Chrysler To Offer Money-Back Guarantees On Minivans

Buyers must drive the minivans for at least 30 days. If they aren't satisfied, they can return them to the dealer for a refund of the purchase price, minus registration and license fees.

Spokeswoman Kathy Graham says the offer is being made to attract people who may not consider Chrysler products. The company went through bankruptcy protection last year and has received $15.5 billion in U.S. government aid.

Anyone returning a minivan would not get their trade-in vehicle back, the van can't have been driven more than 4,000 miles and it can't have more than $200 worth of damage, Graham said.

Also, the customer must pay Chrysler 30 cents per mile that the minivan was driven, she said.

Graham said the offer is not targeted at Toyota Motor Corp., which has had recent safety recall problems. Instead, it's the company trying to attract buyers who may not shop Chrysler Group vehicles because of recent news about its bankruptcy protection.

"Some of our products that are really good have been overshadowed by what's happened to the company," she said.

Last year, General Motors Co., which also went through bankruptcy protection and is receiving government aid, offered a 60-day money-back guarantee to get people to try its cars and trucks. The offer ended Jan. 4.

Comments

[johnintn]

03:03 PM on 02/12/2010

Was this Fiat's decision, or something the folks in Michigan thought of on their own? If the latter, somewhere in Italy Sergio Marchionne's head is ready to explode.

[sc300nc]

09:16 AM on 02/12/2010

Another company that should have been left to fail or succeed on their own.

I hope we have learned a lesson from this too big to fail BS

[Trapster]

07:00 AM on 02/12/2010

I had two Chrysler product minivans and loved the concept. However the first was beginning to have transmission problems and the second one I bought went through 3 transmissions. (Really, I did not abuse them) If they had ever though of making a really stout minivan - maybe make a good transmission that could handle some towing, and some mountains out west, a two bed fold out concept with center aisle, for real travelers--and advertise -they could have tapped into many ages---Young people going on an around the states tour---dog carriers etc. Never forget how popular the VW bus was in the 60s/70s. It's not your mother's minivan kind of thing.
It's probably too late for these guys---But I really would come back to the minivan if they did this.

[mackbolan]

02:13 AM on 02/12/2010

what do you mean "getting desperate".....

[proud2bemoderate]

10:26 PM on 02/11/2010

When are they going to start selling Chrysler vehicles at Wal-Mart? There about equals in the quality department..

[holyghostie]

09:50 PM on 02/11/2010

I had a brand new Chrysler minivan. It had a faulty watch spring in the air bag. The NHSTA had a recall for the 5 prior years, and the year after my car. The dealer who serviced my car said mine was made right at the end of the last model year(and wasone of the first for the new year) with parts from the prior year. Chrysler's HQ would not pay for the air bag repair.

A few years later when the odometer hit 69,000 miles my transmission went. The book value and the rebuilt ransmission were the same. The car had been serviced regularly, but it ended up on a scrap heap.

In case you want to know why Chrysler is going out of business.

[xrepublican]

07:01 PM on 02/11/2010

If they didn't do STUPID things like narrow the inside trim so you can't fit in a 4' wide piece of plywood or drywall (yes, some of us STILL do work on ouur own homes) they might actually have buyers......

You bought a minivan BECAUSE you could use ot to carry a ton of stuff and bunch of kids..... just like GM killing off their old station wagons with the same stupid move.

[edwoodjr]

05:37 PM on 02/11/2010

It's a marketing plan that actually may bring in a few buyers. At least they're standing by their product - 30 days is a long time with a mini-van becasue you inherently (well, almost) have kids. 30 days = trashed.

[coolaid8]

05:36 PM on 02/11/2010

People aren't buyng Chrysler because it is a dying brand. After 22 years of Dodge, I've switched to Ford and am much happier with it.

[xrepublican]

07:04 PM on 02/11/2010

They're committing slow motion suicide with stupid moves.... the Sebring convertible had NO competitors in a 4 place FWD reasonably priced car. They made it a ridiculous NO TRUNK SPACE, NO REAR SEAT SPACE monstrosity.

I crossed GM off my list a decade ago. Chrysler is gone now as well. (And Ford is no great deal either).

