Maybe I'm just a little too skeptical, but GM's 60 day money back guarantee program is going to inspire a lot of "work the system" folks looking for a cheap rental car for a family vacation. Picture the Clark Griswold family headed to Wallyworld! Just keep it under 4,000 miles, don't spill ketchup or mustard, park way far away from everybody and we've got ourselves a brand new free rental car! Believe me, a lot of deviant minds will figure this out! Our dealership used to be next to Walmart when they had their "don't like it, just bring it back and we'll refund your money" program. We would be amazed during each change of season. In the fall you would see a line up of returned lawn mowers and bicycles. When spring came, snow blowers by the dozen were returned. Now granted, it is a minute percentage of the population who actually take advantage of such a situation, but it does indeed happen.
I agree with the GM message. GM now has a majority of their offerings that are excellent in quality, styling and reliability. They will more than hold their own in a "may the best car win" scenario despite what the media critics will lead you to believe. But come on now. Will the 60 day program really get non GM folks to consider purchasing a Chevy, Buick or Cadillac? Hardly. I just can't imagine a family sitting in front of the tv and this long, tall Texan comes on and makes the GM pitch for the 60 day money back plan causing Dad to say: "hey everyone, I know that we've been happy with our Camry, but let's run down to the Chevy store and pick up a Malibu. If we don't like it we can just bring it back!" The American consumer does a whole lot of research before considering a major purchase like a car. No one likes to think that they made a "wrong" decision. I can see the neighbors now. "Hey, Jeff, I thought you just bought a new Malibu a couple of months ago? What happened?" You'll have to spend an hour trying to justify why you made a mistake in purchasing a GM car.
So what would I do? Ditch the 60 day purchase plan and try this. How about a free car for a weekend? Instead of the long tall Texan, have some new Malibu owners talk about their car including what they used to drive and what lead them to purchase a new Chevy. Then make the invitation: "Folks, we know that it may have been some time since you considered a GM car. For some of you, it may have been an entire generation. At GM we understand that a lot of our products just didn't live up to your expectations. So here is what we'd like to offer. Do you have a trip to grandma's house next weekend? We'd like to offer you a new GM car of your choice to drive for the weekend with no strings attached. We think you'll be impressed. GM has come a long ways in the past 5 years. We had to because a lot of the competition had passed us by and many of you lost confidence in General Motors. We've changed for the better. Just give us a chance and we think that you'll agree."
That is my "if I ran the company" moment. I don't know about you, but I can't remember the last time that I brought something substantial like a refrigerator back to the store. Do you? Maybe it's an ego thing. None of us likes to feel that we made a mistake! I just have a bit of a credability issue with the GM chairman who has only been on the job a few months pitching products that I doubt he knows a whole lot about! I wonder if he actually drives to work or does he have a driver pick him up? CEO's don't have the trust of a whole lot of consumers lately, do they? My oh my how the auto industry has changed!
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