Filed under: Car Buying, Chrysler, LLC., Dodge, Jeep
In lieu of leases, Chrysler wants you to "Shop 'til you Drive"
Chrysler's departure from the leasing game certainly isn't going to help dealers move stale product off their lots, so the automaker has announced a new sales program unimaginatively named the "Shop 'Til You Drive Sales Event." What'll it take to get you into a new Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep vehicle?Well, aside from $2,000 cash back on "select retail purchases," Chrysler is offering an August-only, 72-month, zero-percent APR financing deal on many of its slow-selling models that aims to make monthly payments approximately the same as a 36-month lease.
Additionally, pricing on Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep vehicles has been slashed, with the Ram dropping 40-percent of its MSRP, Aspen hacked by up to 25 percent, Town & Country minivans cut by 24 percent and Grand Cherokees dropping 28 percent.
Chrysler will also try to get lessees back into dealerships by offering special "loyalty incentives" that will be applied to a new retail purchase, along with waiving the $425 lease disposition fee.
The full details are posted in the press release below the fold.
[Sources: Chrysler, Automotive News – Sub. Req.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
cowboy bob 3:03PM (8/01/2008)
Toss in a romp with Paris, and we're on.....
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Gregg 3:26PM (8/01/2008)
I think you need to be a little less rigid, Jason, in a manner of speaking
Perry 3:07PM (8/01/2008)
Who actually pays MSRP anymore? Can we apply the cash and reductions on the "real" price you will end up paying?...hmm that would make it interesting, no?
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Gregg 3:19PM (8/01/2008)
Hey, come on. 40% off retail on a new Ram? A $35,000 truck for $21,000? You think anyone is making any money off that? They are trying to cut their losses. Recall that up to this year, used pickup prices were pretty strong, and $21K might have gotten you a three year old model. It's a buyer's market without haggling, and what you save will buy a lot of gas.
Zane 1:42AM (8/02/2008)
You've never bought a MINI, Fit or the dozens of hot selling cars, have you?
BlackCanary 3:14PM (8/01/2008)
40% off Dodge Ram + 2.99 gas + 0% for 72 months is a good deal. If they cant sell for that they cant give em away.
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Jason 3:18PM (8/01/2008)
"40% off Dodge Ram + 2.99 gas + 0% for 72 months is a good deal. If they cant sell for that they cant give em away."
That's just it - they're offering that and nobody is buying them STILL.
ian 3:50PM (8/01/2008)
Don't forget the lifetime powertrain warranty.
Rob 4:13PM (8/01/2008)
The $2.99 gas offer ended yesterday. They still have $4000 cash back plus 0% for 72 months on the Ram Quad Cab. All in all, a heck of a deal. Say with the haggling and rebates you can get a Ram 1500 for $21,000. With no interest, your payment will be $291.67 per month. Say you want to get a Prius. You're looking at a minimum of $25,000. Say you get a loan for 5 years and you have great credit. My credit union offers 5.25% on 5-year car loans. That gives you a payment of $474.65 per month for a total payout of $28,479. You're looking at a difference of $183 per month in car payments. Will a Ram 1500 really use $183 per month more in gasoline than a Prius?
kris 4:34PM (8/01/2008)
Let me err on the side of being too conservative. Say the Ram 1500 gets 15 MPG, the Prius gets 45 MPG, gas is $4.00 per gallon, and you drive 1000 miles per month. With the Ram you would need 1000/15 = 66.66 gallons. With the Prius, you would need 1000/45 = 22.22 gallons. That would mean a savings of 44.44 gallons, multiply by $4.00 and you have $177.76. Say you drive 1500 miles per month, that savings increases to $266.64. Also, gas prices in many places are still over $4.00...though I am hearing it will probably be $3.50 by year's end. So yes, the savings on gas will be worth it for a lot of people.
Rob 5:29PM (8/01/2008)
So if you drive 1000 miles per month or less, a Ram may be a better deal than a Prius. What about insurance? Is there much of a difference? No idea.
Jason 3:15PM (8/01/2008)
People who don't buy domestics... that's why everything else holds its value.
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BlackCanary 3:16PM (8/01/2008)
No one pays MSRP for imports either.
jason 4:35PM (8/01/2008)
Right now nothing is "holding its value"
Jason 3:21PM (8/01/2008)
I paid only $500 MSRP for mine, and now a year and a half later it still books (private party KBB and NADA) for only $3,000 less than what I paid for it... an amount I've easiliy paid off with payments so far. The same can't be said for my brother's parents-in-law's TrailBlazer, which they paid near MSRP for, but is now worth half what they owe beacuse GM is throwing so much cash on the hood of everything just to get rid of it that they're screwed driving the thing even though they hate it.
Doing some research before you buy is a pretty smart thing to do when you're spending that much IMO. The dealer near us constantly advertises $13,000 Dodge Caravans and 4X4 Dodge Ram 1500's on the radio... so I feel sorry for the poor bastard who spent $40K on one a few years ago, because now it's worth less than $13K, since you can pick up a new one for that.
Gregg 3:22PM (8/01/2008)
Shopped for a Mini lately? Toyota Prius? Honda Civic?
Jason 3:22PM (8/01/2008)
That should have read "$500 under MSRP"
BlackCanary 3:26PM (8/01/2008)
Ok a few cars do sell for MSRP but very few. Hybrids are a great example of this. We both fell into the trap of generalization. No one is paying MSRP for all imports and all domestics are not sold below MSRP. Even hot sellers like the Accord have some (very little) wiggle room.
Honda and Toyota for sure have less negotiation room than Ford or Gm as a general rule.
TJ 3:20PM (8/01/2008)
Autoblog... We've given you the tips, we've given you the links to others who posted pics... What are you waiting for?
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Brent 3:38PM (8/01/2008)
No kidding. I think they are avoiding positive stories on Chrysler.