1992 Dodge Caravan Base Mini Passenger Van 3-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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FCA's shifter fiasco proves novel gear selectors are a bad idea

What's wrong with PRNDL? Why are automakers trying to overly complicate the simple task of selecting gears? If there's any lesson to learn from the recent news that NHTSA is investigating 853,000 Fiat Chrysler vehicles over its problematic gear selectors, it's that the trend of fancy shifters needs to stop. Now. Last year, NHTSA opened an investigation into Jeep Grand Cherokee models, and has now expanded this probe to include the 2012-14 Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger. The problem? The shifter – assembled by ZF – is confusing for many drivers. "Testing ... indicates that operation of the (electronic) shifter is not intuitive and provides poor tactile and visual feedback to the driver, increasing the potential for unintended gear selection," a NHTSA document states. More than 100 crashes and over a dozen injuries are linked to this problem, according to The Detroit Free Press. To us, the problem isn't just limited to FCA. These unnecessarily novel gear selectors are spreading like wildfire across the industry. Honda and Acura use a weird pushbutton setup. Lincolns have buttons on the dashboard. Jaguar's shifter electronically raises out of the center console. Mercedes uses a stalk with up-for-Reverse, down-for-Drive, push-for-Neutral arrangement. And what the hell is BMW thinking with its M cars? FCA has since abandoned the confusing shifters in question. The 300, Charger, and Grand Cherokee now use the rotary shift dial that's quickly proliferating across the company's brands. Simplistic gear selectors might not be sexy, but no one ever complained about not being able to find the right gear in a Hyundai Sonata. What's most interesting is that this NHTSA investigation could push FCA – and possibly other automakers – to redesign vehicle functions that otherwise operate as designed. Just because most people will never have a problem putting a Dodge Charger in Reverse doesn't mean there isn't a flaw with the design. But perhaps a more simplistic solution – good ol' PRNDL – would have prevented these issues from the start. Related Video: News Source: The Detroit Free PressImage Credit: Copyright 2016 AOL Government/Legal Chrysler Dodge Jeep FCA shifters

Junkyard Gem: 1990 Dodge Colt Vista

The partnership between Chrysler and Mitsubishi started way back in 1971 and led to plenty of Mitsubishis being sold in the United States as Chryslers, Dodges, Plymouths, and Eagles (plus the use of Mitsubishi engines in all manner of Chrysler-built vehicles). The Colt name – used on a series of Galant-, Lancer-, and Mirage-based cars – became a fairly successful brand for Chrysler, and so it was slapped on Dodge- and Plymouth-badged Mitsubishi Chariots. The Colt Vista wasn't a huge sales success, and you won't see many today, but they had a certain following. Here's a rare '90 that I spotted in a Minneapolis self-service wrecking yard over the summer. Just 114k miles on this one, but the rust got pretty bad and that's the most likely culprit for its junkyardization. These cars made good family haulers, although you wouldn't find many of their 2016 counterparts sporting three pedals. Turbo Tom kept it going for quite a while, but rust never sleeps in Minnesota. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. In Japan, the Chariot was sponsored by the terrifyingly disembodied head of Mickey Mouse. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Seats seven actors! Featured Gallery Junked 1990 Dodge Colt Vista View 17 Photos Auto News Dodge Automotive History Hatchback Minivan/Van dodge colt

Roadkill builds crazy-cheap 1968 Dodge Charger rat rod using an old motorhome

Certain requests for description simply cannot be fulfilled, like if someone asked you to describe Picasso's Guernica or Gilliam's Brazil. There is only one appropriate answer to such entreaties, and that is: "You just gotta see it." That's where we are with the latest episode of Roadkill, wherein Messr's Freiburger and Finnegan dig out a 1968 Dodge Charger that Freiburger acquired in exchange for a set of cylinder heads, and intend to stuff it with the big-block motor from a long-bed, three-quarter ton Dodge pickup.
Only the pickup is too nice to tear apart, and the Charger needs a whole lot more lovin' - and parts - than initially expected. Enter, stage right, the Class A Dodge Pace Arrow motorhome with a 440 big-block purchased for $1,000, and a retired Plymouth Fury from a previous episode.
What ensues over the course of the 40-minute installment is more cuttin', yankin', leakin', stallin', hammerin' and smokin' action than you've seen in a long time, and some techniques that would have made even Cooter wonder, "I'm not sure if we should do that." By the end, though, the payoff is good enough to make you think about perusing AutoTrader for a '68 Charger just to see if maybe...