W00T!!1! We be getting the Abarth and Alfas!

2002acr wrote: . I can only hope the new Fiats are way nicer than they were last time they were in the US. Chryslers always had there quality control problems but if you got a good one, it would last forever.

I still think I would rather have an unreliable punto abarth than a reliable caliber

I wonder if the animosity that I receive from the mopar guys would be less if I was driving something like a Fiat Dino

Instead of the tragically dorky and uncool 850 Berlina

Perhaps they see the nerdy clown car as a threat that chryco will start making smart car type things and leave the challenger/charger/300 bling-o-sauruses behind

I actually think that might be the coolest car of the whole readers rides section. haha I really want one of those (or a coupe one) but there are no more left. lol I think you might have gotten the last restorable (but unrestored) example in the country.

mad_machine wrote: Not too many older chrysler products older than 10 years old around here.. most of them died

quoted because of all the truth in it!!!

I worked for a while at a valvolube oil change-o-matic type place. I swear, 60k mile intrepids, stratuses, and sebrings were little more than road lubrication devices...those things had a better chance of holding a world land speed record than all 4.5 quarts of oil over 3 months. And late 80s/early 90s K cars (lebarons/Aclaims etc)...get out the degreaser, cleanup in aisle 4

4cylndrfury wrote:

mad_machine wrote: Not too many older chrysler products older than 10 years old around here.. most of them died

quoted because of all the truth in it!!!

Still plenty around here, even some 20 year old k car junk.

Lennyseleven wrote: Theres one sitting behind the Chrysler museum right now, I remember seeing one on the road in Aub Hills sometime last year and couldnt imagine why there was one here....

One what?

One solution might be to sell Alfa Romeo models under the Dodge brand in the U.S. and Dodge cars as Alfa Romeos in Europe, Marchionne said.

As a fan of previous Alfa Romeo offerings, this little idea really turns me off. I don't have any desire to own a Dodge...

2002acr wrote: Not refining the 2nd gen Neon enough was a mistake. Stopping production altogether was a bigger mistake. What made them think the Caliber was a natural progression? The Viper is the only good car they make. The minivans seem nice these days but not my speed. I can only hope the new Fiats are way nicer than they were last time they were in the US. Chryslers always had there quality control problems but if you got a good one, it would last forever.

I agree... losing the neon was one of the worst things Chrysler could have done. I remember they were all over, but I rarely see a caliber on the road.

As for some Chryslers lasting forver. My mom had a Lebaron that would not die. I guess it was put together on a tuesday at the planet after everyone was over their monday hangover but not yet looking forwards to friday.

I DO like the Chrysler Minivans. They really figured out how to build a nice people mover. I use them for transporting my equipment to gigs. I would never own one, but they are nice to rent.

I want to slap my "Neon" and "R/T" badges on an arbath.

ditchdigger wrote: I still think I would rather have an unreliable punto abarth than a reliable caliber

Me likey! I hope Fiat brings this over, too; it looks better than the 500 Abarth. I hope it drives as good as critics say the 500 Abarth does.

WilD wrote:

One solution might be to sell Alfa Romeo models under the Dodge brand in the U.S. and Dodge cars as Alfa Romeos in Europe, Marchionne said.

As a fan of previous Alfa Romeo offerings, this little idea really turns me off. I don't have any desire to own a Dodge...

+1. Alfa Romeo is one of the few companies that can make even a grocery-getter attractive. If all Fiatsler does is slap a crosshair grille on a 159, the result won't be pretty.

if they do... returning it to alfa specs will be a call to italy away

MadScientistMatt wrote:

porksboy wrote: I hope they dont do the same as Chrysler did with Maseratti in the 80's. A Fiat with a crappy, puny, weak Chrysler engine in it would suck.

Yeah, having the 285 horse turbocharged GEMA mill in a tiny Fiat might be a little bit scary.

My sentiments exactly, except replace "scary" with AWESOME!