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Can Chrysler Turn It Around in Bankruptcy?

harrycheztharrychezt Member Posts: 405
Anyhow, here's the story.
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/11/10/028282.html

This says the Top Execs have been warned.
Seems Chrysler does this every few years(sort of like Nissan): have a few decent years, then sales go South for a few years.

What gives here?
One guy said all their cars look like trucks. Another said there stuff looks good, if it were 2001.
Have heard various comments of cheap interiors( behind most competitors), lack of warranty(they did have a 7/100K, then dropped it a few years ago).
GM even has, at least, 5/100K.
Is it they depended too much on large vehicles to make money, and now that small cars sales are up, they are behind?
One thing that is sort of odd, is that when the Caliber came out, "Dodge" said it was to replace the Neon. How?
I know some younger kids(16-25, men and women) who are mad, and said the Caliber Does Not = Neon replacement(rumors are there will be something slightly smaller than the old Neon coming out, and a car-like vehicle?).

What is Chrysler doing wrong, or right?

I did look at the new Sebring, and in Blue, and in person, it was tolerable(unlike early internet photos).
It beat the Aztek, at least.

Anyhow, it was not bad, but MSRP is kind of "up there", for me, anyway.You can get a Fusion or Sonata for less, for example(I-4's).
Maybe even a few others.

Anyhow....
What can they do for a turn-around(for what seems like the 52nd time in 27 years).
take care/not offense.
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Comments

  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    Well hopefully some of the new products will help them out. I still am yet to see Chrysler execute a decent interior. :surprise:

    Rocky
  • harrycheztharrychezt Member Posts: 405
    Yes, I must agree with you there, about interiors.
    I drove the Sebring and it was acceptable, but the grey interior, plastics, all of it, did not really seem like it belonged in a nearly 19K msrp car. Felt more like it should be in a cheaper car(well, some of the chepaer cars, around 14-15K, I have seen, have better interior materials, or looked better, at least).
    Same for the Caliber(and PT) I tested in March of this year.
    Also, the cloth seats on the PT were not very good, and hard as rocks.
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    Title fixed. :)
  • harrycheztharrychezt Member Posts: 405
    from the looks of it, this thread won't be around very long anyhow.
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    harrychezt,

    you and I both know Chryslers current management approach is killing them. They spend so much money on radical unique designs, and leave out interior quality, gadgetology, ergonomics. The plastics found in a Jeep compass are the same grade as my Uncles 1984 Ford Ranger. I honestly couldn't tell the difference. It's one thing to have a hard plasticky dash, but seriously a few hundred more dollars would help alot. Hell even if it costs you a grand or two, it's worth it to the customer and he/she still gets a good deal. The Chrysler 300C was the most over-rated car over the last few years. It has a decent exterior, but that's about it. The interior quality is no better than that found in the last generation 300M. In some ways I think the old M was better in design. Chrysler, thinks because they throw a Hemi engine in it with a few leftover Mercedes parts they were going fly off the shelf. Well they did for a couple of years. Chrysler is in serious trouble and their new products are going to save the day IMHO. The Sebring, is another rental special with a lack-luster engine, The new Avenger isn't all that exciting, the Nitro, Compass, Patriot, are nothing special either. What the heck is up with that 4 door deep ? My gawd that beast is ugly. The PT Cruiser, is old and tired and DCX let that car flounder. I guess they were to worried about making a SLR McLaren, instead of concentrating on its core business and buyers. The last good car that Chrysler ever had IMHO was the Dodge Stealth which of course was a rebadged Mitsubishi. I've never been much of a fan of chrysler cars, not because I never wanted to be but because they try to be radical. It took me a decade to finally warm up to the Rams grill. I still prefer Fords and GM's grills better. The trucks are pretty much worthless and the only thing that saves that division is the over-hyped old men still like the out-dated Cummins, which has been surpassed in technology by GM's Duramax, and Ford's Powerstroke. Hell Ford, owns part of cummins, lol. :confuse: The Hemi is a good engine if you like getting 12-14 mpg. what a joke :(

    Well I'll stop my rant, since I know their are a few loyalist. Hopefully that 'tinament' on wheels called SMART will save the company. Well that's if our government stops the carbon copy cheaper Chin-E smart from gobbling up sales first. :surprise:

