TheCafeKid

[TheCafeKid]

Daimler buying Chrsyler was the worst thing that could've ever happened to Chrysler. Back before daimler bought them they were making the most money of any car company. The minivan was a cash cow and they were producing cars for the lowest amount of money while returning healthy profits. Ten years later Diamler's driven Chrysler into the ground and is gonna leave them high and dry.

THAT is bull...Chrysler was nearly in the can when Daimler took over. Its BIGGEST money maker was Mitsubishi...sad but true...keep in mind while spewing these figures you have about the minivan and thier perratio sales that the economy was also in throwaway mindset. Everybody was buying cheap, cos well, if it broke, they could buy another cos they were so cheap. That mindset has since started to go away, and people are actually looking at quality now. I owned two of those chrysler miniCANS and thats where they belonged. They were junk, thier cars were junk and when Daimler took over, they stopped feeding money to Mitsubishi for R/D and said you're on you're own, and righted the ship. Daimler took a hit doing it too, because they gave up so much of thier tech, people would rather buy a Crossfire than an SL...why not?? Bout 20 grand cheaper, same chasis and shared technology, performance numbers were comparable. Fact is, when Daimler took over, they were on the verge of going under. They shut down a money sucking worthless arm, Plymouth, and started making a new name for them. I would now, (never thought id say this either) buy a Chrysler CAR over a GM or Ford any day.

 

[Ironriot]

This is a little tongue-in-cheek, but I have a theory why Oldsmobiles and Buicks last longer than most other cars.

The average owner of those two brands is about 65. And one thing I know about old people (especially those that remember the great depression), is that they drive like Scotsmen and are sticklers for routine maintenance.

I must admit, my buddy's new F150 is really nice. I can't wait to buy one, in about 10 years, when I am done with my current one. But it can't hold a candle to my brother-in-laws BMW 7 series. But that isn't even comparing apples and oranges, that's comparing dodgeballs to birthday cake.

I'll give you that much but I will also put forth this only about half of the buick/olds owners were older folk. The rest were kinda younger. Well not my kinda young but your kinda young yeah.... Hehe dodgeballs to birthday cake

Yeah those 7 series are nice. But average retail. What like pushing 70K? Alot more than 24K

 

[Ironriot]

THAT is bull...Chrysler was nearly in the can when Daimler took over. Its BIGGEST money maker was Mitsubishi...sad but true...keep in mind while spewing these figures you have about the minivan and thier perratio sales that the economy was also in throwaway mindset. Everybody was buying cheap, cos well, if it broke, they could buy another cos they were so cheap. That mindset has since started to go away, and people are actually looking at quality now. I owned two of those chrysler miniCANS and thats where they belonged. They were junk, thier cars were junk and when Daimler took over, they stopped feeding money to Mitsubishi for R/D and said you're on you're own, and righted the ship. Daimler took a hit doing it too, because they gave up so much of thier tech, people would rather buy a Crossfire than an SL...why not?? Bout 20 grand cheaper, same chasis and shared technology, performance numbers were comparable. Fact is, when Daimler took over, they were on the verge of going under. They shut down a money sucking worthless arm, Plymouth, and started making a new name for them. I would now, (never thought id say this either) buy a Chrysler CAR over a GM or Ford any day.

If I could only remember what magazine I got my info from I'd scan it in but I got too many to look through. So I offer no evidence of Chrysler leading in profit margins..... I'd still never buy a chrysler or dodge. I personally know the quality of their newer stuff. Plus I know how hard they are to work on. Its like owning a Ducati. You need special tools and you need to do ALOT of extra work for something simple

 

[hotbox05]

Ok i gotta call a little bit of bull**** on this one....Chevy trucks are actually built a stones throw from my house. My grandfather worked for them for 39 years. Im not an American car fan..but NOONE builds trucks like they do.

well my co workers 2003 2500 is built in ontario canada.....

 

[beergood]

Very true. When Daimler and Chrysler merged, Chrysler was a distant third in domestic sales (GM: 31%; Ford: 24%; Chrysler: 16%) and had pretty much no foreign market.* Also, Chrysler wasn't exactly being heralded for it's quality back then.

What killed the merger was a series of lackluster products, quality control problems, lack of interbrand communication, and a changing economy/marketplace. Daimler was hemorrhaging money from the Chrysler line so bad that they basically paid to get rid of it.

One good thing that came out of that merger: Dr. Z!

*http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/americas/9805/07/benz.chrysler.merger/

 

[hotbox05]

Daimler was the best thing to happen to the chrysler group in many years. it brought betters trans for all the vehicles . it brought the charger/300/magnum.

unfortunately daimler lost it's ass on that entire transaction and sold it.

now dodge is owned by one person and chrysler/jeep is owned by another.

 

[beergood]

Yeah those 7 series are nice. But average retail. What like pushing 70K? Alot more than 24K

True dat. I think my BIL paid about that. But since you brought up Cadillac and Trucks together, I thought it was fair.

 

[hotbox05]

My 95 F150 has been the most reliable, easy to work on vehicle I have ever owned. Parts are cheap and plentiful. It has been beaten up, dragged all over, and never complains. And I have the no frills work version.

I don't have a lot of experience with the various General Motors incarnations, but I have spent a lot of time behind the wheels of some Dodge trucks, and I can honestly tell you that if you gave me one, I would drive it as far as the first guy willing to buy it.



