Guest Post by Eric Peters
Sometimes, “diversity” is not our strength – as GM is finding out.
The Chevy Silverado pick-up is now number three – behind the Ram 1500 and the best-selling (and number one) Ford F-150.
This is alarming news for GM – assuming it still cares about making money as opposed to demonstrating how “committed” it is to “diversity” (see here) which is an odd preoccupation for a car company.
For example, Out With Chevy – which wasn’t a big brothery slogan ginned up by someone who doesn’t like the bowtie but invented by Chevy product PR people – to celebrate “coming out” in the you-know-what-it-means sense . . . which has what to do with trucks or Chevys I have no idea.
People who buy trucks want to know about the trucks – what’s it got under the hood – not what people are doing under the sheets, or with whom.
Well, while Chevy was establishing its “commitment” to “diversity,” FiatChrysler was jamming out Ram pick-ups . . . and selling them. Almost 37,000 more of them than Chevy has found buyers for over the past ten months.
And counting.
This is huge news all by itself because Ram trucks – formerly Dodge trucks – have historically lagged way behind both Chevy and Ford, the two major hegemons of the full-size truck market.
It hasn’t even been close . . . until now.
Especially painful – for Chevy – is that the Silverado is “all new” – and so ought to be more rather than less popular. The old Silverado outsold the Ram.
The new one is having . . . problems.
Arguably, because of a different kind of “diversity” afflicting GM’s ability to be competitive.
GM’s brands are too “diverse.”
There is the Chevy Silverado . . . and the GMC Sierra. Both essentially the same truck and sold by the same corporation under different labels. Which means duplication of effort as well as marketing expenses as well as in-house competition in addition to and prior to competing with Ram and Ford.
GMC once sold heavier-duty trucks than Chevy trucks and so there was a difference and so a justification for GMC. But that was decades ago. Today, everything GMC sells is a priced-up version of what Chevy sells. This makes Chevys seem “low rent” – and not just relative to GMCs.
At the same time, GMCs are too expensive – relative to Rams and F-150s – especially since they are just repackaged Chevys.
It would seem to be sounder policy to sell just one truck – under one label.
Of course, getting rid of GMC would make GM less “diverse” as a brand – and that is probably why GM isn’t doing it (dealers would squeal) and probably won’t do it until it is forced to do it by painful economic realities – which is what it took to get rid of Potemkin Village brands like Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Saturn and Hummer last time around.
There is another, perhaps more interesting angle to this story – a third form of “diversity.”
FCA’s Ram truck division is still selling the old Ram alongside the new Ram – and the old one is selling so well it has helped put Ram ahead of Chevy. Why the old Ram sells so well is interesting in and of itself. Probably, because it hasn’t got the latest driver “assists” – which many find annoying and all will find expensive.
The Classic Ram is also still offered in traditional truck form – regular cab (two doors) with a long (eight foot) bed. The new Ram is sold only with four doors (extended and crew cab) and doesn’t offer the eight foot bed.
Ram’s “diversity” works in its favor because you don’t have to shop elsewhere – or another, higher-priced brand within the same company – to get what you want.
In fact the Classic Ram sells for much less – $27,395 for the base trim 2019 Classic Ram vs. $31,795 to start for the redesigned new Ram. GM, meanwhile, expects you to pay more – whether buy a Chevy or a GMC.
The least expensive version of the 2019 Silverado stickers for $28,300.
There’s one final iteration of “diversity” that is probably causing problems for GM. It is under the hood, where you’ll find what amounts to an affirmative action engine. A four cylinder engine . . . in a full-size truck.
It makes V8 horsepower – via heavy turbo-boosting – but for many potential truck buyers, the idea of a four, turbo’d or not, probably doesn’t sit well.
The Silverado still comes standard with a V6 – and you can get it with either of two V8s – but image is at least as important as tow ratings when it comes to trucks.
And a full-size truck with a four does not look good.
Speaking of which, the new Silverado may not be doing well because it doesn’t look good.
The truck, itself.
While all the current 1500s are beset by Cod Piece Fever – almost cartoonishly exaggerated stylistic bravura in the form of bed walls higher than the border wall Orang Man wants to build and blunderbuss front ends – the new Silverado takes this to a new level. The thing looks like a prop from the latest Transformers movie – which appeals to eight-year-old boys but grown men not so much.
