Chrysler goes private?

[Jeff]

I'm almost done with my own thread here. I don't need to read pages and pages of useless bulls(tuff) that won't amount to anything. That is all this f(reakinÔÇÖ) forum is anyway, a platform for people to run their mouths about meaningless s(tuff). (myself included)

@ Chad
I knew the stock thing was irrelevant, I should not have brought it up. I understand that you have no real attachment to any brand, you just happen to own all Ford products. Chrysler does not need to give up and die off...they need to produce products people want to buy and help fight the stigma that American cars have (rightly) earned but are now overcoming. Also, donÔÇÖt even start with the Toyota made in America shtick ok. By far more Fords and Chevys are made in the USA then Toyotas. The Big Three employ far more people. Chrysler still maintains several US plants building Minivans, Calibers, Trucks, and Sebring/Avenger in America. A great deal of the building is outsourced to Canada and Mexico but as stated this is because of the USÔÇÖs Union laws and the UAWÔÇÖs hardball with US manufacturers.
UAW/DCX rant-
I think it is funny how people talk about how American corporations are evil in using cheap labor in other countries to build their productsthen get into their Kia. No one here has really made that point, thats why I dont direct it at anyone. Foreign cars are built at an extreme cost advantage to American cars (that are built in the US). How can someone talk about American companies abusing employees when the people who build all these cars are paid a fraction of what a UAW employee makesand without any benefits? I mean, Im sure Kias are not built in sweat shops, but there is no way they are as well cared for as unionized labor here in the USA.
So American car makers have several big hurtles: Overcoming the larger costs of building their products he, the incredible perceived quality advantage of the competition, disadvantages in supply chain development and R&D, and the list goes on. I think Chrysler becoming private will help in the long run. Private equity firms have a bad reputation for picking out the profitable parts of a company and trashing the rest often at the expense of the overall organization. If the structure can remain the same and the costs can be brought down without lowering quality I think there is a future for Chrysler. Fuck the Germans. I truly believe that they caused more harm to us then we did to them. That may be contrary to what most of you have read and probably believe, but Chrysler was healthy and had money in the bank before the merge. They won out in this deal; I donÔÇÖt feel sorry at all for them.
@Brian
Why? Because I want to put out my thoughts on the subject? I donÔÇÖt think I got out of line, I said my piece. Obviously RJ has decided not to really take any of it for anything but I should have expected that. I just think people are passing judgment without really knowing their ass from a hole in the ground. No one here will matter anyway, but I canÔÇÖt help but think reading this will keep someone from trying and deciding FOR THEMSELVES. If anything makes me mad it is that possibility. But MM is hardly the crowd I need to be trolling for possible converts to The CorporationÔäó.

@ Derek
Thanks for brining GM into the conversation. An uneventful sidebar, even less meaningful then the main conversation, but entertaining to me in as small way. We are defending ÔÇÿourÔÇÖ companiesÔǪnot wellÔǪbut we are trying. At least you make it not seem so focused on Chrysler hate.

@ Andy
The Hemi campaign really bugs you doesnt it? Christ, get over it . Its just as obnoxious as Honda with VTEC. Everyone has something like it nowso what. So what if most engines are Hemi now. Chrysler owns the trade name HEMI and it garners respect from a large (and totally non-Asian :wink: ) segment of the market. If it doesnt get you to buy a carfine, but I dont see why it should get under your skin. Also, who doesnt recycle nameplates? If Asian companies had a rich automotive history they would be reusing names too. Why not bitch at Honda and tell them to rename the Civicafter all they have been using that tired shit since the beginning [/sarcasm] Generic designs.wow. Ok, so Chrysler is keeping some style points across the various lines. Jeep with the bar grills and round lights, Dodge with the rear window in the sedans and the taillights, Chrysler with the huge wings and the hoods.but reallyis any other company any better? Does BMW need to lose the Kidneys? That analogy might not work as their styling has radically changed in the past model year, but they still hold on to the past. I think that is largely your point, that Chrysler relies too much on the past. Maybe the 300c digs up some classic American styling and that is genericbut it was HUGE when it first dropped. So in my mind, though the trend did not last in a huge way, it made money and the cars still sell well. I re-read your earlier post, I agree that product is a major issue. I think reworking the lines will help. There is the new minivan dropping next year (and it is bomb as far as minivans go), the Challenger, and a new PT Cruiser coming in 09 I think. Doing something with powertrain in the Pacifica would help it out a bit and the first revision of the 300/Charger could be promising.
@RJ
Man, I donÔÇÖt need to get any flak from you about an unhealthy obsession ok? IÔÇÖve grown up around this stuff, and I still work with it almost every day. It paid for the house I came up in, itÔÇÖs put me through college, itÔÇÖs given my family a good name in our community and a business we can be proud of. I should stress the proud, but IÔÇÖm sure itÔÇÖs not need. Chrysler products have been good to me. Sentiment and nostalgia skipped my Father and my Uncle, but I got it all from my Grandfather. I wish I could know the ÔÇÿgood oleÔÇÖ daysÔÇÖ like he does (and not just about cars). Times are different now, the car buyer is different, the cars are different, hell the whole world is different. So none of that matters. I see the product every day, I see it come in to get serviced and fixed. I hear horror stories of lemons (I can really only think of 2, one was a buy back, the other was basically a drive train swap, but every now and again you have a minor problem) and I see people who have purchased cars from us for years and years and remember their 65 Chrysler Newport just as fondly as their 96 Sebring they traded last year. Sure there are quality issues, but they are everywhere, regardless of what name is on the building. Fit and finish is not an issue. Most reviews I have read in the past few years have said the quality of presentation was on par with imports (that statement sucksÔǪbut it was their choice of words). Reliability has grown with the technology and the new world engine promises to do quite a bit for longevity. The 1.8 also does pretty well in the kinda porky Caliber for fuel economy, 26 city 34 highway I think (5-speed). So itÔÇÖs not all doom and gloom. IÔÇÖm obviously sentimental and I donÔÇÖt want the company to go under for that, but I honestly believe the products are good and serve people well. I canÔÇÖt expect to change your opinion, and only time will tell who is right. But I think it would be sad for another American company to disappear into the shadows of history. We are losing all our industry here, we are a service economy, and I think that can only hurt us in the long run.

And with that, I am done. I hope I did not offend anyone, as that was not my objective in any of the directed portions. I just want to give you something to think about as you all have done for me. I am frustrated and worried as loosing this company to the history books could change my life. IÔÇÖm not saying you should stop discussing or stating your opinion, so please continue and help me better understand. Nick, Anne, and I were talking about putting a double-din Pioneer Navigation radio in AnneÔÇÖs 99 Chrysler LHS today. She was just kinda looking around the car as Nick and I were talking about how to modify the dash to fit (Chryslers are din.5 size not 2din) and she says ÔÇ£I really like this car.ÔÇØ ItÔÇÖs the customers that make me want this company to exist, people like me who enjoy these cars and cars in general.