VIDEO: Scott Griffith, Zipcar CEO: We have never had a request for a GM product
Click above to watch the video after the break
It shouldn't come as a major surprise that car sharing services like Zipcar are reporting increased membership rates and demand for short-term rental vehicles in these tough economic times. It's also to be expected that as more and more people rely on these services, new car purchases will be reduced somewhat.
Still, services like Zipcar need to keep a current fleet of vehicles for their members to use, and it's best to have the wheels that people want. In an interview with Erin Burnett from CNBC's Squawk Box, Zipcar Chairman and CEO Scott Griffith had some not-so-flattering things to say about General Motors and Chrysler. According to Griffith:
We have never bought a GM or Chrysler product. What we do is we survey our members, we ask them what kind of car do they want to drive. And when we hear back what they want to drive, if we don't have it, we consider it and look at it. We have never had a request for a GM product. That's unfortunate, but that's the way it is. Out of 300,000 users that we survey every six months, I have never had a request.Ouch. We don't necessarily think that's the "most damning" thing we've ever heard about General Motors or Chrysler – two automakers that recently filed for bankruptcy – but that's certainly not good news to either of these American automakers. Make the jump to watch the video.
[Source: The Business Insider]
Video:
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
PeterG 3:23PM (6/02/2009)
I have a hard time believing that. 300000 users and not one request... Yikes!!!!
GM really needs to get work with zipcar to find out why no one wants their cars.
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paulwesterberg 6:49PM (6/02/2009)
GM only surveys people who buy their products(and have nothing better to do than fill out surveys). That's why every year they come out with new models that are bigger, heavier, have more horsepower and get horrible mileage.
People who live in the city and hardly need a car and use zipcar want something that is reliable, easy to park, gets good mileage and has low emissions.
Sean 8:28AM (6/03/2009)
The Aveo certainly qualifies. I've been quite happy with them the five or six times I've rented one when out of town. (In fact I get a bit annoyed when they're not available since they're usually the most fuel-efficient car offered at the lowest rate.)
brn 1:11PM (6/03/2009)
"I have a hard time believing that. 300000 users and not one request... "
This guy (Scott) is a big fat liar. It's statistically impossible for 300000 users (surveyed every six months) to NEVER request a vehicle form the worlds largest auto manufacturer. I have to say it again. He's a big fat liar.
I noticed he dodged (pun intended) the Chrysler aspect of that question, twice.
I looked at Zipcar in my area. They rent SUVs, pickup trucks, and full size sedans. Not a single one of them is from a domestic manufacturer, not even Ford. I even picked a couple of "neighborhoods" in Chicago and New York City. I narrowed my search to pickups and SUVs. Again, not a single domestic.
This company has an agenda.
LaughingMan 5:46PM (6/03/2009)
brn. You didn't even watch the video did you?
The guy clearly stated that his company has Ford Escapes (hybrid and non-hybrid) and Volvos.
brn 1:21PM (6/04/2009)
Laughing man. I did watch the video, but you didn't read my post. I saw him claim to have Ford Escapes. When I tried several "communities" I was unable to locate any. I'm sure there are a few out there, but they're rare.
CaramelZappa 3:53PM (6/02/2009)
I can't think of a GM car I'd want to drive...
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guyledouche 4:22PM (6/02/2009)
surprise surprise. Anyone that is surprised needs to put the bottle down.
I hate to see good American lose their jobs, but on the other hand, I think this is exactly what GM and Chrysler need to wake the F*ck up and either catch up or go bye bye.
ALL of their cars basically suck and when compared to a comparable jap car, they always come up way short in many ways.
Also they/WE absolutely have to do something about the UAW. The UAW have them both by the balls and are literally choking them every day. GM and Chrysler WILL NEVER be able to be competitive or profitable if they do not do something about the UAW. Why the hell are they required to pay these schmucks more than some doctors make just to assemble shitty cars? why do they need to pay them almost that same amount even when they are out of work? What motivation would you have to find a new job if your old one would pay you and keep your benefits indefinitely until you found work? I would assume that most people would ride that wave indefinitely. Our assembly guys assemble mobile water purification systems for a 1/5th of what UAW guys make and I would argue that our guys are far more intelligent and are required to perform much more complex tasks when assembling our machinery. The UAW is out of control and is literally sucking the life blood out of the US auto industry, plain and simple.
Unions are old news and are completely unnecessary these days. They were only needed many years ago when there were very little in the way of employee protection laws. Now the employee, in many ways, has more rights than the employer. I might be going out on a limb here but I think unions should be illegal. They have ruined or severely hurt many more industries than just the auto industry.
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Spence 5:24PM (6/02/2009)
I know, it's sure lucky for the Japanese and the Germans that they don't have auto worker unions...