Barry Engle – who is GM’s North American jefe – says the Silverado’s ED is a “temporary phenomenon.”
But have a look at some troubling numbers – if you’re Engle or work at GM.
It’s not just that Ram has sold more trucks this year – so far – than Chevy has. It is that Chevy used to sell several times as many trucks as Ram used to sell.
Back in 2015, for instance, Chevy sold 150,422 more trucks than Ram did. By 2018, that spread had decreased by more than 100,000 trucks; GM moved only 48,601 more Silverados than FCA moved Rams last year.
And now Ram is ahead by almost 37,000.
This is what comes of focusing on “diversity” while others are focused on building trucks people want to buy.
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So basically, anyone who buys a General Motors vehicle is gay. Reminds me of Norm’s “professor of logic” joke:
Gillette did this and is suffering sales losses. No one cares about diversity but they do care about the quality and effectiveness of your product and is your product what they want. Marketing 101 states: Find the need and fill it”…..diversity is not a need. If you want diversity go buy a box of crayola crayons….they’ve got 64 colors there.
See really good article below…….
Only a company of true fucking idiots- from the jeenyusses in marketing, all the way to the handsomely rewarded CEO and esteemed board of directors- would have a sales campaign for a pickup truck (and the brand in general) with the catch phrase “Out with Chevy”.
Breathtaking.
Breathtaking until you realize that making a profit is secondary to moving the social needle leftward.
I worked for a ‘contractor’ on a US Gov’t job, the contractor educated us new hires (non govt thinking employees) that the US Govt will spend extra tax payer dollars to advance their social goals. In other words, don’t b*tch about wasteful spending by the USG, it’s the was they do business.
(I am not making this up)
It just goes to prove the smartest people in the room….aren’t.
I personally would not buy a GM product if it was the last vehicle on the planet.
The whole damn company is run by socialists.
When you see a company whose president is some bitch from the Human Relations Department, then you know that company is about to die.
As Clint Eastwood said in “Dirty Harry”, ‘ personnel is for assholes.’
Buy an older truck and spend a few bucks fixing it up. Consider a truck from a state with no rust issues if you live in a rusty truck place. The new trucks are just crazy expensive.
I wouldn’t buy either . If you going to spend 30,000 dollars then buy a Toyota Tundra or for few dollars less a Toyota Tacoma . Best car / truck I have ever owned was a Tacoma . Brought it in 1998 ,got over 482 thousand miles on it but it’s still going. Staring to leak oil now but I’ve seen them with over 600 thousand miles and still going. I would never get rid of it just get a rebuild engine. At this age it’s part of the family
BB,
What is the biggest repair you’ve had to do for that truck?
I got a 95 Tacoma 4×4, there was/is an issue with leaf springs, for some reason, they still can’t figure out how to make them last, my friend bought a 2016 and he got a recall for the leaf springs. I had to replace both sides, they just broke due to age.
Other than that, a starter motor was the only item, 350k still driving.
Manual everything: hubs, gearbox, 4×4 lever, windows, no A/C.
The frame will rot before the mechanical’s fail.
best $15k I ever spent, bought it used in 96 off a lease.
This sounds like GM is enjoying the benefits of their diversity hiring practices.
If they hire one more blind retarded dwarf nigger tranny faggot ‘engineer,’ they might win the Best Rainbow Corporate Buttfuckers of the Month award.
This wins the coveted Best Post of Pride Month Award ™, hands and dicks down.
Well, there’s that and the fact that all new trucks are all too expensive. I own a Chevy cargo van, it’s a great vehicle, I looked at trucks and then the van, which is as plain vanilla as is made and bought it. It’s the only Chevy vehicle that I think is worth a damn.
You should see what they did to the Blazer. It’s criminal I tell ya. 70’s and 80’s Blazers were pure sweetness on four wheels.
GM has been in terminal decline for decades. Many years ago, they had divisions that sold cars under a particular price range; i.e., Chevrolets were the cheapest, Pontiac was more expensive, then Oldsmobile, Buick, and lastly Cadillac. Each division sold ONE unique model, and there were many body styles, colors, and trim levels to suit the needs and desires of the buyer. Finally, they started building cars that were all the same except for the grille and nameplate, and even the engines were the same. That started that back in the ’70’s when they were sneaking Chevrolet engines into Oldsmobiles and not telling the buyer. They also built many MANY unique models, each with reliability problems due to their uniqueness, and now there’s only one body style- a damned four door, which will be loaded to the max with luxuries at luxury prices, and it will be white, gray, or silver. No wonder people aren’t excited about cars anymore.
