Detroit Three's lucrative pickup war intensifies as Ram makes big gains

[Electrical]

Of course he had to flog his own product. His job depends on it. Whether or not he believes his own BS is the real question. Most executives are, IMO, risk-avers strivers. They had a popular product and they're afraid to mess with it, so they try to convince themselves and everyone else their stuff is perfect the way it is. That's how competitors like RAM leapfrog the segment leaders.

So a jacka** like Piszar can brush aside his critics all he wants. I bought a RAM.

Whether or not he believes it is irrelevant... he wants YOU to believe it.

The only risk-averse executives are the ones on sinking ships. Intelligent risk-taking is/was the driver behind every major break-through and innovative product. No risk... no reward.

I also refer you to post #13. Tow the company line, by all means, but be smart about it.

 

[Snidely Whiplash]

Whether or not he believes it is irrelevant... he wants YOU to believe it.

The only risk-averse executives are the ones on sinking ships. Intelligent risk-taking is/was the driver behind every major break-through and innovative product. No risk... no reward.

I also refer you to post #13. Tow the company line, by all means, but be smart about it.

I don't disagree with your post. But the louder he "brushes aside his critics" the more desperate he sounds. So I don't think he's convincing anyone who isn't already a true believer.

I think it matters if HE believes his own bull because if he does- along with the decision makers at GM- he and they won't fix what they don't perceive to be broken. That kind of self-congratulatory group-think is a common feature of old, large bureaucracies like GM. Sadly, risk-takers are handily outnumbered by bean counters and turf-protectors.

I'm an unapologetic capitalist. I agree with the proposition no-risk, no reward. I don't see a lot of that in the redesigned GM twins, particularly in the interior- which is a complete face plant. I doubt even Piszar can ignore what is painfully obvious to everyone else.

The GM trucks aren't bad. They're capable and, AFAIK, well engineered and screwed together. They just aimed lower than the competition. Happily, I get to choose how to spend the money the gummit lets me keep. Wake me up when GM thinks like Mazda (or the designers/engineers/executives at RAM) and I'll gladly take another look. You know, after I've driven the wheels off this truck.

 

[Electrical]

I don't disagree with your post. But the louder he "brushes aside his critics" the more desperate he sounds. So I don't think he's convincing anyone who isn't already a true believer.

I think it matters if HE believes his own bull because if he does- along with the decision makers at GM- he and they won't fix what they don't perceive to be broken. That kind of self-congratulatory group-think is a common feature of old, large bureaucracies like GM. Sadly, risk-takers are handily outnumbered by bean counters and turf-protectors.

I'm an unapologetic capitalist. I agree with the proposition no-risk, no reward. I don't see a lot of that in the redesigned GM twins, particularly in the interior- which is a complete face plant. I doubt even Piszar can ignore what is painfully obvious to everyone else.

The GM trucks aren't bad. They're capable and, AFAIK, well engineered and screwed together. They just aimed lower than the competition. Happily, I get to choose how to spend the money the gummit lets me keep. Wake me up when GM thinks like Mazda (or the designers/engineers/executives at RAM) and I'll gladly take another look. You know, after I've driven the wheels off this truck.

Ah. Forgive me, I may not have fully appreciated your position earlier. Yes... you nailed it; if they don't know what a bad truck is, how could they know a good one.

I think the structure at GM is part of the problem. They don't have Brand Heads like Mopar. The Brand Heads at Mopar are dialed-in to specific products and champion those products internally. Whereas at GM... you have one guy sitting to the right of Mary Barra making final decisions across all brands. How can one guy possibly know what Corvette owners want, what truck owners want, what sedan owners want, etc. At this point the best thing for GM may be a disaster of enough magnitude to force change.

 

[jtr807]

Whether or not he believes it is irrelevant... he wants YOU to believe it.

The only risk-averse executives are the ones on sinking ships. Intelligent risk-taking is/was the driver behind every major break-through and innovative product. No risk... no reward.

I also refer you to post #13. Tow the company line, by all means, but be smart about it.

Never believe *any *company spokesperson. Ever.

 

[grooves12]

I am a diehard GM guy. My last truck was an 03 GMC Sierra I bought brand new. GM lost me. First their exterior designs are hideous on the new Silverado. The GMC is a bit better looking, but they are a terrible value now. I paid about $1000 more for my old Sierra over the competing Silverado at the time, but I got a few nicer features. On their new trucks you are paying about $4K more for nothing of value.

The nicer appearance and the awards the Ram was getting drug me to the dealer to check them out. I fell in love with all the thoughtful little design features. I went to a GMC dealer to check them out just to make sure I didn't regret my purchase, and the first thing my girlfriend said is, "This interior feels cheap compared to the Ram" (on a truck with a $10,000 higher MSRP than the Big Horn we looked at.

Utlimately, I got what I feel is a nicer truck for about $15,000 less than I would have paid with a GM product similarly specced. I am super happy with my decision. Sorry, GM! Nice knowing you!

 

[TVANVA]

You know the spokesman had to say exactly that, and to say anything different would crater their sales. If he doesn't know better then he is just a CGI.

