3rd Oct 2010, 09:34
I drive imports usually, and they have much better reliability for me personally. I never have even used the warranty on any of my imports for 26 years, other than one Nissan. Domestic cars are exactly the opposite with many expensive repairs before 100K miles. I think GM should offer up a 10 year 100K mile warranty if their vehicles are so great. You know what? They never will, because they'd go broke. They bank on more than 90% of people not going past 60K miles in 5 years, so they can drop the warranty on those cars. They took a chance that maybe 10% of higher mileage cars would still be warranted, so they could sell more cars and look like they have a better warranty than their rivals.
Trust me, this idea was drawn up by an ad agency, not their engineers.
People make choices as to what they do with their cars and how far they drive them. If you are putting 100K miles on a car every 5 years, that is excessive and you should really try to make a change if possible. I don't think people realize that if they make a bit extra in salary to go that distance, they lose a lot in value on their cars and the repairs they make on them.
3rd Oct 2010, 11:15
It's not excessive if you commute and work in a very expensive area to live. Or if the schools are better. Many commute long distances and I suspect it's small cars unless you car pool. If you easily make it 100000 miles, why not offer it standard then. If a car is poor quality, then it's understandable. Cars should last 100k or 5 years easily. If you buy a 50 mpg car, do you buy it to drive under 1000 miles a month or is it to save fuel expense on commutes. My friend with her 70000 mile Prius drives over an hour to work, then kid's games, errands etc, and she bought hers for fuel costs. I would sell it soon and buy a new one before needing batteries. I know a lot that commute and rack up mileage quick in small cars. It's 2011; all cars should be 5 years max with 100000 miles max warranty.
3rd Oct 2010, 20:12
In 5 years of driving I do 125,000 miles. I'm still not buying GM products, regardless of their warranty. GM products have been the worst things I've ever been cursed with. I now drive a Hyundai, and I still haven't needed the 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty it came as standard with.
4th Oct 2010, 10:30
You seem to have conveniently forgotten previous commentary mentioned here. As mentioned, several hundred thousand US workers work for Japanese car companies here in the US - and that includes many of the US car parts manufacturers. For example, my Toyota truck has a (no kidding) radiator with "GM" embossed on the top and a Delphi AC unit. So in reality my truck was built in the US - with US labor and made with 60% US-made parts. Exactly HOW am I negatively affecting my neighbors? I personally know people who work at various Japanese car companies and they seem to be pretty happy, own homes, and send their kids to school.
And again - what do you care about whatever CEO happens to buy yachts in whatever country? None of us will ever see that kind of money, and none of it benefits the people who build their cars - regardless of nationality. Is it better to buy yachts for GM and Ford CEOs? How is that an argument? Anyway, you tell us how that employing US workers at a US plant making Japanese cars is a bad thing, and maybe you'd have a valid point.
Lastly - the argument of bankrupting the future for "Our children" is a tired one. Sorry, but the "future" was messed up literally decades ago, and most of it had to do with ill-informed decisions unrelated to the auto industry. I know, because as a early 30-something guy, things have definitely not been near as great for my generation as it was for my parent's generation, plain and simple. So all that talk about wrecking the future means nothing to me. We're already living in that reality now, so I can assure you we don't need "saving" - especially not from the older folks complaining about things, even though they for the most part had it pretty good for themselves. That we can do ourselves.
4th Oct 2010, 11:12
We've never had any problems with our GM vehicles in 100,000 miles, so I can see why they can offer a 100,000 mile warranty.
4th Oct 2010, 11:18
"In 5 years of driving I do 125,000 miles"
This is not at all unusual today. My friend has 42,000 miles on his 1-year-old (2009) Toyota. Unfortunately it is out of warranty and already having serious problems.
4th Oct 2010, 12:37
So a 5 year 60K mile warranty is up after one year and 42K miles? Huh, did I miss something?
4th Oct 2010, 12:40
Supporting lame American Companies is not the answer. They took it upon themselves to get to the point they were and they got bailed out and nothing has really changed all that much.
Why continue to support the businesses that have ruined our country?
4th Oct 2010, 12:42
Wow, you are the absolute first person I have ever heard of that has had no problems with GM products. You should play the lottery with that kind of luck!
4th Oct 2010, 15:01
My best GMs ever were Pontiac 6000LE and Bonnevilles with the 3.8 engines; had them as.company cars. I have had high top Conversion Vans G20s with the 350 4BBL all 150-200000 miles. My Corvette has had no issues; 70000 miles to date, The LS1 engine and drivetrai are bulletproof, very well made. So I am another satisfied customer, and I'm sure there are many more. My neighbor has an Impala SS that racks up the miles at 140000. Nice car.
4th Oct 2010, 15:37
Yes, I know there are a few people that drive this high of miles in 5 years, but it is not enough to make GM go broke by offering their warranty, otherwise they'd surely have stopped it by now!
4th Oct 2010, 15:56
"So a 5 year 60K mile warranty is up after one year and 42K miles? Huh, did I miss something?"
To see how good the Toyota warranty is, read the comment on this thread of 3 December 2008.
4th Oct 2010, 20:53
Like I said, it is not that black and white! The global economy we are in needs a balance. To drop every other brand of car and just buy American would actually kill the domestic companies faster as the rest of the world, where they make tons of profits, would surely boycott our cars. Believe me, this is no solution! They would also stop exporting the much needed parts we put into our cars that come from overseas companies, so we wouldn't even be able to manufacture the cars anymore. The domestic companies are in no position to handle this kind of change.
The best solution would really have been to let them fend for themselves, failure or not, and then learn to survive as leaner, better run companies. Instead we've just thrown money at the problem, the Government is now in the car business with a 61% stake in GM, and things are just as pitiful behind the scenes as they always have been. What did we accomplish besides pushing the economy further down the tubes?
3rd Oct 2010, 09:26
"How is a written standard 100000 mile warranty bogus?"
It is bogus because it expires in 5 years, just like the import warranties. If you are one of a very few that actually commute so far that you need it, then good for you. Most people will never see the second half of that warranty. It is a marketing ploy, nothing more, nothing less. If GM was so concerned with covering their vehicles for 100K miles, then they should offer at least 8 years to do it in!