# Mopar News



## Collinsfam_WY (Nov 9, 2006)

My blood runs Mopar. As long as I can recall, I have been a Mopar guy. My Grandfather had a Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge dealership in a very small town in Texas. I recall Summers in that town working in his dealership, hoeing weeds on the lot. Running parts to customers. Watching the mechanics work with awe and amazement at their skill and craftsmanship. I remember getting awesome Chrysler gifts as a kid. I recently gave a beachtowel to the President of the local Mopar club that was from the early 70's ('70 or '71) that was Dodge marketing and had Dodge stuff on it. Honestly, my Mopar blood isn't reflected in what we drive daily (Fords) but it is reflected in my hobby cars ('70 RoadRunner, '71 'Cuda). Seeing this news is just a sad deal. I won't go into why because there isn't any reason to start a brand war. I remember my grandad bringing home to my grandma a Plymouth Gold Duster for her to drive and how "put out" she was. For the wife of a dealer to drive one was unthinkable. She was a New Yorker lady after all! So many good Mopar memories that I will continue to treasure, even if this happens.

US Auto Industry Info

-CC


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

I wonder if GM would keep the Chrysler name? Times are so bad right now. Cars sales have slowed to a crawl. About 90% of the dealers finance there inventory. Since all of the banks have pulled out, the dealers cant replace inventory. It will destroy the automakers in no time.

Things were doin well in the RV business till last week... Been sitting at home since. Our yard moved 15 trailers this week last week we moved 100. There are millions of dollars of RV orders... 95% of RV dealers finance there inventories also.. So the manufacturers have all these trailers on order, but the dealers have no way of paying for them..

This week has been a slow week for trucking also.. About 40% of the scheduled frieght that would have been moved this week is sitting on docks.. Many companies use credit to buy there products.. No credit, no frieght.

Its being talked about that this is hurting our food suppliers too... Many food making factories buy there food products on credit also. No credit, no food.

If this keeps up, I will join the ranks of the bankrupt, just like the manufactures, the dealers, the factories and the warehouses..

I feel in a matter of weeks if things dont get changed, the least of our worries will be GM merging with Chrysler. But I'm with you Curtis, it would be sad.. At this point if this keeps up, we will be lucky to have any auto mfr's left.

The RV mfrs have said if this lasts 6 weeks. Not even a single RV mfr will still be in business.

Am I worried, yes, but know I'm in the same boat as many.

Carey


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## outbackgeorgia (Jan 28, 2004)

mmmmmmmmmm That F-150 in your sig is not a MoPar?

Dave


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Colorado~DirtBikers said:


> I wonder if GM would keep the Chrysler name? Times are so bad right now. Cars sales have slowed to a crawl. About 90% of the dealers finance there inventory. Since all of the banks have pulled out, the dealers cant replace inventory. It will destroy the automakers in no time.
> 
> Things were doin well in the RV business till last week... Been sitting at home since. Our yard moved 15 trailers this week last week we moved 100. There are millions of dollars of RV orders... 95% of RV dealers finance there inventories also.. So the manufacturers have all these trailers on order, but the dealers have no way of paying for them..
> 
> ...


This is really scary stuff. Hopefully consumer cofidence is returned quickly to get the economy going.

Thor


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

I'm not for the government bailing out a company but I think in this case the US government should bail out GM and Ford because they already bailed out Chrysler many years back and I'd rather have competition in the market.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

Yep, it's a scary time in SE Michigan right now. I't acutally been scary for a couple years, but just when you emotionally adjust to the current level, it gets worse.









Anyone wanting to keep up on Auto industy, check out the Detroit Free Press. They tend to have the most accurate rumors. As of this morning, it sounds like GM can't get the financing, but only time will tell.

My take would be that at least GM understands cars (as opposed to Cerberus), and it wouldn't be the end of the world as long as Nardelli was out as part of this.


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## Collinsfam_WY (Nov 9, 2006)

outbackgeorgia said:


> mmmmmmmmmm That F-150 in your sig is not a MoPar?
> 
> Dave


I guess you missed this part:


> Honestly, my Mopar blood isn't reflected in what we drive daily (Fords) but it is reflected in my hobby cars ('70 RoadRunner, '71 'Cuda).


-CC


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

Nathan said:


> Yep, it's a scary time in SE Michigan right now.


I know they were talking about a potential loss off 66,000 jobs if the merger takes place. However, if it doesn't go through it could be worse for Chrysler in the long run as well. If it goes go through then I think you're also going to be looking at a lot of local changes at dealerships, parts, etc.

