GM Buying Chrysler?

[Cattletrkr]

I DO NOT like independent front suspension on a heavy duty work truck

I DO NOT like front ends that can't go 100K without almost completely being rebuilt... cough... Dodge's front ends... cough... are crap... cough

 

[GHarman]

Hmmmm I wonder, Will it be the Cummins-Max or the Dura-Cummins:-laf. I could get used to it if Chebby/GM would install their Frames, right side up. Those new, chrome plated plastic, Knuckle dragger front bumpers are the pits. A Low rider in disguise. It could happen, at the new FED interest rate! Hope the FED gets some equity in GM/Chrysler, for their trouble!

 

[HBarlow]

Daimler/Chrysler split about a year ago. dodge is still owned by daimler. they sold the chrysler part to a guy that owned it a few years ago. all so navstar is going to be building the new smaller diesel eng.

Both statements are incorrect! Please cite your sources for this information.

 

[Dieselnut59]

When 6. 0 Fords came out (in late 2002 IIRC) Ford offered a manual six speed transmission. I drove one just out of curiosity in 2002 and it was a real learning experience and joke.



At the time I had owned my '01 Dodge HO 6 speed for a year or more and was fully accustomed to putting the transmission in first or second gear and letting the clutch out then powering it up. As all of you who have owned one know, you drive a Dodge-Cummins that way, even if it's loaded heavy. Just like a big 18 wheel OTR truck. The habit was so well ingrained in me by that time that I was literally almost unable to drive the 6. 0 Ferd. Each time I let out the clutch I stalled the weak zero torque motor. The ONLY way to drive a V8 diesel is just like a gas small block Chevy V8. You rev up the engine and slip the clutch to get it rolling.



That is the reason, IMO, that Ferd & GM dropped the manual transmissions. A manual transmission makes the complete lack of low rpm torque impossible to hide. It can easily be concealed with an automatic transmission and loose torque converter but with a manual clutch and transmission they are dogs to drive when loaded and annoying when empty.

Good point. I have never driven a manual transmission ferd or chev, but cannot stand automatic transmissions at all. I LOVE my Liberty, but LONG for a manual transmission in it. I could not imagine my trucks with a freaking slush box... Not trying to start a transmission battle here, but thank God Dodge offers us the choice of manual or automatic. Different needs/wants for different applications/drivers.

 

[Dieselnut59]

I DO NOT like front ends that can't go 100K without almost completely being rebuilt... cough... Dodge's front ends... cough... are crap... cough

Much cheaper to redo than those IFS pieces of crap!

I put greasable ball joints and universals on my '96 at about 60,000 miles and have never had another problem. Unfortunately, nobody offers enough grease fittings anymore...



I heard Daimler still owns stock in Chrysler LLC, hence the continued partnership of Freightliner, Dodge and Mercedes with the Sterling trucks, the Sprinter vans, diesel engine in the Grand Cherokee and the export (only ) Liberty and Wrangler with the 2. 8.

 

[AllianceDiesel]

Daimler/Chrysler split about a year ago. dodge is still owned by daimler. they sold the chrysler part to a guy that owned it a few years ago. all so navstar is going to be building the new smaller diesel eng.

daimler sold like 90% (I would have to go back and check the exact percentages) to cebrus over a year ago. Dodge, chrysler and jeep are still together they are not split up, navistar is thinking about building a small engine for ford but ford is gonna build one themselves



cummins is building a small v-6 v-8 motor for dodge



I suppose you think cummins is owned by ford too?

 

[RSchwarzli]

OK. Lets clear this up. Cerberus Capital Managment purchased 80. 1% of Chrysler Corp from Daimler. The remaining shares are still retained by Daimler. However, Cerberus has made an offer to Mercedes to purchase the remaining shares. They would be required to do so if a merger were to happen to eliminate the opinion of Daimler (basically, the largest and only shareholder). Basically, make it all one company before butchering it. Still no definit yes or no on if the remaining shares will be sold yet, however it is looking promissing as Daimler is wanting out of the partnership.



As for Navistar, no relation to Chrysler Corp nor do they supply Chrysler. As Mopartech said, Cummins is the one building a V6 and V8 diesel for Dodge.



As for Ford and Cummins, Cummins was NEVER owned by Ferd. Thought I had better clear this one up before someone says, "I remember reading that... . "!



In regards to Navistar, Ferd is said to be parting ways with them as a future supplier of Power Stroke motors as they say they can build one just as good, for less money, and it will have less problems. :-laf This ought to be good!



Robert

 

[LMcCary]

My 2003 4x4 has 150K,front end still good!

 

[ARedmon]

I too was shocked when I found out that GM did not offer a manual transmission in their Heavy Duty pickups!

 

[Tractorat]

I, for one, would like to see the return of the 8 foot bed, regular cab in both 1/2 and 3/4 ton

 

[EGroeneveld]

While I understand the cost issues they present, I think Dodge underestimates

how much business they push away by not offering the frame lengths and configurations the other guys offer. I think the return on investment for the chassis offerings would have been better than on offering the Aspen, Compass, and other duplicate vehicles that nobody gives a rat's patootie about.

AMEN



I also need a real crewcab and 8' foot bed. My next truck will be something else if Dodge does not fix this soon.

 

[Wingate]

Ever wonder if the reason they got away from the manual shift D-Max is because the engine doesn't make the low end torque that customers would want. With the Allison, they can keep the engine up where it makes its best power.

