GM’s Fast Lane

The automotive industry and the blogosphere has been fused with GM launching it’s new FastLane blog.

GM says it’s FastLane blog is all about GM’s cars and trucks. GM also has another blog called the Smallblock engine blog, to celebrate Chevrolet’s successful small-block engine’s 50th birthday.

The blog is written by GM vice chairman Bob Lutz. You can read him ‘defend’ some decisions the GM board made which to most people don’t make sense and could be the final nail in the coffin for the company’s dwindling sales.

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • SEE FU on Nov 08, 2005 at 8:18 pm

    Wah!!! Like Lim Kit Siang!!

    I think POTONG Should follow it man!! Good idea and keep in touch with the customers DIRECTLY!!

    YAU MOU GAU……CHOR!!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • aksMs on Nov 08, 2005 at 9:13 pm

    SEE FU: Proton wouldn't dare to open it lah. Not even 3 hours after they open it, their server will be flooded by bashers. It will take them to have really BIG balls to open one, don't you think so? Hehee…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • SEE FU on Nov 08, 2005 at 9:44 pm

    aksMs bro, :)

    Of course it's EXPECTED lah!! But don't you agreed it's really an effective way to understand Customers problems. Dare to CHANGE is POTONG's company Slogan man!! Not Dare to TALK KOK only!! ha..ha..ha

    I'm recommending POTONG to ask all the POTONG owner to REGISTERED and only the real owner can give their comments on this BLOG. I think It's good enough to prevent SABOTAGE from Outsider!! Brashed……like hell but no PROVEN records!! Sometimes!!!

    POTONG do it or not!! It'S The way to get back customer's TRUST!! :)

    YAU MOU GAU……CHOR!!! DAre to change! How?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • aksMs on Nov 08, 2005 at 10:02 pm

    SEE FU: It reminds me of Hyundai Malaysia. If I'm not mistaken, they have a forum for Hyundai owners. Every car purchased will be given a username and password so that the customer can log on and have discussions and gives feedbacks. I wonder if Proton did the same or just another talk cock wan!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Prometheus on Nov 08, 2005 at 10:47 pm

    Are Hyndais any better than Protons? I Have a Proton Putra and a Kia Sportage. The Putra is 5 years old and the Sportage is 6 years old. I'll never ever buy another KIA again. But i'll buy another Proton. Doesn't anybody realize, its the volume of protons sold which similarly gives you the volume of complaints.. Not so? What say you See Fu? Since you like to use CAPITALS and !!!!! (Still its your right!)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • rainbow7j on Nov 09, 2005 at 12:04 am

    I have to agree with Prometheus, ever since I arrived back to Malaysia in Nov 2004 after spending 4 years studying abroad in Germany, I don't really see how good are the Korean cars if being compare to our own Proton and Perodua, maybe perhaps the K cars are more stylish and have more model to choose from.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • doc2mee on Nov 09, 2005 at 12:21 am

    hey, Is this the same GM Potong want to talk about a partnership??

    Wah courting another loser ah?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Prometheus said,

    November 8, 2005 @ 2:47 pm

    I Have a Proton Putra and a Kia Sportage. The Putra is 5 years old and the Sportage is 6 years old. I’ll never ever buy another KIA again. But i’ll buy another Proton.

    —-> 6 year ago…Putra maybe better than sportage..and poor sportage, when it launched not long…Kia went into insolvency and was took over by hyundai. So thats virtually no improvement allowed. hmm anyway we are not looking behind…my fren can be proud when he first got his Saga Magma.

    Ok done about "history". We have no issue if you want to buy another proton or even your whole family want to use proton. The manner fact in the market is Kia sportage is now designed to be better lookin and more reliable…Putra? sorry its a HISTORY dude! afterall now 1 model has improved to be a better quality car while the other has gone into history book. What is there to compare? We are looking at the progress buddy…not stop at the time proton launch their new model and everyone feeling proud to own a proton even the car has its own problem.

    Look forward la plsss…Did Kia stopped themselves in the lights of Sephia and sportage?? Nope man! they have got their household name of Kia Sportage, Careso, Carens, Carnival, Optima, Spectra bla bla…POTONG? 6 years ago it was Wira, Iswara, perdana…6 years later? well ok la Wira, Iswara, perdana, emm..Waja, the famous design like Juara and Sawi? gip me a break…ppl are designing the car meeting the needs at the decade, not keep asking u to buy some obseleted model!!!

    I am not anti potong as i owned 1 b4. But globalization is on track now and comparison makes u look competence or otherwise…condemned!!

    See Fu…borrow you word YAU MOU GAU……CHOR!!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • rainbow7j said,

    November 8, 2005 @ 4:04 pm

    I don’t really see how good are the Korean cars if being compare to our own Proton and Perodua,

    —-> If you include P2 then u grabbed urself some credit there…they are improving a lot under daihatsu and toyota's flag. if oni potong…then i will be wasting my time in UK seeing potong compare to those british and continental cars…

    again See Fu: YAU MOU GAU……CHOR!!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Prometheus on Nov 09, 2005 at 12:47 am

    So many words, I cannot gather the point.. Can someone please summarize?

