The automotive section of the newspaper thursday showed official prices for the '03 Buick Regal GS versus the '02. The '02 was $27,000 including ABS, drivers side door airbag (no passenger) and some other goodies. For '03 they make ABS an $895.00 option, and the side impact airbags are now a $350.00 option. To get the Regal equipped exactly the same for '03, you pay $29,000. Next thing you know, they'll want to make headlights an option. Call it the "nightdrive system".

 

LOL, fastball....good post. GM really are being bastards about this.

 

what they should do is kill off all the crap rebadged brands

 

I drive a Chevy

GM has some problems and it's got to sort them out. I don't blame GM for taking ABS off the Cavalier and Sunfire and those lesser models. I'm in construction/design... if you build a house with bad framing, you can't just reinforce it, you have to tear it out and repalce it. GM is doing that, tearing out all its old platforms and engines with the new Theta, Sigma, Epsilon, Lambda, and Delta platforms and Ecotec I4s, HighFeature V6s, and Northstar and Displacement on Demand V8s. Bob Lutz knows what's he's doing... in a few years I wouldn't be suprised to see a serious Accord and Civic competitor from GM. It won't be as good tho

 

It's not the features and gizzmos and gadgets that I want in a care, anyway. I'll take an American car first IF they can make the engine vibration free, if the body panel gaps are seamless, if the stitching and carpet are uniform and consistant, and if all the plastics and interior parts are high quality and fit perfectly. They have yet to do that, and if they haven't learned yet, I doubt they ever will. It would cost too much money to do a complete retool, redesign, and reorganization of all the factories and design plants.

 

Yeah, it's called the "Screw You Summer Sales Event" :rofl:

But I'm sure people will still buy them and insist that they are the best cars in the world.

In all honesty, Cavaliers are nice looking and decent point A to point B car. I especially like the look of a 2002 Yellow Cavalier; I know a guy who has one and it's pretty sweet looking. But, they're cheap. If you drive like a regular person, you probably wont have any big problems, just little things like the black plastic mirrors oxidizing. But if you try to have fun with the car (ie drive it like it's a sports car), it's going to fall apart. The Z24 model isn't a sports car either, it's just an econobox with a big engine, and it'll fall apart just like a regular model. I've seen several big problems with them that were undoubtedly caused by being driven hard. I even know a Z24 guy that's on his 3rd engine, and there's only 48k miles on his car!

 

I guess this is how GM plans to make up for the losses in financing they are going to receive over the next couple of years. After offering anyone and everyone with a pulse 0% financing they need a new way to make money.

This is what I love about Honda...there is litterally no options to their cars. Take an 02 EX V6 Accord...what options does it have? Floor mats, spoiler, mudflaps...everything is standard on it!

 

Point One:

Who else was offering standard ABS on EVERY SINGLE CAR THEY MADE for the last 5 years or so?

Point Two:

This is definitely to make up for the losses with the 0% financing and $2000 rebates. Can't give away money forever.

 

If they cant handle offering the 0% they should stop doing it. $2000 in rebates, then adding the options back on is more complicated, and dumb.

 

Yes, but soon, everyone ELSE is going to have ABS standard on all cars, and GM looses the cat and mouse game again.