Ford is developing a new "Hydraulic Hybrid" system that is 300 percent more efficient than the system used in the Toyota's Prius, according to a report by New Tech Spy. The report says an F-150 equipped with the system attains 60 miles per gallon. The technology works by storing energy in "hydraulic cylinders," instead of Nickel Metal Hydride or Lithium Ion batteries. The report provided no further explanation of the technology, but said Ford plans to put it into production in 2008. In 2002, Ford previewed a technology it called Hydraulic Launch Assist with its F-350 Tonka concept. Could this relate to the much-rumored Piquette Project? Time magazine described Piquette as "nothing short of reinventing Detroit." The mission was, "Could Ford design the Model T of the next century?"


So what do you guys think this will mean for Dodge? Will we be screwed? Will Dodge follow?

Source: Left Lane News

We will have to follow. That's what we do. Chrysler has always played the role of catch up. Or being late to the party. See Commander, Aspen. If we don't follow or come up with a better idea(which I don't see, we can't even prevent rams from being stolen at an alarming rate) we will be done.

Joe

ORIGINAL: jgralka

Or being late to the party.
Yep, always fashionably late to the party, with the better liquor, and bringin' more than the others!

ORIGINAL: jgralka

We will have to follow. That's what we do. Chrysler has always played the role of catch up. Or being late to the party. See Commander, Aspen. If we don't follow or come up with a better idea(which I don't see, we can't even prevent rams from being stolen at an alarming rate) we will be done.

Joe



since when is its Dodges fault that their trucks get stolen more often... OH because Dodge trucks are bad-ass and popular I suppose! I mean what are they supposed to do, offer hooks that dig into the ground or something, because no matter how good of an alarm system you have, give me a tow-truck and I will show you how much you wasted on that alarm system... even lojack is a waste of money when you know how to disable them.

ORIGINAL: vipersforsale


ORIGINAL: jgralka

We will have to follow. That's what we do. Chrysler has always played the role of catch up. Or being late to the party. See Commander, Aspen. If we don't follow or come up with a better idea(which I don't see, we can't even prevent rams from being stolen at an alarming rate) we will be done.

Joe



since when is its Dodges fault that their trucks get stolen more often... OH because Dodge trucks are bad-ass and popular I suppose! I mean what are they supposed to do, offer hooks that dig into the ground or something, because no matter how good of an alarm system you have, give me a tow-truck and I will show you how much you wasted on that alarm system... even lojack is a waste of money when you know how to disable them.


Umm considering how easy it is to break into a Dodge Ram, it's easily Dodge's fault. Then on top of that, like you stated, Dodge trucks are extremely popular.

Imagine if BMW's cars had the same problem with the door latch that Dodge does with its trucks.....I sincerely believe there'd be alot more vehicles stolen.

I used to steal cars when I was a kid and over the years have found myself and a slim-jim set unlocking many cars for friends and dealers... EVERY vehicle is easy to break into when you know what your doing. BMW's arent stolen as much as any pickup(any brand) since there isnt as much demand for the parts. Its as simple as that... supply and demand.

Mine was taken with a butter knife. I mean come on. They used it to pop the lock, and to pop out the ignition switch, then left it in the truck. GM has been doing standard chip keys for at least 10 years. We still don't have that as standard. In metro Detroit the top two most stolen vehicles are 2005, and 2004 ram quad cab 4X4. Thats sad. I have 8 friends that have rams. Only one has not had it stolen yet. A slim jim I would respect, but a butter knife? 13-14 year old kids are stealing these things for crying out loud. Last time I checked ford sells 3 times as many F150's. I don't see a rash of them being stolen. I think they are a little more popular.;)

Yes everything is easy to break into. But not everything is easy to take. Why mess with something if you can't start it? That alone would deter alot of the punks that take these things.

Joe

+1

That was my entire point Joe, glad to see you understand!

ORIGINAL: jgralka

GM has been doing standard chip keys for at least 10 years.


Oh is that so? So then why does my plain flat metal Wal-Mart copy enter and start my 2003 silverado? no chip in that bad boy

Because you are one of the lucky ones? My 96 Chevy Beretta would not start with a single key made by any hardware store....yet I go to the dealership and bam, it starts. My brother's finance's Grand Am has the same style key setup too.

Some of the models dont come with it standard....as I think only the advanced models got it......prior to like 04 I think....anything after that I believe it was a standard option..

You guys are off the topic. Since when has Dodge (or other Chrysler divisions) been a follower. They were the first to offer a 5-speed auto in the 1500 models. They were the first to offer a Multi-Displacement system. The were among the first to offer an autostick system in a car that the average person could afford. They were the first to offer a truck with actually good styling that took the market away from GM and Ford. Some manufactures beat other manufactures at offering technology that really pulls them ahead in the market all the time. I remember when Hybrids were first being made that Dodge had came up with the ESX which was supposed to get around 80 mpg and it was never made nor was able to come close to that number. I have serious doubts and I think Hybrids are going to die out, but I'd love to see Toyota get what they have coming to them.

