GM seeks to cancel contract with WCI

[moparwash]

Seems like GM didn't forget about Frigidaire after all.

GM seeks to cancel 30-year-old contract for its sale of the Frigidaire appliance line to White Consolidated Industries

GM got into the appliance business in 1919 when it bought Guardian Frigerator Co. from GM president Billy Durant.

www.cleveland.com

 

[steve1-18]

Wouldn't GM be surprised to see what's still around and running.

 

[bugsyjones]

Hmmm....

In these lean times, I would think that GM would want to buy the Frigidaire name back. They could pull up some extra revenue that they are losing with the low car sales.

Perhaps more people would be inclined to buy them if they were badged as "Frigidaire - By General Motors." The quality control would probably be better than it has been under such a big umbrella as Electrolux, who owns several companies. They could be built in the USA, and re-open their closed plants to manufacture appliances.

I'm not for certain on how such matters work, but it would be neat to see them reclaim Frigidaire. Like old times again.

That is probably wishful thinking.

~Tim

 

[frigilux]

GM is only looking to keep from being sued for injury/damage caused by a Frigidaire appliance made under their watch.

If you fire up that 1950 Frigidaire washer you found in grandma's basement, then stick your arm in and have it ripped off at the shoulder during the 1140 rpm spin cycle, you can't sue GM for producing a machine that lacked a safety lid switch.

 

[strongenough78]

Honestly, I don't see how anyone can sue anybody on a 30 year old appliance. Regardless of what happens. When things get old with age, there are bound to be some problems. But, oh well. Maybe if we're lucky, they'll bring back the Unimatic, Rollermatic and Pulsamatic washers. I wonder how the agitators would look now!

 

[norfolksouthern]

I'm under the impression that they are only canceling the liability part of the contract. How would this impact Electrolux, the brand's current owner? I'm assuming that these days, it's really nothing more than a label.

NorfolkSouthern

 

[lesto]

Does this mean I can hold GM responsible for the leaky bellows in my 1-18?
They real;ly would gasp if they knew how many of their old machines are still around and running (again). Robert's Frigidaire room in his basemennt would probably be enough to give them panic attacks!

 

[thomasortega]

I think Robert and other members should send an email to GM.

Dear GM

Helloooooo yoohoooo I have lots of your machines.. lalalalala
I need some original spare parts otherwise I will have to contact my lawyers...

Have a nice day (if you can)

Best sarca... ooops, regards

Robert Seger and dozens of AW members. (including me if I win that auction in Argentina)

LOL

 

[hilovane]

Given the state of malaise GM is in; if they decided to, and were to succeed in getting back the FRIGIDAIRE name, and even start manufacturing their own line of appliances, who would buy them...really?

 

[thomasortega]

... nightmare

GM replies:

Dear Mr. Seger

Unfortunately we don't have those parts available anymore, so, to guarantee your satisfaction, we decided to get all your old machines and give you high end Whirlpool top HE top loaders.

Have a nice heart attack, ooooops, I mean, day.

 

[gorenje]

Thomas, that was funny ))

bye, Ingemar

 

[swestoyz]

Wouldn't GM be surprised to see what's still around

Hum. Maybe, maybe not. There are enough GM automotive collectors out there to warrant the notion that someone may also be collecting their appliances as well.

Unfortuantely the respect for anything other than automotive collecting isn't has popular with OEM isn't as high as we'd like. How they (GM/Ford/Mopar) profit off of selling a few dozen $10k crate engines a year is beyond me.

I want some new mechanism supports! (shutters to think what the molding costs would be...)

Ben

 

[bugsyjones]

who would buy them...really?

You're right. That moment has passed long ago.

I think that Frigidaire would have been pretty good appliances like they always were in the years before, had GM not sold it to White. They probably could have retained a sense of quality.

It might seem like an uncomfortable situation if GM suddenly went back in the appliance business.

~Tim

 

[j2400]

Reading the article, it does sound like a liability of older appliance issue. Although, I am amused by this comment:
"The likelihood of anything being around after the fact, 30 years later, is pretty low," Meyer said.

I assume the "anything being around" means Frigidaire appliances. And while I haven't seen a GM Frigidaire product in years (not counting photos here), I have seen and used plenty of 30 year old plus appliances in recent months: a 40 year old Kenmore washer, a 40 year old or so Hotpoint stove, a 40 year old GE dryer. I've been able to use a 40 year old Kenmore dryer.

 

[j2400]

And, no, I don't think GM will give a Whirlpool to replace old Frigidaires. It's more likely to be a brand new WCI Frigidaire, loaded with all the latest engineering and quality that Frigidaire name has been known for since WCI took over.

 

[roto204]

Hmmmm...

"The likelihood of anything being around after the fact, 30 years later, is pretty low," Meyer said.

Heh heh heh...

 

[golittlesport]

Like the story said, "bankruptcy is a chance to wipe the books clean of all contracts..." This contract cancellation will be the end of GM having any legal connection to their former appliance line. It seems strange since WCI does not exist anymore either. Legal wrangling.

 

[norfolksouthern]

It's just a matter of time before Frigidaire folds under Electrolux. That division has never performed well, after WCI wrecked it. And now, E-Lux has been earning a bad reputation for their faulty refrigerators, with Frigidaire representing the mid to lower end products. This only makes things worse, in addition to the spider problems with Frigidaire front loaders.

My personal opinion is that it would do GM good to buy the division back, and start making quality appliances again right in Dayton, Ohio like they did before. It would offer them up the opportunity to once again polish their image as a competitive industrial powerhouse. Unfortunately, that won't happen. In addition to appliances, GM was also the largest manufacturer of railroad locomotives. They could have just as easily branched to making jet engines and even light jet aircraft, like Honda is doing now.

NorfolkSouthern

 

[alr2903]

I am hopeful, but a vintage maytag and prolly a frigidaire weigh in at 250 lbs. It's sad but i doubt we will ever see this "build quality" again. Add to that the dept. of energy would be all over them. I plan to keep hoarding d/c tags im up to 3.