Mopar Masters Guild Magazine September-October 2022

From the Desk of MMG President Joe McBeth

Make Your Plans Now!

Happy Fall Everyone –

I hope this edi on of our newsle er finds you all well and ge ng ready for the holiday season. It is always great to be able to reconnect with family, friends and colleagues during this me.

We recently had our 20-group mee ng in Grand Rapids, MI hosted by MBA Dealer Services. We had a great 2 days and a lot of fantas c ideas came out of our mee ng. If you have not a ended this 20 Group and you are eligible, I highly recommend you signing up. You can contact MBA Dealer Services for more informa on. I am sure Mark or Jen would love to hear from you.

Our commi ee members have been busy mee ng with our suppor ng vendors over the last few months and we have more coming up soon. These mee ngs are great for our guild members and suppor ng vendors alike. A lot of the current products we all use were born from these mee ngs over the years, and we are grateful to our vendors for allowing us to par cipate in the process. We will be repor ng on these mee ngs in our newsle ers.

Lastly, I hope you have all made your reserva ons to a end our annual mee ng in Dallas, TX this January during the NADA conven on. If not, please see the following page of this edi on for all that info. The deadline to register for our event is January 3rd so I’d reccomend you make those plans now!

We are pu ng together several days of mee ngs to exchange ideas that can help us all grow our business. We will also have our suppor ng vendors a ending and presen ng to the guild during this me. It will be great to see everyone again!

Of course, you know we aren’t “all” business. We are planning several fun events and get-togethers I am sure you will all enjoy as well. Please make plans to a end.

I look forward to seeing you all soon!

McBeth - jmcbeth@thedallaspdc.com

President - Mopar Masters Guild - Parts Director - Dallas DCJR

If you are interested in joining the Mopar Masters Guild, please visit their website to see if your dealership qualifies to become a member. h ps://moparmastersguild.com/membership/

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Plans for our 31st Annual Mee ng of the Mopar Masters Guild Mee ngs at NADA 2023 in Dallas, Texas are well underway! Come join the celebra on and see your friends! Our Hotel of choice this year is The Hotel Crescent Court - 400 Crescent Ct, Dallas, TX 75201 Use the following link to secure your reserva ons:

Hotel Crescent Reservations

Tenta ve plans so far:

Tuesday January 24th, 2023

Arrival in Dallas - Member Gathering in the Evening (TBA)

Wednesday January 25th, 2023

MMG Meetings - (TBA)

Thursday January 26th, 2023

MMG Meetings - (TBA)

Thursday Evening January 26th ,2023

Registra

January 3rd, 2023

Mopar Masters Guild Annual Cocktail Reception at The Backyard - 505 N Good Latimer Expy, Dallas, TX 75204

Friday January 27th, 2023

MMG Meetings - (TBA)

& Full I nerary will follow soon! Check Your email!

The exchange of

in

MBA Service & Parts Manager 20 Groups Host Mopar Masters Guild Meeting in Grand Rapids

The Mopar Masters Parts & Service Managers met in Grand Rapids, Michigan recently to a end the MBA Service &Parts Managers 20 Group with hosts Mark Beaton and Jen Short.

Day 1

There were 32 live a endees and 4 Virtual a endees gathered in Mr. Beaton’s hometown! Mark wasted no me by gree ng everyone and thanking them all for their attendance. A er informal introduc ons from everyone, we got right into business.

Our discussions began with Ovestaffed or Understaffed departments.

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

We all met for dinner this evening at Grand Wood Lounge and although many were catching up on what’s been going on since our last mee ng, there was plenty of “shop talk” on things that were covered and subjects that everyone would be asking about on Day 2.

A good por on of our morning was

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

with the con nua on of our Composite Reviews.

Mark then brought us into our discussions asking all of us to review one thing in par cular that dealers were doing well and one area where dealers struggled.

Mark gave us a presenta on on the Legality of Dash Cams. Each state has their own laws.

A er a break for lunch, we then went over the Eye Exam Update.

Continued from Page 7

Next, we moved into our Service and Parts Breakout Sessions

Each were grouped by Service or Parts

Great input from everyone. We shared ideas and we also got some great ps about each other’s DMS. This is some of the informa on that we come for. Many of these ps result in our ability to streamline our daily opera ons. The unselfishness of our Mopar Masters Guild is what allows us all to benefit from everyone’s exper se.

This took us to the end of our day and the comple on of another 20 Group mee ng that keeps us on the cutng edge of learning!

Hope to see many more Service & Parts Managers at our next MBA Service & Parts Managers 20 Group!

Submi ed by Jim Jaeger – MMG Secretary

Parts Director – Bosak Motors of Merrillville

Our 2022 fall session Mopar Masters Guild 20 Group mee ng is underway in Grand Rapids!

This room is filled with years and years of automo ve exper se and MBA Dealer Services, LLC is honored to be the host of their 20 Group mee ngs.

