Chrysler owners' manuals go digital for 2010, saves 20,000 trees

[The Straight Story]

Chrysler owners' manuals go digital for 2010, saves 20,000 trees

It was bound to happen sooner or later. For the 2010 model year, Chrysler will no longer be providing traditional owners' manuals on any of its vehicles. Instead, all Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep cars and trucks will come with "a consolidated, customer-friendly user guide and DVD." That consumer guide will be comprised of 60-80 pages in full color and will cover the most commonly-needed information.

While some will surely miss their thick paperback owners' manuals, Chrysler cites a number of benefits to the switch. For instance, dropping the four-pound books will save 930 tons of paper annually, which equates to about 20,000 trees. We'd also bet it's more informative to watch a video on DVD giving the proper procedure to fold down a Jeep Wrangler's notoriously stubborn soft top than reading about it in print.

Oh, and we'd also guess the Pentastar is saving a good bit of cash by making this switch. Full press release after the break if you're interested in all the sordid details.




PRESS RELEASE:

Chrysler Group LLC is First Automaker to Provide Digital Owners' Manuals

* For all 2010 model-year Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge vehicles, automaker will provide a consolidated, customer-friendly user guide and DVD
* Digital move to save 930 tons of paper, the equivalent of 20,000 trees annually

http://green.autoblog.com/2009/09/21/chrysler-owners-manuals-go-digital-for-2010-saves-20-000-trees/

[PVnRT]

1. Also saves $$$$$

Not that I'm saying this is a bad thing. Whatever works.

[Raineyb]

7. It saves THEM money. You not so much as you use your own paper to print the sucker to have

it in the car.

[ddeclue]

2. Great till you're stuck on the side of the road with a dead battery and no computer.

:P

[Zoeisright]

3. That was my first thought too.

I only need the manual when I'm in the car.

So people print it out instead - there goes the tree savings.

[divideandconquer]

4. How about an iPhone app for that with a search feature

[ddeclue]

6. How about a PAPER manual not requiring me to buy a $200 phone and NOT requiring batteries that DIE

There's a reason why pilot's operating handbooks (POH) are still on PAPER - paper doesn't require batteries - I'd hate to find my liferelying on a crappy consumer grade iPhone when I really needed to know something important.

:rofl:

[marybourg]

9. How about a free iPhone so those of us w/o one can

access the app?

[Retrograde]

12. Same here

especially with rental cars. I like to know what that light that suddenly went on means then, not as soon as I find the nearest computer - and connection.

As I'm fond of saying "For your convenience is marketing for 'for our bottom line'".

[LiberalFighter]

5. Will all Chrsyler's have DVD players?

[Travis_0004]

8. Dumb idea

I think a better idea would be to not ship them with the car, but supply the dealer with them, so people can choose to take one, or not to take one. If it was my car, I want a manual.

[damntexdem]

10. That'll sure help when someone is stuck somewhere without a DVD reader.

Then Chrysler owners will go digital, with their middle fingers.

[Spider Jerusalem]

11. fun fact: computer use accounts for a significant percentage of carbon emissions.

Powering computers, datacentres, switches, routers, network hubs, etc represents as large a part of global carbon dioxide emissions as the airline industry. While it's good that fewer trees will be used for paper, it's hardly the environmentally friendly alternative the press release makes out.

[vadawg]

13. yeah feck that, i want a paper manual that i can use on the roadside when something goes wrong

looks like i will look to toyota again for my next vehicle, unless they go this crazy route as well.. why does every company seem to think that every customer is hooked to the net, has an iphone etc etc.