vehicles because they're visually appealing. I and many others think American styling is just dull, and ugly

[aiki14]

Looks like GM is in merger talks with Chrysler.

On an aside, I haven't owned an american made car in a long time, I just don't think one exists that can match the quality of what's available from some of the overseas manufacturers. This is most apparent in the higher end sport and luxury cars.

[stideas]

It looks like a 1 month merger...what is that?

Did I hear that correctly?

STI

[Survivor]

Dad had a 1968 Coupe DeVille Convertable!! We sold it for $900 AHHHHHH

Also had a 1968 with a 289 AND 1969 Cougar, Dad wouldn't go with the Cobra Jet engine though@

I use to work at the Mercury dealer and delievered all the hot Cobra Jets and Hi Performace 289's. The Lincolns were fun too!
Darn, I never had so many traffic tickets LOL

I then bought a 1969 Charger with a 383 Hi Performace and rebuilt it for more power. Sweet sweet car, pure black. My father made me sell it or I was out of the house, Sold it for (guess) Yep, $1000 . I would have been able to retire if I held on to those cars!

Then the 70's came, NOTHING ran right and sticker said 20 mpg's but they were always 50% wrong!

Rich

Federal emissions, lower horse power.
Cougars were awesome 67-73. 351 Cleveland engine.
427 Ford Engine, 428 Mustangs, Boss.
Dodge Charger without a doubt. 68-72, 440 6 pack...
Road Runner Superbird. 426 Chrysler Hemi. Case Closed.
Corvette, 63 to 67, The 68 Stingray. 427 tri power, 3 two barrels.
GTO's and 442's, Chevelles, Buick Skylark 70-72 a real sleeper.
Chevy Nova 396 SS super fast... 389 Pontiac engine, and the SD 455 cu.in.
1968 to 71 Thunderbirds, 429 cu.in. V-8, 2 or 4 door, classic looks.
I saw a 1971 429 Thunderbird put 320 horse to the rear wheels on a dyno,
bone stock engine, 10 to 1 compression, awesome power.
US cars had the looks and the balls to match.
The 63 to 65 Buick Riviera, still a timeless classic.
1957 Chrysler 300, 392 Hemi with 2 four barrels.
Chrysler 413 cu.in. max wedge 2 four barrels, early 60's a holy terror.
383 Sonoramic long tube intake with two four barrels, 1960.
Also the 57 and 58 Plymouth Fury and Belvederes, aka Christine.
The Chevrolet Impala Nice looking with your choice of power, 283, 327,
396, 427 V-8's and a straight 6 for you cheap asses...
Still sought after and highly expensive, Convertible's especially.
Jaguar XKE coupe a favorite.
No foreign cars could ever match US auto's in the 50's, 60's,
up to the mid 70's, anything they built would whip your ass
in looks and power.
Let's not forget the Lincoln, Cadillac, V-12, V-16, 1920's, early 30's.
Auburn, Cord and Duesenburg.
Foreign cars, I don't see much that would compare with the US auto's listed above.
So go's living in the past.

[Survivor]

Looks like GM is in merger talks with Chrysler.

On an aside, I haven't owned an american made car in a long time, I just don't think one exists that can match the quality of what's available from some of the overseas manufacturers. This is most apparent in the higher end sport and luxury cars.

Corvette, still awesome bang for the buck. :top:
You owned one back in the day, Yes.

[aiki14]

Corvette, still awesome bang for the buck. :top:
You owned one back in the day, Yes.

Indeed, and if I find a blue 1968 with the 427 tripower set up in reasonable condition I will again. However if you want a serious sport sedan with room for 4 adults you have to go Italian, Japanese, or German.

