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View Full Version : Yet another GM gimmick …


xcel
05-23-2006, 09:13 PM
GM Offers Gas Price Protection to Consumers in Florida and California. (http://media.gm.com/servlet/GatewayServlet?target=http://image.emerald.gm.com/gmnews/viewmonthlyreleasedetail.do?domain=74&docid=26132)

GM Media - May 23, 2006

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Grand_Prix.jpg

ALPHARETTA, GA - GM today announced its “GM Fuel Price Protection Program.” This regional program caps what consumers pay for gas at $1.99 a gallon when they purchase select 2006 and 2007 GM full-size utilities and mid-size cars.

“This program gives consumers an opportunity to experience the highly fuel-efficient vehicles GM has to offer in the mid-size segment,” said Dave Borchelt, GM Southeast regional general manager. “It helps protect consumers against rising fuel prices by providing them with a partial credit for their fuel purchases for one year.”

The credit is based on the consumer’s estimated fuel usage each month. Fuel consumption is calculated based on the mileage driven, as recorded by OnStar and the EPA city fuel economy mileage rating for the vehicle.

Using the calculation of the consumer’s estimated fuel usage each month, they will be credited for the difference between the average price per gallon of premium fuel in their state, as published by the Automobile Association of America (AAA), and the $1.99 gas price protection cap.

The credit will be applied each month to a pre-paid card, which will be issued to the consumer. The credits are good until December 31, 2007 and may be used for any type of purchase at any location that accepts MasterCard. There is no mileage limitation.

“This is a unique offer that only GM is making,” said Mike Jackson, GM North America vice president, Vehicle Brand Marketing/Advertising. “This program leverages some of our greatest strengths, including great new GM vehicles, often with some of the best fuel economy ratings in their class, and leading edge OnStar technology. To top it off, we’re now offering consumers in Florida and California protection against rising fuel prices.”

A California resident who purchases a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe and drives it 1,000 miles a month, would realize an estimated $103.75 monthly credit, based on the current average premium fuel price of $3.65/gallon (as of May 15). A Florida resident who purchases a 2006 Buick LaCrosse with the standard V-6 engine and drives about 1,000 a month, would see an estimated monthly credit of $60, based on the current average premium fuel price of $3.19/gallon in that state.

“The services offered by OnStar are another example of how GM is using technology and innovation to deliver added value to its customers,” said Chet Huber, president, OnStar. “The diagnostic e-mail service is a GM-exclusive and enables only GM to offer consumers a credit for their gas purchases based on the actual mileage that they drive.”

Beginning on May 25, consumers will be able to go to a special web site (www.fuelprotection.com) to calculate their potential savings based on their vehicle selection.

To participate in the program, consumers who reside in California and Florida must purchase or lease and take delivery of an eligible vehicle between May 25 - July 5, 2006 and enroll in the OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics service. The diagnostic service is a GM exclusive service that automatically runs hundreds of diagnostic checks on key vehicle operating systems and then sends a monthly e-mail to subscribers about their vehicle.

Eligible vehicles in California include the 2006 and 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban (one-half ton models only), Impala and Monte Carlo; GMC Yukon and Yukon XL (one-half ton models only); HUMMER H2 and H3; Cadillac SRX; Pontiac Grand Prix; and Buick Lucerne.

Eligible vehicles in Florida include the 2006 and 2007 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, Pontiac Grand Prix and Buick LaCrosse.

The vehicles selected for this program were chosen because of their outstanding fuel economy and great consumer appeal. The 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe leads the full-size utility segment in fuel economy and has a two-wheel-drive EPA highway estimate of 22 mpg. The Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL have EPA highway estimates of 21 mpg.

GM’s mid-size cars also offer very competitive fuel economy with the Pontiac Grand Prix achieving an EPA estimated 30 mpg highway. That is better than a comparably equipped Honda Accord 6-cylinder (29 mpg highway). The Buick LaCrosse also has an estimated highway mileage of 30 mpg (with standard V6 engine).

Advertising primarily will be executed divisionally and regionally in each market. Divisional advertising will include television, radio, print and interactive. It will focus on the outstanding fuel economy of GM vehicles and the gas price protection offered only by GM. There will be some corporate print, radio and interactive advertising to kick off the program. Corporate advertising begins on May 25, and divisional/local advertising begins on May 26.

Editor’s Note: To obtain a copy of the corporate “GM Fuel Price Protection Program” print ad, please contact Marci Benson, McCann Erickson, at 248-203-8260. To obtain a copy of a divisional print or television ad, please contact Christie Perry at 313-667-2033. For details on this program go to www.fuelprotection.com.

To participate in the program, consumers who reside in California and Florida must purchase or lease and take delivery of an eligible vehicle between May 25 – July 5, 2006 and enroll in the OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics service. The diagnostic service is a GM exclusive service that automatically runs hundreds of diagnostic checks on key vehicle operating systems and then sends a monthly e-mail to subscribers about their vehicle.