If you are interested in joining the Mopar Masters Guild, please visit their website to see if your dealership qualifies to become a member. h ps://moparmastersguild.com/membership/

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Meet Mark Beaton & Jen Short MBA Dealer Services

Jennifer Short, CEO

Jennifer began working in the automobile dealership industry in 2002 in the areas of warranty administra on and Business Development Center installa on and training. In 2005, Jennifer joined MBA Dealer Services and began performing administra ve du es for the fixed opera ons consul ng side of the business and helped create MBA’s Service and Parts Manager 20 Groups in 2007.

Then, Jennifer helped design and install Chrysler LLC’s Service and Parts Manager Performance Groups in 2010.

During 2012, Jennifer began a similar task with Case New Holland (CNH Industrial) with the forma on and installa on of their Service and Parts Manager Performance Dealer Groups, which she led the administra on of these Dealer Performance Groups on behalf of Case New Holland Industrial, today.

Also, in 2012, Jennifer became the Managing Partner and Chief Informa on Officer of MBA Dealer Services. Then, in 2018, she became the Chief Execu ve Officer, a tle she s ll holds today. See her LinkedIn page for more informa on: linkedin.com/in/jenniferkshort

Call or text, 616.337.8927 or email us at Jen@MBADealerServices.com for more information on MBA Dealer Services Fixed Operations Consulting services or Fixed Operations 20 Groups

Mark Beaton, President/Moderator/Founder

Mark has served in most posi ons of auto dealership fixed opera ons as well as both an opera ons manager and dealer partner.

A er he le his last store, he began as a Service & Parts Instructor and Subject Ma er Expert for Chrysler Academy as well as FCA BusinessLink, FCA’s commercial truck division.

In 2010, Mark helped create, launch, and moderate Chrysler LLC’s Service and Parts Manager Performance Groups (AKA FCA 20 Groups) and con nued to serve as moderator un l October 2021.

Since 2012, Mark has worked with Case New Holland (CNH Industrial) to create their Performance Dealer Group (the equivalent of FCA’s 20 Groups) for Case New Holland’s service and parts managers.

He has been a featured speaker at Case New Holland PDG mee ngs, Digital Dealer conferences, and the SEMA Show. See his LinkedIn page for more informa on: linkedin.com/in/professorbeaton

Call or text, 616.337.8927 or email us at Mark@MBADealerServices.com for more information on MBA Dealer Services Fixed Operations Consulting services or Fixed Operations 20 Groups.

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

Mopar

for

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Ram Commercial is well known for being the most upfi er-friendly brand on the truck market.

The new 2023 Ram ProMaster con nues this tradi on with features designed to efficiently meet the mul tude of specific customer needs.

Adding to the upfit adaptability of the Ram ProMaster, Mopar offers a comprehensive por olio of quality-tested, factory-backed accessories for voca onal, delivery, lifestyle and van-life users.

“The new 2023 Ram ProMaster is designed and built to meet the demands of a variety of customers and their upfit needs,” said Mark Bosanac, North America senior vice president, Mopar service, parts and customer care. “To further enhance the customer experience and the demand for customiza on, Mopar offers more than 140 quality-tested, factory-backed parts and accessories for the new Ram ProMaster and more than 600 across the en re Ram Truck lineup.”

Below are select Mopar accessories available for the new 2023 Ram ProMaster, shown with new-vehicle sales op on code (three digits) and/or Mopar part number, plus U.S. manufacturer’s suggested retail price. For more informa on, customers should visit their local Ram dealership or the Mopar e-Store.

From the Mopar Custom Shop – available as an op on with a new Ram ProMaster dealer order:

Cargo-load floor (CT1 | $975 - $1,325): Using a modular design that precision fits all ProMaster models, the cargo-load floor features an an -slip surface coupled with integrated rails, carriage bolts and D-Ring hardware

Crew-van Package (AAF |$ $6,495): Includes a rear bench seat that provides three addi onal seat spaces while leaaving the rear cargo area open for other uses and separated with a built-in safety paron. The rear seat is designed to accommodate under-seat loading for longer items. Fixed polycarbonate windows are added to second-row posi ons (driver side panel and sliding door). The result is a premium-executed, flexibly equipped offering

Paint-protec on

(XPG | $695): Protects

paint in high-usage areas. The kit includes approved

t the contours of the vehicle and tested to meet Mopar’s stringent quality and performance requirements

From Mopar

lm specs designed to

(CTE

$295): Includes

(CKL

for

Cargo ligh

(LCP / 82214239

$260): Set of two, 4-inch, LED, easy-to-mount light strips that illuminate the rear

Passenger-side step (MRZ / 82214884 | $580): An -slip exterior step provides easy cargo access through passenger-side cargo door. Matches rear step and is capable of loads up to 450 pounds. For use with 136-inch, 159-inch or 159-inch extended wheelbase vehicles only

