Things I've Noticed

The Importance in Life of Being a Good Driver

Life in North America often revolves around cars.  Our streets, houses and places of business are designed to accommodate cars and trucks to allow us mobility and freedom.  Even in more densely populated cities where public transportation is more available and practical, transportation happens in a taxi, Uber or Lyft vehicle.  As I’ve mentioned before in a prior blog post, we move fast in vehicles, to the point that one false move could mean instant death.  That’s why being a good driver is so important.

Not only can driving competence keep you alive, but it can save you money on insurance, and hassle from car accidents.  Being a good driver also can keep your friends and family out of harm’s way.  How important should this be in selecting a mate with whom you want to have children?   I say very.

Besides, the less tentative a driver you are, the more confident you can be in daily life.  You can proudly say you’ll share in the driving and not worry about what others will think.  You can parallel park in tight spots thereby saving time and fuel.

Quick Quote on Driving Efficiently

"The most fun way to save gas is to keep going fast around turns."

+ Atul

Not Considering The True Costs of Long Commutes to Work

Obviously, people have to work to make a living. Whether it’s working for one’s own business or for a company, people have to somehow get to work from where they live. The nature of a person’s commutes says a lot about people. I personally choose to live within 20 minutes of work. Since I’m living alone and not in my house, I was able to choose to live in an apartment within a certain distance of work and other parts of town where I like to hang out. Family people in which both spouses work often have one person driving further than the other out of necessity. But I’ve noticed that many people will sacrifice a large percent of the time in their lives just to live in a nice house or in a certain part of town where large plots of land are affordable or where it’s cooler.

I find it ironic because the fact that a commute is long takes away from time to enjoy the place that is the reason for the long commute in the first place. Of course there are budgetary concerns such as the price of housing near work and the price of gasoline. Those figure into the equation as well, but people don’t realize that the wear and tear on the vehicle, the gas expense, and the value of the time used to commute can exceed the savings in living far from work. I just don’t understand people who commute 3 hours each way to get to a job. How do they have time to see their family and friends, work out, or partake in a hobby? Time is all you have to make something of your life. If you use a significant portion of it to drive to and from a job, it’s non-value added, except for perhaps getting to enjoy driving your vehicle and some music. Driving is not exactly the safest activity either. Many long commutes involve stop-and-go driving which is annoying, (and bad for your car). Those who commute on trains or buses can at least catch up on sleep or read, but then they have to sit next to strangers and catch the bus or train on somebody else’s schedule. This is not always doable with some white collar jobs that have non-fixed hours.

In the end, it’s all about priorities. Some choose living circumstances over time. With our poor economy and housing market, many people’s hands are tied as they can’t sell their homes to move closer to work. Often school districts and quality of education dictate where they live. When people have the choice though, I don’t think people don’t “run all the numbers” on time and true costs enough when they decide where to live.

+ Atul

Save SAAB and Why We Latch On To Brands

I know that there are more pressing issues in the world, such as helping those devastated by the earthquakes in Haiti.  But, that is being talked about and handled by many others.  We all wish we could do more.  I donated some money and hope you do as well.  One can’t think of such things all the time though.  What has also been on my mind is this car brand called Saab.  I’ve talked about it before, (many many times),and my friends know that I’m a Saab fanatic.  These are trying times for me and so many other Saab fans around the world.  I used to work for GM, leveraged that company’s ownership of Saab for employee discounts four times.  I still own two of the Saabs I've bought, and one of the others is still in the family.  Anyway, this whole business fiasco about who is going to buy Saab or whether Saab will survive is wearing on me. 

I ask myself why it has such an effect.  I know Saabs aren’t the best cars in the world, but their combination of characteristics are endearing and build loyalty.  The 1997 Saab 900 was the only product I’ve ever tried that made me an impulse shopper.  I ended up buying one and I still like driving it, don’t think I could ever sell it.  So there is the product aspect, but there will always be competent cars produced by somebody else.  Sure, they won’t have that same Trollhattan magic, but many other vehicles would be satisfying to own and operate.  That’s not the only reason why Saab fans are so fervent and gathering around the world to rally around their favorite car brand.  What makes the complete brand?  It’s what the brand stands for and how it does so with style, consistency, a feeling that it generates with every interaction one has with the product, communications and service from the company.  It really represents what us Saab owners are all about, as does any choice of vehicle.  We like to consider ourselves, unique, intelligent, not-too-pretentious, practical, and considerate lovers of driving and cars.  We become attached to our vehicles and find it hard to part with them.  But we forget that every company selling cars is a business first and foremost.  And it’s sad.

