I don't think its so much any one GM division as GM as a whole

Both Buick and Pontiac were in question. You know the ads

"This isn't your parents Buick"

Buick was a cut above Chevy but less than Cadillac.
Pontiac was the step-sister in performance to Chevy. Chevy got the Vettes and Camaro ... Pontiac got the Trans-Am.

If you got to consolidate, somethings got to go and these two divisions appear the most likely.

 

So now it is nobody's Buick.

When I was a kid, my parents bought Oldsmoblies and occaisionally Buicks for the primary car and AMC and later Toyota as the second car. Buick and Olds were both luxury cars (and really identical) and as you said a step below Caddy and theoretically a step or two above Chevy and Pontiac (for luxury). It seems to me, as time went on, Chevys got cheapened by GM and Buicks and Olds and Pontiac all seemed to be making the same cars all of which were cheapened.

How come no matter how much GM has lost in market share and identity and profitability there never seems to be a major shake up in top tier management? That seems to be the biggest problem - lack of accountability.

 

Why do so many convertibles these days look like old clawfoot tubs? PT cruiser, TT convertible, MCC...

 

I totally don't get the clawfoot tub ref & hey bluestone if you are making fun of Mini Convertibles (snd style )

 

I think most of those droptops look okay-to-great with their tops down, but downright awful with their tops up.

The solution? Tops down as often as possible, of course! =o)

 

I hate the Ford Escort. The Escort has to be the biggest hoax ever pawned off on the American public. I know of 6 of these things that were bought new and well maintained, yet didn't last to 75K miles without MAJOR work. Even when they didn't require major work, minor repairs were being done on at least a monthly basis. El Junko!

For a class of vehicles, I dislike minivans. They're slow, they handle poorly, they drink gas, they can't tow, they are difficult to work on, and they have very little ground clearance. Give me a Tahoe or Suburban over a minivan. A much more robust and capable vehicle, and not that much difference in mileage. Whatever difference there is will be made up the first time a major repair becomes necessary.

Rawhyde

 

Most droptops are designed to look good with their tops down. few are able to pull off the top up look, aside from exotics. To the marketers, a convertible with a top up is pointless to market. its all about going topless.

 

OMG, I forgot all about the Ford Focus. What an effin'-ugly automobile! =op

 

Updated first post.

Ford and Toyota seem to be in the lead

 

I hate the escalade with a passion. I just sold my Caddy CTS-V (F'in awsome car) because I was just so sick of the caddy image. I hate hate hate the whole escalade hip hop bandwagon thing.

That bastard BMW 2 door hatch form the early 90's, what was it? And the Mercedes compressor 2 door hatch.

Not that they are crappy cars, but they are designed for one demographic...."I want a mercedes/BMW, but can't afford a real one".

Mustangs, total crap. finally after 12 years they have matched the perfomance of the 1994 Camaro, way to go ford.

The 2006 F-150 V6 base model....I drive one every day (my corporate vehicle). Its the biggest POS in the world.

 

I'd have to say the ford focus. Most are drivin my mid 20 year olds who only wanna race!

 

Hands down the Chevy HHR. What on earth could have possessed them to create such a hideous monstronsity? Words cannot describe how ugly and useless that car really is.

And then there's the Chevy Aveo. Its small, like the MINI, but blander than a Kia. Everytime I see one (which isn't very often, thank God) I want to take a sledgehammer to its windshield. Someone asked me the other day, "When did Chevy make a convertible version of the Aveo?" I almost strangled them when I realized they were talking about my poor MCSC.

And finally there's the bastard child of a pickup and a Subaru Outback. I don't even know its name, and I can't even begin to describe the feelings that I get every time I see one of those.

Man I feel better.

 

Baja? Or is it BRAT? Crossover vehicles for those who can't decide.

Hear hear! Hip hop = bad taste.

 

I would like to throw the new Honda Civic si into the ring for a fugly car award

It has that kewl minivan sloped front end I just had one challenge me on the twisties on my way to work. I will give the little thing credit, it does have some zip & I couldn't pass it on the twisties. Of course the Honda was stradling the centerline & swinging back & forth across 2 lanes which I refused to do

 

Last night I had one of those tricked out Dodge Neons want to race me. I let him think he was cool as he jumped off the line when the light turned green. I'm sure his Neon was much faster than my MC, but the Neon is also a total POS. I rode in one once. It had 40,000 miles on it and was completely falling apart!

 

I will start off with saying I really do not like the MCC or MCSC.
UGLY as sin compared to their kin.

Next would be the new beetle.

I will disagree with many as say I dig the xB and the HHR a bit.

Corvette's are the best in my book. So much style and power available and worth every penny. But that's not what this thread is about now is it?

I am surprised no one said a discouraging word about the Dodge Charger or the Chrysler 300... or did I miss'em?

 

The only bad thing I can say about the 300 or the Charger is that they're not available with a manual transmission. Dr Z, Lee Iacocca, and Ron Popiell combined couldn't sell me an automatic transmission.

Let me put in a general bash an all vehicles that don't even offer a manual transmission. Thanks for narrowing my buying decision!

Rawhyde

 

SinCity

 

The NYC police dept just got a small fleet of new Chargers for evaluation. I almost creamed my jeans when I saw them in their 'colors.'

 

Other than prostituting the names, and making four doors (hello Ford Thunderturd), they did okay for modern design. Haven't investigated the lack of outward vision, the chopped top look has it's drawbacks.

 

Ok now clear your mind....free it of all images & errant thoughts.....

now picture in your minds eye, a 7-10 year old Chevy Minivan....gray in color...dusty like it hasn't been washed in months....it's not modded or suped up...it's just a plain old dirty cheap minivan...


now picture that Minivan with spinners

Unfortunately for me I had my top down & I was stuck right beside this dashing Minivan at a long red light. His window was down. I was laughing hysterically. I couldn't stop. I kept petting my dog (who was in the passenger seat) & trying to act like I was laughing at funny dog things but...
I just couldn't stop myself from looking at those spinners

 

I admit that I'm partial to spinners, just not that kind of spinner...

Rawhyde

 

Last year, I saw a minivan with green headlights.

Ok, yellow I'll buy; but GREEN?!?!?!

 

I can't believe there's no vote in this thread for whatever-the-hell those Lexus SUV/minivan crossover things are. I get cut off by one at LEAST 2 or 3 times a week. It's gotten to the point that when I see one, I get into whatever lane is furthest away and fly by it. It's like there's some sort of polarity between them and my car if I'm within 30 feet of one.

The only thing scarier is one being driven by a woman, talking on her cell phone, while screaming at her kids in the back seat. And I say that as a woman who often drives while talking on her cell phone...

 

I dunno it's pretty scary to go by a male driver & see him reading his morning paper while driving to work