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Chrysler's Woes Are Partly The Result of Poor Quality
Wall Street Journal ^

Posted on 10/26/2008 5:20:18 PM PDT by WilliamReading

etroit's Big Three look like they will soon be a Smaller Two. Industry leaders and investors are still absorbing the idea that Chrysler LLC could disappear. A lot of consumers have already moved on.

Chrysler's woes arise from many mistakes, compounded by bad turns of luck. But the company's failure to keep up with rivals on quality is a significant, and underrated, factor in its current crisis. Join the Discussion

Readers, over to you: Has poor quality pushed you to avoid purchasing a Chrysler product? Cast your vote and join a discussion.

Chrysler's quality deficit was a stark highlight of Consumer Reports magazine's annual survey of vehicle quality, released last Thursday. Chrysler "trails the pack" in quality, the magazine says. Almost two-thirds of Chryslers models rated below average in the magazine's testing and in its subscriber survey, which collected responses on 1.4 million vehicles this year and is one of the largest surveys running on vehicle quality.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: automakers; chysler; manufacturing
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To: CapnJack

Toyota is no longer rated above average in quality by Consumer Reports. I never liked their trucks, GM and Ford specialize in trucks and have the best variety.

Nissan is going to discontinue their truck next year.


81 posted on 10/26/2008 8:00:59 PM PDT by WilliamReading
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To: WilliamReading

http://www.imperialclub.com/Yr/1959/Brochure/Page02.jpg


82 posted on 10/26/2008 8:02:13 PM PDT by WilliamReading
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To: Bringbackthedraft

Were, are, was...wish Bill and Monica Clinton were here to explain exactly what the meaning of is is.

“Chrysler Sebring Coupes were built in Normal, Illinois. This assembly plant was once a joint venture between Mitsubishi Motors and Chrysler Corporation (Diamond Star), but Mitsubishi purchased the remaining interest in the plant from Chrysler. So Chrysler Sebrings are technically known as transplants, since they are now assembled under Mitsubishi management.

The other cars produced in this plant were sold under a variety of names. The similar Dodge Avenger (as of 2007, a sedan made by Chrysler itself) was also assembled in this plant. The other cars assembled in this plant now include the Mitsubishi Galant and the Mitsubishi Eclipse.

The Sebring coupe owed a lot of its underpinnings to the Mitsubishi Galant...”


83 posted on 10/26/2008 8:33:51 PM PDT by flowerplough (Obama, Oct. 7 debate: " You know, a lot of you remember the tragedy of 9/11 ...")
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To: WilliamReading
Their trucks and jeeps are pretty damn good. Nissan needs a truck line, so it makes sense for them to take over that part of the business.
The Chrysler 300 is also an amazing value. The rest of their cars don’t interest me at all . .

Nissan already has great trucks. I've had my Frontier for 8 years without a single problem and love it. My relatives also have Frontiers and no problems. My friends have Nissan Titans and again, no problems (I've driven Titans and they're nice rides).

I agree with you about the Chrysler 300. I've driven them and they're exceptional cars, better than the rest.

84 posted on 10/26/2008 9:04:25 PM PDT by roadcat
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To: roadcat

My understanding is that Nissan wants to discontinue making the Titan, and sell Dodge products instead.

Nissan loses lots of money on those full size trucks.


85 posted on 10/26/2008 9:08:29 PM PDT by WilliamReading
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To: WilliamReading
Chrysler hasn't made a decent car since the '71 Challenger....


86 posted on 10/26/2008 9:27:55 PM PDT by Emperor Palpatine ("Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen.)
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To: SoCal Pubbie
A decade ago Nissan had HUGE quality problems to the point they are virtually owned by Renault, but nary a peep about that.

No they didn't. They had bad management. Their quality was good, but management turned to dismal jelly-bean designs and poor advertising. They gutted their sports/racing areas (remember the Z went away?). I have a 1995 300ZX, for 13 years never had a single problem, quality is great. In the 90s they switched to mediocre designs. Later on Renault stepped in and sent the old management packing, and listened to customers. Better designs, more powerful engines and the Z is back, and Nissan is doing well again. I have a 2001 Frontier, no problems for 8 years.

Wish they did better advertising, though. Bought my daughter an Altima Hybrid over a year ago, excellent car, but never see any advertising. She drove it from California to Kansas where she lives and people are always checking it out.