    " am not anti potong as i owned 1 b4. But globalization is on track now and comparison makes u look competence or otherwise…condemned!!"

    means what eh? Must be my england no good. Sorry

    "if oni potong…then i will be wasting my time in UK seeing potong compare to those british and continental cars…"

    You do know that Protons are selling in the UK at very very very low prices with extremely long warranties?

    Thats how they can compare lah. I don't think Proton makes much money there. not sure. Check the UK proton website. If I'm not mistaken only 1 pound can get u a car. Can't do that with any other conti cars.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • eRis-Aeir4s on Nov 09, 2005 at 2:26 am

    The Putra is the cream of the crop. While the Sportage is not.

    I think the Sonata's nowadays might fare better. After all , Hyundai improved much faster.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • eRis-Aeir4s on Nov 09, 2005 at 2:29 am

    Oops, double post.

    The Proton's in the UK aren't cheap. If you saw Paul's post a while ago on the 3 cars subjected to the Euro NCAP Tests. Jeremy Clarkson asked "Do you want this (Waja) to save a little or pay a bit more for a 5 star like this (Toyota Avensis)

    I think..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • eRis-Aeir4s on Nov 09, 2005 at 2:31 am

    Triple post >.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • FiveElements on Nov 09, 2005 at 2:32 am

    Prometheus,

    What they say is and condemn is about PROTON's ability to look foward and improve.

    PROTON shows no potential at all with super ugly models coming out. Poor design, poor safety feature and bla bla bla….

    See if they can sell so cheap in UK (with extreme long warranties) why we the Malaysian who have been supporting PROTON since day one get to buy our so called "NATIONAL CAR" much moire expensive (with a extremely short warranties)

    This just doesnt make sense at all. We support PROTON and in return we get to buy this shit box much more expensive……ridiculous rite…..

    sigh……..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • yhtan on Nov 09, 2005 at 3:34 am

    Aiz,proton debate again….

    paul,can u open a topic so that we can debate about proton

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • gegaoff on Nov 09, 2005 at 4:46 am

    yhtan, if u not said that, i also forgot this post is regarding GM"s blog, after i saw all of the post posted here. hahaha…

    well, POTONG is our hot topic, becoz is a malaysian's product, and we are malaysian. ok? i bet korean's ppl will talk/compare local product to US or JP product as well…

    anyway, i'm very interested what kind of 'defense' will that guy come out for GM's decision. as they make so huge of lose afterall… emm…

    at the other way… if hyundai car is so cheap, but how come hyundai's car can go to globar market, but our lovely POTONG only get to UK, and few other oversea market, and with a small damm volumn? as simple as that, but some of us try not to look at that… sigh… that's y our country still only improve little by little…

    cheers…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Ferox on Nov 09, 2005 at 5:02 am

    "Aiz,proton debate again…"

    What debate? This isn't a debate, this is Proton Bashing. Get that right! Woohoo… another round of Bashing. Alright Proton Bashers let's hear it. Haha.

    "Doesn’t anybody realize, its the volume of protons sold which similarly gives you the volume of complaints.."

    You're quite right Prometheus. Out of 1 Million Protons sold, similarly gives us 1 Million Complaints. This is the great "Proton One to One Guarantee Policy" No Questions Asked. (More like no Answers given). Haha. No other car maker have better policy than our Proton!!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • perlyn on Nov 09, 2005 at 8:08 am

    ask yrslf, wht makes u buy a PRTN bsides $$. ask yrslf, where is the technology? where is development? where is the style? where is wow factor? lukin @ gen2, perdana,waja, & not to mention the rest, I think all PRTN model dun hv all the above ma. so, wht's to talk abt? tidur better.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • daniel on Nov 09, 2005 at 10:18 am

    aiyoh.. can never finish talking about p1.. eh.. paul.. why u not listed on fastlane's "blog we like" ? huhu… *cheers.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • blackhead on Nov 09, 2005 at 10:32 am

    KIA's car really sux few years b4, my house have a KIA sephia, i'm sure my wira better than it in any place. recently my fren bought a spectra, i see, n heard from my fren, it really improve a lot from previous through hyundai's job better than KIA's. my fren very quite happy with it, ok, i believe KIA can done much more better in future. but i dont have such feeling in proton's latest models, feedback from fren around who driving it, rarely will heard they will go for another proton, they rather pay double for a better next car which gorv will tax on them.

    i think that's not hard for proton to improve, but he choose to protect these local expensive + low quality parts supplier, to keep them alive. he want to be hero.

    nah, customer are not stupid after 20years, or actually we dont want to be the "man behind hero" anymore? that's y u see perodua's car selling, daihatsu will not allow them to be such hero, their tag are precious, no gorv going to protect them.

    hopefully proton will give up their hero work, to give us better products. else, nah, u see what's my next car!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • MutantTomato on Nov 09, 2005 at 11:16 am

    A friend of mine has a Spectra. When she first got it, I thought the car was not too bad la… Quite stylo mylo at the time… Then I drove it…. I think it has to be the second worst car I have ever driven, losing out only to the 1st generation Kancil! the rear view mirror is almost useless because of the funny angle the rear windscreen has been placed. The overall ergonomics in the driver AND passenger area is terrible!

