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Car Forum / Chrysler Cars / January 2005Chrysler group set to kill off its Dodge Stratus and Chrysler Sebring coupes
http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=101450 Chrysler group set to kill off its Dodge Stratus and Chrysler Sebring coupes MARY CONNELLY | Automotive News Posted Date: 12/20/04 DETROIT -- The Chrysler group will abandon nearly all two-door vehicles after the 2006 model year, says Trevor Creed, senior vice president of design. The Dodge Stratus and Chrysler Sebring coupes are expected to go out of production at that time. "If you do a two-door, people say it looks sportier but that a four-door is more practical," Creed says. "There is no market for two-doors." Chrysler will continue to offer a two-door Sebring convertible, Creed says, adding that "impracticality" already is built into a convertible. Chrysler does not break out coupe and convertible volume when it reports Sebring and Stratus sales. Through November, Stratus sales totaled 91,299 units, down 2.1 percent from the same period a year ago. Through November, Sebring volume reached 95,672 units, up 4.4 percent from the same period in 2003. The Chrysler group is redesigning its mid-sized vehicles for the 2007 model year. They will be derived from a platform developed with Mitsubishi Motors Corp. A sedan and a convertible are expected to be the first two offerings and likely will be sold as Chrysler-brand cars. Dodge is developing a five-door hatchback. The Sebring and Stratus coupes are built at Mitsubishi's Normal, Ill., assembly plant. The Chrysler group's contract with Mitsubishi to produce vehicles in Normal expires in 2005. The Sebring and Stratus sedans and the Sebring convertible are built at Chrysler's Sterling Heights, Mich., assembly plant. > http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=101450 > > Chrysler group set to kill off its Dodge Stratus and Chrysler Sebring > coupes <yawn.> Will anyone miss them? I think I miss the Omni and Horizon more than I'll miss those generic bland-mobiles. To me, the Cirrus, Stratus, and Sebring have always represented the worst of trying to out-Japanese the Japanese makers. Boring, soulless, insipid, generic people-movers. Even the Sebring convertible has little to recommend it- if it had ever had some real power and maybe a 5-speed, it might have been a different story. yahoooo! those cars are a pile of sh.t > http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=101450 > [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] > The Sebring and Stratus sedans and the Sebring convertible are built > at Chrysler's Sterling Heights, Mich., assembly plant. > yahoooo! those cars are a pile of sh.t How so? oil leaks . wheel bearings, cheap interior parts that break when cold abs units, 4 cy. headgaskets creaking windows and the blower resistors > > yahoooo! those cars are a pile of sh.t > > How so? > oil leaks . wheel bearings, cheap interior parts that break when cold > abs units, 4 cy. headgaskets creaking windows and the blower resistors > >> > yahoooo! those cars are a pile of sh.t >> >> How so? These flaws apply to most vehicles. Did you experience any of them on your Dodge Stratus/Sebring Coupe? The segment is the inexpensive mid-size car segment...which is a large part of the market. People that buy this level of car is looking for something inexpensive and doesn't have a high level of expectation because of that (exceptions exist) I had a 2003 Chevy Malibu LS. Trust me, the Stratus (my wife has) and the Sebring (that I have that I bought to replace the Malibu) is a MUCH better car compared to the Malibu. It's much quieter, less road, suspension, engine and wind noises, smoother riding, doesn't leak every time it rains (although after 5 days the dealer did get the Malibu leaks fixed). The HVAC controls don't "feel" as cheap. It's a inexpensive car for a market of people looking for "average" rides. So for that market, I'd argue that they are perfectly acceptable! I've seen specially-optioned Sebrings in dealer showrooms that had better interiors than 300m's, and cost practically as much. The condensation of the Chrysler car line continues. >I've seen specially-optioned Sebrings in dealer showrooms that had >better interiors than 300m's, and cost practically as much. > >The condensation of the Chrysler car line continues. ..............and so does your continued griping....................! > I've seen specially-optioned Sebrings in dealer showrooms that had > better interiors than 300m's, and cost practically as much. Hardly! I don't know what "sticker's" you've been looking at. But a decked out Sebring can be had for the low $20's (low-end for around $16K). I paid ~$21K for my 2004 and it's a LXi with leather seats, sunroof, auto-stick, and several other goodies. A decked out 300M you're talking low $30's, at least! > The