Chrysler is sold

BlackLibertyCRD · **Posted:** Mon May 14, 2007 10:29 am

I don't know what it means for us but you can check the link below.

http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/dccom/0- ... 0-0-0.html

retmil46 · **Posted:** Mon May 14, 2007 12:20 pm

Know what it means for me - goodbye 25% employee discount on Mopar parts (I work for Freightliner). :evil:

Leaves me wondering when the guys in Germany are going to get around to doing the same thing to Freightliner, ie, sucking it dry of cash and then selling off the husk.

BlackLibertyCRD · **Posted:** Mon May 14, 2007 12:30 pm

retmil46 wrote:

Know what it means for me - goodbye 25% employee discount on Mopar parts (I work for Freightliner). :evil:

Leaves me wondering when the guys in Germany are going to get around to doing the same thing to Freightliner, ie, sucking it dry of cash and then selling off the husk.

The Chrysler brand is doomed, hint the the request of change of name.

The investment firm that broght Chrysler don't so to sell of any valable parts and close the rest for tax wirte off to come out ahead of the profits selling the best parts. This is the beginning of the end for Chrysler. I hope Jeep somehow comes out alive.

retmil46 · **Posted:** Mon May 14, 2007 1:01 pm

I just loved that BS where Snow wanted to thank Daimler for their "good stewardship" of Chrysler over the past 10 years. :roll:

Good stewardship my stupid. 13,000 people out of work, ran the company deep into the red, and sold it off for less than a third of what they paid for it. If I was a DC shareholder, I'd be screaming bloody murder.

Ranger1 · **Joined:** Mon Oct 17, 2005 7:40 pm **Posts:** 1137

Good riddance to Daimler. I don't like to see this happen to Chrysler, but hopefully, they'll now be able to reverse the slide to bland, low rent interior materials and body styling by Mister McGoo.

RedStapler · **Joined:** Fri May 11, 2007 10:04 am **Posts:** 77

Jeep will come out alive. Its the one brand that Chrysler has that has real value; its too bad that they are diluting it with the Compass softroader.

The real question is who honors our warranties now?

Will parts for the 2.8VM be hard(er) to come by?

RedStapler · **Joined:** Fri May 11, 2007 10:04 am **Posts:** 77

Jeep will come out alive. Even if Cerberus crashes n burns Jeep will be plucked from the wreckage by Hyundai, Nissan or someone else.

Its the one brand that Chrysler has that has real value; its too bad that they are diluting it with the Compass softroader.

As CRD owners we have one foot in the Daimler World and one in the Chrysler World from a product support perspective.

The relative handful of people who bought the Crossfire are in the same boat.

Will parts for the 2.8VM be hard(er) to come by?

I'm inclined to pay the $3k for the all inclusive extended warranty and make it their problem.

truckbouy2 · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2007 7:23 am

Product Support from DC ??????
Wow.....
I've never heard that phrase here without mystery adjectives bleeped out. :wink:

offroadsubaru · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2007 9:55 am

Hyundai does use VM Motori engines in their European lineup of cars and crossover SUVS. Seems like a natural choice for a future owner of Jeep -- they lack a real 4x4 line, but have a successful lineup of passenger cars and crossovers, as well as diesel experience.

retmil46 · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2007 10:06 am

Daimler is pulling another good one as well.

Just came out over the past couple of days Freightliner is having another layoff, effective July 10th, another 1,500 people here in NC alone. Anyone hired after August 1996 is out the door, including me.

And according to the NC Dept of Commerce, Freightliner told them the job cuts would be permanent.

This would leave Cleveland, their largest plant, with only one shift. And we've been told consistently over the years that for the plant to be profitable, they had to have a minimum of two shifts per day operating.

At the same time, their plant in Santiago Mexico has been ramped up close to Cleveland's capacity. And they're in the process of building another plant in Saltillo Mexico that will be on line within the next year or so, "just to meet anticipated market growth" is the official company line.

Doesn't take a genius to see where this is headed.

KJbob · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2007 10:31 am

I'm guessing that introducing diesel technology into the Jeep brand will cease. The Grand Cherokee CRD with a Mercedes powerplant will be a limited production run (like our Liberty CRD's) that will end in a year or so.

The Jeep brand can't survive all by itself; yet it will have problems surviving if the corporate idiots treat it as just another Dodge. History has shown that Jeep needs to be part of a larger organization; but it needs to remain separate and distinct from a product offering perspective.

greiswig · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2007 10:44 am

Sorry to hear that, Mitchell. Best of luck in finding something even better, and soon.

retmil46 wrote:

Daimler is pulling another good one as well.

Just came out over the past couple of days Freightliner is having another layoff, effective July 10th, another 1,500 people here in NC alone. Anyone hired after August 1996 is out the door, including me.

And according to the NC Dept of Commerce, Freightliner told them the job cuts would be permanent.

This would leave Cleveland, their largest plant, with only one shift. And we've been told consistently over the years that for the plant to be profitable, they had to have a minimum of two shifts per day operating.

At the same time, their plant in Santiago Mexico has been ramped up close to Cleveland's capacity. And they're in the process of building another plant in Saltillo Mexico that will be on line within the next year or so, "just to meet anticipated market growth" is the official company line.

Doesn't take a genius to see where this is headed.

