GM's MONEY BACK FREE VACATION RENTAL CAR PROGRAM! GET YOURS TODAY!

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!

The "Father of the Bride" wedding experience!

It all happened when I first saw the "new" version of Father of the Bride. My wife thought it would be a great family experience for me to watch the infamous Steve Martin movie since I have 3 daughters! I remember it like yesterday. My girls and I whipped up a batch of chocolate chip cookies (as it turned out, we ate all of the raw dough during the movie and never put any in the oven!) and headed upstairs to make it a family event. The girls were in grade school and weddings seemed decades away. Little did I know how much influence that movie would have on my "first" wedding which took place this August.
George Banks is the father of the bride who just goes nuts during the planning stages of his daughter's wedding. With a keen eye on the family budget, George can at best be called frugal, a trait that I admire! Thank goodness that I didn't have to deal with a "Franc", the professional wedding planner. I only had to deal with 2 older sisters of the bride. That's right, my baby girl was the first to get married.
I've always been a believer in the "OK fine" doctrine. In my house of 4 strong willed women, OK fine has been my mantra to avoid conflict. Why waste the energy voicing my opinion when in the end, the vote will always be 4 to 1. I did manage a major concession, though with tremedous reservations from the girls, my only request: I just wanted 2 minutes of my own when it came time for the traditional "who gives this woman?". I was granted my wish with orders that it must not be embarrassing or stupid. I didn't have a clue what I was going to say other than I knew it wouldn't be "her mother and I".
The wedding was outdoors at our home. As our yard was transformed into a beautiful setting, visions of George and the swans entered my head. As the day approached, I was still at a loss of what to due when my one and only part of the wedding was at hand. As my daughter got out of the limo, I looked at her, fought back the tears, and headed toward my one co-conspirator, my good friend who was performing the ceremony. I also got apprehensive looks from the 2 sisters who knew that their dad was capable of totally embarrassing the family.
My mind raced as the inevitable question was about to be asked, and when it came, I took a deep breath and had my "moment"! Instead of mumbling the usual 4 word phrase, I turned around and raised my arms like a revival preacher! As it turned out, at the precise moment I turn around a photo was snapped of the 2 sisters as they glanced at each other and rolled their eyes confirming that once again their dad was about to do something stupid. It was a beautiful sight to see every one's faces in the audience react to a father of the bride who was not going to give up his daughter with one meek little phrase and slither away to his seat.
I actually don't remember my whole 2 minute dissertation. I do like to think of myself as a humorous guy and I managed to get the audience laughing. I thought that I was really "rolling" with the crowd and had visions of blowing right past my 2 minute deadline. I knew that I had to "give my daughter's hand" to the man of her dreams, a position that I held in each of my daughter's lives for what now seemed like a far too short amount of time. The little girls that I always took grocery shopping, riding on Jet Skis and jumping on the trampoline thought that I was the greatest guy in the world. I was the number one male person in their lives! And though all of my girls had dropped me from number one years ago, until this very moment, I had held out hope that I was still their number one. I had to let my little girl go and at least in my best George Banks moment, I was doing it my way. I really was intending on a longer speech. The only person who knew that I stopped short was my wife. She heard the emotion in my voice and knew that tears were just about to flow. My mission was a success. The wedding was wonderful and the only fall out was from the 2 sisters. Negotiations for my 2 minutes when they get married seem to be in jeopardy. We'll see. George Banks, this one was for you!