    Rocky
  • harrycheztharrychezt Member Posts: 405
    yer right. the interiors are pretty bad.
    I agree 100%.
    I would pay alittle extra for better materials.
    That Smart? I dunno what they are thinking. The thing is barely over 8 feet, total length!
    Most cars have wheelbases that long, even some of the sub-compacts.
    That's one scarey(hit a deer with this thing... no thanks), over-priced vehicle.
    I looked at a G5, and it had a nicer looking interior.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    I think I'd rather have a motorcycle than a Smart. Back in the early days, motorcycles were seen as a cost-effective alternative to cars.
  • carguy58carguy58 Member Posts: 2,303
    "I drove the Sebring and it was acceptable, but the grey interior, plastics, all of it, did not really seem like it belonged in a nearly 19K msrp car. Felt more like it should be in a cheaper car(well, some of the chepaer cars, around 14-15K, I have seen, have better interior materials, or looked better, at least)."

    Which Sebring did you drive the 07 or the 01-06 model? I did see the 07 Sebring at an auto show a couple weeks ago. Dissapointing on the interior because it was cheap like you said. When you touch the plastic it feels hard as did the 05 Pacifica's interior plastics at an auto show I went to in Feburary. The Pacifica was an 05 leftover and the MSRP was somewhere in the 34K range but they were willing to sell it for somewhere in the 27K range. That what the sticker in the window of the Pacifica said at that particular autoshow.

    Another thing is a Chrysler isn't even reliable as a Ford.
  • carguy58carguy58 Member Posts: 2,303
    "One thing that is sort of odd, is that when the Caliber came out, "Dodge" said it was to replace the Neon. How?
    I know some younger kids(16-25, men and women) who are mad, and said the Caliber Does Not = Neon replacement(rumors are there will be something slightly smaller than the old Neon coming out, and a car-like vehicle?)."

    The difference between the Neon and the Caliber is obvious I mean the Neon is a 4dr car while the Caliber is a wagon/hatchback. I even thought of that when the Caliber came out I was like this is a wagon and not a Sedan. Even with that said I think the Caliber was doing very well at initial launch and Chrysler wasn't even meeting demand of the Caliber when in first came out. I haven't really been following Chrysler sales of late though to see if the Caliber is sustaining its early sales success that it had.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    Dodge had sold 59,758 Calibers, including 8,877 just for that month. That's well down from what the Neon used to do when it was in its prime, but the Caliber is a slightly more nichey product, and I'm sure it has a higher profit margin. Plus, I'd imagine that fewer of them are ending up in rental fleets.

    One thing I'll say for Chrysler, is that I think the quality of their hard plastics is actually pretty good. They usually have a nice texture. The problem however, is that they rely way too much on hard plastics. I'd like to see more cars with interiors the way they used to be...carpeting on the lower door panels and cloth inserts to coordinate with the seats.
  • ea1420ea1420 Member Posts: 22
    I think their interiors and their lack of warrenty are the biggest factors. I just bought a new car and I was looking at the PT Cruiser. I loved the way it handled and it had a great amount of space. However, Fisher Price toys have better finishes. And when you can pretty much go to any dealership (including Honda and Toyota) and get 5 years and 60,000 miles on the drive train the 3 year, 36,000 miles warrenty doesn't cut it. Particularly, when Chrysler isn't exactly known for it's reliability.
  • grbeckgrbeck Member Posts: 2,358
    Yesterday I stopped at the local Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep dealer to check out the new offerings (dealers are closed by law on Sunday in Pennsylvania, so I didn't have to worry about any sales representatives desperate for a sale).

    The Chrysler Sebring doesn't look too bad on the inside (the cars were obviously locked, so I couldn't touch the interior).

    The outside, however, looks disjointed. There is just way too much going on up front, with the straked hood, the big chrome grille and the huge headlight assembly. The back end, meanwhile, looks like it was lifted from a Toyota Corolla.

    Apparently, all of the effort was put into the front. The stylists ran out of ideas once they got beyond the front pillar.

    Another browser was there in a 1995 Honda Accord LX sedan. What struck me was how much the Sebring resembles the Accord in profile, except that the Accord is a more coherent and balanced design.

    The Chrysler marque needs a good follow-up to the 300, and this car isn't it. The 300 recalls the 1950s and 1960s, when the Chrysler marque still meant something.