Oh that's right, they do. And they get better deals for their workers then the UAW. Hum, rather then ranting about unions, maybe you could consider the actual, real difference in competitiveness between us and them, which is health care. The Japanese and German car manufacturers don't have to provide it to their employees, because they have national systems. GM provides health care for over a million people, current and former employees and their families. Getting health care off their plate is what the restructuring is mainly about.
And while we are at it, your average union assembly line worker makes somewhere between twenty-five and forty dollars an hour in salary. Show me a doctor who gets that kind of pay.
Scapegoats aren't answers. They are just scapegoats.
guyledouche 5:47PM (6/02/2009)
That is first of all total BS Spence. I am assuming you are probably a UAW worker or relative of one. Most UAW guys make between 45 and 70 dollars an hour with benefits. It has been in the news numerous times recently, not me just making numbers up. Perhaps I should have equated it to what a physicians assistant makes instead. Would that make you happier?
Secondly, you are basically proving my point. GM is forced to do all of this crap, they don't choose to. Riddle me this batman, Why can we (My company) manufacture thousands of extremely complex solar water purification systems a year while providing health care and dental to ALL of our assembly line guys while still keeping their entire bill under $35 a head on average and yet the UAW cannot? Also, if we have to lay guys off due to slow sales, do you think we pay them 95% of their full wage until they find new employment? Hell no, and they don't expect it. Wake up Spence, this shit cannot fly anymore. The UAW is out of control.
Are we magicians? Do we pay extremely low wages? do we offer sub-par health coverage?
No, no, and no. We are just not being held hostage by some corrupt over-weight union.
I cannot beleive you are even sticking up for the UAW. The only explanation I can think of is that you are in some way affiliated.
The answer is simple, ditch the fat bitch, and start going to the gym GM.
Nick P. 4:30PM (6/02/2009)
It makes sense when you think o two factors:
1) Zip Cars are mostly for large cities
- This means more small cars and less trucks & SUVs (GM's specialty)
2) To attract membership, Zip has to maintain "aspiration" products: The kind of car you would get if you had a little more money.
- GM cars are way too ordinary-looking to be aspiration products. When we think of stepping up, we don't think GM. Mini Cooper, BMWs, Smarts, Volvos, even Ford, but not GM.
- Nick -
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Sean 8:36AM (6/03/2009)
Uhh, Cadillac's sedans and coupes aren't aspiration cars? I was quite impressed with the creature comfort tech included in the DTS. After seeing that and the fact that some typically optional radio amenities are standard on the HHR, it seems GM is trying to win over in the creature comfort department.
Nick P. 2:37PM (6/03/2009)
Cadillac? Are you kidding me? When was the last time you heard a city dweller bellow 50 wishing he/she had a Cadillac? Even the latest models look like hey were designed for grand'pas wanting to look hip.
I'll pass.
- Nick -
Snowdog 6:17PM (6/02/2009)
I checked ZIP and they also do pickup trucks. You can't tell me that if you do a survey about preferred pickup truck, no one will choose a GM?
When I clicked through I see only Tacomas. Not even any F150s...
I am no domestic fan, but clearly this survey of 300 000 and no GMs seems like pure BS.
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ebow 6:56PM (6/02/2009)
I wonder if he meant they have 300,000 members from which they survey a statistically representative subset. Just as "a survey of likely voters..." doesn't mean they asked all voters the survey questions.
Snowdog 7:17PM (6/02/2009)
Yes, but he said survey their 300 000 user base every 6 months. A reasonable sample size is going to be more than 20 people. GM still has a lot of fans(especially in trucks/suvs), so nobody mentioning a GM SUV or pickup doesn't pass the sanity test.
I can see not making the cut but not one request?
Jeremy 8:35AM (6/03/2009)
He obviously doesn't read those surveys. I requested they find a more capable American truck in the survey I got because I had the unfortunate experience of using one of those base model Tacomas. Man, what a POS.
Dave 9:37AM (6/03/2009)
The CEO said that they never had a request for a GM product; he didn't mention Ford. Though the F-150 is obviously capable, it makes sense that people want a smaller truck that is easier to drive in the city. The Ranger is a little too small, apparently nobody wants a Colorado/Canyon, and the only thing comparable in size to the Tacoma is the Dakota and when you have to choose between a Tacoma and a Dakota, well, the choice is pretty clear.
Unni 7:17PM (6/02/2009)
Kool , now we have a list of 300,000 who should be deported to japan or other places according to the support of economy they gave and sentenced to work and live that place.
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Nick P. 9:26PM (6/02/2009)
Japan is actually a pretty nice place. Tokyo is *huge*, yet there's very few graffiti an/or crime. Their train/subway system is very well-designed and quite easy to navigate even for non-Japanese speakers like myself. I wouldn't mind working there as the average salary is higher than in North America. The only downside is the lack f space, but you get used to it...
For those interested, ZipCar has published a study about introducing car-sharing to the Tokyo market:
http://www.freeonlineresearchpapers.com/zipcar-case-study
Very neat stuff.
- Nick -