Hooray for Chrysler

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: RamFan
I agree I love the little Patriot. I just feel It makes more sense to have a cross-branded AWD with today's consumer.


IMO the Patriot( and Compass )being a true 4WD makes it unique. Not everyone actually wants AWD in an SUV. I had a 2008 Chevy Equinox that was AWD and pretty much it matches up with the Patriot size wise and such. I liked it a lot, however, hands down, the Patriot is more useful, to me, being 4WD vs AWD.

AWD = approx 70/30 power split and generally no driver control over it( i.e. turning on and off )

4WD = 50/50 split w/ driver control

 

[CharBaby]

I have always had a fondness for Chrysler vehicles as my dad did as well. I always liked the way they drove compared to other domestic makes and in the later years, compared to the imports too! I like the way most Chrysler vehicles fit my body structure(seat comfort) as does my wife(and she's little).

Unfortunately, they have been the most troublesome vehicle for me(each of the 4 we owned) and many of our friends/family. So much so that, I won't buy 'em til they really prove themselves in the market place with better reliability and more than just one years worth of data.

Although I must say that, there are several in our circle with the Chry/Dodge mini-vans that have had good success. And those small companies with fleets of mini-vans having pretty good success.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: greenjp
The Avenger blows. It is not in the same league as the competition. [censored] our 2006 Accord bests it in every regard. Dunno about the rest of their vehicles but that one is rental grade at best.

jeff


The Avenger is OOOOLLLLLDDD. Yes, it got a HEAVY facelift for 2011 (the quote I heard was, "everything the driver can touch has been upgraded") but the underlying platform goes all the way back to the JA cars (Cirrus/Stratus/Sebring). The new Dart will replace it next year.

Even with all that, I personally still liked the pre-makeover Avenger R/T package (3.5 HO engine borrowed from the Charger) better than I like Accords. Sorry. :-/

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: ahoier
Didn't Chrysler/Dodge/Ram get bought by FIAT now.... or something?


Fiat owns somewhat more than half of Chrysler Group LLC. Best I can tell they pretty much operate as independent companies, but will start sharing platforms next year. Chrysler gets the Dart on a platform from Fiat/Maserati, either with a Fiat Multi-air engine or a turbo Chrysler/GEMA engine. Fiat will get the Liberty replacement to bring it into the SUV market overseas. And then there will be more in the future, I'm sure.

My hope is that this pairing is a mutually beneficial one, similar to the way Renault and Nissan saved each other by merging when both were about to fail independently. And totally different from Daimler taking all Chrysler's more modern (at the time) design/manufacturing processes for their own use and then leaving a dead husk.

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: greenjp
The Avenger blows. It is not in the same league as the competition. [censored] our 2006 Accord bests it in every regard. Dunno about the rest of their vehicles but that one is rental grade at best.

jeff


The Avenger is OOOOLLLLLDDD. Yes, it got a HEAVY facelift for 2011 (the quote I heard was, "everything the driver can touch has been upgraded") but the underlying platform goes all the way back to the JA cars (Cirrus/Stratus/Sebring). The new Dart will replace it next year.

Even with all that, I personally still liked the pre-makeover Avenger R/T package (3.5 HO engine borrowed from the Charger) better than I like Accords. Sorry. :-/


Honda is great for offering in the ACCORD, just what the market needs and nothing more. If you want faster, buy faster. If you want quieter, buy a quieter vehicle. But, if you want a nice combo of just about everything done well, buy a Honda. Or at least it used to be this way...Today, there are so many vehicles that rival Honda in the area of doing all things well.

Honda use to be the best in...Quality/Reliability, comfort/convience, MPG, lower emissions, drivetrain technology, susspension setup, resale value, performance in a 4cyl, ride/handling combo, crash protection(beyong 5*'s) lower insurance premimum often but, were also high on theft rate causing the premimums to go upward. And Honda did all of these good things all at the same time and in their whole line of vehicles, causing Honda to be the industrys' "Darling!"

They were the car to buy! As I stated, they(the market) are all good in those areas today. Honda vehicles just don't make the HUGE SPLASH that they once did but, they're still a find vehicle in most areas. A buyer almost can't go wrong!

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: chevyboy14
Why?


Indeed, why?

Why are we hooraying for a foreign owned company?

 

[hinterlander]

Chrysler owes the government zero dollars. Every penny was repaid, with interest, last April.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: hinterlander
Chrysler owes the government zero dollars. Every penny was repaid, with interest, last April.


That's why we're hooraying... plus its only about HALF foreign-owned, and employs a whole boatload of people in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: greenjp
The Avenger blows. It is not in the same league as the competition. [censored] our 2006 Accord bests it in every regard. Dunno about the rest of their vehicles but that one is rental grade at best.

jeff


The Avenger is OOOOLLLLLDDD. Yes, it got a HEAVY facelift for 2011 (the quote I heard was, "everything the driver can touch has been upgraded") but the underlying platform goes all the way back to the JA cars (Cirrus/Stratus/Sebring). The new Dart will replace it next year.

