Now, folk should understand I am exceptionally grateful to a colleague who loaned me his 2008 Dodge Nitro for 6 weeks - I had to travel far out of town for medical care and he saved me a WAD of money. But the other thing I am grateful for is an extended chance to check out this Chrysler product, and it is a 100% piece of crap. Cheaply assembled, very poor performance by the 6-speed manual transmission, a very rough engine (car only has 20K miles on it), absolutely awful suspension, and it really looks pretty clunky, too.

I'll be in the market before year's end, and one thing's for sure - Chrysler can't lure me with ANY offers.

If they make 12 payments I might trade in my Subaru.

Jeff, I had a 1994 Doge Ram van that had 335,000 miles on it before the engine broke a valve spring and I had to rebuild it. one transmission at 200,000 miles. Never did anything to the front end, ball joints etc. It was the best vehicle I ever had as far as reliable. Am now driving another big Dodge van with the same engine I rebuilt in it..... So I don't know what the hell you are talking about???? I guess every manufacturer has lemons.....

Good luck Jeff when your reliable, no recall, accelerating Toyota and Lexus gets you killed. What a crop of @!$%#, never any problems, all vehicles have some breakdowns. They are machines made by humans nothing is perfect.

Desperation sets in again at Chrysler.

First it's the rebates, two months paid incentives, "regret-free" and then the death knell the cheap leases like they had a few years ago. The $99 dollar/month Jeep leases and others.

Chrysler has already had two chances to survive and this will be the end of them. Yes, they will hang around for a couple more years because the administration won't allow it to just collapse because of the money owed us. The clock is ticking and soon the once great Chrysled/Dodge makes will be footnotes in American history.

You like Toyotas, Hondas and Nissans? Why don't you move to Japan then

They Have one Problem? Your Stinking attitude!! and your anti-american propaganda!!

Jeff, I had four toyotas all of them crap. The engines burned oil and then gave out after 100,000 miles. I had an Omni years ago and I put over 300,000 on it. I sold it to the neighbor girl and she put another 100,000 on it before she sold it. It may still be running now for all I know.

Many years ago we owned a Dodge Dart. It was a truly miserable automobile, rarely would start in cold weather, and even when it ran it was a chore to drive.

Someone stole the car. My pop reported it to the cops and to the insurance company. If 30 days passed and the car was not recovered, the insurance company would have to settle with my father, and we'd be rid of the car. He counted each day, hoping the car was gone forever but on the 30th day, woe betide us, the cops came up with the car.

We went to the auto pound with a new battery (the cops had told us the battery was gone), and there it was. Turns out the thieves had abandoned the car close to the spot it had been taken from. They'd actually changed the points, plugs and wires. Maybe with hot parts, but nevertheless, they'd taken the time and effort to attempt to make it run right. But after all their work, the car was still such a lemon they left it on the street.

Some years after this, we bought a small travel trailer. To tow this RV, we bought a Plymouth Fury III 9-passenger station wagon with a 360 hemi. The car couldn't tow this little trailer; it would overheat. We did all the appropriate modifications and additions. At the end of many misadventures, including driving from Maine to Nova Scotia in the breakdown lane, we took the thing into a Plymouth dealer. We asked them to fix the overheating issue. We had so much money into the wagon, we told this Plymouth dealership that cost was not an obstacle, just fix it. After a week, they told us to take the car out of their shop, no charge. They couldn't fix it. They claimed they had even worked with Detroit, but no fix was to be found. They suspected that some sand had not been cleared from some internal passages in the engine block when it (the block) had originally been cast.

I will never have a Chrysler product. Ever.

I own 5 Chrylser products at the moment and the only issue I had was a seat heater element went bad AND that part was not even by Chrysler it was a Mercedes-Benz part.

Do not base quality of current products on cars from the 80's like th Omni (are you kidding with that)

Honda, Toyota, and Nissan are the least interesting cars on the road. They are companies the hide their problems at the risk of their customers safety, and yet there are supporters. Typical consumers, convinced in to thinking something is reality when it is nothing more than a sales pitch.