condensation of the Chrysler car line continues. Which is not a good idea. Toyota surpassed Chrysler by making 500 different SUV models and 800 different car models, then threw in a couple hundred truck models for good measure. Of course an exaggeration, but Toyota has been *adding* models with over 20 different model vehicles now I believe. If Chrysler kills the Stratus/Sebring without replacing it with something for that niche, that market will have no choice but to go elsewhere (Probably to Toyota or Honda). >> I've seen specially-optioned Sebrings in dealer showrooms that had >> better interiors than 300m's, and cost practically as much. [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > something for that niche, that market will have no choice but to go > elsewhere (Probably to Toyota or Honda). Unfortunately, they have pretty much already gone. >>> I've seen specially-optioned Sebrings in dealer showrooms that had >>> better interiors than 300m's, and cost practically as much. [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >> elsewhere (Probably to Toyota or Honda). > Unfortunately, they have pretty much already gone. I see quite a few Stratuses and Sebrings here. But, you're right in that there are more Camrys and Accords (lord the new Accords are ugly!) in comparison. > I see quite a few Stratuses and Sebrings here. But, you're right in that > there are more Camrys and Accords (lord the new Accords are ugly!) in > comparison. Have you ever sat in the latest Accord? Visability not much better than the Chrysler 300. >> I see quite a few Stratuses and Sebrings here. But, you're right in that >> there are more Camrys and Accords (lord the new Accords are ugly!) in >> comparison. >> > Have you ever sat in the latest Accord? Visability not much better than > the Chrysler 300. I think the new Accord looks worse than the 300....and that's pretty bad! > The segment is the inexpensive mid-size car segment...which is a large part of the market. People that buy this level > of car is looking for something inexpensive and doesn't have a high level of expectation because of that (exceptions > exist) Yep - most of those sorts of people have discovered that they can buy a 2-3 year old high-end car that has come off some idiot's lease, that is a better car for the buck. Few of them are looking for new cars. With the 0% financing and all that, the higher-end market has been hopping, causing a huge number of nearly new used vehicles to hit the used market. The mid-size market is also being chewed into by the low-end, like the Kia's and crap like that - some of those former midsize buyers are now going econobox shopping. Ted I don't know many perople that buy used cars, having had a unusual amount of bad luck buying other people's problems. Perhaps the cars these days hold up better to those people that buy a new car knowing that they will be trading in off in a couple of years so never spend the $$$ to do the maintenance. (which is where most used cars seem to come from in my experience) > I don't know many perople that buy used cars, having had a unusual amount of > bad luck buying other people's problems. I'm just the opposite- I don't know many people that buy NEW cars and then lose half the value as they drive off the dealer lot. Buying a low-mileage used car makes more sense now than ever before... and its ALWAYS made a lot of sense. >> I don't know many perople that buy used cars, having had a unusual amount >> of bad luck buying other people's problems. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > used car makes more sense now than ever before... and its ALWAYS made a > lot of sense. Glad you've had good luck with it. But I usually keep my cars 10-15 years...so want those puppies treated right from mile 5. Plus the depreciation hit isn't bad over that time period. I'm more interested in the more basic cars, not the high end ones anyway. But to each his own. Different things work for different people. >>>I don't know many perople that buy used cars, having had a unusual amount >>>of bad luck buying other people's problems. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > the more basic cars, not the high end ones anyway. But to each his own. > Different things work for different people. Keeping the car that long makes the difference. We bought my wife's '93 brand new in March of '93, and she's still driving it at 217,000 miles. But if you do what most people do- replace every 3-5 years, then buying new is very foolish. Most people I know who like to turn over cars every couple of years buy the car at around 1 year old, or get a 'program' car from a dealer which is not quite as painful as buying at full price. The downside is that you don't get to pick every option. > I had a 2003 Chevy Malibu LS. Trust me, the Stratus (my wife has) and > the Sebring (that I have that I bought to replace the