Did you get the exterior and interior styling kit? Or the stereo upgrade? That's another $1,500 added onto the price. Plus the convience group is $400.
I wonder how you got an R/T at all. We were told they aren't producing them until late summer, early fall. The SRT is the car we intially called about but it won't be available until later this year too.
For those of you who were helping me, I just wanted to let you know that the dealership refunded my deposit today. I never ordered the other Caliber through the other dealership (the one offering me Friends and Family Discount) because I decided it would be smarter to wait a couple months. I hate being smart
We live in Dover, DE and for those of you who follow Nascar know that we have a track here. Well my husband is a vendor at the races and we hope to make at least $5k on this upcoming race weekend. So we will see what happens!
I read that the CVT isn't a new techonology as it's available for many years. I'm not a mechanic or techie, so I want a trouble-free car to avoid headaches.
So I wonder is the CVT more vulnerable for failure, compared to the traditional auto transmission? Is the belt prone to breaking and replacement?
if you are getting 35 mpg with your neon, better stick with it. we are getting quite a few customers asking if something is wrong with their caliber because of poor fuel economy. its heavier, considerably, than the neon was, and not too aerodynamic.
I had a couple of stick shift Neons, and they returned 35 mpg IF I was driving on a long freeway trip, and kept speeds at 75 mph or lower. The Neons were light, low, and aerodynamic. They were also slighly cramped in terms of interior space, as are most "compact" cars, and slightly noisy - smooth motors, but a lot of wind rush and road roar from the tires.
Like you said, the Caliber is built a lot more solid - it looks like a truck, and apparently has the gussetting and heavier metal to stand up well in the modern crash tests (the Neon didn't do so well in such tests).
So it's a trade off. Buy a Ram pickup, or a Charger or Magnum, or almost any other larger car or truck, and suffer gas mileage pains; or try to make a trade off in size and weight in exchange for better gas mileage. If the Caliber has the "feel" and "quiet" of the PT Cruiser, then I'd say its a good deal, because the 2006 PT Cruiser is solid and quiet, but gets poor gas mileage for its size (but not for its weight and versatility).
And you finished:
we sell chrysler/toyota. if they are hardcore about mileage ill steer them toward a corolla or , if they want more cargo carrying capability, the matrix. the caliber will make its name with its style and cargo room, but not with fuel efficiency. the pt cruiser suffers from the same shortcoming, thought the calibers numbers would almost have to be better than that car.
I think if someone is hardcore about mileage, and doesn't want to pay the premium for a Prius, there is probably no better car in the world than the American trim Toyota Corolla. Say what you will, it IS an appliance, but with a very efficient engine, good passenger space (and a higher sitting height), and a decent trunk. On the other hand, I know very few people who care about cars who buy Corollas. So it is apples and oranges - the Caliber has a lot of style, and some presently unique features (anybody else think it got "separated at birth" from the Nissan Murano - both wagon style cross-overs with CVT transmissions?).
You are right about the PT Cruiser's gas mileage. We have both a Caravan SE and a PT Cruiser and the Caravan actually gets better mielage than the PT Cruiser. BUT, the PT Cruiser feels like a sports car in comparison to the van, it has great pickup and is well insulated to keep out the engine roar under full throttle.
Driving back from Los Angeles along I-5, I saw a vehicle coming up from behind to pass us (we were only driving 75 mph!). Looked like a Dodge pickup, but lo and behold when it passed by, it was a Caliber in Infurno Red. Sure looked good in the rear view mirror; from the back (when it had passed) it looked a little chunky, not at all like the Matrix it has been compared to.
I think the Caliber is a good addition to "small car" ranks. Look around you - most small cars have women at the wheel. Guys seem to disdain small cars for their arguably "feminine" looks. Trivial, I know, but pushes guys into buying compact pickups instead, which are much harder on the environment, not to mention on the wallet when you have to fill them up.