ORIGINAL: 97 3.5 Intrepid

You guys are off the topic. Since when has Dodge (or other Chrysler divisions) been a follower. They were the first to offer a 5-speed auto in the 1500 models. They were the first to offer a Multi-Displacement system. The were among the first to offer an autostick system in a car that the average person could afford. They were the first to offer a truck with actually good styling that took the market away from GM and Ford. Some manufactures beat other manufactures at offering technology that really pulls them ahead in the market all the time. I remember when Hybrids were first being made that Dodge had came up with the ESX which was supposed to get around 80 mpg and it was never made nor was able to come close to that number. I have serious doubts and I think Hybrids are going to die out, but I'd love to see Toyota get what they have coming to them.


Ummm if Dodge has stolen the market away from GM and Ford when it comes to the trucks, why was Ford yet again the #1 seller in trucks last year? The Ram is by far the best looking truck built, and has the balls to back it up. That said, it doesnt mean squat in an industry that cares about 2 things and only 2 things.....number of sales and the almighty dollar.

Dodge was the LAST of any of the big car companies to actually offer a high powered performance coupe under 40k. Chrysler's styling for the previous 10-15 years prior to Daimler buying them was a joke. They looked even worse then Honda does now. Also, MDS was not first offered by Chrysler.

The concept was originally called Variable Displacement and developed by Cadillac and was used in the L-62 V8-6-4 motor. It was a pain and was shortly discontinued. Mercedes was the next to bring it back to life in the mid 90's. After the merger, Chrysler gained access to it and it was then put back into mainstream production. Both GM and Honda also have this in use on a couple of vehicles.

Look, Dodge/Chrysler tend to wait until everyone else does something, then they come out with something uglier/nicer and much better in performance. Their problem has always been that they wait too long for the customer base...and they end up going and buying something else......and that sir....is a fact.

ORIGINAL: DevilsReject

ORIGINAL: 97 3.5 Intrepid

You guys are off the topic. Since when has Dodge (or other Chrysler divisions) been a follower. They were the first to offer a 5-speed auto in the 1500 models. They were the first to offer a Multi-Displacement system. The were among the first to offer an autostick system in a car that the average person could afford. They were the first to offer a truck with actually good styling that took the market away from GM and Ford. Some manufactures beat other manufactures at offering technology that really pulls them ahead in the market all the time. I remember when Hybrids were first being made that Dodge had came up with the ESX which was supposed to get around 80 mpg and it was never made nor was able to come close to that number. I have serious doubts and I think Hybrids are going to die out, but I'd love to see Toyota get what they have coming to them.


Ummm if Dodge has stolen the market away from GM and Ford when it comes to the trucks, why was Ford yet again the #1 seller in trucks last year? The Ram is by far the best looking truck built, and has the balls to back it up. That said, it doesnt mean squat in an industry that cares about 2 things and only 2 things.....number of sales and the almighty dollar.

Dodge was the LAST of any of the big car companies to actually offer a high powered performance coupe under 40k. Chrysler's styling for the previous 10-15 years prior to Daimler buying them was a joke. They looked even worse then Honda does now. Also, MDS was not first offered by Chrysler.

The concept was originally called Variable Displacement and developed by Cadillac and was used in the L-62 V8-6-4 motor. It was a pain and was shortly discontinued. Mercedes was the next to bring it back to life in the mid 90's. After the merger, Chrysler gained access to it and it was then put back into mainstream production. Both GM and Honda also have this in use on a couple of vehicles.

Look, Dodge/Chrysler tend to wait until everyone else does something, then they come out with something uglier/nicer and much better in performance. Their problem has always been that they wait too long for the customer base...and they end up going and buying something else......and that sir....is a fact.

Going from around 7% to around 21% of the market share during the 90s is what I'd call stealing the market away from GM and Ford, I never said took over the market. GM and Ford had almost no competition because the older Dodge's didn't sell hardly any in comparsion to GM's and Ford's sales.

I knew Cadillac had that failed engine line but that was in the 80s, and that system is different than the system currently used in the 5.7L V8. I know it was first Mercedes's design, I was refering to the domestic car market and besides. They were the first to mass produce it. It is used in SUVs, trucks, and cars. GM is just getting started, and the Cadillac engine and Mercedes engine were limited production engines. Honda only uses it so far optional in the Odessey and some Hybrids.

Chrysler created new segments such as the minivan and brought back popularity of rear-wheel drive domestic cars. You are going to find dull and successful periods in any companies history. The earily 90s is when Chrysler vehicles styling really began to take off. They were the first to offer a TURBO Diesel, and a Turbo Diesel with 4 valves per cylinder. They made a new niche within the wagon/hatchbacks based on classic styling called the PTCruiser. How about the Grand Cherokee? It was the first SUV to really have any performance focus (1998 5.9L limited model). They were the first for years to offer a small Diesel in a SUV. They were the first to offer a V10 in a 2500/3500 truck (and they didn't hold on to it). They were the first to offer four-sliding on their minivans. They are the first to offer dual-rows of folding flat seats in their minivans. The Chrysler LeBaron convertible was one of the first convertibles made in years when it was introduced.