 

[RSchwarzli]

AMEN



I also need a real crewcab and 8' foot bed. My next truck will be something else if Dodge does not fix this soon.

You guys are forgetting that Dodge did not release the Mega as a work truck.



The mega was brought to the market as a "soccer dad" truck. At the time of release Dodge said that they were going for a larger cab for families, and still allow it to fit in most garages. They also felt it would be too long if a 8' box was offered and therefore would have a hard time navigating around town. They were not even thinking about the construction/work side of the truck. It was 100% 4x4 minivan mentality.



I am in no way supporting that thinking. Just passing it on. I on the other hand feel that we are freakin truck owners. The bigger the better! I have even toyed with putting my mega under the knife... .

 

[raksasa]

Not to bring the thread back to some semblance of the original topic... but it gets even more frightening. How does a match-up with French carmaker Renault sound??

DETROIT/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Chrysler LLC is in talks to sell its operations to Renault SA (RENA. PA) and General Motors Corp (GM. N) and is considering a range of deals that could break up the No. 3 U. S. automaker, people familiar with the talks said on Thursday.
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Cerberus Capital Management (CBS. UL) is also talking to General Motors Corp (GM. N) about a transaction in which GM could acquire some of Chrysler's assets as an alternative to an outright purchase of its smaller rival, the sources said.

Chrysler assets under consideration for purchase by GM include Chrysler's top-selling minivan line, a market segment Chrysler pioneered almost 25 years ago, and its truck-production facility in Mexico, one of the sources said.

The contacts between Cerberus and the automakers remain wide-ranging and preliminary but have been given urgency by the sharp downturn in auto sales that has forced Chrysler, GM and Ford Motor Co (F. N) to take steps to cut costs and shore up their cash holdings.

Chrysler, Cerberus and GM had no comment. A representative for Renault could not be reached for comment.

Other deals being considered by Cerberus hinge on whether Chrysler's key assets now have more value separately than together, people familiar with the discussion said. As a result, Cerberus is looking at selling its Mopar parts unit, spinning off its engineering operations as a separate company and hiving off Chrysler Financial, one of the sources said. That captive finance company could also be merged with GMAC, the GM affiliated lender in which Cerberus owns a controlling 51 percent stake, several sources said. In addition, Cerberus has had talks with GM about acquiring the automaker's remaining 49 percent share of GMAC and that remains a possibility, those sources said. But all of the potential deals have been complicated and slowed by the volatility in financial markets and frozen credit markets, according to the people familiar with the sensitive talks who were not authorized to speak about the discussions.

Markets turmoil has made it far more difficult for Cerberus and potential bidders to agree on the value of Chrysler's various parts and GMAC, the sources said. Cerberus bought an 80. 1 percent stake in Chrysler from Daimler AG (DAIGn. DE) in 2007 for $7. 4 billion, but the automaker, like its listed Detroit-based rivals, has been hit hard by a steep decline in U. S. auto sales to 15-year lows.

The still-ongoing talks between GM and Chrysler have revived discussions about a potential merger that started in early 2007 before Chrysler was sold to Cerberus.
(Additional reporting by David Bailey in Detroit)

Puts a GM match-up in perspective.

 

[AllianceDiesel]

humvees, and hummers are two different things, humvees are driving by people that have nuts, hummers are driven by people that are making up for thier lack of nuts and a small package and its a status symbol,



gm wants jeep so they can can the hummer line and get something that actually can be driven offroad.

 

[raksasa]

Be careful of what you wish for. You may be posting along with the rest of us on the GM Diesel site.

Dave

Or the LeTurboDiesel site...

 

[AllianceDiesel]

didn't chrysler and renault have a partnership maybe in the 80's or early 90's

 

[raksasa]

didn't chrysler and renault have a partnership maybe in the 80's or early 90's

Renault and AMC had a relationship. Renault sold AMC to Chrysler in the 1980's. Renault and Nissan are linked up now. Renault had some modest success in the USA with the Alliance and Fuego. If you read the full article it looks like the holding company would like to part out Chrysler any way they can. Maybe this is the chance for Renault to return to the USA market. Poor quality doomed their last visit.

I don't see anything positive happening here.

 

[TFucili]

Hey BUD, I dont see grocery getters in IRAQ or AFGANISTAN. Those HUMVEES come in many configurations and, NO they are not crewcabs with 8' beds, but they are no suv, and they do haul some pretty respectable loads with them! GregH

The H2 and H3 are just GM trucks wrapped in Hummeresque bodywork so yuppies can wear their designer camo to the mall. More badge engineering from Gimmick Motors.

 

[GHarman]

The H2 and H3 are just GM trucks wrapped in Hummeresque bodywork so yuppies can wear their designer camo to the mall. More badge engineering from Gimmick Motors.

My original comment was meant in jest:-laf. However, what is an H-2 or H-3? They are only Suburbans and mini Blazers with a new coat. There is only one HUMVEE and I would not have one unless it had a Cummins. But we are digressing from the intent of this thread, Severely, I might add, to the point of getting personal. I would rather have a personell carrier with a Heavy duty trailer to haul concrete and other heavy materials, than have a L-O-N-G truck with personel carrying and somewhat of a load carrying capacity. A shorter vehicle is more manuverable on a construction site and you dont need to be concerned with overloading a stretch frame. IMHO. GregH