GM will do with Saab what they think is best for their shareholders.  Saab may go the way of the defunct brands like Oldsmobile, Eagle, Studebaker, and Edsel for business reasons only.  It’s all about money, but that’s not a good enough answer for those of us who are passionate about Saabs.  We are part of a tight-knit community that helps each other with issues and advice, networks for jobs, and are supportive to each other in a way that may be unsurpassed by other vehicle owner groups who are often too large or too immature.  There are some Snaabs out there who think they’re too good for other non-Saab owners or don’t acknowledge others who also drive Saabs because those others are cutting in on their uniqueness.  But overall, Saab fans want Saab to survive and to continue to produce products that keep us safe, provide utility and pleasure in our daily lives.  So on behalf of Saabsters everywhere, GM, please save Saab!  There are many people who will not forgive you if you let Saab die.  Many of these people have pledged to never buy another GM product if this happens.  Whether you keep it or sell it, keep your loyal Saab fans in mind.  It is a business, but there is something called customer goodwill that may help you in the future.  And besides, if Saab goes away, Saab owners will instantly lose thousands of dollars of resale value until some of our cars become rare classics.  More important than the money, we will lose a friend of a brand and a bit of our identity.  A brand is a terrible thing to waste.

+ Atul

The Auto Industry Has Been Turned Upside Down and Twisted Around

With all the news about the hurting auto industry, loans from the government, bankruptcies and acquisitions, people tend to lose sight of the fact that the whole automotive world, (something which has been a big part of my life and the lives of millions of others), has been turned on its head.  Sure it may not seem like a big deal, but this is arguably the largest and most important industry on the planet.  The products people buy from it touch our lives daily, inspire us, and allow us the ultimate freedom, mobility.  Cars and trucks are aspirational objects that we often depend on do to just about everything else in life, we judge people by the vehicles they drive, and some people dedicate their lives to careers or hobbies revolving around vehicles.

From the corporate perspective, let’s put it this way, there is hardly a single manufacturer or automotive brand that hasn’t gone through substantial change in the last 5 years, and the pace has recently accelerated.  GM, the formerly largest corporation on the planet that sold almost half the cars we bought in the U.S. is a much smaller version of itself and in financial desperation.  There are a lot more competitors and other factors that made this happen, but that’s just the beginning in describing our upside down automotive world.  The second largest American car company, Ford will probably take over as first, the third largest is now mostly owned by Italian auto company, Fiat, part of which GM owned in the 90’s and sold at a major loss before turning it around.  Fiat, (or its Alfa Romeo division), hasn’t sold vehicles here in more than 20 years and now they have control over many of Chrysler’s old dealers.  Even crazier is the fact that GM used to own part of Subaru, and now Toyota owns part of them.  BMW used to own Land Rover, sold them to Ford and now Tata, (a huge company in India that sells everything from tea to telecom to steel), bought Land Rover and Jaguar from Ford.  So a company from a country that was a British colony now owns one of Britain’s historical car brands.  Had enough craziness?  Well, BMW owns MINI which was purely British, but even more importantly, they own the British ultra luxury brand Bentley while Volkswagen owns Rolls Royce.  Then there are the Swedish car companies.  Saab had been owned by GM for quite a while, but they just sold the brand to a small Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg.  And now it’s reported that Geely, a Chinese company with a not-so-great safety record is looking to buy the Swedish brand Volvo which is known for safety.  In the last 10 years, we’ve lost the brands Eagle, Geo, Oldsmobile, and Plymouth.  What’s going on?  I feel like I’m in a blender.  GM has closed down Pontiac, also sold Hummer to a Chinese company, sold Saturn to Penske who’s associated with racing, Hertz, and AutoNation.  The latest news says they plan on selling cars from many different international companies under the formerly all-American Saturn badge. 