Yeah they didn't offer a high-performance coupe for years under the $40,000 mark, so what. GM offered many cars such as the Camaro/Firebird (discountinued), the GTO (which is rumored to be discontinued), etc. Ford offered one if you consider the Mustang to be a high-performance car. GM failed at this and this one car isn't saving Ford.

You can't expect a manufacture to be first at everything. It just doesn't happen. Some ideas really take off, like the minivan. Others fail, such as the GM EV1, which was a purely electric-driven car. They claimed it would take over the market, and recently GM recalled all of them and gave the customer's their money back. This idea might fail and it might succeed. Being first offers an advantage, but it doesn't always guarantee victory.

ORIGINAL: DevilsReject

Ummm if Dodge has stolen the market away from GM and Ford when it comes to the trucks, why was Ford yet again the #1 seller in trucks last year?Because these guys in the south are diehard Ford guys and they don't realize it's not the better truck. "I got my ol' Ford, yep Tobby tells me, my Ford is built Ford tough and it's king of the mountain, yeeeppp yeee haw!!!"

Dodge was the LAST of any of the big car companies to actually offer a high powered performance coupe under 40k. Chrysler's styling for the previous 10-15 years prior to Daimler buying them was a joke. They looked even worse then Honda does now.They had their bad times...

The concept was originally called Variable Displacement and developed by Cadillac and was used in the L-62 V8-6-4 motor. It was a pain and was shortly discontinued. Mercedes was the next to bring it back to life in the mid 90's. After the merger, Chrysler gained access to it and it was then put back into mainstream production. Both GM and Honda also have this in use on a couple of vehicles.What does it matter anyway? DCX was the FIRST to do it and be SUCCESFUL with it...

Look, Dodge/Chrysler tend to wait until everyone else does something, then they come out with something uglier/nicer and much better in performance. Their problem has always been that they wait too long for the customer base...and they end up going and buying something else......and that sir....is a fact.It doesn't ALWAYS happen. That's a bit exaggerated.

ORIGINAL: MidnightBlueNeon

The concept was originally called Variable Displacement and developed by Cadillac and was used in the L-62 V8-6-4 motor. It was a pain and was shortly discontinued. Mercedes was the next to bring it back to life in the mid 90's. After the merger, Chrysler gained access to it and it was then put back into mainstream production. Both GM and Honda also have this in use on a couple of vehicles.What does it matter anyway? DCX was the FIRST to do it and be SUCCESFUL with it...

Actually, Mercedes was the first to truly be successful with it. It's not Chrysler's technology. It's Daimler's....so its still not a FIRST by this company.


Look, Dodge/Chrysler tend to wait until everyone else does something, then they come out with something uglier/nicer and much better in performance. Their problem has always been that they wait too long for the customer base...and they end up going and buying something else......and that sir....is a fact.It doesn't ALWAYS happen. That's a bit exaggerated.

They have gotten better since Daimler bought them, but even you have to admit it happens quite often. It doesnt happen with the Dodge trucks and mini-vans, but anything to do with the cars and they tend to be a couple years behind. Granted, when they do make changes, its usually some really great ones. It's just usually a little late and they lose business.

Hey DevilsReject why do you even bother coming to this forum? I mean 90% of your posts are anti-Chrysler Corp in general... Why dont you go buy a Chevy and go over to the Chevy Forum or something, I just dont understand your negativity towards the product but yet your still here? I am pretty sure they would appreciate your comments more than we do, its like you are trying to pick an arguement over every little thing... I dont get it, am I missing something here, is your vehicle a lemon and your just taking it out on it thru here or what?

ORIGINAL: vipersforsale

Hey DevilsReject why do you even bother coming to this forum? I mean 90% of your posts are anti-Chrysler Corp in general... Why dont you go buy a Chevy and go over to the Chevy Forum or something, I just dont understand your negativity towards the product but yet your still here? I am pretty sure they would appreciate your comments more than we do, its like you are trying to pick an arguement over every little thing... I dont get it, am I missing something here, is your vehicle a lemon and your just taking it out on it thru here or what?


For starters, why do you bother coming to this forum either? All you do is try and belittle people and twist peoples words. If you have a problem with me or my posts, please take it up with the Administration. Otherwise take it PM or keep it to yourself.

As for my negativity towards Chrysler? I dont have to like the crap they produce now to be a MOPAR fan or a customer. Just because I like a Camaro or happen to prefer a Corvette over a Viper doesnt make me anti Chrysler. Hell, the car I drive isnt even a Dodge product despite the badging on the car. It's a Mitsu.

Exactly how am I "twisting your words" as you say? Or for that matter belittling you... I just read what you say and put 2 and 2 together. You say that your a MOPAR fan and a customer but then you proclaim that it doesnt matter because your car is a Mitsu. Well Damn thats profound now isnt it, considering that half of the cars your nagging on are also Mitsu, but is that any worse than the German influenced ones that are out now. I mean really, both of those countries invloved were enemies of us just 60 years ago, so whats the difference. For that matter it was Mitsu that built the Zero's that bombed Pearl Harbor, but does this really matter, NO... I ask you a simple question and you get defensive over it and yet you still didnt answer me. What exactly is rubbing you the wrong way with the current chrysler corp?

