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GM won't really kill off the Chevy Volt and Cadillac CT6, will it?

General Motors is apparently considering killing off six slow-selling models by 2020, according to Reuters. But is that really likely? The news is mentioned in a story where UAW president Dennis Williams notes that slumping US car sales could threaten jobs at low-volume factories. Still, we're skeptical that GM is really serious about killing those cars. Reuters specifically calls out the Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac CT6, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Impala, Chevrolet Sonic, and the Chevrolet Volt. Most of these have been redesigned or refreshed within the past few model years. Four - the LaCrosse, Impala, CT6, and Volt - are built in the Hamtramck factory in Detroit. That plant has made only 35,000 cars this year - down 32 percent from 2016. A typical GM plant builds 200,000-300,000 vehicles a year. Of all the cars Williams listed, killing the XTS, Impala, and Sonic make the most sense. They're older and don't sell particularly well. On the other hand, axing the other three seems like an odd move. It would leave Buick and Cadillac without flagship sedans, at least until the rumored Cadillac CT8 arrives. The CT6 was a big investment for GM and backing out after just a few years would be a huge loss. It also uses GM's latest and best materials and technology, making us even more skeptical. The Volt is a hugely important car for Chevrolet, and supplementing it with a crossover makes more sense than replacing it with one. Offering one model with a range of powertrain variants like the Hyundai Ioniq and Toyota Prius might be another route GM could take. All six of these vehicles are sedans, Yes, crossover sales are booming, but there's still a huge market for cars. Backing away from these would be essentially giving up sales to competitors from around the globe. The UAW might simply be publicly pushing GM to move crossover production to Hamtramck to avoid closing the plant and laying off workers. Sales of passenger cars are down across both GM and the industry. Consolidating production in other plants and closing Hamtramck rather than having a single facility focus on sedans might make more sense from a business perspective. GM is also trying to reduce its unsold inventory, meaning current production may be slowed or halted while current cars move into customer hands. There's a lot of politics that goes into building a car. GM wants to do what makes the most sense from a business perspective, while the UAW doesn't workers to lose their jobs when a factory closes.

GM warning 800,000 owners that their cars may need oil changes more frequently than they say

The days of changing your engine oil every 3,000 miles are long gone thanks to most cars having automatic oil monitoring systems, but about 800,000 General Motors vehicles apparently have incorrect monitoring software that is leading to premature engine component wear. According to Autoweek, certain 2010-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain models equipped with 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines could be going too long in between oil changes resulting in a higher-than-normal number of warranty claims for the engine's balance chain. The balance chain links the balance shaft to the crankshaft, and a worn one can produce higher noise levels.
As a fix, GM dealers will be reprogramming the software for the monitors in an effort to reduce the interval between oil changes, which varies based on driving habits and conditions. Through February 2015, the software update will be done at no cost to vehicle owners, but since this is not a recall, after that point, it will be up to the discretion of dealers as to whether or not they will charge for the service. What isn't immediately clear is whether GM plans on giving assistance to out-of-warranty customers who are experiencing engine issues from the worn chain.

1987 Buick GNX with 8.5 miles sells for ... well, you won't believe it [UPDATE]

UPDATE, FRIDAY, FEB. 15: Blowing past what was believed to be the previous sales record of $165,000, this 8.5-mile 1987 Buick GNX sold for $200,000. It jumped approximately $80,000 in the final 10 minutes. The winning bid went to username PETRO917, who joined Bring a Trailer in February, seemingly specifically to bid on the GNX. The previous story appears below. Automotive grails are expected to cost unfathomable amounts of cash, but this 8.5-mile (EIGHT!) 1987 Buick GNX could reach monetary digits not seen before. With four days still left on the Bring a Trailer auction, the GNX is already up to $100,000. The Grand National, particularly the GNX, is one of those cars that has skyrocketed in value in the past 10 years. It's been earning payouts that put it in a rare class of General Motors vehicles typically occupied by classic Corvettes and Camaros. At the Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach auction in 2015, a 362-mile example sold for a brain-scrambling $165,000, likely the most ever paid for a GNX. Last year, the first GNX ever released to the public (VIN No. 1 and 2 were kept by the company) had 8,200 miles and sold for $126,500. The most expensive GNX ever sold on Bring a Trailer had 28,000 miles and ended at $60,000 in summer 2018. Bidding on this example is already $40K past that, with days to go. To the shock and dismay of many, this ultra-rare performance icon has been driven less than the distance of a half marathon. Its odometer reading makes it possibly the most pristine GNX on the planet. After it was originally sold in Mena, Arkansas, it simply sat on display in a Texas dealership for decades. The seller purchased the car in 2002 and supposedly kept it in a climate-controlled environment. Plastic wrapping over the seats and door panels further the immaculate cleanliness. According to the listing, the only parts that have been replaced are the battery and a relay switch, both of which come with the sale. In a comment on the auction, the owner shared the reason he has decided to sell the car: Collecting is enjoyable only if you can share the collection with other people of similar mind who can also appreciate it. I am at a point in my life when the relationships, not the material possessions, mean the most to me. The time has come for someone else to own a piece of history and share it with those individuals most important in his or her life.