Author Topic: GM - Chrysler Merger??? (Read 7462 times)

lumpy · « **Reply #60 on:** November 02, 2008 - 01:05:57 PM »

They definately need a "Viper" type vehicle to save them. The other two that come to mind are the introduction of the Cummins to the line of Ram Trucks and the gas sipping Omni/Horizon/K-Cars of the Seventies. These were far from performance vehicles, but they were the right product at the right time. As for the "crosshair grille".....

MJS73 · « **Reply #61 on:** November 02, 2008 - 01:18:19 PM »

Quote from: 4Cruizn on November 02, 2008 - 10:30:35 AM

From what I saw on the news today, there will not be any merger.

Boo hoo.

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They definately need a "Viper" type vehicle to save them.

I disagree. They have the Challenger out now. What they need is a hybrid Caliber (and maybe Avenger) and better interiors. Also to go back to the drawing board on the Compass/Patriot. They need something more along the lines of the Ford Escape.

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the LX platform was probably more successful than they originally thought, Ram is one of the top 10 vehicles sold in the US every year for the past few years, so what did it? I think things like Nitro, Caliber, and Compass messed things up. I see a Nitro on the road like once a week. Cheap interiors on lower models, and I mean cheap.

I drive about 45,000 miles and year and here around Chicago I see tons (and I mean TONS) of 300s and just as many (if not more) Chargers. I'm starting a see a few Challengers, too.

I see a few Nitros here and there, but quite a few more Libertys. Understandable, since the Liberty is attractive and the Nitro (besides having a dumb name) is butt ugly. Who named that car, the same idiot that names the Ford Flex? Those fender flares are hideous. It drives and rides nice, though. I want to buy a Nitro as my next daily driver, but I can't stand the way it looks. I'll probably end up with a Liberty.

I see quite a few Calibers, too. Nice looking small car and you can buy an SRT. I like it.

Don't see Avengers. I see some Patriots, but not nearly as many Compasses. Chrysler can say what it wants about the Compass being about the same size as the old Cherokee, the Patriot and the old Cherokee are worlds apart. I rented a Compass for a day and it's crap. I hate those cars where you step on the gas and the engine makes a big noise winding up and the car goes nowhere.

Totally agree on the interiors. Dodge needs to go out and buy a Ford Explorer and copy the materials Ford uses. They also need to redesign the seats. Again, copy the Explorer seats. Hell, why not just hire the guy that designed the Explorer interior and have him work on the Dodges?

The Durango and Dakota need to be re-designed so they look like the first gen Durango. That was a nice looking truck and the same-gen Dakota was a nice-looking pickup. All the subsequent re-designs have been crap.

I have to add, though, that we have an '08 Grand Caravan SXT and, except for the interior, it is terrific. Not that I want to drive a minivan, but it's a hell of a functional car with some great design features.

Mike

lumpy · « **Reply #62 on:** November 02, 2008 - 04:34:33 PM »

The Challenger is no Viper

What I meant was, they need a shining star to save Chrysler, and they don't have one. The new Caravan is awesome, so is the Challenger, but they need something better. As far as looks, styling, and design, they have made some very poor choices in the recent years. The SRT Neons just started to have a large follwing, so they replaced it with what? The Dodge Caliber?

The new Charger, well...... :walkaway:They really had a great thing going with the second gen Dakota/Durango, but the new ones are just plain ugly, and now talk of doing away with the HD Trucks?

Instead of attacking the market, they seem to be drawing back. That is just not the way you succeed, and is not the old Chrysler Corp. that most of us know and love. We bought a new Grand Caravan Sport in 2000 and still have it as our daily driver. With over 160,000 one owner miles, it is probably one of the best vehicles that I have ever owned, and probably the last new Chrysler product that I will ever buy. IMO, Chrysler has been dead foe a few years now, it is not the same company that gave us the original Charger and Challenger. The new ones just don't have what the old ones did. You can put graphics, wheels, and hood pins on them, but they just don't cut it. I think they should have went in a new direction, instead of trying to revive a near 40 year old musclecar. A new car is just, well, a new car. You can't duplicate the near 40 years of loyal following that the original Challenger has, by building a new car and putting an old name on it. They could have built something completely different and new, but all they have now is a line of cars that basically resembles everything else on the road.

ChallengerHK · « **Reply #63 on:** November 02, 2008 - 04:56:12 PM »

Quote from: lumpy on November 02, 2008 - 04:34:33 PM

The Challenger is no Viper What I meant was, they need a shining star to save Chrysler, and they don't have one.

In time if financial hardship any manufacturer needs to a) sell lots of cars and b) cars on which they can make profit. While they might make a fair amount of profit on some new Viper-esque car, the odds are against them selling a lot of them. They'll get press from something like that, but press does not always translate to cash.

lumpy · « **Reply #64 on:** November 02, 2008 - 05:38:52 PM »

I think we all agree. Bottom line is sales. I mentioned earlier the success of the K Cars and the Cummins powered Rams. The Viper just helped spur the new image of Dodge at the time. Then came the Neon, which was very successful and the redesigned Intrepid, along with the available RT Models, Neon, Stratus, Durango, Dakota, Intrepid, even our Caravan came with the optional 17" Intrepid R/T wheels. The Viper helped the sales of all of these cars, because driving a Dodge gave the buyer the performance image that the Viper represented. It's just not there anymore with the current Dodge line-up. I know that will offend somebody, but is just my opinion. The Charger does nothing for me, even with 425hp, and to be honest I would rather have an old Challenger than the new one. I'm sure that I am not the only one that feels this way.

thedodgeboys · « **Reply #65 on:** November 02, 2008 - 05:52:54 PM »

They need the next caravan, neon,k-car, to turn the company around something that gets 40 mpg and looks cool and seats 4 normal sized people.