    It restored some luster to the Chrysler nameplate, which, like Buick, Pontiac and Mercury, has fallen on hard times. Unfortunately, there is nothing special about the Sebring...and in a few months it will compete directly with the Dodge Avenger. The Avenger is a better fit with the Dodge brand. The Sebring should at least have more presence, and a more coherent design.

    And please, no four-cylinder Chryslers! Every Sebring on the lot but one had the four cylinder. Leave that market to Dodge!

    There were several Jeep Compasses on the lot. From the side, it evokes the AMC Gremlin, with an upswept rear window and chopped off back end. I guess it will appeal to the people who have been yearing for the return of the old Gremlin-based Eagle cars. But what will Chrysler do after those 20 people buy one?

    Overall, I'd say that Chrysler is in for rough sledding over the next year.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    ...Chrysler has GOT to build that Imperial. If the 300 is the poor man's Bentley, the Imperial could be the poor man's Rolls-Royce Phantom. They'd go over big in Philly! Heck, I might just get one in a funky dark red enamel and silver metallic to recall my awesome 1985 Chrysler Fifth Avenue.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    I saw an '07 Sebring in the parking lot at the grocery store. I have to admit that it was better looking in person than in pictures, but it still does nothing for me.

    I'm also a little confused at their engine choices. Standard is a 2.4 4-cyl with something like 172 hp. Next up is a 2.7 DOHC V-6 that used to put out 200 hp, but nowadays I think it choked down to 190. Then at the top of the heap is a 3.5 SOHC which puts out 250 hp in the Charger/300, but I think it might be a bit less here.

    Why the need for the midrange engine? Especially one that's not that big of a step up from the base engine. Honestly I think they should phase out the 2.7. Even though I have that engine in my 2000 Intrepid and I haven't had any problems with mine (125,000 miles, knock on wood), they are prone to sludging. And they're VERY expensive to replace when they go bad. They're also VERY expensive to build new, in the first place. I think Chrysler would be better off just dumping it and if they need a lower-output V-6, just de-tune the 3.5, or offer a smaller-displacement version of it. The 3.2 that Chrysler offered from 1998-2001 in the Intrepid/Concorde was a smaller-displacement version.

    And yeah, Chrysler should stop making 4-cylinder versions. Definitely. IMO, a 4-cylinder Chrysler is a Plymouth!
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    I agree Chrysler needs to build the Imperial, but it has to have the Gadgetology, for somebody like me to look at it seriously. :)

    Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    Analyst: Building small car in China would jolt UAW

    http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061118/AUTO01/611180365/- 1148/AUTO01

    Rocky

    P.S. Well it appears I will have to "BLACK BALL" Chrysler in the future. :mad:
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    Nassau, Jeep Trailhawk to be displayed at Detroit show

    http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061122/AUTO01/611220327/- 1148

    Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    Redesigned 2008 Chrysler Town and Country caught

    http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/GeneralFuture/articleId=117624

    Rocky

    P.S. GM, Ford, give up the Minivan. I guess Chrysler thinks they can nab some sales still, eh ?
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    Automaker will give bonuses for every '07 model they take before year's end with their full allotment.

    http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061123/AUTO01/611230406/1148- /AUTO01

    Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    Automaker's reliance on trucks and SUVs makes for a gloomy November even as industry outlook is unclear.

    http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061125/AUTO01/611250355/- 1148

    Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    Chrysler hopes to hook female Sebring buyers

    http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061127/BUSINESS01/611270389/10- 14

    Rocky

    P.S. Is Chrysler trying to become the new Mercury, and be more feminine ? :surprise:
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    Chrysler's new Sebring design is sporty, luxurious and has room for the kids

    http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061129/AUTO03/611290330

    Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    With dealers steaming and new vehicles piling up, executive is at center of tensions

    http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061129/AUTO01/611290396

    Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    After meeting this week with DCX board, CEO LaSorda to unveil plan in mid-February.

    http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061222/AUTO01/612220332/- 1148

    Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    CEO LaSorda urges creative thinking to assist automaker; Zetsche of DCX says stay focused.

    http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061223/AUTO01/612230368/1148

    Rocky
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    I just found out that for 2007, Chrysler's offering a stripper version of the Charger with the 2.7/4-speed automatic, and no ABS. For 2006, the base Charger had a 3.5/5-speed, and ABS standard. :sick:

    Now there was a fleet/rental edition of the 2006 Charger that only had the 2.7/4-speed, but it was kept out of the public eye for the most part.