    Looks wise however, I still think if you kena some 3k metallic black on the car, put on a nice bodykit and get a nice set of rims, the car will look better than most other "done up" cars!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • SEE FU on Nov 09, 2005 at 3:56 pm

    aksMs Arr!!

    Hyundai got Blog??? Really?? I would like to make some complaint for my Friend…friends….friend's car lei!!

    YAU MOU GAU…..CHOR!!! Why I don't know it?? Pls teach me, Okay?? What is the address??

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • SEE FU on Nov 09, 2005 at 4:01 pm

    abu arr!!

    Before you can use "YAU MOU GAU…..CHOR!!!", you need to registered first!! please go to my BLOG and register your name, bank acc, Credit Card no. and your Guarantor's information. Now got promotion 50% membership off for 1st year due to GONG XI FATT CHAI season is coming soonI!! Kawak…..kawak….kaw :)

    YAU MOU GAU…..CHOR!!! Who wants to join!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Selipar on Nov 09, 2005 at 4:10 pm

    Ferox said,

    November 8, 2005 @ 9:02 pm

    Good comments dude!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • pycazu on Nov 09, 2005 at 11:49 pm

    K, another round of proton bashing…

    Quite interesting that at recent time Proton ex-CEO Mahadeel came out to defend what he have done for proton before also. (I read it at NanYang last 2 day, just wondering why no one posting the article yet. So, Paul! We waited u for too long…)

    It's just ridiculous that the comments are like "Those bashing Protong never driving Protong car before" la, "Protong car's defect rate just 1% only" la… blah blah…

    I'm sure that most of the Protong "bashers" here got the suck experience owning Protong car or still driving it, like Ferox said:

    "Out of 1 Million Protons sold, similarly gives us 1 Million Complaints. This is the great 'Proton One to One Guarantee Policy'. "

    CLAP it!!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • mmm

    i don't agree with just bashing proton

    i think it is the goverment policy that made proton less competitive

    as you can see from the AP and corruption

    corruption = goverment

    heheh

    REFORMASI!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • MutantTomato on Nov 10, 2005 at 8:09 am

    aR: horrrrrr!!! You said the "R" word!!! Finished la u!! :P ehehehehe… but yalar, too much govt. meddling in a corporation cannot be good for it….

    wait wait… this ain't no Proton bashing topic! Cheh! Got deviated again! :P

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • my_YARIS on Nov 10, 2005 at 5:13 pm

    I still in-doubt of Korean made cars especially KIA. The model improving to much nicer especially Spectra with spacious legroom. But I heard after 3-4 yrs, "sek hak-yau"=engine oil consumption high that u hv to refill it.

    SEE FU, pinjam.. YAU MOU GAU…..CHOR!!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • weili on Nov 10, 2005 at 11:41 pm

    As i know, potong after 3 yrs on the road sure got blue smoke come out from the rear pipe.i came arcoss quite a number of these problem in my work shop.Why can't they use more quality parts on the car????

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Sexythang on Nov 11, 2005 at 7:12 am

    "Doesn’t anybody realize, its the volume of protons sold which similarly gives you the volume of complaints.."

    this type of argument from proton or from that mahaleel is really lame. even though we may not have the ability to find out how many % of proton owners have complaints about thier cars. But one thing is certain, the chances of having friends or families who bought proton and are complaining and unhappy about it is alot higher than having friends or family who bought proton and are happy with it.

    it might be wrong to generalize the statement to the rest of proton owners in malaysia. but the fact remains that it is indeed a safe bet to assume that proton cars are indeed problematic from your own experience and those around you. andit would seem better not to try prove ourselves wrong and go on buying a proton as your next car few years down the track.

    Hyundai cars seem to get very good reviews from newspapers and auto magazines. so they must be doing something right. and i thought KIA is part of hyundai that caters as the 'proton' of korea and hyundai. or maybe its daewoo or maybe im wrong.

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  • MutantTomato on Nov 11, 2005 at 9:07 am

    Sexythang: I think Daewoo was bought over by Chevrolet, or whoever who owns Chevrolet. The Chevvie models we get here are made in the Daewoo factory. So basically, they are sort of rebadged Daewoos… I'm pretty sure of this, but check it out la…

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  • Opps few days nia so many comment liao. See FU: thats too expensive so i'll continue use ur quote as pirated copies…and its famous arnd this blog – you make urself a name!! anyway someone has answer for me –> 1 pound rite…but how much the car price?? I oso know 1 pound can get the car…free after that ar? *duh* :P

    – YAO MOU KAO…………..CHOR!!!!!!!!!!!

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