Topic: Used Vehicle Review: Dodge Caliber, 2007-2009

[Sival]

Jaeger, for someone who keeps accusing others of ignoring "facts", your posts are conspicuously free of them.

As to the speculations about what Mercedes did, here's how it goes. Chrysler had a lot of cash flow and was profitable, with 7-8 billions in liquidity (another fact), Mercedes "merged" with it to use that money to correct its own position and invest in itself, but deprived Chrysler of the funds necessary to keep up with an evolving market. When Chrysler became unprofitable and Mercedes realized that they would have to invest money to right it and correct their past mistakes, Mercedes just sold them.

[Jaeger]

Jaeger, for someone who keeps accusing others of ignoring "facts", your posts are conspicuously free of them.

As to the speculations about what Mercedes did, here's how it goes. Chrysler had a lot of cash flow and was profitable, with 7-8 billions in liquidity (another fact), Mercedes "merged" with it to use that money to correct its own position and invest in itself, but deprived Chrysler of the funds necessary to keep up with an evolving market. When Chrysler became unprofitable and Mercedes realized that they would have to invest money to right it and correct their past mistakes, Mercedes just sold them.

Riiiight.  You were right there at the bargaining table, so you know who did what and why.  Suuure you do.  Carry on as before - it's not like I'm the least bit surprised.

Jaeger

[John MacDonald]

No matter what anyone says on here the current lineup of Chrysler is garbage when compared to competition.  It's the only car company that I avoid at rental companies, I've actually switched rental companies as I hate the products that much.  They are a leader of nothing.  I'd like someone to name one vehicle that they make that is superior to competition. 

[PJungnitsch]

And now that Mercedes is gone, they'll have terrific interiors again!  Yay Chrysler!
Jaeger

Already happening. It's interesting to compare the interior of the 2003 Dodge 1500 I drove for work (quite ok), the 2007 (crap) and the 2009 a friend just bought (very nice).

No-one is going to miss Daimler's crazy cost cutting at Chrysler.

Happier times, back in 1998 when the merger first happened:

Chrysler has been among the most successful in adapting to the harsh new realities of the auto business. Its near-death experience in 1980, coupled with a similar financial crisis at the beginning of the 1990s, forced the company to streamline operations from top to bottom, eliminating layers of management and implementing Japanese-style product-development teams. Those changes have made Chrysler one of the industry's most innovative and nimble manufacturers, capable of designing and introducing a new vehicle from scratch in less than 36 months - roughly a year faster than its North American rivals. Thanks to the popularity of its minivans and four-wheel-drive sport utility vehicles, it is also the world leader in per-vehicle profitability.

Despite those achievements, Chrysler's heavy dependence on North American sales has left it more vulnerable than either Ford or GM - both of which have extensive European operations - to cyclical downturns in the American and Canadian economies. For that reason, analysts praised the decision to join forces with Daimler-Benz, which, in addition to being a European powerhouse and luxury car specialist, is the world's biggest manufacturer of heavy trucks and a leading producer of commercial vans and buses.

For Daimler-Benz, the merger offers other potential advantages. Schrempp and his associates make no secret of their admiration for Chrysler's renowned speed and efficiency, qualities they hope will rub off on the slower, more risk-averse German company. In addition, Daimler-Benz has wanted for years to expand out of its luxury niche into the high-volume business of building popularly priced vehicles. Adding Chrysler to its family of products instantly gives Daimler-Benz an established brand at the lower end of the market, without diluting the more refined Mercedes-Benz image.

http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0011699