10 Cars That Damaged GM's Reputation

[jimincalif]

Interesting article in Popular Mechanics:http://www.popularmechanics.co....html

[Silversn95]

Although I agree with most of the vehicles on that list some are unfair to point at. The Hummer for instance. They came out with them because there was a market for it and people were buying every single one the company could make..... until the price of gas jumped and people stopped buying anything that had poor gas mileage. The EV1, electric car ahead of its time. Funny how Toyota is looked at as being cutting edge with their hybrid but GM gets knocked for being even further ahead more than a decade ago with a full electric. Seems there is clearly a double standard in the media when it comes to opinions within the auto industry.Then there are the two good ideas that were poorly implemented. I'm referring to the diesel Olds and the variable displacement (V8-6-4) Caddy. Now look, 25 odd years after GM looked at variable displacement it finally is being accepted as a sound method to improve fuel economy. Again, GM was thinking ahead of its time, just too bad they were not more careful with how it was introduced (i.e. making sure all the development issues were worked out before production launch).I'm really starting to get tired of the general media only pointing out the bad and never the good things that have happened at GM. Don't forget some of the best advances in the automobile of come from the General.

[kunkstyle]

Quote, originally posted by Silversn95 »Then there are the two good ideas that were poorly implemented. I'm referring to the diesel Olds and the variable displacement (V8-6-4) Caddy. Now look, 25 odd years after GM looked at variable displacement it finally is being accepted as a sound method to improve fuel economy. Again, GM was thinking ahead of its time, just too bad they were not more careful with how it was introduced (i.e. making sure all the development issues were worked out before production launch).Read the whole article - it does address the new variable cylinder management and says that the problem was under development and not following through on the technology, not the idea itself.Quote, originally posted by Popular Mechanics »There was nothing wrong with the theory behind GM's attempt to turn Cadillac's throttle-body injected 6.0-liter V-8 into an economy engine during the 1981 model year. ...Conceptually it's almost identical to what GM is selling today as Active Fuel Management on some V8s....Here was one more half-developed, cynically marketed technology that GM just couldn't make work.

[ColonelPanic]

GM's had many great ideas over the years, but it irks me to no end how they have a knack for botching things up at the last second. They seem to have decent brainpower in the lower ranks that could design some darn fine products but once the upper management and/or bean counters get a hold of things it's over. We see how well their conservative management style has served them. They should have added the Fiero to that list - originally conceived to be a sports car, but ultimately became a sluggish economy commuter which GM even borrowed stuff out of the Chevette parts bin to build. Like GM tends to do, after the last couple of model years when they finally got things right (i.e. the GT's) they axed it.I dunno... Their current lineup is some of the best I've seen, so they're at least starting to make the right decisions and are being allowed to follow through with them. Well... Almost, I heard the Cruze which people could actually afford to buy in this awful economy got delayed a year or so yet the way-too-expensive-for-most Volt is on schedule. ugh.

[kunkstyle]

Quote, originally posted by ColonelPanic »They should have added the Fiero to that list - originally conceived to be a sports car, but ultimately became a sluggish economy commuter which GM even borrowed stuff out of the Chevette parts bin to buildSee here --> http://www.popularmechanics.co....html

[lovemyraffe]

Proud to say I've never owned any of those.

[NUBlackshirts]

Quote, originally posted by lovemyraffe »Proud to say I've never owned any of those.+1 on that.Gotta admit, I would take that orange Vega with the V8 shoved in it though!

[Mavrik]

The Chevette thing was pretty popular in Ontario at least. I knew a lot of people with them when I was growing up.

[Raven]

I had 2 1980 Pontiac Phoenix. One auto and a 4 speed. They were amazing cars. The 2.8 V6 was fast and reliable. With the hatchback and fold down rear seat the hauling space was incredible. I brought home my new 1981 Suzuki PE250 in the back of the car with the hatch closed. It had a hard cargo cover which worked well and with snow tires you could cross a frozen lake with 18 inches of snow. We had many a Hunter S. Thompson type adventure in it and went completely unnoticed by the authorities because of it's bland appearance. As for the Fiero, it was released at the wrong time too. GM tested a twin turbo version which my brother drove. He said it was dangerously fast and could never be released to the public. His friend has a V8 powered Fiero which is a rocket also.

