Amid the escalating rivalry from Japanese automakers, Chrysler Japan Co. said last Tuesday that it will improve its after-sales service starting Friday by extending the guarantee on newly acquired vehicles from three years to five.
Under the new program of the automaker, after-sales service will also be provided to the cars for up to 100,000 km. At present, the mileage limit in the territory remained at 60,000 km.
The Japanese unit of Chrysler will offer the service, including exchange of engines, transmissions and other parts, and 24-hour assistance via a call center, on condition that newly purchased Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge cars have gone through inspections required by Japanese regulations, according to Trading Markets.
"The better after-sales service program for the Japanese market aims to improve the image of U.S cars here, where they are sometimes viewed as prone to breakdowns and too costly to maintain," said Christopher K. Ellis, the president of Chrysler Japan.
"This (image) comes from distrust of the past quality (of Chrysler cars)," Ellis told reporters in Japanese. "In reality, Chrysler's global guarantee costs have been reduced by about 45 percent since 2000."
Separately, the parent company Chrysler LLC plans to improve the content and slash the sticker price on 12 of its vehicles as part of a marketing campaign it plans to unveil next month, said Vice Chairman and President Jim Press during media previews at the North American International Auto Show.
The Jeep Compass, Jeep Patriot, and Dodge Caliber are among the vehicles that will benefit from the campaign. Press did not divulge other details of the said campaign. According to Toledo Blade, the plan will be revealed to dealers at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in February.
The manufacturer of , Press said, has made 260 upgrades to its vehicles, mostly improvements in materials and appearance. That was part of a $150 million investment in existing products, he said. Next will be interior car improvements, he added.