The Caliber has a chance of reversing the stigma of small "cars" - more so than the Honda Element, possibly making it cool (or at least not "un"-cool) to have a smaller vehicle again. That's probably a good thing.
(As a sidebar, I have to admit it was with much trepidation, bordering on embarassment, that we bought another PT Cruiser earlier this year; it is so "not masculine," but at the same time the PT is darn near the most practical small vehicle you can buy today, what with an enormous amount of rear seat legroom and decent trunk space for hauling a small family around. I really wanted the Caliber, which had just come out, but as a new car it was priced much higher than the long in the tooth PT Cruiser.)
No, the Caliber isn't aerodynamic; but it did sit at a good height which means it isn't likely to get hung up on snow or other stuff if someone takes it camping or fishing or hunting.
I do think that the best small car out there is indeed the PT Cruiser. The PT is sall enogh and light enough to let the 2.4L Inline 4 powertrain to perform well and rack up mileage and while you can load the back up with more cargo then any other car in its class. The Caliber is a techno car and I do hope that it is not the replacement to the Neon. The PT Cruisers technology dates back to the mid 1990's and Chrysler has made no statements to redesighn it in the coming years. That could be because they just rescently sold there 1 millionth copy about a month ago. Lets see if the Caliber can beat that. Pratical beats Radical, any day.
That's funny because I thought the PT Cruiser was now considered a dud, and they are hardly moving on lots anymore... Just what a DCX dealership told me and all...
you said "because the 2006 PT Cruiser is solid and quiet, but gets poor gas mileage for its size (but not for its weight and versatility)."
pt cruiser sales have died over the last couple years because:
1-matrix/vibe are equally versatile (in some cases more so) but dont need to be so heavy--crash test scores for the pt werent helped over more economical competitors by its extra mass.
2-the retro novelty has worn off for many people
3-matrix/vibe twins are much more economical, reliable choices--matrix manual rated 30/36 and many people are exceeding this with little effort
**there are more competitors already here/on there way--i just focused on what i have personal experience with
the caliber still has to compete against matrix/vibe, and as far as fuel efficiency and perceived reliability (history is on toyotas side here) the caliber just cant compete. it is still a compact car. people will have to love the way it looks/drives for it to survive. id say with gas prices being quite high for the forseeable future--good luck!!
I find the features offered in the Caliber to be practical. Besides last I checked the gas mileage is better than the PT. Not saying anything against the PT I like them. And DCX has said over and over again the Caliber is NOT the Neon's replacement. It's a new car, seperate from the now discontinued Neon.
One last thing. I'm going to order mine tomorrow....I think.
The Caliber won't have to compete with the Matrix/Vibe for long since they are both soon to be discontinued...
THIS IS INCORRECT...the Matrix/vibe will be remodeled for the 2008 model year along with the Corolla (possibly a spring-2007 release date....so, while i believe the Caliber is lagging behind these cars already it will struggle more so when the Matrix is updated.
Yeah, thats what I was reading too! I think the crossover vehicle will be with us for awhile. Possible redesign may make it bigger than the Caliber and offer a 6 cylinder in the GM version, which in my opinion defeats the purpose!! But we will see...
personally, i wish the cars would quit getting bigger with each redesign. the matrix/focus/caliber etc... are big enough. when they get bigger, they get heavier, thus needing bigger engines, thus suffering in the mileage department. yes, hybrid technology will alleviate this to a degree. however, for now hybrids gas savings cannot make up for the purchase premium.
when i test drove the matrix recently, i had a horrible blind spot over my left shoulder. it was so bad, the car went from number 2 on my list (after the not-yet-released honda fit) to number zero cuz i drove the caliber and IT became number 1.5 on my list after the Fit. i bought the caliber yesterday cuz i just wasnt willing to wait another month for the Fit to come in to test drive.
the matrix was also loud (considerably louder than the caliber).
Question, based on the information below it looks like extended Friends & Family discounts will no longer be honored on the Caliber. How will this effect my special order placed on April 10? The dealer I ordered thru knew of my Friends discount and I had provided them with the controller number. Will this still be honored?