    Now they do offer the 3.5/5-speed/abs as a bundle for like $1,000 on the base Charger, or you can get the SXT package, which includes that stuff and some other goodies. Still, the whole thing reeks of cost cutting to me, and I think is only going to serve to cheapen the name. IMO it's a hark back to the late 70's/early 80's when they were putting slant sixes in St. Regises and Miradas.

    Oh, and it looks like they also discontinued my favorite color, "Magnesium". Damn you, DCX. Damn you all to hell!! (sorry, I caught "Planet of the Apes" on tv over the weekend :) )
  • hwyhobohwyhobo Member Posts: 265
    I just read this line in the Nassau announcement:

    Nassau is powered by a 6.1-liter HEMI and runs to 60 mph in five seconds.

    Nassau looks like a beautiful car, but with a plethora of gas-sucking Hemi-powered cars already, why won't Chrysler introduce a good-looking car like Nassau with a fuel-efficient powerplant like the BLUETEC? I don't get it. :confuse:
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    Agree......What would be so hard to make a more powerful BLUETEC diesel to up the performance ?????

    The best diesel that comes to mind is the V10 one that VW makes. Now that's a diesel I'd like to own. ;)

    Rocky
  • hwyhobohwyhobo Member Posts: 265
    Actually, I would gladly go with the standard BLUETEC. I don't need higher performance in a car like that. 388 ft-lbs of torque is more than enough to propel Nassau, and 208 hp is nothing to sneeze at, either. With the Mercedes E-Class the BLUETEC engine is projected to do 26 mpg city and 37 mpg highway - what a shocking difference from the abominable 14/20 for the Chrysler 300 with the currently proposed for Nassau 6.1l engine.

    I swear, someone should help Chrysler execs pull their heads out of their posteriors and notice that gas is no longer 85¢ per gallon.
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    I wished they would make it a option at least. However I'd rather sacrifice the extra mileage for the extra power. If the diesel produced another 100 hp and 120 lbs of tq I'd maybe would consider a BLUETEC diesel.

    But hey that's me. ;)

    Rocky
  • british_roverbritish_rover Member Posts: 8,502
    To get that kind of power out of that little 3.0 liter you would have to run so much boost that longevity would be compromised.

    You need another liter or so of displacment to get 300 plus reliable HP out of a diesel like that.

    Remember HP is a function of torque and RPM and while diesels make stupid amounts of torque they can't rev very much.

    Rovers 3.6 liter TDV8 Makes a little under 300 hp. You need about 4.0 liters to make 300 plus hp.
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    Well that's where Rover shines and DCX falls IMHO. ;)

    Rocky
  • harrycheztharrychezt Member Posts: 405
    http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z6933/default.aspx

    This was rumored to be what is now the new Sebring( except thsi was RWD.... and Sebring is FWD. Many blogs posted it as RWD, but said it would become FWD, and new engines, which the Sebring has, Except The Styling is nothing like this excellent concept).

    I do not trust many concepts. Lot of makers show things, and water 'em down, or radically change their designs(too much).
    take care/not offense
  • anythngbutgmanythngbutgm Member Posts: 4,277
    Chrysler appears to be still on top of its game when it comes to minivans...

    http://www.leftlanenews.com/2007/01/04/2008-chrysler-town-country-voyager-unveil- ed/

    Impressive. I can see why GM and Ford bailed out of the market. Neither could hold a candle to the Minvan masters.
  • hwyhobohwyhobo Member Posts: 265
    It better be darned good. Check this article on the current state of the minivan market:

    http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070103/FREE/70102005/1024/L- ATESTNEWS
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    The minivan is rapidly being replaced by the much better CUV so "anything" it's not a huge lost to Ford and GM. ;)

    Rocky
  • hwyhobohwyhobo Member Posts: 265
    I've been at my wits' end for a few years now trying to figure out why the big 3 do not release any honest-to-goodness ol' fashioned wagons. :confuse: I would love a Crown Vic wagon. Most of the utility of a minivan, with much better handling and mileage. Apparantly, the big 3 just love to be constantly way behind other companies in adjusting to new trends. It's got to be some strange point of pride.
  • anythngbutgmanythngbutgm Member Posts: 4,277
    The minivan isn't going anywhere... There will always be those that want the sliding doors and the versatility of the minivan. Unless SUV's are all of a sudden designed without 4WD (which would sell like ice cream in Antarctica) in mind, then the van offers more room, lower load floor and again, versatility, like the in floor stoandgo seats.

