An open letter to General Motors

[Txhighlander]

I remember when pickups were meant for working and didn't ride like a Cadillacs.

 

[Tnhawk]

I remember when pickups were meant for working and didn't ride like a Cadillacs.

That was before the urban cowboys existed.

 

[Txhighlander]

That was before the urban cowboys existed.

no doubt

 

[Younggun]

Government played a part in it too, but it was the urban cowboys that evolved the basick pickup into a girly man trucks.

OH NO! My heated seats and steering wheel aren't getting warm enough! Quck, Call the dealers emergency help line!!!!

You mad about being poor or somethin?

 

[oldag]

I have had great service out of GM products, but my newest vehicle is over ten years old. No AFM.

I have heard of some transmission issues with the newer models.

Edit:
I would add that Ford pickups used for site trucks have performed miserably for the last five or so years. Transmissions, differentials, etc.

 

[Moonpie]

I'm with you OP.

Way back in 1982 I purchased my very first brand new vehicle. A Chevy Silverado Pick-up.
That thing was a heap from the get go.
I had trouble with every system on that truck. Wiring, suspension, oil leaks, fuel pump failure, starter, windshield cracked sitting the driveway 10days after I bought it.(which warranty refused to replace),
trim falling off, rust, you name it it failed on that truck.
I swore then to never ever buy another GM product and I haven't.
Since then I've owned 13 vehicles. All but one of them Toyota. I'll never go back.

 

[oldag]

I'm with you OP.

Way back in 1982 I purchased my very first brand new vehicle. A Chevy Silverado Pick-up.
That thing was a heap from the get go.
I had trouble with every system on that truck. Wiring, suspension, oil leaks, fuel pump failure, starter, windshield cracked sitting the driveway 10days after I bought it.(which warranty refused to replace),
trim falling off, rust, you name it it failed on that truck.
I swore then to never ever buy another GM product and I haven't.
Since then I've owned 13 vehicles. All but one of them Toyota. I'll never go back.

Late 70's into the mid-80's none of the big three was making a quality product.

 

[vmax]

I remember when pickups were meant for working and didn't ride like a Cadillacs.

and lasted 10 years at least

They started making trucks and surburbans drive like cars to appeal to the women's market
See where it ended up?

 

[vmax]

Well.. 2/3 way done
Left house at 545 am ..got to Kileen at 850

Loaded that POS and just unloaded at his local shop in Keller

Me and momma resting a minute then headed back west
We have 150 more miles to make

That will be about 405 total for the day.

 

[jmohme]

You mad about being poor or somethin?

Not mad or broke.

 

[jmohme]

and lasted 10 years at least

They started making trucks and surburbans drive like cars to appeal to the women's market
See where it ended up?

Lasted 10 + years and a 1/2 ton would do the work of a 3/4.
The downside was that to get that 10 years, you might have to do a couple valve jobs and maybe a set of rings. But that wasnt that big of a deal back then either.
Today, I am not so sure that most gas engines aren't just throw aways.

 

[Younggun]

Not mad or broke.

Then just get a nicer truck. Cause you sound like you mad and broke.

 

[Younggun]

My Chebby is 30 years old in June.

 

[vmax]

Just pulled in and unhooked the trailer
Long day.
Nothing broke..Nothing tore up ..got the job done so it was also a good day

Edit
I will add that my Ram 2500/Cummins paid the bill today..that's whats its built for. Towed a trailer all day and avg 15.6 mpg
I'll take it

 

[Mike_from_Texas]

There are no more quality manufacturers of vehicles.

You need to carefully research and select an engine and transmission combination, then pray that the supplier properly hardened the lifters or cam. Or the circuit board manufacturer properly soldered the components. Or that parts remain available.

All by design. We all know how many millions F250 7.3L trucks they could sell, or how many 5.9L stick Rams that would sell. But longevity is not an option.

Surely you aren’t serious.

Cars today last exponentially longer than “in the good ole days”.

How often did you see a vehicle with 100,000 or 200,000 miles on it back in the day?

My son’s current 2004 Z71 currently has 403,000 miles on it. Engine is original.

My 2012 Ram 2500 Cummins currently has 232,000 on it.

My 2013 Lexus IS 250 has 162,000 miles on it.

My daughter’s 2008 Camry has 313,000 on it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[jmohme]

Then just get a nicer truck. Cause you sound like you mad and broke.

I have a nicer truck, but prefer my older Dodge 3/4 ton.

I know a lot of people with nicer trucks. They love them until they have problems. Then they get mad and get a little more broke getting them fixed.

 

[Paul Saver]

Late 70's into the mid-80's none of the big three was making a quality product.

Toyota, then Honda had already raised the bar by then.. left Detroit scrambling.

 

[Grumps21]

Surely you aren’t serious.

Cars today last exponentially longer than “in the good ole days”.

How often did you see a vehicle with 100,000 or 200,000 miles on it back in the day?

My son’s current 2004 Z71 currently has 403,000 miles on it. Engine is original.

My 2012 Ram 2500 Cummins currently has 232,000 on it.

My 2013 Lexus IS 250 has 162,000 miles on it.

My daughter’s 2008 Camry has 313,000 on it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

I think to be fair, this list is all cars 11-20 model years old and around the time of peak automotive. None of these cars have AFM, DOD, light duty turbos, no CVT, and they all have transmissions of six gears or less. I suspect that had these cars all been made in the last few years, none on this list would make it to this mileage due to all the electronics we have now. It’s obsolescence and complication that will kill the new cars of today. Look no further than the 4 wheel steering system GM and on their GMT800 trucks or the braking systems on the Allante. All unobtainum. Manufacturers are held to keep support for 10 model years. After that, then what? Aftermarket has the common mechanicals covered but I’m not so sure about the other “tech” stuff that is more vehicle specific and spans fewer model years between changes

 

[Darkpriest667]

I think to be fair, this list is all cars 11-20 model years old and around the time of peak automotive. None of these cars have AFM, DOD, light duty turbos, no CVT, and they all have transmissions of six gears or less. I suspect that had these cars all been made in the last few years, none on this list would make it to this mileage due to all the electronics we have now. It’s obsolescence and complication that will kill the new cars of today. Look no further than the 4 wheel steering system GM and on their GMT800 trucks or the braking systems on the Allante. All unobtainum. Manufacturers are held to keep support for 10 model years. After that, then what? Aftermarket has the common mechanicals covered but I’m not so sure about the other “tech” stuff that is more vehicle specific and spans fewer model years between changes

The Corolla forum already has folks with CVT transmissions reporting 500k on their corollas. My Corolla is at 135k (2016) and runs like the day it rolled off the lot. all ive done is change tires and batteries and the oil.

 

[deemus]

Toyota, then Honda had already raised the bar by then.. left Detroit scrambling.

My MIL drove Lincoln Continentals for decades. When it had a problem she would trade it for another one. I remember when gas prices got crazy she bought an Accord. Her youngest drove it, then a grandkid drove it. That thing lasted way longer than any us expected.

I'm guessing that car had 300K+ miles.