Tentative Ford Deal

Late Friday, Ford and the UAW came to tentative contract terms. The deal is similar in concept to the Chrysler and GM deals. The contract includes a VEBA and a two-tier wage structure. On balance, the UAW may have given up more concessions to Ford, however, Ford (supposedly) agreed to keep open two plants that were originally slated to close.

There is an interesting difference in the VEBA. Ford is only putting 40% of the funds in cash, compared to 54% in the GM deal and 59% for Chrysler. Ford agreed to invest the remainder of the cash in its factories to make them capable of producing more than one model. Corrected 12/47 AM 11/5/2007
Source: Detroit News

Youtube Video of the Day
Because you Just can't have enough Jimmy Osmond

Here's a clip from the Donny and Marie Show with Donny in Keith Emerson mode, wailing on two stacks of synthesizers, with Jimmy Osmond and Jay Osmond exchanging drum solos with Desi Arnez, Jr. I don't see how I missed this one the first time around.

Friday Mish Mash #1
Edmunds Inside Line - Drives the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu

All positives except for steering. It's heavy though. The V-6 weighed in at 3,649 lbs, about as heavy as an old Pontiac Aztek, and within a cheese sandwich of its bigger brother, the Impala.

Friday Mish Mash #2
Meet Porky the Corolla

Speaking of weight, the 2009 Toyota Corolla is taking some heat over at Autoblog Green for gaining weight and losing fuel economy. To put things in perspective, the Corolla Matrix with the Camry's 2.4 liter engine has a highway EPA rating of 29, just one MPG more than the full-sized Ford Taurus, which has about a hundred horsepower advantage over the Matrix. Automakers are never going to make progress in Corporate Average Fuel Economy if every iteration of a model gains 200 to 400 lbs. (I'm looking at you Honda Accord.)

Friday Mish Mash #3
Businessweek's Cars for bargain hunters

Businessweek compared the actual selling prices to the Mfr list prices of various models and came up with the 20 biggest automotive "bargains"; by bargains, they mean the cars that sell for the highest percentage off sticker price figuring in incentives. By this measure Chrysler LLC comes out the big winner with 8 models in the top 20. The Jeep Commander is selling for 29% off sticker price, and the Dodge Ram 1500 is selling for 28% off sticker price. Though Businessweek is the source of the of the information, the presentation and commentary at thetruthaboutcars.com is better.

Ford within Hours of Tentative Contract

Autonews.com has flashed a story that Ford and the UAW are within hours of a tentative collective bargaining agreement. Earlier speculation was that Ford bargaining would be hurt by tummult at Chrysler over thousands of layoffs the week after their contract with UAW was approved.

According to Autonews, Ford agreed to outsource fewer non-manufacturing jobs than Chrysler or GM, including forklift drivers. Other provisions appear to be similar to the GM and chrysler pacts, including two-tier wage levels, VEBA plan for retiree benefits.

New Holidays for Our Next Contract?

I'm always thinking ahead regarding our next contract. I just heard from a preacher for the Church of the SubGenius. Not that I'm ready to convert or anything, but I have to admit, they have lots of holidays that it would be great gravy if we could get these days off in our next contract negotiation. Here are the holidays (from the Wikipedia entry):

January 16 - The Night of the Lemur
January 24 - The Feast of St.Klaatu
February 16 - Cremation Wednesday
February 23 - The Feast of St.Monty Python
March 8 - The Feast of Weird Al Yankovic
March 17 - The Feast of the Blessed Leprechaun
March 28 - Palmistry Sunday
April 1 - The Feast of Saint Eris
April 13 - Saint Bill Hicks Day
April 15 - The Feast of Saint Dracula
May 6 - The Feast of Saint Guinness the Stout
May 31 - Desecration Day
June 1 - Yell "Fudge" at North American Cobras Day
June 22 - The Feast of Saint Kali
July 16 - The Display of the Embarrassing Swimsuits
July 17 - The Feast of Saint Caligula
August 1 - Drug Side-Effects Day
August 6 - The Dance of the Insensitive Bastards
September 1 - Start of the Holy Month of "Ramalamadingdong"
September 6 - Caesarean Section Day
September 20 - Yummy Kippers Day
October 9 - The Feast of Saint Attila
October 20 - The Feast of Saint Oliver the humanzee
November 10 - The Feast of Saint Cthulhu
November 19 - Hate for the Sake of Hating Day
December 9 - The Martyrdom of Saint Kenny
December 14 - Whiny Victimization/Co-Dependency Day
December 31 - The Feast of Saint Lucifer

