Iacocca teams with Snoop Dogg

Has he (Iacocca) no shame?

I guess I'll have to get my Ebonics-to-English translator going to
understand Snoopy.

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http://money.cnn.com/2005/08/05/news/newsmakers/Iacocca_snoop/

Iacocca teams with Snoop Dogg
Chrysler, aiming for younger car buyers, teams retired chairman with
rapper in new ad.

August 5, 2005: 9:24 AM EDT

Ex-Chrysler chairman Lee Iacocca and rapper Snoop Dogg ride a modified
golf cart in a new Chrysler ad.

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Lee Iacocca's newest spot for Chrysler includes
rap star Snoop Dogg, as the auto maker tries to reach out to a younger
group of buyers.

Iacocca, who frequently appeared in Chrysler commercials during his
tenure as chairman from 1979 to 1992, returned to pitch the company's
cars in July, hyping its offer to sell vehicles at the
employee-discount price to the general public.

The latest spot, which numerous media reports say should start
Saturday, includes Iacocca and Snoop Dogg, whose hip-hop speaking
manner in the spot seems to confuse Iacocca.

"You know, I'm not too sure what you just said. Now everybody gets a
great deal," Iacocca says in the spot.

"Fo shizzle, I-ka-zizzle," Snoop Dog replies.

Iacocca is donating the money Chrysler is paying him to do these spots
to a foundation he set up to battle diabetes, the disease which killed
his wife. USA Today reports that Snoop Dogg told Iacocca during the
filming that he has a brother with diabetes, and said he admired what
Iacocca is doing.

"He's just a good kid," Iacocca told USA Today about his co-star. "I
didn't understand half the things he was telling me, but it was fun."

The spot ends with Snoop Dog giving his own version of Iacocca's
famous pitchline, "If you can find a better car, buy it."

"If the ride is more fly, then you must buy," Snoop Dog says.

Advertising Age last month found that more than 80 percent of people
who had seen the commercials featuring Iacocca in July found the
80-year-old retiree to be "believable" and "relevant." But the survey
also found that he was far less recognizable among young adults.
Chrysler believes that Snoop Dogg may help solve that shortcoming.

"It's a great way to continue to break through the clutter," Chrysler
spokeswoman Suraya DaSante told the New York Times. "Snoop is a
hip-hop icon, a lot of people know him and recognize him, so it's a
fun complement to Lee."

The Times reports that Snoop Dogg is a car buff and a fan of Chrysler
products who left a voice mail at Chrysler's West Coast office in 2004
demanding the new Chrysler 300 sedan. The 300C he later received is
black with tinted windows.

Iacocca's first round of commercials in July included one with Jason
Alexander, who appeared as George Costanza in the television show
"Seinfeld."

 

Snoop has also had repeated trouble with arrests for drug use over
the years. He may make good music but he isn't particularly respectable.
Chrysler would have done a hell of a lot better to get Eminem who
by all accounts leads a far more respectable life than Snoop does,
and is as good or better a rapper on a musical level, and is certainly
as famous.

I don't know why they are saying that, the only report on this that is out
there
previously is that in 2001 he did the movie "The Wash" about a car wash,
and in 2002 he had a Cadillac pimped (customized) for himself.

They forgot to mention that he got that car for free in exchange for
promoting
it in his video "Groupie Luv" Yes, he did ask for it - but he did so right
when Chrysler was really desperate to promote it, thus having a great chance
to get it for free. If Snoops goal was to get a free car at that time, that
is
the exact model he would have asked for to maximize chances of getting one
for free. It should not be assumed that he is in particular a Chrysler
fancier
just because of that.

There is some evidence he tried the same trick to get the Caddy for free
back
in 2002, but Cadillac apparently didn't bite on that.

Ted

 

He says: If you can buy a better car buy it".
I assume he doesn't just mean quality, but the design as well.

Yep Lee I can find a better car for me than your 300/Magnum to replace
my '95 Concord, but since the Concord runs so well I'll wait a while for
Chrysler to figure this one out.
This waiting has payed off so far in that I'm firming up what I want in
my next car. It certainly isn't a newer Concord.

On my shortest list at this time is Subaru, with an Outback. What's
holding me back is I'm not that fond with their engine un-reliability.
It's form factor suits my needs well, but I'd prefer one built on the
Sebring platform, with the Sebring 2.7L V6 engine. FWD OK, AWD not
necessary for my trips to the ski hills.
You're going to need a full sized spare capability though. Subaru even
includes one.
Contact me for more details.

