Chrysler's Latest Metal-Moving Trick: Retiree Leases Are Back
Well, we’ve been here before… about this time last year, to be exact. The Freep reports that Chrysler, which had to quit leasing for much of last year due to falling resale values and the credit crunch, is reinstating subsidized leasing for its 26,000 qualifying retirees. Under the terms of the plan, retirees could lease up to two 2010 Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep products with no down payment and free scheduled maintenance. The 36-month leases run from December 9 through June 30, 2010. According to the Freep, retirees will pay $100 per month less on average than Chrysler employees who have access to two-year leases. GMAC, which is financing the leases, is set to receive another government bailout of “less than” $5.6b on top of the $13.5b it has already received from the TARP program.
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Dan...Dan...Dan...really? I, we...the whole friggin' nation just invested a ton of OUR money into both GM and Chrysler. The time to wish for their demise (I notice that you purposefully ignore lumping GM into your call to arms) has long passed. While I'm not a huge fan of much that either company puts out (but dang, do I still long for a Wrangler), I do hope and pray with everything that I have that both companies not only survive, but thrive. Call it my misguided sense of pride in our country, but it would be nice to see both GM and Chrysler rebound (yes, even though Chrysler is now FIAT). As for allowing retirees to lease vehicles...does anybody think that reducing the lease by $100 is going to move enough metal to make a huge difference to the bottom line? Call it a bonus for having had the temerity to stick with Chrysler your entire working career...
If that Caliber in the picture above is equipped with the CVT then it surely must be stuck. I had a Caliber rental once and the wheels won't even move if you're stuck in the mud (don't ask). No chance of spinning the wheels to try and rock it out of a rut, the engine just revs up with apparently no connection to the front wheels and you can just sit there immobilized until the transmission temperature light starts flashing. I can only imagine that the Caliber would similarly be utterly useless in snow.
@Mark, I do agree with one of your points. That China owns us should be a matter of complete and utter national disgrace. I'd forgo alot of "nice and shiney" new stuff to eliminate this security risk. But I still think that the point has passed for us to wish the demise of Chrysler (and GM...everybody keeps conveniently dropping GM from this discussion). I'd rather see a rally of support in hopes of seeing any of our money back vs. them folding completely and us losing everything.