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Latest News and Articles

How the Minivan Saved a $300,000,000 Company

In 1979, Chrysler was on the brink of bankruptcy. In 1980, the government bailed them out of a $1.5 billion hole. By 1983, Chrysler had released the first minivan, earning them $300,000,000. How did the minivan save Chrysler?

Near Bankruptcy

Chrysler’s rough financial straits began in the 60s when, in an effort to try and catch its competitors, it tried to expand domestically and worldwide. They were unable to. In the 70s, there were between 3 recessions, 2 energy crises, and new environmental and fuel standards. That’s not even mentioning competition from Japanese and German compact cars. Chrysler couldn’t compete, and was bailed out by the government.

Why Did the US Bail Chrysler Out?

The Government intervened because at the time, Chrysler had a contract to build tanks. This was at the height of the Cold War, and the US was trying to prepare for anything. The government also feared a loss of jobs in the Chrysler factories and their suppliers. Lastly, they hoped the bail out would boost the quality of American cars. At that time, American cars were struggling with pressure to downsize vehicles in the face of fuel crises and environmental standards.

The Birth of the Minivan

To talk about the history of the minivan, I must first mention a man. Lee Iacocca was the president of Ford in the 1960s when he and an engineer named Hal Sperlich helped create the Mustang. I know, this sporty giant is a big leap from the (nerdy) family minivan, but stick with me. The success of the Mustang boosted Iacocca’s reputation, and he and Sperlich began working on the concept of a van that drives like a car in 1974. Afraid of what Henry Ford II would do to it, Iacocca kept his minivan prototype hidden away.

Exodus to Chrysler

Iacocca and Sperlich left Ford for Chrysler in the late 70s. Lucky for them, Henry Ford II allowed them to take their “mini” van with them. This was around the time of the government bailout of their new company. They released the minivan in 1983. The first 2 versions were the Plymouth Voyager and the Dodge Caravan. 209,000 were sold the first year. Chrysler was able to pay off its last $800 million debt 7 years early.

Was the Bailout Worth It?

So was the bailout a good bet? Chrysler rode the wave of the minivan’s success for many years. It owned 40% of the minivan market at its peak in 2001. At that point, other American carmakers had abandoned minivans in favor of SUVs and trucks. The public eventually favored Crossover SUVs over minivans. On the one hand, the bailout was the impetus (or funding) to launch the minivan. On the other hand, it was a short term gain. Chrysler is no more–when it filed chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2008, the US didn’t take the bait. Fiat bought the American carmaker in 2014. Would you trade the innovation of the minivan for more money in your pocket? Let me know in the comments.

See How Easily You can Change your Oil Without Having to Look Everything Up

Picture This

So you’re running errands, minding your own business. You happen to glance at your dash and see that the oil life is -50%. You’re a responsible car owner, and you maintain your own oil. So you know it’s past time to change it. You can take your car home and get to work changing the oil.

And…you first must look up what kind of oil your car needs. Again. Like every time you change the oil. By the time you find out what kind of oil and filter your car needs, you’ve lost your window of time to change the oil. You order the oil and filter, and maybe you’ll remember to change the oil before the gauge reads -230%. What if you could find something to cut that research time down ?

Use Our Service

Now you can use Oil Change Commander. Our service looks up the oil you need by your VIN#, so you can get the right products for your car. When you put in your VIN#, you receive all the details and product recommendations in quarterly emails. These emails not only give you product recommendations, but they also remind you when it’s time to change the oil again. Remember the fun of searching various sites to figure out what oil and filters to buy for your oil change? Forget that stress with Oil Change Commander. It consolidates all that information in one place, so you don’t have to search for it every time you change your oil. Oil Change Commander will give you oil and filter recommendations so you can make sure you are buying high quality products.

The Future You

You’re working at your desk, and you get an email telling you it’s time to change your oil. You check your gauge, and you still have enough oil in your car for the week or so it will take for you to order the recommended products. You perform your oil change just in time, and your car keeps running smoothly. Take the guesswork out of your oil change. Get Oil Change Commander Today.

Don’t Even Think About Changing Your Oil Without Reading This

If you change your own oil, you don’t get those handy little stickers that remind you when to change it again. That’s no reason to go to the oil change shop though. The oil shop is all about the upsell. You’re never sure they are using the best oil for your car. You’re not even sure they are doing a good job of maintaining your car. You can save money and worry by changing your own oil. You must keep some things in mind in order to do a good job changing your own oil. Inspired by this article, here are 6 problems to look out for when changing your own oil.
pouring motor oil

1. Keeping Track of the Date.

Love it or hate it, the reminder sticker from the oil shop does keep track of the mileage and the date you got your oil changed. You don’t have to keep that stuff in your head if you have the sticker on your window. So how do you keep the date in your mind so you can change the oil yourself? We have an app that will help. Oil Change Commander keeps track of your oil change schedule for you. All you do is put in your VIN#, and the Commander does the rest. It sends you an email every three months, and is customizable, so you set the date you want to be reminded.

2. You Don’t Know What Kind of Oil Your Car Needs.

What should you buy? Expensive, premium synthetic oil, or dirt cheap oil? Your manual knows what kind of oil you need. You should consult it. But what if you can’t find your manual? Or you don’t have time? We’ve got you covered. Our app looks up your car by VIN# and makes recommendations based on what your car needs.

3. Finding the Right Weight Motor Oil

There are several things to consider when shopping for oil. For example, your car needs a specific weight oil. How would you know whether you need W-40 or W-30? That gives you something else to look up—adding even more time to the 45 min you’ve allotted to change your oil. Let our app do the research for you.

4. Knowing Your Car’s Oil Capacity:

Another consideration when it comes to changing oil is the capacity. How much oil do you need? You don’t want to guess. You want to know for sure. The Commander will leave all the guess work out of it.

5. There are so Many Brands of Oil Filters.

Which is best for your car? Is it wisest to go with the cheapest filter on the shelf? I mean, you are trying to save money, right? But cheap filters can damage your engine. Oil Change Commander will send you recommendations for the right oil filter for your car. Stop playing Russian roulette with your engine.

6. Changing the Oil Too Frequently, not Frequently Enough, or Not at All.

Can you think of any reasons you might do one of these things? Bingo. You forgot. You have no idea when you last changed your oil. You can either get really fastidious, or you can buy our service. Never worry about forgetting to change your oil again.

7. Bonus: Don’t Forget Routine Maintenance

The oil shop uses routine maintenance to upsell your $39.99 oil change. Before you know it, you’re spending $80, because you couldn’t go tell which recommendation was unnecessary. When you change your own oil, checking your windshield wipers or air filter isn’t upselling–it’s good maintenance. Don’t waste a minute of your time researching proper air filters or windshield wipers. Oil Change Commander will include recommendations for all your routine maintenance needs along with your reminder.

When Remembering is Not Enough

Remembering when to change the oil is such an important issue, we almost named our app Remember the Oil.

But remembering when is not the only issue you run into when changing your own oil. You want to be able to take command of your car maintenance. You want to take control of changing your oil. You also want the convenience of scheduling your oil change, and managing your time. We do the research for you, saving you precious hours. You also want the confidence that you are doing what’s best for your car. Our research will take care of that. You just need to sign up.

Get Oil Change Commander

Get Oil Change Commander, and never worry about changing your oil again.

Available now!

Get Your Copy of the Engine Replacement Course!

Step by step instructions and high-definition videos walk you through the whole process of the engine removal and replacement. The entire comprehensive engine replacement course is available for order right now!

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