Because they are now building new innovative autos that are more realiable that they were in the past, more powerful, better styling. And they are not laying off 20,000+ workers and/or shutting down 6+ plants(Ford) or almost in bankruptcy(Chevy)... looks to me that Chrysler is on the way up, not down as you suggest.

ORIGINAL: vipersforsale

Exactly how am I "twisting your words" as you say? Or for that matter belittling you... I just read what you say and put 2 and 2 together. You say that your a MOPAR fan and a customer but then you proclaim that it doesnt matter because your car is a Mitsu. Well Damn thats profound now isnt it, considering that half of the cars your nagging on are also Mitsu, but is that any worse than the German influenced ones that are out now.

First of all, my car is a Mitsu product.....even though Dodge placed their badging on it. That didnt stop me from buying it now did it? I liked the car and its fun to drive. I bought it despite that. I could have very well gone and bought an Eclipse but I liked the one that was badged Dodge. That enough clarification for you?


I mean really, both of those countries invloved were enemies of us just 60 years ago, so whats the difference. For that matter it was Mitsu that built the Zero's that bombed Pearl Harbor, but does this really matter, NO...

What exactly did that have to do with this conversation? Or for that matter, why did you even type it?

What exactly is rubbing you the wrong way with the current chrysler corp?

Everything they are building is huge, boxy, and either SUV or sedan. The designs for Chrysler are nice and cool looking, yet the ones for Dodge/Jeep all look like something horrid. My problem is designs, not performance or safety. Ever since the debut of the SRT lineups, DC has been at the forefront of performance. The safety of their vehicles is also pretty top notch as well, excluding the typical recalls that most companies have.


And they are not laying off 20,000+ workers and/or shutting down 6+ plants(Ford) or almost in bankruptcy(Chevy)... looks to me that Chrysler is on the way up, not down as you suggest.


Every company has their ups and downs. Chrysler did away with Plymouth and was also bought by one of the BEST performance/quality car makers in the world in Mercedes Benz. The same guy who fixed Chrysler's problem is now in charge over at GM. Yes, they're going to have problems and they have to lay off people, but when you are the largest auto manufacturer in the world, what else were they going to do? They're bloated and overloaded. It had to happen. As for Ford, well.....if they'd even build a car that people wanted to buy outside of a truck they might not have so many problems.

Chrysler may be on its way up.....but its catching the other big 2 companies in a down turn....so is that really moving up? Or is it just the natural ebb and flow of business?

ORIGINAL: DevilsReject

"I mean really, both of those countries invloved were enemies of us just 60 years ago, so whats the difference. For that matter it was Mitsu that built the Zero's that bombed Pearl Harbor, but does this really matter, NO... "

What exactly did that have to do with this conversation? Or for that matter, why did you even type it?

Absolutely nothing, and that was my point

"What exactly is rubbing you the wrong way with the current chrysler corp?"

Everything they are building is huge, boxy, and either SUV or sedan. The designs for Chrysler are nice and cool looking, yet the ones for Dodge/Jeep all look like something horrid. My problem is designs, not performance or safety. Ever since the debut of the SRT lineups, DC has been at the forefront of performance. The safety of their vehicles is also pretty top notch as well, excluding the typical recalls that most companies have.



Thats what I was looking for... well jeep is and always has been boxy, but boxy is what is selling right now in the SUV world, so just by chance this is their time to monopolize it. As far as Chrysler and Dodge and their styling goes, they are thinking "outside the box"(even if it looks a little like a box) and thats what is currently setting them apart from all the other brands out there. Yeh they are a bit late with the Challenger but they hit it right with the 300C, the Charger and the Magnum in a time when the other domestics were in the process of killing off(or already having done so) rear-wheel drive full-size. Dont mention the Crown Vic's those things are so weak(and dangerous), even my cop friends were still fighting over who would get to drive the left over beat-up Caprices before they finally pulled them from the fleets.

And would you call that luck of the down-turn for Chrysler vs. Ford and GM's misfortune, or is that strategy? Both Ford and GM have been over-extending themselves for years. I mean if Dodge started building a $42,000 SUV and then sold them for $26,000 they would be on top of the sales heap too, but then they would be in the same spot as GM wouldnt they. Whats really more important here... a car company that has its **** together and is making a profit although not being #1 in sales, or selling more cars and trucks than anyone else but loosing their ass on the financial end.

ORIGINAL: vipersforsale

ORIGINAL: DevilsReject

ORIGINAL: vipersforsale

I mean really, both of those countries invloved were enemies of us just 60 years ago, so whats the difference. For that matter it was Mitsu that built the Zero's that bombed Pearl Harbor, but does this really matter, NO...

What exactly did that have to do with this conversation? Or for that matter, why did you even type it?