Chryslerberus Announces 6000-7000 Job Cuts

Just a week after the UAW's contract with Chrysler was ratified, Chrysler, LLC announced plans to lay off 4,000 UAW members through shift reductions in Michigan, Illinois and Ohio. Earlier this week, Chrysler announced plans to lay off 1,000 salaried workers and 1,100 contract workers. Total job cuts in this round will amount approximately 6,000 workers (Detroit News) or 7,000 workers (Detroit Free Press). These cuts are part of an overall plan to cut the hourly workforce by 11,000 and the salaried workforce by 2,000. Most analysts think Cerberus's overall plan is to make Chrysler lean enough to make it an attractive aquisition candidate for another firm. In the past there has been speculation that prospective buyers could include Renault, General Motors or Magna International. Personally, I think the odds of General Motors buying Chrysler are about the same as the odds of me growing wings and flying home this afternoon. Renault would buy if the price was right. Magna seems to have a strange affinity to Chrysler, kind of like a moth attracted to a porchlight.


PT CRUISER LIVES - PT Convertible and Crossfire Die

In an addendum to yesterday's story about Chrysler's cancellation of several models. Yesterday I reported that the PT Cruiser was among the casualties. Autoblog reports today that only the PT Cruiser Convertible is being canned. The regular PT Cruiser Survives. The semi-Mercedes Chrysler Crossfire got caught in ints namesake, and it will disappear.

Patriots vs. Colts - Game of the Century?
Not even Cheney can Ruin this one

The Devil went down to Indy, he was looking for some attention to steal . . .

Dick Cheney is here in Indianapolis today, ostensibly to speak before an American Legion gathering, but really, he's here to bask in the attention surrounding the game between the undefeated New England Patriots and undefeated Indianapolis Colts that will be played on Sunday.

Two undefeated teams haven't met this late in the season since 1921. Statistically, the New England Patriots have dominated the teams that they've played by record-setting percentages, and many think the Patriots can go undefeated at 19-0, besting the undefeated 17-0 record of the 1972 Miami Dolphins. To do this, they'll have to get past the Superbowl-champion Colts, the team that rained on the Patriots' parade last year. Add to this a showdown between the two best quarterbacks of the current era, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, and you have the script for the highest-rated regular season televised game in history.

The USA Today article linked here gives an excellent preview of Sunday's game, starting at 4:00 EST.

From the Something's Rotten in Denmark File:
Band Plays MAMA MIA on Beer Bottles

The Youtube video of the day, a band from Denmark plays Abba's Mama Mia on beer bottles. If there's any reason to quit your day job, this must be it. (Listen to the quality of the applause at the end of the song.)

I'm going to try to embed a picture link.

More on Cars We Can Drive to Work
Compact Cars and Compact SUVs

I got an e-mail that suggested my last post about cars we could drive to work was ambiguous. In that e-mail I just meant to list the traditional midsized family cars that we could drive to work. There are a few compacts that we can drive. (I'm going from memory here, not the official list. Check the official list before you plunk down your hard-earned dollars.)

Ford Focus - The 2008 Focus was redesigned to mixed reviews. Personally, I'd get a 2-year old used one. Use Yahoo Cars to find a 5-speed stick if you can drive one.

Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix - These cars are twins under the skin. Both are due for a redesign next year. Wait if you can because they'll have the next generation Toyota engine technology. If you can't wait, the existing model is as good a commuter as anything else out there.

Chevrolet Cobalt/Pontiac G5 These cars are twins. I haven't driven them but I sat in them at the auto show. I found the cabin narrow and uncomfortable, but if you fit, they aren't bad cars.

Saturn Sky/Pontiac Solstice - Two seats no waiting. "Honey, I had to buy one to drive to work."

Dodge Caliber/Jeep Compass - Although they're technically compacts, you'll be luck to get 22-23 MPG in the real world or 27-28 on the highway. You'll do as well or better with any of the 4-cylinder midsized cars, with equal or better performance, not to mention better ride and handling.

Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner These compact SUVs are not particularly economical when you get the 6 cylinder engine. In fact, with the 6 and 4wd, you'll get about the same gas mileage as a minivan. Try the 4-cylinder FWD with the 5-speed manual transmission, it performs as well as the 6-cylinder with the automatic but you'll save a bunch on gas. If you really want to save on gas, go all the way and buy the Hybrid.

Chevrolet Equinox/Pontiac Torrent - Not really compact, but light-weight as SUVs go, these vehicles got spruced up for 2008 and deserve a look. They have more backseat legroom than other compact SUVs. The Equinox Sport gets the highpowered 3.6 liter V-6 but matched with the new 6-speed transmission, it should still get better than average MPG. The Equinox is larger than, but 400 lbs lighter than, the redesigned Saturn Vue.

