GM is closing plants, Tacoma Future?

Most people are overreacting over gas prices. Anyone notice how oil went down AGAIN today and is now $124/barrel from a high two weeks ago of $135? Bet you won't see that on the evening news though it's still too early to tell if it will continue.

GM's problem is, like Ford, they've relied too heavily on trucks and SUV's. Toyota doesn't have that problem because the majority of their sales are from smaller vehicles. No, neither the Tacoma or the Tundra are "doomed" because, as mentioned, people will still need trucks.

Ethanol is a horrible idea for a fuel source. Great idea, lets use the food supply to make fuel. Now we have two problems: high fuel prices and high food prices. Real smart.

 

Here's the alternative!

 

Maybe not ....but seems to be the most popular, at least in Canada. I've heard recently that there is more oil in the ground then we can ever use.
Its all controlled by Gov's both US and Canadian and whoever else they cowtow to,who are controlled by big oil, who find every excuse on the frickin' planet to gouge the shit of the private citizen, you and I.
Its in the name of the almighty dollar...be it the American greenback or the canadian "loonie'.......nuffsaid.

 

Companies are in business to make money for their owners, i.e. shareholders. Did you know that 40% of oil company stock is owned by folks like myself via retirement plan investments? That's how a free market economy works. If you choose not to participate in it, you don't have to.

You're right, there IS more oil in the ground in North America than we could probably ever use. I will agree that our Congress is pathetic in that they do not allow a lot of the oil to be drilled domestically. That's what happens when you're in bed with the new communist party (environmentalists/greens).

HOWEVER, there's this: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=ayj1uo_gdNI4 Can you imagine, more oil than Saudi Arabia and it needs less refining? HOLY CRAP, GET MOVING!

 

lones, liers, and stupoidest...
love the grammar and spelling here, or is it hear, can't remember which is rite!

 

Wilsonthe dog...I agree 100%. Git R Done....boys!. Thats an interesting article...bit long but I'll get thru it!!
I can't figger why our gov's,whether yours or mine, have to rely foreign oil or foreign anything for that matter..(geez we r driving toyotas) when we apparently have enough in our own countries to supply us.

 

Spelling and grammar insults are weak at best.

And you forgot to capitalize the "l" in love.

 

Sometimes I wonder if maybe there's a silver lining to importing oil. In the long, long run we may tap out the knuckleheads who supply us now, and then turn to our own untapped resources (i.e., the field referred to in the article, the North Slope of Alaska, offshore drilling in California, and wells in the deepest waters of the Gulf of Mexico).

I know it doesn't help you or me right now, but maybe our grandkids will be in the catbird seat and all the [fill in your own epithet here]'s will be begging us for oil; and coal.

I know it's a little far fetched, but the thought of it being remotely possible keeps me from getting PO'd at the way other countries mess with us over oil.

 

The biggest thing about the whole deal that irritates me is that for years the Detroit 3 and the UAW have preached, "Buy American!" claiming that it saves U.S. jobs.
I live about 12 miles north of GM's Janesville plant and a few years back the state spent a bunch of money upgrading and modernizing that plant so that GM would keep it open.
Now that sales of big trucks and SUVs are down, GM merely wants to shut the plant down and doesnt seem to want to even consider building something else there. I was watching about it on the news tonight and they said that the union brought up the idea of GM retooling the plant and maybe building small cars in Janesville, but GM told them that they would consider it, but that it was highly unlikely that it would actually happen. Its like the used their American workers and when it was no longer convenient for GM, there left them out in the cold. I wouldnt be at all surprised if you saw a big anti-GM backlash after the plant closes. I hope people remember that GM used them and then left them out in the cold and that they think about that when it comes time to replace whatever vehicle they are driving now.
So much for the notion that buying American saves U.S. jobs...

 

I tell you it's SO sad to see the way the big three did us in. Why are we in this forum-WE AINT SHEEPLE! My own Mother swears by Chevy even though they overcharged the HELL out of her for her s-10 pikup and it's a POS gutless wonder. I finally got tired of spending nuthin but MONEY fixing cars and when I made the switch suddenly the bank account started to GROW AND GROW! These vehicles pay you back over time. I feel so sad to have to feel this way as I love America and I wish OUR cars and trucks were the undeniable BEST.