D-pillar grab handles (CSR / 82214221

$130): Set of two heavy-duty (le -hand and right-hand sides) handles for interior D-Pillar (rear cargo doors)

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

From Ram dealership or Mopar e-Store:

Receiver hitch (82213897AB | $450): Class IV, 5,100-pound max capacity; 510-pound tongue weight; includes 2-inch receiver and Ram-branded cover

All-weather

oor mats (82214969 | $185): For front

sec on with bucket seats; includes Ram logo

Wheel-lock kit (82214002 | $73): Kit includes four locking lug nuts and an exclusive key

Locking gas cap (5278655AB | $37): Black-sa n locking cap features a quick-on/o

, quarter-turn operaon from a rust-resistant, stainless-steel lock and two keys

Ram Commercial

Ram Commercial will introduce a ba ery-electric ProMaster in 2023 in response to strong customer demand. More informa on will be available at a later date.

Ram Truck Brand

Ram con nues to outperform the compe on and sets the benchmarks for:

1,075 lb.- . of torque with Cummins Turbo Diesel

Towing capacity of 37,090 lbs. with Ram 3500

Segment first 1,000 lb.- of torque with Cummins Turbo Diesel

Payload of 7,680 lbs. with Ram 3500

Most luxurious: Ram Limited with real wood, real leather and 12-inch Uconnect touchscreen

Best ride and handling with exclusive link coil rear and auto-level air suspensions

Most interior space with Ram Mega Cab

The most cargo space available in any tradi onal full size cargo van

Most capable full-size o

-road pickup – Ram Power Wagon

Ram 1500 TRX is the quickest, fastest and most powerful mass-produced pickup truck in the world

Most awarded light-duty truck in America

Highest owner loyalty of any half-ton pickup

The latest J.D. Power APEAL study, which rates the emo onal bond between customers and their vehicles, named the 2022 Ram 1500 as the best vehicle in the large light-duty pickup category. This marks the third straight year Ram 1500 has received top honors.

The Ram 1500 lineup includes the Know & Go mobile app featuring an immersive experience for customers who want to learn more about their vehicles.

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Continued from Page 12

Ram is part of the por olio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellan s. For more informa on regarding Stellan s (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellan s.com.

Mopar

This year marks the 85th anniversary of Mopar.

A simple combina on of the words MOtor and PARts, Mopar offers excep onal service, parts and customercare. Born in 1937 as the name of a line of an freeze products, Mopar has evolved over 85 years to represent both complete vehicle care and authen c performance for owners and enthusiasts worldwide.

Mopar made its mark in the 1960s during the muscle-car era with performance parts to enhance speed and handling for both on-road and racing use. Later, Mopar expanded to include technical service and customer support, and today integrates service, parts and customer-care opera ons in order to enhance customer and dealer support worldwide.

Complete informa on on Mopar is available at www.mopar.com and the newly redesigned Mopar blog at www.blog.mopar.com. For more informa on regarding Stellan s (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellan s. com

Source: h ps://www.prnewswire.com/

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

Chrysler wants to take on Tesla and attract young urban buyers with transition to fully electric

As the race to catch current EV leader, Tesla, heats up, an unlikely contestant is about to emerge, according to Chrysler’s CEO Chris Feuell. The automaker’s CEO argues Chrysler has what it takes to go a er the electric vehicle pioneer. Chrysler’s turbulent history in the auto industry

Chrysler has a rich history in the auto industry, playing a pivotal role as one of the “big three” American automakers, along with Ford and GM.

A er officially forming in 1925, Chryslers low priced Plymouth brand helped grow the automaker into a powerhouse during the recession. However, since then, the company has had its fair share of struggles that have led to an image of instability.

On the edge of bankruptcy in 1980, President Jimmy Carter approved a loan for Chrysler worth nearly $1.5 billion. The bailout s mulated Chrysler as the automaker invested in full-size models, proving to be a success as it paid its loan back seven years early.

However, rising gas prices shi ed consumer buying habits as people looked for smaller, more efficient op ons. By the end of 2008, the financial crisis sent shock waves through the global economy, and the big three’s market share had shrunk from 71% in 1998 to around 47%.

Chrysler was, once again, forced to ask for a government bailout. A er repaying the loan in 2011, the US Treasury sold its shares to Fiat, which later bought the remaining shares to become known as Fiat Chrysler.

In 2021, a deal with PSA solidified Fiat Chrysler as a part of the newly established auto group, Stellan s.

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

from

The auto industry is under a significant transi on, one of the largest the industry has been through, as automakers strive to catch Tesla and solidify their role in the future of transporta on with electric vehicles. Despite being the first brand under the Stellan s umbrella to offer a plug-in hybrid, the Chrysler Pacifica, the brand has no full EVs to speak of yet. How does Chrysler plan to take on Tesla without a single fully electric model?