As if this wasn’t all enough, another Indian motor vehicle manufacturer, Mahindra and Mahindra is going to start selling cars here and Tata is planning on bringing the groundbreakingly low-priced Nano over.  GM’s European division Opel has been sold to both a Russian investor and Magna, a Canadian parts supplier.  Think about it.  A parts company owns a car company.  I don’t know whether I want to buy a Chinese Volvo, an Italian Chrysler, a Malaysian Saturn or an American Chevy.  I do know that I would rather support the U.S. auto industry to keep more jobs and profits in our country.  So, now that my beloved Saab brand is Swedish again and not owned by GM, I doubt that I will buy another new one.  I think I’ll be buying a Cadillac, Chevy, Ford or Mercury.  But those Fiats and Alfa Romeos do look pretty cool.  And I could support my home country a bit more by buying an Indian Jaguar, but Jaguar is not really my style.  Mercedes, BMW, and Volkswagen are doing alright with their government-sponsored health care and pensions that reduce costs to the company for vehicle production.  But there’s news there too.  Mercedes dumped Chrysler and Volkswagen is largely owned by Porsche.  Honda is doing OK given the circumstances while Toyota is hemorrhaging from perhaps trying to grow too fast.  At least the Japanese car companies can thank their government for not only health care and pensions, but for currency manipulation and trade restrictions.  All we need now are for the French to bring Citroens or Peugeots to the U.S. and the car market free-for-all will get more confusing.  As it is, I’m in an automotive daze.  I’m waiting for the dust to settle and I don’t know what to make of it yet.  Maybe I’ll just build my own car, (or buy a bicycle).

The U.S. Government Must Provide Loans to Assure The Survival of GM, Ford, and Chrysler

We’ve heard a lot of news from the press lately about the dire situation the American automobile industry is in. In part due to the “financial hurricane” that the credit crisis has created, the Detroit 3, (D3), including GM, Ford, and Chrysler are on the brink of going bankrupt or closing up completely. As a former GM employee who loves cars, and cares for Detroit, my friends who work in the auto industry and our whole country, I believe that the government must provide loans to the Detroit 3. Blame can be laid on many things but a negative spin about the Detroit 3 has gotten out of control to the point that people have a grudge beyond reason, one that could lead to our government making a horrible decision. I don’t mean to dismiss mistakes of management and the possibly unreasonable demands of the unions up to this point, but the issue is not who we should punish but what we should do now to prevent a catastrophe.

I’ve written on countless numbers of website comment sections and based on what I’ve written, I want to address all the claims others have made as to why they think the Detroit 3 shouldn’t get support in the form of a loan, (not a bail-out). Please don’t quote me on the exact numbers as these are estimates, but read this with the understanding that I do know a lot about the auto industry from experience and interest. Feel free to research some of my general figures.

Here are claims and suggestions listed, with bullets beneath them addressing why the suggestions aren’t feasible, the claims are overstatements or just aren’t true.

The Detroit 3 don’t make cars that people want to buy:
- Ford, Chrysler and GM sell nearly half the vehicles purchased in our country. 50% of the customers are not nobody, and many of these customers are loyal repeat ones.
- The Detroit 3 had fewer competitors in the 70's than they do now, so some market share attrition is bound to occur by virtue of there being more choice.
- GM sells the most mid-sized cars of any manufacturer, but they are spread out amongst many models with different styles but the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry get all the credit for their manufacturers

The D3 only make gas guzzlers and SUV’s:
- They did profit from the SUV craze but so did/do all the other competitors. Consumers tended to equate value with size and the D3 couldn’t get its typical consumer to buy small cars at prices that would be profitable.
- Admittedly, they should have started making hybrids earlier but that’s a small slice of the market. - For the segments that sell the most, American car company vehicles are amongst the most fuel efficient in their segments such as the Chevy Malibu, Saturn AURA and Ford Focus...
http://www.freep.com/article/20081117/COL14/811170379

The quality of vehicles from the Detroit 3 is not nearly as good as that of the Asian and Europeans:
- The quality gap has narrowed significantly and in some cases, D3 products have better quality than Toyota and Honda, (Chevy Malibu and Ford Fusion are prime examples in JD Powers studies.) http://www.freep.com/article/20081117/COL14/811170379
- Toyota recalled more vehicles last year than GM did http://forums.motortrend.com/70/6495664/the-general-forum/recall-numbers-for-2007-honda-toyota-numbers-highe/index.html

If the Detroit 3 go under, the import competitors will just sell more cars and provide just as many jobs:
- The Detroit 3 employ far more people in our country than foreign-based companies. It’s not just at plants but at headquarters white collar professional, engineering and technical jobs.
- If any one of the D3 go under, then many suppliers will go bankrupt leading to more job losses and parts will stop flowing to the Toyota, BMW, Honda plants here. That would lead to (at least temporary) layoffs at the transplant company plants.
- No other company is going to take up slack in our industrial base by starting a large, new auto manufacturing company as the major investment, expertise, low profitability, and economy would be inhibitors. Small companies like Tesla and Fisker will take tens of years to become mass market manufacturers, (assuming they succeed).

