Future of GM based gas engines...

[Ilan Voyager]

Everybody knows that we are in a deep financial and economical crisis...and GM seems on the verge of collapsing. In Europe, all the brands owned by GM (SAAB, Opel etc) are trying to save their skins by becoming independent from GM.

I won't comment the reasons of the actual situation of the GM, but I'm asking myself about the future of all the gas marine engines based on the GM engines. There are a lot of brands; Mercruiser, Volvo Penta, Power, Crusader etc.

Do you think there is a future for these engines if GM disappears? Do you think it's reasonable to counsel to someone to buy in this moment a Mercruiser (for example) engine?

[Guest20100203]

Considering the huge number of GM engines in the market place, the after market outfits also making castings for these same engines and the simple fact that the tooling for these engines will be sold if GM goes belly up, it seems the likelihood of GM engines being around for at least a decade after a shut down is very probable.

In reality, GM is courting purchasers for SAAB, Opel and other divisions. These have been substantial money pits since purchase and the dead weight needs to be someone else's problem.

Don't hold your breath on GM folding up shop. It's unlikely the US government will permit this company to go belly up.

[TollyWally]

Both the GM big block and small block V8 engines are incredibly well supported in the aftermarket. One can build entire engines from oil pans to air cleaners without a single factory part. They aren't going away anytime soon. My .02

[mydauphin]

Just because company goes bankrupt (reorganiztion) does not mean thye close. Even popular unsupported engines still go on like detroit diesel. A chevy small block might be around well into next century.

[Jimbo1490]

GM's Electro-Motive division (EMD), originator (along with Ingersoll-Rand) of the 'hybrid' or more accurately, the electric transmission back in the 1920's, was in recent years briefly eclipsed as the world's number one maker of rail locomotives by General Electric, who had shrewdly muscled into that market by becoming a key supplier to GM's (then) chief rival, Alco. When that rival collapsed, GE stepped in with a buy out, and in the following decades slowly chipped away at GM's dominance simply by being cheaper.

But recently GM reasserted itself as the world's number one locomotive maker when the Chinese government signed a multi-decade contract naming GM to supply all the replacements for China's fleet of aging diesel-electric locos. With this deal, GM will be the Big Cuhuna in rail locos for at least the next 20 years.

But EMD turns out to be a wash as a subsidiary for the purpose of raising capital because of a pending huge lawsuit in the US over 'safety issues' with the headlights of it's older products. Seems GM locos never die (it's chief advantage over GE, there are still 1950's vintage GM locos in service all over the world including several here in Orlando) and these older products are often the target of costly lawsuits as they had fewer safety features compared to modern equipment.

Only in the USA

Jimbo

[Landlubber]

Jimbo, Yep, go build something, be creative, make hundreds of jobs , try your best, and some jealous bastard or lawyer will gut you out.

Get rid of politicians, priests, accountants and lawyers and we will all be better off.

[FAST FRED]

A copy of Hot Rod , or any similar auto nut magazine will convince you the GM blocks and parts (most far superior to stock) will be available virtually forever.

There are almost no reasons to need model T parts , yet they're still on the shelf , new.

FF

[mydauphin]

Originally Posted by Landlubber

Get rid of politicians, priests, accountants and lawyers and we will all be better off.

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one


NOT in our lifetime....