Absolutely nothing, and that was my point

HA HA You don't make any sense sometimes VPS... :D

When DevilsReject was speaking of twisting words and belittleing people, he wasn't speaking of this thread...;)


ORIGINAL: DevilsReject

ORIGINAL: MidnightBlueNeon

The concept was originally called Variable Displacement and developed by Cadillac and was used in the L-62 V8-6-4 motor. It was a pain and was shortly discontinued. Mercedes was the next to bring it back to life in the mid 90's. After the merger, Chrysler gained access to it and it was then put back into mainstream production. Both GM and Honda also have this in use on a couple of vehicles.What does it matter anyway? DCX was the FIRST to do it and be SUCCESFUL with it...

Actually, Mercedes was the first to truly be successful with it. It's not Chrysler's technology. It's Daimler's....so its still not a FIRST by this company.

I said DCX (DaimlerChrysler), including Mercedes, I didn't say Chrysler...

It Will still be a Ford, and it will still SUCK ASS.

And Last, It will cost more than the average family can afford.


Its amazing how Blind people are when they say Chrysler will have to “Catch up”.

80% Of the advancements in the Domestic Auto Industry were pioneered by Chrysler.

jgralka, its obvious that Chrysler is testing to see if there trucks sales will go up in sales or down due to auto theft.... LOL I bet it helps them.

ORIGINAL: vipersforsale

Because they are now building new innovative autos that are more realiable that they were in the past, more powerful, better styling. And they are not laying off 20,000+ workers and/or shutting down 6+ plants(Ford) or almost in bankruptcy(Chevy)... looks to me that Chrysler is on the way up, not down as you suggest.



Umm perhaps you have been cave? We already did this, except we whacked over 30,000 jobs. Also Chrysler is going to ax 10 percent of its hourly workforce this year. I for one already got the ax. So by the end of this year alone we will cut about 6-7000 jobs. Now thats on top of the previous cuts from last year, about 5000. So in the past five years we have lost over 40000 jobs corporate wide. Its not that rosy in DCX land. Currently they are also looking at killing the third shift at Warren Truck. That would be another 1000 jobs just at warren, and about 350 at other parts plants do to the cut shift.

Now I do think we make some of the best products on the road, but we are followers for the most part. The only real thing we came ahead of the curve was the minivan.

A list of foul ups could look like...

1. Full size SUV. Hey we are here for the party. Only about 10 years too late.
2. The 4.7/3.7 Don't get me wrong they are good engines, I used to build them. But when they came out they were 10 years old already. There are several V6's that will kick the 4.7's butt.
3. Pony car, or lack there of. If the challenger does come will it sell at 3.50 a gallon? Lets hope so.
4. Full size van. I'll pass on the Sphinkter thanks.
5. Hybrid, where is it?
6. Charger. Not what people wanted. Sales have been mediocre at best. Police sales will save it.
7. Magnum, the answer to a question nobody asked. And it shows nobody's buying it. Average monthly sales have been about 1500 per month. Look for it too be killed at the start of the Challenger.


jgralka, its obvious that Chrysler is testing to see if there trucks sales will go up in sales or down due to auto theft.... LOL I bet it helps them

Not hardly. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. Of the 8 I know that own them like I said 7 of us have had it stolen. One of them twice. None of them are planning on purchasing another. Why put yourself at risk? Plus insurance is starting to skyrocket on rams due to this problem.

It makes the company look foolish in my opinion, we can't build a truck that hard to steal. What are we in the 1950's?

Don't get me wrong I love this company, I'm a second gen employee. My dad has 30 years with the company and I have 6. I want nothing more than to see it flourish, but we seem to take one step forward, and two steps back.

Joe

ORIGINAL: jgralka

1. Full size SUV. Hey we are here for the party. Only about 10 years too late.The Durango is full size enough for me. Though it did come late. Can't argue there.

2. The 4.7/3.7 Don't get me wrong they are good engines, I used to build them. But when they came out they were 10 years old already. There are several V6's that will kick the 4.7's butt.Several 4 cylinders will kicked some V6 butt. Several V8's will skick some V10 butt and several V10's will kick some V12 butt... What's the point?

3. Pony car, or lack there of. If the challenger does come will it sell at 3.50 a gallon? Lets hope so.Gas isn't 3.50 here, must suck. Cause it's a dollar less in Florida.

4. Full size van. I'll pass on the Sphinkter thanks.Actually we were early to the party in the full size van department, but we took a vacation and brought one back. The Sprinter comes in 3 different styles. Tall, normal/wide and chassis... It's just the tall one that gets to me. But notice how all these delivery/mail companies are buying the tall ones? Perfect for them.

5. Hybrid, where is it?It's coming, but yes, it's late. I could care less about a hybrid anyway.

6. Charger. Not what people wanted. Sales have been mediocre at best. Police sales will save it.It wasn't what people wanted because of the name. That's it, end of story. Dislike because of taste is a given. One of my favorite quotes from MPH mag, was when someone wrote in complaining about "Too many doors". Their reply was, "Actually, we quite like the Charger. As long as you keep in mind that it's just a name, and think of it as it's own car, you might stop hating."