Good Times with Family: PRICELESS

The ECONOMY. I never thought a topic could be more popular than the weather! The implosion of the auto and banking industries can put a scare into the most ardent optimist! What we've seen happen during these times at VanDerZee Motorplex is very heartening. When times are tough, we turn to our families and I think we actually come closer together! We see examples of this every day at the Motorplex. You see, we sell FUN STUFF! Our products are FAMILY FRIENDLY. Personal watercraft are a great example. It is exciting to see a family walk in and ask about a Jet Ski or a Waverunner. When we explain the evolution of personal watercraft in terms of versatility we see moms and teenagers eyes light up! Personal watercraft can now pull wake boarders, tubers and skiers with ease. If spins and 360's aren't for you, a 15 mph "day cruise" will allow you to drive in street clothes without getting wet! In the "old" days, it took patience to get a 2 stroke motor started and when it did the cloud of smoke was both disturbing and not very environmentally friendly. Today's 4 stroke personal watercraft are actually the cleanest ultra low emission engine on the water! Our Yamaha and Kawasaki watercraft also have "parental control"; the ability to reduce power by up to 30%! They are easy to start, 3 passengers can ride in comfort, and maintenance consists of putting gas in it and having a great time!
Sure, times are pretty tough right now but families give strength and a sense of well being that rises above any short term obstacles. I know that when I'm with my 3 daughters, my stress dissolves and the laughter is non stop. As our daughters were growing up, every Sunday was Jet Ski day. Sure, 5 or 10 extra kids came to the beach, but you know what? Our daughters wanted to hang with Mom and Dad. Like I said: Good times with your family: PRICELESS. I'm proud to say at VanDerZee Motorplex, WE SELL FUN STUFF!!

Chrysler and GM Dealers TERMINATED without so much as a valid reason!

The sad stories keep coming. Another family owned auto dealership is told via form letter or email that they are no longer wanted. It's over. You're done. You are not a part of the "new" company. If you've read the story of the Hobart, Indiana or the Mesa, Arizona dealerships it had to bring tears to your eyes. If not, google the stories. It is just outrageous that the government demanded that Chrysler and GM "cull" the heard. I'm a former General Motors dealer and I can ASSURE you that our dealership didn't cost GM a dime! We PAID for every mandatory program, computer, essential tool, communication system and any other arbitrary item the factory could come up with. Now the media is suggesting that cutting dealerships will save the automakers untold millions of dollars. Are you kidding me? The result is going to be a far LOWER SATISFACTION rating from consumers who have to travel further to get service on their vehicle. No Chrysler dealers in Kalamazoo or Holland? If I live in either of those cities, you'll soon find a Honda or a Toyota in my driveway. I will have supported a local dealer and I'll be confident in service after the sale. Great move GOVERNMENT MOTORS. The guys calling the shots just don't have a clue. To all of the hundreds of wrongly terminated dealerships throughout the US, those cities and clients will soon agree: You just don't know what's good 'til it's GONE! I'll be anxiously watching the market share of Chrysler and GM. Going down anyone?

Thanks for hiring me as CEO but I really don't know anything about cars!

Can you believe that the newly government appointed chairman of GENERAL MOTORS made that very statement? ARE YOU KIDDING ME!! Let's just go back just a few months ago: We were told by the president of GM, the Governor of Michigan and the President of the United States that a GM bankruptcy would be disastrous to the economy and it should not be a consideration. Billions were poured into GM in order to prevent the UNTHINKABLE BK. Well now, the billions didn't help and GM filed. Suddenly, this CLEANSING of GM into the "new/good" GM and the old "bad GM" will make everything hunky dory. The US and CANADIAN governments plus the UAW are all now in charge of what used to be the biggest company in the world. Remember the saying "What's good for GM is good for the country."
That brings us to the newly hired Chairman. This man ADMITS that he knows nothing about automobiles! He says a business is a business so it shouldn't be a big deal for him to call the shots. No big deal, right? Think about this: Would you feel confident if you were hospitalized and found out the CEO didn't know anything about health care? How about hiring a construction company whose CEO said "hey, a business is a business." I would really be confident if the President of a college where my child was considering paying tens of thousands of dollars to attend told parents, boy, I really don't have any experience in education, but I did run a public utility once! That's what the new GM chairman used to do! I never paid any attention to those crazy Holiday Inn Express commercials, but they're starting to make sense now! I guess he needs the job since his golden parachute was only 150 million from AT&T. If this is how our government is going to FIX General Motors, then you'd better set your watch by an AMTRAK train schedule. The same people that straightened out our trains are now going to fix our automobiles. I can't wait to hear about some senator that tells GM he has a great idea for a new car. This is going to get comical. My Dad was a GM dealer for over 20 years. I'm thankful he's not here to witness this mess!

They don't have a clue! Is GM Government Motors or Barak's Big Mess BBM?