DETROIT (Reuters) - Sales of DaimlerChrysler AG's (DCXGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) new Caliber compact hatchback have topped initial expectations, prompting the automaker to quietly curtail employee discounts for the car, company officials and dealers said. Chrysler has told dealers to stop granting employee-level pricing on the Caliber to all but the immediate family of workers and retirees over the past several days, a company spokesman confirmed on Tuesday.
This is further evidence of the Caliber's appeal, quality, and value. Some have said, the Caliber is not as good as.... , but when folks test drive it, they buy it. The dealers can't keep it on their lots... You do the math!
PS: I'm glad I got mine way under invoice three weeks ago.
Wow Kato1, thanks for the update. My local DCX dealership told me this and I was shocked considering these were such new cars and I thought them to be popular. Hmmm....
the matrix was also loud (considerably louder than the caliber).
yes, the matrix is a bit noisy. id say this is its one significant flaw. my guess is that more sound deadening material would have made it too heavy to achieve 30/36 mpg that it gets (and from what ive read from actual owners, they are getting that or exceeding it). theres always a trade off, i guess. i had my choices narrowed down to matrix or corolla. the extra 4-5 mpg and quieter ride led me to choose the corolla.
perhaps the caliber has alot of sound deadening material, thus contributing to its heft.
My local DCX dealership told me this and I was shocked considering these were such new cars and I thought them to be popular. Hmmm....
i hope they werent blatantly lying just to steer you toward the caliber..they surely know that toyota isnt going to drop a car that has been, arguably, the most successful player in the crossover market and a great complement vehicle for corolla, one of the best selling cars ever.
Bowman19, I am assuming (hoping) that if you got your deal in writing that they will still honor it!
I am in the same boat as you. I spoke with a dealership and they offered me this one week ago, and they put it in writing and said the offer was good for one week. I didn't put down a deposit or order it because I was unsure. So I called right now after reading your post to say I would like to order the car and they put it throught the system and told me to just come in and put down a deposit. And they said the offer they gave me was still good.
Either they haven't heard about this yet or it isn't true! So even though I should wait a few months to order it, I'm just going to go ahead and put down a deposit because this Friends and Family deal is too good and I'm afraid if I wait any longer they won't offer it to me anymore.
I can't comment on the Matrix, since I've never driven one, but as the owner of a 2005 Vibe with the 5-speed manual, I will say it is the quietest car on the road I have ever owned. Yes, the engine gets a little brash under heavy acceleration, but once up to highway speed, it is very quiet - save for a bit of tire noise. I have never heard any wind noise or engine noise on the highway, even though the motor runs at about 3000RPM at 75-80mph.
In terms of mileage - I'm lovin' it! I commute 70 miles daily to work and back. I fill up about once per week. I've easily been getting 35mpg on a regular basis. On long trips, my mileage has approached 40mpg at 65-70mph.
I'm going to test drive a Caliber this weekend, I hope. I sat in one at the Detroit auto show and thought the driving position was more cramped than the Vibe. I'm anxious to form an opinion about the engine and CVT, however, so I hope to find one to test this weekend. Wish me luck - I know they're hard to find!
Just got off the phone with a dealer I visited earlier this week.. He had no calibers on the lot, but several on order.. now he says that he has several available due to order cancellations because of the F&F change. Looks like the repercussions have started.
Why did Chrysler drop the Neon in 2005 not to replace it until 2008 at the earliest? This makes no sense. The Neon was Dodges best sellind sedan( car in general ) and they just up and dropped it. The Caliber is a totally different car than the Neon replacement? Has anyone heard anything about this car? Or is Dodge just happy to leave that gap open?
Also, How did that Hi-speed training course that DCX was offering to all buyers who bought an SRT variant car work out? Has anyone heard? Also, if the Caliber is not the Neon replacement then why is th SRT4 a Caliber now? Can anyone make any sense out of this whole situation?
