For all you that are bagging on GM, do you actually own a GM car? I'll readily admit that in the 70's and 80's, American car makers got complacent. However, from any mechanic I've ever spoken with recently, they all tell me that there are no unreliably built cars any more. I've owned GM's and I've owner almost every other brand as well, and have been very happy with my GM's. Personally, I think a Buick is the car to own (although I don't at the moment). You can buy them a year old, for half price and get half that money back in two years. It'll cost ya' three grand a year or less total for a good quality, loaded up car, that's under warranty for the most part.
I recently traded in my bigger SUV for a Chevy Equinox. It's fully loaded and looks almost identical to the Lexus crossover. I can assure you I'll spend much less than that Lexus owner over the life of the vehicle.
I turned in my last GM car in 2006. I had owned FIVE NEW ones in a 20 year period. Here's the carnage:
1989 Grand Am - Tranny went at 41,000 miles. Head gasket problems, rattles everywhere.......
1993 Bonneville SSEi - Supercharger went at 20,000 miles. Heads-up display went at 34,000 miles. Other than that, it was a nice car.
1996 Pontiac Grand Prix - tranny went at 27,000 miles, 3 MONTHS after warranty. If I wouldn't have been in the business, Pontiac would have made me pay for everything, as it was I was out $700.
2000 Chevy Malibu - I can't even list all the problems I had with that.....
2003 Buick Rendevous - Probably the best GM car I owned, although the gas pedal detached while I was driving on the interstate, and the brake fluid reservoir failed while I was 500 miles from home, which pissed me off. Try getting a car fixed on a Saturday night in a strange town..........
The reason I owned a lot of GM cars was I worked at GM dealers, and DW and I used to build up our GM card rebates so we would have money to put down............
When the Rendevous was up on lease, I bought an off-lease 2003 Honda Accord with 34,000 miles. I just hit 80,000, and the only thing that I had to replace (other than tires and wiper blades) was the rear brakes (at 72,000 miles), not bad at all.
My buddy sold me his one-year old Honda Odyssey with 18,000 miles for a wholesale price. I have not had ONE problem with the Hondas, so I am now all Honda all the time. I still have $2800 on a GM card rebate to use, but GM has a LOT to prove to me before that happens. If the THREE YEAR reliability on the Malibus turns out well, maybe then.........
I am SURE there are MILLIONS of former GM car owners that have done as I have, which is sad for GM.............