Does anyone have thoughts on whether or not Chrysler is going to survive? Their December sales were much worse than anyone else in the industry and it doesn't seem that they will last much longer without massive amounts of government money. I have never been much of a fan of Chrysler products, in the late 70s a neighbor bought a new power wagon and I although I was only 7-8 years old at the time I remember wondering why the doors would fly back at you as you shut them and how it ran so bad compared to my dad's 10 year old Ford.

A few years ago a buddy bought a 93 Dodge and although the doors actually latched when you shut them, they still sound like throwing an empty beer can on the ground. My 83 F-250 is much tighter, but the Dodge does have some things I like, Cummins, Dana 60 front axle, NP-205.

I have not heard much good about Chrysler cars either, but my experience with their products is limited. Anyone have thoughts about Chrysler's quality vs. Ford or GM or? I would hate to see all those folks lose their jobs but if Chrysler is not building good cars and trucks it doesn't look like they will make it. Thoughts?

 

They need to go away. We cannot throw money at a company that is destined to squander it. In this day and age.... there can only be two (or fewer) American car companies. It really sucks for all of the employees, but its the cold hard facts.

 

chrysler is not done yet.


but once the tax payers find out that they are using the 5.5 billion dollar bailout money to make the next installment of the terminator movies instead of trying to fix their failing car company, heads are gonna roll at chrysler.

 

According to thetruthaboutcars.com (Editorial-Chrysler Suicide Watch 42-La Grand Bugia), FIAT has just acquired a 35% interest in ChryCo...for nothing.

The deal has the blessing of the UAW.

 

yeah i read about Fiat buying up some of chyrsler..

which seems odd, i didnt think Fiat was big enuf to buy up anybody..they must do alot better in europe..

cuz i dont think we even have a Fiat dealer in the lower mainland at all..u def. never see new ones driving around thats for sure...

 

Personally, I think Chrysler has produced nothing but junk when it comes to vans and cars. Sludge prone engines and bad transmissions.

As a matter of fact, I've never seen a good Chrysler/Dodge.

 

I will say some of their mini vans are tough. Had a 98' (can't remember exact year) where I used to work that got beaten pretty bad. Body is in rough shape as well as the interior but the engine and trans keep ticking with over 120k of hard miles on the clock.

I don't really follow Dodge/chrysler but I am under the impression that the firm that currently owns dodge/chrysler has plenty of money. If it was up to me nobody would have got a dime.

 

You can blame Mercedes for the current condition Chrysler is in. Took their money, then left them out to die.

 

Stick a fork in 'em. The're done!

Seriously, they were near death in 1934, 1962 and 1979, but this time they are already dead, just not buried. Fix It Again, Tony wants another $4B or so of US taxpayer cash to take it over. Nooooooooooo!

Jim

 

I agree

Chrysler was defunct before Lee Iaccoa zombified their rotten corpse into the walking undead company you've grown to hate over the past 25yrs

And then there's the Jeep kiss of death, every company that's owned jeep has met an untimely demise.

American Bantam
****** Overland
Kiaser Jeep
AMC
and now
Chrysler Corp


oh and I prefer "Failure In Automotive Technology" myself

 

Jeep Chronology

1) American Bantam

2) ******-Overland

3) Kaiser-Jeep

4) AMC

5) Renault (bought AMC)

6) Chrysler Corporation

7) Daimler/Chrysler

8) ChryCo controlled by Cerberus Capital Management (81.1%), Daimler AG 18.9%.

9) Now: Cerberus 46.1%, FIAT 35%, Daimler AG 18.9%

 

You probably know this, but Fiat owns Ferrari and Maserati and are doing ok in Europe and elsewhere. Think they at one time was looking at aquairing a stake in GM.
I'd say it w'd be sorry to lose Chrysler while foreighn companies are doing well in the US. (jobs etc). Mebe their own fault .

 

Fiat, like Porsche, is a very small company that does not sell enuf cars to pay its bills.

BUT, like porsche, they own so much stock of other successful companies they have healthy balance sheets (the best automotive stock on the planet is VAG and Porsche owns like 80% of it)

Fiat has been shut out of the N.A. market now for a number of decades and this is a way back in.

China has the same dilemna and some huge mega conglom known as Wanxiang (sp?) has already bought some of Fords US parts plants with the eye on more. And some other Conglom called Changan (sp? Im prolly butchering these names) has been trying to buy Volvo and all of Fords Mazda joint ops.

Might we see rice eating volvos and spaghetti eating minivans in the near future? count on it. The US is for sale.

 

Much of it has already been sold. I forsee more of it sold in the near future.

 

Ford recently sold 20% of its 33% interest back to Mazda for 563 million dollars /

Ford has had Volvo for sale for over a year / So far...no takers which includes all of the Chinese automakers, those in India, and elsewhere.