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I was at the Chicago auto show yesterday and heard someone remark that Dodge's target audience was "uneducated Americans who don't know any better and only care about buying American" as well as some other remarks/slurs that I won't repeat here. I have also noticed that Dodge, Chrysler, and Jeep seem to be at the bottom of most Consumer Reports reliability charts. How much truth do you think is in these statements?
It used to be true, though I had a 2002 PT Cruiser 5 speed Touring that was flawless for the 5 years and 70k miles I had it. But modern Chrysler products are pretty nice, and seem to be great performers and reliable, too.
The main isssue was that when Daimler owned them, they sucked all the money off the Chrysler/Dodge side and didn't put any money into them to develop cars, so most of the product suffered. Then Daimler sold Chrysler to Cerebus, an investment firm, who also did not put any money into the product6. Fiat bought them and started actively putting money into product, and you can see that in the latest round of cars and trucks. They are worlds better than the mid to late 2000s with better interiors, great engines, and solid construction.
Another thing to remember: being at the bottom of the CURRENT Consumer Reports and JD Powers surveys does not make modern cars bad, as they are still better quality and less problematic than most of the BEST cars from just 7-8 years ago. So, if you wouldn't consider a 2007 Camry or Accord to be unreliable, then a 2014 Chrysler or Land Rover, or MINI (also at or near the bottom of the modern charts) should not be considered unreliable, either, as they are very similar in reported quality (problems per 100 vehicles and the like) to those year Toytas and Hondas.
Chrysler/Dodge made close ties to Mitsubishi for small car development. In the 90s, Mitsubishi was pretty big. They had a fast car shared with Dodge (Mitsubishi 3000GT/Dodge Stealth), sports coupe (Mitsubishi Eclipse, Dodge Avenger, Chrysler Sebring), midsize sedan (Galant, Sebring, Stratus), and compact cars (Mirage/Lancer & Neon). While they didn't share everything, many of these vehicles did share engines and some foundations. Then Mitsubishi did a nose dive. Honda & Toyota was able to maintain quality and improve while Hyundai & Kia not only improved, but surpassed Mitsubishi in quality and sales. Its as if Chrysler/Dodge didn't take the small and midsize segment seriously enough to invest in their own development other than styling. They did take their truck and SUV development seriously. Now, the 300, Charger, & Challenger did get some pretty good development money. When the 300 & Charger first arrived, they were fast in a straight line, bad in corners compared to other RWD sedans in similar price, and low on interior quality compared to other RWD sedans in similar price. Europeans didn't care for these sedans because of this. Chrysler/Dodge has improved these vehicles' interior and handing in corners. How much better, I don't know.
Now that FIAT is involved, Chrysler/Dodge compact and midsize sedans are moving towards FIAT based platforms. The Dodge Dart (compact) and Chrysler 200 (midsize) are both based upon a FIAT platform. The Dart uses FIAT engines. The optional engine for the 200 is a Chrysler V6. Both take the corners better than any Chrysler sedans of the past in their class. Their interior quality is also far above where Chrysler was in these classes. Dodge still has it's Mitsubishi Galant based Dodge Avenger but not for much longer.
Historically Chrysler's reputation was one of good to great engineering and lousy manufacturing execution.
Doesn't help their reputation when factory workers are caught on a lunch break getting drunk and stoned at a park before going back to work on the factory line, fired after getting caught on camera, and then later admitted back to work with union assistance.
Which makes them a perfect match with Fiat lol.
Also what scares me is the development that happened during the cash starved years, those cars are hitting the streets now.
Also I am not sure who was the most abusive partner between Daimler and Chrysler...they almost took each other out.
yes, they are. You don't buy a Chrysler product for quality. You buy it because it usually, not always, is $1,000 or more less than a Chevy or Ford. They are improving but, so are the Japanese? Seems like the domestics will never ever fully catch up.
For me, it's Toyota, hands down. They are simply superior over time than any other make. If you keep a car five years or less, buy whatever you like. They will all pretty much be "okay" for 5 years. The true test of durability comes AFTER 5 years. JD Powers and Associates is a joke and goes to the highest advertiser. "First 90 seconds of ownership award"....please.
How about a JD Power and Associates 10 year or 15 year award......be hard pressed to see many domestics in that ring.....
Again, keeping for a short term, buy whatever. Keeping them for the distance, it's not even a contest. I'm running a 99 Camry 15.7 years now, 220K miles and it shows no signs of giving up. I've kept up all the maintenance and this thing has yet to fail. I've changed the plugs twice, wires once. 3rd battery, went through a starter after 11.5 years, power windows, locks, ac have NEVER gone down. The original transmission shifts as smooth as when it was new. Radiator went after 14 years. Can't beat this thing. But, then again, this one was made in Japan. It is THE perfect work car.
My last car? A 1992 Camry...ran that 8.5 years.....total of about 24 years now and only 2 cars. I own others for kids and what not (the domestic trucks cost the most to maintain...shocking....sigh). And I'm still on my 2nd.....wanna guess what is going to be my next car??? This time, it will be a Hybrid. Nothing like a 10K reduction in operating costs over 10 years....kind of like a 10K reduction in purchase....gets your effective comparative costs down to about 14-15K for an LE. Nice. How many people do you know have had 2 cars last this long? My guess is that this one will see 20 years. Despite its basic nature, it WORKS. As long as it starts, I'll keep it. At some point, it will go. If it blew up tomorrow, I wouldn't even care. I have MORE than gotten my money's worth out of it.
Every other car I have owned over the last 38 years has not been anywhere near as reliable and cheap to maintain. Get a Toyota, you won't regret it over the long haul.
Also what scares me is the development that happened during the cash starved years, those cars are hitting the streets now.
No, the cars "developed" during the cash strpped years have already come and cone (the last Sebring, the original Charger and 300, The Jeep Compass, Patriot and Liberty, etc). The cars coming out now are all recipents of Fiat's money and it shows. The new 200, the newer Chargers and Challengers, the current 300, the Jeep Grand Cherokee and new Renegade, the Viper, the current RAM trucks...
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