Why BUICK was chosen over PONTIAC!
 

The U.S. was the world's largest consumer of passenger vehicles. Until 2009, that is. When the global financial crisis hit, U.S. car sales dipped to levels not seen in decades. But CHINA kept chugging along, moving ahead of the U.S. in total sales, to 13.6 million in 2009 (vs 10.4 million in the States). BUICK, having survived the GM bankruptcy, is No. 2 in the China market behind VW. In 2009, Buick sold 440,000 vehicles there (compared with 102,000 in the States). The average customer ALSO pays cash for their car. Fewer than 10% buy on credit. In fact, most dealerships employ personal whose sole job is COUNTING THE CASH. If a Buick LaCrosse sells for 280,000 yuan (roughly $41,000), you can understand why customers bring their cash into dealerships in suitcases.
In 1998 there were just 33 Buick dealerships in the country. Today there are 385. Just the opposite with what has happened to our dealers. Now when you look at the BIG PICTURE you get the idea of why PONTIAC was shelved. Also just a fraction of the population own cars (there are 20 cars per 10,000 people), the country's population of 1.4 billion has auto executives salivating at the prospects of what could be in China!:nod:

thank you for 3 year old news :lol:

This...

MAN, you guys are a tough group! This was an article that came out in THIS weeks AUTOWEEK magazine. Just thought this would be interesting reading material to some of us that are not as well tuned or up to date with the latest automotive news!:shock:

search for it, this has been discussed time and time over...and im pretty sure you were in one of the threads too...if anything just search Bigals name and youll find at least 30 swinging threads :mrgreen:

So, does that mean there is a new trans am?

There were some facts and figures in this article that I wasen't aware of, such as most people paying cash, how they outsold our Buicks by 4 to 1 and only 20 people out of 10,000 actually own a car. It's just conversation and some updated facts on an older subject. Sorry to bore anyone.

Some good facts, I didn't know most of that. I only knew Buick was big..didn't know it was that big.

hate to break this to you but the notion of credit is really popular only in US, and countries in Europe. The rest of the world, not so much. I know when I lived in Russia there was no "finance" a car, or "lease" one for that matter. You wanted to buy an S600, you better bring 150-200k in CASH to the dealer.

If you dabble in real Estate in US, and run into some Russians you will quickly find out that they like to deal with cash, no silly mortgages, plus stuff is more negotiable when you deal with cash.

That China bit doesn't surprise me one bit.

Average age of a Chinese Buick Buyer is 28
Average age of American Buick buyer is now 58...which is now lower then Caddy.

Pontiac was dead 20 years ago.

This is an excellent point. The only "good" thing I can think of concerning credit is refinances. My parents bought a house, refinanced it, and used that "cash" to invest in a business that profits more than the refinanced mortgage has in interest.

I dabble in the stock market for the purpose of saving up for a house. I want to finance as little as possible.

Als exactly right pontiac hasnt really existed in 20, well 19 years.

Just body kits :D

Speaking of Buick... I saw the new Regal in person yesterday. Its pretty nice! I just wish they put the 3.6L Direct Injection engine in it.

What was so special about 1991?

Isn't that the year they ruined the front of the firebird?

^ This

Edit. Nevermind. I got it.

LULZ

Well yes but I meant to put 29 years not 19. 81 was the last Firebird to get a pontiac motor.

That's what I thought you meant at first. But there's a hidden "burn" in the 19 year deal. Eh.

God 91s and 92s are ugly :rofl:


http://fineartamerica.com/images-med...somerville.jpg


CAWWWWWWWW!!!!!

HEY HEY HEY easy on the 1991 Firebirds. There are a few of us who think they look fairly sharp.:mrgreen: Besides, sometimes it's not what you want, but what you can AFFORD.

I will completely agree with that seeing as how I almost bought one when I was 15.



On a side note did anyone here tht the berlin wall fell and theres no more communism in the USSR?








:rofl::rofl::moon::rofl::rofl:

"No way ..... WE LANDED ON THE MOON!"

http://i546.photobucket.com/albums/h...umber_Moon.png

that look better than chevys :lol: