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May 18, 2005

GMC

I think it stand for 'geriatric mental capacity'. CNBC offers this concerning a J.D. Powers quality survey:

General Motors Corp., which has lost critical U.S. market share this year, had five vehicles winning top marks in quality, and its Hummer lineup of SUVs scored the biggest improvement among brands, J.D. Power and Associates said.

Okay, so your $65,000 Hummer doesn't suck quite as badly as it used to. However, I don't own one, nor does anyone of my aquaintance except Roy Jones (And he doesn't count as I'm not about to do what he does for a living). So how 'bout we go fishing for what sort of quality GM feels is enough for the little guy.
However, GM's Chevrolet, Pontiac, Saab and brands all scored below average in the study.

Who loves ya baby? But the Hummer crowd shouldn't be doing backflips that their disposable cash is well spent.

GM's Hummer brand jumped from being the lowest scoring brand to tying for 10th with South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd. and finishing with 110 problems per 100 vehicles, down from 173 problems per 100 last year. Two years ago, when Hummer scored 225 problems per 100 vehicles, J.D. Power officials said it was due in part to complaints about the high fuel consumption of the H2 SUV, which gets about 11 to 13 miles per gallon.

``This year's results clearly show that the people at Hummer knew this wasn't the case,'' Parker said. ``They identified many customer-reported problems and solved them.''


Your $65K is good enough to tie with Hyundai ??!!! At least they can rest easy knowing that their 'many customer reported problems' are identified and solved, unlike someone lucky enough to own an entry level Pontiac. Maybe that's why Joe Consumer is buying the Hyundai. (Of course, if we note the fact that every day GM cars are the ugliest f#&kin' dinosaurs on the road, there's another whole can of ill-treatment at the expence of those who ride the American Road opened. It's like they snatched the rights to the K-Car from Chrysler and have never let go.)

Posted by tree hugging sister at May 18, 2005 03:54 PM

Comments

At least with the K-Car they were trying for an inexpensive, reliable everyday car. Sounds like GM gave up on that part of it a while ago.

Related note: what are your nominees for five ugliest cars today? My own ballot:

5. Any SUL (Sport-Utility Limo). Why? Oh, heavens, why? Are you going to take your prom date off-roading?
4. The H-2. Especially suffers in comparison to the original; while no swan, the H-1 was successful at looking like what it wanted to be.
3. The Scion-B. (My buddy Frank calls it The Official Ride of Clown College.)
2. The Chevy Avalanche, or whatever they call that hideous pickup/SUV hybrid. Yikes.
1. The Pontiac Aztec. I'd shave it's bumper and drive in reverse, if you know what I mean...

Posted by: Nightfly at May 18, 2005 05:26 PM

I'll second the Aztec heinousness. It's just a double sized version of the horrid late 1980's LeMans.

I have no love for the Honda Element, either.

Posted by: nobrainer at May 18, 2005 05:51 PM

I'll third that uglyAsstec, since we're piling on.

Posted by: tree hugging sister at May 18, 2005 06:14 PM

Your list is in the correct order, Fly, but the numbering is a little off. After the Asstec there should be at least one, possibly two, empty slots. It's that freakin' ugly.

And all these years I thought no American vehicle could touch the AMC Pacer for sheer ugliness.

Posted by: Ken Summers at May 18, 2005 06:36 PM

Actually, Fly, I wanted to make sure I was thinking of the same Scion you were - the one that looks like the Honda Element only worse?

Posted by: Ken Summers at May 18, 2005 06:39 PM

Yes, Ken, that be it.

Also agreed on the Aztec. #1 with a bullet. It's like the Babe Ruth of ugly cars, out-uglying entire manufacturer's cumulative ugliness.

Posted by: Nightfly at May 18, 2005 07:37 PM

Yeah, the Aztec wins, hands down.

Sadly, Ken, I doubt it would surprise you to learn that my family actually owned a Pacer. And not a powder-blue beauty of Wayne's World fame. No, we owned a Hunting Green (Tan interior, natch) Pacer Wagon complete with faux wood panels.

I would kill to own that car now.

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at May 18, 2005 07:38 PM

I would kill myself if I owned that car now.

Posted by: Ken Summers at May 18, 2005 08:08 PM

Ken, c'mon! This screams "Chick Magnet"!!!

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at May 18, 2005 08:21 PM

THS, pour yourself a drink and then look here.

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at May 18, 2005 08:22 PM

Now, that last one's okay, but this is the chick that would be attracted by your "chick magnet", Bingley.

Posted by: Ken Summers at May 18, 2005 10:13 PM

Must be one a us, 'cause the bottle's got Daddy's name on it.

Posted by: tree hugging sister at May 18, 2005 10:29 PM