Hello people! I just wanted to let you know that I ordered mine in a few minutes ago!!! A Caliber SXT, black, 1.8L, 5speed, leather interior, premium sound system, security group, cruise control, fogs, 17" alloy wheels, wheels locks, roof rack and 2 upright-style bike carriers and a full tank of gas... wow! And I got a pretty good deal toooo!!! I got it for 2K under the total price. The down side is that I will have to wait 6-8 weeks before getting it. :P :shades:
Just because there is an SRT4 that doesn't make it the new neon. SRTs are just high-powered engines and some style changes....like a GT. SRT4 just means it's a fast 4 cylinder. They also have a Crossfire SRT6, Viper SRT10, and Ram SRT10.
But still, The main question is where is the new Neon??
I guess an answer to this is that DCX is in finacial trouble and needs to lose money in order to decrease tax loss. Thats what we do on the farm. We bought a new truck last year and a new tractor the year before that in order to offset taxes a touch. DCX may have dropped there money maker car so that they can take a loss and save some tax money. I guess you have to look at the whole picture. If there is another answer( and I hope there is ) Please someone share it with me. Thanks
DCX couldn't compete with the Neon. It was not profitable at the $9-13k selling prices and not competitive closer to MSRP. Maybe DCX is learning that it does not have to have a vehicle for every possible market.
Once the initial demand for Calibers is over, the pricing will be very similar to the Neon's. And they are very similar length. I don't see why DCX would want to have 2 cars in the same size and price range. The Caliber looks much more useful. The only reason not to prefer the Caliber is because you like the looks of the Neon better, which isn't an important reason to me if looking for basic transportation.
The Matrix & The Vibe are the same car. They build them at the same plant and just put different badges on them. The only difference is the interiors & the price.
Actually, they are built at two different plants. The Vibe is built at the NUMMI plant in California, which also produces Toyota Corollas and Toyota Tacoma trucks. The Matrix is built at a plant in Ontario that also builds Corollas.
You are right when it comes to the "basics" and "engineering" of the two cars, but in my opinion, the exterior designs are radically different (interiors are very similar).
The Caliber has an edgy design, much more like the Vibe, in my opinion. The Matrix looks more like a glorified station wagon - but then, I am a bit biased! :-)
Maybe I am missing something here, but from everything I have read, there isn't going to be any new Neon. DCX is definitely touting (and has said many times in writing) that the Caliber is a replacement for the Neon. The factory in Illinois where the Neon was built has been completely retooled for the Caliber, which means there isn't anywhere left to build the Neon.
Went to my dealer yesterday to get a final price on the Caliber. An inferno red SXT with the CVT2 and foglights as well as cruise minus the $500 rebate plus Tax, Title, and Tag is $17,840.95. I'm going to see if they will move a little more on it. But has anyone ordered it and gotten it yet? I know they say 6-8 weeks but I was curious how long it is actually taking.
According to a local Toyota dealer. The Vibe Engine is nolonger than same engine as the Matrix. This is because the contract between Toyota and GM expired. So Vibe is no longer the same as a Matrix at least where the engine and transmission are concerned. This started with the 2006 version.
According to a local Toyota dealer. The Vibe Engine is nolonger than same engine as the Matrix. This is because the contract between Toyota and GM expired. So Vibe is no longer the same as a Matrix at least where the engine and transmission are concerned. This started with the 2006 version.
ARRRRRGH!!.....NO, NO, NO. pure fabrication and/or ignorance. maybe he was trying to keep you away from the vibe?? toyo/gm contract currently goes through 2008, and will likely go beyond that. the 2006 matrix/vibe continue to share the 1.8L DOHC VVT-i engine, as will the 2007 models. both will be remodeled for 2008. pontiac chose to drop the GT and AWD (thus dont sell equivalents of the matrix xrs or awd) version of the vibe line up as they werent selling that well. all basic vibe/matrix engine remain identical. good advice for all of us: when a dealer tells you something, make sure you do some of your own research to see if the guy/gal knew what they were talking about. its amazing how little some salesmen are up on the products they sell. it wont take anyone much research on a given car to know MUCH more than your salesman.
