The measure of a quality car is resale value. The market has more intuition than any one person or the sham that is JD Power and the market sets the demand on an item. In particular, there is an almost unlimited supply in the case cars so it is a level playing field in the used market. And lets face it, if it werent for fleet sales and leasing GM and other US manufacturers would be hurting more. GM cars have low resale value for a reason, and that reason is quality.
There are a few exceptions but you cant argue with the free marketplace that is used cars. I didn't say they shouldn't protect trademarks. I just think there is good case law that says Chevy Duty isnt directly stealing their trademark. Maybe using the Bowtie along with Chevy is a stretch of course but come on.........Think of all of the service companies that use a brand in their name. Doesn't matter what industry. -----Original Message----- From: old-chevy-truck@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Merlin Bellinger Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 5:45 PM To: old-chevy-truck@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [old-chevy-truck] Chevy duty is changing its name Steve, Well said! It's easy to shoot at the big guy (well not as big anymore). When the going is good people want a piece of it, when the going gets tough, they still want a piece. Kinda like the sea lamprey, it hangs on and sucks the life out until the fish is dead. Sound familiar? Merlin '46 Chevy 1/2 Ton Steve Ley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Just a note to bring a little different slant to this thread. First of all, protecting your trademark is a pretty important part of being in business. If you let one use the trademark and not the next, you'll probably not be able to defend yourself at all. Secondly, it isn't as if Chevy Duty was under a lot of pressure. They've been aware for two years that it was going to be a problem. The fact that they had used the trademark for 22 years doesn't make it right and I'll bet that they wondered how long it would take GM to bring up the issue. I've been involved with GM as a Dealer, Sales Manager and Salesman for 51 years now and I've seen a lot of mistakes that they've made, but I've made a few myself. Some of the problems that they now have looked like good decisions at the time they were made. The problem is that unions and the government have made it next to impossible to change course when it became necessary. They're heading in the right direction now, but there is still a question as to whether they'll be moving fast enough. With regard to the foreign car incursion, keep in mind that the Japanese and Korean governments have kept the rate of exchange artificially low, so the foreign manufacturers make more money on currency exchange than they do on the cars. Finally, the US allows Japanese and Korean cars and trucks to come in without import duties, but did you know that if GM wants to import a vehicle into Japan, each vehicle must be inspected in detail every time one enters Japan and high tariffs are charged on all imports. We give free access to our markets and allow the manufacturers to self certify their vehicles with only occasional check done at random. Under those circumstances, it's pretty hard to sell in their country, so we've never been able to establish a foothold. I feel pretty comfortable that GM will survive and when you look at the Duramax diesel, the Allison Transmission, my 2002 Chevrolet K2500 Crew Cab that has 80,000 miles on it and I just found out that it still has 80% brake lining left, the Variable Displacement Engine, the new Yukon and Yukon XL and some of the new things like Flex Fuel vehicles and the 2nd Generation Hybrids, I think there'll be a GM. I don't mean to offend, but there are two sides to most stories. Steve Ley 51 Chevrolet Canopy Express -----Original Message----- >From: Scott Mountney >Sent: Mar 23, 2006 3:08 PM >To: old-chevy-truck@yahoogroups.com >Subject: RE: [old-chevy-truck] Chevy duty is changing its name > >Robert, >You have to love the legal spin "cleaning up their trademarks" Amazing. >My guess is that they offered no assistance or compensation to the loss >of your "brand" (which of course they would argue isnt your brand due >to using Chevy) > >As you probably know, the laws of the internet arent directly applicable so I hope they still allow you to point Chevy Duty.com to your new site, or did they cover that too? > >My guess........and this is just a hunch is that deep inside the cesspool that GM has become they finally realize there is a lucrative marketplace for reproduction parts and want to increase their share of that revenue. I dont know the revenues for the whole reproduction car parts industry but it has to be in the hundreds of millions if not billions if you include Asian and German cars too. They are probably planning on getting directly into that business down the road and first want to demarcate the branding because that is the first line of defense.......or is that offense? > >I mean they have that site GMRestorationparts.com, right? From what I understand, they want a cut right off your top revenue for licensing and dont offer any assistance or have any skin in the game for reproducing a part (like a fender that has high tooling costs). > >Oh well, I will get off my soapbox. > >Scott > >________________________________ > >From: old-chevy-truck@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Robert Mata >Sent: Thu 3/23/2006 5:54 PM >To: old-chevy-truck@yahoogroups.com >Subject: RE: [old-chevy-truck] Chevy duty is changing its name > > > >Believe me...we feel the same way. It is frustrating and I can try and >clarify this change a bit more.... > >We have had a great relationship with GM throughout the 22 