Sales only suffer because of the 3 LX's. All together the LX's kick all other full size passenger cars butt's. But it's hard for the Charger to sell, when it's 2 cousins are more desirable.

The Charger was also picked as the #1 car for 20k-25k, by AAA.

7. Magnum, the answer to a question nobody asked. And it shows nobody's buying it. Average monthly sales have been about 1500 per month. Look for it too be killed at the start of the Challenger.Again, it's a VERY popular car. The best looking wagon there is and arguably the fastest (SRT-8). But not everyone is looking for a wagon. It's there for the people who are...


All together, I agree with only 2 of your 7 "foul ups". The others, I just think you are trying to hard to come up with something and/or it's your personal opinion.

I don't mind a good constructive critizism, but a few of you try a little too hard to make DCX sound so bad... When in reality, it's not as bad as you say.

ORIGINAL: MidnightBlueNeon

ORIGINAL: jgralka

1. Full size SUV. Hey we are here for the party. Only about 10 years too late.The Durango is full size enough for me. Though it did come late. Can't argue there.

It came very late, and I know several who would love a fullsize Dodge SUV. The Durango is being moved into the full size class for good after 2008. With the 2nd Gen model becoming larger, its actually close in size to the Tahoe.

2. The 4.7/3.7 Don't get me wrong they are good engines, I used to build them. But when they came out they were 10 years old already. There are several V6's that will kick the 4.7's butt. Several 4 cylinders will kicked some V6 butt. Several V8's will skick some V10 butt and several V10's will kick some V12 butt... What's the point?

I agree with J on this one Chase....the point he is making...is the only reason Dodge still has the 4.7L is so that they can say they have the only V8 in its class on the Dakota. Otherwise, the motor most likely wouldnt even be in use. All of the other mid-size trucks have already dropped V8 motors from their options because of their higher powered V6 motors. Honestly, I think his point is simply to say what a lot of us who have owned/driven vehicles with the 4.7L have said all along. Either give us more power out of the 4.7L and make it worthwhile to buy, or scrap it already. It's not about V8's being beat by V6's, its simply more power out of smaller engines with slightly better gas mileage....Not to mention look at what you went after for your mom's new truck?

3. Pony car, or lack there of. If the challenger does come will it sell at 3.50 a gallon? Lets hope so. Gas isn't 3.50 here, must suck. Cause it's a dollar less in Florida.

No, but its been up to $3.50 once already in the last year. I for one ditched my great truck because of it. And who's to say it cant get there again? I watched gas jump .35 cents in ONE day at some gas stations here in Indianapolis. Went from $2.07 to like $2.40 literally in the time it took for me to go to work and come home. His point is about the future, not now. And honestly, would you buy a gas hog CAR at $35k that drinks a gallon of gas every 15 miles? I dont think alot of people would. You and I have gone round and round how the Stratus in an SRT-6 model would have done the coupe/pony car status really good for Dodge. Again, I gotta agree with J on this one.

4. Full size van. I'll pass on the Sphinkter thanks. Actually we were early to the party in the full size van department, but we took a vacation and brought one back. The Sprinter comes in 3 different styles. Tall, normal/wide and chassis... It's just the tall one that gets to me. But notice how all these delivery/mail companies are buying the tall ones? Perfect for them.

Surprisingly, I agree with you Chase. The full size van market isnt a big deal for Dodge/Chrysler. The Sprinter has become more of a working van anyhow. Most people nowadays arent buying full size vans. They're going the route of the full size SUV.

5. Hybrid, where is it?It's coming, but yes, it's late. I could care less about a hybrid anyway.

Again, I agree with you Chase. The hybrid tech. is a waste of time and money. Hydrogen is our best fuel bet and people are just screwin around wasting time with realizing it.

6. Charger. Not what people wanted. Sales have been mediocre at best. Police sales will save it. It wasn't what people wanted because of the name. That's it, end of story. Dislike because of taste is a given. One of my favorite quotes from MPH mag, was when someone wrote in complaining about "Too many doors". Their reply was, "Actually, we quite like the Charger. As long as you keep in mind that it's just a name, and think of it as it's own car, you might stop hating."

Sales only suffer because of the 3 LX's. All together the LX's kick all other full size passenger cars butt's. But it's hard for the Charger to sell, when it's 2 cousins are more desirable.

The Charger was also picked as the #1 car for 20k-25k, by AAA.

The Charger name alone hurt this car alot. Then they release two other cars that are virtually identical. That killed it off even more. Then, to make matters worse.....its fuglier then sin IMHO. The 300C and the Magnum would both get my purchase before this car. And that's without even commenting on the 4 dr aspect. Truth is, the 300C is nothing more then a upscale version of the Charger with a different front/rear fascia. Much like the Stratus/Sebring models are. #1 car for 20k-25k? You can keep that.

7. Magnum, the answer to a question nobody asked. And it shows nobody's buying it. Average monthly sales have been about 1500 per month. Look for it too be killed at the start of the Challenger. Again, it's a VERY popular car. The best looking wagon there is and arguably the fastest (SRT-8). But not everyone is looking for a wagon. It's there for the people who are...