Regarding the price you listed can you list how much under or over invoice that came out to be without the rebate. I had a quote of about $190.00 over invoice. I'm just trying to figure out the market and a fair price.
I understand that DCX could not compete with the Neon at the Price it was stated at but saying that I like the looks of the Neon better than the Caliber is immaterial. Well, its true, the Caliber is a Ram pickup grille slapped on a Matrix, but like I said immaterial. What Dodge is missing are two things.
1)Look at the prodominent ammount of Subcompact buyers. They are women. Does Dodge really want to make there car Dog ugly. I mean, yeah, Its anything but cute works well for larger cars where men mostly buy them and like the masculan look but the "cuteness" factor is what sales Minis and VW Beetles so it must work.
2)The reason I like the Neon is not b/c I am a tuner. I do anything but tune. I like the Neon b/c it is a basic straight forward old tech car that has been "battle tested" over the years of production. Dodge by dropping the Neon on the spot risks 1st year bugs funking up the Calibers reliability. Buyers in this market like reliable cars. They dont care about the all new gadget over there and this one over here. They want something that is not on the side of the road all the time broke down.
Maybe the only reason to objecting to the immediate change in the Dodge compacts was that i like the looks of the Neon better but Think of the above and tell me thats not true. You cant do it.
Firstly, I wouldn't classify the Caliber as a "subcompact". And while I am sure a lot of women drivers buy smaller cars...I really think that the compact market is growing into all demographic groups. I'm in my 40's, and having outgrown my need for a family hauler minivan, I'm looking for something a bit smaller (yet can carry a goodly amount of stuff, hence the hatchback) and looking for something 'relatively' fuel efficient. And face it, with gasoline going up all the time, I think maybe some people oughta pull their head out of their nether reaches, and think about NOT buying the gas-guzzlers for that reason. I don't need the biggest dawg on the block...I'm happy with the size of my manhood. As for looks, I think the Caliber is pretty cool looking, and I think would attract a lot of "women" buyers, because it looks kinda tough with that Magnum grill. As far as first-year reliability is concerned...it always takes a while to work out ALL the bugs. I wouldn't have touched a Ford Focus for the first 3 years. Now it's on the Car & Driver Ten Best list. Go figure.
When I bought my Caliber SXT the only thing it did'nt have on it that I wanted was cruise. I was told by the dealership that I would be able to get it when it becomes available. I had the dealership call the plant in Illinois where the Caliber is built and ask the factory rep. He told the dealer there are no plans to sell the cruise control as an OEM on the cars. Needless to say I was'nt happy about this as I travel a lot and will put about 35K a year on the car. The parts manager at my dealership told me the same thing happened on the '05 Dakotas, eventually there was such demand for it they came out with a cruise control for them 6 months later. So...if u want cruise control on your Caliber get it when u buy it!
My wife first noticed it while driving the car, when the back windows are down it gives a "thumping" or "bass drum" beating to your ears. This is only with the back windows down...I can't figure out why yet...anybody have the same issues?
This is addressed in the owner's manual. I have also experienced this - its like the wind beating on the open ends of pipe - it makes a terrible noise at 70 MPH.... Roll up the rear windows a bit or roll down the front windows a bit and the noise dissappears as quickly as it came.
You might try checking an after-market automotive audio/accessory store in your area. The cruise control stalk on my SXT appears the same as the Neon parts, so they may have something that will work well at a reasonable price. Any place that sells remote starters usually can do cruise control as well.
Evidently this is quite common, at least the posts on the HHR site seem to say, and a lot of cars do this, just have to remember to try it on my maxima and toyota tomorrow.......