GM has been a piece of shit company way before Barry (fairy – first fag president) O. gave it to the UAW. They never worried about quality or sound engineering. BTW, the current Silverado has major transmission problems in their V8 powertrain system.
Now, the prices have to go up to cover their UAW -moron pensions and other ‘benefits’ – because they did not face the music in 2007-just like the US economy did not address the fundamental fiscal and monetary issues that caused the 2008 collapse!
They have a dumb cunt female CEO that just closed Lordstown – the largest complex in all of US GM ops. And building a robust-designed, reliable vehicle that the market desires IS THE FURTHER THING FROM THIS BITCH’S LITTLE MIND!
Yeah, the other day the bitch was bragging about how the Hummer will return as an electric 4X4. The guy who was putting down the new flooring in my living room laughed when I showed him the news article. He said, ” What in the hell are you supposed to do if you’re out in the middle of nowhere and the batteries go dead?” Yes, that company is a zombie company. They should instead be figuring out how to build and sell a Chevrolet for $10,000 that people would actually want.
A man in a cowboy hat on a dirt road in a Ford pickup means that he lives around there somewhere. A man in a Dodge pickup probably means he’s got too many mouths to feed (kids or cattle-they’re both ‘spensive to feed) to afford a Ford. A man in a Chevy pickup is likely a man that wants a pickup but is worried he might look like a country-folk in a Ford, so he bought a Chevy. Ask the guys that flip diesel pickups for extra cash. A 10 y/o Ford can be refurbed and upgraded for a good profit. You got a 10 y/o Dodge or Chevy and there’s not enough of it left to be able to fix it up and sell it for a profit. PS-a young man in a Dodge with a Cummins probably means he’s going to be buying a new transmission pretty soon.
Well, in my own experience, I beg to differ. I bought my 2001 Dodge Ram new and still have it. 200K mileage, no major repairs, just routine service. I have hauled dirt loads, worked it on my farm, towed a 21′ bass boat for years, and basically never babied it – it just keeps on going. That old 318 engine keeps on ticking. None of my friends with other trucks still have them, either by personal preference, accidents, or failure. Those old diesel Fords are real sweet though if you can find one.
Well, in my own experience, I beg to differ. I bought my 1987 Dodge Ram when it was only 20 yrs old and still have it. 200K mileage, no major repairs, just routine service… and no rust. I have hauled dirt loads, manure, firewood, animals and worked it on my farm, towed a 21′ open bow boat for years, and basically never babied it – it just keeps on going. That old 318 engine keeps on ticking. My wife yes, my kids maybe, my Dodge…NEVER!!!
Join the discussion…
only the automatics both my 5 and 6 spd manuals are over 400,ooo miles
Does this mean another bail-out soon?
And just a tip: Chevy . . . stop building ugly trucks. Silverado = second ugliest truck ever built . . . AFTER the Nissan XD. Company fixed.
I swear, America has forgot what a pickup truck is for. It ain’t for driving the family to Applebees or using it daily to commute to your high-rise office job. That’s what a sedan or SUV is for. The purpose of a pickup is to haul stuff. Usually big, heavy stuff. Hence a pickup needs a strong engine, not a 4-cyclinder compact car engine, a long-bed that can hold a sheet of plywood laying flat, and beefy suspension that doesn’t flinch when you put a yard and a half of gravel in the back. A consumer today has a difficult time even finding a new pickup that can do these basic tasks.
I purchased 4 pickups in my life and my last one was a T-100 in 1995. 6 cylinders, 2 doors, 8-foot bed, and no A/C. I still use it on weekends and it runs great. I hope I die before it does because I never want to have to buy a new pickup in this day and age.
To get semi-decent cars again fire all the white collar staff and sell all of Chevy/GM to Tata.
ill bet 10 grand during the coming depression that orangeman pulls a bathhouse barry and bails gm out with 10s of billions. again.
on a side note, every globohomo corporation seems to bend over backwards to market to people who dont buy their products anyway. curious and curious-er.