And anyone who has driven a Honda or Toyota for more than an hour can attest to the quality, fit and finish of their cars. Simply put, for the money they are just better. If you don't think so, I think you are fooling yourself.


All that aside, one of the best motors ever has got to be the VW boxer. I had two roommates that had beetles, and those motors (as well as everything else on the car) can be fixed with a screwdriver, adjustable wrench, tape and a hammer.

unfort my dad's 92 f150 has been a nightmare

unfort dodge trucks interiors are the worst of the bunch and their mileage sucks but they have a ton of power , look good and sound fantastic
(alltho i still like the new tundra better , can't wait for the cat diesel!)


thank you for solidifying the quality on Honduh (which I hate but they're very good cars) and Toyota


the old veedub/porsche boxers are great because of ease of maintance , easy to hop up , cheap parts . BUT they're horrible because they weren't built to last that long. kinda like an older harley motor , good but won't last longer than 50 k normally.

the old veedub 's had poor oiling systems and bearings.

but they chug along. ah , now I miss my old 69 bug.

 

[beergood]

I was at a family b-day bbq a month ago, and one of my cousins brought his girlfriend there to meet the family for the first time. He owns a couple Ford trucks, and is a Harley riding buy American type of guy. He was making some sort of buy American comment when his GF sold him down the river (which will forever ingratiate her to the rest of the family). She drives a Honda, and she told all of us that he drives it whenever he can. He was forced to admit that he likes it, but he can't let himself actually own one.

I helped him out by admitting that I was in the same boat, sort off. My GF has a Civic, and I love driving it. Awesome on gas, the interior fit and finish is great, and it handles/drives pretty sweet for a sub 24k car. The downside? It's gloss white. It looks like I'm driving a giant tennis shoe, or a bar of soap. She was out of town on business last month, and I drove it everywhere. But I always felt a little like a gorp at drive-throughs. Why couldn't she buy a silver or black one? Oh yeah, she's an Apple girl, and she sure did slap an Apple sticker on the window right behind the driver's door. It's like I'm in a giant ipod.

*When I called the VW a great engine, I meant for people that do their own maintanance.

 

[TheCafeKid]

Dude...im begining to think i am going to have to replace the ENTIRE break system on this thing... Getting upset...i may cry...

 

[hotbox05]

true on the veedubs.


i really wanna build a rat rod veedub . no front fenders slammed on the ground flat black. YUM YUM.


but i actually want a notchback more , unfort theyre more rare than ghias , squarebacks or fast backs. the notchbacks look like miniature american muscle cars

 

[PAULYBOY]

Lets hear those secrets PB lol

YER TOO FAR AWAY TO KILL! LOL. Here's one for ya- one of the main reasons for the Daimler takeover of Chrysler was to gain their FWD technology. In the end, they've just used it to make their "4matics" more bulletproof. Eventually, they'll step into the FWD market, and run away with the upper class segment. Just don't tell anyone I told you, kay?

 

[PAULYBOY]

Okay, I can't stand it. Here's another tidbit from my non union biased files. When Mercedes decided to build a giant Daimler/Chrysler dual warehouse in Jacksonville, Fl., with one side being Benz and the other Chrysler, the semi literate union employess were constantly sending out clearly marked Mercedes parts to Chrysler dealers and the other way too. That certainly didn't help...........

 

[TheCafeKid]

Pauly...you dont have a good working rear caliper off of one of those 850s do ya??

 

[TheCafeKid]

AH! I just was talking to a buddy at work, and i MAY know whats going on with the brake system now....if my linkage arm to the MC is too high (which i never messed with, BUT it was having this problem before i bought it) the piston isnt returning all the way obviously...therefore the return port is blocked.....HRMMMM could be??

 

[Ironriot]

YER TOO FAR AWAY TO KILL! LOL. Here's one for ya- one of the main reasons for the Daimler takeover of Chrysler was to gain their FWD technology. In the end, they've just used it to make their "4matics" more bulletproof. Eventually, they'll step into the FWD market, and run away with the upper class segment. Just don't tell anyone I told you, kay?

Interesting. Which ones are being considered to moving FWD.... By the way I'm not a fan of FWD. More effecient yeah. But understeer is a b!tch. Plus they feel squirrely in wet conditions

 

[TheCafeKid]

Interesting. Which ones are being considered to moving FWD.... By the way I'm not a fan of FWD. More effecient yeah. But understeer is a b!tch. Plus they feel squirrely in wet conditions

FWD is for people who dont know how to control a car in drift. Learn to drive idiots. dont punish the rest of the world.

 

[Ironriot]

FWD is for people who dont know how to control a car in drift. Learn to drive idiots. dont punish the rest of the world.[/quote]

That's also what automatics are for hehe. I never buy anything other than rear wheel drive. And its a shame not alot of cars or trucks don't come standard anymore. I'm waiting for the new Camaro. Rear wheel drive, stick, V8.... What more could you want??????

 

[hotbox05]

fwd is more controllable in wet conditions and in low traction conditions. I hate fwd but it is more controllable.


and fwd cars generally don;t have understeer , and rwd don;t have over steer almost all cars are VERY neutral . but how you hit the throttle and drive can bring on power on over steer in rwd which is much different than just plain oversteer.

 

[TheCafeKid]

That too...but i was trying to be not critical of those with autos...ive owned a few auto, just cos thats all they came in. Like my Volvo, the Bens and my Audi all had autos....course they were/are sweet german designed shiftronics, but still they are autos...