NE frmhnd

Get the V6 and V8 Cummins motors into your light pickups and large cars.

Build something that I can comfortably climb in and out of. I have to lay onto the passenger seat and go feet-first to get out of that stupid little caliber. I'm not a little guy, but I should be able to look to the side and see something besides the edge of the doorjam.

Last time I was at the dealer, by the time I got situated to the pedals and steering wheel, my shoulder was in the B pillar on every vehicle (including an 08 Ram) except for the Nitro. And I didn't even have to twist me knee to put my foot on the gas in it!

How about building a cheap car, too? If I was in the market for a new vehicle, if you had a small-to-medium car, with A/C, an automatic, am/fm/cd with 4 cheap speakers, power passenger window and mirror, and tires that had a 70 to 85 aspect ratio, so that it wouldn't spin out like my aunt's PT turbo or my sister's neon with those stupid ultra-low-profile tires do any time someone takes a leak in front of the car, I would probably buy it. If the doors were big enough, and the roof high enough, I could make an easy entrance/exit, and not have to lean over the steering wheel to see what color the traffic light is.

NE frmhnd

I have been looking around Fiat's website, and it is hard to find specs on anything, and it's all in metric.

But I like that Massif. Solid axles all on leaf springs. About as simple as it gets. Not being real familiar with metric, I don't know what size it is but it could be a good addition to the Jeep line-up. To be marketable as a full-size here, it needs an 8 foot bed. I wouldn't own another short-bed pickup.

The Daily and the smaller van similar to it could become popular, especially if they are as reliable as and cheaper to buy than the sprinter. I could see the Daily becoming popular with hot-shot operators if it could be build it as heavy as a 4500 series pickup, put the Cummins powerplant in it, and build it as an extended-cab chassis cab, where the extended cab could be used as a sleeper.

Spooler

You tell those idiots over there if they screw up our trucks, We won't be buying anything. I am getting a little PO'd. I am NOT drinking the FIAT coolaid!!!!!!

roadrage1

i agree

ddestruel

KEEP The manual transmissions.

Ford and Chevy have all but discontinued manual trannies and gone the route of too much luxury. I bought my dodge for the manual tranny adn mileage that i get while towing.

Keep the trucks simple. keep maitnance costs down and focus on maintaining the brand as being a solid work truck. Customers in the utility market are looking for the truck that will LAST a long time. drivetrain is the key parts that don't fail every 60k miles would go a long ways to establishing a stronger foot hold in the market.

my suggestions:
1. Start offering some smaller diesel engines in the mid size line. I know if i could get a Dakota with a small turbo diesel and manual tranny like the little hilux i drove in Argentina I would be in there in heart beat buying it. excellent mileage and snappy turbo charged diesel power with extremely long engine life in a 4x4. No brainer. Same thing with the current HD model trucks equit with the cummins I buy it for the decent power but i also buy it for the mileage i get while using. Quit looking to compete in a market that your competitors are saturating already with hybrids and electric vehicles, teh US consumer wants mileage and decent power with minimal service issues. The diesel turbo charged engines offer this and all the other manufacturers have moved away from this. Blue ocean strategy look for the nitch market that your competitors are choosing to ignore.

2. Manual trannies (put them back in the 1/2 tons and don't phase them out for the 3/4 and 1 tons) Don't discontinue the manual tranny it's soon to become a nitche market share as those manual tranny lovers can no longer get that from any other US manufacturer.

3. Consider offering some drivetrain options: manual locking hubs with greasable bearings, greasable u-joints and ball joints. these things aid mpg numbers and contribute to the longevity of the vehicles

4. consider going back to the ultra simple long lasting straight axle on the 1/2 tons. yes the ride is a little less but the simplicity, durability and longevity of that design has served many owners well. It is a favorite in the utility user's market as many companies have found that IFS is more prone to maintance, service and premature failure in 4x4 applications. It could also lend itself to supporting the additional weight of a smaller diesel engine designed with economy in mind.

