GM offers gas-price cap for SUV buyers

[Matt Timion]

I'm a bit surprised no one has mentioned this yet:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060524/.../gm_gas_rebate

Excerpt:

DETROIT - Aiming to capitalize on consumer angst about the high cost of gasoline, General Motors Corp. on Tuesday said it would cap pump prices at $1.99 for customers in California and Florida who buy certain vehicles by July 5.

One hitch to the promotion is that customers must also agree to enroll in the OnStar vehicle diagnostic service, which is free for the first year but after that will cost $16.95 a month. The other is that many of the eligible vehicles are serious gas guzzlers.

The offer is good for 2006 and 2007 model year vehicles. ...

[MetroMPG]

Recent GM marketing has really started to irritate me.

GM Canada is promoting a similar deal: 20 cents off per liter on various cars/trucks.

The key in both campaigns is the discount only lasts one year.

This is no different from credit card companies that lure people with low introductory interest rates, and then slam you with 18% after the promotion period ends. With the main difference being you're stuck driving a vehicle that gets worse mileage than you might have chosen without the discount. AND fuel will be even more expensive in a year than it is today.

Another tag line on a spate of recent Tahoe ads here: "You don't need a smaller car - you need a smarter car."

To which I would respond to GM: "You don't need to offer incentives and questionable marketing to get people to buy your inefficient vehicles - you need to get serious about making more efficient vehicles."

I find I have little respect for manufacturers that don't make at least one efficient, small car.

[psyshack]

I saw that a week or so ago. This from a company going broke. I had to LMAO.

[thisisntjared]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I find I have little respect for manufacturers that don't make at least one efficient, small car.

"its alright, soon he will be dead... and you will be fine... you always are"

sorry i had to throw that quote in there.

[95metro]

To all MetroMPG said..."Hear, hear!"

As for GM building more efficient vehicles, it won't happen until Chrysler or Ford makes a major move towards it. As I said before, GM is always reactive, not proactive.

Chrysler seems to be on a major horsepower kick right now so I guess they're out.

Ford seems to be the US manufacturers' last hope. At least it seems like they are putting more effort into hybrids and EVs.

Still, someone needs to come up with some American competition to the Prius and Insight. I really don't mind Japanese cars, but at least the American manufacturers should somehow prove that they care. Come on, Chevy! Build a hybrid Metro!

[MetroMPG]

Chrysler seems to be on a major horsepower kick right now so I guess they're out.

Yeah, don't get me started on the Dodge Caliber tv spots that blatantly use Hemi V8 sound effects in the background in the driving shots... Has anyone else seen (heard) these?

Chrysler builds a smallish car, and then they figure the best way to market it is to make it sound like a guzzler?

I read somewhere that DCX got in some trouble because of that (misleading advertising), but wasn't able to dig up any good sources when I Googled.

[95metro]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Yeah, don't get me started on the Dodge Caliber tv spots that blatantly use Hemi V8 sound effects in the background in the driving shots... Has anyone else seen (heard) these?

I haven't heard that. I tend to mute commercials...

They offer three engines in the Caliber - thankfully at least one of them gets 35 mpg on the hwy, but they're all mild to wild guzzlers in town. I am impressed with the ingenuity of the drive system.

But, you are right - it's a horrible way to advertise. They're just catering to people's lust for big power.

Of course, if the manufacturers wouldn't build the powerful vehicles people wouldn't be buying them. Look at the mid-late 70s. Even Mustangs, Camaros, and Firebirds were wheezing, anemic vehicles with (relatively) decent mileage...and the Mustang II was one of the best selling Mustangs...people still bought them regardless of what the manufacturers built.

[philmcneal]

short term solutions are always on everyone's mind, it seems that GM wants to get rid of these cars before attempting to build a new era of fueler efficenct cars.

Like their new hybrid powertrains and 6 speeds transmissions, also to add their displacement on demand technology. Oh and the GM VUE green line which has the highest SUV mileage for any hybrid is coming out. Even though its not as full fledged as honda IMA system but still has hypermiing potenial due to its electric motor used to start the engine on/off.

Plus hopefully GM's experience with the EV1 will be apparent in this green line, or some remenence of it. Oh yeah... the price! Its cheapo!!!

[95metro]

Originally Posted by philmcneal

Oh and the GM VUE green line

I keep forgetting Saturn is part of the GM line. That's some innovation at least. Whenever I think GM I think of Chevy, Pontiac, Buick, Olds, and Caddy.

[Compaq888]

I wouldn't take a GM vehicle if they paid for gas for it's entire lifetime of the vehicle. I wouldn't even want to own a GM car/truck, if I ever won one at a lottery or was given one for free I'd sell it to a dealer or a used car lot for $5k less than it's msrp price.