Sounds like the gm thing is slowing down

JS27N0B · « **Reply #66 on:** November 02, 2008 - 07:04:17 PM »

Quote from: ViperMan on October 31, 2008 - 09:45:44 AM

Kinda makes you wish they could do again what they did almost 20 years ago - design and produce a car that redefines their marque. A car that sets the automotive industry on their ear and revives people's love of the automobile. The last time they did it, it was called the "Viper." Could this be the next Viper?

I think you missed the fact that the K car and then the Caravan saved Chrysler back then, that was the 80's. first Caravan was 1984. The Viper showed up in 92, the idea behind it was raising brand image and that was all, same as Prowler. Chrysler has a lot of great vehicles now and scheduled to come out within the next year.

71bigblock · « **Reply #67 on:** November 02, 2008 - 09:32:07 PM »

I think the V6 Cummins half tons are going to be a home run, plain and simple. A truck that averages in the mid 20's for MPG and with great torque... Plus more diesel Jeeps too with better mileage. Those would be great if Chrysler can stay long enough.

matt63 · « **Reply #68 on:** November 02, 2008 - 10:00:55 PM »

What I don't understand is the bonehead moves these automakers pull. For example, Chrysler ditched the Neon and didn't replace it with an updates small car?

?? My wife and looked at what they had for a smaller car and there was nothing?

Vipers and SRT's aren't going to provide the profit they need. They just get people into the showroom to buy cars they hope to sell 100,00 to 400,000 of like family sedans and entry level basic transporters.

ntstlgl1970 · « **Reply #69 on:** November 02, 2008 - 10:16:24 PM »

Chrysler had/has (who knows now) an agreement with nissan to build a small car for chrysler and chrysler in turn would build some full size trucks for nissan. I thought they would have pushed the dates up to make this happen faster but no news in a few months. Oh yeah - on the Tesla electric car, they are having issues with capital just like everyone else. They had to lay off a number of employees and close their detroit facility. I really hope that someone (domestic I hope) can solve the battery issue and get an electric/plug in hybrid out ahead of the imports. I think that will be the saving grace of whomever can do it first. Unfortunately, it will probably be toyota.

Oh yeah, and

what someone else said about the UAW. I'm all for the american worker, but were pricing ourselves right out of the market. The Germans were able to figure it out with their unions, why can't we?

JS27N0B · « **Reply #70 on:** November 02, 2008 - 10:29:00 PM »

Quote from: 71bigblock on November 02, 2008 - 09:32:07 PM

I think the V6 Cummins half tons are going to be a home run, plain and simple. A truck that averages in the mid 20's for MPG and with great torque... Plus more diesel Jeeps too with better mileage. Those would be great if Chrysler can stay long enough.

Actually the Cummins 1500's will be a 5.0L V-8. There will also be a Cummins V-6 to replace the diesel in the Grand Cherokee as well, might see uses in a Dakota as well:dunno:

ChallengerHK · « **Reply #71 on:** November 02, 2008 - 10:41:35 PM »

Quote from: matt63 on November 02, 2008 - 10:00:55 PM

What I don't understand is the bonehead moves these automakers pull. For example, Chrysler ditched the Neon and didn't replace it with an updates small car??? My wife and looked at what they had for a smaller car and there was nothing?

At least as of when I was working in Detroit the Big Three lost an average of $600 on every small car they sold, so small alone isn't the answer. Part of the problem there is that, even though they can make a small fender for, say, 80% of the cost of a large fender, they pay the same amount to have that fender installed on the car as they do an LX car.

Chryco Psycho · « **Reply #72 on:** November 03, 2008 - 02:10:54 AM »

Part of the problem is the cheap disposable car , Chrysler doesn`t have one , meanwhile there are millions of the Cavalier / Sunfire cars on the road generally being driven 30+ MPH over the speed limit by young blond chicks , Mopar basically says there is no market for 2 dr cars , but there are tons of the 2dr sunfires & Japanese cheap cars out there!! When I stopped in at the Chrysler dealer 2 weeks ago virtually none cared , most people woprking there could not even Identify my 70 Chall as there were no badges on my car & no-one knew what year my car was , these people are not into cars at all just into selling whatever they have , it is just me or are car companies just way out of touch ?

Carlwalski · « **Reply #73 on:** November 03, 2008 - 03:15:41 AM »

Quote from: Chryco Psycho on November 03, 2008 - 02:10:54 AM

it is just me or are car companies just way out of touch ?

That's putting it nicely Neil. Same down here, our local Chrysler dealer closed earlier this year, reason = no sales.
The guys there didn't even know what an SRT/10 Ram was, they thought it was a dual cab diesel or something......idiots.

MJS73 · « **Reply #74 on:** November 04, 2008 - 03:13:19 PM »

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Part of the problem is the cheap disposable car , Chrysler doesn`t have one , meanwhile there are millions of the Cavalier / Sunfire cars on the road

The Caliber and Cobalt are direct competitors.

Caliber wheelbase: 103.7"
Cobalt wheelbase: 103.3"

Caliber base price: $15,545
Cobalt base price: $15,670

Caliber EPA mileage: 24/29
Cobalt EPA mileage: 24/32

And the Caliber is better looking and more functional, IMO.

Mike

Author Topic: GM - Chrysler Merger??? (Read 7462 times)

lumpy

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MJS73

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lumpy

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ChallengerHK

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lumpy

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thedodgeboys

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JS27N0B

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71bigblock

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matt63

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ntstlgl1970

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JS27N0B

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ChallengerHK

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Chryco Psycho

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Carlwalski

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MJS73

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