Will UAW Strike?

[Snobdds]

Probably a bit of: 'hey, turns out we cannot make these for anywhere near what they are going to sell for'. The photo op was all we really wanted anyway.

Or maybe they'll move it to a right to work state. Michigan seems to be bad for business...

 

[milkman636]

Ford pauses work on $3.5 bln battery plant in Michigan

Ford Motor said on Monday it has paused work on a $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery plant in Michigan, citing concerns about its ability to competitively operate the plant at a time when it remains locked in broader contract negotiations.

www.reuters.com

This doesn't seem strike related, but a business decision forecasting no EV demand. There also might be a china angle in there too...

As a Michigan resident that kicks in on the incentives that the governors like to hand out, I really hope this turn into an example of a Chinese state owned company not qualifying for subsidies in the USA.

 

[5030]

Kind of like the mental hospital that our illustrious governor Granholm (past) sold to Toyota for a dollar. Michigan is a bad state for business but that is the fault of the electorate in Lansing.

 

[5030]

I believe Fords has come to the realization that EV's are a loosing proposition.

 

[airbiscuit]

Ford pauses work on $3.5 bln battery plant in Michigan

Ford Motor said on Monday it has paused work on a $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery plant in Michigan, citing concerns about its ability to competitively operate the plant at a time when it remains locked in broader contract negotiations.

www.reuters.com

This doesn't seem strike related, but a business decision forecasting no EV demand. There also might be a china angle in there too...

To me, this just sounds like Ford using a press release addressing the battery plant uncertainty to send a warning shot to the UAW that they can open or close plants.

I'm sure they wish they were farther down the road with EV expertise, but they see their future with EVs rather than ICE.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I was sitting at a Target waiting for the Mrs. to get a few things and there is a Supercharger facility there. There were 6 cars waiting on 3 occupied chargers.

One guy thought since he was late for something, that allowed him to go first. Some sort of charging station etiquette he kept saying. The others called him on his BS and a good argument ensued.

The best part, he couldn't leave the charging station. He had to sit in his car and just stew while watching someone else start charging their car and walk in to go shopping.

It was at that moment, I decided the entire EV thing was silly. It was giant leap backwards in evolution.

That is interesting!

In 2019 I read about how in Norway Mercedes Benz had a major sales short fall due to several of their long term customers were buying Tesla Model S cars vs another MB.

That was when I decided EVs would rule the world in time and bought the 2016 Nissan Leaf SL with 22K miles and a dying battery.

I am surprised that we now have two EVs with the 2023 Tesla Model Y dual motor long range turning up out of the blue.

It's interesting how you have band your option to own an EV going forward. They said we each create our own reality then move in to our own creations.

 

[NoTrespassing]

Amazing

 

[Lineman North Florida]

If I had 12 grand for a down payment, I'd sure not blow it on something that depreciates around 30% when you drive it off the dealer's lot.

I do have that and more but it will never be 'blown' on a vehicle.

We buy 100% off lease vehicles. My wife just bought late last year, a Chevy Suburban LTZ, fully loaded, every option (it has buttons we still haven't figured out what they do) and a new Burb lists well over 100 grand (LTZ). 2 year off lease, low mileage, dealer maintained and she bought it for well under 50 grand and paid cash. We don't do finance, never have. Sure, it has a big V8 and it gets poor mileage but she can afford to fill it up. It actually gets 21 which surprised me. I did do the cylinder cut out delete on it right away. Terrible design on GM's part to increase their CAFE rating. It's all wheel drive as well.

You say it get's poor mileage, but where I'm from 21 MPG is pretty good for a vehicle of that size, smart decision to de-activate AFM, that's the first thing that I have done on any GM vehicle that I have purchased that has it.

 

[Hay Dude]

I got 210,000 miles out of a 2008 Tahoe with the deactivation left untouched. Never seemed to do anything abnormal to it. Gave it to my son and he traded it in and got 10 grand for it. Lol

 

[5030]

You say it get's poor mileage, but where I'm from 21 MPG is pretty good for a vehicle of that size, smart decision to de-activate AFM, that's the first thing that I have done on any GM vehicle that I have purchased that has it.

When I'm getting (average 39.5) out of my Focus RS Turbo, if I drive it like my age which is 73 and not like a kid, I don't consider 21 to be all that good but then it does have 4 more cylinders than the Focus and weighs at least 2 times what the Focus weighs.

It belongs to my wife and she's happy with it and that is the important thing, plus she buys the gas for it, not me.

The GM AFM deal sucks all around but some models can be deleted via a plug in to the OBD port module (Range Delete) while others have to have the top end of the engine disassembled and internal parts replaced. The overall improvement in not only fuel mileage (she picked up an additional 1.5 MPG) but the response of the engine improves immensely and they quit consuming oil which to me is a big plus. GM really didn't think out the cylinder cutout deal very well IMO.

Nothing exciting happening here in the Motor Capital State other than dealers are whining already about not getting OEM parts because Fain shut the parts distribution centers. Bad thing about that is, consumers that use their dealers for service and repairs are now screwed and that will breed a negative attitude towards the UAW strike.

Interestingly, Fain has basically left Fords untouched, other than the initial walk outs at three assembly plants including Wayne Assembly and even then, not total plant walkout but select departments.

As the strike wears on it will begin to adversely impact 2nd and 3rd tier suppliers, many of whom are already borderline not profitable. I suspect only the 'strong' suppliers will survive and there will be many people unemployed, even after the strike is settled and the longer it goes, the more impact it will have on workers and their families.

The 'Big Guy' is supposed to be here (Toledo, Stellantis Jeep) today. Will see how that plays out. I don't see the old codger walking any picket line myself and Bad Man Red is also coming early next week but on Detroit, not Toledo.