Friday will be the last day of production as Chrysler shuts down for 30 days — citing lack of available consumer credit.
Transportation & Infrastructure
GM Hooks Up With Midwest Credit Unions To Offer Low-Interest Car Loans
By 12.12.08
GM announced a deal with 1,200 credit unions in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio to make $10 billion in low-interest car loans available to shoppers.
Auto Bailout Passes House, But May Get Stuck In The Senate
By 12.11.08
The Auto Bailout Bill passed House yesterday, but is expected to encounter strong Republican resistance in the Senate.
POLL: GM Sorry It Disappointed You, Do You Forgive Them?
By 12.10.08
General Motors took out an advertisement apologizing for “disappointing” consumers on Monday, asking your forgiveness for years of incompetance. Do you forgive them?
Careful: Lean Cuisine May Contain Random Pieces Of Plastic
By 12.5.08
She contacted Nestle, the company that makes Lean Cuisine, and they offered her some coupons for more Lean Cuisine. She’s understandably reluctant and would prefer a refund.
Auto Makers Going Out Of Business, But Still Have Enough Money To Lobby Congress
By 12.5.08
CBSNews is reporting that while, at this very moment, the big three auto bosses are testifying in front of the House Financial Services Committee (watch this now at CSPAN, if you like.) about how they need emergency bridge loans in order to continue functioning — they still apparently have enough money to continue to spend millions lobbying our government.
Consumers Don't Think Saving The Auto Industry Would Help The Economy
By 12.3.08
A majority, 61% of Americans are not in favor of bailing out the auto industry, says CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll. Ford, Chrysler and GM have requested up to $34 billion dollars in emergency loans, but a majority of Americans polled thought that bailing out the automakers wouldn’t help the economy.
Auto CEOs Promise To Ditch The Private Jets And Drive To Washington
By 12.3.08
The big three auto CEOs Bob “Big Bob” Nardelli, Alan “Leavin’ On A Jet Plane” Mulally, and our personal favorite Rick “The Station” Wagoner are apparently going to drive to Washington to beg for your money. Previously, they all flew on private jets.
Steve & Barry Auto Industry Fail Shirts On Sale
By 12.3.08
Steve & Barry’s is in Bankruptcy, and the Big 3…
GM Begs For $12 Billion, May Sacrifice Saturn, Pontiac, Saab
By 12.2.08
GM desperately wants an invite to the bailout party — and has submitted a request for $12 billion dollars. In return, GM will attempt to return to profitability by “explor[ing] alternatives for the Saturn brand,” as well as cutting “product offerings” at Pontiac.
Saved By Zero Will Apparently Kill You
By 11.21.08
Some bored people who hate that Saved By Zero commercial as much as you do have mashed it into a trailer for The Ring. Hooray.
Welcome To The Island Of Misfit Luxury Imports…
By 11.20.08
If you’re looking for a photograph to illustrate how our economy has changed over the past few months, take a look at this. No, that’s not a parking lot in a town where everyone has the same taste. It’s the Port of Long Beach, where “thousands of cars worth tens of millions of dollars are being warehoused,” unwanted by the dealers who used to sell them. They’re imports — Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, and Nissan orphans.
Auto CEOs Flew Private Jets To Washington To Ask For Your Tax Money
By 11.19.08
ABCNews says that the big three auto CEOs “flew to the nation’s capital yesterday in private luxurious jets to make their case to Washington that the auto industry is running out of cash and needs $25 billion in taxpayer money to avoid bankruptcy.”
GM Shares At 66 Year Low, But You Can Get Some For Free!
By 11.19.08
Hey, here’s a new and exciting deal. Buy a car; get 100 shares of GM stock. “Join us in jump starting America,” says the sales pitch. Unfortunately, GM’s shares are trading at 66 year low today as a bailout looks doubtful.
Lean Cuisine Recalls Chicken Meals For Containing Plastic Pieces
By 11.19.08
Lean Cuisine is recalling 900,000 pounds of its entrees after “several consumers” reported finding blue plastic in the product. If you have the Pesto Chicken with Bow Tie Pasta, the Chicken Mediterranean or the Chicken Tuscan varieties, here are the UPC and production codes of the affected batches.
GM's Prez Begs Customers To Plead On GM's Behalf
By 11.18.08
Consumerist reader Darkrose writes, “I just got this in my e-mail. Thought you guys might be interested in it.” In the email, GM’s president Troy Clarke is in high PR mode, pointing out the grave consequences and emphasizing that GM wants not “a bailout but rather a loan that will be repaid.” We thought other readers who aren’t GM customers would find it interesting.
GM Almost Out Of Cash, Looks To Washington For Bailout
By 11.7.08
GM is running out of money and may not have enough cash to continue running its business. They’ve burned through $6.8 billion in the last quarter and will exhaust their reserves by the end of 2008 without government intervention or a significant increase in auto sales. Which sounds more likely to you?
