From Pine View Farm

Still Unsafe at Any Speed 0

Shaun Mullen tries to figure out what’s wrong with General Motors. He thinks it may be a cultural thing. A nugget:

In a blistering report last month prompted by the deadly Chevy Cobalt ignition switch problem that only scratched the surface of the GM culture, former federal prosecutor Anton Valukas described what he called the “GM nod.” That’s when managers nod in agreement about a course of action but then do nothing. Then there is the “GM salute.” That’s when managers, arms folded and pointed outward, indicate that the problem at hand is someone else’s responsibility.

I have a GMC Sonoma pick-up; I got a truck so I could pull my boat back when I had a boat. It has been a fine vehicle; it still has almost all of its original components, except for the battery and the radiator. After over 100,000 miles, I can’t complain. Stuff does, after all, wear out.

I also once had a Chevette, which I purchased used in a hurry because I had to have a car right then. It lasted till 138,000 miles; by the time it finally died, the floorboards had rusted out (I replaced them with cookie sheets because I couldn’t afford to get a different car), the fuel gauge could no longer be relied on, and it had gone through three clutches (one of which my mechanic replaced under warranty after telling his supplier, “Look, this guy’s driven a shift for 20 years and he’s been my customer for 10–I know he didn’t mistreat your damned clutch”).

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