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Can Chrysler Turn It Around in Bankruptcy?

464 messages,  Last post on Oct 02, 2009 at 2:05 PM

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#461 of 464 Dodge is missing the what they were doing right by ddestruel Oct 02, 2009 (7:39 am)
Replying to: wtd44 (Aug 12, 2009 7:43 pm) Dodge has an opportunity to capitalize on a segment of the market that other manufacturers phased out or have chosen to ignore. The US market place has changed dramatically in the last 3-4 years consumers are moving towards a performance end market. But part of that performance driven market is not like Ford, Chrysler and GM are assuming. There is a segment out there that desires higher mileage, manual transmissions and diesel engines. Dodge should have learned something from the liberty diesel they publicly noted that they were surprised at how successful that two year program was…… but they didn’t grasp the concept entirely instead they abandoned what was being anticipated by consumers as a break through in the US market finally opening the door to smaller diesel powered vehicles in other platforms with the desired result of mileage and drivability instead of just brute power.   Dodge needs to move their product mix away from their competitors they need to differentiate themselves. But instead of just looking at styling to gain market share look back at the drive train and it’s performance. (Think blue ocean strategy) What aren’t the competitors doing…. What market segments can you service…..   Take a look at the market place and tell me how many vehicles still offer a manual transmission or a optional smaller diesel engine?   US society has grasped the concept that diesels can achieve significantly more mileage and if a manufacturer would offer them with either a manual tranny or a automatic they could capitalize on an under supplied market place and a segment of society that still prefers to drive a manual transmission and or the segment that is desiring the smaller more efficient diesel engines for daily service.   Take a look in Argentina, and use a ford F series pickup for example. You can get it with a 4cylinder diesel an d a manual transmission, the mid level is a 4.2L 6 cylinder diesel and a 5 speed that gets ridiculous mileage and the turbo charged engine keeps the truck scooting down the road with brisk power or you can order the larger more powerful 7.3 diesel. But in the US you can only get the largest most powerful diesel engine otherwise you are restricted to a gasoline engine and an efficiency robbing automatic transmission.   Chrysler could easily integrate a small 4 cylinder turbo diesel engine and a small 6 cylinder turbo diesel engine into their lineup offering it in a manual transmission and a automatic transmission format. (offering of both is key since all other manufacturers have chosen to ignore this segment of the market Offer it in all chassis’s from all jeeps, to the Dakota, and the 1500 ram. And if they made them stand alone units the wiring woes of the integrated system could be minimized, these engines also could possibly be used for retrofits to older chassis’s. Use the same bell housing pattern and flywheel across the board reducing replacement and service part’s complexity. Go back to the days of interchangeability to reduce inventory carry costs. Simplicity is key and many of these manufactures moved away from simplicity years ago in an effort to protect their brand and create a necessary market for dealership service but in the process they have created a complex and costly replacement parts inventory that they have to maintain.   If I could replace our outside salesmen’s gasoline 4x4 pickups with a pickup with a 5 or 6 speed manual and a 6 cylinder or better yet 4 cylinder diesel that would double the current 15-16 mpg they are currently getting with something that could easily net 24-28 I would do it in a heartbeat. My guys aren’t out there to win races they are out there to get the job done but they need a pickup with a lumber rack and some weight capacity. Problem is today I can only order one of a handful of options, a chevy 2500 with a 6.0 gas engine and automatic , a Dodge 2500 with a 5.7L hemi and automatic or a Ford F250 with v10 or 5.4 and automatic. OR I buy one of the New diesels that gets similar mileage, puts down Way too much power for what is mostly a commute/utility truck. Power eats fuel and the premium cost of the engine is hard to justify when for the most part it’s not netting me much more in mileage but a smaller turbo charged engine would. At $3.00 a gallon + everyone is looking back to tricks of the past to squeeze a few more miles out of each gallon everyone except the manufacturers.   Hybrids are cool for something’s but in the utility truck and 4x4 market a step back to a time of automatic or manual hubs, optional manual transmissions and smaller turbo charged engines would help us still keep our heavier duty vehicles for utility purposes on the road while and increase mileage this is something most the manufacturers haven’t even considered instead they are dolling up the interior and changing the exterior and streamlining in GM’s case to the point of only having two options in their HD trucks gas guzzler and automatic or high powered Diesel guzzler and a automatic. Gee guess I won’t be buying anymore GM products.   If they want to keep producing exactly what their competitors are and all compete of r the same customers that’s one thing but if they want to try opening the door up a little to a segment of the market that for many years has been phased out they might find a customer base that could help them get back on their feet ahead of their competitors as this market continues its swing towards different needs and options   Just my opinion but I know these very same issues have been raised by many other consumers who are feeling that the market place is no longer servicing their desires, it’s a market place that is becoming less and less diverse. Replies to this message: kernick (Oct 02, 2009 8:42 am) steve_ (Oct 02, 2009 9:37 am)
#462 of 464 Re: Dodge is missing the what they were doing right [ddestruel] by kernick Oct 02, 2009 (8:42 am)
Replying to: ddestruel (Oct 02, 2009 7:39 am) I didn't read your post word-for-word, but I agree that there are market-segment opportunities out there such as you describe.   But what I didn't get from your post is "Why do you think Dodge or Chrysler will fill this gap?" I ask because the only reason they survive is baecause of taxpayer $. And a lot more taxpayer money would have to go into Chrysler and Dodge before they could offer these types of vehicles.   Why would we pay many billions of $ to let Chrysler do this, when these vehicles already exist other places in the world? Why not let Chrysler fail, and just let Fiat sell their Fiats here? Replies to this message: steve_ (Oct 02, 2009 9:37 am)
#463 of 464 Re: Dodge is missing the what they were doing right [kernick] by steve_ HOST Oct 02, 2009 (9:37 am)
Replying to: kernick (Oct 02, 2009 8:42 am) When we bailed out Chrysler in 1980, Iacocca came out with the minivan and they were good to go for another couple of decades. Maybe Marchionne can pull a similar rabbit out of the hat.   Doesn't look too good at the moment though, does it?
#464 of 464 I wish Fiat would hurry up. by wtd44 Oct 02, 2009 (2:05 pm)
I can say Hemi, and I can spell Alfa. What else do I need?

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