New Dodge vehicles

I just got an email from Dodge about the new Caliber SRT4 and the Nitro.
Man, what a couple of butt ugly vehicles! The rear view of the
Caliber is especially ugly and the Nitro looks ugly from every angle.

What is Chrysler thinking? At least the engine should be decent in the
Caliber as I believe it is essentially the same as the 2.4L in my new
Sonata. I believe that Hyundai, Chrysler and a third company,
Mitusbishi I think, collaborated on this engine. Mine is powerful and
quiet. My only complaint is that it is a little thirsty. I'm getting
only 27 MPG in driving that is probably 70% highway. And this is with a
24/34 rating on the Sonata with the standard tranny. I don't know the
weight of the Caliber, but it appears that it shouldn't be much
different than the Sonata, and lighter if anything, so it should perform
fairly well.


Matt

 

The Caliber looks pretty good in person. I wouldn't buy it, but I don't
think they'll have any trouble selling it to the target audience
(skateboard-toting minimum wage earners).

As for the Nitro, you may be right.

 

I saw one 3 weeks ago doing some arrands while driving down 8 mile in
Detroit. Had to take a double look. The style caught me off guard. Thought
it was a import for a sec because of the sporty look it had with the
hatchback. Personally I missed the hatch back years back. If I was in the
market to buy a new car. i wouldn't think twice of get ting one. I'd get the
diesel in it w/ the 4 wheel drive. *Looks sharp in that red*

SCOTT

 

Does the Caliber come with a diesel?

 

Hey, wait a minute.
I'm not a skateboard toting min wage earner, I'm a late-year boomer with a
pile of band (bass guitar) equipment and a pa system, and I think this would
make a right smart Bandwagon!

 

That these things will appeal toe the "kewl bloo headlights and wingZ on
the trUnKliD!" crowd.

Yep, the so-called "world engine." The mere fact that Mitsubishi has its
name on the stupid thing is enough to make me not go near one until it
establishes about 10 years of solid service record. Again, why can't
Chrysler learn from past experience that everything Mitsubhishi touches
turns to manure?

 

No, a PT Cruiser would look a lot better. And its all Chrysler and no
Mitsushitti, so the odds of actually making it to your gig before last
call are a whole lot better.

 

Oh heck, I was thinking of buying one but now that Joe tells me I don't
belong because I'm a retired senior citizen, guess I'll have to keep my
Focus. Shucks.

 

2.0 DOHC 4 cyl 16 valve Diesel

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

 

I don't know, but it certainly should as it LOOKS like a truck from the
front so it at least should sound the part.


Matt

 

I saw an article somewhere that discussed which company made which
contribution to the design, and I didn't end up being too worried about
it. I forget exactly which parts Mitsubishi contributed though and I
can't find the article now.


Matt

 

The "wingZ" on the trunklid look great on the 1930's Chryslers,
especially the Airstreams and the Airflows!

 

Besides, with a PT they might mistake you for ZZ Top.

Ted

 

I'ts the german diesel.

 

The Caliber looks pretty good in person. I wouldn't buy it, but I don't
I looked at a Caliber in a dealership the other day.
It had alot of neat toys built in for the money.
However I'm curious how well the CVT tranny works and how much maintenance
it will need over the lifespan of the car.

I put a deposit down on a PT Cruiser today. Plan on using it around town,
and for my 19 year old daughter to use when she is home from college,
home depot runs, etc. Very different car from my 2000 3ooM, but I think it
will be a good replacement for my old K car based New Yorker,
which is rusting out from road salt in New York.

It was an interesting experience working thru 3 different dealers to find a
PT Cruiser with the options that I was looking for.
I have a 300M and a Thunderbird and was looking for basic transportation in
the PT Cruiser.
Reading the brochures the touring model with ABS brakes seems to be a good
fit for my planned use but PT Cruisers with ABS were hard to find.

The first dealer wanted to sell me a leftover loaded 2005 with a turbo for
$24k or switch me to the Caliber.
They suggested I should buy the Caliber now at list price because they were
destined to be "hot" and hard to get and my daughter would not want to
be seen dead in the PT Cruiser. Their selling point were free tires for the
life of the car if I came in every 3,000 miles for an oil change and tire
rotation.
..
The second dealer, a local 5 star, the one I purchased the 3ooM from in 2000
was polite,
showed me what he had on the lot, quite a few Walter P models, and a Route
66 model with ABS.
The Route 66 model was overkill for my needs, none of the Walter P versions
had ABS.
The salesman wasn't really interested in bringing a car in from another
dealer that was closer to my requirements..
I was told it would be difficult to make this happen since they were not
making much on the sale since I was using the PP plan for the purchase.

So today I went to another 5 star dealer about 45 minutes drive to my south.
They told me they could get a car with the options I wanted from a sister
dealership in Connecticut,
got the details on the car from that dealership, and said they would have it
here in a couple of days for me to check out.

 

I believe Chrysler makes the gasoline engine and Hyundai was also in on
the design.
Good that the others have shaken it down.

Yes Mitsubhishi engines have not been that great, as Chrysler found out.

 

From VW.
I expect this engine will wait for clean diesel in NA.

 

Continuing the trend started with the Chrysler 300.

 

In the world of finances, it's all about the lowest bidder.

 

I must disagree on Mitsubishi Engines. I drive, daily, a Plymouth Laser,
1990. with 2litre non turbo Mitsubishi engine. I have 265000 on the car and
its engine is still sweet, doesn't drink oil, has had a couple of timing
belts and new spark plugs each year. Performance is still 0-60 in 6.5
seconds.
If I only had the same confidence in my Chrysler 2.7 in my 1998 Intrepid!!
Keith