Its popular now, but for how long? There's a reason why very few companies make station wagons. It's called mini-vans. I personally love the Magnum, but I do feel like its time will be short lived. It's unfortunate too, because if I wasnt in line for a Challenger/Camaro in 09....Id love to have one.


I don't mind a good constructive critizism, but a few of you try a little too hard to make DCX sound so bad... When in reality, it's not as bad as you say.


I'll give you that some people bash DCX alot....and I'll be the first to say I do bash them about some of the stuff they are currently putting out. Mainly the fugly Dakota and these hideous concepts. Too many big boxy cars and seems like everything decent looking Chrysler gets. But, alot of people share the same sentiment. Even you do Chase in some regards.

ORIGINAL: DevilsReject

It came very late, and I know several who would love a fullsize Dodge SUV. The Durango is being moved into the full size class for good after 2008. With the 2nd Gen model becoming larger, its actually close in size to the Tahoe.Like I said, I agree it came too late... But it's big enough for me now (My Mom's 1st gen has more than enough space), and I can't stand that it's getting bigger...

I agree with J on this one Chase....the point he is making...is the only reason Dodge still has the 4.7L is so that they can say they have the only V8 in its class on the Dakota. Otherwise, the motor most likely wouldnt even be in use. All of the other mid-size trucks have already dropped V8 motors from their options because of their higher powered V6 motors. Honestly, I think his point is simply to say what a lot of us who have owned/driven vehicles with the 4.7L have said all along. Either give us more power out of the 4.7L and make it worthwhile to buy, or scrap it already. It's not about V8's being beat by V6's, its simply more power out of smaller engines with slightly better gas mileage....Not to mention look at what you went after for your mom's new truck?I guess I did take it wrong. I agree, and yes it's Tacoma V6 vs Dakota V6 that I'm chosing for my Mom. (Not quite time yet)

No, but its been up to $3.50 once already in the last year. I for one ditched my great truck because of it. And who's to say it cant get there again? I watched gas jump .35 cents in ONE day at some gas stations here in Indianapolis. Went from $2.07 to like $2.40 literally in the time it took for me to go to work and come home. His point is about the future, not now. And honestly, would you buy a gas hog CAR at $35k that drinks a gallon of gas every 15 miles? I dont think alot of people would. You and I have gone round and round how the Stratus in an SRT-6 model would have done the coupe/pony car status really good for Dodge. Again, I gotta agree with J on this one.What's the point of buying a $35k, 425 hp, V8, sports car and then worrying about gas milage. Most people that think about buying the Challenger, won't even think about gas milage. If your buying a high performance vehicle, gas milage should be in your vocabulary.

Surprisingly, I agree with you Chase. The full size van market isnt a big deal for Dodge/Chrysler. The Sprinter has become more of a working van anyhow. Most people nowadays arent buying full size vans. They're going the route of the full size SUV.Yeah and that's what the Sprinter was created for. People with businesses that need a van, companies like UPS/DHL/FedEx or airports that use them as air port taxis.

Again, I agree with you Chase. The hybrid tech. is a waste of time and money. Hydrogen is our best fuel bet and people are just screwin around wasting time with realizing it.All true, E85/hydrogen are the best sources. The hybrid cars that would interest me are fully electric ones and how much fricken power would those have. Half and half hybrids are worth ****.

The Charger name alone hurt this car alot. Then they release two other cars that are virtually identical. That killed it off even more. Then, to make matters worse.....its fuglier then sin IMHO. The 300C and the Magnum would both get my purchase before this car. And that's without even commenting on the 4 dr aspect. Truth is, the 300C is nothing more then a upscale version of the Charger with a different front/rear fascia. Much like the Stratus/Sebring models are. #1 car for 20k-25k? You can keep that.Yes, the Charger name hurt it, but the simple fact is, it's just a name. Again, the "fugly" idea you have, is just your opinion. There are A LOT of people who like it. I happen to like the 300C being the upsale version, and the Charger being the aggressive one. It fits nicely. And you can't deny what AAA thinks, lol...

Its popular now, but for how long? There's a reason why very few companies make station wagons. It's called mini-vans. I personally love the Magnum, but I do feel like its time will be short lived. It's unfortunate too, because if I wasnt in line for a Challenger/Camaro in 09....Id love to have one.The Magnum and performance vehicles, obviously aren't in the same class. Like I said, it's a beautiful unique vehicle and the best looking wagon there is. People will buy it... I don't think it will die out. Check down in the car sections of this forum. You'll see how popular it is when you look at it's hits versus the other car sections.

I'll give you that some people bash DCX alot....and I'll be the first to say I do bash them about some of the stuff they are currently putting out. Mainly the fugly Dakota and these hideous concepts. Too many big boxy cars and seems like everything decent looking Chrysler gets. But, alot of people share the same sentiment. Even you do Chase in some regards.I happen to like the Dakota very much. It's not actually boxy. It's bascially a "sharpened" version of the "first" design. I like the boxy 300C and the boxy Charger. The boxy vehicle that gets to me is the Nitro... I agree, they are going with the boxy look a little too much, but I happened to like most of them. I don't wish for them to be replaced. I just wish they would give me something aerodynamic.

