The automotive sales sector is in a major state of flux as consumers continue to run from SUVs and pickup trucks into smaller, more fuel efficient cars. One manufacturer hit especially hard by this transition is Chrysler, a company that recently posted the worst fleet average fuel economy numbers of all major automakers in the U.S. due to its truck-heavy lineup. Still, the automaker has built up a large supply of Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep utility vehicles that they have got to get off dealer lots somehow. To ease consumers into the fuel-thirsy utes, Chrysler has introduced new incentives of zero-percent financing for 72 months on the 2008 Dodge Durango, Chrysler Aspen and Jeep Grand Cherokee and Commander.
According to Bloomberg, the demise of the Jeep Commander is but a year away. Anonymous sources inside Chrysler told the news service that with a 43-percent decline this year, which follows declines every year since its first full year on the market, the Commander is surrendering its command.
The SUV's end was claimed to be due to gas prices, since a V8 Commander averages about 17 MPG. However, exorbitant (for America) gas prices haven't killed a number of other vehicles that don't even do that well, so that reasoning makes us wonder. What makes more sense is that in addition to the sales plunge, the Commander was stealing an unexpectedly high number of sales from the Grand Cherokee. In a cozy pool, every little bit of water counts.
If it's true, we have to admit we're sorry the Commander is going away. Some people have taken its boxy simplicity for blah-what-boredom, but it was just the kind of Jeep we like: straightforward, capable, roomy (no, we never put seven people in it), and a solid driver. Obviously we don't speak for the masses, but Commander, you will be missed.
Chrysler is warning 1,338 owners of Jeep Grand Cherokees and Commanders that they could be driving unsafe vehicles. In Chrysler Recall H03, a handful of Jeep owners are told their vehicles' control modules might have been incorrectly installed, which could cause stalling and/or windshield wiper failure. Both of which, as we all know, could be quite dangerous.
The campaign began on February 5, so we might be a little late in warning the few owners involved. But ConsumerAffairs.com quotes several owners of older (some, much older) Jeep Cherokees exhibiting the same problems. The way we see it, if you're driving a 10-year-old Jeep, you should expect an occasional stall and infrequent wiper failures. But with luck, owners of the misbehaving SUVs might just see their vehicles repaired under an expanded recall. Keep your fingers crossed, but don't hold your breath.
