GM May Complete Saturn Shutdown by the End of March, Not October 2010 as Previously A

[Charlie]

A new feeditems entry has been added:

[drupal=3443]GM May Complete Saturn Shutdown by the End of March, Not October 2010 as Previously Announced[/drupal]

From AutoWeek: "All of our efforts will be to sell down our remaining 2009 inventory," Susan Docherty, GM's vice president of U.S. sales, said today at a press event. "We'll have a little bit of carryover of that into the first quarter of 2010, but the objective is to keep our inventory somewhere between 425,000 to 450,000 units." Docherty said she is confident that GM will clear out the 2009-model-year inventory by January. Meanwhile, the company likely will shutter its Pontiac and Saturn brands by the end of the first quarter, Docherty said.

[2NDSOUT]

Yeesh.

This sucks.

Well; at least there will be plenty of S-Series parts in JYs for me to pick up over the next couple of years, and the timeframe for S-Series parts isn't up until 2012.



GM is such a crock. As has been discussed on here; I really can't stand the way the company has basically run itself into the ground.

The only other Saturn I would consider buying now used would be another S-Series or a 2005 VUE...nothing past 2005.

Words escape me on GM...

[VUEmaniac]

Originally Posted by 2NDSOUT

Yeesh.

This sucks.

Yeah, but it's not like we haven't seen this coming for a long long time.

I wouldn't mind picking up a low-mileage 1st gen SC2 as a commuter beater.

[2NDSOUT]

Originally Posted by VUEmaniac

Yeah, but it's not like we haven't seen this coming for a long long time.

I wouldn't mind picking up a low-mileage 1st gen SC2 as a commuter beater.

I know....just that with the way GM has been operating lately; this announcement of closing 6 months before previously mentioned, is like adding salt to a fresh wound. It's like the final nail in the coffin that is already buried in the ground.

[saturn 51]

To bad for for those that bought our inventory

[Teh_Freak]

Originally Posted by saturn 51

To bad for for those that bought our inventory

Bahahahaha

[ttreibel]

Parts for the 3rd gen sl's and sc's should be available till 2017 which will be 15 years after the last model was produced. I own one of the last SL's it was made in July of 2002. I also own a 2006 Ion which I consider one of saturns last babies, and am hoping on keeping it running for several years to come. I will not miss the dealerships as I almost never went to one but I will miss the fresh blood that a good car line brings to the SFF.....

[eRic 02sc2]

in this weeks [November 23, 2009] Detroit Auto Scene, Docherty said "In terms of the wind-down of both Pontiac and Saturn, it's progressing very nicely"

[piney]

Maybe Penske will give it one last try.

[2NDSOUT]

Originally Posted by ttreibel

Parts for the 3rd gen sl's and sc's should be available till 2017 which will be 15 years after the last model was produced. I own one of the last SL's it was made in July of 2002. I also own a 2006 Ion which I consider one of saturns last babies, and am hoping on keeping it running for several years to come. I will not miss the dealerships as I almost never went to one but I will miss the fresh blood that a good car line brings to the SFF.....

Actually the federal mandate is that parts are still made available up to 10 years after the last model year. So in this case S-Series parts HAVE to be made available for sale until 2012; not 2017.

This is for ALL car manufacturers. Anytime a car is stopped from manufactuer; the parts have to be made available up to 10 years after the last model year was produced.

[John10]

Keep smiling while you spin this story, Susan Docherty. One day if your sales don't meet expectations they'll decide that you too are expendable and you'll walk the plank just like Cynthia, Annette and Jill did before you.

[2NDSOUT]

Originally Posted by John10

Keep smiling while you spin this story, Susan Docherty. One day if your sales don't meet expectations they'll decide that you too are expendable and you'll walk the plank just like Cynthia, Annette and Jill did before you.

Jill took early retirement.

[VUEmaniac]

Originally Posted by 2NDSOUT

Jill took early retirement.

Big no neck guy walks into Jill's office:

"Youze got a nice retirement there, Jill. Be a shame if something was to happen to it. Maybe it's time to retire."

[John10]

Originally Posted by 2NDSOUT

Jill took early retirement.

OK so they let her walk off the ship at some island rather than throw her off into shark infested waters. Either way, I doubt it was the career move she was contemplating up to a few months ago. Read about Jill's career and you'll find that she was a sales and marketing star just like Docherty is now. I'm sure Susan Docherty is smart enough to know she will get a limited time period in which to succeed with a marketing strategy that produces high sales figures or her time on board will be numbered. I wish her well, as should millions of other US taxpayers who have skin in this game.

[05SaturnRL]

Originally Posted by 2NDSOUT

Jill took early retirement.

In favor of not having a future position with GM

[teshika33]

Why does this not surprise me. The higher ups who make these decisions are the ones who need to go, not the Saturn brand. Volkswagen, here I come! I will never invest in any vehicle by GM again. That company is running themselves into the ground more and more.

[Kooler King]

Originally Posted by 2NDSOUT

Jill took early retirement.

They call it "early retirement" when forced-out and otherwise retirement eligible. Jill gets an extra financial incentive to retire early if she agrees to go "quietly" ... both parties then save face in the public eye.

[VUEmaniac]

Originally Posted by Kooler King

They call it "early retirement" when forced-out and otherwise retirement eligible. Jill gets an extra financial incentive to retire early if she agrees to go "quietly" ... both parties then save face in the public eye.

When you're an accomplice to gross mismanagement of a multi-billion dollar brand into the toilet, I guess saving that last shred of face is important.

A case study in why it might be better to hop off the gravy train early if you have no real authority to do your job.

Rick Wagoner also got off pretty easy considering that he actually had the authority and the stick when this plane was flown into the ground.

[Dutchman1954]

[QUOTE=Kooler King;1547231]They call it "early retirement" when forced-out and otherwise retirement eligible. Jill gets an extra financial incentive to retire early if she agrees to go "quietly" ... both parties then save face in the public eye.[/QUOT

I bet that there was a non compete clause with her "retirement" as well as the non disclousure clause aforementioned.

[VUEmaniac]

[QUOTE=Dutchman1954;1547249]

Originally Posted by Kooler King

They call it "early retirement" when forced-out and otherwise retirement eligible. Jill gets an extra financial incentive to retire early if she agrees to go "quietly" ... both parties then save face in the public eye.[/QUOT

I bet that there was a non compete clause with her "retirement" as well as the non disclousure clause aforementioned.

Non compete? Based on past performance, you'd think GM would pay a bonus if they'd run over and work for Toyota.