Keep suporting Japanese auto makers and sending the US dollar out of the country and watch this country slowly dwindle down. Show some pride and support companies that are US based. Get ready to be a waiter because that will be the only workforce that will be in demand.

I just want to know as a tax payer if we will be on the hook for the "two payments or the $3000-$4000 cash" as it seems we have to pay for everything else this car company does. Guess I'll drive my reliable old Ford a few more years just in case.

All of the American motor companies have increased their quality and their brands are now superior or equal in quality to their euro-asian counterparts. I owned a dodge Dynasty, and Dodge 600. Both were plagued with issues due to Japanese motors (Mitsubishi). But both were pretty good when compared to what I could afford then.

The new gen are excellent vehicles, and a great bang for the buck. Especially since Chrysler partnered with the Germans for a while (Mercedes), they learned a few new tricks.

In essence, its unfortunate that one would look at cars from 20 years ago, and use this as a basis for todays purchase. You should take a 2010 model for a spin and you will be impressed. They are not like those cars of yester year.

Amusing posts of how someone compares a Chrysler Product Dart or Omni they have owned some 20-30 years ago and try to comment on it's quality today.

Thats just a laugh.

Blaming the US car companies for not being like the Asian models and mileage per gallons they get, I suggest you look at the Government again as Cafe Laws that were finally rasied in 2009 were not raised before that sine something like 1987. Which means the Government felt no need for Americans to be saving more money on fuel than they were already spending.

As for those of you who think that just because a foreign car company provides jobs here in the USA it is a great thing, look at the deals offered those companies by your state representatives, pick of location, tax incentives or complete tax exemption. But hey you workers pay taxes so why should the company right? I am sure someone in office got great deals on those foreign cars to steal jobs from American companies.

Try buying a US car in Europe, they don't reall call it tariffs as that would lead to American citizens calling for a trade war. But a typical 18k would cost you 27k or more, yes a 50% increase in their countries. Look at the trade deficit it speaks volumes about how those in power have sold old the US. As one government official put it " Americans need to be on parity with thier Asian counterparts" you can look that up as well. I guess that means we should be working for a couple hundred dollars a month and living in a tin hut with no heat or water. Ask the man who siad it what he meant.

The US companies asked to build in Ala, Tenn and a few other places but were told you can't come here unless you take the site we pick, pay the taxes etc. You can look that up for yourself. So to those states who boost about your foreign car product lets see how that works out when people learn the truth about how those deals came about.

Besides all that money short of your wages go back to that foreign country which is subsidized by those government's which by the way do not have a legacy of workers who are retired and the labor force there well lets just say that OSHA and those type of protections are not in place and they work 6 days a week 12 hours a day for a few hundred dollars a month.

So if you believe that those who worked, fought and unionized for employee rights such as; vacation time, profit sharing, medical dental, worker safety etc. here in the USA should all be for nothing by all means keep buying that foreign car.

I have owned AMC, Ford, Chevy and Dodge as well as 2 foreign models due to time in the US military and not being able to afford a US car in those countries. I won't name them no need, but none of the vehicles in the US category ever had a major malfunction short of regular maintenance and I got the expected MPG's that were posted on the vehicle. The foreign jobs well lets just say a tranny fell out of one completely and the other just died outright.

Today I own a 2005 2500 Ram Diesel 4x4 and couldn't be happier and I will continue to buy US vehicles until I die, as a saying back in the 60's which was popular back then "Buy American keep America working". Of course todays politicians don't want to spout that outloud as most are vested in foreign companies in some fashion or another.

The recent burial of Yota's problems and how it was hidden or not acted upon by the "Government Agencies" shows how deep the corruption goes. Hence the current shape of the deficit and the need to rid our government of everyone including the moles another term you can look up "government mole" happens everytime the house changes power.

But before you condemn those who fought years before you were born for all those things you take for granted, maybe when you look in the mirror you can try saying I am proud to be American without selling it out.

Excellent post, Mr. Williamson! I'm going to print it and give a copy to all of the Fox News fans I know who blame the domestic auto manufacturers' problems on the UAW.

