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Chrysler Allies With Fiat

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Comments

  • thansthans Member Posts: 1
    I just purchased a 2008 Lexus IS 250. I love the car except for one little problem--the bluetooth feature doesn't seem to connect properly. The car indicates that the bluetooth is connected. When I make a call, I can hear the person that I call just fine, but that person can't hear me. I have tried everything I can think of but I can't get it to work. Am I missing something, or does this car have a defective microphone? I would appreciate any suggestions.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Try this discussion:

    Lexus IS Bluetooth and Navigation
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    •Chrysler's Italian foster parent tells investors in Europe that Alfa Romeo's long-awaited return to North America may come up short.
    •Investors also hear that Fiat will build some new compact models for Jeep.
    •A new Maserati-based Viper is due in 2012, but the sexy Alfa Romeo 4C sports car could be delayed until 2013.

    Fiat Rejiggers Its Future Products - Again (Inside Line)
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Odds are, your mute is on. It's possible that it's defective, but everytime I find something that doesn't work on mine, it's always me, not the car. It could also be your phone, not the bluetooth system. Check for the menu function, see if it's set to default to mute.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    when I read today that Fiat is planning a big national advertising blitz for the 500, because dealers are disgruntled at the slow sales pace and the lack of consumer awareness of the Fiat.

    WHAT DEALERS? How about getting some dealers before putting on the ad blitz??!!

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Just plain stupidity they did not use the dealer network in place. Did the Italians really believe the Fiat was going to drive people crazy enough to drive 100 miles or more to a dealer. None in SD yet.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    edited June 2011
    None in SD yet.

    I doubt Fiat is worried about the 6 people there that might be interested in one.

    Just like any new automotive brand rollout, they start in highly populated areas and then cover the lower areas. Also, they have to find a dealer willing to support the brand there. No dealer is going to invest seven figures if the potential doesn't support it.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I doubt Fiat is worried about the 6 people there that might be interested in one.

    Unfortunately San Diego is over 3,000,000 people last census. Rechecking it seems that Bob Baker now has a Fiat dealership in Carlsbad. About 53 miles from where I live. However my dealings with Bob Baker Lexus would make me cringe to consider buying a Fiat from him. We do have several decent Chrysler dealers that could add the Fiat 500 without impacting the showroom of lot. It looks like Fiat is trying to make a silk purse from a sow's ear. The 500 ain't a Mini Cooper and I would not drive 50 miles for a Mini dealer either.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,384
    I've seen no sign of a Fiat dealer in NJ yet. I'll be waiting on an Alfa anyway...
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    edited June 2011
    Giulietta would be worth waiting for in it's European form here in the States. I am waiting also to see how Dodge does up their new Caliber that may not be named Caliber that is going to be pinned to the Alfa Romeo chassis.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    edited June 2011
    Unfortunately San Diego is over 3,000,000 people last census.

    Thought SD was South Dakota...

    Gotta help out us East Coast centric folks - For us Bostonians, anything west of 95 is New York and beyond that really doesn't matter!!

    :P
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,384
    I knew when you posted that you thought he meant South Dakota!

    Gary's got places in multiple locations but last I looked South Dakota isn't one of them....
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Gotta help out us East Coast centric folks

    I was sure of that. But part of the fun of life is getting digs on those East of the Mississippi. :blush: South Dakota was never on my short list. Though I do like the Black Hills and the big heads.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,863
    I've seen no sign of a Fiat dealer in NJ yet.

    Neither have I, but there is one just over the border in Langhorne, PA.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,384
    The Black Hills are really nice - like Vermont on steroids. The people there are nothing like those in Vermont but the look is there.

    I drove through South Dakota in 1982 in an 80 Accord. It was probably the only Japanese car in the great plains at the time.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,384
    I think there's a dealer for every make and some that don't exist in Langhorne.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    I agree, the Black Hills and Badlands are nice, and there are a lot of interesting places around there like Sturgis and Deadwood. You'll see plenty of imports around there because there is a large Air Force Base in Rapid City, SD. The weather can be quite variable over a short period of time there.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,384
    When I was through there I spent the night on the couch of a friend of a friend in Sturgis. Nice area. They did mention 6 foot snow falls though....
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    It's fun driving across on auto pilot and watching the storms 40 miles away.

    We can all be imported from Detroit now, by judicial fiat.

    Chrysler Can't Stop Use of Imported From Detroit Slogan, Judge Rules(Inside Line)
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Italian automaker Fiat SpA sent a letter to its unions saying it would scrap all labor contracts at factories in Italy after Dec. 31.

    Fiat's plants in Italy have all lost money."

