[Ken Sands]

A message to Sergio Marchionne - Dont drop the Dodge brand in Australia and replace it with Fiat.

I bought a Dodge Journey early last year which I purchased because it was American as I was bored with Japanese cars. I wanted something different.

The car is great and I would buy again.

If the same car was badged as a Fiat (Freemont) - there would be no way that I would have bought it.

Australian's do NOT BUY OR LIKE FIAT CARS! ( they have long memories of past Fiats)

The reason Dodge has not sold very well over the last sIx years has a lot more to do with the poor marketing and promotion of the products than the cars themselves.

Give DODGE another chance by promoting and pricing the products better and give us the NEW DODGE DART.

Australians love Jeeps , and would love well built and priced American made and branded product - DODGES and CHRYSLERS.

Thank you.

 

[con383]

A message to Sergio Marchionne - Dont drop the Dodge brand in Australia and replace it with Fiat.

I bought a Dodge Journey early last year which I purchased because it was American as I was bored with Japanese cars. I wanted something different.

The car is great and I would buy again.

If the same car was badged as a Fiat (Freemont) - there would be no way that I would have bought it.

Australian's do NOT BUY OR LIKE FIAT CARS! ( they have long memories of past Fiats)

The reason Dodge has not sold very well over the last sIx years has a lot more to do with the poor marketing and promotion of the products than the cars themselves.

Give DODGE another chance by promoting and pricing the products better and give us the NEW DODGE DART.

Australians love Jeeps , and would love well built and priced American made and branded product - DODGES and CHRYSLERS.

Thank you.

+1 :runaway:

 

[Hemi 265]

Dear Sergio. Do not remove Dodge from Australia. no one will buy your pos Fiat's. Dodge deservs to live on outside the US or Americas as you have once said. You want to sell cars and make money. So stop telling people or nations what they want to buy and give nations what they want to buy. For years People in Australia have been asking for Charger, Challenger etc. Similar car's to what Australia themself produce. Dodge outsold Both Alfa and Fiat put together, with the older and limited range we have here, without having the the new impressive Dodge lineup. Every time there is an artilcle about Dodge on a website, the reader comments allways show that people in Australia always scream for Charger, Durango and Challenger etc. so i attached some links.

http://www.caradvice...-new-cars-2012/
http://www.caradvice...uture-in-doubt/
http://news.drive.co...0111-1pu5n.html
http://www.themotorr...e-caliber-nitro

If Dodge goes, i will have to return my Mopar Badge and stick to buying Mitsubishi vehicles. Buy the way i am an Italian who lives Australia and i wont buy a Fiat BADGED car ever..

 

[tryphon]

Dear Sergio. Do not remove Dodge from Australia. no one will buy your pos Fiat's. Dodge deservs to live on outside the US or Americas as you have once said. You want to sell cars and make money. So stop telling people or nations what they want to buy and give nations what they want to buy. For years People in Australia have been asking for Charger, Challenger etc. Similar car's to what Australia themself produce. Dodge outsold Both Alfa and Fiat put together, with the older and limited range we have here, without having the the new impressive Dodge lineup. Every time there is an artilcle about Dodge on a website, the reader comments allways show that people in Australia always scream for Charger, Durango and Challenger etc. so i attached some links.

http://www.caradvice...-new-cars-2012/
http://www.caradvice...uture-in-doubt/
http://news.drive.co...0111-1pu5n.html
http://www.themotorr...e-caliber-nitro

If Dodge goes, i will have to return my Mopar Badge and stick to buying Mitsubishi vehicles. Buy the way i am an Italian who lives Australia and i wont buy a Fiat BADGED car ever..

So, the badge is more important than the car?

 

[Jeepnut]

So, the badge is more important than the car?

To a die hard fan yes it is I wouldn't buy a Wrangler if it was badged as a Fiat

 

[bumonbox]

I remembered seeing they don't sell the Charger in australia, and if I am not mistaken, this is a car many would like. From what I have read, the problem seems to have been they haven't made any real effort to jump start the brand over there.

Consider what Australian cars GM has borrowed from. From what I can tell, Dodge would be right down their alley, if they just put a little money into it.

 

[Dan Minick]

So, the badge is more important than the car?

To a die hard fan yes it is I wouldn't buy a Wrangler if it was badged as a Fiat

Of course! Badge is everything, thats why we'll see Jeep nameplates on Fiats--people will buy them. You read it here, from a diehard fan. !end of discussion.!

... where's that pot stirring icon?...

 

[Jeepnut]

Of course! Badge is everything, thats why we'll see Jeep nameplates on Fiats--people will buy them. You read it here, from a diehard fan. !end of discussion.!

... where's that pot stirring icon?...

Building vehicles for a brand based off another brands platform/architectures is one thing but replacing the brand entirely is another

 

[RVC]

Interesting rationale, so you mean that die hard fans would buy a Dodge instead of a better and less expensive alternative; even thought the dodge was inferior and more expensive? Because that has obviously not been the case so far in Australia....
Had die hard fans been so crucial, they would have bought Dodges in Oz even thought their "marketing was crap", and kept the brand a viable one in Australia. I read a comment from a guy that didn't even know that Dodges were sold in Australia, 'cause he never ran across one! OTOH, the same article states that FIAT sales have been increasing, simply by offering the giulietta and the 500. Granted, it's an easy increase in sales starting from basically nothing, but it means that people are more than willing to buy FIATs.

Having said that, I personally think that there is space for both brands in Australia. Keep Dodges for Holden-buying downunder muscle car lovers, and FIATs for people that want an alternative to VW.

AND I didn't read anything from that interview that could be misconstrued as evidence that Dodge is being dropped, so all this ain't nothing more than a lot of noise out of an unsubstantiated rumor.