Regarding the Ad on The Right: Official Debate

My friend, "The Boss", (but much younger than Bruce Springstein), has created a new site which I find quite interesting.  It's called OfficialDebate.com.  It's just starting up, but it has lots of neat topics that are at times controversial.  Every good debate needs lots of debaters so click on the link and register if you like to argue with people on topics that you know you're right about.  I did.  Please argue respectfully and soon the site will add other interesting features including debates in which the users get to vote to determine the winner.

Oh and tell "The Boss" I sent you there.

+ Atul

Quick Quote on Red Lights

"When it comes to approaching red lights, sometimes slower is faster."

+ Atul

GM, Toyota, and The Auto Industry. How About Some Pro-Americanism?

As a self-proclaimed car fanatic, which is nothing new to anybody who knows me, I took to heart the recent news that Toyota surpassed GM for the top global sales thus far in 2007.  It's sad even though the health of a corporation is not necessarily defined by selling the most of a product.  As any business expert will tell you, there are many other factors involved.  What's saddening about this event are the causes of and the effects of it.  I notice a sense of Anti-Americanism that is pervading the auto industry.  This industry deserves special attention because it is the backbone of our country's industrial base, and when combined with its broader cultural, safety and environmental impacts, I would argue that it is the most important industry on the planet.  Our world would stop without it, (figuratively of course), as so much commerce depends on cars and trucks.

As a former GM employee, I've noticed the media and people in general "riding" the Big 3 or Big 2.5 for all their faults and supposed conspiracies.  Some of the criticism is deserved as they clearly have lobbied against environmental regulation changes when they should just have improved, but this is nothing new to corporations in other industries, ones that we don't blacklist.   European and Asian companies all along have had to produce products for countries with more congested roads and more expensive fuel.  If the foreign companies were in the same situation as the Big 3, they would have responded the same way.   

Whenever there is a recall, the focus becomes more intense if it is GM or Ford having the recall.  Sure, they had some poor products in the 70's and 80's but without getting into stats or surveys, the products really have improved from a functional quality standpoint, and now they are improving from a perceived quality standpoint as well.  (Don't believe Consumer Reports as an unbiased test-house.)  Many commercial fleet vehicles are from Chrysler, GM and Ford.  If they were so unreliable, these fleets would probably not keep buying the vehicles.  After the global sales leadership changed hands, I read one headline that said Toyota "toppled" GM as the number one global automotive producer.  Toppled implies that GM went from first to last.  In reality, Toyota passed GM over the course of decades.  And the race is never over.  Based on what people read, nobody is told that GM sells more mid-sized cars than Toyota or Honda; it's just that the sales are spread out over more brands.

Sure, GM, Ford, and DCX don't have as many hybrids in production, but few people know how many hybrid buses GM has produced and how much of a positive impact they have had on the environment.  The impact is arguably higher than that for all the Priuses that have been sold.  GM's mid-size cars and full size trucks, part of some of the highest selling segments, are among the most efficient in the industry.  People don't know that DaimlerChrysler owns Freightliner and Detroit Diesel who jointly sell some of the most fuel efficient commercial vehicles.  With the huge quantities of fuel that such vehicles have to use, even a 1% improvement in fuel economy can have a significant impact on our dependence on foreign oil and the environment.

Other country's citizens have pride in their nation's products and prefer them to support themselves and their people.  How smart.  We on the other hand jump all over our own companies as if they are evil.  Our government does nothing to level the playing field when it comes to trade protectionism, currency manipulation, and the competitive advantage that other countries provide their companies with socialized medicine. 
We can criticize unions for all that they ask for and provide their workers, but without their prior efforts, our nation's working conditions and living standards would be lower.  World War II would not have been won without the support of Ford, Chrysler and GM.  We should at some level be grateful for these things and for the economic machine that the U.S. auto industry has provided in support of so many other seemingly unrelated industries such as banking, and medicine.

