Getting Worried about Chrysler, thinking about an F150

[Tractorat]

I listen to a guy on the radio (Bob Brinker) who does a financial show on the weekends. He was saying a few years ago that just the cost of the healthcare for the retirees would crush the "big 3" in a very short time.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Ford only wish they owned Cummins. Several years ago Ford owned a small percentage of Cummins stock, but not anymore.

Grizzly - that's a link to Cummins own website stating that no they don't.

 

[Grizzly]

Grizzly - that's a link to Cummins own website stating that no they don't.

I know, I read it, however I still say that Ford wish they owned Cummins.

 

[HBarlow]

I listen to a guy on the radio (Bob Brinker) who does a financial show on the weekends. He was saying a few years ago that just the cost of the healthcare for the retirees would crush the "big 3" in a very short time.

I read an article several years ago when the current GM CEO (Rick Waggoner?) was new in his job. He was quoted describing how he had dreamed and hoped for many years of becoming CEO someday but was stunned to realize when he got there he wasn't running a car company but a healthcare company.

I think UAW members would be wise to consider now that when the Communist Chinese own and run the former big three automakers they won't allow the UAW through the gates and won't be playing (or paying) by UAW rules.

 

[JUeckert]

If the Chinese Dodge still has the Cummins engine, I'd go with the Chinese/Dodge/Cummins any day over a dumb old PowerJoke!

your in denial. you proably go to bed at night dreaming of someday owning a ford dont you!

 

[Grizzly]

your in denial. you proably go to bed at night dreaming of someday owning a ford dont you!

No, I had an F250 once, which was the worst vehicle I've ever owned. I'll never have another Furd even if it had a Cummins.



Furd may be the worst vehicle investment you can make. Click on this.



It doesn't list a Ford truck in the top 5 worst vehicles, but it has 2 Fords on the list, 1st and 2nd. That doesn't speak highly of Ford quality.

 

[AClayton]

No, I had an F250 once, which was the worst vehicle I've ever owned. I'll never have another Furd even if it had a Cummins.



Furd may be the worst vehicle investment you can make. Click on this.



It doesn't list a Ford truck in the top 5 worst vehicles, but it has 2 Fords on the list, 1st and 2nd. That doesn't speak highly of Ford quality.

Interesting to note that three of the top five were mini-vans or an equivelant... though only one was a Ford. I agree with the top 5 best cars ... . I own a CRV and it is hands down,one of the best quality vehicles I've owned. I know you'll hate me for saying this Grizzly,but including even my beloved Ram.





Alan

 

[Grizzly]

Interesting to note that three of the top five were mini-vans or an equivelant... though only one was a Ford. I agree with the top 5 best cars ... . I own a CRV and it is hands down,one of the best quality vehicles I've owned. I know you'll hate me for saying this Grizzly,but including even my beloved Ram.





Alan

My wife has an 03 Toyota Camry, which was 2nd best and I have an 03 Toyota Avalon.



My 95 Dodge was the best vehicle I've own and the 05 is just as good, so far.

 

[AHarris]

A Ford???



That's sacrilegious! #@$%!



Seriously, Yooper, get a Hemi of keep what you got!

 

[HBarlow]

Interesting to note that three of the top five were mini-vans or an equivelant... though only one was a Ford. I agree with the top 5 best cars ... . I own a CRV and it is hands down,one of the best quality vehicles I've owned. I know you'll hate me for saying this Grizzly,but including even my beloved Ram.


Alan

My wife has one also. It is a 2005 with about 50k miles. Other than annoying road noise transmission to the passenger compartment on coarse surfaced roads it is a nearly perfect vehicle. Not plush or luxurious, although it has leather and the basic frills, but simply a very economical, practical transportation device. The great thing about Hondas is once you buy one and drive it away from the dealer's lot there is never a reason to take them back. It's hard to beat any product with a Honda nameplate. Motorcycle, boat motor, lawn mower engine, etc.

 

[AHarris]

You can't beat a Honda Accord. A gal who used to for me had a 1995 Accord that had 400K on it and she still drove it every day to and from work and only used a quart of oil in between changes. Not had for a 4 banger. They are good cars! Honda (and Toyota too) makes good stuff... now if they would only make a real truck instead of that Ridgeline cruck...

 

[radcam]

Regarding which of the big 3 will survive and who won't.



If I had to put money on who will survive, I would have to say that Ford has the best chance. Putting brand loyalty aside ( and in spite of some of the opinions on this site, we're all pretty loyal to the C/D brand), I believe that Ford is the best managed hands down. Ford is the only company that turned down the bail out money (its available if they need it, but they dont need it yet). The CEO of Ford is the ex-CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplane who really saved Boeing several years ago when they were losing big time in the commercial airplane business It was a huge mistake for Boeing when they passed him over when the job for CEO of all of Boeing was available.



BTW, Im not sure I would take the price of a share of stock as to wno will survive. I think I heard that GM's stock is the lowest its ever been. And, BTW, I see a lot more Ford and GM cars on the road than I do C/D cars. And that is where most of the market is.