87 posted on 10/26/2008 9:29:36 PM PDT by roadcat
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To: MediaMole

MOPAR=Mostly Old Parts And Rust.


88 posted on 10/26/2008 9:32:48 PM PDT by Emperor Palpatine ("Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen.)
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To: WilliamReading
My understanding is that Nissan wants to discontinue making the Titan, and sell Dodge products instead.

Oh no! What a confusing world. Renault runs Nissan, Nissan is making trucks for Suzuki, but now Dodge may make trucks for Nissan. Just as long as they're made in the USA and not Mexico, I'll be okay with that.

89 posted on 10/26/2008 9:49:16 PM PDT by roadcat
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To: WilliamReading
My understanding is that Nissan wants to discontinue making the Titan, and sell Dodge products instead.

A Dodge styled Nissan QC'd truck? I'm in.

90 posted on 10/26/2008 9:52:11 PM PDT by Centurion2000 (To protect and defend ... against all enemies, foreign and domestic .... by any means necessary.)
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To: roadcat

As part of a recent agreement between Nissan and Chrysler, the next-generation full-size light duty truck, the 2011 Nissan Titan, will be based on the new 2009 Dodge Ram. In return, Chrysler will get a much needed small car and the heartfelt gratitude of Carlos Ghosn.


91 posted on 10/26/2008 9:55:11 PM PDT by WilliamReading
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To: roadcat

Yes, they did have quality problems. In fact more recently then I had recalled. There were issues with Quest, Titan and Armada products. I don’t make up, pally.

Nissan: The Squeaks Get Louder

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_20/b3883053.htmhttp://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_20/b3883053.htm


92 posted on 10/26/2008 11:08:11 PM PDT by SoCal Pubbie
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To: Cringing Negativism Network
There are two car industries in America.

GM-Ford-Chrysler-UAW: making and selling cars hardly anyone (except rental car companies and people on the A and X plans) really wants and are rapidly dying on the vine.

Honda-Toyota-Nissan-BMW-Mercedes all build cars in America without the help [sic] of the UAW. Cars are well designed and well built.

Why should I spend my money to subsidize buffoons in Detroit and a union kleptocracy?

93 posted on 10/27/2008 6:11:28 AM PDT by starlifter
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To: Thorin

Excellent point.

When a Toyota owner drops his car off for service they actually ship it back to Japan to be repaired and the mechanics are paid in Yen.

EVERYONE knows that only GM, Ford and Chrysler build cars in America.


94 posted on 10/27/2008 6:19:08 AM PDT by starlifter
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To: starlifter

The American auto industry employs vastly more people than do the Japanese transplants operating in America, buy 80% of all the car parts made in the United States, and employ vastly more managers, engineers, and researchers in the United States than do the Japanese. Toyota executives have stated that the only reason they have any plants in the US at all is for political reasons, and there is no guarantee those plants will remain here if the Big Three go under. If you want to act as a cheerleader for the Japanese, go right ahead; just don’t expect anyone to call you a patriot for doing so


95 posted on 10/27/2008 9:03:45 AM PDT by Thorin ("I won't be reconstructed, and I do not give a damn.")
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To: Thorin

We disagree for sure, but I respect your opinion. “Buy American” was invented by unions and the saying was taken up by a lot of people who thought it sounded good, but had no idea where and why it was originated. My only point was that we should by the best products so that lesser product will raise their standards to better serve us. That is what happened to Detroit. Besides, a lot of “American made” cars now have foreign engines. And, if a product is not American, it is imported by and sold by someone in America so we are still making money for our country. I refuse to by inferior product just because it was made in America.


96 posted on 10/27/2008 11:02:34 AM PDT by freeplancer (McCain Voters Catch the Lobsters-Obama Voters Eat Them)
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To: WilliamReading

I’ve owned a number of vehicles made by the Big Three. Some were fair, some were dogs. Honda makes the best cars I ever owned.


97 posted on 10/27/2008 1:10:17 PM PDT by TexasRepublic (Brother, can you spare a dime?)
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To: Emperor Palpatine
MOPAR=Mostly Old Parts And Rust.

My Old Pig Ain't Runnin'.

98 posted on 11/01/2008 5:47:50 AM PDT by rickmichaels (God Bless America, Land That I Love)
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