So long Chrysler

[mopardean]

probably like many of you i have been a life long fan of Chrysler automobiles (to wit my board name )

For many years i bought all my vehicles from a small rural dealership located nearby. i knew the owner of the company and he and his employees just did a fantastic job. i would drop off my cars at his house and he would give me something to drive while he took the car to the shop for repair. i would call him with new or used cars that i would need and bought many of them on the driveway of his house.

Chrysler came to him about two years ago and insisted he upgrade his dealership with new carpeting, paint, bill boards etc. He dutifully complied but finally gave up when they told him he would have to build a new building with a big expensive two story entrance, fancy fixtures, etc. For a small country dealership it just didnt make sense and he closed it down

Since then i have attempted to buy a new Chrysler 200 at my nearest Chrysler dealership. The kid sales man knew nothing about the products and tried to talk me into buying a new Toyota which they also sold. i tried to explain to him my loyality to Ma Mopar but to no avail. i followed him back to the Sales managers office and attempted to talk to him directly. He was busy playing a card game on his computer and wouldnt even look up.

In frustration i left and ultimately bought a new Subaru Forester which i love so far.

But having still many Chrysler vehicles to service i had to return to this dealership. A couple of weeks ago i dropped off my 2000 Intrepid to have the charging system checked. Almost a year ago they replaced the alternator. It had failed again and i paid them another 175$ to replace it (labor only)

While i had it there they also found a bunch of other stuff wrong with the car including struts, ball joints, wheel bearings etc. I never noticed anything like that when i drove it and decided to have a local tire shop who i have also dealt with for many years check it out. Turns out none of this was accurate and the car needed nothing. The dealership told me the car was unsafe to drive home...none of this was true.

Later i spoke with a guy in the service dept that has recently left for another job. i knew the fellow well as he worked at my original dealer and started work at the new dealer when the original one closed. He had just recently quit the new dealer because he objected to their business practices of bonusing the service techs if they could talk the customer into doing additional stuff on cars they were servicing.

now it all became very clear. Chrysler essentially chased away a good and decent man who ran his dealership by treating people right. i no longer deal with the owner but instead must suffer stupid little sales kids led by sales managers too arrogant to even talk to me. Now they try to trick me into performing thousands of dollars worth of extra stuff to my car that it doesnt need.

What is wrong with the world? They could not have lost a more loyal customer. I will keep my old slants and stuff but no more new Chryslers. i feel stupid and betrayed. Almost as if they are laughing at my 30 + year dedication to their automobiles.

Maybe Subaru will treat me better.

Sorry this is so long. I had to tell somebody. I feel almost like i am mourning the loss of a long time friend or something . .. . .. Values such as loyality or integrity mean nothing anymore.

[Rob Simmons]

I can relate to your frustration and sympathize with you. That sucks!

Just hang out here where you are understood and appreciated for your commitment to Mopar and Slants. That's what I do.

With the exception of our long gone '95 Caravan Sport and the '05 SRT-4 that I just gave to my oldest son, I have never purchased a new vehicle. I like 'em worn in a bit (and let the other feller take the hit on that initial depreciation...)

I like other vehicle makes as well, but often feel like I'm "cheating" on my first love when I do.

Tell us about what started your love for Mopars in the first place. It will (hopefully) help you take your mind off the current situation with the loss of your favorite dealership.

_________________
Rob
I want to "Slant" the world!
... one vehicle at a time...

[SlantSixDan]

Yeah, 'cause it's really important that a dealership in the middle of a cornfield has to look exactly like one in suburban Denver, which has to look exactly like one in downtown Chicago. Very important. Utterly critical to the success of Chrysler. What a crock!

_________________
一期一会

By birth & parentage: US citizen, 2nd class
By choice: Canadian citizen, 1st class

[vynn3]

I gave up on "modern" Mopars over a decade ago. My new cars tend to be Japanese, but built in the U.S. - Better service and reliability in my experience.

