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GM Test Track VIP Lounge article
- Thread starter TheDScoop
- Start date
ClemsonTigger
Naturally Grumpy
No kidding. Aside from dated and poorly performing product, all GM profits are going to the bloated union pensions for tons of workers out there. The next major action will probably be to address (reduce) that bleeding.
DisneyCane
Well-Known Member
Just a few notes regarding fuel economy and technology........
1) At this time, hydrogen power is completely pointless. Hydrogen needs to be MADE out of something. It takes energy to make it. Until somebody can figure out a way to make extremely large quantities of Hydrogen with solar energy (existing solar cells are not efficient enough unless we cover half the world with them) or we start producing a lot more nuclear energy (and use that to make hydrogen) it is pointless and LESS efficient than burning fossil fuels.
2) Hybrids are NOT the holy grail of fuel economy. In terms of highway milage, cars like the prius and the insight would get better economy without the weight of the electric motor and batteries to haul around. Hybrids increase milage in stop and go driving due to the regenerative breaking and that's pretty much it. Cars as small and light as the insight would get around 40 mpg city if they were conventional. Hybrids are certainly not worth their cost (vs. the non-hybrid of the same car) in gas savings. I don't know what it is called but there is a small diesel car in europe that gets 95 mpg and it's not hybrid.
3) The two biggest contributors to fuel economy are weight (really drives city milage) and aerodynamics (a large contributor to highway milage, weight plays a role here too). A smaller car will not only weigh less but it will have lower aerodynamic drag. So, it's a trade-off. If you want an efficient car, it will have to be small. If you want (or need) a large car or truck it won't be.
4) Finally, as somebody else says, a big contributor to fuel economy is the way you drive.
Back to the subject of this thread.........
GM's Test Track showroom is definitely worth it. Because of it, I currently own an Avalanche instead of an F-150. When my last F-150 came off lease, I was going to get another one. After riding Test Track a few years ago, my fiance and I saw the Avalanche. We really liked it and decided to get one. If it wasn't for that ride, I wouldn't have even considered it.
1) At this time, hydrogen power is completely pointless. Hydrogen needs to be MADE out of something. It takes energy to make it. Until somebody can figure out a way to make extremely large quantities of Hydrogen with solar energy (existing solar cells are not efficient enough unless we cover half the world with them) or we start producing a lot more nuclear energy (and use that to make hydrogen) it is pointless and LESS efficient than burning fossil fuels.
2) Hybrids are NOT the holy grail of fuel economy. In terms of highway milage, cars like the prius and the insight would get better economy without the weight of the electric motor and batteries to haul around. Hybrids increase milage in stop and go driving due to the regenerative breaking and that's pretty much it. Cars as small and light as the insight would get around 40 mpg city if they were conventional. Hybrids are certainly not worth their cost (vs. the non-hybrid of the same car) in gas savings. I don't know what it is called but there is a small diesel car in europe that gets 95 mpg and it's not hybrid.
3) The two biggest contributors to fuel economy are weight (really drives city milage) and aerodynamics (a large contributor to highway milage, weight plays a role here too). A smaller car will not only weigh less but it will have lower aerodynamic drag. So, it's a trade-off. If you want an efficient car, it will have to be small. If you want (or need) a large car or truck it won't be.
4) Finally, as somebody else says, a big contributor to fuel economy is the way you drive.
Back to the subject of this thread.........
GM's Test Track showroom is definitely worth it. Because of it, I currently own an Avalanche instead of an F-150. When my last F-150 came off lease, I was going to get another one. After riding Test Track a few years ago, my fiance and I saw the Avalanche. We really liked it and decided to get one. If it wasn't for that ride, I wouldn't have even considered it.
First, Test Track is popular because people aged 4 to 70 can ride it and enjoy it, much like soaring. Its not a niched ride like many of Disney's rides currently. My 3 year old daughter loves it, as do my wife and myself.
Second, its not GM's cars or its sales that are causing GM's problems, its the wages paid to its union members(they make about twice what the foreign competition pays), retirement costs, and health care costs(GM employees pay about 1/4 the average in health care that the rest of the U.S. pay). If no one noticed, the union recently agreed to across the board changes in health care benefits because even they realize they are getting too much of the pie. Look for additional concessions down the road from the union as well.
Second, its not GM's cars or its sales that are causing GM's problems, its the wages paid to its union members(they make about twice what the foreign competition pays), retirement costs, and health care costs(GM employees pay about 1/4 the average in health care that the rest of the U.S. pay). If no one noticed, the union recently agreed to across the board changes in health care benefits because even they realize they are getting too much of the pie. Look for additional concessions down the road from the union as well.
socalkdg said:
While I agree with your points regarding labor, they still have a penchant for making their mass market cars undesirable without massive rebates/discounts. If they could make a mass market car as desirable as the Camry or Accord, then they could get away with higher labor costs.