Reflex · **Joined:** Mon Jan 29, 2007 8:48 pm **Posts:** 567

RedStapler wrote:

As CRD owners we have one foot in the Daimler World and one in the Chrysler World from a product support perspective.

The relative handful of people who bought the Crossfire are in the same boat.

Will parts for the 2.8VM be hard(er) to come by?

VM Motari has no specific ties to Daimler, its owned by Detroit Diesel(and Penske) which is owned by Chrysler. At least thats how it was the last time I looked it up.

DarbyWalters · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2007 11:09 am

I also wonder about our "factory" extended warranties? I guess I was lucky my 2.8L blew up 6 months ago! Selling an American Company to an overseas entity is just bad business for America in general. Information sharing as a "partner without economic ties" is the way this should have gone in the first place.

The only two things Chrysler or Dodge have going for them is the Hemi and Cummins. Otherwise they have nothing that stands out as a "brand marque". On the other hand, JEEP used to mean rugged offroad worthy vehicles...you knew what you were aiming for when you bought a JEEP. JEEP has a chance to carry on the tradition if they do a couple of key things:

The Patriot should be the "softest" Jeep available at any time.

The Compass should be GONE.

The Commander will be gone soon enough.

Do Not build a 7-8 passenger vehicle just because other "car" companies do.

Keep the Wrangler Line the best offroad vehicle built.

BUILD A JEEP TRUCK...aka...GLADIATOR!!! I can't believe they haven't jumped all over this.

Don't take one diesel step at a time...they took one step forward with the KJ CRD and then took a step back. Now they take a step forward with the GC CRD...but the $40,000 ticket price does not make it a big success IMHO.

Diesel Wrangler, Liberty, JEEP TRUCK...big sales numbers...from current JEEP OWNERS!!!

huxrules · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2007 11:38 am

Before I say anything - did I read this right- the buyout means the company is now in private hands? If that is true then it could only be a plus. No more needing to make the shareholders happy- it can just go back to being a car company.

But I could be wrong.

Good luck Chrysler!

p.s. I would have guessed that the Jeep portion would be worth 7 bil alone.

DarbyWalters · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2007 12:09 pm

As I understood it...could be wrong...Chrysler can be sold separate from Jeep...

Anyone know for sure? I know that they share plants for the KK/Nitro and Compass/Caliber, but the line could still be separate.

Reflex · **Joined:** Mon Jan 29, 2007 8:48 pm **Posts:** 567

I absolutely agree about the Gladiator. I would ditch my Liberty in an instant for that with the same design/styling it had as a prototype, and a diesel engine. Hopefully the new owners have the balls to produce it.

Ranger1 · **Joined:** Mon Oct 17, 2005 7:40 pm **Posts:** 1137

The private equity firm that now owns Chrysler(assuming the sale is completed without issues) also owns GMAC, some automotive leasing firms, a large automotive seat manufacturer, BlueBird bus, another diesel bus business and some other interesting businesses. Assuming they can do business with the unions, Chrysler might have a shot at producing Jeeps with diesels again - but VM Motori diesels. VM's V6 diesel for Cadillac looks like a gem - 3.0 Liter, more power than the MB 3.0L, more advanced combustion control, with dual purpose glow plugs with integrated pressure sensors, to allow near real time adjustment of fuel for smoother and better power control. Not to mention piezo-electric injectors. Too bad Daimler fuzted that arrangement around and now GM has orders for the V6 diesel now, instead of Chrysler.

Since Chrysler has worked with VM Motori from 1992 on diesel powerplants, maybe they can rekindle that relationship that DC had plans to eliminate. It would be great to have a line of Jeeps and Dodge pickups with I4/ V6 diesel, as well as the new Cummins 4.4 liter V8 diesel. While I don't care for the style or visual quality of the new Liberty, it would be great to see a diesel in them again.

Who knows, fighting for survival has a way of sharpening ones focus - maybe this will allow Chrysler to listen to their customers and build what they want from Jeep.

RedStapler · **Joined:** Fri May 11, 2007 10:04 am **Posts:** 77

Reflex wrote:

I absolutely agree about the Gladiator. I would ditch my Liberty in an instant for that with the same design/styling it had as a prototype, and a diesel engine. Hopefully the new owners have the balls to produce it.

I would be a good idea; base it on the same basic platform as the new Dakota, add off road ability & good 2.5-3L diesel and jeep styling and you have a potential barn burner of a product.

They could also do something like the Rescue, using a restyled and off road enhanced Ram platform with the full sized 6.7 Cummins.

Once upon a time there was an XJ pickup truck. It was killed by Chrysler as it competed with their own pickups.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2007 2:59 pm

RedStapler wrote:

Jeep will come out alive. Even if Cerberus crashes n burns Jeep will be plucked from the wreckage by Hyundai, Nissan or someone else.

Its the one brand that Chrysler has that has real value; its too bad that they are diluting it with the Compass softroader.

As CRD owners we have one foot in the Daimler World and one in the Chrysler World from a product support perspective.

The relative handful of people who bought the Crossfire are in the same boat.

Will parts for the 2.8VM be hard(er) to come by?

I'm inclined to pay the $3k for the all inclusive extended warranty and make it their problem.

Lets see there is the LX cars, Magnum, Charger and 300C that is basically a MB, also the Pacificia shares some MB R320 technology.

Chrysler is sold

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