Chrysler Offers Gas Cards As Incentive To Gas Sticker Shocked Consumers
Chrysler has announced a new program that it hopes will stimulate sales, and help to give consumers a hedge against rising gas prices. From now until June 2nd, when you purchase nearly any Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep vehicle (offer excludes all SRT models, Dodge Viper, Dodge Challenger, Dodge Ram Chassis Cab, Chrysler Crossfire, Jeep Wrangler and Dodge Sprinter), you will have the opportunity to receive a gas card that will only bill you $2.99/gallon of gas (regular grade, diesel or E85) for three years, with a limit of 12K miles/year (based on the EPA mileage figures of the vehicle purchased).
As with most things, there is a catch. If you select the gas card promotion, you will have to give up all other rebates and incentives...
Also, if your vehicle requires an octane higher than 87, there is an additional price penalty, depending on the grade of fuel needed.
Whether this is a good deal or not really depends on the vehicle selected and how many miles the individual consumer drives, so be sure to check out the current available
incentives and compare it to the value of the gas card offer. Keep in mind that gas prices are likely to continue to rise over the three years the program will be in effect. The current average price of regular unleaded in the US is $3.61/gallon. With a maximum of 12K miles/year for three years, the current value of this offer is about $1300. I suspect that a diesel vehicle will offer the greatest benefit since diesels rarely have any cash incentives on them and diesel gas
prices are significantly higher than $2.99 a gallon right now.
Who does this offer benefit the most? Chrysler, of course. While a $1300 incentive on all vehicles wouldn't even garner a blip on anyone's radar, the offer of discounted gas for three years has every news organization, both local and national, along with every automotive and business related website, blog and forum on the Net buzzing with the news. Chrysler is getting millions of dollars in free advertising. Not to mention the fact that many consumers who might not have even thought of a Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep vehicle might be taking a look at them now.
Here's to another attempt at duping the public. :( There are way too many conditions to encourage the enthusiast to get into a Chrysler automobile. I don't know about the general consumer, though.
Have any studies been done yet to measure the impact their Lifetime Powertrain Warranty has had on sales? The main problem I have with that is many consumers will think they're getting a lifetime bumper-to-bumper warranty. I also think it's a little shady that the lifetime powertrain warranty excludes fleet vehicles.
As with any offer, you always have to read the fine print: Caveat Emptor
"think they're getting a lifetime bumper-to-bumper warranty."
Then, they'd be a fool. No one offers bumper-bumper warranty any more. People took the idea of a bumper-bumper too far and expected too much from it. Manufacturers switched to a more basic warranty. Even the (in)famous Kia type warranties are power train only. Their basic ends at five years.
Chrysler isn't any more misleading than anyone else. They're just more creative.
BN most companys offer a b2b warrenty, its generally ~ 3 years, powertrain warrenties are all over the map, and generally longer
opfreak, I think we've a difference in terms. When b2b was introduced, it really was bumper to bumper. It went well beyond what you and I would expect from a normal warranty. As such, manufacturers have stopped using the term bumper to bumper. While still quite good, the "normal" warranty is less than bumper to bumper.
I think we're on the same page otherwise.