[CologneCitizen]

03:57 AM on 02/12/2010

I drove a Sebring convertible for a few days. Absolutely horrible. Car looks big but very little space inside. Cheap looking interior and lame acceleration. Their LeBaron model was twice as good.

[DG3]

04:41 PM on 02/11/2010

Chrysler was never the same after Daimler bought it. They took some of the coolest looking cars on the road, and turned them into the ugliest vehicle line imaginable. One has to wonder if the Germans did that on purpose.

[DebtNavigation]

05:23 PM on 02/11/2010

I disagree. The young Haitian-American Ralph Gilles has considerable design talent (The 300, etc.). I'm not a huge fan of the gunslit windows, but we'll let that slide since it contributes to the formality of the look.

[DG3]

05:56 PM on 02/11/2010

Gilles was already a Chrysler employee when Daimler took over.

I think it's fitting that when Chrysler sponsored the Golden Globes this year, the ONLY car they showed in the various ads was the 300. A five year old design. Yes, it's a great looking car. But what ELSE have they done?

[CologneCitizen]

04:07 AM on 02/12/2010

I think Michael Castiglione did even a better job with the 300M.

Car was underrated and had good looks and quality.

Or the Plymouth Prowler. IMO Chrysler should become a maker of expensive, quality niche cars. They used to build cars that other manufacturers would only show at car fairs and then let them disappear later.

[therealredstateblues]

04:31 PM on 02/11/2010

The reason chrysler is in trouble has more to do with daimler and Cerberus than anything else

when Daimler pulled out they took everything with them that wasn't nailed down leaving them hollowed out. Cerberus came in and did was private equity does - strip the carcass of whats left and flip the rest - in this case dumped it on the govt

[TXfemmom]

04:29 PM on 02/11/2010

I have a Dodge Grand Caravan. We had tremendous problems with the van, and it took something like twenty days in the shop and more problems than one can imagine to get the steering problem corrected. We have had to replace things on it which normally are replaced with twice as many miles on the vehicle as we are encountering. I am sorry, but I will never, ever own a Chrysler product.

[DavidWyld]

02:38 PM on 02/11/2010

This is a classic example of a no-risk marketing gimmick on the part of the automaker. How many folks would actually return the car, given these provisions. With the costs involved, maybe dozens at most, and the PR value of the offer is great. Good idea, Chrysler, now as for your model lineup.....well....

David

[mandinka]

02:00 PM on 02/11/2010

How can this be?? Barak is the auto czar and his designs should be flying off the lot. The problem with chryslers cars is that barak hasn't explained it well enough for them to understand and the public is just too dumb to realize that he can manage 2 auto companies from his phone

[scrzbill]

02:20 PM on 02/11/2010

Why so the least informed, who know nothing, say nothing, shout the loudest?

[AZdesertdog]

06:23 PM on 02/11/2010

thank you, thank you!!

what an idiot, who has no knowledge of the car business. it takes 2-3 years from design to production of any vehicle, and the government has nothing to do with any of that.

I'm sure this was the same guy who came into Chrysler and Dodge dealers back in 1981 when Chrysler got their loan guarantees (which they paid back 7 years EARLY) and asked " whaddya gonna do when Chrystler goes outta bidness, sell STOOD-E-BAKERS?"

I've has 14 Chrysler minivans, all the way from the first year (1984) to 2009. I've driven them almost THREE MILLION MILES. I've had hundreds of people I know buy them. a few have strayed to other makes, but they always come back to Chrysler.

when are the problems supposed to start?

I'm still waiting.

[Beth MacIntyre]

01:29 PM on 02/11/2010

They might not need this if their redesign had not been so awful. I will buy a used Chrysler minivan before I would one of the new ones (rented one last week when traveling - hated it....if I wanted an SUV design, I would buy an SUV)

[EinChicago]

02:53 PM on 02/11/2010

Completely disagree. Th enew designs are excellent compared to the old ones. The Caravan and T&C look great compared to the 90s looking siennas and Odysseys.

All comes down to tpersonal tastes, I guess.

[therealredstateblues]

08:28 AM on 02/12/2010

And VW liked them so much they have chrysler making their vans for them - which is basically a rebadged and trimmed T&C