It's hard to be a fan of our country right now based on all that is happening with respect to foreign policy.  But all this unjustified anti-Americanism in the auto industry is twisted.  It impacts all of us indirectly and it severely damages great cities like Detroit and Cleveland.  I find it ironic that Anti-Americanism in other pursuits such as sports or war is generally not accepted by our culture.  I'm not saying that you should only buy an "American car"; true competition improves all companies.  But don't give foreign-based automakers a free pass while dismissing the Big 3.  They are also manufacturers of great driving machines.

+ Atul

Ten Years with My Car, Showcasing How Your Vehicle Can Be A Big Part of Your Life

I've perhaps given a bit too much attention to my car on my blog.  (Thanks to Google image links to my blog, I believe it is one of the most popular Saab 900 S's on the internet.)  That's because I'm a car fanatic and I really love this car.  It's a 1997 Saab 900 S with about 125,000 miles on it after ten years of ownership.  I have been obsessed with    Saabs like the one on the left since I was 10, when I began to appreciate the unique look and the underdog aspect of the car having great performance out a "mere" four cylinders.  After seeing a 1996 version at the N. American International Auto Show in Detroit, and noticing not only the beautiful Scandinavian exterior design but the really cool interior with amazing plated, joystick controlled air vents, I decided I had to test drive one.   I clearly remember the day I test drove a similar car and how this non-impulse shopper felt as though I just had to buy one.  I remember how I struggled with the affordability factor for a person who had only started working three years earlier.  My friend said to me on the phone "You're not gonna buy a Saab."  It indeed was beyond my price range, but with the sweet lease deals at the time and a GM employee discount, I was able to make the transaction reasonably affordable.  So I leased it and then as I lived with it, I began to love it, so I had to buy it when the lease ended.  And it's been with me ever since.

There's something about the feel of this car that still puts a smile on my face every time I drive it.  The engine vibrations are pleasant, most bumps reassure you of the solidity and handling of the car, the transmission shifts well and the fuel economy has always been way above the sticker ratings.  It's by no means the best car in the world.  It has always had a bit too much wind noise and the ride can be harsh, it has some cowl shake, and it rolls in turns, but I don't think I could ever give it up.

In the ten years I've owned the car, I have taken about 100 trips to Cleveland to see my family.  I've driven it through 12 states and 2 provinces having taken it to cities like Chicago, New York, Baltimore, Toronto, and Philadelphia.  The extremely comfortable seats, and 18 gallon fuel tank makes it a nice long distance cruiser.  I once drove from Detroit to Montreal, (570 miles), in 8 ½ hours.  That humongous hatchback has saved the day on many occasions allowing me to haul dressers, 32" TV's, chairs, multiple bikes at one time.  It swallows cargo better than many SUV's.  Keeping the car clean and operating well has become a bit of a hobby for me.  I've filled gas in it 367 times to a total of 4,600 gallons and $7,200.  Fuel economy has averaged 26.6 mpg (40% city driving), which is pretty good considering the car is rated at 19 city and 27 highway.  The car hasn't stranded me once.  One major thing that this car has done to me is that it has made me a real Saab fan.  I visit the Saabnet on a daily basis and that has become somewhat of an on-line community for me.  These guys and girls have lots of knowledge about Saabs and anything else "off-topic" that you might want to inquire about.  You can click on the ad to the right near the top right of this page to see what I mean.

So what's my point with the whole spiel on me and my car besides sharing a love-fest type tribute?  It just goes to prove that personal vehicles can take on a significant role in one's life.  My "Caarma" has been with me for trips to work, running errands, many dates, trips to go mountain biking, numerous moves from place to place, and it has seen me through stressful situations and happy occasions reliably and faithfully.  It makes me feel that we need a national "Personal Vehicle Day."  In fact, I hereby declare March 25 as that date whether others follow it or not; (that's when I picked up my car from the dealer in 1997).  I believe we all should show some appreciation to our modern day trusty steeds, our cars and trucks.  They take us places so that we can earn a living, socialize, get the necessities of life done, and sometimes get to the hospital.  They do this for you all while keeping you warm, entertained, comfortable and safe.  So in honor of this new holiday, and in the spirit of spring, I say go perform proper maintenance on your vehicles, give them a wash, a wax job, and a vacuum job.  These are great ways to honor your vehicle, a machine that deserves it.

+ Atul