Yes,I do agree with the fact that some women like the way the new Caliber looks moreso than whats running it. There in lies the problem. So what if Dodge was tired of the plain jane Neon platform and descided to drop it for a hatchback, they needed to carryover some of the lessons learned from the Neon. What I would have done if I were them is do exactly what the trucks do year after year. Carryover the same powerplants with each redesighn and blend in new ones and phase out older ones. Look at the Calibers powerplants: ALL TOTALLY NEW!! True the 122 cubic inch engine carries over but in DOHC gize as opposed to OHC in the Neon. The 4 spd auto just up and died. What about the people who dont trust the New CVT2 technology, I guess there stuck buying the manual. I personally do not trust CVT2 technology, at least until the first years bugs are cleared. I dont particurly want to buy the manual tranny if I wanted the proven automatic. Do you get where I'm going with this? The Caliber is BRAND NEW! This is a fine idea but to serve as mainline compact for Dodge to soldier on here for awhile is kinda pushing the limit I think. I regard the NEW caliber as just like the Yukon Denali 6.2L V8. I would not buy it for 2-3years. Good luck and I hope these cars work out for you. I think the buisness side of this is funked up though.
Comments
I wonder how you got an R/T at all. We were told they aren't producing them until late summer, early fall. The SRT is the car we intially called about but it won't be available until later this year too.
We live in Dover, DE and for those of you who follow Nascar know that we have a track here. Well my husband is a vendor at the races and we hope to make at least $5k on this upcoming race weekend. So we will see what happens!
So I wonder is the CVT more vulnerable for failure, compared to the traditional auto transmission? Is the belt prone to breaking and replacement?
if you are getting 35 mpg with your neon, better stick with it. we are getting quite a few customers asking if something is wrong with their caliber because of poor fuel economy. its heavier, considerably, than the neon was, and not too aerodynamic.
I had a couple of stick shift Neons, and they returned 35 mpg IF I was driving on a long freeway trip, and kept speeds at 75 mph or lower. The Neons were light, low, and aerodynamic. They were also slighly cramped in terms of interior space, as are most "compact" cars, and slightly noisy - smooth motors, but a lot of wind rush and road roar from the tires.
Like you said, the Caliber is built a lot more solid - it looks like a truck, and apparently has the gussetting and heavier metal to stand up well in the modern crash tests (the Neon didn't do so well in such tests).
So it's a trade off. Buy a Ram pickup, or a Charger or Magnum, or almost any other larger car or truck, and suffer gas mileage pains; or try to make a trade off in size and weight in exchange for better gas mileage. If the Caliber has the "feel" and "quiet" of the PT Cruiser, then I'd say its a good deal, because the 2006 PT Cruiser is solid and quiet, but gets poor gas mileage for its size (but not for its weight and versatility).
And you finished:
we sell chrysler/toyota. if they are hardcore about mileage ill steer them toward a corolla or , if they want more cargo carrying capability, the matrix. the caliber will make its name with its style and cargo room, but not with fuel efficiency. the pt cruiser suffers from the same shortcoming, thought the calibers numbers would almost have to be better than that car.
I think if someone is hardcore about mileage, and doesn't want to pay the premium for a Prius, there is probably no better car in the world than the American trim Toyota Corolla. Say what you will, it IS an appliance, but with a very efficient engine, good passenger space (and a higher sitting height), and a decent trunk. On the other hand, I know very few people who care about cars who buy Corollas. So it is apples and oranges - the Caliber has a lot of style, and some presently unique features (anybody else think it got "separated at birth" from the Nissan Murano - both wagon style cross-overs with CVT transmissions?).
You are right about the PT Cruiser's gas mileage. We have both a Caravan SE and a PT Cruiser and the Caravan actually gets better mielage than the PT Cruiser. BUT, the PT Cruiser feels like a sports car in comparison to the van, it has great pickup and is well insulated to keep out the engine roar under full throttle.
I think the Caliber is a good addition to "small car" ranks. Look around you - most small cars have women at the wheel. Guys seem to disdain small cars for their arguably "feminine" looks. Trivial, I know, but pushes guys into buying compact pickups instead, which are much harder on the environment, not to mention on the wallet when you have to fill them up.