year history >of Chevy Duty. GM's Trademark council has been aware of Chevy Duty >since we started the company in 1984. We have, and continue to buy >parts from GM, have been and still are included in their GM Restoration >Guides, have worked with their Licensing Programs for Restoration pars, >promote the Chevy brand by what we do, etc...etc... > >GM contacted us in 2004 and told us that they were working on cleaning >up their trademarks. They asked us to discontinue using the Chevy Duty >name and logo. They told us that hey want us to continue being an >outlet for GM restoration parts, they just want us, and others, to do >it without using any of the GM trademarks. They said they are doing this industry wide. > >That being said, we will be phasing out Chevy Duty and phasing in >Classic Parts of America over the next few months. We are using this >transition as an opportunity to try and provide a better experience for >our customers. We will have a larger selection of parts, less >back-orders, faster shipping times, and a higher level of customer service. > >Robert >General Manager >Classic Parts of America >....formerly known as Chevy Duty. > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: old-chevy-truck@yahoogroups.com >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Scott Mountney >Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 4:29 PM >To: old-chevy-truck@yahoogroups.com; >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >Cc: old-chevy-truck@yahoogroups.com >Subject: RE: [old-chevy-truck] Chevy duty is changing its name > >This just further reinforces my theory that GM has totally forgotten >what a brand is to consumers. They are so worried that someone using >"Chevy" in their name may distract people or dilute their brand. This >is just the silliest thing and really demonstrates that they dont even >know why Americans restore cars. It also demonstrates that GM isnt run >by car people, but by consensus managment and lawyers. > >The irony is amazing. Olds is gone, Buick, and Pontiac dont make a >profit and could be on the chopping block and they are worried about >this.....while simultaneously investing more money in the turds Saab >and Saturn. What is amazing is no one has stopped buying classic >Oldsmobiles, Buicks and Pontiacs. Hmmm....... > >They fail to realize every time someone calls Chevy Duty they hear the >word Chevy. Every time I recommend them as a parts supplier the word >Chevy rolls off my lips. When you search for parts on google you see >Chevy Duty. > >In an age where they cant control the costs on anything within their >company and are hemmoraging cash in every darn direction, you wonder >how some lawyer or bean counter could conclude *free marketing* is a >bad thing. Any time you have a brand you want people to use that brand as much as possible. >Like, does anyone think Apple calls up news stations when they refer to >every portable music player as an Ipod (or Sony with Walkman?) > >GM's senior managment are idiots. I hope I dont offend anyone out there >but I doubt a VP from GM is on this list. > > >Scott > >________________________________ > >From: old-chevy-truck@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Dan Robinson >Sent: Thu 3/23/2006 5:17 PM >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Cc: old-chevy-truck@yahoogroups.com >Subject: [old-chevy-truck] Chevy duty is changing its name > > > >Thought I would forward this info along as I am know while many of you >use Chevy Duty for parts you may not be on their email list. > Dan R. > > As a truck restorer you know what it means to make modifications to >make something better. That's what we're now doing with our company. > >Recently General Motors asked Chevy Duty to discontinue using 'Chevy' >in its name. We looked at this requested change as a starting point to >not only change the name, but change other parts of our business as >well. We want to make the restoration experience better for you, our customer. > We're excited to announce that in a few weeks, Chevy Duty will become >Classic Parts of America. With Classic Parts of America you'll still >get the greatest selection of parts, pricing and service for your truck >restorations. And, we're improving processes so you'll get your orders >more efficiently. > > Look for the new Classic Parts of America logo on our website and >future catalogs. And remember... > >The name may change but our commitment to serving you never will. > >Thanks, > >Mark Jansen >President >Classic Parts of America > > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > >Ole Chevy and GMC trucks rule! > >To unsubscribe, send an email (with no subject, no body, just the >email), >to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > >Ole Chevy and GMC trucks rule! > >To unsubscribe, send an email (with no subject, no body, just the >email), >to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > >Ole Chevy and GMC trucks rule! > >To unsubscribe, send an email (with no subject, no body, just the >email), to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > >Ole Chevy and GMC trucks rule! > >To unsubscribe, send an email (with no subject, no body, just the >email), to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > Ole Chevy and GMC trucks rule! To unsubscribe, send an email (with no subject, no body, just the email), to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Ole Chevy and GMC trucks rule! To unsubscribe, send an email (with no subject, no body, just the email), to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links Ole Chevy and GMC trucks rule! To unsubscribe, send an email (with no subject, no body, just the email), to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/old-chevy-truck/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
