Chrysler to Offer $1,000 Voucher to Existing Customers

In an effort to bring back customers into their dealerships (which by the way will shrink by 789 locations), Chrysler has come up with a somewhat strange plan. According to a detnews.com report, millions of Chrysler vehicles owners will receive a $1,000 voucher, good through the end of June.

Why? Well, the 789 dealers we mentioned earlier stock around 44,000 vehicles, and they need to be cleared out fast. The question is: will Chrysler also sent a list from where you should buy the next car?

Even if the manufacturer is "recognizing the value of our customers has never been more important", Chrysler's spokeswoman Lori McTavish did not confirm, nor denied, such an incentive. "Chrysler is open for business and welcomes the opportunity to remind its customers just how valuable they are." Business as usual, huh?

According to manufacturers in the US, talks over the so-called "Cash for Clunkers" proposal, the American version of the European scrappage schemes, have put yet another bullet in the corpse of the automotive industry. The reason is simple: customers wait for the better deal.

"We know that some people who want to buy cars are holding back," Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, was quoted as saying by the source. "That's why it's critical we act."

The Chrysler initiative we mentioned earlier comes at a time when things seem to ease their way onto the right track. The company's sales are still down but, most importantly, not as down as in April. Don't get over excited though. There's a long way to go to the point where things even out.