<VV> Chrysler/Fiat orders Rare Collector Car Crushed -

Thu Mar 6 21:42:01 EST 2014

Still, it seems fishy that this liability is at the root of the destruction of the vehicles. Liability is always an issue in our tort-crazy society, but if that were the reason for automakers crushing special cars, then they'd crush all the high performance muscle cars they make lest they get into the wrong hands after they're sold. And sometimes the cars aren't all that fast (eg '69 Vair #6000). I'm curious what the real reason is. Perhaps there are some automotive secrets in some prototypes that manufacturers don't want out. Or perhaps in the case of the turbine cars, if out on the road in the wrong hands, it would be a PR disaster. I think that sometimes manufacturers are afraid of bad press, or negative publicity regarding what could be highly collectible one-offs. People might view the turbine car as an expensive failure or boondoggle, and Chrysler wouldn't want to let that out. I don't know, I'm just speculating, but it seems odd that manufacturers haven't figured out that they could make money either by selling these assets to collectors or by keeping them and promoting their automotive history.  

It also seems odd to me that auto makers haven't capitalized on enthusiasm of collectors and enthusiasts of their former vehicles to help to generate brand loyalty and enthusiasm. But that would be enlightened self-interest rather than the bean counter mentality that prevails at most of the automakers today. 

Karl in Boston 
CORSA Eastern Director 
Bay State Corvairs 
Stock Corvair Group 
Corvanatics 
1966 Monza Convertible 110/PG project car 
  ----- Original Message -----

From: "Gary Swiatowy" <gswiatowy at rochester.rr.com> 
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org 
Sent: Thursday, March 6, 2014 7:55:16 PM 
Subject: Re: <VV> Chrysler/Fiat orders Rare Collector Car Crushed - 

Manufacturers, and car dealers routinely loan out vehicles to school 
systems, vocational schools etc to be used for training. 
They do not ever come with titles of ownership. 
Without that, you cannot get insurance to register the vehicle for the road. 
That was not the intention of the manufacturer. 
It was to be used for educational purposes only. 
Many schools vocational or otherwise would not be able to operate without 
these vehicles on loan. Their budgets cannot afford the purchase, and in 
essence, these are vehicles which would be dis-assembled and re-assembled 
hundreds of times, making their value and safety in the end, questionable at 
best. 
In turn, the manufacturer or dealer can get a write off. 
A car which may have been damaged in shipment, or has sat on the lot too 
long, or in the case of the Vipers, pre-production serve a useful purpose in 
education. 

But, a student sooner or later may get the notion to go on a joy ride. It 
may be their once in a lifetime to drive a car like this. Student held 
responsible? 
Sure, try and collect! 
The school? 
Not deep enough pockets. 

Student could be killed, or crippled for life, or they could take someone 
else out as well. Follow the money, it leads to Chrysler. 

Many years ago, in my area. A car donated by a car dealership for drivers 
education was hit head on by a drunk driver. 4 killed, including the drivers 
ed teacher. The drunk went to jail, but had no assets. The school was sued, 
the car dealership who loaned the car to the school was sued, the estate of 
the drivers ed teacher who died was sued. The estate of the student driving 
the car was sued. This went on for over 10 years. The only winners were the 
lawyers. 

What did the car dealer do wrong? What did anyone do wrong? 

It's ugly, but that's the way things are.......... 

Gary Swiatowy 

From: yenko117 at yahoo.com 
Subject: Re: <VV> Chrysler/Fiat orders Rare Collector Car Crushed - 

If one could obtain insurance on a vehicle, I fail to see the problem. If 
they were driving them on the street without insurance, then the driver 
should be responsible. 

Mike 
YS-117 

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