All I can say is wow and thanks. But it's true, beneifts would not exist if it were not for unions. Safety would not exist if not for unions.

I beleive in America and it's products. Are all of them top notch no but the more you buy American provides for more R&D and the products get better year over year.

And our products due compete and are the safest in the long term as the average working class taxpaying citizen does care about the family in it's vehicles or who uses it products regardless of what they are.

Safest food in the world, water etc..

Amusing posts of how someone compares a Chrysler Product Dart or Omni they have owned some 20-30 years ago and try to comment on it's quality today.

Thats just a laugh.

Blaming the US car companies for not being like the Asian models and mileage per gallons they get, I suggest you look at the Government again as Cafe Laws that were finally raised in 2009 were not raised before that sine something like 1987. Which means the Government felt no need for Americans to be saving more money on fuel than they were already spending.

As for those of you who think that just because a foreign car company provides jobs here in the USA it is a great thing, look at the deals offered those companies by your state representatives, pick of location, tax incentives or complete tax exemption. But hey you workers pay taxes so why should the company right? I am sure someone in office got great deals on those foreign cars to steal jobs from American companies.

Try buying a US car in Europe, they don't really call it tariffs as that would lead to American citizens calling for a trade war. But a typical 18k US car would cost you 27k or more, yes a 50% increase in their countries. Look at the trade deficit it speaks volumes about how those in power have sold out the US. As one government official put it " Americans need to be on parity with their Asian counterparts" you can look that up as well. I guess that means we should be working for a couple hundred dollars a month and living in a tin hut with no heat or water. Ask the man who said it what he meant.

The US companies asked to build in Ala, Tenn and a few other places but were told you can't come here unless you take the site we pick, pay the taxes etc. You can look that up for yourself. So to those states who boost about your foreign car product lets see how that works out when people learn the truth about how those deals came about.

Besides all that money short of your wages go back to that foreign country which is subsidized by those government's which by the way do not have a legacy of workers who are retired and the labor force there well lets just say that OSHA and those type of protections are not in place and they work 6 days a week 12 hours a day for a few hundred dollars a month.

So if you believe that those who worked, fought and unionized for employee rights such as; vacation time, profit sharing, medical dental, worker safety etc. here in the USA should all be for nothing by all means keep buying that foreign car.

I have owned AMC, Ford, Chevy and Dodge as well as 2 foreign models due to time in the US military and not being able to afford a US car in those countries. I won't name them no need, but none of the vehicles in the US category ever had a major malfunction short of regular maintenance and I got the expected MPG's that were posted on the vehicle. The foreign jobs well lets just say a tranny fell out of one completely and the other just died outright.

Today I own a 2005 2500 Ram Diesel 4x4 and couldn't be happier and I will continue to buy US vehicles until I die, as a saying back in the 60's which was popular back then "Buy American keep America working". Of course today's politicians don't want to spout that out loud as most are vested in foreign companies in some fashion or another.

The recent burial of Yota's problems and how it was hidden or not acted upon by the "Government Agencies" shows how deep the corruption goes. Hence the current shape of the deficit and the need to rid our government of everyone including the moles another term you can look up "government mole" happens every time the house changes power.

But before you condemn those who fought years before you were born for all those things you take for granted, maybe when you look in the mirror you can try saying I am proud to be American without selling it out.

ok print and post this one hahaha I ran spell checker hahahah.

My Honda Civic has 153,000K miles and has no problem. Chrysler sure can't beat that...I dare you...

You can move to Japan too!! and take your honda with you made out of cheap aluminum. 98K miles is nothing

When I sold my 1992 Jeep Wrangler, it had 194,448 miles on it. Original engine and transmission was still doing just fine.

My '08 Wrangler has been trouble free.

On the other hand, my neighbor managed to get his Honda Ridgeline stuck in the snow twice last winter... Pulled him out with the Jeep. My buddy broke the front suspension on his Toyota FJ Snoozer, trying to follow our Jeeps on a rather difficult trail.