What a colossal mess! General Motors became one of the most expensive bankruptcies in American history on Monday. After pouring billions of our money into GM since last fall and warning us that the B word would be devastating, we are now being told that this approach will create a "new" GM owned by the US, CANADA and the UAW! That means Chrysler and GM are owned by their union and the government. Well, it sure made AMTRAK the envy of public transportation didn't it? I may be wrong, but I don't think that Amtrak has ever been profitable and we all know how wonderful the service is! Petty politics have already entered the picture with Congressmen demanding that plants from the "old GM" be kept open in their respective districts irregardless of any type of analytical evaluation of the viability of the location. Can you imagine if a Congressman has a "can't miss" idea for a new car design? I have information from GM engineers that they can't make any product decisions without clearing it with treasury! You know that the folks at FORD are just jubilant! Ford has expressed concern that with the government running the competition the playing field may not be a level one. It is going to get very interesting.....
One thing that really bugs me from all of this is that Chrysler and GM advertising is now telling us how great the "new" companies are and everything is rosy once again. GM has many great vehicles available right now. Chrysler has virtually none and there aren't any on the horizon any time soon. Fiat can't have a car ready for sale in the US for at least 20 months so just how will that help? GM, on the other hand, has done nothing to earn the consumer's confidence. If they want to get folks back into the showrooms, some of which have stayed away for a whole generation, they should tell it like it is. GM should run ads that tell consumers: America, we apologize for our actions during past 15 years. During the 80's and 90's we built some pretty poor vehicles in terms of styling, quality and customer service. We fell in love with big trucks and sport utilities and each unit made us a lot of money. Our factories were cranking out Yukons and Tahoes like the golden goose. Our number one volume customers were the RENTAL companies. We gave them lower prices than even our dealers PLUS we agreed to buy all of them back after 6 months or a year of use. They could care less about styling or quality or resale value. We messed up so badly that now we have paid the ultimate price: bankruptcy.
The sad thing is that GM is building some world class vehicles right now. The Malibu, Vibe, CTS, Corvette, Camaro, Outlook, Lacrosse are some examples of what the GM design staff is capable of. What GM is ignoring, is the promise that GM dealerships must meet the most stringent service and business practice standards in the industry. Commit to the client who owns your product, GM. I don't think that this will ever happen. With the government calling the shots, client satisfaction will be at the bottom of corporate priorities. Have you driven a Ford lately??

Have auto makers kept pace with product improvements?

Well, it's official. The Feds announced a new nationwide fuel economy and emissions mandate for cars and trucks. While we certainly welcome vehicles that get better mileage, it made me wonder about just how eager the auto manufacturers have been to make it a reality. Virtually every product that we use evolves and improves over time. Here are some examples: the first computers that took up entire rooms and were as slow as a plow horse are now laptops. Cell phones. Remember the 5 pound milk carton that had a range of about 10 miles and the console models in cars? How much have they changed in 5 years? The television used to be a black and white 15 inch, tube blowing, temperamental monster. Today it's a flat screen mounted on the wall with a 50 inch screen! How much more efficient have home heating furnaces become? They are now smaller in size and use less fuel. Now let's take a look at the internal combustion engine. While it has certainly improved from the 1920's, it sure hasn't kept pace with its contemporary inventions has it? One could argue that fuel injection has really been the most outstanding improvement. Now don't get me wrong, between 1975 and 2005 auto emissions have improved by leaps and bounds. Did the brilliant folks that improved computers and cell phones have no counterparts in the auto industry? Makes you wonder, doesn't it? GM has developed one of the most dynamic new engines in decades. It is an all new design with nearly 35% fewer parts. It is a diesel V-8 that can deliver excellent fuel economy and meet the most stringent emission standards. In the US the word "diesel" does not equate with "normal". I read a comment from one of the lead engineers on the project. His hope was that his revolutionary design would be welcomed as a great ENGINE and not as just a low volume diesel. This engine was scheduled to go into production this year. In light of GM's financial problems and wonderful guidance from their new majority owner, the Government, the motor has been shelved! I'd like to hear from that design engineer today. Just makes me wonder what if??????