Lifelong Pontiac Dealers Bracing for Uncertain Future

[cjforumadmin]

http://www.bangshift.com/blog/Lifelo...in-Future.html

[HoosierGTA]

Cool hood ornament though!

[JRoberts]

This article brings it all down to reality. What a sad day. I feel for the hundreds of folks like those in this article. It is rather tragic isn't it?

[Nevrdun]

The GM spokes person says that Pontiac has been unprofitable for the last few years. Who's fault is that? I'm sure that Bob Arnold could have sold more cars(and hence made Pontiac more money) if the styling had been more uptown instead of rebadged crap. Funny how the guys making all the marketing decisions still get big bucks(after putting out a pig of a car line), and the Bob Arnold's in the trenches get the shaft.

[Andamo]

Wow, I know where both those dealerships are. One of them, Mikan Pontiac -VW, is about 15 miles from me and the other dealership was on the way to my Grandmothers house when I was growing up. My Dad loved Pontiacs and we'd always stop at Arnold Pontiac on Sunday on our way back home just to look at the new cars. Sad time in the life of Pontiac. Of course I felt the same way when Oldsmobile and Plymouth were dropped. I never thought I'd see the day these cars would go by the wayside and Hummers, Escalades and Lincoln pick-up trucks would still me made. Idiot marketing people !

[SpiderGearsMan]

shocking !!!
not that pontiac is closing , but that the new york times would write an article with sympathy to car people

the president demanded the closing of pontiac , not general motors

[Scott Liggett]

The GM spokes person says that Pontiac has been unprofitable for the last few years. Who's fault is that? I'm sure that Bob Arnold could have sold more cars(and hence made Pontiac more money) if the styling had been more uptown instead of rebadged crap. Funny how the guys making all the marketing decisions still get big bucks(after putting out a pig of a car line), and the Bob Arnold's in the trenches get the shaft.

I agree. The automotive industry went into the toilet when the manufacturers thought styling and even the colors chosen should be done in focus groups. When you have a committee of hundreds all throwing in their ideas, you end up with a bland, non-descript bore of a vehicle. Hence, the reason they all seem to look alike. Total lack of vision. Total like individuality. Oh, I'm apologize, they all have the company grille design. Gag with me boredom.

[SpiderGearsMan]

sold quite well with grand am , bonneville and pre 04 grand prixs - trans am was greatly missed
the gto cost too much
they were turning around , but the ax fell , you know , by the car guys in the white house

[antmnte]

We should all be driving Pontiacs just for spite.

[Barry_R]

I've stated this before - but nobody at GM marketing can think or read. Its a proven fact.

The Brands at GM - Pontiac, Oldsmobile, etc have far more recognition, market presence and value than do any of the cryptic model designations thaey insist on retaining. Up into teh 50s it was a Chevy, a Pontiac, a Buick, a Cadillac with only a model or two of each. There is no reason that it could not be that way again - the Chevy is the small and cheap car, the Pontiac the sporty car, the Buick the near lux, and the Caddy the top shelf. Nothing shares a badge and they are all sold at every GM dealership.