Even with all that, I personally still liked the pre-makeover Avenger R/T package (3.5 HO engine borrowed from the Charger) better than I like Accords. Sorry. :-/


Honda is great for offering in the ACCORD, just what the market needs and nothing more. If you want faster, buy faster. If you want quieter, buy a quieter vehicle. But, if you want a nice combo of just about everything done well, buy a Honda. Or at least it used to be this way...Today, there are so many vehicles that rival Honda in the area of doing all things well.

Honda use to be the best in...Quality/Reliability, comfort/convience, MPG, lower emissions, drivetrain technology, susspension setup, resale value, performance in a 4cyl, ride/handling combo, crash protection(beyong 5*'s) lower insurance premimum often but, were also high on theft rate causing the premimums to go upward. And Honda did all of these good things all at the same time and in their whole line of vehicles, causing Honda to be the industrys' "Darling!"

They were the car to buy! As I stated, they(the market) are all good in those areas today. Honda vehicles just don't make the HUGE SPLASH that they once did but, they're still a find vehicle in most areas. A buyer almost can't go wrong!


I've never had any desire to buy any Honda, apart from a passing interest in the S2000. Just a personal thing I guess, I sit in one and feel... nothing. No dislike, but nothing that makes me want to drive or let alone own it. Very different from the way I react to most cars, which I either like or dislike clearly. From an objective analytical viewpoint, I've always admired a lot about Honda ENGINE designs for the most part, but then there's the lunacy of timing belts on interference engines. For the most part its worked for them- their belts seem to be well protected and last longer than most other timing belt engines, but still. It was a glaring weakness. And their automatic transmissions!?! Oh. My. Gosh. Never very great, and in recent years spectacularly horrible in some applications (Odyssey, for example).

 

[SteveSRT8]

Honda was just like Hyundai is today... a media darling living off the 'buzz'.

Had they continued to improve they would be as good as cars can get by now. But sadly that was not the case. Just like Toyota they became obsessed with capitalizing on their rep and making the money.

I'm just like 440Magnum, I'd take the much simpler and easy to repair/maintain Chrysler product.

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Honda was just like Hyundai is today... a media darling living off the 'buzz'.

Had they continued to improve they would be as good as cars can get by now. But sadly that was not the case. Just like Toyota they became obsessed with capitalizing on their rep and making the money.

I'm just like 440Magnum, I'd take the much simpler and easy to repair/maintain Chrysler product.
llll

Well said!

As I have stated in the past(and again recently), I have always had a soft spot for Chrysler vehicles and an amiration for Honda vehilces and have owned my share of both.

Chrysler seemed to have lost market share while Honda has lost their soul. Chryslers required the owners to get involved in the ownership of the vehicle by doing many repairs and Honda(Toyotatle and often being compared to an appliacne

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Honda was just like Hyundai is today... a media darling living off the 'buzz'.

Had they continued to improve they would be as good as cars can get by now. But sadly that was not the case. Just like Toyota they became obsessed with capitalizing on their rep and making the money.

I'm just like 440Magnum, I'd take the much simpler and easy to repair/maintain Chrysler product.


Well said!

As I have stated in the past(and again recently), I have always had a soft spot for Chrysler vehicles and an amiration for Honda vehilces and have owned my share of both.

Chrysler seemed to have lost market share while Honda has lost their soul. Chryslers required the owners to get involved in the ownership of the vehicle by doing many repairs and Honda required little, often being compared to an appliance.

I used to watch Honda reinvent their line of cars in(as the PRESS would call it) a Revolutionary way. Now it has been more of an Evolutionary way. Today, maybe not even evolutionary! They just kind'a exist!

Chrysler reinvents their styling lineup in their vehicles as well as any car company often with the same drivetrains. As most car companys MORPH their lineup, Chrysler completely changes the look of all their vehicles to where I see no family resemblance(model for model) from the last generation

 

[sciphi]

I recently test-drove a 2012 Jeep Compass. That vehicle was very impressive, especially for the price. If I needed a soft-roader, it would be high on the list due to the real 4WD. It's more capable than any off-road situation I or my family considering a small SUV/crossover would ever encounter.

 

[CharBaby]

Jeep vehicles have always been great off-road.

I remember reading a CR article where the Jeep GC hadn't rated nearly as well with others(on-road) in it's catigory as so many other SUV's in this class are now car based. But one very good thing CR did say about the GC was that it may be amongs the best off-roaders in it's catigory along with Land Rover.

I guess if I really needed an SUV to do as much off-roading as on-roading, Jeep vehicles would be at/near the top of my list