[JKURz Wild]

Since FCA is spending such a HUGE wack of cash and the Wrangler is such an icon: I'm really wanting the powers that be to take this opportunity to make the plant a destination.

Imagine an offroad course right there where you can take your rig with 0 miles after watching it being built from start to finish and picking it up at the end of the assembly line.

After you're done playing you could drive home, or return it to the plant for shipment to the dealer of your choice for final delivery.

 

[turnbull]

I guarantee Jeep would advise against taking a vehicle offroad that has not had a chance to break in.

Also in the U.S., it is illegal for car manufacturers to sell brand new vehicles to anyone other than car dealers.

That being said, I wouldn't mind visiting the Toledo plant sometime.

 

[JKURz Wild]

...in the U.S., it is illegal for car manufacturers to sell brand new vehicles to anyone other than car dealers.

In the US it is a state-by-state decision. For example Tesla only sells directly to the end user and they have 3 stores in Ohio. Not sure what the laws in Canada are.

You would order through your local dealer, get an assembly time and then show up at the appointed hour to watch your baby being built.

 

[turnbull]

In the US it is a state-by-state decision. For example Tesla only sells directly to the end user and they have 3 stores in Ohio. Not sure what the laws in Canada are.

You would order through your local dealer, get an assembly time and then show up at the appointed hour to watch your baby being built.

I didn't realize it was a state-by-state basis. However, from what I have just read, that only applies to manufacturers who do not have independent dealers. If they do have independent dealers, they still cannot sell directly to the consumer.

Tesla does not have independent dealers, so they can sell directly to consumers in states that allow it, but Jeep cannot sell directly to the consumer in any state because it does have independent dealers. That is my understanding anyway.

 

[PhantomSix]

In the US it is a state-by-state decision. For example Tesla only sells directly to the end user and they have 3 stores in Ohio.

This is true, here in NJ, Tesla had a storefront in a mall and was doing really well. Until the state decided it was not in the favor of the consumer for them to do this, so, like everything else in Jersey, the state jacked it up for everyone and Tesla was forced to move out.

My father worked at the Toledo plant for several years, and amidst to all the buyouts and ownership transfers the past decade, its really amazing that plant is still in operation. The current debate is if the new Toledo plant will still manufacture all of Jeep, since its turn to Aluminum now. Latest is that it will continue to do so, the city worked hard and was able to secure land rights next to the plant location so they can expand to accommodate new manufacturing processes.

 

[Chitownpete]

There's no way you could see your Jeep built from start to finish but a factory pickup and tour is a possibility. You can pick up your new Corvette at the museum near the Factory and can even help them assemble the engine. The Corvette factory tour is something I strongly recommend even if you don't like Corvettes, it's awesome.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Since FCA is spending such a HUGE wack of cash and the Wrangler is such an icon: I'm really wanting the powers that be to take this opportunity to make the plant a destination.

Imagine an offroad course right there where you can take your rig with 0 miles after watching it being built from start to finish and picking it up at the end of the assembly line.

After you're done playing you could drive home, or return it to the plant for shipment to the dealer of your choice for final delivery.

I talked with some of the folks at the plant about this very thing when I visited during the Summer of 2013 (during my trip to Chicago for the Stanley Cup).

They mentioned that the idea of providing an off-road experience park for customers has been discussed a few times, and at the time had received revived attention. The plan the was to use the multi-acre testing ground across the street (Stickney Ave) and make a portion of that a customer experience park. The original plot of land was ~100Acres, but at that time, had been reduced to a coupla dozen Acres (look like it may have been reduced further still since then).

While they said they would never go the Corvette route, and let customers install their engine or tighten symbolic bolts, there was interest in doing something similar to to Corvette, Mercedes, BMW, and Harley programs that let people watch their vehicle roll off the production line. To get around the laws, you still technically sell the vehicle to your dealership when you place your order, and then you pick it up from the plant, which still keeps things within the laws of the various states. All that would be required is an FCA employee acting as an agent for the dealership to confirm receipt of the agreed to vehicle.

Anywhooo, I'm not sure how much of this customer experience plan got put on hold while they tried to figure out the future location of the Wrangler plant which at one time included that test ground plus the land by Moore Transport that the city of Toledo bought and now is going unused. I think it would still be a big hit even if it wasn't for new vehicles, but for existing owners to come visit and do a factory tour and have a packaged 'Jeep experience' day.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

The current debate is if the new Toledo plant will still manufacture all of Jeep, since its turn to Aluminum now. Latest is that it will continue to do so, the city worked hard and was able to secure land rights next to the plant location so they can expand to accommodate new manufacturing processes.

There's no debate anymore. The plant plan got figured out in September. Cherokee moves out of Toledo North later this year, and Wrangler JL moves in, and then they turn down Toledo South (current location of JK) once production moves over, then Toledo South likely gets brought back on-line for the Pick-up model.

FCA said the JL will no longer be all-aluminium last spring, as most of the Aluminium resources/specialization were to be found closer to Detroit and the SW US, so it won't be all aluminium, just aluminium components, like doors, hood, etc to save some weight. Initially the Wrangler was to become the test vehicle for Aluminium, frame, body, panels etc, but they scaled that back when they decided to stay in Toledo so now it's just aluminium components.

The land that the City of Toledo bought, looks like it will go unused, as FCA is not building a new plant in Toledo just yet, only re-purposing the existing plant. The City owns about 300 Acres, in various parcels, just west of the current Assembly park. Some of that land used to be owned by W-O & Chrysler, and might be useful in making an off-road park for Jeep enthusiasts, whether it was FCA or the City that furthered that idea, I think it'd be a case of "If you build it, they will come", and both would benefit from such a place. I'd schedule a return visit if they did a customer experience park there, and offered 'official' tours.

Jeep Wrangler to stay, but Cherokee will go - Toledo Blade

Next Jeep Wrangler won’t go all-aluminum; all-wheel-drive Chrysler minivan in the works | Autoweek

 

[PhantomSix]

There's no debate anymore. The plant plan got figured out in September. Cherokee moves out of Toledo North later this year, and Wrangler JL moves in, and then they turn down Toledo South (current location of JK) once production moves over, then Toledo South likely gets brought back on-line for the Pick-up model.

FCA said the JL will no longer be all-aluminium last spring, as most of the Aluminium resources/specialization were to be found closer to Detroit and the SW US, so it won't be all aluminium, just aluminium components, like doors, hood, etc to save some weight. Initially the Wrangler was to become the test vehicle for Aluminium, frame, body, panels etc, but they scaled that back when they decided to stay in Toledo so now it's just aluminium components.

The land that the City of Toledo bought, looks like it will go unused, as FCA is not building a new plant in Toledo just yet, only re-purposing the existing plant. The City owns about 300 Acres, in various parcels, just west of the current Assembly park. Some of that land used to be owned by W-O & Chrysler, and might be useful in making an off-road park for Jeep enthusiasts, whether it was FCA or the City that furthered that idea, I think it'd be a case of "If you build it, they will come", and both would benefit from such a place. I'd schedule a return visit if they did a customer experience park there, and offered 'official' tours.

You Sir are much more informed then I