The Caliber has a chance of reversing the stigma of small "cars" - more so than the Honda Element, possibly making it cool (or at least not "un"-cool) to have a smaller vehicle again. That's probably a good thing.
(As a sidebar, I have to admit it was with much trepidation, bordering on embarassment, that we bought another PT Cruiser earlier this year; it is so "not masculine," but at the same time the PT is darn near the most practical small vehicle you can buy today, what with an enormous amount of rear seat legroom and decent trunk space for hauling a small family around. I really wanted the Caliber, which had just come out, but as a new car it was priced much higher than the long in the tooth PT Cruiser.)
No, the Caliber isn't aerodynamic; but it did sit at a good height which means it isn't likely to get hung up on snow or other stuff if someone takes it camping or fishing or hunting.
pt cruiser sales have died over the last couple years because:
1-matrix/vibe are equally versatile (in some cases more so)
but dont need to be so heavy--crash test scores for the pt werent helped over more economical competitors by its extra mass.
2-the retro novelty has worn off for many people
3-matrix/vibe twins are much more economical, reliable choices--matrix manual rated 30/36 and many people are exceeding this with little effort
**there are more competitors already here/on there way--i just focused on what i have personal experience with
the caliber still has to compete against matrix/vibe, and as far as fuel efficiency and perceived reliability (history is on toyotas side here) the caliber just cant compete. it is still a compact car. people will have to love the way it looks/drives for it to survive. id say with gas prices being quite high for the forseeable future--good luck!!
One last thing. I'm going to order mine tomorrow....I think.
THIS IS INCORRECT...the Matrix/vibe will be remodeled for the 2008 model year along with the Corolla (possibly a spring-2007 release date....so, while i believe the Caliber is lagging behind these cars already it will struggle more so when the Matrix is updated.
the matrix was also loud (considerably louder than the caliber).
Source Reuters:
Complete article: http://today.reuters.com/news/articl...ER-CALIBER.xml
DETROIT (Reuters) - Sales of DaimlerChrysler AG's (DCXGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) new Caliber compact hatchback have topped initial expectations, prompting the automaker to quietly curtail employee discounts for the car, company officials and dealers said. Chrysler has told dealers to stop granting employee-level pricing on the Caliber to all but the immediate family of workers and retirees over the past several days, a company spokesman confirmed on Tuesday.
PS: I'm glad I got mine way under invoice three weeks ago.
yes, the matrix is a bit noisy. id say this is its one significant flaw. my guess is that more sound deadening material would have made it too heavy to achieve 30/36 mpg that it gets (and from what ive read from actual owners, they are getting that or exceeding it). theres always a trade off, i guess. i had my choices narrowed down to matrix or corolla. the extra 4-5 mpg and quieter ride led me to choose the corolla.
perhaps the caliber has alot of sound deadening material, thus contributing to its heft.
i hope they werent blatantly lying just to steer you toward the caliber..they surely know that toyota isnt going to drop a car that has been, arguably, the most successful player in the crossover market and a great complement vehicle for corolla, one of the best selling cars ever.
I am in the same boat as you. I spoke with a dealership and they offered me this one week ago, and they put it in writing and said the offer was good for one week. I didn't put down a deposit or order it because I was unsure. So I called right now after reading your post to say I would like to order the car and they put it throught the system and told me to just come in and put down a deposit. And they said the offer they gave me was still good.
Either they haven't heard about this yet or it isn't true! So even though I should wait a few months to order it, I'm just going to go ahead and put down a deposit because this Friends and Family deal is too good and I'm afraid if I wait any longer they won't offer it to me anymore.
In terms of mileage - I'm lovin' it! I commute 70 miles daily to work and back. I fill up about once per week. I've easily been getting 35mpg on a regular basis. On long trips, my mileage has approached 40mpg at 65-70mph.
I'm going to test drive a Caliber this weekend, I hope. I sat in one at the Detroit auto show and thought the driving position was more cramped than the Vibe. I'm anxious to form an opinion about the engine and CVT, however, so I hope to find one to test this weekend. Wish me luck - I know they're hard to find!