Chrysler believes it can beat Tesla at its own game in electric vehicles

In January, Chrysler revealed its plans for an all-electric future, giving us a glimpse into the company’s future with its Airflow crossover concept while vowing to have a full EV lineup by 2028.

The Airflow EV concept, according to the automaker, is what “the future looks like to Chrysler,” with a powerful range (up to 400 miles), level 3 autonomous driving capabili es, and “groundbreaking” digital technology.

The idea is to appeal to young urban drivers, like the PHEV Pacifica, says Feuell.

Everyone’s going a er Tesla. But I think Chrysler is the one brand in the por olio that has the capability to do that, because we’ll be hyper-focused on just a BEV offering, the design themes, and we saw a li le bit of it when you saw the Airflow design. It’s very aero and contemporary with though ully appointed technology that helps make the driving experience easier, be er and safer. And I think that we’ve got a real shot at taking on Tesla.

According to The Detroit News, Chrysler’s image as an innovator has faded over the years, but some believe they can get back to their old ways. Sam Abuelsamid, the principal e-mobility analyst at Guidehouse Insights, states:

If Chrysler can introduce some EVs that really highlight that and get them back in that space, it’s not the craziest idea. There’s some possibili es there, but they have to really execute.

Daniel Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securi es, adds:

Chrysler’s brand has always been aspira onal, but accessible when it comes to price. Demographically, it appeals to an under-40 demographic that is a sweet spot for electric vehicles and has been for Tesla. He adds if Chrysler truly wants to take on Tesla, it needs to generate “demand out of the gate” and can’t afford to delay its electric vehicles any further.

Electrek’s Take

Taking on Tesla is a tall task for any automaker, in my opinion, but for a company with no fully electric vehicles to claim they have what it takes is pre y bold.

Chrysler, being under the Stellan s umbrella, where other brands such as Fiat and Peugeot are far ahead in terms of EV offerings, should help the automaker get its foo ng.

At the same me, Tesla con nues breaking its own electric delivery records with 343,000 EV deliveries in Q3 alone. On top of this, Chrysler is not the only one with its sights set on Tesla’s electric market. Nearly every other automaker is trying to outpace Tesla as the EV pioneer con nues execu ng.

Source: h ps://electrek.co/2022/10/10/chrysler-sets-sights-on-young-electric-buyers-take-on-tesla/ Ar cle by Peter Johnson

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

Our Supporting Vendors: Support those who support you

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

The View From My Office

With Kat Monteiro

Happy Fall Y’All!

I have been enjoying pictures on Facebook from friends who are out enjoying the changing of the season and snapping pictures of all the beau ful colors the trees are producing. It is just so incredible to me! Going back to the East Coast to witness this beauty is on our bucket list. Hoping to make it happen next year. Southern California really doesn’t show us much as the seasons change. The days get shorter, the weather chills off a bit but that is about it. As I write this the Santa Anna winds are blowing and it is 90 degrees outside! Now if you travel up into our local mountains there is some color, or if you go north up into the Sierra Mountains or Yosemite you will see some beau ful color up there, but s ll nothing compared to the pictures I see of the Eastern United States. I am sure all this beauty is bi ersweet for many of you. The hot, humid summer is over, the air is clean and crisp - but wait...winter is right around the corner! Ugg!

We have been busy lately. We took a trip to Benton, Louisiana to visit Rick’s family that lives there. It was such a nice visit and I love spending me at their house which is right on a lake. Rick and John played golf for 6 days and completely wore each other out! But they had a lot of fun and made some great memories.

We also a ended two weddings and a funeral - isn’t that a movie?

The first wedding was for our nephew Jake Monteiro. He married a beau ful girl by the name of Sydney. They held their wedding in Flagstaff, Arizona and it was just beau ful. We spent some good family me together which was so wonderful because we have not seen much of each other over the last few years. Our girls also flew in so that made this momma very happy!

The second wedding was here in San Diego for a long me friend, Rich. Rich and Rick used to work together way back in the day at the original Kearny Mesa Dodge, back in the 80s. Rick and Rich were roommates when I came into Rick’s life 35 years ago! We were all roommates ll Rick and I bought our condo and moved out. We have stayed in touch and have remained friends all these years. Rich married Pam, the perfect girl for him. I know they will keep each other entertained for many years to come. Rich has waited so many years to find the perfect woman to marry and he definitely found her in Pam. We are so happy for them both.

Then there was the funeral - which really wasn’t a funeral but a Celebra on of Life for the beau ful woman known as Judith Powell - Jack Powell’s wife of 46 years and mother to Jasen and Jasmine. Her health had been declining over these last years and the heavens decided it was me to end her suffering. It was the most beauful celebra on with friends and family, a gentleman who played the piano and sang so beau fully he brought tears to my eyes, a DVD of family pictures and Judith’s life playing on the TV, a table of things Judith enjoyed laying out to look at - like jewelry that she had made and photo albums - I think I enjoyed looking through her and Jack’s wedding album the most - the weather was perfect for the late a ernoon and at the end we were graced with a beau ful sunset over the ocean and hot air balloons floa ng in the sky. It was a beau ful send off to a woman who cherished her family, and was always so kind and welcoming to me every me I was in her company.