Overall, if I was buying a UAW-Built car to commute to work in, I'd pick either a used 5-speed manual Ford Focus or Pontiac Vibe, or I'd get a two-year-old Chevrolet Malibu or Pontiac G6. If you can wait until early next year, the new Vibe should be a strong contender. The same could be said for the Chevrolet Malibu, Saturn Aura and Pontiac G6 with the 2.4 liter Ecotec engine and 6-speed automatic powertrain, but this combination won't be out until spring 08. Wait a little longer, and there'll be a slick new Mazda6.

For vehicles somewhat larger, check out the Dodge and Chrysler minivans (old or new), the Chevrolet Impala, the Ford Taurus and Taurus X, the Chrysler 300, and the GM Lambda Crossovers (Outlook, Enclave, Acadia). If you have some dough, the Cadillac CTS and the Lincoln MKZ look attractive, but you'll lose money every mile you drive them for work.

Chrysler to Cut Three Products - Maybe More
Are the Craptastic Sebring and Avenger Safe For Now?

According to the Detroit News, the Chrysler, LLC board, in its first meeting under CEO Bob Nardelli, plans to cut at least three slow selling models. On the chopping block are the Chrysler Pacifica, Chrysler PT Cruiser and Dodge Magnum. The Jeep Commander, a mega-SUV, may also be cut. Cutting the Pacifica, Magnum and PT Cruiser won't likely result in shut down of UAW final assembly plants because the Pacifica and Magnum are assembled in Canada, and the PT Cruiser is assembled in Mexico.

It is also expected that the board will spend time on the harsh critical reviews and lackluster public acceptance that greeted the Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger midsized models. How ugly is the Chrysler Sebring? 35,600 Google hits and counting, up from 18,300 in August 2006As to the reviews: Here's what "Pulitzer Prize Winning" auto columnist Dan Neil had to say about the Chrysler Sebring Convertible in the L.A. Times:

Not just bad, but a veritable chalice of wretchedness, a rattling, thumping, lolling tragedy of a car, a summary indictment of Chrysler's recent management and its self-eradicating product planning, all cast in plastic worthy of a Chinese water pistol. The Sebring drop top does something I thought impossible: It makes me long for the exquisite craftsmanship of the Pontiac flipping G6.

Oh, and the Sebring Convertible is homely, too.

The Dodge Avenger has fared a little better, but not much. USA Today's car guy, James Healey found so many flaws in the test Avengers that he was provided, that Dodge was given unprecedented "equal time" to state what they have done to address the problems.

In the short term, it's not clear what can be done to address the Sebring and Avenger. Chrysler can't afford to drop them. They have nothing to replace them, unless they cut a deal with Mitsubishi to private-lable sell the Galant, but the Galant isn't really a class leader itself. What kills me about the Chrysler Sebring is that it's not even a good rental car. It only has a 13.6 cubic foot trunk. The Chrysler Sebring is a near-lock to be the top votegetter in thetruthaboutcars.com's "Ten Worst Automobiles 2008" competition. (The competition used to be the Ten Worst Automobiles Today, but there was big hairy uproar over the acronym, TWAT. Did they intend the controversy? You be the judge.)

IMHO, it was the Chrysler Sebring that convinced Daimler execs that Chrysler had to go at all costs. Daimler did not want to fund new product development at Chrysler, and Chrysler needed a lot of new product. Chrysler has no cars smaller than mid-size. The Dodge Caliber replaced the Neon, but the Caliber is the size and weight of a midsized car, and it needs a trick CVT transmission to get the MPG of a midsized car. For all the talk about selling Chinese Chery small cars as Dodges, there has been no commitment to a final design, and it remains to be seen if a Chinese manufacturer can build a car to American safety and quality standards, and if the cars can be built, whether American consumers will buy enough of them to constitute a profitable business. As far as SUVs and trucks are concerned, Chrysler's once-strong lineup is looking long in the tooth as other carmakers have targeted these areas and now have younger, fresher line-ups.

It's a true shame about the Sebring and Avenger, as UAW-Assembled midsized cars, they are two of a very few models that we can drive to work. The Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan have a reputation of being two reliable, well-performing midsizers, but both are currently assembled in Mexico. For us, that leaves the Saturn Aura, Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6, and (surprisingly) the Mitsubishi Galant and Mazda6. I'm thinking about reviewing "cars we can drive to work" since more and more of us are facing extended commuting time as we are transferred to out-of-the way offices and work from multiple locations, and many of us need to shift to more economical transportation.