Eligible vehicles in California include the 2006 and 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban (one-half ton models only), Impala and Monte Carlo; GMC Yukon and Yukon XL (one-half ton models only); HUMMER H2 and H3; Cadillac SRX; Pontiac Grand Prix; and Buick Lucerne.

Eligible vehicles in Florida include the 2006 and 2007 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, Pontiac Grand Prix and Buick LaCrosse.

The vehicles selected for this program were chosen because of their outstanding fuel economy and great consumer appeal. The 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe leads the full-size utility segment in fuel economy and has a two-wheel-drive EPA highway estimate of 22 mpg. The Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL have EPA highway estimates of 21 mpg.

GM’s mid-size cars also offer very competitive fuel economy with the Pontiac Grand Prix achieving an EPA estimated 30 mpg highway. That is better than a comparably equipped Honda Accord 6-cylinder (29 mpg highway). The Buick LaCrosse also has an estimated highway mileage of 30 mpg (with standard V6 engine).

Advertising primarily will be executed divisionally and regionally in each market. Divisional advertising will include television, radio, print and interactive. It will focus on the outstanding fuel economy of GM vehicles and the gas price protection offered only by GM. There will be some corporate print, radio and interactive advertising to kick off the program. Corporate advertising begins on May 25, and divisional/local advertising begins on May 26.

Editor’s Note: To obtain a copy of the corporate “GM Fuel Price Protection Program” print ad, please contact Marci Benson, McCann Erickson, at 248-203-8260. To obtain a copy of a divisional print or television ad, please contact Christie Perry at 313-667-2033. For details on this program go to www.fuelprotection.com.

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world’s largest automaker, has been the global industry sales leader for 75 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 327,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries. In 2005, 9.17 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. GM operates one of the world’s leading finance companies, GMAC Financial Services, which offers automotive, residential and commercial financing and insurance. GM’s OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.

OnStar, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors, is the world’s leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and communication services. OnStar is available on more than 50 2006 GM models and includes one year of complimentary services, and will become standard on GM retail vehicles in the United States and Canada by the end of 2007. OnStar provides services to more than 4 million subscribers in the U.S. and Canada. More information about OnStar can be found at www.onstar.com.

tigerhonaker
05-23-2006, 09:37 PM
Now GM is taking the FE thing by the (Horns). ;)

Chuck
05-24-2006, 09:48 AM
I read the responses at another forum and this gimmick echoed my thoughts: "GM is so ugly they need to wear pork chops for the dog to come". :(

They are paying big-time for retirement and heath. So much, they feel only trucks and SUVs will give them a profit margin between now and about 2010. As much as people oggle over the H2 and Escalades, a lot of these people are wannabes, not buyers. The rest of their product line needs to do better to keep GM afloat.

So GM is playing Russian roulette with incentives that will reinforce the public's perception is second-rate quality. It was zero-interest. Now it's discounted gas to implicitly acknowledge a lot of their market is tiring of paying at the pump for the land barges.

laurieaw
05-24-2006, 11:05 AM
when will they figure out that selling a lot of little cars can make them as much as a few big ones? duh, hello. and what happens when their "gas credit" expires? then they are right back where they were, or worse, since the prices will most certainly have gone up again.....

can you spell S-T-U-P-I-D with only two letters? yea, GM

xcel
05-24-2006, 02:37 PM
Hi Chuck:

___Although we all know GM has made some very poor decisions over the past 10 - 15 years, they do have pretty good quality numbers. Their designs however look like a VP overruled the MBA who overruled the Marketing guy who overruled the Design Engineer who overruled the original Designer’s concepts, and thus you have a hodge podge of everybody’s thoughts stuck on the poor things and they never look great? When will GM put together a Skunk Works team for each model and do their vehicles right with a locked in budget from the start and little to no interference from the top. I was looking for a nice pic for this news story and none of the cars listed in the article where actually pretty imho let alone the pathetic FE capabilities. I looked through all of these GM automobiles – Spec and gallery pages and was not happy with a single one of them! I was hashing this story out with Tom last night in chat about the FE of these particular vehicles as well and it is scary knowing what the competition has available to counteract all of this GM junk :( Junk being fuel economy related, not quality related …

___Good Luck

___Wayne

johnf514
05-24-2006, 02:52 PM
Where are they finding the money to do this? Don't they have relatively severe financial problems?:confused:

hobbit
05-24-2006, 03:46 PM
Meanwhile, gas prices are starting to drop back *down* again.
Aiiieee! As far as I'm concerned these days, that's the *wrong*
direction. Those little droops are what cancel that little
sense-of-urgency CLUE that may be just sprouting in the common
redneck. A dip of ten cents, even if followed by a spike of
another forty, and we gotta start all over. I'm sure GM is
overjoyed, though.



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