CHRYSLER BANKRUPTCY COMING SOON?

1/25/09  Las Vegas, NV

DODGE's demise ?

ARE you one of the hundreds of thousands driving Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge product and wondering what will happen if they file a Chapter 11?

Chapter 11 is for business re-organization of debt under the bankruptcy laws. I know you are wondering where the  BILLIONS Chrysler (Cerberus) got from TARP went? Where does this leave the pensioners, union contract employees and the owners of “lemon” vehicles still under warranty?

According to Atty. Mark Anderson, the potential bankruptcy issue makes a class-action lawsuit very daunting, however, individual actions for vehicle buybacks may be easier to remedy. I can tell you from recent experience, most of the clients that have spoken to CHRYSLER-JEEP-DODGE company employees have been told to; “SUE US.”  The laws regarding buybacks is regulated by the individual state, and in current economic times, most people don’t have the money to retain a lawyer, so this attitude is having the desired effect for CJD, minimal cost compared to a government mandated recall. There is no question the Cummins 6.7l D-EGR design leads to problems when driven in typical traffic conditions. However, until several people DIE when thier vehcile fails from this problem, the NHTSA is unlikely to do more than post the TECHNICAL service bulletins, of which there are plenty. The average DODGE (and Ford) 2007, 2008 diesel owner cannot expect the government to save them on this one.

SO when the BK comes, the parts will likely remain available for several years, albeit on backorder because they can’t pay the supplier to whom they are negotiating a debt reduction.

Furthermore,  Chrysler’s ability to pay the warranty claims may make individual DODGE dealers react differently towards hundreds of hours of potential “unpaid” labor to reset check engine lights, replace turbos, etc.  The dealer will be left holding the “bag”, trying to do the right thing in the name of customer satisfaction, or turning the client away, knowing full well the customer will likely NEVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE again. To which many a dealer will say, so what, if DODGE ceases to exist.  The dealer with other brands may make more of an effort, but at this juncture, it’s the consumer holding the bag.

I say, don’t wait for Chrysler to BK. Don’t buy into the “spin theatre”of FIAT and Chrysler getting another $3 Billion from the government=US to save the company.

If you want satisfaction with your DODGE RAM 2500/3500 6.7l Cummins Diesel do something NOW:

1. Call an Attorney that specializes in LEMON LAW. if you don’t know one, contact your local legal aid association and ask for a referral. Get all your records together, and go to the dealership for proper documentation of every visit, every time the truck acts up. The more proof of consistent problems, the better your case.  (I have one client who has noted 27 independent occasions of start failure on her JEEP LIBERTY, and it was towed to the dealership 4 times, Chrysler said they needed MORE PROOF of the other 23 times she waited up to an hour for the car to start.)

2. Decide you want to keep the truck, and remove the DPF.

3. Trade it in for a 2009 GMC or 5.9L 2007 Ram or older.

To read more about these Dodge Cummins 6.7 DPF problems and fixes go to:  http://everythingcars.wordpress.com/2009/01/19/cummins-67-legal-aidcummins-67-legal-aid/

DPF: DODGE:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCvmG2_CTx0

DPF-FORD:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQe_SQCW1eU

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Sarah Lee is a veteran auto executive writing on subjects as diverse as cars, gourmet food, travel, art, books and everything cars. She is a passionate consumer car advocate who offers a unique service involving car buying issues; www.mycarlady.com