source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40088356/ns/business-autos/


GM tells Mr. Goodwrench to close his toolbox

37-year-old service brand will be scrapped as of Feb. 1



DETROIT — General Motors is asking Mr. Goodwrench to pack up his toolbox.

The mechanic who served as the symbol of GM's dealer service brand for 37 years will be scrapped as of Feb. 1 in favor of "certified service" brands for each of GM's remaining four remaining nameplates, the company said Tuesday.

GM dumped four brands as it went through bankruptcy protection last year and now sells only Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac.
The Detroit automaker has been focusing its marketing efforts for the past year or so on brands rather than the corporate name because customers know the brands better than they know General Motors.
Mr. Goodwrench started in 1974 to give a common identity to service for all of its dealers and brands. The character started out as a friendly looking mechanic in a crisp light-blue shirt and evolved into a drawing of a brawny man in a striped work shirt hoisting the brand's blue G-shaped logo.

Mr. Goodwrench became well-known over the years, but was disconnected from GM and its four brands, said spokeswoman Pamela Flores. The new strategy, she said, will link buying a car with service so people have a good ownership experience.
Steve Hill, vice president of customer care and after-sales services for GM, said the move "is more than a name change."
"It is a declaration of our commitment to our customers," he said in a statement.

The company said the change will come with increased service adviser and technician training and more work on customer satisfaction, with hopes that the customers will return to the dealers for service.




Mr. Goodwrench, the mechanic who served as the symbol of GM’s dealer service brand for 37 years, will be scrapped as of Feb. 1.

 

This brings an end to the service campaign made most famous by Dale Earnhardt Sr. with his #3 Goodwrench Service Monte Carlo.

What are your thoughts? Was it time for Mr. Goodwrench to be retired? Do you wish it would live on?

Personally, I'm sorry to see it go. As strange as that sounds. After all it was "just an ad campaign". Like the Energizer Bunny. Maybe it's because of The Intimidator that'll make me miss it more?

How do you feel about GM Goodwrench Service being replaced with "Chevrolet Certified Service"?

 

I'm jumping ship to Daihatsu.

WOW!!!! I guess that sez it all.

 

Every good thing eventually ran its course, and I suppose now GM thinks Mr. Goodwrench has. I've never seen a Mr. Goodwrench hold a wrench in the first place though.... seen them use plenty of impact guns.

 

Lol, kinda pointless if you ask me, theyre gonna spend more money remodeling all the buildings then they will gain from people caring that the building says goodwrench.

Heres an idea, do a good job fixing the crap and no one will care lol.

 

Mr Good-wrench got old and started to turn into Mr Bad`Wrench and the quality of GM products started to fade also with time....

GM got a Major Wake Up when they knew that they were going down the tube and has revamped their production, and removed those that were not doing their jobs.

Change is GOOD `if the product is Good or Better.
I think GM has improved, and hopefully continue to improve to keep the quality that they had in the past.
Let us pray
`Amen