    Fiat to scrap labor contracts in Italy in 2012 (Automotive News)
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Wonder how Fiat will deal with the UAW if they don't show a profit here? It is interesting as liberal as Italy is they can just pull the rug out from under the Union. It would not be possible here without bankruptcy. Our NLRB laws are much more biased toward Union labor.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited November 2011
    Reading a bit between the lines, I got the impression that Fiat is leaving some coalition and is going to negotiate with the unions separately.

    The Chrysler purchase is going to save their pancetta. :shades:
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Sounds like Italy has a lot more problems than Fiat dumping on the Union workers.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 234,740
    edited November 2011
    According to an article in this week's BusinessWeek, Italy has the worst labor climate in the developed world.. One manager said it's easier to get rid of his wife than to fire an employee...

    So... not sure how Fiat is going to unilaterally dump their contracts... :surprise:

    article link

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  • hpmctorquehpmctorque Member Posts: 4,600
    Good point, but change has to start somewhere. I applaud Marchionne's bold step. At a minimum, it'll serve as a wake-up call for Italy's labor. With luck, it'll lead to significant labor concessions.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    "The 2013 Dodge Dart will debut on January 9 at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, putting to rest rumors that the brand's new compact sedan would be called the Dodge Hornet, Duster or Camber.

    The new Dart is a critically important offering from Dodge, since it targets the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus and Hyundai Elantra and marks the brand's most serious offensive into the compact sedan segment since the Dodge Neon — which has been off the market for seven years."

    2013 Dodge Dart Set for World Debut at 2012 Detroit Auto Show
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,639
    Let's just hope that it's truly something that would do the Dart name proud, and wouldn't be better off badged as a Volare, Reliant, Neon, etc. From what little I can make of those pics though, it does look interesting.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    Let's just hope that it's truly something that would do the Dart name proud...

    Really?? Unless you're a Mopar fanatic, most of the target market won't have a clue of the Dart's history. In fact, the only thing I can remember of it was the sad little compact it was during it's final years. Trust me, the Dart name does nothing for me.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,639
    In fact, the only thing I can remember of it was the sad little compact it was during it's final years.

    I remember one review from some Consumer magazine (not Reports or Guide, but something else) that tested a '75 Dart and gave it pretty high ratings. One of their comments was that it felt more like a well-preserved 1965 car than a brand-new model, but with the way the newer cars were turning out, that was actually a good thing!

    Personally, I started disliking the styling of them after 1972, but I still think they were good cars. Quality did go down in later years, but hey, it was the 70's, when EVERYTHING went downhill!
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Click (or is it Clack?) will surely have to buy one.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,639
    Heck, if it's big enough to suit my needs, and I like the way it looks in person, I'd consider one. My real lust right now is a Charger, though, although if I do make the spring for a new car, it would probably be something a bit more frugal/economical.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,384
    Really?? Unless you're a Mopar fanatic,

    You DO remember who you are talking to, right? :D

    Andre - you are the first one I thought of when I hear this.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    Oh I know who I'm talking to.

    I use "you're" in the euphamistic manner as in "the collective world".
  • hpmctorquehpmctorque Member Posts: 4,600
    edited December 2011
    For those who remember the old generation Darts, I think "Dart" has a positive connotation, overall. Some associate it with stodgy and boring, but Valiants and Darts were arguably the best compacts available in their day.

    I think it's a smart move to revive the old name for Dodge's '13 compact. Of course, how the car leverages the name will depend on the product, as comparisons will surely be made between the new and old Darts.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    I think it's a smart move to revive the old name for Dodge's '13 compact.

    I think it's a smart move but not for the reason you list. The target market will have zero recollection of the old Dart that went away close to 40 years ago. That's why it's smart to re-use it. The last boring Dart won't act as baggage for this modern vehicle. The Dart name today will be marketed as an agile, swift vehicle as the name implies.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,639
    The Dart name today will be marketed as an agile, swift vehicle as the name implies.

    I wonder if mischievous youngsters will try to pry the "D" off, and fit it with the "F" off of a Ford product, like they would occasionally do back in the day? :P
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    Probably not as I think few automakers actully use individual letters for the badges anymore.

    I saw a Passat wagon the other day (not mine) that the owner removed the "A" and replaced it with the "T" with it's arms removed. "PISSA" to us Bostonians means something that is too cool ie Tom Brady is a wicked pissa quarterback.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    The H you say. :D
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    Does Honda use individual letters still?
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    The target market will have zero recollection of the old Dart that went away close to 40 years ago.

    Probably true. But those that do will be a positive because the Dart always had a reputation as a good, reliable decent looking vehicle back then.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    At least on the front, as does Hyundai.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    Probably true. But those that do will be a positive because the Dart always had a reputation as a good, reliable decent looking vehicle back then.

    But will those 70-90 year olds be out there buying Darts?

