DC making money!

[wormdoggy]

Good to see one of the north American auto makers are doing well. You gotta admit that DC came out with some exceptional performance and exceptional looking vehicles over the last couple of years. I wonder how much of it was do to Mercedes influence though.......then again, DC world wide sales were much larger then Mercedes world wide sales growth?

Now with the soon to be introduced Chinese vehicles hitting our markets , you can only wonder how DC and other North American auto makers will perform going forward. You know they are going to sell cheap.

Here's the article..........



DaimlerChrysler Sells 4M Vehicles in 2005
Sunday January 8, 2:31 pm ET
U.S.-German Automaker DaimlerChrysler Sets Record Selling More Than 4 Million Vehicles in 2005


BERLIN (AP) -- U.S.-German automaker DaimlerChrysler sold more than 4 million vehicles in 2005, the company said Sunday, setting a new record and increasing overall global sales by 3.8 percent.
The increase was boosted by Daimler's U.S.-based Chrysler, which sold 2.83 million vehicles worldwide in 2005, up 4.7 percent from the previous year.

Even the carmaker's flagging luxury Mercedes line posted an increase of 1.7 percent in 2005, selling 1.22 million vehicles globally, it said.

"Both the Chrysler Group and the Mercedes Car Group recorded sales growth around the world in 2005, despite the difficult market environment in the automotive industry," said DaimlerChrysler head Dieter Zetsche.

 

[George Farris]

Some of my high school friends, who always gave me the biz about Mopars, are now driving them!

DCX is building the best stuff.

 

[wormdoggy]

It's funny I have always been a Porsche fan and switched to Viper after having read and gathered so much information on the car.

One of the critical stumbling errors, IMHO , that occurred with Porsche was the assembly line development designed by Toyota to mass produce vehicles. As long a DC keeps the Viper program hand assembled, I believe it will always be a great car and indeed ahead of its time. Look whats happening to Porsche now............still a great car but what a shift in corporate policy. Here;s a new recall......





Do you think DC will ever mass assembly produce the VIPERS?






Porsche Recalls Selected 911 Carrera S and Carrera 4S Models for Exhaust Pipe Tip Replacement
Wednesday January 11, 10:03 am ET


ATLANTA, Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Porsche today announced a recall of certain Porsche 911 Carrera S and 911 Carrera 4S sports cars for potentially defective exhaust pipe tips. The recall involves those cars built between April 20, 2004, and October 21, 2005, 5,385 of which were sold in the United States and Canada.
On these cars, it has been discovered that the exhaust pipe tips fitted to the tailpipes might have inadequate welding seams between the fastening clamp and the tailpipe itself. Should these welding seams fail, the tips can vibrate lose from the tailpipe and fall off. To date, approximately 30 instances of this occurrence have been reported worldwide.

Owners of these potentially affected 911s will be informed shortly to take their cars to an authorized Porsche dealer where new exhaust tips with improved welding seams will be installed at no charge.

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, Ga., and its subsidiary, Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd., are the exclusive importers of Porsche sports cars and Cayenne® sport utility vehicles for the United States and Canada. A wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, PCNA employs approximately 300 people who provide Porsche vehicles, parts, service, marketing and training for its 211 U.S. and Canadian dealers. They, in turn, provide Porsche owners with best-in-class service.

 

[VENOMAHOLIC]

DC has indeed been doing awesome. The Hemi engine hype has a lot to do with it. The design of the 300c is in my mind an astonishing joining of German and American design and build quality. With all this success, they have the resources to make the GEN IV Viper awesome, possibly alongside the Firepower.

I did not know Porsches are now assembly line produced. I always liked Porsches because they are fast, agile, and refined. The exhaust tip recall seems a bit trivial. Were there any other notable recalls?

 

[wormdoggy]

Here are a few other examples............my point is that, IMHO, assembly line production of high end sport cars does not seem to work very well. Crankshaft rear main seal leaks which plague Porsche cars to this day have never been recalled. Way too expensive for recall notices.

Anyway this is a Viper forum and I will make this short but I just hope DC never assembly line produces the Viper.






Recall Date:
APR 10, 2000

Summary:
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. INCORRECT PROGRAMMING OF THE ELECTRONIC LOGIC UNIT CAN CAUSE AN INCORRECT FUEL LEVEL.