But dealership turnover is the same as any other business: new management can result in a change of personnel that chases me elsewhere. maybe someday I'll get chased back to Mopar...

_________________
vm

[Fab64]

You should send a copy of this post to Chrysler, making sure to address it to Sergio Marchionne, so he can see exactly how the company is being represented to the public. Maybe he might not care, but I'm guessing he would. In any case, it couldn't hurt. Sorry for your lousy experience.

Chrysler Group LLC
Attn: Sergio Marchionne
P.O. Box 21-8004
Auburn Hills, MI 48321-8004

_________________

[mopardean]

Thank you all

Dan : you're right. who really cares about fancy buildings and all that.
what really matters how you are treated and the quality and value of the product being sold

Rob: what got me started with Chrysler was their engineering....the first to offer juice brakes, electronic ignition, rip snorting hemis and indestructible little slants that we all know and love. i also remember their balls out commitment to racing and winning during the horsepower wars of the 60's / 70's. Blowing the doors off the all the little Mustangs / Camaros with a big nasty snorting 440 road runner was just plain fun.

Fab: i may yet send them a letter. They probably need to know this sort of stuff, but i am not yet sure they deserve any more of my time and attention.

Thanks for listening
Dean

[Ceej]

Chrysler was not the first to offer production Hemi's.

But I know what you mean. Fortunately, I've never suffered from brand loyalty myself.
I've watched folks get bent over a barrel by dealerships that know that particular customer carries an emotional attachment.

The manager's work ethic is disturbing, as is the deceptive practice you mention in service. Bet it would be to corporate too.

CJ

_________________

Tyrde-Browne Racing

I'm off to find myself. If I should return before I get back, keep me here.

[64 Convert]

The sad thing is that every car made has those types of dealerships. It's not limited to franchises either.

One morning I brought a set of bare rims into a BX auto shop to have tires installed. When I went to pay for them that afternoon, the service writer (a different one than I had dealt with earlier) had noted on the work order that the front rotors needed turning and the pads replaced. I complimented him on his ability to troubleshoot a car that was sitting at home in my garage, and had never been into his shop.

It was fun watching him squirm and fumble. There are crooks everywhere.

I'm fortunate in that I have two excellent Chrysler dealers that I patronize. One has a parts manager that is an officer in the local Mopar club and an active drag racer, so he makes sure that all the members are happy. The other is in a tiny town, and has a showroom that holds two cars, and service bays for four cars. They weren't required to build a fancy facility.

[wjajr]

My son’s in-laws had been driving those dreadful FWD GM mini vans for some time, and traded the last one in on a new ‘09 Dodge Caravan a few years ago. That Dodge was one PIA with body leaks that could not be repaired after many trips back under warrantee.

After a year or so putting up with many return trips to service department they bit the bullet, purchased a second Caravan with some sort of sweet deal with the dealer because of their rotten luck. This 2010 van was a step up, with a few more bells and whistles than the first. On the 100 mile trip back home with the second new van, it quit running 30 miles into the trip, ans sat dead as a doornail on the side of the road. The hook came from dealership, and a yet another loaner van given for their use until their new one was repaired.

Several weeks passed, when the dealer phoned up asking if they would take a third much higher optioned Caravan with a sticker 7000 bucks higher than the dead one, free extended lifetime bumper to bumper warrantee, and six free oil changes for an even swap.

They took the deal, provided that dealer delivered the van 100 miles to their house with a full tank of gas once in the driveway. The dealer said OK, we can do that.

They love this third Pentastar powered Van, and talk up how well the dealer took care of them.

These folks just stopped by this afternoon, I had known about the leaking mess, and the new dead van, but until today had not known how well they were treated.

_________________
67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

[Sam Powell]

Car salesman have been the symbol of sleazy business dealings for as long as I can remember. They are considered the ultimate in dishonest, and underhanded dealings. The one time I took my Toyota to the dealer, they tried to sell me bogus service. That was the last time I went there for service. So dishonesty is not the province of just Mopar dealers.