For this issue I was inspired by our last issue of the Mopar Masters Guild Magazine regarding women in the industry.

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

I want to introduce you all to Kat Freeman. She is an awesome woman who works at our dealership, Jack Powell CDJR. She probably thought I was a li le much when we first met. I got excited when I read her name on her uniform and let her know I was a Kat too! I told her at least I would never forget her name. I do miss her and our conversa ons.

Kat quickly became a force to be reckoned with at Jack Powell. She is a hard worker and really knows her cra . She is really good at diagnos cs. It worked well for the other mechanics because the car would go to her first, she would diagnose the problem, then send it to another mechanic for the repair. So much me was saved. She has been with Dodge for 6 years. In those 6 years she went from star ng out as a lube tech and worked her way up to the job as our shop ForemanForewoman! She is so driven to be be er and do be er.

Kat a ended school for Auto and Diesel Mechanics at Universal Technical Ins tute in Rancho Cucamonga, California. She said that there were 3 other women a ending school with her.

When I asked her why she decided to become a mechanic she told me a story about always being with her dad when he was working on cars. She would hand him the tools he asked for. She took up riding dirt bikes and Go Karts and whatever else she could drive or ride. Tinkering on the motors with her dad. Unfortunately her dad passed away and she lost interest in everything and stopped doing all the things she loved to do with her dad. Her uncle became her legal guardian and he gave her her first car. Only thing was it did not run so he told her she needed to fix it. Since she wanted to drive it, she started working on it and was determined to make it run again. As she was working on this car she discovered how much she liked the challenge of trying to figure everything out. She did struggle and did need some help, but she was enjoying the process. A er she figured the car out and got it running her uncle told her how good she was with hands-on projects. He told her that her dad would have been so proud of her. A er hearing that she told me something clicked in her head, that this is something she really enjoys, and it’s like a memory of her dad. It is like they are working on stuff together again. (isn’t that a great story!!)

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

So off to school she went and her dedica on and love for her job and her cra has put her in the posi on she is in now. Her favorite part of her job is diagnosing the cars that we have nowadays. Trying to find an issue, tracing it for days, that challenge, and that relief you feel when you get it figured out! She says that she does best with the Hybrid vehicles and electrical concerns. She feels that this industry is really opening up more opportuni es as hybrids and electric vehicles become a bigger part of our everyday life.

As successful as she has been, she will tell you that this industry is a tough one to be in as a woman because it has been a man’s industry for so long. One of her fears she had to overcome was asking for help. Feeling she would be judged harder for doing so. She had to learn that it was ok to ask for help, and with that she grew and became more confident. I wonder how she feels now, when the men are asking her for help? I hope she feels proud, because she has worked hard to become one of the top women in the industry.

you all have a Happy Halloween and a Happy Thanksgiving

Wholesale Parts Pro Powered by

A en on All Mopar Masters!

It is important to know that the Team at NiTS Solu ons is showcasing special pricing and no set up fee in their current adver sement and will welcome any members as new clients at significant discount where interest presents itself.

Feel free to reach out to Kim Cygan, Senior Director of Marke ng with direct ques ons and/or sugges ons regarding enrollment opportuni es. Kim and the Team thanks the Mopar Masters Guild for the support in allowing NITS Solu ons to provide this opportunity to the MMG to help transi on them into a product which can help them grow their wholesale sales and shop rela onships.

248

248

Mopar Masters Guild - Support Those Who Support You!

Overview

Why Wholesale Parts Pro?

Best In Class Digital Strategies & Solutions

Relationship Management

•Maintain and track contacts through entire sales cycle

•Quantify contacts by sales rep for full understanding of monthly outreach trends

•Execute and monitor conversion metrics through targeted marketing campaigns

•Quickly send an email to a selected customer for oneon-one communication

•Organize contacts and follow up activity all in one screen

The Power of Digital Analytics & Reporting

Sales Management: View sales information at brand level through transactional detail

Comparative Analytics: Compare customer sales from selected time periods

Loyalty Segmentation: Segment customers by purchase behavior at brand level

Forecasting: Create and track sales targets

Full Reporting & Analytics: view

Customized Automatic Alerts: proactively manage sales and customer trends

Training & Support

webinars

Leaders in the

of

Marketing

Sales Goals

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

You Never Want to Feel Like Your Techs...

exchange of

in

Are Flying Blind

...

BOOST TECHS

Management

better better WORSE

Ratchet+Wrench supports the Mopar Masters Guild.