[Survivor]

Just for fun...
I had a 1969 Dodge Monaco 4 door hardtop, Burgundy with a black top and interior.
A Gentle mans hot rod, what a sleeper.
Optional 383 Magnum 335 Horse eng. 727 torque flight trans, H.D. with a 323 to 1.
posi traction axel.
Twin Snorkel air cleaner with Dual exhaust with thrush glass packs.
Hard to beat the sound of the induction roar on a Mopar.
Fully loaded with Air Conditioning, what a blast to drive.
Honestly it would do about 130 mph or better in the straight a ways, stock.
From a thirty roll it was a terror, killer on the 100 octane premium, but worth it.
You can check on these cars, 69 Polara, the police loved them back in the day.
Torsion bars in the front with rear leafs, beefed up and it would handle pretty
dam good for a land yacht. That may have been my first hi performance sport sedan.

[aiki14]

Just for fun...
I had a 1969 Dodge Monaco 4 door hardtop, Burgundy with a black top and interior.
A Gentle mans hot rod, what a sleeper.
Optional 383 Magnum 335 Horse eng. 727 torque flight trans, H.D. with a 323 to 1.
posi traction axel.
Twin Snorkel air cleaner with Dual exhaust with thrush glass packs.
Hard to beat the sound of the induction roar on a Mopar.
Fully loaded with Air Conditioning, what a blast to drive.
Honestly it would do about 130 mph or better in the straight a ways, stock.
From a thirty roll it was a terror, killer on the 100 octane premium, but worth it.
You can check on these cars, 69 Polara, the police loved them back in the day.
Torsion bars in the front with rear leafs, beefed up and it would handle pretty
dam good for a land yacht. That may have been my first hi performance sport sedan.

Back in the day I had a '69 396 Impala, and my buddy had the 383 Dodge Polara (sp?) and we would cruise down the Long Island Expressway passing Beers and other stuff from car to car at 110mph. Astonishing we survived to adulthood.

[aiki14]

In an attempt to un-hijack the thread this is from CNBC.com credited to the NY Times:

General Motors is in preliminary talks about a possible merger with Chrysler, a deal that could drastically remake the landscape of the auto industry by reducing the Big Three of Detroit automakers to the Big Two.


The talks between G.M. and Cerberus Capital Management, the private equity firm that owns Chrysler, began more than a month ago, and the negotiations are not certain to produce a deal. Two people close to the process said the chances of a merger were “50-50” as of Friday and would most likely still take weeks to work out.

A merger would be a historic event, with two of the most iconic names in American industry coming together to survive in an increasingly difficult environment. Both have roots dating back decades in Detroit and, with Ford, long dominated the auto industry — until Japanese and other foreign car makers began making inroads into the American market.

The auto industry is being pummeled from all sides — by high gas prices that have soured consumers on profitable S.U.V.s, by a softening economy that has scared shoppers away from showrooms, and by tight credit that is making it difficult for willing buyers to obtain loans. Both G.M. and Chrysler have been struggling with product lineups that are out of sync with consumer demand for smaller, more fuel-efficient cars.



General Motors’ stock has fallen from more from more than $42 a share last year to less than $5, and it is burning through its cash hoard at a rapid rate. Chrysler, as a private company, no longer needs to report its finances.

The meetings between General Motors and Cerberus began more than a month ago, said people familiar with the discussions, and the companies have held several talks involving their most senior executives. Given that both G.M. and Chrysler are struggling, the two sides may determine a merger may not be in their best interests.



The exploratory talks have included debates over various calculations of the savings that would result from a merger, these people said, but neither side has yet to dig into each others’ private financial books and records.

At the same time, Cerberus is continuing to hold talks with other automakers including Nissan and Renault, said people familiar with the discussions. It is unclear at what stage those discussions have reached.

Speculation about a possible bankruptcy filing by G.M. has mounted in recent weeks because of the automaker’s dwindling cash reserves. The automaker had $21 billion in cash on hand at the end of the second quarter, but it was burning through more than $1 billion a month.

The credit rating firm Standard & Poor’s put G.M. on negative credit watch on Thursday.

But G.M. has said it is confident that it can increase its liquidity, and emphasized in a statement released Thursday that it was not considering a bankruptcy filing.

G.M. once commanded about 50 percent of market, but its share so far this year has fallen to 22 percent, according to the research firm Autodata. Chrysler had a market share of about 15 percent before acquisition in 1998 by Daimler, but its share this year has dwindled to 11 percent.