Malibu) is a MUCH > better car compared to the Malibu. I have NO doubt of that. But saying that a JA-body car is better than a Malibu is the textbook definition of "damning with faint praise." :-) >> I had a 2003 Chevy Malibu LS. Trust me, the Stratus (my wife has) and >> the Sebring (that I have that I bought to replace the Malibu) is a MUCH [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > :-) I guess I just like that model vehicle. In fact the wife just got back from a road trip to Arkansas in her 2003 Stratus (~18 hours each way) and praised how comfortable the car was and how well it performed in the Appalachians and Smokies. And she exceeded 30MPG overall. Seems hard to beat to me! Every time I am in a Stratus (loaner or rental) I am favorably impressed. Might be low expectations because of unfavorable reviews. I know others who feel the same way. >>> I had a 2003 Chevy Malibu LS. Trust me, the Stratus (my wife has) and >>> the Sebring (that I have that I bought to replace the Malibu) is a MUCH [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Appalachians and Smokies. And she exceeded 30MPG overall. Seems hard to > beat to me! The coupe is nothing more - or less - than a Galant / Eclipse. 100% Bitsumishi. I won't shed a tear. In fact, I will dance on Mitsubishi's grave. The friendly folks who built the Zeros that 'did' Pearl Harbor. The sedan and ragtop is a great car, and a true Mopar. U.S. designed and built, no Daimler stuff, either. Rick > Every time I am in a Stratus (loaner or rental) I am favorably impressed. > Might be low expectations because of unfavorable reviews. I know others who [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > Appalachians and Smokies. And she exceeded 30MPG overall. Seems hard to > > beat to me! Not much of an argument, is it? This could be an argument against all German and Japanese products and even Italian products (maybe you do boycott all those). Furthermore, should we refuse to buy IBM because they sold the punch cards to the German government that helped them organise the holocaust? BTW, I have read that the Japanese did the Americans (and the rest of the 'west') a great favour at Pearl Harbor because it a convinced Americans to join the war and destroyed what was a rather outdated fleet of ships, thus forcing the US govt to build a much more modern fleet... DAS  SignatureFor direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling --- [...] I won't shed a tear. In fact, I will dance on Mitsubishi's > grave. The friendly folks who built the Zeros that 'did' Pearl Harbor. [...] >>>I had a 2003 Chevy Malibu LS. Trust me, the Stratus (my wife has) and >>>the Sebring (that I have that I bought to replace the Malibu) is a MUCH [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > how comfortable the car was and how well it performed in the Appalachians > and Smokies. And she exceeded 30MPG overall. Seems hard to beat to me! I agree that they're very serviceable cars. I was just commenting on the fact that they're practically invisible on the roads... just like a Camry. An appliance, not an "interesting" car. > I agree that they're very serviceable cars. I was just commenting on the > fact that they're practically invisible on the roads... just like a Camry. > An appliance, not an "interesting" car. That is a true statement...relatively basic transportation. For some reason, some people have a need to have their car define who they are. But most people don't seem to have that type of emotional attachment to them. >>I agree that they're very serviceable cars. I was just commenting on the >>fact that they're practically invisible on the roads... just like a Camry. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > reason, some people have a need to have their car define who they are. But > most people don't seem to have that type of emotional attachment to them. I don't buy that argument. Relatively few people let their car "define" them. Its a cheap-shot at arm-chair psychoanalyzing- just like saying that anyone who owns an old Muscle car must be going through a mid-life crisis. No, its not about appearances, its about the MACHINE. To quote the editor of Muscle Car Enthusiast magazine, "its ALWAYS been about the machine, and middle age just happens to be when we can afford what we've always wanted..." Speaking for myself, I spend enough hours in the car, and I *enjoy* both driving and maintaining cars enough, that I cannot and will not settle for a "generic people mover." you just described every older 4 cyl!!! oil leaks . wheel bearings, cheap interior parts that break when cold abs units, 4 cy. headgaskets creaking windows and the blower resistors "James C. Reeves" wrote: "mic canic" <dbrider@cac.net> wrote in message news:41D2C0E8.EC10E237@cac.net... > yahoooo! those cars are a pile of sh.t > How so? |
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