SELLING MORE MECHANICAL PARTS TOGETHER

exchange

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

in

Car Review: 2022 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody Jailbreak

Gather ‘round and let me tell you about when Dodge sold the best middle finger ever waved at those dang electric cars

ONTARIO, Canada, the year 2040—

Li le Ronnie: Hey, Great Grandpa Bleakney, can you get out your old scrapbook and tell me some more stories about those noisy infernal-combus on cars you used to drive when you had teeth?

GGB: Well, sure, Ronnie. They were called internalcombus on cars, and just before they were outlawed, some manufacturers went completely nuts and made the craziest things imaginable. Oh, here’s a good one! The Dodge Challenger Widebody Hellcat Redeye Jailbreak. That had to be the best middle finger ever waved at that dang herd of electric cars. What an exit, I tell ya. Went off into the glorious sunset in a haze of re-smoke and CO2. And the racket that 807-horsepower supercharged 6.2L V8 made! Like a stabbed hyena strapped to a love-sick moose. I can s ll hear it.

LR: Oooh. Tell me more, Great Grandpa.

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

from

38

GGB: Like I said, Dodge had gone off the deep end. By this me, the Challenger was ancient, but it didn’t matter. People kept buying ’em, so the unhinged SRT engineers at Dodge kept upping the ante. Wider body, bigger res, outrageous paint colors, and, of course, more power. But this big ol’ boat was lovable and managed to blend everyday comfort with true Depends-filling accelera on. Mash the happy pedal at 100 km/h and the Jailbreak would spin its res and get looser than a ten-gallon hat on a bald-headed squirrel. Ha! And launch control. Good gawd! They should have called it launch-your-lunch control. My friend in the back seat nearly barfed. I guess I shoulda warned him…

LR: What’s a happy pedal? What are Depends?

GGB: Pay a en on, son. This gets complicated. If memory serves me correctly, the Jailbreak op on was $1,295, and only applied to the Hellcat Redeye Widebody, and it upped the horsepower from 797 to 807. It also unlocked a bunch of factory custom op ons including paint colours, striping, seats, badging, and wheels. See this one in the picture? That stripe cost $1,245, the seats were Hammerhead Grey, and the paint was called Smoke Show. I remember pu ng on a real good smoke show thanks to Line Lock, which locked up the front brakes so you could spin the rear wheels ‘ l those expensive 305/35ZR20 Pirelli P Zeros turned into vaporized rubber.

LR: Why would you want to do that, Great Grandpa? That sounds stupid and juvenile.

GGB: And your point being? Haha! But seriously, there was nothing terribly serious about the Dodge Challenger Widebody Hellcat Redeye Jailbreak. It was a glorious, rolling cartoon character that made li le sense, and that’s why we loved it. That, and its 807 horsepower and 707 lb- of re-shredding torque.

LR: But with the Jailbreak being so big and heavy, and built on an antediluvian, albeit con nually updated Mercedes-Benz pla orm, was this musclebound throwback just a dumb straight-line denizen, or did it manage to show a modicum of alacrity when the tarmac turned sinuous?

GGB: Say what?

LR: Could it handle?

GGB: Surprisingly, yes. Sure, it wasn’t as sharp as a Mustang or Camaro, but it was well-sorted, showing a balanced chassis, sharp turn-in, and nice steering feel. The Widebody got adap ve compe on suspension. Factor in the powerful brakes and the excellent eight-speed ZF gearbox, and the Jailbreak made for a very enjoyable package. Plus it looked seriously bad-ass.

LR: How much did all this bad-assness cost, Great Grandpa?

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

from

39

GGB: Watch your language, son. Ha! All this insanity didn’t come cheap. The base price for the 2022 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat was $81,265, and this Jailbreak checked in at $126,370 a er the $27,295 Widebody package, $4,495 Laguna Leather package, and bunch of other stuff. But, dang, I wish I’d bought one. Actually, I wish I bought ten. Do you know how much these things are going for now? Mother of pearl, I’d be rich I tell ya. Rich!

LR: One more ques on before your nap, Great Grandpa. Why did this car have such a long name?

GGB: Well, Ronnie, with reference to the aforemen oned happy pedal, were you to press real hard on it, by the me you yelled “Dodge Challenger WTF Widebody Hellcat Jeeezuz Redeye I Want My Mommy Holy Snappin’ Turtles Jailbreak!!!” you could be arrested, tried, jailed, and, with any luck, broken out.

LR: What does “WTF” stand for, Great Grandpa?

GGB: Um, ah—”Wide Tires Fried!”

Source: h ps://driving.ca

Author of the ar cle: Peter Bleakney

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

NTSB Wants All New Vehicles to Check Drivers for Alcohol Use

The Na onal Transporta on Safety Board is recommending that all new vehicles in the U.S. be equipped with blood alcohol monitoring systems that can stop an intoxicated person from driving.

DETROIT (AP) — The Na onal Transporta on Safety Board is recommending that all new vehicles in the U.S. be equipped with blood alcohol monitoring systems that can stop an intoxicated person from driving.