You also have to expect that somewhere else at GM, designers are looking a the sales numbers and going "oh sh*t", and in a lab, they have one or more 1500's torn down and looking at how Ram did it.

Spokespeople are smoke and mirrors. Real companies adapt behind the scenes (many times by copying the perceived leader) or die.

 

[Dusty1948]

Ah. Forgive me, I may not have fully appreciated your position earlier. Yes... you nailed it; if they don't know what a bad truck is, how could they know a good one.

I think the structure at GM is part of the problem. They don't have Brand Heads like Mopar. The Brand Heads at Mopar are dialed-in to specific products and champion those products internally. Whereas at GM... you have one guy sitting to the right of Mary Barra making final decisions across all brands. How can one guy possibly know what Corvette owners want, what truck owners want, what sedan owners want, etc. At this point the best thing for GM may be a disaster of enough magnitude to force change.

I worked for GM's Buick division many years ago. There has been a problem with structure at GM, but it isn't just the type you're suggesting. GM has always been an arrogant company, led and fed predominately by the Chevrolet division. GM's corporate size relative to the competition allows them the incestuous delusion to think that anything they do will be acceptable to the market. Because they are so large they believe they will always lead the market, and because they possess a high customer loyalty their customer base will buy their product regardless. Of course, loyalty is a goal for all auto companies, but GM believes they deserve just because they're GM.

Regards,
Dusty

2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Now at: 010133 miles.

 

[dn325ci]

I am a diehard GM guy. My last truck was an 03 GMC Sierra I bought brand new. GM lost me. First their exterior designs are hideous on the new Silverado. The GMC is a bit better looking, but they are a terrible value now. I paid about $1000 more for my old Sierra over the competing Silverado at the time, but I got a few nicer features. On their new trucks you are paying about $4K more for nothing of value.

The nicer appearance and the awards the Ram was getting drug me to the dealer to check them out. I fell in love with all the thoughtful little design features. I went to a GMC dealer to check them out just to make sure I didn't regret my purchase, and the first thing my girlfriend said is, "This interior feels cheap compared to the Ram" (on a truck with a $10,000 higher MSRP than the Big Horn we looked at.

Utlimately, I got what I feel is a nicer truck for about $15,000 less than I would have paid with a GM product similarly specced. I am super happy with my decision. Sorry, GM! Nice knowing you!

I've never owned a full-size pickup and shopped all of them before recently deciding it would be a Ram. I had owned german cars since 1998, and still do. Related to what you're saying, I don't see how anyone can sit in the Ram 1500 and then get in the Silverado or the Sierra and be happy with that. The GM interiors are very bad. Cheap. They don't even look good from a distance or in photos. Not worthy of a lesser <$40K vehicle. GM has it's built in loyal fan base, but until they fix the interiors they are not going to win the discretionary luxury-oriented customers that are flocking to full-size pickups from other brands.

 

[Gman]

In a recent Chevy commercial, they have a guy saying 'I switched from Ram to the new Silverado' which is the opposite of the reality.

When they say market trends show luxury SUV owners are moving to luxury trucks, I exactly fit that statistic.

GM comes up way short with that trending.

 

[NHREBEL2]

In a recent Chevy commercial, they have a guy saying 'I switched from Ram to the new Silverado' which is the opposite of the reality.

When they say market trends show luxury SUV owners are moving to luxury trucks, I exactly fit that statistic.

GM comes up way short with that trending.

I laughed when I heard that guy say that. You know off camera he was asking 'Sir did I say that right?'

I've always liked the exterior looks of the Ram better than any other truck, but 3 trucks ago when they went to the 8" screen, leather wheel, stitched dashboard and serious bucket seats their interiors have been far and away superior to the competition , some laughably. I haven't seen any new
Sierra's around yet so I can't say what those look like but the 5 sport models Chevy has been shoving down our throats for the past couple years are crap inside.

Friends are blown away when they get in my truck, luxury for sure.

 

[Keemosabe]

Yep. I just jumped ship from GM as well. Had a 93 Silverado that I loved and couldn’t kill. Sold it and bought a 2007 Sierra fully loaded crew cab.....the Silverado ran at least another 4 years with over 250k miles on it. At 50k the 07 Sierra began death by a thousand cuts, windows stuck down, chrome door handles peeling, and the two death blows: trans totally died & steering literally fell apart on the road when the tech who replaced the trans test drove it. I’ll give GMC this they did the trans and steering repair at no cost, out of warranty. Then I bought a 2013 Avalanche LTZ Black Diamond edition. Love most everything about it 80k trouble free miles. So I went looking for a replacement mainly because I just want something new. Avy’s are now out of production, and the new silverados and Sierras are ok looking outside but between the lousy interior design and colors and antiquated features, no sale.
Ford has never impressed me inside or out. And then I saw the new Ram. Great new exterior design and style, luxurious and high tech interior, great comfort and ride. SOLD. Ordered exactly what I wanted (another plus)! Hopefully I’m about 2-3 weeks away from a new ride!
FCA !