Just something to consider.



TRat

Probably the most intelligent post of the lot.



To the OP like someone else already said if your truck is paid off keep it and enjoy it. If you take care of care of it, it will last a long time



Grizzly I don't know how many times I've heard your story about the one F250 you owned. Now for me it's Chrysler products Dodge trucks, Plymouth cars I've never had any luck with them, and it's been way more than just one. My dad has been a Chrysler fan all my life so I should be biased towards Chrysler like you but they just have never worked out for me. After the experiances I've had with Chrysler vehicles I'd rather take a beating than own another one.

 

[FATCAT]

It looks like Chrysler will go into bankrupcy soon if it is not sold off to Fiat.



The big concern is that if they go bankrupt, all the warranties that are still valid today will no longer be valid. And being the owner of a 2008 4500 truck ... that scares the STUFFING out of me! Anything that goes wrong will come out of my pocket IF YOU CAN STILL get parts for the truck!



Forget brand loyalty, consider loyalty to yourself and stick with Ford or better yet, Toyota.

 

[AHarris]

It looks like Chrysler will go into bankrupcy soon if it is not sold off to Fiat.



The big concern is that if they go bankrupt, all the warranties that are still valid today will no longer be valid. And being the owner of a 2008 4500 truck ... that scares the STUFFING out of me! Anything that goes wrong will come out of my pocket IF YOU CAN STILL get parts for the truck!



Forget brand loyalty, consider loyalty to yourself and stick with Ford or better yet, Toyota.

I'm hoping that the Fiat deal goes through, since I would like to run another 80K before becoming my own warranty station. Even then, though, the Cummins is still a solid investment. If the DPF goes kerplunk and Chrysler is gone, I'll just straight pipe the sucker. Even with the Chysler problems, I'd still go out and by an '09 Dodge Cummins because they blow the socks off of anything Chebby and Furd have to offer!! I think the Fiat deal will work out though so I am even less worried.

 

[AABEN]

I will stay with DODGE. Why jump the ship?? They will make it they have 35% of the truck sale.

 

[J.BURCHFIELD]

My 2 cents: Toyota has a nice truck that they could put a diesel engine in. Ford is not in great shape so it is possible Toyota and maybe Nissan would offer a diesel. There are a lot of good Diesel engines out there that are available. You can bet they are thinking about it. I will keep my 12v it will outlast me. All of the upgrades make it as good as a newer model, at least in my opinion. The upgrade I wish I had done sooner was the conversion to disc brakes on the rear. It made a bigger difference than I had hoped for. Being able to stop in time is cheaper than fender benders. Questions, -- email address removed --

 

[Tractorat]

From what Ive been hearing on the news today, I think it sounds like Chrysler is going down. Fiat doesn't really have to bail them out. If Chrysler goes down, Fiat could pick up the assets that it wants, and be out from under the union contracts etc.



If that happens, it will be interesting to see what will happen with existing warrantees. I think the bankruptcy would make them null and void. But, in an effort to keep customer loyalty, I wonder if Fiat (or whoever might buy the assets) would honor at least some warrantees. I don't know if there is really a such a thing as brand loyalty for most of the existing Chrysler car line (I dont know, maybe there is). But one might think that the Dodge truck customer might be someone they want to keep around.



TRat

 

[J.BURCHFIELD]

It will never happen that everything will be done as it should be, all we can do is roll with the punches.

 

[J.BURCHFIELD]

The/our government should get the hell out of the way and let the car or any other company fix their own problems through bankruptcy mergers of whatever they choose. K-Mart went bankrupt and then bought Sears and now you can buy Craftsman tools at K-Mart. Walk into either store and nothing seems changed. I believe there are investors out there throughout the Planet that will see opportunity and buy a failing business. It is mismanagement that causes business to fail. Get somebody that knows how to run the business and it will be profitable. Look at Subaru Nissan Honda Toyota. We are not in as bad a shape as we have been lead to believe. 8. 5% unemployment means 91. 5 % are working. We have never seen 100% employment, it is just not possible. Throughout history we have always had to make adjustments. When Farmers bought farm equipment they laid off Farm Hands. When elevators were converted to automatic, elevator operators were laid off. Factories started using robotic equipment and factory workers lost their jobs. There are always other things you can do. You can adjust when you have no other choice. Point I am trying to make things are not as bad as all the hype suggests. I believe Chrysler will survive. If they were to collapse all kinds of parts manufactures would see the opportunity and produce whatever was needed. Basically all Chrysler or any other does is assemble parts they are supplied. They don't make most of the parts themselves. They stamp out fenders and such and make parts that they have had trouble getting suppliers to do to their specs. So they are not much different. It is the management that makes the difference. If CEO's knew as much about building cars as they know about negotiating million dollar severance packages there would have been no problems.

 

[AABEN]

When DODGE was in trouble before I went out and bought a new truck! I would like to think that help dodge to stay going. If I was not disable and on a fix income I would out and get me a new truck hopping that would keep them going!