Iacocca may have saved it once, but in the end the Daimler merger sure didn't do the company any favors.


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Hey Nathan, Since your in the auto biz, do you think GM will keep any of Chrysler's powertrains?.. I'm thinkin maybe they will keep the trucks, and maybe the dodge mini van.. Dodge's car line has gotten a bit better, but still aint as good as the competition.. I do like the Challenger, but I feel that model is too little to late.

Do you think Cummins would keep biz ties to GM? I'm really thinkin if GM were smart, they'd drop the cummins and use there own engine.. be alot cheaper prolly. But who knows.. The Duramax is just as proven as the cummins with the new emission laws.. Neither are better than one another. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out..

I wonder if they will keep the Aisen tranny in the heavy duties? Both GM and Dodge already use the AAM axles so thats a given.

Cerberus has said they would trade what GM still owns of GMAC finance for Chrysler.. GM said no way, not letting go of GMAC, so that means they got find cash somewhere..

Carey


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## GarethsDad (Apr 4, 2007)

I'd like to see the cummins in the trucks with the allison transmission. I think that the cummins has a proven engine with a history of longevity. James


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

Ahhh yes, the holy grail of a Cummins/Allison combo.








If I were a betting man (which I am not), I wouldn't go there because volumes are down and there would be no reason to have 2 different diesels at low volume when you could have one at higher volume. Commonization like that is about the only reason something like this would make sense. Of course without major concessions from the UAW, there will be no consolodation of the products in the short term, and every automaker has way too much capacity right now to start with. Most speculation around here recently is that GM really just wants Chrysler's cash reserves(~$10B). No one seems to understand why GM would do this otherwise.









I can tell you that 66,000 jobs lost isn't going to help my home's value any (they are already down 25-30% in my neighborhood in the past 3 years)








So, would everyone please go out and buy a couple new trucks, and some new trailers too?!?!


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Boy thats right, go buy cars!. I went by a dealer in Pueblo, Co the other day.. I noticed the place was much more packed with cars and trucks than normal.. I got online and looked at there inventory..

Here it is almost the 1st of November.. The 2009 model line should be in full swing..

They had 22, 2009 models and 278, 2008 models.. I would guess they are in trouble..

I sat there looking at the inventory, and nothing on the lot made me want to go over and buy one.. None of the new model cars are getting the fuel mileage they should be getting in a high fuel priced time we are in.. They look swoopy and sweet but none interest me...

I dont know what can be done to fix the problem... But it will take out many dealers of all kinds if things dont change soon..

I hope your falling house prices slow down soon Nathan.. I live on a street of about 20 homes.. 5 are in forclosure.. It has brought down all of our prices.. I noticed 2 more families were moving out over the weekend on my street...

Our neighborhood is getting very quiet..... Very sad...

Carey


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

TIPTON, Ind. - German manufacturer Getrag is without a primary customer for the transmissions it expected to make at a new factory in Tipton.

Chrysler LLC terminated a financing options agreement with Getrag over the weekend, the company said. Indiana economic development officials hope Getrag can find a new customer soon for dual-clutch transmissions that were to be made at the $530 million factory.

The failure of the joint venture has left Chrysler without its U.S. source of fuel-efficient transmissions. The Tipton plant was expected to produce up to 700,000 transmissions a year. And it comes just weeks after Chrysler sued Getrag, alleging that it misrepresented its ability to secure financing to build the Tipton plant. 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If they are doing that, I'd say they know something we dont...

So tell me something.. GM has like a 23% market share.. If they could obtain Chrysler, that would give them a 36% market share.. If they totally dropped the line(chryco) how would that help them? So prolly they would keep portions of the dodge line to try and stay in that 30 some % market share, right?

Also what about the deal dodge has to build the new Nissan pick up? But sales for that arent much. That cant be good for nissan if they all the sudden lost a builder for there pick up.

On a side note, its rumored very rich Forest River RV Industries are obtaining that new technolgy that now bankrupt Pilgram Rv had concerning RV construction...

So at least that will continue... Will make RV's around 30% lighter! Good for you Forest River!

Carey


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

Colorado~DirtBikers said:


> TIPTON, Ind. - German manufacturer Getrag is without a primary customer for the transmissions it expected to make at a new factory in Tipton.
> 
> Chrysler LLC terminated a financing options agreement with Getrag over the weekend, the company said. Indiana economic development officials hope Getrag can find a new customer soon for dual-clutch transmissions that were to be made at the $530 million factory.
> 
> ...