Consequence:
THE VEHICLE COULD RUN OUT OF FUEL CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER.

Remedy:
DEALERS WILL UPDATE THE SOFTWARE IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SO THAT THE FUEL LEVEL AND THE RANGE OF REMAINING FUEL ARE DETERMINED AND DISPLAYED CORRECTLY.

Potential Units Affected:
2734


2003 PORSCHE CAYENNE Recall ID from NHTSA: 04V593000
Auto Recall Date: 20041215
Vehicle Component: SEAT BELTS
Estimated Vehicles Affected: 31000
2003 PORSCHE CAYENNE Defect Summary:
CERTAIN PASSENGER CARS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." ALL THREE REAR SEAT POSITIONS AND THE FRONT PASSENGER POSITION ARE EQUIPPED WITH SEAT BELT RETRACTORS THAT HAVE A LOCKING FEATURE WHICH CONVERTS THE RETRACTOR FROM AN EMERGENCY LOCKING RETRACTOR (ELR) MODE TO AN AUTOMATIC LOCKING RETRACTOR (ALR) MODE FOR THE PURPOSES OF CHILD RESTRAINT INSTALLATION. THE BELT MAY DEACTIVATE THE ALR MODE WITH CERTAIN CHILD RESTRAINTS.
Defect Consequence:
WHEN INVOLVED IN A CRASH, THE CHILD RESTRAINTS MAY NOT BE PROPERLY SECURED INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.
Remedy:
DEALERS WILL PERMANENTLY INSTALL A CLIP IN EITHER OF THE AFFECTED REAR OUTBOARD SEAT BELTS AND PROVIDE AN OWNER'S MANUAL INSERT. THE CLIPS WILL PREVENT UNWARRANTED CONVERSION FROM ALR TO ELR MODE WITH CHILD SEAT INSTALLATION. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 17, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT PORSCHE AT 1-800-545-8039.
Notes: PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA, INC., A506
2003 PORSCHE BOXSTER Recall ID from NHTSA: 03V004000
Auto Recall Date: 20030123
Vehicle Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Estimated Vehicles Affected: 12234

2003 PORSCHE BOXSTER Defect Summary:
CERTAIN 2-DOOR CONVERTIBLE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TIPTRONIC (AUTOMATIC) TRANSMISSION MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITH AN INCORRECTLY ADJUSTED KEY-LOCK-CABLE DOWN TO THE SHIFT SELECTOR. IF THE KEY-LOCK-CABLE IS NOT ADJUSTED CORRECTLY, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE IGNITION KEY WILL SNAG UPON BEING REMOVED FRO THE IGNITION LOCK OR THE SLECTOR LEVER CAN BE SHIFTED FROM POSITION "P" WITH THE IGNITION KEY REMOVED AND THE LOCKING BUTTON OPERATED.
Defect Consequence:
IF THE SELECTOR LEVER IS THEN SHIFTED FROM POSITION "P" TO POSITION "R, N OR D" WITH THE VEHICLE PARKED, AND IF THE PARKING BRAKE IS NOT ON, THE VHEICLE WILL NOT BE SECURED FROM INADVERTENLY ROLLING AWAY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy:
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE CABLE ADJUSTMENT AND, REGARDLESS OF THE RESULTS OF THIS INSPECTION, THE KEY-LOCK-CABLE MUST ALSO BE ADJUSTED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 15, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT PORSCHE AT 1-800-545-8039.
Notes: PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA, INC., A305

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I don't see where assembly line or "hand built" makes such a big difference in recall stats. The Viper has had it's share of recalls - head gasket, steering rack, rear mount, valves.

Porsche has not lost any ground in the quality race.

 

[viperbilliam]

Interesting point about the assembly line for high end sports cars; maybe that's why I had so much trouble with my C5 Vette. The Chevy salesperson said problems are inherent in sports cars! I don't accept that. On the other hand, a good assembly line should produce good consistent quality at lower cost. Hand assembly can produce variation because of human skill.

 

[KaiPL]

I've noticed that many high end sports cars tend to have their engines built as a unit by a guy or team of guys, rather than putting the engine together on an assembly line. If nothing else, there's some pride and accountability that comes from having your name on the engine you built.