Topic: SPIED: Next Generation Chrysler 200

[Fobroader]

200, avenger... as a car, not that competitive, but as a price point, very much so.

Translation:  It's a POS, but if you don't have the money to buy any other car in the world, this is a great car!

POS....I wouldnt go that far, I wouldnt buy one, but for under $20K you get a hell of a lot of car....I wouldnt wish it on anyone but as A-B transportation, it would do for some.

If you wouldn't wish it on anyone...that's pretty much my definition of a POS.

Do you not know anyone that absolutely has no interest in driving or cars, or they hate driving and cars but they need it to go to work?? This is the absolute perfect car for someone like that.

[mixmanmash]

200, avenger... as a car, not that competitive, but as a price point, very much so.

Translation:  It's a POS, but if you don't have the money to buy any other car in the world, this is a great car!

POS....I wouldnt go that far, I wouldnt buy one, but for under $20K you get a hell of a lot of car....I wouldnt wish it on anyone but as A-B transportation, it would do for some.

If you wouldn't wish it on anyone...that's pretty much my definition of a POS.

Friends don't let friends buy Dodge Avengers and Chrysler 200s.

[phazotron]

Not that I would buy one but I've always found the 200 to be ok for exterior styling. Clean & simple. I find several other cars to be rather more boring (hello Sentra/Camry!).  I have no idea about the interior as I can't work up the curiosity to take a peek.

[pcsp]

It would be a BIG mistake to sell Chrysler short at this time. Everything they are producing these days is a vast improvement over previous efforts. Where they don't have a top vehicle in a segment, they compete well on price. Chrysler/Fiat/Ram, I submit, are leading the way. The 200 will be more than competitive. Now if only they would put the 3.0L diesel in it!

[rrocket]

Everything they are producing these days is a vast improvement over previous efforts.

Given the garbage they were selling before, that isn't terribly difficult.

[fixer]

I'd buy it. Have had a couple newer Chrysler/Dodge vehicles and have not had any problems. Don't give a rat's @ss what consumer reports says. I'll buy what I want and leave CR to the sheep.

Yes, Chryslers reliability is just a huge government/CR/forum conspiracy to keep them down......its all the doing of the "man"...man.   

Ah yes. perhaps I should just make up problems so I can fall in line with what everyone else thinks.

Make up problems....ok, Ill stick to the trucks because I know them well. The Cummins engine burning out its number 6 cylinder because of fuel starvation in periods of extended idle, turbos eating themselves, the DPF system getting hot enough to catch bedliners and box contents on fire.  The trucks having horrible death wobble that the company or dealerships will not even acknowledge.  Dash cracking. Transmission failures when at 50% towing capacity on the HD Hemi trucks. I did not make these up, these are common issues with their trucks.

When I buy a truck I'll keep that in mind. But our Jeep and journey have been great.

[blotter]

I'd buy it. Have had a couple newer Chrysler/Dodge vehicles and have not had any problems. Don't give a rat's @ss what consumer reports says. I'll buy what I want and leave CR to the sheep.

Yes, Chryslers reliability is just a huge government/CR/forum conspiracy to keep them down......its all the doing of the "man"...man.   

Ah yes. perhaps I should just make up problems so I can fall in line with what everyone else thinks.

Make up problems....ok, Ill stick to the trucks because I know them well. The Cummins engine burning out its number 6 cylinder because of fuel starvation in periods of extended idle, turbos eating themselves, the DPF system getting hot enough to catch bedliners and box contents on fire.  The trucks having horrible death wobble that the company or dealerships will not even acknowledge.  Dash cracking. Transmission failures when at 50% towing capacity on the HD Hemi trucks. I did not make these up, these are common issues with their trucks.

When I buy a truck I'll keep that in mind. But our Jeep and journey have been great.

I will echo some of what Fobroader said, not because I know anything but because someone I've dealt with is a mechanic at the local Chrysler / Dodge / Jeep / Fiat dealership.   When I asked him about the trucks he basically said  (he said more than that... but in a nut shell).

Now we have friends who have owned Jeep products for decades and they're LOVE Jeep and say they've never had a problem.

The new stuff looks and seems like a huge improvement but you can't deny their history.
Only time will tell if they're really turning the page.

[fixer]

I'd buy it. Have had a couple newer Chrysler/Dodge vehicles and have not had any problems. Don't give a rat's @ss what consumer reports says. I'll buy what I want and leave CR to the sheep.

Yes, Chryslers reliability is just a huge government/CR/forum conspiracy to keep them down......its all the doing of the "man"...man.   

Ah yes. perhaps I should just make up problems so I can fall in line with what everyone else thinks.