    I'm under 50 and remember the last Darts. Good looking is not an attribute I'd use to describe them. IMHO they were neutered refreshes of the late 60's Dart.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,863
    But those '60s Darts weren't exactly all recycling fodder by the time some of us young'ins started driving. I'm under 40 but have some good memories of a '64 and, I believe, a '68 Dart growing up.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,639
    I'm under 50 and remember the last Darts. Good looking is not an attribute I'd use to describe them. IMHO they were neutered refreshes of the late 60's Dart.

    You really have to consider the whole Dart history though, and not just focus on those few sad final years. Using the final Dart to sum up the whole lineup is like picking 1974 to represent the Mustang or GTO!

    I'd imagine most people under 50, when they think of a Dart, are going to think of the hot '67-69 models, which sported engines on up to the 440 Wedge and 426 Hemi, or the 340 and 360 powered Swingers, Demons, and Dart sports of the 70's. They're not going to be thinking about Grandpa's baby-poop brown '76 Dart Custom sedan with the slant six and the AM-only radio!

    Also, the Dart seemed to hang around for a long, long time after 1976. Used examples were plying the streets and a common sight long after most equivalent cars had been disposed of. So, it might still be fairly fresh in the memory of lot more younger people than something like an old Nova, Falcon, or Granada might be.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    Your opinion doesn't count - you'd fight to the death to protect the image of a Volare!! Admit it - you would.

    I guess my memories of muscle car Darts have been replaced by my uncle's poop brown 76 sedan. To think he replaced a GTO with that.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,639
    Your opinion doesn't count - you'd fight to the death to protect the image of a Volare!! Admit it - you would.

    Well, the Volare had its good points and bad. The '76-77 models were horrible rusters, but in '78-80 they were no worse than anything else out there.

    My grandmother's cousin had a '79 Volare wagon, two-tone black over silver with a red interior, that was actually pretty sharp looking. She wanted to sell it in 1996, and I would've bought it, but another family member beat me to it. It was still shiny and rust-free by that time, but IIRC, the passenger door wouldn't open, the a/c didn't work, and the headliner was sagging. But she only wanted $300 for it.

    So instead, I bought a 1979 Newport I found in the junkyard for $250. Still ran good, but the transmission was shot.

    I guess my memories of muscle car Darts have been replaced by my uncle's poop brown 76 sedan. To think he replaced a GTO with that.

    My grandparents on my Dad's side of the family had a '75 Dart Swinger, in a light creme/beige color. It used to stall out on them all the time, and the dealer never could fix it, so they traded it on a new Granada in '77, which promptly ate its transmission. But instead of dwelling on that '75 Dart, I try to block it from my memory! :P

    And, to be fair, it was 1975. I have a feeling just about anything you bought in '75 would've been crap. Although, my Mom bought a new LeMans that year, and other than needing a new distributor within a year or two, it wasn't bad. Until Dad hit a tree with it in '77. It got fixed, but never ran right after that. :sick:
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    Well, the Volare had its good points and bad. The '76-77 models were horrible rusters, but in '78-80 they were no worse than anything else out there.

    See I told you that you could defend the Volare. Now justify the Chrysler TC by Maserati!!

    :)
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,639
    See I told you that you could defend the Volare. Now justify the Chrysler TC by Maserati!!

    No. I have to draw the line somewhere! :shades:

    Oh, and back on the Volare tangent. In 1994 I looked at a '78 or '79 that someone was selling locally. It was a coupe, had the 360-4bbl, and was rust-free, although it had a big dent in one of the rear quarters, and the ignition was busted, so you could start it by sticking anything that would fit in there. Seller only wanted $500 for it.

    I drove it, and thought it was inferior in just about every way to the '68 Dart I was driving at the time.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    "1989 Chrysler TC by Maserati: Stupid combination of front-drive K-Car bits, indifferent Maserati assembly in Italy and a two-seat roadster body that was indistinguishable from a LeBaron. It's both the worst Maserati and worst Chrysler ever."

    It made #15 on IL's 100 Worst Cars of All Time.
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    remember the last Darts. Good looking is not an attribute

    Well Robr, like many other models that hang around the later ones get long in the tooth. But during the 60's and early 70's I'd see a lot of these cars on college campuses and military basis. Not high income people, but a lot of younger people in those demographics. You've got to compare it to comparables of the time like Nova (another decent looker for its price back then), Falcon, Maverick, etc. It wasn't in the same price and market as say a Cutlass or Camaro. I think one advantage Dart had in its segment was the availability of a 2 dr HT model and it had a relatively decent interior for its class as well.

    But will those 70-90 year olds be out there buying Darts?

    Well, seriously they won't be buying a lot of cars, period. I agree its market demographics will likely be younger buyers, but some older buyers, particularly in urban markets, still buy a small car.

    Now I believe you are in the Boston area, so I don't see you as a perspective buyer. Driving in that town you need some metal around you because the lack of following the road laws means its like driving bumper cars there, right? But heck, you're airport can be a challenge too!
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