 

Here's my take on gas mileage.

I was looking for a WRX before I bought my Taco. Sure, EPA numbers aren't bad...high 20s for it. Premium fuel. But...the way that I would drive it, it would more likely be low 20s. Using premium fuel. With the Taco, I drive it fairly easily (once I hit around 35mph I'm in 5th.) If I had a WRX, you can guarantee that at 35mph, more often that not I would be in 1st or 2nd. Don't take into consideration JUST tested numbers, also take into consideration how you are going to drive it. It would have more than likely cost MORE per mile to drive a WRX compared to my Tacoma.

 

Is starten a sentsen with "and" alwowed in sentsen structur rules??

 

Interesting. Seems I'm in agreement with Mr Hall and George Soros. Soros, I can't BELIEVE I agree with a turd like Soros but he's saying the same thing I am about the bubble bursting. That's probably the ONLY time you'll ever see that happen.

A lot of great points here. Turbonium, that's a valid argument against drilling our own that I really don't have an answer for. Saving our oil and draining everyone else dry is a great idea but the only thought I really have on that is that technology will advance as it always does and I doubt very much we'll be driving petroleum powered vehicles 50-100 years from now. So, I say drill at least some now and stop relying on foreign oil so much.

Ridgerunner, I couldn't agree more. My '99 Explorer was the last straw for me and I had to leave Ford after all those years. My first new car was an '89 Escort GT and I almost exclusively bought Fords after that. It's just a shame that none of the domestics offer anything that's attractive to me.

 

I work in the alternative energy field. Whether you or others like EtOH and other alcohols as fuels is irrelevant. There is no almighty solution. In the next couple of decades, we will be blending more and more alcohols into gasoline, alcohols produced by corn, but also a number of other raw materials.

 

I got 25 MPG from my last tank of gas in my 6Cyl Taco Double Cab. Gas prices are a scam. The oil companies are making hundreds of billions of dollars a year.

How many of you know that corn for fuel is not even close to the one plant that could provide all of our energy needs? There is a plant that could provide all of our energy utilizing only 6% of our agricultural land. We don't need middle east oil at all, and our farms could become profitable and no longer need subsidizing. Our soldiers are dying for corperate greed, not for oil. Everything that is made from petroleum can be made from a plant, and our government knows this, but they don't want you to know. There is a man who has written a book about this, and he has offered $500,000 if you can prove him wrong. http://www.jackherer.com/

Later,

Allan Greenblazer

 

thats hilarious, i completely forgot about that episode!

 

I read a report late last year which said that Toyota was going to be offering hybrid versions of every vehicle it produces by 2012. I don't know whether that is true or not, but it makes a lot of sense. I doubt that oil prices will crash again, not in our lifetimes, barring some sort of global catastrophe which basically shuts down the world's economy. There will certainly be adjustments, prices will rise and fall, but the overall trend will be upward.

As far as the Tundra is concerned, the statement that "there will always be a market for full-sized trucks" may contain some truth, but where is the limit? Ten years ago a "full-sized truck" was about 2/3 the size that they are today. Why does stuff keep getting bigger? Same with the Taco, it's now about the size that the Tundra and its predecessor, the T100, used to be. How big a truck does a guy need? I see a lot of monster trucks running around here, they have been very popular for years in the West, and I'd comment that very few are used as true "work trucks". Of the ones I might see on a given day, 90% are running around empty, with just the driver. Pretty expensive and wasteful way to commute, go to the grocery-store and run errands if you ask me. I, personally, will welcome the ultimate extinction of the SUV and the downsizing of the "full-sized truck" that we will see over the next five years.

 

An option for a Diesel engine in a Tacoma would be nice for starters. A Tacoma with a Diesel would be a perfect fit. Small Diesel Pickups are common outside of the US - why not here?

I get just under 20mpg with my 07 Tacoma (V6/Auto/Double Cab/Short Bed). I drive sensibly and watch my acceleration and deceleration. It is pretty hard to live in South FL without using the A/C, so I am sure I could improve the mileage a little if I were to turn t off more often.

I see Toyota using some of the technology that they have in the Prius on all of their vehicles in the near future. I have driven Prius rental cars in the past and I was pleasantly surprised and impressed with the technology.