http://money.cnn.com/2008/01/03/news...ion=2008010404

 

I think the failing publicly traded auto manufacturers want Chrysler to fail, because they are afraid of private companies. It'll be interesting to see what pans out, because private companies don't have to squat compared to public companies. Chrysler was the only company to have positive sales numbers last month.

 

Unfortunately, in this case, Cerberus is probably worse than investors. Management there is far more interested in turning a profit than they are listening to consumers.

 

Close, but off a little bit. The 3 Headed Dog is much more interested in cash than earnings. I know this from personal experience in the paper industry ...

 

That's what I meant. They're not worried about dividends, as stockholders would be. They're interested in how much profit (cash) they can get back either as profits from sales, or making the business look attractive enough that they can sell it for more than they paid, either whole or in pieces. Preferably the latter (in their eyes, not mine).

 

Your probably right, but at the same time a private company has a lot more flexibility to maneuver due to less regulation and oversight. If they play their cards right, they have an advantage over GM and Ford, but it is a big hole to climb out of.

Now if they can just shed the Unions they will actually be able to compete with the foreign automakers. I worry they will not pull it off and will break Chrysler up and sell the parts to the highest bidder. Jeep owned by some Chinese or Indian company like Land Rover will be soon.

 

I say they sell everything off EXCEPT Jeep, and turn it into the In-N-Out of the vehicle industry...small menu, simple designs, awesome taste!

 

"and the unnecessary Jeep Commander. " A Commander was needed, and I think has been needed since the Wagoneer went away. The problem was they went cheap and just put a bigger box on a GC platform. If they had done the large SUV right, they would have had something with the mystique of a Range Rover at the price of a Tahoe, and kicked the market. Now with CAFE coming, there is a small window to get into the big SUV market.

No go it alones. With CAFE, you need little cars to balance out the real ones.

 

I think you're right about that. I think the fact that they're looking at all outgoing cash like someone else mentioned is a good indication that they're trying to get a good picture about the goings-on. How bad were Chrysler's books that they cannot figure it out from there!?

 

X3

Ford has gone to the dog's.

And over the past couple years the Chrysler group has made some dull choices for vehicle designs in an otherwise volatile, designer friendly, vehicle market.

Besides, if they don't take if off the market the Chinese will own them eventually anyway.

I'm all for it!