Chrysler's quality has been spotty. My 1986 Shelby GLHS was super quick and equally unreliable. However, our 1994 Caravan was excellent. These days, Chrysler has been working very hard to master Continuous Improvement and Lean Manufacturing practices. While not up to Ford or Honda yet, they are not very far behind.

Robert-592033

1993 Dodge Dakota 4x4 no problems besides regular maintenance, meaning oil changes and plugs, batteries and brake pads 198,000 when I traded it in for a 2003 Dodge 1500 Ram 4x4 with a Hemi.

Right on, jim. But the only thing worse than corporate hucksters is the government hucksters who get elected promising to end corporate huckstering. The cure for huckstering is better educated consumers, not more government control.

Great post and I would like to pat you on the back - but I am worried about what you mean in your second sentence? Should gov't ignore consumer issues thus giving the corporations a free pass to do and say anything they want? We've recently heard lots about citizens who are bums, lazy poor or are leeches on society. All the time, corporate greed is polluting our gulf, fixing prices, demanding bailouts, creating monopolies and gouging customers without any oversight or regulation at all.

I am concerned that "better educated consumers" really means "it's the citizens against corporate and we lose". After all, the new corporate mantra seems to be, "send your money and shut the hell up!" - and they get away with it. When this attitude is widespread, consumers have no choice but to do business with monopolies, duopolies and buy products we are compelled by law to purchase with little protection or recourse.

Sure, we don't want buyers to be suckers but the sharpest, most informed buyer stands no chance against hucksters and their lawyers willing to say or do anything to make a sale. Once they get the money, you're screwed unless you have a gov't that steps in to protect law breakers in the marketplace. We are not protected now!

Modern marketing will fleece a smart buyer every time - particularly when so many products have hidden "gotchas", controlled obsolencence and hazy total cost of ownership data.

I say, whether a private citizen or a corporate CEO, put lying criminals behind bars to help keep all people honest! Thieves can hold you up with a gun - or with a slick greed that drives the misguided criminal genius. When either type of thug is unhindered, we have no justice and the rule of law slowly erodes!

My parents paid 60K for a house in 1970. 315% inflation since then makes that 190K, which is a pretty typical new house price today. Most new cars are under $25K. What numbers are you using?

My parents bought back in the 60's in Southern California. They paid about $18.500 for a 3 bdrm, 1 1/2 bath house with built in kitchen. I remember mom complaining about $110 a month house payments.

So today that's in the ballpark of a $100K home. You'd probably have to go to bakersfield for that today, since all the land in socal is used up, and the property values have been run up, but still, quite a fancy car. If you bought that house today you'd have a whopping $488/mo to pay, including property tax.

Car are built with very few Chinese parts, but when people need a part, they talk to dealer, get a price that seems high, so they go to a private mechanic who gives a lower price and uses a cheap imported part.

Mike 10010

Are there really people as stupid as you seem to be, every car compoany, even Rolls Royce I will bet at some point has had a recall.

To robby-1839487 -

just stating facts. Everyone seems to jump down Chrysler's throat. Why is it I've owed Chrysler products for years and had little to no major problems? All my cars were kept clean, polished, garaged and maintained (oil, water, etc). My oldest is a 67 New Yorker which now enters car shows.

Also, calling anyone you don't know, stupid, shows how stupid you really are. This is a forum where freedom of speech is accepatble. Stick to the issue and stop name calling.

Of all the cars I ever had, Ford's Mercury and Honda were the best. Now, consider - my first car was an 8-year-old 1956 Nash Ambassador (and it was most truly a POS). I've been through a number of model years and types .....

Honda enjoys a fairly solid reputation for consistency that the company has earned. Ford's product development over the last decade has been outstanding. I haven't been greatly impressed by GM in comparison - and Chrysler really never offered more than some impressive styling over poor products since about 2000. It is not rare for recalls to become necessary, but Toyota's have been over the top, and have shown intentional corner cutting negligence. Ford learned why that's a bad idea years ago.

I really did like my 1956 Chrysler New Yorker, but by 1971 that poor car didn't have much more life left in her.