Make up problems....ok, Ill stick to the trucks because I know them well. The Cummins engine burning out its number 6 cylinder because of fuel starvation in periods of extended idle, turbos eating themselves, the DPF system getting hot enough to catch bedliners and box contents on fire.  The trucks having horrible death wobble that the company or dealerships will not even acknowledge.  Dash cracking. Transmission failures when at 50% towing capacity on the HD Hemi trucks. I did not make these up, these are common issues with their trucks.

When I buy a truck I'll keep that in mind. But our Jeep and journey have been great.

I will echo some of what Fobroader said, not because I know anything but because someone I've dealt with is a mechanic at the local Chrysler / Dodge / Jeep / Fiat dealership.   When I asked him about the trucks he basically said  (he said more than that... but in a nut shell).

Now we have friends who have owned Jeep products for decades and they're LOVE Jeep and say they've never had a problem.

The new stuff looks and seems like a huge improvement but you can't deny their history.
Only time will tell if they're really turning the page.

In the future will people look back at Toyota's massive recalls and react the same way?

[Fobroader]

I'd buy it. Have had a couple newer Chrysler/Dodge vehicles and have not had any problems. Don't give a rat's @ss what consumer reports says. I'll buy what I want and leave CR to the sheep.

Yes, Chryslers reliability is just a huge government/CR/forum conspiracy to keep them down......its all the doing of the "man"...man.   

Ah yes. perhaps I should just make up problems so I can fall in line with what everyone else thinks.

Make up problems....ok, Ill stick to the trucks because I know them well. The Cummins engine burning out its number 6 cylinder because of fuel starvation in periods of extended idle, turbos eating themselves, the DPF system getting hot enough to catch bedliners and box contents on fire.  The trucks having horrible death wobble that the company or dealerships will not even acknowledge.  Dash cracking. Transmission failures when at 50% towing capacity on the HD Hemi trucks. I did not make these up, these are common issues with their trucks.

When I buy a truck I'll keep that in mind. But our Jeep and journey have been great.

I will echo some of what Fobroader said, not because I know anything but because someone I've dealt with is a mechanic at the local Chrysler / Dodge / Jeep / Fiat dealership.   When I asked him about the trucks he basically said  (he said more than that... but in a nut shell).

Now we have friends who have owned Jeep products for decades and they're LOVE Jeep and say they've never had a problem.

The new stuff looks and seems like a huge improvement but you can't deny their history.
Only time will tell if they're really turning the page.

In the future will people look back at Toyota's massive recalls and react the same way?

The unintended acceleration that was caused by stupidity??

[blotter]

^^^^^^^^

exactly!!!!   and it's been proven... some of the lawsuits have been thrown out of court.

If you want to talk about "media conspiracies", look no further then how they handle that news.

[blotter]

I decided to look up some numbers....
I've sourced the following from the NHTSA recall site.
This was eye opening........

all models are 2011


Dodge RAM 1500
2 recalls
0 investigations
142 complaints
3 technical service bulletins

Toyota Tundra
7 recalls
0 investigations
15 complaints
9 TSBs

Chrysler 200
2 recalls
1 investigation
96 complaints
1 TBS

Toyota Camry
3 recalls
0 investigations
153 complaints
16 TSBs

Honda Civic
1 recall
0 investigations
56 complaints
8 TSBs

Toyota RAV 4
5 recalls
1 investigation
59 complaints
9 TSBs

Ford Escape
0 recalls
2 investigations
435 complaints
19 TSBs

Jeep Grand Cherokee
0 recalls
0 investigations
113 complaints
9 TSBs

Honda Accord
1 recall
0 investigations
72 complaints
15 TSBs

Toyota Corolla
3 recalls
0 investigations
86 complaints
9 TSBs

[tooscoops]

i don't take much from those things blotter... tells me more that people buying the toyotas/hondas/etc aren't complainers.

plus the amount of cars has to be taken into consideration... like the ram... tundra sold around a third of the amount of trucks ram did in 2011... also, only 15 complaints, even though it had 3x more recalls and tsbs?

odd...

anyway, the 200 where i said the price thing... it's amazing how many people come in here and are purely buying a price, not a car... i think they just assume (somewhat rightly) that any car built for today's market is decent enough... so if they can get an automatic car that fits adults in the back seat, is ok on gas, has a/c, power stuff, cruise, etc. has a good trunk and a decent amount of power for 20 grand out the door?... done.

in all honesty, i'd love to see a review like that... drive cars that can be had for 20 out the door back to back... i bet at that price point, the 200/avenger will be a top finisher (fuel might keep it from winning). it's just tough to do one like that considering the price needs to include discounts and rebates fees etc.

[tooscoops]

oh, and snowy... i think that was the only nice thing you have ever said to me... it's a christmas miracle! i'm putting you on my nice list.

