Chrysler has a deal for buyers: $2.99-a-gallon gas cards

[RamboLiberal]

Source: USA Today

As presidential candidates spar over how to roll back gasoline prices, Chrysler on Monday said that it has come up with its own plan to bring back $2.99 gas, which it hopes will spur lagging sales.

Chrysler announced a month-long "Let's Refuel America" program that will give buyers of most of its vehicles a card good for purchases of gasoline or diesel fuel that locks in the price at $2.99 a gallon for three years.

The total amount of fuel that can be bought at the locked-in price will be computed on the basis of the new vehicle's federal miles-per-gallon rating and 12,000 miles of driving a year. The card is good for purchases of 87-octane regular gasoline, E85 gas-ethanol blend or diesel fuel.

The promotion is intended "as an unprecedented program to help put customers' minds at ease and do something to help working people who are worried about the volatility of fuel prices and vehicle cost of ownership," said Chrysler President Jim Press.

Gas promos have accompanied many of the price spikes in the past, but Chrysler's deal goes well beyond them in its scope and length.



Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2008-05-05-chrysler-gas_N.htm

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I was thinking that business may be the one to provide gas incentives in the short term instead of this gas tax pandering.

Now I'm not sure this is a good idea for Chrysler, but it will get their vehicles out the door.

In my area we have a local supermarket chain (Western PA, Eastern Ohio) that has captured a good share of the market by offering a .10 a gallon discount at its gas stations for every $50 at their stores (2 of their stores near my office offer .20 a gallon for $50 spent). I buy gift cards for other stores/restaurants, groceries, prescriptions, got my glasses and contacts at their store(got a free $31 tank of gas and still had .54 a gallon off left over). Now they have a credit card that provides an extra .04 off per gallon per purchase. I've saved near $400 for past 12 months.

It's up to Congress and the auto builders to solve this in the long run, but I'd like to see businesses get creative as well including the oil companies. If the middle class is killed business is killed as well.

[CountAllVotes]

1. Discover Card has a card that gives 5% cash back on gasoline

you might consider getting one. That is .20 cents off on $4.00 a gallon tax. Big deal.

:dem:

[RamboLiberal]

7. I'm getting a better deal from my grocery chain & their credit card

I do keep the card paid off every month so no finance charges.

For instance today I'll probably have close to .80 a gallon off discount. It's a huge help. W/O the discount so far this year I would've paid $677 for gas. Instead I've paid $543 saving $134.

[GodlessBiker]

2. Not a bad idea to sell cars. It's creative.

[Just-plain-Kathy]

16. When I bought my Ford, I was promised free oil changes for life....

...that didn't last too long.

[GodlessBiker]

17. Sue the bastards.

[fight4my3sons]

3. we have a grocery store with the same discount

you can also combine the receipts at the participating gas station.

[liberal N proud]

4. You have to give them A for effort

They are being creative in trying to sell their dinosaurs.
Since the Auto Industry has done little meaningful to ease our pain at the pump in the way of fuel efficient vehicles they are at least offering a band aid.

Maybe in 3 years when gas is at $6/gal they will finally have produced cars that get 50/60 mpg or better.

[Blue_Tires]

5. that's a big gamble

but Chrysler is betting that the price won't get too high over $3/gal the next three years...sadly, Chrysler has nothing I'd want to buy (even if i did have the money)

[spinbaby]

6. Call me cynical

But I'm betting that "a card good for purchases of gasoline or diesel fuel that locks in the price at $2.99 a gallon for three years" is a credit card and that you have to charge your fuel purchases.

[awoke_in_2003]

14. Could be

but if you are disciplined and pay the balance of every month you avoid the interest charges.

[Dreamer Tatum]

24. Oh, that's coming from the private label cards

You can lock in a one-year per gallon price for between x and y gallons, and pay a fee for the privilege.

Look for it soon.

[Dr.Phool]

8. I'm gonna run right over and trade my new Prius for a Dodge Ram!

Yeah, right.

[raystorm7]

9. Chrysler sucks & $2.99 gas aint gonna swing me over. Somewhere in this there is a big GOTCHA!

[earth mom]

25. I've owned two Jeeps made by Chrysler-best cars I've EVER had.

I'd LOVE a new Jeep, but can't afford it. But $2.99 gas sounds very tempting.....

[Psephos]

27. There's a GOTCHA in your post and attitude for the UAW workers who build them

No one says you have to drive one. But quit running them down. Your shitty meme might win you fashionista cred but it's costing US autoworkers their jobs.

[high density]

10. Great marketing idea

Now all they need to do is build some cars that people actually want to buy, and they might sell a couple.

[hatrack]

11. Maybe they'll move some sheet metal, but "Let's Refuel America"?

Oh, brother.

[llmart]

12. Here's an even better idea......

Mr. Nardelli (aka Mr. Two-By-Four), how about putting out some fuel efficient smaller cars that will save buyers more than that? Chrysler, once again, was too busy putting out and pushing gas guzzlers while Toyota and Honda were more far-sighted.

When I first move to the Detroit metro area 16 years ago, you didn't see too many Toyotas and Hondas because it was not considered politically correct AND you could get your car keyed or smashed. However, now I see plenty of both of them and no one blinks an eye. Seems the local people are more accepting of them.

[woundedkarma]

13. I think this is biting off more than they can chew.

If they're paying the extra money on the gas then when the price spikes to $4 and then $5 and then $6 in the next three years, they are going to go broke fairly fast.

[KansDem]

21. "...they are going to go broke fairly fast."

Then they'll just get a government bailout...again.

[ReformedChris]

15. LifeTime Powertrain and now this, just need to hit a great Fuel Mileage or Hyrbid Home Run Model

Chrysler depends on those fuel guzzling Jeeps and Dodge Rams to keep business flowing but it has to change. They really need to hit a home run on a great eco-friendly model of one of their best selling vehicles. Good Luck to them, plenty of great workers here in the United States build those vehicles and success will benefit everyone.

[pdefalla]

18. Just like a fuel tax vacation

We need to make using gasoline so painful that we are forced to find a cheaper and better way. This plan may sell cars, but it doesn't solve the problem of dependence on oil.

[diane in sf]

19. I always thought the PT Cruiser was real cute--if they'd offered that as a hybrid they could

have made megabucks. When my friends and I first saw it that was our thought, but alas it gets poor mileage for a small car. So having driven my trusty Tercel hatchback for 21 years I picked up a 10 year old Rav4 which does 25% less in the way of mileage than the Tercel, but hauls more stuff, handles better and fits in the same tiny parking spaces. I actually even use the 4 wheel drive when I'm up visiting friends in the country who live on dirt roads.

[Winterblues]

20. Wow after eight years of Republican rule $3.00 gas is cheap

In January of 2001 gas was only $1.45 per gallon, less than half of what is considered dirt cheap at the moment. We should definitely vote strictly Republican from now and forever...

[KansDem]

22. Yeah, when Bush "took" office, oil was $27.69 a barrel. Now it's pushing $123.00.

Almost a $100 increase!


Fuck you, America! FUCK YOU!!!

[benld74]

23. Depends how long the card is good for actually,

I know I drive less than 12000 miles a year on my vehicle, so if the card lasts only 1 year, then that sucks, but if the card lasts UNTIL 12000 miles well then thats different, BUT I still wouldn't buy a Chrysler!

[dysfunctional press]

26. 3 years, 700 gallons/year.

my family always owned chryslers when i was growing up, and we've always had good luck with them- although these days, they are definitely behind the curve, hybrid-wise.

if gas were to go over $10 in a couple years- that card could be a good value.