GM's China sales pass US for first time in history

General Motors Co. sold more cars and trucks in China last year than it did in the U.S., for the first time in the company's 102-year history.

Source

So....

You tell me: What's happening when we're selling more US branded vehicles in China than the US?

Even taking into consideration the population difference and that of the average wage, there still seems to be something wrong.

I know that we want to sell overseas, but something about this just stinks, but I just can't put my finger on it...

Your thoughts...?

reply to post by billybobh3


Well, I think the world is upside down, back to front, and inside out..

Sorry but that is my best assessment of the situation..

I learnt from Slayer on here that MG Rover are part of the same overall group, and I can not help but wonder how long it'll be before you'll see GM autos sold in the US that have been manufactured in China but bolted together in the US..

It seems that is the sad direction these things take

So basically what you're saying is..

That in the midst of the greatest recession your country has ever seen.. You are pissed at the fact that you guys are selling more and more American made cars to China.

China has 1 point something billion people.. And a middle class of 300 million approx. That is the population of the US give or take..

How is there something bad about this?

Could be due to the recession.
I dont' know.
Might have something to do with it.

Also there is alot of competition for car dollars here in the usa.

I thik its because in china, they work for much muchless money. that in retrun, would increase GM's profit margins. more money for them. technically, thats cheating, since they layed off thier wrokers and sold out too a foreign country so the CEO can make his million dollars in bonus's. besides, ive read nothing but bad stuff about GM;s, mostly thier trasnmissions. they cheaped out on a simple rubber seal, costing about $7.00, to a plastic seal, for $5.00 to save costs, and transmissions were falling apart and dying around 75,000 miles... thats bull.
Ford seems to have gone the same direction as well. In china, they arnt as automobile knowledgable as we are..meaning the vast majorty dont know how to learn or fix a car, get down n dirty, as i would or maybe even you or me. so of course, im sure GM benefits from that too...the people think the car is no good when something happens, rather than learning and going by trial and error.

reply to post by billybobh3


Good! About time we started sending them our crap instead of vice versa!

GM should have been allowed to fail. There new commercials claiming to have paid there debt back early should be criminal, because they paid their loans back with newer, bigger loans!!

I have had the unfortunate experience of owning a couple of GMs and I don't recommend it.

I am a big Honda fan, Ford has won me over lately by their savvy business practice, and believe it or not Kia has become a top notch manufacturer.

Yeah ive heard kias have come a LONG way now, in a good way. im more than basically mechanically inclined, and do love reading and learning about cars, for the past 20 years. Hondas are the way to go..they rarely ever break down from design flaws, economical as well. they are pricey though. 2nd wouldd DEF be toyotas. american car manufacturers just never caught up with japanese engineering probably what kept them in busineess..car breaks down, go to dealer aka steelership* charge you an arm and a leg literally for simple oil changes as an example. you always pay way more at the dealership.

reply to post by billybobh3


The world is ruled by consumption power, and eventually china will have the most power, more than the US and Europe combined.. personal wealth is increasing at an amazing rate over there.

The downside to chinese gm sales?

All those cars are manufactured in... china.. we get the corporate income tax, but with the loopholes its honestly miniscule..

Corporations will soon market for the Chinese and keep Americans as an after thought, our economy will eventually be over taken by the Chinese, within my life time I presume.

Though.. a world power has never simply been replaced, it either collapsed internally or took every one down with them..

reply to post by Rockpuck


Ya, but at least those cheaply manufactured, plastic, rattle traps that China is churning out get to stay in China now!

Sure, it would be much better if we made them here and shipped them there. Better yet, we could make them here, correctly, with good ol' American pride and ingenuity, and then keep them here. That would be a huge improvement.

As long as they are buying their own crap for now, I am a little happier.

reply to post by getreadyalready


Yes.. gms suck. But we shipped them nothing, it was all produced in china, and we make very little in the way of taxes.. unless you're a share holder, its neither good nor bad news.

I own a scion (toyota), very well made for the price. I had a ford (2001) and a chevy (1996) both crap. I currently also own a dodge and its slowly falling apart, I've only had it a year.. ill be trading it in soon before it literally falls apart on the highway.. shoulda learned the first time, American cars suck.

reply to post by Rockpuck


If you have to buy American, get the top notch ones. Ford has a "SVT" team. They make the signature cars, and they are very well done. Ford F-250 and up are great. If you must have a Mustang, get a Cobra, if you must have a Taurus, get the SVT version.

GM has something similar, I don't remember their name for it, but they make the bigger GMC Sierras and the elite versions of the Corvette and Cameros.

Never settle for the production line American cars. Sad but true.

reply to post by getreadyalready


That's the problem with american ....... anything actually.. everything is vastly inferior unless you pay for the "upgraded version".. cars for instance the base model honda, kia, toyota (like my scion that even after options was only 17k) are all very solid cars..

Ford is doing much, much better.. we had an old focus (garbage) but the new ones are very nice.


Gm .. still garbage.

Unless you buy a truck, which will be very expensive and use a ton of gas.

Have you sat in ford luxury F250 model? On of the most luxurious cars, let alone trucks, I've ever been in .. not bd for 58k.. sarcasm..

But after all the hell I've been through with american cars, ill never buy one again. I view 20k+ as a lot of money, I expect a lot for my money.. american companies, even outside autos.. better get used to more and more people wanting a lot for their money. No more garbage now or premium for an added fortune.

reply to post by Rockpuck


i have a 95 plymouth neon. a dodge car. bought it in 2000 form a subaru dealer with only 34,000 miles on it. since then, have got it up too about 180,000. been through 4 headgasket jobs! chrysler didnt realize back then, an iron cast body with an aluminum cylibnder head dont like eachother..hence forth the headgasket problems with neons. they do have extremely tough trasnmission though! many neons have been known for thier trasnmissions to lat well over 270,000 miles with or without service. so thats one good thing chrysler incorporated into the car. its rated at 34 MGP as well. but in general, most dodges..thiers nothing special about them.
i never had a chevy, but have always wanted one. dont think thier worth it these days. maybe if it was a pre 1979 chevy yeah...they were made to last. ford..they went downhill when the taurus line came out. i knew a few who had the taurus wagons, late 90's.. tranmission failed at like 75,000 miles, then other mechanicl or electrical issues.

well since GM is in china now..let the chinese learn how terrible a line of cars n trucks they have what throws me off is..most people in china ride bikes, dont they? an economy thing they do* so i dont get how GM got so much in profiting in so short a time, if the majority is riding bicycles* unless they inflated the prices thier in china with that oh so famous buisness sloagan...'thier a sucker born every minute'