How government and labor react to a potential merger of G.M. and Chrysler is unclear. There could be antitrust questions raised, but political issues could be overshadowed by the precarious financial prospects of both automakers.

If G.M., the nation’s largest automaker, combined operations with Chrysler, the smallest of Detroit’s Big Three, they would create an auto giant that would surpass Japan’s Toyota Motor Company, which recently has been battling G.M. for bragging rights as the world’s largest automaker.

A G.M. spokesman declined to comment on any specific talks with Chrysler. “Without referencing this specific rumor, as we’ve often said G.M. officials routinely discuss issues of mutual interest with other automakers,” said the spokesman, Tony Cervone. There was no immediate comment from Cerberus.

Cerberus acquired an 80.1 percent stake in Chrysler in August 2007 for $7.4 billion from the German automaker Daimler AG.

Under the terms of the deal being discussed, Cerberus would end up owning an unspecified equity stake in G.M.-Chrysler, according to people briefed on the talks.

The ramifications of the merger would be enormous in the global auto industry. G.M. and Chrysler together would control more than 35 percent of the United States vehicle market, and be by far the dominant producer of pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and minivans.

It would also marry such iconic American brands as G.M.’s Chevrolet and Cadillac with Chrysler’s Jeep and Dodge divisions.

However, the potential merger carries enormous risks. Both G.M. and Chrysler are struggling mightily in what is the worst market for vehicle sales in the United States in 15 years.

People close to the discussions said that if the prospective deal did not happen, Cerberus would probably look to Nissan and Renault.

But the marriage of G.M. and Chrysler has far more potential than hitching Chrysler to a foreign automaker. While G.M. and Chrysler may be hamstrung by labor contracts from cutting jobs, the two companies could combine dealers, product lines and advanced vehicle technology.

Bill Vlasic reported from Detroit and Andrew Ross Sorkin from New York.

Copyright © 2008 The New York Times

[rescue41]

"No ones buying anything"

No shat!

Im saying that if they are purchasing a vehicle it will be from the other guys not the big three.

Face the fact that the corporate three have plunged quality control for the exchange for the almighty dollah, and GM will be the last to come to the table with a "BETTER CAR".

You have to ax yoself this question before you spend 20-35k for a new car.
do I spend 25k today to get me 100k miles or 25k today for 200k miles?

I aint gonna argue about it when the obvious paint on the wall tells the truth, look at the share price..
If gm was doing such a fine outstanding job then the share price would show it wouldn it?

You are wrong again! If and when people are buying it's GM. Per the WSJ Sept. 2008 sales 281,041 units sold to Toyota's 144,260 rice burning units. Sales from a year ago from the same month GM -15.5% change / Toyota -32.3% change!

[Survivor]

Hi-Jack in progress...
I grew up in Detroit and watched the US auto makers bite the dust.
Again where can you buy a true American made product?
All cars are ugly now days. GM SUCKS when you have to rebadge
Japanese autos. Toyota?
FORD and Chrysler are guilty of it too.
Lets blame unions and high taxes.
Let's blame outsourcing on the poor quality of the parts and materials used.
If your gonna bitch about GM, Ford, Chrysler, go out and buy one.
Buy the stock or buy a car or truck, tell the Government and the NHTSA,
and the EPA to go fuc themselves and get the fuc out of the auto business.
The oil crisis- LIES, theft and manipulation kills the auto makers,
all of them! Wall Street GREED, $147 a barrel for oil? Screw You!!!
Go green and shove it up your ass too, crybaby.
If you buy an electric car they will kill that too because your burning coal
to produce electricity.
As far as Quality you are NOT going to ADMIT you bought a JAP,
German or some other kind of foreign sh*t and admit you have
problems with it.
I dare you to admit what kind of foreign junk you drive and
I'll bet a thousand dollars I can tell you the problems you have or are going to have.
Kill the myth and lies, tell the truth.
I said months ago Ford, GM or Chrysler should merge-
One more item, Mazda should not say big trucks and SUV's are going down,
I'd like to see you snow plow with a cheap piece of crossover junk-
You still need a GMC, Chevrolet, FORD or DODGE pick up truck.

