Historic Oldsmobile World Headquarters

[Sue 5125]

Just received these email messages a few minutes ago:


--------- Forwarded message ----------
Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2005 12:26 PM
Subject: Fwd: Oldsmobile Ad Bldg 70

Another sad day in Oldsmobile history. I never thought they would tear this one (bldg. 70) down as a Michigan Historical marker was placed in front of building 70 during our centennial celebration. I worked in this building for about 14 years. Many memories.


>--------- Forwarded message ----------
Sent: Monday, December 19, 2005 2:23 PM
Subject: Oldsmobile Ad Bldg 70

More news of the fate of Building 70. I hope the Oldsmobile letters are salvaged for the R.E.Olds Transportation Museum or the GM Heritage Center.


>--------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2005 06:44:48 -0500
>
>Hello, greetings from building 70 (Oldsmobile world headquarters). This
>is the last day of occupation for the ivory tower. Its schedualed to
>be torn down. What a shame. We meet here before leaving for Detroit. I
>wanted to send you a email from the last computer in the building of
>the last day anyones allowed in. You are now a part of Oldsmobile
>history.

[Brian Daum, 18809]

Our grandchildren will be cruisin around in vintage Toyotas and attending Hershey for old Hyundai parts.........

What a sad world!!

Brian
Norway

[Doug Houston]

Its all bad news. Cadillac is gone, along with Buick and Pontiac HQ buildings. Chevrolet has been gone for some years, I understand.
General Motors is just an empty shell of the fine, enviable corporation it once was. Since 1961, weve seen its managers burn out the innards and wash clean any trace of the empire that Alfred Sloan guided to such prosperity. It was all done by a corps of fools who sought to make it efficient, ans cut costs. They cut more throats than costs. Now, what do they have left?  A teetering hulk that has little to offer next to what they once had. We lived through the years that saw our industrial giants grow and prosper, then the ledger-flinging termites swarmed in and ate out its infrastructure. I think wed all like to see General Motors running as it once was, but like Rome, GM wasnt made in a day, nor was it made with only a few bucks. Its a matter of time now, but many are saying that those two fine initials will soon have no more meaning.

[Brian Laurance]

It is indeed regrettable that these historic auto industry structures are being torn down.  Here are links to the photos of the demolition of the historic Buick City assembly complex in Flint in 2002:

http://buickclub.org/BuickCity/buick_city_demolition_march_2002.htm TARGET=_blank>http://buickclub.org/BuickCity/buick_city_demolition_march_2002.htm

The word is now that the beautiful Buick Administration Building in Flint will be demolished next.

[denise 20352]

IMO, there are two things that could save the American carmakers...pride, and good service.

There is nothing in the design of the cars or the advertising that says, "Were proud of this".  I can see a little of it with Chrysler, a weak attempt from Cadillac, but for the most part, to me, they say, "This is all weve got."

And good service...for all of the service that I got with my F*rd product, I might as well have picked it up at a junkyard.  Nobody cared whether or not I was happy with it, having problems with it, or even whether or not it was driveable.  I would have been less traumatized if even one person said, "Im sorry that youre not happy with the car", "Theres really nothing we can do about that", or "Would you like to see some other models?"  Instead, I got, "We dont get involved with sales issues, "Theres nothing wrong with the car, youre oversteering it", and "You should have bought a Villager".

If I felt that I had to have a new car right now, I would go buy the cheapest POS import that I could find.  I know now that I can go buy the top-of-the-line American model and still get a piece of junk, and lousy service, so what would be the point?  To get back my business, the Americans would have to first build something high-quality, luxurious, and roomy enough to impress me.  It would have to have a smooth ride and be easy to steer, like American cars used to be.  Then they would have to somehow convince me that Im not going to be left out in the cold after I buy it.  What happens if I have a problem with it?  What if I just dont like it?  Will there be parts available in ten years?

When the American carmakers go under, it will be because they have nothing to offer that I cant get elsewhere.  Anyone can make a car, and theyre all pretty much the same.  The only way that a company could possibly distinguish itself from its competition these days would be to provide good service, and that is where theyre not making an ounce of effort.  Good service does not mean mailing me a card every two weeks threatening to cancel my warrany if I dont bring the car in for an oil change...its about making sure that Im going to be happy with what I buy.  Why else would I buy it, when there is another car dealer across the street?  Is that more than pedantic?


-densie

[Doug Houston]

If one were to wonder if there is hope for the gutted-out shell of what was once the great General Motors, here is a clue. The same bungling fools are still in charge of it. Go figure: its been 44 years since the bean counting termites went to work on the company, to methodically destroy it. Most GM employees  havent been with the company for that long. They havent a clue of how the company operated when it was prosperous and making the products that people wanted and were proud to own. Its sort of a replay of the era in Europe when the barbarians swarmed in and gleefully destroyed a great civilization.  

Ive wondered lately how long GMs Tech center will stand. Theyve already sold off the property across Mound road, and a big Meijer store is being built there. Can you imagine the Tech center being bulldozed soon? I can.

Take a good last look.

[Bruce Reynolds # 18992]

I hope that GM will still be an entity in 2008 so that I can join in with their Centennial Festivities.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV