Chrysler -- alive or dead?

[2muchcoffeeman]

Looking more and more like it's dead. (Although, to be honest, they've been dead to me for a long time. This is the logical follow-through to the fact that every Chrysler product I've ever owned has suffered repeated A/C failures and one suffered a suspension failure when a seemingly-otherwise-nominal solid steel part snapped in half.)
<blockquote>DETROIT – Even by the standards of battered automakers, Chrysler is in dire shape. Its sales in December were down a stunning 53 percent, far worse than Ford or General Motors, and analysts say it probably won't survive the year as an independent company — despite $4 billion in government loans and the possibility of more.

Things were so bad last year that a single Toyota model, the Camry/Solara midsize car, outsold the entire fleet of Chrysler LLC's passenger cars.

"Basically they're done," said Aaron Bragman, an auto analyst with the consulting company IHS Global Insight in Troy, Mich. "There is no real possibility of turning this thing around as an independent company in my opinion."

Chrysler will not comment on speculation about its future, spokeswoman Shawn Morgan said Wednesday.

"We are completely focused on our plans to ensure the future viability of our company," she said.

U.S. sales of Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep brand vehicles fell 30 percent last year, the worst decline of any major automaker. It lost more market share than any of its peers, down to 11 percent. Analysts say most of Chrysler's products, especially its cars, don't look, feel or drive as well as the competition's.</blockquote>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090108/ap_on_bi_ge/autos_chrysler_5

 

[slappy4428]

Slapshot remake will have to be changed too.. ain't goin to the ****in Chrysler plant no mo...

 

[Beef03]

So what happens to those of us with financing through Chrysler?

 

[PeteyPirate]

So what happens to those of us with financing through Chrysler?

Good news, you're off the hook.

 

[Armchair_QB]

Still dead.

 

[Bubbler]

Both Chrysler vehicles we own have been very good to us. Our van is paid off this month without any major issues. My car (knock on wood) has been reliable as well.

I have no complaints.

 

[Corky Ramirez up on 94th St.]

A shame, if true, because this is my favorite car of all time:

'61 New Yorker

 

[Inky_Wretch]

A merger will happen. Jeeps will continue to be built, probably Dodge trucks as well.

 

[Football_Bat]

Packard:

Studebaker:

AMC:

Chrysler:

 

[Boom_70]

I believe there is some time frame that if plants stay closed the union becomes decertifield. Perhaps this is Chrysler's plan.

 

[Write-brained]

I believe there is some time frame that if plants stay closed the union becomes decertifield. Perhaps this is Chrysler's plan.

Kill the company, kill the union?

 

[Write-brained]

A merger will happen. Jeeps will continue to be built, probably Dodge trucks as well.

Jeep - brought to you by Mitsubishi!

 

[93Devil]

Outside the van, they really made a ****ty product. GM is going through the same experience right now. Outside their truck, they had a ****ty product.

Ford had better products (small SUV and the Focus) and is in better shape.

The Volt might save GM.

 

[silvershadow1981]

http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2008/06/86Aries_Frt_RH.jpg[/IMG]

K-Cars RULE!

 

[Bamadog]

Their product-making decisions are unbelievably stupid at best.
Small car - Dodge Caliber. Looks like the box the Neon came in. Ugly and slow.
Midsize- Sebring, Avenger. The Sebring is an ugly mismatch of themes raided from the 300C, minus the Hemi and rear-wheel drive. It looks like a car styled by a funeral home. The Avenger, same relationship to the Charger. Both had to be restyled extensively after their launches because they're so damned ugly and pathetic.
Fullsize- Charger, 300C- great motors (HEMI!), great ride, great styling, but long in the tooth. Chrysler's last truly successful car. Should've been restyled or at least refreshed a couple of years ago.
Coupe - Challenger looks really cool and goes fast, but in an era dominated by oil prices, it has sold poorly.
Small SUV - Why does Chrysler need the Patriot, Liberty and Nitro? Same crappy little SUV that gets awful mileage that makes a Suburban snicker.
Minivan - The box that the old Caravan came in. Ugly!
Ram truck - Restyled, but too little, too late.
Midsized truck - Dakota is fuel-thirsty, almost as much as the Ram and has questionable reliability.

Jeep- ruined by the faux Jeep Compass (no way that survives the Rubicon Trail, what a crummy pile of smoking turd that is actually a rebadged Caliber with a Jeep grill), two compact SUVs that are needless duplication (Patriot, Liberty) and the absolutely pointless Jeep Commander, a big, heavy white elephant of an SUV that is just a more squared-off Grand Cherokee.

Stick a fork in 'em, they're done. There's a reason why their sales tanked 50 percent. None of their cars are anything people desire. Except maybe the 300 and the Charger. When Bob Lutz left, the styling folks and engineering staff departed en masse and you get what they have now. The marriage of equals (DaimlerChrysler!), divorce of parent company and subsidary and present owner Cerebus have ruined what was one of America's great companies. They'll be joining Pan Am, Admiral and countless others as great American companies that crashed and burned.

And there will be a buyer for Jeep. That name still has cachet to some.

 

[mustangj17]

Their product-making decisions are unbelievably stupid at best.
Small car - Dodge Caliber. Looks like the box the Neon came in. Ugly and slow.
Midsize- Sebring, Avenger. The Sebring is an ugly mismatch of themes raided from the 300C, minus the Hemi and rear-wheel drive. It looks like a car styled by a funeral home. The Avenger, same relationship to the Charger. Both had to be restyled extensively after their launches because they're so damned ugly and pathetic.
Fullsize- Charger, 300C- great motors (HEMI!), great ride, great styling, but long in the tooth. Chrysler's last truly successful car. Should've been restyled or at least refreshed a couple of years ago.
Coupe - Challenger looks really cool and goes fast, but in an era dominated by oil prices, it has sold poorly.
Small SUV - Why does Chrysler need the Patriot, Liberty and Nitro? Same crappy little SUV that gets awful mileage that makes a Suburban snicker.
Minivan - The box that the old Caravan came in. Ugly!
Ram truck - Restyled, but too little, too late.
Midsized truck - Dakota is fuel-thirsty, almost as much as the Ram and has questionable reliability.

Jeep- ruined by the faux Jeep Compass (no way that survives the Rubicon Trail, what a crummy pile of smoking turd that is actually a rebadged Caliber with a Jeep grill), two compact SUVs that are needless duplication (Patriot, Liberty) and the absolutely pointless Jeep Commander, a big, heavy white elephant of an SUV that is just a more squared-off Grand Cherokee.

Stick a fork in 'em, they're done. There's a reason why their sales tanked 50 percent. None of their cars are anything people desire. Except maybe the 300 and the Charger. When Bob Lutz left, the styling folks and engineering staff departed en masse and you get what they have now. The marriage of equals (DaimlerChrysler!), divorce of parent company and subsidary and present owner Cerebus have ruined what was one of America's great companies. They'll be joining Pan Am, Admiral and countless others as great American companies that crashed and burned.

And there will be a buyer for Jeep. That name still has cachet to some.

You are right about most of your assertions although the Chrysler and Dodge minivans do quite well in sales. So despite their ugliness, people buy them. I never would though.

 

[Boom_70]

I believe there is some time frame that if plants stay closed the union becomes decertifield. Perhaps this is Chrysler's plan.

Kill the company, kill the union?

More like put company in suspend mode , kill the union

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Jeep- ruined by the faux Jeep Compass (no way that survives the Rubicon Trail, what a crummy pile of smoking turd that is actually a rebadged Caliber with a Jeep grill), two compact SUVs that are needless duplication (Patriot, Liberty) and the absolutely pointless Jeep Commander, a big, heavy white elephant of an SUV that is just a more squared-off Grand Cherokee.

The Patriot and Liberty are not the same vehicle. The Patriot is the more "manly" version of the Compass, and both are based on the Dodge Caliber. The Nitro and Liberty are platform-cousins; neither has any connection to the Caliber/Patriot/Compass vehicles other than by manufacturer.

 

[Captain_Kirk]

I'm a Chrysler
On the side of the road I reside
I don't run
Whether the company is dead or alive.
Dead or Ali-live
Dead or Alive

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Jeep- ruined by the faux Jeep Compass (no way that survives the Rubicon Trail, what a crummy pile of smoking turd that is actually a rebadged Caliber with a Jeep grill), two compact SUVs that are needless duplication (Patriot, Liberty) and the absolutely pointless Jeep Commander, a big, heavy white elephant of an SUV that is just a more squared-off Grand Cherokee.

The Patriot and Liberty are not the same vehicle. The Patriot is the more "manly" version of the Compass, and both are based on the Dodge Caliber. The Nitro and Liberty are platform-cousins; neither has any connection to the Caliber/Patriot/Compass vehicles other than by manufacturer.

And saying the Jeep brand was "ruined" by anything is a gross overstatement.

Dodge trucks also sell well to tradesmen, ranchers and farmers. They need the Hemi and diesel models for towing.