The Mopar new car quality slipped badly under Mercedes leadership. All the reviewers say they have come back strong now that the relationship is severed. I have wondered if the reviewers were getting kickbacks, and thus had no integrity. I suspect this is true, but in any event, how seriously can we take their "opinions" at this point?

Bill I am glad to hear your story. I might have just given up when the second van died.

One of the keys to "Living long and Prospering" with cars is finding a good, local, independent, honest repair place. No one formula works for this. You have to suffer some abuse in your search. Once you find them, follow them anywhere. I have followed Tommy Tessier through 4 business changes over 35 years. He was an employee for two of those, then a partner, and now sole proprietor. Not only does he take care of those things I cannot do myself, but I feel good about being able to recommend him to family and friends.

One of the common threads in good service places is either an owner, partner or employee who races. Guess what: Tommy competes in the local tractor pulls. Result: He understands me. Several years ago when I was considering selling the Dart he said, "What are you going to do for a car project?" An auto repair shop like that is golden.

Sam

_________________
A REAL professional is someone who knows when to hit it with a bigger hammer.

[Sam Powell]

Page Two:

You cannot expect modern sales folk to be of any assistance, or to be honest in their dealings with you. This seems sad on the surface, but the internet is your friend here. YOU must do all the research ahead of time. And YOU must know what you want, and why ahead of time. To do otherwise is just asking for trouble.

If you find the dealer trying to sell you something other than what you have decided you want you can be certain of only one thing,and one thing only: They make more money on the thing they are trying to sell you than what you went in asking for. It may be a better product. But, that is not their motivation. Money, money money, money, money,money, money, money,money, money, (as the song from Cabaret goes).

True story:

Yesterday I went to Pep Boys to buy an oil pressure gauge. I could see the display of gauges behind the counter from the doorway as I walked in. I walked over to the "man" behind the counter and stated,

"I wish to buy an oil pressure gauge"

He stood their staring at me as if a martian had just walked in speaking in Martian.

"I see them right behind the counter over there",(pointing).,says I. He just stands there.

Finally the lady next to him says, "Go! Take him back there to look at them."

We went back, and it was clear that he had no idea which gauge was an oil pressure gauge, much less if it was mechanical or electronic. Finally, after looking them over I picked out one that would work,but which was the wrong color and had obviously been returned. I muttered something about the box looking like it had been opened and the product returned and he finally opened his mouth to say,

"I think it will work". Yeah right! What is the basis for that opinion? None what-so-ever. Bottom line: You must know something yourself. The "sales" clerks will not, and cannot be trusted to know. Go on line. Get advice from friends and on line forums. Don't ask a sales person. They cannot be bothered. Like Mopardean says.

Oh yeah, the gauge does work. But I knew I was taking a chance.

Sam

_________________
A REAL professional is someone who knows when to hit it with a bigger hammer.

[SlantSixDan]

[Sam Powell]

Amazing similarity. Sad similarity. Maybe not so amazing now that I think about it.

Sam

_________________
A REAL professional is someone who knows when to hit it with a bigger hammer.

[exoJjL]

Am I the only one here who actually drives a Subaru daily? just sayin'
ooo she needs her oil done today, seems like I just did it yesterday.

_________________
'73 Scamp (the girlfriend): 225ci super/6 2BBL conversion (Almost done!)
'90 Subaru, wagon (the wife): H4-cyl 2.2L

1977 Mercedes-Benz 300D, 5cyl diesel(For sale!)

[supton]

Parents have a Subaru; the 4spd auto leaves something to be desired. Actually, IMO all of it leaves something to be desired... but it goes, and has AWD.

Biggest issue is rust in our northern clime. Dad never washed the underside, so it recently had big dollar repairs for something. Also, he's able to get more mpg out of his V6 Alero than out of the 4cylinder Forrester (both are 4spd auto).