Mike 10010

Please do learn to read, I did not call you stupid, as said can anyone be so stupid as you seem to be. To repeat every car has had a recall thatis the fact, to say I would not buy this of that because they have had a recall is nonsense, there do you like that word better.

Why don't you do some research , and post a list for us all, of all the companies that have not had a recall, but are listed and set-up as automobile manufacturers.

BTW I know Honda has recall mine just ws recalled a few months ago, and was my chevy, and my Dodge before that. Even deluxe Limo's that I used to manage, Lincolns and Cadilacs all had recalls.

Rick in the Forest

HA .. screwed in violation of federal bankruptcy laws the bankrupcy for both companies is being done in federal bankrupcy court, I bet they know a hell of lot more about how to do them, than you ever will.

robby-1839487

Well it's true I did not take Bankruptcy in law school (it was not a required course) but I do know something about the law in general and the sanctity of contract(s) which was not observed when the holders of secured debt (they would be known as the bondholders, robby) were shoved aside while others including the UAW received preferential treatment. How much more does one actually need to know, robby?

Rick in the Forest

Then why don't you read the court papers, and you will see that the secured bondholders now hold that missing 10% of the new company, you misght also be able to understand what a trust is, amd that it ws the VEBA trust for retired UAW workers that got the shares, not the UAW, and that that was done because they were the largest debt holder being owed almost $30 BILLION by GM.

It is all out there just take 5 minutes to go an read court documents instead of internet talk.

360dart

I hate to tell you, you are right, they are the ones they make and sell in China, where they now sell more cars that here, but the ones here are not from China. Go to GM web site, every month, they post sales by car, they post production by plant, and they post forecast production by plant, it is all public information, anyone who can read is free to look at, in fact even if you can't read you can still look at it.

360dart

The only cars GM makes in China is Buicks that are selling there. To buy one you will pay 50% more than you would in the US. Again not classified as a tarrif as that might cause a trade war and our political leaders can't afford that.

The independand shop will charge the same rate for American cars. Japanese parts are NOT cheaper. In fact most come from common manufacturers like Bosch.

Last I saw the local Nissan dealer was chargeing $145/hr labor (not the rookie that changes oil, for a mechanic)

American cars have beaten Japanese in quality since 2006 take a look at whats out there NOW and stop relying on judgments you made 10 years ago

Maybe we should just buy what we like. To make such payments every month, it has to be what you LOVE to make it worth it.

Based on what Derek? How many have you owned personally?

good point Jerry, also Derek "consumers reports" that you seem to think is the know-all end-all is a Japanese owned magasine that announced in 2007 they were not AUTOMATICALLY labeling Toyota as a best buy "based on past quality" any longer becuase quality had slipped. They announced this only after their own subscribers started complaining about Toyota quality. Japan is different than the US, they have fierce loyalty to Japanese products and companies. Toyota has often been refered to as Japans "crown jewel" and Consumers reports and Consumers guide are Japanese owned....get it? Oh and Guss what...if they were making recommendations based on history, they were not doing their job and may as well announce that their opinion and magasines are useless.

Funny I hear the same thing about Yota's as well. I would buy a Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, Ford or Chevy over any foreign car today.

Schwinn? Made in China... That said, I don't think there are any mainstream bike brands still made in the USA. :-(

Derek,

Cannondale, Cervelo, Independent, Surly, Litespeed, just to name a few. I know these might not be, as you said "mainstream", but there are quite a few bike brands made in the USA. As for the big box store,POS, brands you're right they are all made overseas. To get a quality bike you have to do some looking just as getting a quality vehicle takes some thought. Ride a bike.

Jeez, why is it there's always at least one moron who seems unable to see anything as it is and must voice it as if it came personally from Obama, is that how you see everything in life? Sad and shallow.

Yeah, you aren't supposed to say anything against the "anointed one"... Bah!

Look at Cafe Laws and the trade deficit. that speaks volumes about the Government over the past 30 years not just Obama.

Great post - a little research into who owns those so-called unbiased automotive reviews goes a long way to figuring out how certain American models rate due to their obvious baised views.

Too bad more Americans don't see it.