Why do people still buy cars from this company?

[240260280z]

U.S. safety watchdog says 303 deaths linked to recalled GM cars | Reuters

Ivey Memo: How much is your life worth | Beasley Allen Law Firm

[Unkle]

U.S. safety watchdog says 303 deaths linked to recalled GM cars | Reuters

Ivey Memo: How much is your life worth | Beasley Allen Law Firm

Yep things go wrong if it can , it will .

You should see the boat anchor of things hanging off of key rings these days !

Nail clippers,beer bottle openers, ID tags , a dozen other non auto related keys, padlocks, phones, mp3's, assorted metal figurines , a compass, even 3 sets of other car keys.

Then they wonder why the ignition assembly gets jammed or worn out so quickly , or in this case shuts off in an intersection ! I would hazard a guess that a small percentage is actually GM 'S fault . The rest of the blame HAS to be put squarely on the driver . In no way will one or two keys turn an ignition off by being jostled by a bumpy road surface . No way hose . :tapemouth

[siteunseen]

Unions, in my opinion.

[30 Ounce]

303 out of how many millions sold?

[Zed Head]

Made in America too. No guarantees of quality anywhere.

SATURN Ion Sedan models

Just saying, it always comes down to someone's decision. Usually some executive whose bonus is tied to short-term profits. There's probably a spreadsheet somewhere at GM showing how much each death or injury will cost the company versus the cost of fixing the problem(s). Like Ford and their Pinto.

Edited March 14, 2014 by Zed Head

[30 Ounce]

I would rather be in an accident in a "defective cobalt" than a 70's Z! Don't get me wrong, I love my Z but it doesn't compare to the crumple zones built into modern cars. Most accidents would be survivable if people would simply wear their seat belts. I would bet that most of those killed did NOT wear seatbelts and/or there were extenuating circumstances to lead to their demise.

[Mark Maras]

Yeah, I wouldn't want to crash a Z. The results would not be pretty. That said, I have a big problem with "crumple zones". IMO in the name of "safety" they are making cars disposable. A better idea is to bolt the crumple zones to a stronger central chassis, much like a survival cell. If you crunch the car, simply unbolt the damage & replace it. I remember driving the cars from the 50s & 60s. You could still drive one home after the average accident & in my case even a roll-over. The roll-over went to the body shop for an easy repair. 1969 $750.00 Yes the cars were heavy then, but so are the cars of today. Make-em stronger not weaker. Mark in Portland.

[Captain_Zeros]

Everyone knows how much tougher cars were back in the day
Every piece of metal that bends and crumples is a piece of your body that isn't bending and crumpling.

Edit: Says the guy who daily drives a 40 year old sportscar made of japanese beer cans

[Unkle]

That ''poof'' of brown at impact is rust off of the Belair metal - I wonder if a rust free car would do any better ?

The lawsuit is about failed ignitions - turning off at the absolute worst time , not crumple zones btw .

[jmortensen]

I buy GM trucks because they're powerful and reliable. I wouldn't personally buy a Cobalt, but I've autoxed a turbo one and it was faster than my Miata by a few seconds and was fun to drive too. I wouldn't turn down a new Vette or Camaro either...

[30 Ounce]

That ''poof'' of brown at impact is rust off of the Belair metal - I wonder if a rust free car would do any better ?

The lawsuit is about failed ignitions - turning off at the absolute worst time , not crumple zones btw .

I know what the lawsuit is about! These people were in accidents where the airbag did not deploy because of a faulty ignition switch. I've seen people with 5 lbs of stuff on their key rings. How much weight do you think these should be designed to handle?

[Captain_Zeros]

They should install original 240Z ignitions switches, so the key just falls out on the floor while the car stays running :tapemouth