 

What is unreliable about Subaru engines?

Matt

 

They need head gasket replacements far too soon.
They also high on fuel consumption.

 

I hadn't heard about the head gasket problems. Many kit plane builders
use Subaru engines because they are reputed to be very reliable among
the automotive alternatives available.

Fuel consumption isn't a reliability issue.


Matt

 

IIRC (it's been awhile since I've been in the Subaru world), it's the
EA82 engine (early 80's era) that is popular for the airplanes because
the cam is gear driven. None of this "modern" belt-driven-cam-crap when
your life is at stake.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

Yes, that is correct! Although, ironically, many folks use belt driven
reduction drive units. They are lighter than the gear driven units,
don't reverse the direction of rotation and damp vibration much better.


Matt

 

I've never built an airplane, but don't you guys think the form factor is
the big sell for a Subaru-powered airplane? In other words, Subaru is just
the best of the flat engines. I'm just askin'.

 

A good step up from the VW engine.
Yes the head gasket problem is very big, fortunately the first fix is
usually under guarantee. I've read about the suspected problem, if true
it will return over and over. About 65Kkms is when my friend's Forester
had the first replacement.
It is a shame because they have some very nice vehicles that put
function ahead of styling- where I am.

I agree but is is a buying factor.
For some reason their fuel consumption is high and it's ridiculous with
the turbo.
Toyota seems to have by far the lowest fuel consumption. The Avalon is
amazing for power and fuel economy.
Toyota's even take a full sized spare and they usually include it.
Another car company putting function ahead of styling, but I agree their
styling is a bit dull.

 

Subaru's design guidelines have deteriorated considerably over the years
- ironically to remain competitve. I sold an '86 turbo wagon with 275k
miles on it with the original turbo and engine still running great -
still had the original brake rotors that had never been replaced or
turned and were smooth as silk. That would never happen on today's models.

Today, they have continual design problems with brakes, clutches, and
rear wheel bearings. A real shame. But they run well - that's all that
matters to some people and keeps them competitive.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

Because GM is making the cost cutting decisions know, instead of FUJI
Industries. Amazing the flat 4 and the 6 never really were a problem until
GM took control of Subaru from Fuji, And GM masterlyu introduced cost
cutting initiatives to make Subaru more competitive and grow ther margins.

I sold an '86 turbo wagon with 275k

 

That is one reason, but I think others are light weight, reliability,
etc. And I just saw in my latest issue of Kitplanes that they are now
using the newer Subaru 6 cylinder engine, I think they called it the H-6
or some such designation.

Matt

 

From <http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/0820people0820.html>:

Eminem goes into rehab and family strikes

Aug. 20, 2005 12:00 AM

Before we get started today, it may be helpful to remember
that, sometimes, the real reason a celebrity seeks medical
treatment is often a wee bit worse than the case stated. For
example: "had boil lanced" equals "was hooked up to
24-hour-a-day penicillin drip to combat super bug contracted
during long weekend at a two-star Amsterdam brothel with Tom
Sizemore, Courtney Love and Andy Dick." Now read the
following, and set your imaginations on "kill": Eminem, who
bowed out of his European tour this week after claiming he had
succumbed to the celebrity scourge of exhaustion, is
undergoing treatment for dependency to sleep medication, his
publicist says.

Dennis Dennehy says Eminem (real name: Marshall Mathers III)
"is in the hospital under doctors' care," the Associated Press
reports. In related news, even more of Eminem's relatives hate
him.

Jack and Betti Schmitt, Eminem's uncle and aunt, have filed a
lawsuit against the mom-and-ex-wife-hating rapper, claiming
he's trying to evict them from the home he built for them, the
Detroit News reports.

 

That commercial with the two on the golf course has to be one of the
worst commercials ever done. I cringe with embarrassment for DC when I
watch it.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

Ah, well then he's no worse than our friend Rush Limbaugh!

Heh. Yup, the entire text of that lawsuit is on the Internet. As I read it
the Schmitts sold their Missouri home, moved into a home built for
them rent-free for a period of 3 years, got paid about $60K a year for
several years while doing it. And Jack is a truck driver it's not like he
gave up a 20 year career at IBM or some such. Since they don't see
eye to eye anymore why don't they just move back to Missouri and
buy another home with the proceeds of the sale of the first one? I don't
know about you but if a rich relative paid my mortgage for 3 years I'd
be pretty happy!

Ted