Thread returned.:wink:

[Gordo]

Alright Survivor. I'll bite........02' Tundra. Take it easy on me.

[aiki14]

I dare you to admit what kind of foreign junk you drive and
I'll bet a thousand dollars I can tell you the problems you have or are going to have.


I have been driving Infiniti's for a few years, and just last week traded up to Maserati. Had no probs with the Infiniti, and loved the performance and the look, and now really love the Quattroporte.
3747

[Horsefish]

I drove a 1986 Toyota Cressida (now has morphed into the Avalon) for 280,000 miles. Put on brakes 3 times, tires 3 times, belts (serpentine) 3 times. That was it. Guy saw it parked in the driveway in 2002, knocked on the door and offered me $5000 for it. It was 16 years old. Sold.

[Survivor]

Alright Survivor. I'll bite........02' Tundra. Take it easy on me.

O2 sensors, repeated failure, update PCM.
Numerous complaints on the brakes for vibration problems.
Electrical system repeated fuse problems, shorted wiring harness problem.
Intermitted starting problems.
Piston slap on cold engines, cracked wrist pin or skirt.
NHTSA, recall for lower ball joint failure may separate result in loss
of control, steering.
May not apply to all.

[Survivor]

I drove a 1986 Toyota Cressida (now has morphed into the Avalon) for 280,000 miles. Put on brakes 3 times, tires 3 times, belts (serpentine) 3 times. That was it. Guy saw it parked in the driveway in 2002, knocked on the door and offered me $5000 for it. It was 16 years old. Sold.

Awesome, If that had a straight 6 cylinder engine.
Most any straight 6 were durable, why do you suppose BMW stays with them?
A neighbor of mine had a 1986 Toyota Cressida with the following problems with less than 100 thousand miles.
Transmission slipping between gears, slow to engage drive or reverse.
Clunk between 1-2 shifts. Recalls for that.
Maybe unique to that car?
And nothing electrical inside the car ever worked right as far as the
power windows ,seats, air conditioning, Cruise control, or the automatic
temperature system.
Oil pressure gauge not working right, false reading- some would thin out
the oil so bad the engines would lock up from heat.
Camshafts starving for oil problem, some engines.
Charging system problems, boiling the acid out of the battery.
And brakes squeaking like fingernails across a chalk board.
She was always afraid of it breaking down, although the engine did run nice.
Not bad for a Lexus want to be...

[Survivor]

I have been driving Infiniti's for a few years, and just last week traded up to Maserati. Had no probs with the Infiniti, and loved the performance and the look, and now really love the Quattroporte.
3747

Very sharp automobile, Congradulations.:top:

I admit my wifes 2008 Jeep Liberty had to have the Rear Axel completely overhauled at 2,100 miles due to the pinion bearings howling like a pig.
I blame the American Axel strike for that one, poor quality.
Update on the engine control computer for bucking and hunting for gears, auto trans. other than that it has been fine.

2008 is too new for any problems just yet but...

2007 Maserati QUATTROPORTE Recall ID from NHTSA: 07V319000
Auto Recall Date: 07/18/2007
Vehicle Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
2007 MASERATI QUATTROPORTE Defect Summary:
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, A DEFECT IN THE ANTILOCK BRAKE/ANTI-SKID SYSTEM (ABS/ASR) ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) SOFTWARE MAY PREVENT THE SYSTEM FROM FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. A LOSS OF FUNCTION MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF CERTAIN ENHANCED STABILITY AND BRAKING CONTROL DURING SOME HIGH SPEED MANEUVERS AND HIGH SPEED BRAKING.
Defect Consequence:
THIS COULD LEAD TO A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy:
THE ABS/ASR ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 27, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MASERATI AT 201-816-2600.
Notes: MASERATI NORTH AMERICA, INC., 163

[Horsefish]