Jim
Also, How did that Hi-speed training course that DCX was offering to all buyers who bought an SRT variant car work out? Has anyone heard? Also, if the Caliber is not the Neon replacement then why is th SRT4 a Caliber now? Can anyone make any sense out of this whole situation?
Any info will be greatly appreciated.
I just wanted to let you know that I ordered mine in a few minutes ago!!! A Caliber SXT, black, 1.8L, 5speed, leather interior, premium sound system, security group, cruise control, fogs, 17" alloy wheels, wheels locks, roof rack and 2 upright-style bike carriers and a full tank of gas... wow! And I got a pretty good deal toooo!!! I got it for 2K under the total price. The down side is that I will have to wait 6-8 weeks before getting it. :P :shades:
I guess an answer to this is that DCX is in finacial trouble and needs to lose money in order to decrease tax loss. Thats what we do on the farm. We bought a new truck last year and a new tractor the year before that in order to offset taxes a touch. DCX may have dropped there money maker car so that they can take a loss and save some tax money. I guess you have to look at the whole picture. If there is another answer( and I hope there is ) Please someone share it with me. Thanks
http://today.reuters.com/business/newsarticle.aspx?type=tnBusinessNews&storyID=n- N18363269
Click Link for more details:
http://www.autonet.ca/Spotlight/NewModels/story.cfm?story=/Spotlight/NewModels/2- 006/02/13/1440677.html
You are right when it comes to the "basics" and "engineering" of the two cars, but in my opinion, the exterior designs are radically different (interiors are very similar).
The Caliber has an edgy design, much more like the Vibe, in my opinion. The Matrix looks more like a glorified station wagon - but then, I am a bit biased! :-)
http://cars.about.com/od/2001/fr/CH_05_Vibe.htm
"The Pontiac Vibe and the Toyota Matrix are the result of a joint venture manufacturing agreement between General Motors and Toyota."
ARRRRRGH!!.....NO, NO, NO. pure fabrication and/or ignorance. maybe he was trying to keep you away from the vibe?? toyo/gm contract currently goes through 2008, and will likely go beyond that. the 2006 matrix/vibe continue to share the 1.8L DOHC VVT-i engine, as will the 2007 models. both will be remodeled for 2008. pontiac chose to drop the GT and AWD (thus dont sell equivalents of the matrix xrs or awd) version of the vibe line up as they werent selling that well. all basic vibe/matrix engine remain identical. good advice for all of us: when a dealer tells you something, make sure you do some of your own research to see if the guy/gal knew what they were talking about. its amazing how little some salesmen are up on the products they sell. it wont take anyone much research on a given car to know MUCH more than your salesman.
1)Look at the prodominent ammount of Subcompact buyers. They are women. Does Dodge really want to make there car Dog ugly. I mean, yeah, Its anything but cute works well for larger cars where men mostly buy them and like the masculan look but the "cuteness" factor is what sales Minis and VW Beetles so it must work.
2)The reason I like the Neon is not b/c I am a tuner. I do anything but tune. I like the Neon b/c it is a basic straight forward old tech car that has been "battle tested" over the years of production. Dodge by dropping the Neon on the spot risks 1st year bugs funking up the Calibers reliability. Buyers in this market like reliable cars. They dont care about the all new gadget over there and this one over here. They want something that is not on the side of the road all the time broke down.
Maybe the only reason to objecting to the immediate change in the Dodge compacts was that i like the looks of the Neon better but Think of the above and tell me thats not true. You cant do it.
As for looks, I think the Caliber is pretty cool looking, and I think would attract a lot of "women" buyers, because it looks kinda tough with that Magnum grill.
As far as first-year reliability is concerned...it always takes a while to work out ALL the bugs. I wouldn't have touched a Ford Focus for the first 3 years. Now it's on the Car & Driver Ten Best list.
Go figure.