[Merzbow]

These lists are always dumb because they pick the most random cars that generally have no problem with them IMO. Saturns are good cars. I've never owned one but I know a ton of people that do. I like the Vega. I wasn't around back then but I don't see how it was a mistake. I agree with Silversn on his opinions.I don't like the H2 but Hummers have always been gas guzzlers and have always been over sized. It wasn't a mistake because the sold well. Hummers are everywhere now. Same with the H3. The H1 on the other hand didn't sell hardly at all because those were massive and so expenssive. The H1s still are my favorite trucks though.The Chevette seems like it could be compared with an Aveo of today. They are crappy cars but they are cheap and a lot of people have them!! Again, it must not have been a mistake if they sell.

[isaaclud]

The 2.8 V6 was fast and reliable.WHAT???I'm sorry....but I must disagree with you sir...I NEVER saw a 2.8 V6 that wasnt a piece of crap after say....25,000 miles.And I knew a lot of people with them....in many different cars...and in each one...the thing would routinely self-destruct one of it's components....ROUTINELY!!! whether it was in a Cavalier, Celebrity, Firebird (what a joke...2.8 Firebird...ha!) or Citation...you name itand fast?!?!?! in what car may i ask did 110 horsepower feel fast to you??!?I dont just disagree with you sir...but I ask you to re-evaluate your memory banks from that time...

[Wolfman213]

haha 2.8 fast and reliable. I had the 2.8 in an 88 Beretta GT. I thought it was fast, compared to the 1990 Geo Metro that I had before it lol. That engine was junk and had to be rebuilt at like 50K miles or so, that was 11 yrs ago so i can't really remember. The little 3 banger in the Metro was more reliable than the 2.8!!

[BlueCrush]

LOL! I currently own 2 vehicles on the list:1993 Saturn SC22004 Pontiac Aztek Rally

[KNINE]

I used to own a 73 vega GT. I loved that car. I would still own it today if some moron didn't t-bone me and totaled it.

[GoLowDrew]

I'll disagree on some of them but talk about two. First, I will assume the writer is "young" and was "not around" when some of these cars rolling on the streets. So the writer had to do reseach to form an opinion. Data does not alway = to what really happend.Vega was a popular car. Young guys love it. It was sporty, cheap and good on gas. It was cool looking. Guys would drop in a V8 and turn it into a hot rod. I would almost say Vega made the impact similar to Acura Integra. Ok, we can say the aluminum engine or Cosworth versions suck. GM tried to use advance technology. Can't fault them. Ok, it broke down and rusted. What (American) car didn't? If I recall, one should start thinking about a trade when a car reaches 60K miles or face repair bills. Going 100K miles is like 300K today. That's how cars were built. Yes, I wanted a Vega as a kid.Chevette. My father had one. It was our family car. Ours was a 1976 model with carb. Did anyone mentioned it gets 35MPG? And later fuel injected version hit close to 40MPG? So what's wrong with that? It competed well with the Japanese at that time. It was a "better" car than the Honda Civic because it was bigger and can carry real size people. Chevette did sell well until the 80s rolled in. Again, we sold our car when it hit 60K. That's what people do. 60K last us almost 10 years. People didn't drive as much as today. BTW, don't we love small, light, RWD cars today? History does repeat itself.These cars DID not lead to the fall of GM. We should actually say, how fast the Japanese advanced in the 80s. Japanese built better cars. Give then credit. The Vegas and Chevette were not "bad" cars. They just did not improved (at all) compared to the Japanese which are (were/have been) on a 4 year model cycle. GM held on to the J Body Cavalier for like 11-12 years!!!!!!! Before the Cobalt.It's the overall corporate vision. Not the cars.

[NibCrom]

Quote, originally posted by kunkstyle »See here --> http://www.popularmechanics.co....html I have to disagree with that. My dad raced his Fiero for 12 years and beat plenty of people in much "faster" cars in it.

[djb383]

H2 & H3......what a castrated disgrace to the original "HUMMER HUM V". The H2 & H3 are nothing more than ugly body's on a 4WD Chevy pick-up frame and drive train. They do have 4 tires similar to the original but that's about it.