Jason E

Please educate me on how I'm a Chrysler nuthugger, without hopefully hi-jacking this thread I feel the thread is very worthwhile, but I'd really like to know, especially seeing as how the only vehicles I like are the LXs, the Rams, and the Grand Cherokees/Wranglers

This one, from you, baffles me...especially when I just stated I firmly believe Ford is most on-the-ball of any of them. I'd prefer a Taurus or Fusion over any mid or full-sized car at this point...even over my beloved 300.

As for domestic versus Japanese? Damn right I prefer the domestics. I wish more people did. More of us might actually keep our jobs This one I make no apologies for, despite the fact that I can see some clear issues with Chrysler, Ford and GM offerings. God forbird I'd prefer to buy a product made/engineered/built by a company based in our own country!

I won't deny at all preferring domestics...but saying I prefer Chrysler over the other 2 is downright foolish. Its like saying you had a 100% positive experience with your BMW...reading comprehension on my end dictates otherwise

Threxx

As I already explained... you can say you prefer the Taurus over the 300... and I think 99.9% of the world would agree with you because the new Taurus is obviously a superior car... but you still tend to give Chrysler far more credibility than they deserve in most discussions I've witnessed.

Aside from that, you're very domestically biased, and you just admitted to it, which is all the evidence needed to make my original point that you shouldn't be pointing your fingers at anyone for being biased themselves in a Toyota vs GM discussion.

El Duce

Well if it's obvious and you've admitted to being a "domestic" (and I use that term loosely) nuthugger, then wouldn't that invalidate your opinion on anything "foreign?" If you're accusing one guy of being a Toyota nuthugger and attempting to counter his observations based on that claim, then everyone can do the same to any of your observations.

Jason E

Whatever helps you sleep at night I'm not all butt-hurt, but I did at your post regardless...deal

It isn't that saying something positive about a foreign vehicle is bad...at all. Hell, I'm turned on more and more by Nissans these days, to be completely honest. I love the new Maxima, I had a demo Altima for a week I was impressed with, and if I was shopping foreign vehicles, a G37 coupe would be, without a doubt, #1 on my list.

Its when you come out with the "well GM can't claim best MPG because the engine that will make up like 20% of sales isn't better than Toyota's V6 MPG" that it feels a little Toyota Nuthuggerish, if you will...that's all.

But hell, what does it matter? According to Threxx I'd take a Liberty over both anyway

Jason E

I give Chrysler more credit than many others on here because I have a much more intimate access to the inner workings of the company...how far they've come with quality (warranty claims were cut by over 50% in ONE YEAR from '07 to '08, according to Automotive News), and the models they have coming down the road. The new 300 is amazing looking. The new Grand Cherokee, I think, will blow away the mid-sized SUV segment, which is admittedly a VERY dying breed. The new Phoenix engine family of DI V6s appears, on the surface, to potentially be the equal of GMs HF DI engines...admittedly, its too early to say that for certainty.

Chrysler was putting itself in a good position BEFORE everything started unraveling last fall. I don't know for sure where they'll end up at this point. Fiat seems to be taking a heavy hand, and it certainly reminds me of the Nissan/Renault alliance. I hope this one is as successful.

Chrysler gets a bad rap on this board for seeming to have poorer quality than it actually does. It irritates me when people say they wouldn't consider a Chrysler because the transmission will give up before it goes into the driveway for the first time. Chrysler's from '01+ haven't had any significant transmission problems, at all.

I think the biggest problem Chrysler has is having a few bright spots in a sea of mediocrity. Rams, Wranglers, Challengers, Minivans and yes, even 300s (we still sell a ton of them) image is marred by all the Avengers, Sebrings, Journeys and PT Cruisers sitting next to them on dealer lots.

But I'll say one thing, and end it there...anyone who's sat in a new Ram knows what this company can do without Daimler hanging over it's head. This was the only real re-design done without input and cost cutting from Daimler. The Journey was too far along to re-do much before debut...and its the only other significant launch we've had since Daimler ended its reign.

I hope for great things...we'll see what happens. Some good stuff appears to be coming though...

Plague

*clears throat*

Getting back to the topic, it is good that GM has done well here. Hopefully they can continue to execute well and keep the product fresh with a good MCE, something they have lacked a lot.

It is also good that GM took the lead with this vehicle and didn't come in second or third with its offering as has been in the past. It is better that GM can say we are the best instead of constantly saying... well, we are almost there.