Awesome, If that had a straight 6 cylinder engine.
Most any straight 6 were durable, why do you suppose BMW stays with them?
A neighbor of mine had a 1986 Toyota Cressida with the following problems with less than 100 thousand miles.
Transmission slipping between gears, slow to engage drive or reverse.
Clunk between 1-2 shifts. Recalls for that.
Maybe unique to that car?
And nothing electrical inside the car ever worked right as far as the
power windows ,seats, air conditioning, Cruise control, or the automatic
temperature system.
Oil pressure gauge not working right, false reading- some would thin out
the oil so bad the engines would lock up from heat.
Camshafts starving for oil problem, some engines.
Charging system problems, boiling the acid out of the battery.
And brakes squeaking like fingernails across a chalk board.
She was always afraid of it breaking down, although the engine did run nice.
Not bad for a Lexus want to be...


Ya, it had the twin overhead cam straight 6 that was also in the old Supra. It had incredible power and I could see that someone driving it more aggressively would have both more fun and more problems. That would apply to all cars. Most of our miles were highway. It was never a commute car.

[pa-sale]

I have been driving Infiniti's for a few years, and just last week traded up to Maserati. Had no probs with the Infiniti, and loved the performance and the look, and now really love the Quattroporte.
3747

Hot ride. Algars? It is such a refined ride.

[aiki14]

Hot ride. Algars? It is such a refined ride.

Yep, Algars.

And Survivor, let me know if you find anything on the '08's. The Sport GTS model.

[Gordo]

O2 sensors, repeated failure, update PCM.
Numerous complaints on the brakes for vibration problems.
Electrical system repeated fuse problems, shorted wiring harness problem.
Intermitted starting problems.
Piston slap on cold engines, cracked wrist pin or skirt.
NHTSA, recall for lower ball joint failure may separate result in loss
of control, steering.
May not apply to all.

Both the highlighted areas have been corrected by the dealership.

The other listed problems haven't been an issue. There is a problem with the front end suspension (rack leaking), control arm (squeaking), and CV joint boots deteriorating. All probably due to beach driving.

[jacobnbr1]

You are wrong again! If and when people are buying it's GM. Per the WSJ Sept. 2008 sales 281,041 units sold to Toyota's 144,260 rice burning units. Sales from a year ago from the same month GM -15.5% change / Toyota -32.3% change!

Wrong huh?

That response you sent was Frivolous, had no merit whatsoever to the truth about numbers and to any concensous of what the market is saying.


Here is a paste from the newyork post that shows GM on the razors edge of loosing market share.

NEW CAR SMELLS
SALES NUMBERS STINK FOR BIG 3 AUTOMAKERS
By PAUL THARP
Click to enlargeLast updated: 7:32 am
July 1, 2008
Posted: 3:24 am
July 1, 2008

Wall Street dumped automakers' shares to historic new lows amid disappointment ahead of today's grim look at Detroit's future.

Car sales for the normally busy month of June are expected to show crashes of as much as 25 percent as cash-strapped consumers continued to avoid showrooms in droves.

The sales-wipeout forecast - the worst in 15 years - could cause General Motors to lose its razor-thin lead as the biggest seller of cars and trucks in the US - with 19.1 percent market share - to Toyota, trailing at 18.4 percent.

General Motors shares tumbled in early trading to a new low of $10.57, while Ford Motor Co. skidded to its new low of $4.46. Ford is No. 3 in the market with a 14.7 percent share, according to MotorIntelligecne.com.

Although GM and Ford shares recovered slightly, the routs left a clear sign of the desperation automakers will face over the next two years as they struggle with a bleak industry recession.

GM ended its possible final day as No. 1 at $11.50, down 5 cents in heavy trading, while Ford struggled to $4.81, off 17 cents but still languishing in the embarrassing under-$5 price range.

Some investors see a 75 percent chance that GM will default on its debt in the next five years, despite assurances from management last week that the company has sufficient liquidity after its $31 billion in cash runs out later this year.

Other analysts see worse options facing GM

"A bankruptcy filing is not out of question for GM unless it gets bought by foreign interests," said Peter Schiff, president of Euro-Pacific Capital.