[fixer]

I'd buy it. Have had a couple newer Chrysler/Dodge vehicles and have not had any problems. Don't give a rat's @ss what consumer reports says. I'll buy what I want and leave CR to the sheep.

Yes, Chryslers reliability is just a huge government/CR/forum conspiracy to keep them down......its all the doing of the "man"...man.   

Ah yes. perhaps I should just make up problems so I can fall in line with what everyone else thinks.

Make up problems....ok, Ill stick to the trucks because I know them well. The Cummins engine burning out its number 6 cylinder because of fuel starvation in periods of extended idle, turbos eating themselves, the DPF system getting hot enough to catch bedliners and box contents on fire.  The trucks having horrible death wobble that the company or dealerships will not even acknowledge.  Dash cracking. Transmission failures when at 50% towing capacity on the HD Hemi trucks. I did not make these up, these are common issues with their trucks.

When I buy a truck I'll keep that in mind. But our Jeep and journey have been great.

I will echo some of what Fobroader said, not because I know anything but because someone I've dealt with is a mechanic at the local Chrysler / Dodge / Jeep / Fiat dealership.   When I asked him about the trucks he basically said  (he said more than that... but in a nut shell).

Now we have friends who have owned Jeep products for decades and they're LOVE Jeep and say they've never had a problem.

The new stuff looks and seems like a huge improvement but you can't deny their history.
Only time will tell if they're really turning the page.

In the future will people look back at Toyota's massive recalls and react the same way?

The unintended acceleration that was caused by stupidity??

No.  http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/toyota-recalls-7-4-million-vehicles-for-faulty-window-switch-1.1236436
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/toyota-recalls-2-77-million-vehicles-1.1274122

I could go on but there is no need.

[fixer]

i don't take much from those things blotter... tells me more that people buying the toyotas/hondas/etc aren't complainers.

plus the amount of cars has to be taken into consideration... like the ram... tundra sold around a third of the amount of trucks ram did in 2011... also, only 15 complaints, even though it had 3x more recalls and tsbs?

odd...

anyway, the 200 where i said the price thing... it's amazing how many people come in here and are purely buying a price, not a car... i think they just assume (somewhat rightly) that any car built for today's market is decent enough... so if they can get an automatic car that fits adults in the back seat, is ok on gas, has a/c, power stuff, cruise, etc. has a good trunk and a decent amount of power for 20 grand out the door?... done.

in all honesty, i'd love to see a review like that... drive cars that can be had for 20 out the door back to back... i bet at that price point, the 200/avenger will be a top finisher (fuel might keep it from winning). it's just tough to do one like that considering the price needs to include discounts and rebates fees etc.

My neighbor had a Honda and Acura, both needed new transmissions in the same year yet  he would continually say how great they are. I can't say I would share is outlook.

[Fobroader]

Yeah, Toyota had recalls....so did flawless Chrysler

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/chrysler-recalls-1-2m-ram-trucks-after-crashes-injuries-1.2421021

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/chrysler-agrees-to-recall-2-9-million-jeep-suvs-in-u-s-canada-1.1302382

Whats your point?? A window switch is really a non issue compared to tie rods and a fuel tank.....

[blotter]

i don't take much from those things blotter... tells me more that people buying the toyotas/hondas/etc aren't complainers.

it's just another stat.

I do find the TSBs interesting.   The Ford Escape is a perfect example.  Someone could go on about how amazing it is since there's no recalls but it has 19 technical service bulletins.  (which is think is an easy way out of not doing a full recall)

the complaints mean nothing to me.  Have you ever read any?   
they'll actually shows them all on the site!!!
some are pretty funny.


I will say this...  I think we're getting to a point that all cars are doing pretty good.
you can buy the most statistically reliable car and end up with problems and you can buy the most statistically unreliable car and have none.  While some cars are obviously better than others, I do think some of it is luck of the draw. 

I can name a bunch of vehicles in which I've heard one owner call it the best and another call it a POS.

[Snowman]

oh, and snowy... i think that was the only nice thing you have ever said to me... it's a christmas miracle! i'm putting you on my nice list.

Don't get your hopes up   

[tooscoops]

damn it... damn it all to hell! i'm returning your gift.

i think you are right blotter. cars are good enough that the owner, or sometimes just luck of the draw is enough to make one car great and another shite.

[rrocket]

damn it... damn it all to hell! i'm returning your gift.

i think you are right blotter. cars are good enough that the owner, or sometimes just luck of the draw is enough to make one car great and another shite.

I think it's more than that.

There's a reason certain brands score at the bottom of the reliability testing year in year out.  Can't just be luck of the draw.