The recommenda on, if enacted by the Na onal Highway Traffic Safety Administra on, could reduce the number of alcohol-related crashes, one of the biggest causes of highway deaths in the U.S.

The new push to make roads safer was included in a report released Tuesday about a horrific crash last year in which a drunk driver collided head-on with another vehicle near Fresno, California, killing both adult drivers and seven children. NHTSA said this week that roadway deaths in the U.S. are at crisis levels. Nearly 43,000 people were killed last year, the greatest number in 16 years, as Americans returned to roads a er pandemic stay-at-home orders.

Early es mates show fatali es rising again through the first half of this year, but they declined from April through June, which authori es are hoping is a trend. The NTSB, which has no regulatory authority and can only ask other agencies to act, said the recommenda on is designed to put pressure on NHTSA to move. It could be effec ve as early as three years from now.

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

“We need NHTSA to act. We see the numbers,” NTSB Chairman Jennifer Homendy said. “We need to make sure that we’re doing all we can to save lives.” The NTSB, she said, has been pushing NHTSA to explore alcohol monitoring technology since 2012. “The faster the technology is implemented the more lives that will be saved,” she said.

The recommenda on also calls for systems to monitor a driver’s behavior, making sure they’re alert. She said many cars now have cameras pointed at the driver, which have the poten al to limit impaired driving.

But Homendy says she also understands that perfec ng the alcohol tests will take me. “We also know that it’s going to take me for NHTSA to evaluate what technologies are available and how to develop a standard.”

A message was le Tuesday seeking comment from NHTSA. The agency and a group of 16 automakers have been jointly funding research on alcohol monitoring since 2008, forming a group called Driver Alcohol Detecon System for Safety. The group has hired a Swedish company to research technology that would automa cally test a driver’s breath for alcohol and stop a vehicle from moving if the driver is impaired, said Jake McCook, spokesman for the group. The driver wouldn’t have to blow into a tube, and a sensor would check the driver’s breath, McCook said.

Another company is working on light technology that could test for blood alcohol in a person’s finger, he said. Breath technology could be ready by the end of 2024, while the touch technology would come about a year later. It could take one or two more model years a er automakers get the technology for it to be in new vehicles, McCook said.

Once the technology is ready, it will take years for it to be in most of the roughly 280 million vehicles on U.S. roads. Under last year’s bipar san infrastructure law, Congress required NHTSA to make automakers install alcohol monitoring systems within three years. The agency can seek an extension. In the past it has been slow to enact such requirements.

The legisla on doesn’t specify the technology, only that it must “passively monitor” a driver to determine if they are impaired.

In 2020, the most recent figures available, 11,654 people died in alcohol-related crashes, according to NHTSA data. That’s about 30% of all U.S. traffic deaths, and a 14% increase over 2019 figures, the last full year before the coronavirus pandemic, the NTSB said.

In the fatal crash included in the report, a 28-year-old driver of an SUV was headed home from a 2021 New Year’s Day party where he had been drinking. The SUV went off the right side of State Route 33, crossed the center line and hit a Ford F-150 pickup truck head-on near Avenal, California. The pickup was carrying 34-yearold Gabriela Pulido and seven children ages 6 to 15 home a er a trip to Pismo Beach. The truck quickly caught fire and bystanders couldn’t save the passengers, the NTSB said.

The SUV driver’s blood alcohol level was 0.21%, nearly three mes California’s legal limit. He also had marijuana in his system, but the agency said the alcohol was more than enough to severely impair his driving.

The SUV was traveling 88-to-98 miles per hour (142 to 158 kilometers per hour), the report said.

The crash happened less than a second from when the Journey re-entered the road, giving Pulido no me to avoid the collision, the NTSB said.

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Juan Pulido, 37, whose wife and four children were killed in the crash, said he’s happy the NTSB is pushing for alcohol monitoring because it could stop another person from losing loved ones. “It’s something that their families have to live with,” he said. “It doesn’t go away tomorrow.”

Pulido’s lawyer, Paul Kiesel, says driver monitoring systems also could stop crashes caused by medical problems or drowsiness, saving anguish and billions in hospital treatment costs.

Source: usnews.com

By TOM KRISHER, AP Auto Writer

Stellantis eyeing two more North American battery plants by 2030

The Jeep and Ram parent company already announced two JV ba ery plants -- one in Indiana and the other in Canada -- and will need two more plants in the U.S., Canada or Mexico by 2030, COO Mark Stewart said.

DETROIT -- Stellan s will need four EV ba ery plants in North America by 2030, the company’s North American COO said on Tuesday.

The automaker has already announced two joint-venture ba ery plants -- one in Indiana and the other in Canada -- and will need two more plants in the United States, Canada or Mexico, Mark Stewart said at a Reuters Events auto conference in Detroit. The first two plants are scheduled to launch in 2025.