Hey, good news on the new technology. We had been following that, debating if we should wait for it, and then Pilgrim went under. Oh well this way we can let F.R. develop it, work the bugs out and then get it on our next trailer.

As for GM, they really want a 30%+ market share, so I would imagine they would keep all of the brands.


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

Colorado~DirtBikers said:


> Boy thats right, go buy cars!. I went by a dealer in Pueblo, Co the other day.. I noticed the place was much more packed with cars and trucks than normal.. I got online and looked at there inventory..
> 
> Here it is almost the 1st of November.. The 2009 model line should be in full swing..
> 
> ...


As a sidebar about Auto Inventories...... A excerpt from Todays _AutoBeat Daily_. Its not as bad as people think.

- - - - - - - - - - -
*U.S. AUTO INVENTORIES UNDER CONTROL.​*Automakers had a fairly typical 72-day supply of light vehicles​in the U.S. on Oct. 1, despite a plunge in auto sales in​recent months to 16-year lows, says​​_Automotive News_.​
The newspaper says none of the six major carmakers​has excessive supplies of their high-volume models. The​industry's 2.9 million unsold vehicles on Oct. 1 were nearly​300,000 units below the 10-year average for that date.​Honda and Toyota are the only major automakers to

hike their inventories year over year, mainly because of a​slump in sales of their midsize sedans last month,​​_AN _says.​
But both companies still have less than a 65-day supply,​which is considered a normal level.​Automakers have been steadily cutting production for​months. And instead of using incentives to keep factories​running at full speed, OEMs are using rebates selectively to​pare their existing inventory, analysts note.


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

To bad the dealers arent talking..

Carey


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## sleecjr (Mar 24, 2006)

While getting my oil changed today i drove the new 09 ram. Wow its cool. It rides great. It also has a/c in the seats, floor storage in the back seat and lots of new cool stuff. Totally redone. Its a nice truck, no 2500's yet though. I also drove the challenger SRT8. Holy S*** that thing is fast! Very cool car, but ouch on the price tag.


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

sleecjr said:


> While getting my oil changed today i drove the new 09 ram. Wow its cool. It rides great. It also has a/c in the seats, floor storage in the back seat and lots of new cool stuff. Totally redone. Its a nice truck, no 2500's yet though. I also drove the challenger SRT8. Holy S*** that thing is fast! Very cool car, but ouch on the price tag.


Yea them Challengers are mean dudes 420some hp... I have a bud who just bought a Dodge Caliber SRT4 I think it was.. Had a turbo.. Man, it flies! Reminds me of those early 90's Mitsu Eclipse's. I think it was like 26-27k Thats a lot of money for a lil squirt of a car. Maybe its worth it... Everytime I see him he's smiling! lol

All those SRT models are rippers.. I'd like one of each! I see those Grand Cherokee SRT8's around too.. You can just tell by looking at em, not to mess with em.. 40k plus though.

Carey


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## Tyvekcat (Aug 28, 2007)

I hate Cerberus. I knew this wouldn't turn out good for Chrysler, as soon as they announced they were bringing in that fool that ran Home Depot into the ground.

Wall Street Journal says as many as half of Chrysler's 66k employees will loose jobs if GM is allowed to acquire Chrysler. GM will close most of the Chrysler plants, cause they have over capacity now. 
All GM wants is the 11 billion in cash Chrysler has so they (GM) can extend their downward spiral a little longer. GM ran Hummer into the ground, I bet they probably have plan to do the same for Jeep. Grrrrrrrr,
Cerberus had no intentions on building automobiles, all they want is GMAC, and GM doesn't want to give that away, cause it is the only thing making them some money.

Its a bad situation, cause I know there has to be people at Chrysler that want to be independent again but with all the crazy financing plans cerberus did to wrest it away from Diamler, has practically makes that option impossible. Maybe Nissan will help Chrysler, since Chrysler is going to build trucks for them. The new Volkswagen minivan is Chrysler made.

If our Gov't would get their collective head out of their, (you know what) and tell GM hands off, that it is not in the national interest to gut Chrysler and layoff 30k+ workers, and actually save some jobs for working people, for once, instead of the crazy bad loan banker bunch!.

I kept my last Ram 12 years. I guess I will keep my current Ram a LOT longer. Don't even get me started about Jeep. My TJ is 10 years old and there is no way I am giving it up !

Go away GM









Oh, I am going camping this weekend.


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