ddestruel

On my comments 1 & 2 remember the jeep liberty was a success beyond internal estimates. had they offered a stick and a straight axle front suspension they would have gotten a few more people to buy in, if you doubt that pickup a jeep mazine from that era and see/read the enthusiasm of the customer base and then read the later disappointment with the lack of the above mentioned options. I drove my 1999 cherokee AC power windows with a 4.0L engine 4x4 and 5 speed for 230k miles it got 22-24 mpg, and never had an issue with the drivetrain. We had 4 libertys the front suspension needed to be fully gone through at 90k miles on all, the V-6 serviced every 3k miles blew up at 130k and the only one that hasn't had a tranny problem is a 6 speed manual. alot was lost in the downgrading of the quality and durability of those SUV's, i hope fiat is able to bring this back.



For our service trucks and salesman vehicles we are always looking for 250k miles of relatively trouble free service, mileage and durability are the keys. if i could buy a 3/4 ton or 1/2 ton with a small diesel engine or a mid size with a small diesel getting 25 mpg vs the current gasoline options i am limited to with 12-15 mpg I would be there in a second. My guys dont need eath pounding HP and torque, they dont want a slug either but my old 305/555 or the 325/600 was plenty for them to get up and on any highway with a load and not have issues, anything more is a tire burner and parts breaker. And i am tired of only being able to buy automatics for many of these vehicles. use the same good simple syncronized 6 speed or 7 speed manual in all markets europe, south america and the US. example teh zf 6 speed ford used is cheap to get parts for and to repair compared to my nv or the later 6 speed. In the steep hills of the costal northern CA my guys smoke an automatic in 100k miles regardless of manufacturer due to the rugged and long steep driveways up to construction projects.


my .02 for the future of Dodge

truckjunkie

I think this is fake - I don't think slow2run is a member of this 'board' or whatever he was talking about.

slow2run - please reply that you're actually reading these comments, and provide us some of the feedback you're getting from some of the other 'board' members.


.

patdaly

Even if he is a fake, I am sure some "unofficial" Chrysler folks see this site.

Doesn't mean they are smart enough to look at the success of the Sprinter when it had the 5 cyl, and think " Well golly, if we would just build a 1500 with a 3.9ISB, we could rule the market"

But we can dream, eh?

boostjunkie1

FORD will have the first Diesel on the light duty with theF150. They have a 4 Liter V8 Engine that will be here in a year. Guess what........ I will have one if Cummins and Dodge do not work something out on the V8 Cummins.

xp8103

So they're pulling a "GMC" then?

xp8103

I agree on the subject of future CTD direction. There are SO MANY after market devices out there that can give the super HP and super TQ guys what they want IF they must have more. I think that Dodge and Cummins (and Fiat) should be working on efficiency. Get the MPG numbers up to where someone is going to look at what you offer and say "That will be MORE than adequate for my work needs AND I can save my company money with higher MPG!" The business paradigm is shifting and pinching pennies is the name of the game today.

NE frmhnd

Ford says they don't want to have the first diesel 150/1500 truck. retards.

xp8103

Wait until the little Mirhanda diesel gets here and people start realizing that they CAN have cake and eat it too. Look what happened with the Sprinter van in the last few years. They are everywhere now. Ford needs to put a little diesel in the Transit too....

supr

Let me summarize: We want a truck the will win the Top Fuel at the track, get 30mpg towing 20k, 500k warranty, best 4x4 stuff, for $25k, fully optioned.
This concludes the dream portion of your program.

xp8103

Truth be told, if they could produce a rig that would give an honest 15-20 mpg loaded, they'd sell a ZILLION of them. Let's face it, the jobber who's working his rig and trying to make money with it knows how much he can carry and haul. Someone tell me what would make MORE difference to him - being able to haul an extra 1 or 2k pounds, getting up that 6% grade 15 seconds sooner, or trading in a rig that gets 8 mpg for one that doubles (hell even one that increases it 50% to 12) that when working??? Savings in fuel costs ALONE will more than pay for any extra time costs incurred because it took you an extra 15 seconds to get up that grade!