It was Schiff who predicted in an interview last year - as investor Kirk Kerkorian was buying GM at $31 - that shares would skid to the low teens in 2008. Kerkorian has since switched his buying spree to target Ford.

Although GM, Ford and Chrysler are giving up their once profitable gas guzzlers due to high pump prices, the companies won't get a full line of economic gas models into showrooms for at least two years, possibly longer, analysts say.

Even Japan's gas misers from Toyota, Honda and Nissan may not sell that well, and could face double-digit drops in June sales. Analysts say consumers aren't readily buying any kind of vehicles, due to a credit crunch and an economic slump that reports indicate worsens each day.

From a high in October, GM shares lost 73 percent of their value. Ford lost 49 percent from its July high.

Chrysler, which announced a St. Louis-Mo. plant idling yesterday and is privately held by Cerberus Capital, could see its sales tumble by 31 percent, and may have to borrow billions.

Chrysler has shown a ray of hope in is cost-cutting, with a lower-than-expected $300 million operating loss in the first four months this year, according to investor documents circulated by Cerberus Capital.

Chrysler also is sitting on more cash than Cerberus had expected, or $8.1 billion, $3 billion more than it forecast, said the documents, according to Bloomberg.


As i said, the market share is converting to the other guys not the big three.

[Survivor]

Analysts...LOL!!!

China loves GM, #1 over there. I wouldn't worry about the US losing ground.
We already did.

[jcutler]

I'm seriously thinking about buying gm right now would that be a good idea or not

[Wallstisdead]

I would buy it, Either Way if merged or not. Trading at at $2.77Billion, For GM, that is undervalued, If nothing works out, Gm will probably be acquired by an Private equity firm, so yes for me it is a good buy!

[Survivor]

Just a thought, do you ever wonder why a lot of folks headed into buying
a light truck? Consider that most all overpriced cars, Foreign or domestic
went to Unit Body construction which has no value when compared
to Body on frame. They were very prone to rust which has been curbed
by chemical dipping of the unit and also they really pile on the squeaks
and rattles with age.

Still body on frame with Chrome bumpers is more durable and when
you pay thousands for a car with no frame, unit body with a subframe
Macphearson struts and rack & pinion steering is the absolute cheapest
componets you can manufacture, when all those parts are loaded into
a unit body from underneath. engine,trans and the
entire front suspension, on a subframe how cheap can you get?
There is no foundation, reminds me of a manufactured home.
Somehow they got you to overpay for something that is beyond cheap
like it has some kind of real value. Old school rules, body on frame.

[madcowdisease]

Chrysler sales could be picking up in the near future. With gasoline coming down across the country you could see many people once averse to a gas guzzling Hemi sedan or SUV decide to take advantage of the rebates and purchase a gas guzzler. Should be good for Ford & GM truck sales too. Obviously we should keep the economy / unemployment in mind with all this.

[jacobnbr1]

Based on CNBC pumping Da GM and Chrysler merg ....

If gm rallies i would definatly sell by 9.80sh...

[jacobnbr1]

Based on CNBC pumping Da GM and Chrysler merg ....

If gm rallies i would definatly sell by 9.80sh...


What the H-E "double hockey sticks" was i thanking on dis one?????



Real live proof that I's only human and occasionally I'm wrr... wwwwrrrr... (one more time) WWWRRROOO.... I can't do it!

Sho Nuff Da charts never lie and i missed it....

It twas there all along! :( Guess i am getting rusty ) Maybe I need a vacation from me vacation... :}??

9.80sh! What a buffoon i was...

[Horsefish]

What the H-E "double hockey sticks" was i thanking on dis one?????



Real live proof that I's only human and occasionally I'm wrr... wwwwrrrr... (one more time) WWWRRROOO.... I can't do it!

Sho Nuff Da charts never lie and i missed it....

It twas there all along! :( Guess i am getting rusty ) Maybe I need a vacation from me vacation... :}??

9.80sh! What a buffoon i was...


LOL......Nobody else here has ever made a mistake! Why...just last week I had to say "woulda, shoulda, coulda" for the very first time! Oh well.....