WHAT IN THE FAWK??

Some of you people are WAY OFF. Anyone thinking the "Charger" name hurt the 06 Dodge Charger sales #s, are far away from automobile competence, sorry.

It had more interest the Day before its launch than the 300 had before its launch.

I hope I miss read that somewhere but if I didnt, Tisk Tisk, Get with the program guys. Its called Marketing, These companies are here to SELL CARS.

Rather you like the LX Cars or not, they are the best bang for your buck in the world period.

Also you might not wanna like Chrysler either, since they will be the car backbone of Chrysler for years to come.

Added:
How many people here know the Original 300s were 2 doors???

Why dont I hear anyone bitching about this fact since new 300s are all 4 doors.......

While I agree with both of you on the hybrid crap, the point is the Japanese are selling the mess out of it. You have to catch a trend while its hot.

What's the point of buying a $35k, 425 hp, V8, sports car and then worrying about gas milage. Most people that think about buying the Challenger, won't even think about gas milage. If your buying a high performance vehicle, gas milage should be in your vocabulary

Lets be honest here most will not come with the 6.1. Most will probably be 3.5/4.0 versions. While the next most popular will be the 5.7. Most people that buy mustangs buy it for daily transportation, not just performance. If it gets 15 MPG on the freeway it isn't going to sell well. Gas is not 3.50 a gallon here, yet. Its about 2.50-2.75. But just wait till summer hits. We will see 3 bucks easy. And by the time we finally see this car 3.50 is not a far stretch.

Magnum sales have tanked over the past 6 months. 1500 units a month is squat. We built 1500 a day at Warren. I assume the Brampton plant has a similar capacity. If the Challe is to be built there, something has to go. My sources tell me its the mag.

Yes the Sphinkter is selling well for commercial use, but tanked for personal sales. We just handed GM about 225000 extra sales a year.

Point here is DCX is saying how great we are doing waving around their razor thin profits. Yet if it was 10 years ago we would be cowering in the corner wondering what went wrong. Unless they pull a rabbit out of their hat I see the second half of this year being poor for DCX. They are forcing dealers to take inventory they don't want.(When a dealer takes a car the company labels it SOLD) Which is where the inflated sales numbers are coming from. This is going to come to a boiling point sooner or later.



Joe

A lot of automakers are goin boxy and some of the most expensive cars are, too. Rolls Royce....etc. etc. Car trends are car trends but in all actuality the number one reason as to why you should buy a vehicle is its form and functionality. In a consumer market like our's we buy our vehicles b/c we want luxury, sport, off road, safety, miles per gallon, reselling abilities, or all combined. We are americans and we want to show-off our fat asses and buy new vehicles w/ our income. We could have a perfectly good paid off vehicle and trade it in for car payments because we are impulse buyers. When all we really need is a car to get around in. I buy moderately used cars because I dont think I can afford newer cars probably for the same reasons that people arent buying as many new american cars when all these older, still attractive, cars are still around.


This thread was originally about 60 MPG truck...WTF are you going to do w/ a truck that gets 60 mpg? Ummmm....If you got a family probably nothing unless you get a big cab...

How much will this f-150 cost? Ummmm......probably more then you are willing to spend on any ford truck for that matter. Its nice that they want to do all this HYBRID technology but what good does it do to pay more money to save more money? If I want gas mileage Ill buy a small older model compact to drive daily to work for a fraction of the price and get 40 MPG and up.


The only people who would probably go for that truck are the people who use 5th wheels or trailers or do long hauls for whatever reason.

ALL automakers have their faults...but it doesnt mean that they cant get better.

And DR I agree w/ you on some of the vehicles Like the DAKOTA....absolutely the UGLIEST frickin DAKOTA ever made. I liked every dakota until this last model year and would be ashamed to drive one. The Rams look great......well.......the rest of the line-up looks great. But give me back my exciting sport compacts DODGE!!!! AWD FWD RWD whatever!!! I now own an 01 intrepid, 97 grand caravan and still have my dodge neon. 3 Chryslers...I bought them used and am very happy w/ them b/c I have two FAMILY vehicles and my fun little compact. I gotta say I come from a long line of Chrysler fans and owned a lot of other brands of vehicles. Not any other brands have held up as well or drove as comfortably as my Chrysler's and Mitsubishis. It could be the way they were taken care of previously or could just be luck. I dont know. We may think a few cars are Ug-----LEE but there is always someone out there who think they are great. Good for them. All we have is our opinions on make and model as do they. Some opinions are just a little more unanimous kind of making it a failure.

Well, in regards to the 60mpg comment.....I think if they can harness that in any vehicle....people would buy it. Imagine getting 60mpg in a Ram....for $2 a gallon....people wouldnt care then...

How much power could you really get out of a truck that gets 60 MPG? Not enough to pull anthing large. Not enough to do anything serious with it. To me a truck with crappy power, that gets 60 MPG isn't worth ****...

The only reason it would get 60 MPG is because the tow truck is doing all the work.