    And if gas starts creaping up again to 3 and 4 bucks a gallon, then I think you'll see that the fuel efficiency of the mini will win buyers out of there hulking gas pigs like Suburbans and Tahoes.

    I don't believe for one minute that the minivan is going to go the way of the dinisaur. Nope.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    I've been at my wits' end for a few years now trying to figure out why the big 3 do not release any honest-to-goodness ol' fashioned wagons. I would love a Crown Vic wagon. Most of the utility of a minivan, with much better handling and mileage.

    I don't think that a Crown Vic wagon would get any better economy than a minivan. IIRC, the sedan gets something like 17/25, which is better than most truck-based SUVs, but not so hot compared to a minivan. For comparison, a Caravan is EPA rated at 20/26 with the 4-cyl, 19/26 with the 3.3, and 18/25 with the 3.8.

    As for what's the better hauler, it depends on whether you want to go for volume or mass. A full-sized body-on-frame wagon, properly equipped, would be a better tow vehicle than a minivan. And those old full-sized wagons often had a much higher load capacity. It's frighteningly easy to overload a minivan, because they have a large amount of interior volume, but not such a generous load capacity.

    For hauling people, I think a minivan is the better way to go. You can usually get 6 adults into a minivan in comfort, with 2+2+2 seating. But with a wagon, it usually means squeezing 3 people across, which can get uncomfortable pretty quick. A buddy of mine has an '04 Crown Vic sedan, and it's really not a very comfortable 6 seater. It has the shoulder room for it, but the tranny hump up front is too huge, and the dash cuts down, plus the split seat makes the center spot a torture chamber. And the back seat isn't much better. Bad footroom, huge driveshaft hump, seats the make the outer passengers lean inward and crowd the center passenger, etc. And on top of that, any 3rd row seat in a station wagon is going to be strictly for the kiddies.

    I just don't think there's much of a market for a big wagon anymore. The Magnum is about the biggest station wagon out there right now, but it's not selling all that well. And it only has something like 72 cubic feet of cargo space, which is about what the old compact wagons of yesteryear had...stuff like the Aspen/Volare wagon, Fairmont wagon, or an old Dodge Dart or Chevy II from the 60's. Even the biggest wagons usually topped out at around 100-110 cubic feet. Even a smallish minivan like a Mazda MPV has 127 cubic feet.
  • hwyhobohwyhobo Member Posts: 265
    The only time I drove a Chrysler minivan for several days, I got a misearable mileage, nowhere close to the EPA numbers, but when driving a regular Crown Vic, I regularly exceeded the advertised numbers. Go figure.

    I just don't think there's much of a market for a big wagon anymore. The Magnum is about the biggest station wagon out there right now, but it's not selling all that well.

    Sorry, but Magnum is not a family wagon. Whatever it wants to be, a ghetto wagon or something, it is aimed at a market which I doubt has wagon in mind.

    As for the appetite for wagons, Subarus are selling very well, and their gas mileage is not hugely different from the Crown Vic (and the latter could be improved with a diesel). Volvos "V" are selling at least as well as the sedans.

    I think the moment more efficient power plants are available to propel Crown Vic, the dynamic will change, and people would look toward the larger vehicle, but by then Ford will be again caught with its pants down.

    Nothing new with this picture. I am not holding my breath.

    BTW, with an arrival of more efficient power plants, I might look toward a minivan again and test one. I did not say they were dead, just that today they are ill-suited to the market realities.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,655
    As for the appetite for wagons, Subarus are selling very well, and their gas mileage is not hugely different from the Crown Vic (and the latter could be improved with a diesel). Volvos "V" are selling at least as well as the sedans.

    Well, I don't know how many Legacy/Outback wagons they sell, but for 2006, Subaru sold a 84,441 Legacy/Outbacks TOTAL. At least, according to www.aicautosite.com. And these things aren't really family wagons either, but more of an alternative to something like a Ford Focus wagon, just with AWD. They're basically a good vehicle for a couple with small children, but if you need a vehicle that can do what a full-sized wagon will do, or a minivan, they're just not going to cut it. My old supervisor had a Legacy wagon, and I couldn't even fit comfortably in the front seat of it!