 

[MoparNorm]

AND I didn't read anything from that interview that could be misconstrued as evidence that Dodge is being dropped, so all this ain't nothing more than a lot of noise out of an unsubstantiated rumor.

You must have this thread confused with the Barracuda thread.

 

[Dan Minick]

There isn't really anything in the article that says Dodge is being dropped in Australia. All that is discussed is the issue of distribution being brought back under Fiat-Chrysler control for Fiat & Alfa; and the topic that they are going to be serious about Australia. The dilemma of Australian sales, is the issue of RHD vs. lack of volume. Australia as a market cannot sustain costs of development, however if coupled with South Africa, etc. product can be. Typically, Africa/MidEast/Australia have had similar (although not the same) end products.

 

[jerseyjoe]

So, the badge is more important than the car?

MOPAR or NOCAR!!!!!!

 

[artsybob]

Being the country that once had cars like the Chrysler Valiant Charger and the Holden Monaro, you'd think Australia would be a natural market for the Charger and Challenger.

 

[Hemi 265]

So, the badge is more important than the car?

Yes of course it is.

I remembered seeing they don't sell the Charger in australia, and if I am not mistaken, this is a car many would like. From what I have read, the problem seems to have been they haven't made any real effort to jump start the brand over there.

Consider what Australian cars GM has borrowed from. From what I can tell, Dodge would be right down their alley, if they just put a little money into it.

Exactly what i think. Dodge is more suited to Australia than the other brands.

 

[Hemi 265]

Interesting rationale, so you mean that die hard fans would buy a Dodge instead of a better and less expensive alternative; even thought the dodge was inferior and more expensive? Because that has obviously not been the case so far in Australia....
Had die hard fans been so crucial, they would have bought Dodges in Oz even thought their "marketing was crap", and kept the brand a viable one in Australia. I read a comment from a guy that didn't even know that Dodges were sold in Australia, 'cause he never ran across one! OTOH, the same article states that FIAT sales have been increasing, simply by offering the giulietta and the 500. Granted, it's an easy increase in sales starting from basically nothing, but it means that people are more than willing to buy FIATs.

Having said that, I personally think that there is space for both brands in Australia. Keep Dodges for Holden-buying downunder muscle car lovers, and FIATs for people that want an alternative to VW.

AND I didn't read anything from that interview that could be misconstrued as evidence that Dodge is being dropped, so all this ain't nothing more than a lot of noise out of an unsubstantiated rumor.

Well as i said Dodge has outsold all the current brands except Jeep. Smalls numbers i know under 3000. But remember we only have the Caliber, Nitro and Journey. The Caliber i think sold better then 500 and Giullietta. They only relaunched about sept an it has sold better than it ever did. Also being behind here we were still feeling the affects of the bankruptsy and at time had nothing to sell. And as for a more superior product. Do you think a chinese built Fiat to substitute Dart is better?
Your right about Dodge still might not being Dropped.

 

[Hemi 265]

There isn't really anything in the article that says Dodge is being dropped in Australia. All that is discussed is the issue of distribution being brought back under Fiat-Chrysler control for Fiat & Alfa; and the topic that they are going to be serious about Australia. The dilemma of Australian sales, is the issue of RHD vs. lack of volume. Australia as a market cannot sustain costs of development, however if coupled with South Africa, etc. product can be. Typically, Africa/MidEast/Australia have had similar (although not the same) end products.

I do understand what you are saying. But when you invest in something, you spend money. The point i'm trying to say it may be worth spending the money and giving us what we wan't to buy from the company, to attract people to the brand for not only now but for future sales. as i said, i've heard more people screaming for Charger, Challenger and Durango than anything from Fiat. My brother for example know nothing about the current offerings from Dodge here but he always say's if the Charger or Challenger comes here i'll buy one. He is not the only one.

Being the country that once had cars like the Chrysler Valiant Charger and the Holden Monaro, you'd think Australia would be a natural market for the Charger and Challenger.

Yes, you would think..

 

[con383]

Australia is and always will be favouring rear drive muscle , sides over 1 million cars sold in this country isnt a bad number.
dang right about the badge MOPAR or nothing!!!!!!!!!!

Only thing i relate to fiats is another word for ugly crap!!!!
Dodge means reliable performing family car that can take it to the locally made products
and win!!!!
I got the money now give me something for it and i don't mean an suv either, four doors with 8 or six cylinders!!

 

[RVC]

Do you think a chinese built Fiat to substitute Dart is better?

Not sure about your question. If you accept the Dart and accept the fact that it is de-facto very much a FIAT-based product, then what is your uncertainty based on: the fact that it will be build in China? I remind you that all Japanese manufacturers as well as BMW ,Audi, Mercedes, ( and shortly even Porsche in all likelihood) produce in China to the same specs and quality levels that they do elsewhere.

Other than that, technically speaking a Dodge dart won't be better or worse than a FIAT dart-o: they are exactly the same thing, with slight styling differences in the front and rear (and surely the interior since as it is now it wouldnt fly in Europe for sure, and they are talking about re-importing it back to Europe from China).

But I get where you are coming from so I won't argue with you about this, you clearly have a passion for Dodges, and as such it's pretty much a sacred argument

 

[MoparNorm]

I remind you that all Japanese manufacturers as well as BMW ,Audi, Mercedes, ( and shortly even Porsche in all likelihood) produce in China to the same specs and quality levels that they do elsewhere.

I can't let that go....The specs are the same, the results not always so...
Having seen first hand the beautiful products built as samples and then later the garbage built under "contract", based upon those same samples, I can say that chinese quality is not consistient, nor trustworthy...unless it comes from Taiwan