Chrysler considers slashing number of car dealers

"...A plan now being discussed calls for Chrysler dealers to sell all
of the auto maker's passenger cars under the Chrysler name. Dodge
dealers would exclusively offer pickup and commercial trucks, while
Jeep dealers would sell Jeep and sport-utility vehicles, according to
three dealers familiar with the discussions.

"Such a scenario would allow Chrysler to drop some of its overlapping
products that essentially compete with one another, such as the Dodge
Avenger and Chrysler Sebring, which are both midsize sedans but
marketed under different names. Fewer products could also mean a
reduction in dealers, which would weed out poor-performing dealerships
that have excess inventory and resort to incentives that hurt
profitability..."

Wall Street Journal: http://snipr.com/1tvfy

 

Look what I wrote several years ago.

Dodge being stripped of car models didn't make sense then, and it
still doesn't now.

Perhaps the ungainly and ugly LX chasis doesn't lend itself well to
the model differentiation needed to come up with the variety needed
for both Chrysler and Dodge to have distinct car models.

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Subject: Re: Chrysler 300 vs. Dodge Magnum?
Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2005 13:16:49 -0500
From: MoPar Man <>

Daimler would rather NOT build the Charger. They DO NOT want to
create more cars for Dodge. Daimler is reacting to pressure from
Dodge dealers - they want an LX car under the Dodge badge.

Daimler wants to move Dodge away from cars and use Dodge for mini-vans
and trucks. Cars are for Chrysler (really only 1 type of car - the
300 - with several different models - all visually similar on the
outside, the way a lot of Merc cars are).

Dodge dealers have not been happy with Daimler-Chrysler for the past 5
years. They could have sold a ton of Chargers starting in late 2001
based on the 1999 Charger concept if Daimler had let them.

--------------------

Subject: Re: 300C's as beautiful as in the ads
Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2004 16:33:42 -0400
From: MoPar Man <>

If Chrysler is still a division of Daimler in 10 years
then the only vehicles that Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep will be making will be
minivans, trucks and SUV's. You want a car? Go to Merc. (That's
assuming that Dodge will still be around in 10 years).

I predicted a few years ago that Dodge seemed to be on track to
eliminate passenger cars from their line-up. If it wasn't for the
Dodge dealers screaming for a replacement for the Intrepid we wouldn't
be hearing talk about the Charger coming back. We'll see if it does.

What makes no sense is that the lower-end of the new 300 line wasn't
badged as a Dodge. Someone want to explain that one? Or is Dodge not
worthy of getting any new cars - only wagons like the Magnum?

-------------------------

 

I am not sure if I like this. If I were buying a new mid-size, I would
prefer the Avenger over the Sebring.

What would happen to the Charger and Caliber?

-KM

 

Here in Las Vegas, a salesman at Desert Chrysler Jeep (lower Fremont
Street), which is about 2 miles from Chapman Dodge (Boulder Hwy near
Sahara) told me they are closing by the end of the year. They are
referring their business to Desert Chrysler Jeep Dodge on Sahara near
Decatur.

FWIW we already have Integrity Chrysler Jeep Dodge over in the SW part
of the valley, and Saitta Trudeau Chrysler Jeep Dodge in Pahrump NV.

That leaves Chapman Chrysler Jeep and Towbin Dodge virtually next door
to eahc other in the Valley Auto Mall, and United Dodge and Jim
Marsh Chrysler Jeep about 4 miles apart in the NW valley.

BTW, Towbin Dodge is the home of "The Chopper" www.kingofcars.com

..

 

I agree.

Who cares?