Ugly Chryslers don’t sell

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Chrysler announced it will “idle indefinitely” the St Louis plant where the minivans are being built.

That doesn’t mean they’ll stop selling them. The Minivans are still being built at another plant.

This is just more bad news for Chrysler. But really. When thee came out there were already some of the ugliest minivans out there. Just like the Sebring is one of the worst looking sedan.

This has always been true: a good design sells.
If you don’t have great quality or reputation, and your designs are unattractive. You’re in big trouble…

Conversation 27 comments

  1. If ya ask me it’s not just gas prices that are killing this thing it has extremly dorky looks and is too boxy and big, when it was 1st introduced it was nimble garageable and small and cheap and could be had with a 4 banger, now its very pricey and a gas hog, when plymouth was still around and selling there cheaper version i saw them everywhere, more so than the chyrsler or dodge’s version.
    So just like other vehicles that overpriced themselves outta there respective market’s (supra, rx7) chyrsler is killing there own market, with no cheap versions no small wheelbase and a flat out lousy design. my local dealer has tons of them all priced over 35k, in a recession people put off big ticket items and look for most bang and quality for there buck and this aint it !

    Also the minivan killed the stationwagon and now the suv-cuv is killing the minivan, moms did not wanna be seen in a station wagon and now they cant be seen in a soccer mobile van. the tahoe is the new CHIC mobile not a miata or beetle, i rarely ever see a dude driving a tahoe anymore, its only females and there always and i do mean always on the phone here in so cal. cant wait for today, when these bad drivers driving these large vehicles start getting tickets for yapping on there phones relentlessly !

  2. And this is the same Chrysler that has periodically led the way with style over the past sixty years. When they are good they are great, but when they are bad, well theres no half measures with this company is there. I doubt they’ll survive the next three years. In fact I doubt Ford will survive as an independant either.

  3. Chrysler seems to have made the same fatal error that they did with the Sebring and as GM did with the last generation Malibu. They took a look at the competition and said “the marketplace WANTS dull.” So they delivered dull. The problem is, Chrysler delivered a dull minivan without any of the attributes that makes people want Odysseys and Siennas. Really, no one is excited to own an Odyssey, Camry, Accord or Camry but these are the default purchases for minivan and sedan buyers who aren’t automotive enthusiasts. So at least they are keeping up with the joneses and don’t have to use a lot of brainpower making a decision. Kind of like me buying a dishwasher… I don’t know dishwashers, so I’ll probably just buy a Kitchenaid. I don’t know lawnmowers so I’ll probably get a John Deer. Conversely, the Chrysler has neither the styling nor the perceived quality of the competition. So what does it have in its favor that’ll get people to consider one? Am I taking crazy pills, or is it as simple as that?

  4. Chrysler has been bumped around by its owners for too long a period of time. The results are now showing. Consumers know that Chryslers days are numbered. There is no sense supporting a car company that will not be here in the future. I bought new chysler products years ago. I would not buy them now. They are yesterdays car company.

  5. ooops…well, check the June sales data – the minivans are actually the only ones with increased sales. Look at the sales of the “stylish” 300…

  6. ooops…well, check the June sales data – the minivans are actually the only ones with increased sales. Look at the sales of the “stylish” 300…

  7. I’m sure sales will skyrocket seeing as how Chrysler has extended their “Gas for $2.99” gimmick…I mean…deal.

    That more than makes up for the inferior product they’re pushing…am I right, or am I right?!

  8. Chrysler took a GIANT LEAP backwards with their current minivan redesign! Once the industry leader, they took a third or fouth place position against their competitors in the segment they created. Even the Nissan Quest looks more modern in a funky sort of way. A radical new design needs to be created to save this floundering segment.

  9. Yeah, they really have turned themselves into Yesterday’s car company. The 90s was a good time for them…they knew how to design cars.

    I guarantee you if they were somehow able to reboot production of the Intrepid, Concorde, and 300M, they’d still be able to survive in today’s marketplace on styling alone! Just think of how those vehicles would save people from Avengers and Sebrings. Even when being sold side by side, I always saw more Neons and LHs than Stratus and Sebring sedans. The minivan is their bread and butter, and when they can’t even get THAT right, they are doomed for sure. Ford still has a fighting chance and has a hero now. GM, it took awhile, but they’ll be fine now. The 90s wasn’t the best of times for them.

  10. Your comments about the minivans are not supported by the facts. If you look at the June dales data for Chrysler, you will see that the minivans are the only vehicles with increased sales.

  11. The VW Routan should be rebadged as Caravan and Town & Countries…they look so much better even though they’re based on Chrysler.

  12. And the sad thing is that, they have nothing in the pipeline. That’s more bad news for Chrysler. How come domestics car companies don’t get the point. They can close all of them. We have enough choices now.

  13. And all the Mercedes engineers and all the MB Dieter men …couldn’t put Chrysler together again

  14. “This has always been true: a good design sells.
    If you don’t have great quality or reputation, and your designs are unattractive. You’re in big trouble… “

    This isn’t always the case, Vince, and you should not make it sound like it is. The old Taurus and the current and last Escape sell incredibly well to fleet companies….

  15. Dieter von Zeitse is a crook, who cares, mercedes is walking and Chrysler aint a rockin” actually, they are rocking on the brink of disaster.

  16. 10:27

    Unlike midsized sedans, minivans need to almost completely rely on consumer sales to be successful. The 1st generation Escape was well received by the public and sold well even without fleet sales. The new one, I’m not so sure. As for the old Taurus, it might have seen brief success with fleet sales, but ultimately it failed because Ford couldn’t make any money off of a car with no resale value in the marketplace.

  17. Looks like the Flintstone Engineers at Cry-sler finally produced a proper chassis with these new minivans…Now they need to work on the drivetrain. Whatever, cry-sler is finished.

  18. Barney and Fred resigned from Cry-sler…Something about health insurance not covering their blistered feet.

    Cry-sler is toast so nothing really matters…Even Mercedes couldn’t save the primative goons.

  19. Hey Vince, Can you find and put up a picture of the Volkswagen 2001 Microbus Concept vehicle. It was a crying shame it never saw the light of day! This is what a clean, modern and sophisticated minivan should look like in 2008!

  20. Oops. What does that mean to the VW group? Their copy of the Chrysler van is not even out in the market yet.

  21. Fred and Barney wanted to cut a big hole in the floor for when the drivetrain crapped out at 50K miles but Nardelli wouldn’t let them. Nardelli wants you to buy a new one every 3 years.

    Fred and Barney were fired!

  22. The looks, especially for a minivan, are so NOT the issue overall.The downgraded quality, digusting interior unless you go T&C LTD and which is still questionable at the core then, floaty and easily droopy rear suspension, and yes that ugh outside look all are reasons.There’s actually a boatload TON of them around everywhere, at least here, but also even as useful as a minivan is, it’s big and few want big anything anymore. And when the quality feel (or lack…), looks, and other aspects go south like so much of Chrysler, things happen.Edmunds.com long-term blog has been a perfect example and review:https://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/camaro/

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