“By quarter two, quarter three of ‘26, if the market con nues on the path that it’s on, we’ll need the third plant online by late ‘26, early ‘27. We are already in discussions for plant No. 3 and possibly plant No. 4. We will need four plants by 2030.”

The Indiana plant is a joint venture with South Korea’s Samsung, while the Canada plant will be built with South Korea’s LG Energy Solu on. Partners for the two addi onal plants are up for discussion, Stewart said. Stewart expects to make an announcement for the third plant by the second quarter next year.

Asked whether Stellan s was open to the workers at the joint-venture ba ery plants being represented by the UAW, Stewart said it was up to the workers but the company was open to the idea.

“We welcome those plants being union,” he said. “We an cipate they likely will be.”

Stewart also said Stellan s in the last two weeks decided to nearly double annual produc on capacity for its EV delivery vans to more than 200,000 vehicles. Amazon.com is among Stellan s’ customers for the van.

“It’s going to have even more upside,” he said in explaining the decision, adding that the 2023 model had sold out within 13 hours.

Source: autonews.com

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

0 2 2 M o p a r M a s t e r s G u i l d2022 Mopar Masters Guild

O f f i c e r s & C o m m i t t e e sOfficers & Committees

Officers:

President - Joe McBeth - Dallas DCJ – Dallas, TX

Vice - Pres - Cody Eckhardt - Larry Miller DCJR - Sandy, UT

Secretary – Jim Jaeger – Bosak Motors – Merrillville, IN

Treasurer – Chris Hojnacki – Milosch’s CDJR – Lake Orion, MI

Executive Committee - All Officers Including:

Dan Hutton - Tom O’Brien DCJR - Greenwood, IN

Alan Yancey - Hayes CDJ - Alto, GA

Rick Cutaia - Rick Hendrick DCJR – Charleston, SC

Steve Hofer – Park Chrysler Jeep – Burnsville, MN

Susan McDaniel – Bill Luke CJD – Phoenix, AZ

Guild Committees

Nada 2022 Planning

Jill Vance - Apogee Event Agency

Don Cushing - MMG Magazine

Finance Committee

Chris Hojnacki - Milosch’s CDJR – Lake Orion, MI

Susan McDaniel - Bill Luke CJD – Phoenix, AZ

Don Cushing – MMG Magazine

Newsletter/Website/Social Media

Don Cushing – MMG Magazine

Vendor Committees

Reynolds & Reynolds

Rick Cutaia - Rick Hendrick DCJR – Charleston, SC (Co-Chair)

Susan McDaniel – Bill Luke CJD – Phoenix, AZ (Co-Chair)

Joe Handzik - Bettenhausen Auto - Tinley Park, IL

Randy Rogers - Huffines CJDR - Plano, TX

Kent Cogswell - Jack Phelan CDJR - Countryside, IL

*David Kiser - Spartanburg CDJR - Spartanburg, SC

*Chris Hojnacki - Milosch’s CDJR – Lake Orion, MI

CDK Global

Joe McBeth - Dallas DCJ – Dallas, TX (Chair)

Ian Grohs – Stateline CDJR – Fort Mill, SC

Mick Padgeon - Fred Beans Parts - Doylestown, PA

Cody Eckhardt - Larry Miller DCJR - Sandy, UT

Robert Chatwin - Larry Miller DCJR - Sandy, UT

Dan Hutton - Tom O’Brien DCJR - Greenwood, IN

*Steve Hofer – Park Chrysler Jeep – Burnsville, MN

*Jim Jaeger - Bosak Auto Group - Merrillville, IN

OEConnection

Dan Hutton - Tom O’Brien CJD – Greenwood, IN (Chair)

Joe McBeth - Dallas DCJ – Dallas, TX

Jim Jaeger - Bosak Motors - Merrillville, IN

Chris Hojnacki - Milosch’s CDJR – Lake Orion, MI

*Steve Hofer – Park Chrysler Jeep – Burnsville, MN

Snap On Business Solutions

Cody Eckhardt - Larry Miller DCJR - Sandy, UT (Chair)

Randy Rogers - Hu

CJDR - Plano, TX

*Steve Hofer – Park Chrysler Jeep – Burnsville, MN

AER Manufacturing

Robert Chatwin - Larry Miller DCJR - Sandy, UT (Chair)

John Waltereit - Milosch’s Palace CDJR - Lake Orion, MI

Ted Hawkins - Cerritos Dodge - Cerritos. CA

Chris Hojnacki - Milosch’s CDJR – Lake Orion, MI

*Josh Gouldsmith - Gladstone CDJR - Gladstone, MO

*Joe Handzik - Bettenhausen Auto - Tinley Park, IL

Vendor Chairs

Susan McDaniel - Bill Luke CJD – Phoenix, AZ

Cody Eckhardt - Larry Miller DCJR - Sandy, UT

*Alternate

Since 1992

The exchange of information by like-size dealers in a non-competitive environment