Built like a Mercedes (?)

Comments4u · 2006-01-29T08:59:40+00:00

With job cuts announced on both sides of the Atlantic, its clearDaimler-Chrysler is serious about cutting the fat. Even more,it has announced plans for increased production at the currentlyhot Chrysler unit without additional workers. That is truelycutting the fat. But observers wonder if Daimler-Chryslerhas really identified all its fat. Its not just in the workforce.It is in the cars and trucks.At the Chrysler unit, the new Dodge Dakota, which, perhaps onlycoincidentally, is selling poorly, picked up 600 pounds in itsre-design, all for a paltry additional 2 inches back seat room.But it merely followed the example of the Pacifica: over4000 pounds for a six passenger vehicle that has all theluggage space - in both shape and volume - of a 78 PlymouthHorizon. The Pacifica isn't even in the same league as Chrysler'sall time weight efficient 6 passenger vehicle: the (then)downsized 79 New Yorker, Newport, and St. Regis, at under 3800pounds.The extra weight is generally not evident on the road, thanks toChrysler's potent engines. But it is at the gas station. Andit certainly takes a toll in increased wear of mechanicalparts.It may not matter, however, if the Chrysler unit can convincecustomers the extra weight means greater quality. Mercedes hasbeen quite successful, until recently, with this strategy.Mercedes' economy car, the C230, makes its tires scream witha hefty load of 3405 pounds. In contrast, a Honda Civic with5 cubic feet greater combined capacity weighs 777 pounds less.But there is always opportunity. With the added weight,Lee Iacocca may be tagging Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeepcommercials with "Built like a Mercedes". Of course, ifthat turns out to be true, Chrysler Financial will soonbe in the business of offering car equity loans for therepair bills.

Jan 29, 2006 725 Replies

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Dori A Schmetterling 20 years ago

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling

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Daniel J. Stern 20 years ago

There's no such a thing as "beyond infinity". MOMMMMMM!

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Hernando Correa 20 years ago

IS TOO 'TRIPLE' DARE and *BEYOND*

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Daniel J. Stern 20 years ago

You keep out of this, Nazi!

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Dave HD 20 years ago

There is in Quantum Physics!!! ;-)

Davehd

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Richard Sexton 20 years ago

Plus one.

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Arif Khokar 20 years ago

Even instant messenger programs follow the same convention. The most recent message appears at the bottom.

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Pooh Bear 20 years ago

Nerr- nerr. My car's better than your car ! :-p

Silly twit !

Graham

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Pooh Bear 20 years ago

formatting link

's_law Graham

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Pooh Bear 20 years ago

It works just fine for my newsgroups requirements.

Upgrading for its own sake is a mug's game.

Graham

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Dori A Schmetterling 20 years ago

Huw keeps forgetting his White Rabbits and No Returns.

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling

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Richard Sexton 20 years ago

Never let a lawyer steal your best jokes and write his own Wiki pages.

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jcr 20 years ago

Message from Pooh Bear written on 2/5/2006 7:31 AM:

You may want to review the laundry list of vulnerabilities that outdated software can expose your PC to. It's really a "best practices" question.

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Arif Khokar 20 years ago

But I use the browser as well. Many websites will not be handled correctly by Netscape 4.x, and, in my case, caused the application to freeze. Also, using an insecure OS like Win 98 doesn't help matters either.

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miles 20 years ago

Thats commercial towing. Any major highway in the USA is chocked full of commerical trailers daily year round. I'm not sure what your point is. There are far more recreational trailers in the USA than in the UK. No comparison.

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Pooh Bear 20 years ago

Perhaps you can enlighten me what vulnerabilities exist reading newsgroups.

I use Opera for web browsing.

My AV is set to auto-update ( it normally does so daily ) and I'm using a recent version of Zone Alarm.

Graham

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Pooh Bear 20 years ago

Obviously an older browser won't handle websites with all the clutter features that exist now.

I use Opera for browsing.

What's so insecure about W98(SE) btw ?

Graham

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Pooh Bear 20 years ago

Given nearly 5x the population that's hardly surprising.

Graham

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Richard Sexton 20 years ago

If by that you mean on Windows-XP I'd agree. Otherwise, not so much as you might think.

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Richard Sexton 20 years ago

If you're running XP you're vulnerable just by being connected to the net even if you're not doing anything. New vulnerabilities come out all the time and it takes MS a few days at least to fix them. And that's being kind.

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