    I thought the Ford Freestyle seemed like a good alternative to the traditional wagon. And Ford sold about 58,000 of them for 2006. But I've heard it's hampered by an underpowered engine. I kinda like the style of them, but I think most of the market just considers them too anonymous looking or wallflowerish.
  • hwyhobohwyhobo Member Posts: 265
    I thought the Ford Freestyle seemed like a good alternative to the traditional wagon. And Ford sold about 58,000 of them for 2006. But I've heard it's hampered by an underpowered engine.

    It doesn't particularly appeal to me, to be honest. It tries too much to be an SUV. The only two SUVs I ever liked were the huge ones (practical in terms of space, but not for today's market with their gas-sucking engines) and a Subaru Forester, but poor ergonomics for a tall driver. But at least they have character. The Freestyle has all the shortcomings of an SUV, and little if any character. On top of that, it has a center console with an automatic (what is, a sports car??). Sorry, I see 0 (ZERO) justification for taking away my space in the name of supposed fashion in a vehicle that pretends to be all about functionality. That in my opinion appeals to stick-shift wannabes who like to pretend how "hard-core" they are. I've driven stick all my life, and it doesn't impress me one bit. Put the auto stick on the steering wheel column or the instrument panel. Don't take away 20 percent of useful floor and knee space just to impress me with a useless silver shaft.
  • hwyhobohwyhobo Member Posts: 265
    Well, I don't know how many Legacy/Outback wagons they sell, but for 2006, Subaru sold a 84,441 Legacy/Outbacks TOTAL.

    And probably most of those were in San Francisco Bay Area, where I live. :)

    My old supervisor had a Legacy wagon, and I couldn't even fit comfortably in the front seat of it!

    That's exactly what I meant. People want to buy wagons but don't have many choices. I find Legacy uncomfortable as well. That's why I think large wagons would sell better than suspected.
  • john_324john_324 Member Posts: 974
    "Put the auto stick on the steering wheel column or the instrument panel. Don't take away 20 percent of useful floor and knee space just to impress me with a useless silver shaft."

    Now that's an interesting idea...I wonder if in the future we'll see a return to a column or dashboard mounted automatic shifter. After all, "start" buttons are all the rage again after nearly a century... :)

    As someone who's owned only manual transmission cars, I also find console-mounted automatics to be kinda pointless in a lot of applications. Sure, if it's an "autostick" (or whatever they call the fake manuals) in a sporty car, but on a family sedan? Wouldn't bigger cupholders and blackberry/ipod/electronic gizmo space be more welcome? :confuse:
  • hwyhobohwyhobo Member Posts: 265
    I also find console-mounted automatics to be kinda pointless in a lot of applications. Sure, if it's an "autostick" (or whatever they call the fake manuals) in a sporty car, but on a family sedan?

    I drove with one of those autosticks on a BMW 5-series in Germany. The word "fake" doesn't even begin to describe it in my opinion. It is pretentious and of little utility to someone who is used to a real stick.

    Wouldn't bigger cupholders and blackberry/ipod/electronic gizmo space be more welcome?

    Sure, but since those are either temporary or not necessarily vertical applications, they could be accommodated on the mid-upper dashboard. Take useless plastic boxes dividing my leg/knee room out of my car. My last two cars have had it, and I am tired of them. They're useless "decorations". Even if you have a stick, there is no need for the box coming down from the dashboard all the way down to the floor in the wide, swooping lines.

    I want more utility, less style over substance.
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — The full-size Jeep Commander SUV is likely to be discontinued by the end of the 2009 model year, dealer and industry sources tell Inside Line.

    http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=119303

    Rocky
  • carguy58carguy58 Member Posts: 2,303
    "The minivan isn't going anywhere..."

    I agree the mini-van won;t go anywhere because the Honda Odyessy , Toyota Sienna, and Chrysler/Dodge mini-vans are big sellers.

    but at the same time...

    Mini-vans like the Mazda MPV(now on the chop block)and current Nissan Quest really haven;t sold that well. The Kia Sedona sells well because of price. The Hyundai Entourage doesn't sell too well.
This discussion has been closed.