Chrysler's new owners have their work cut out for them. Even the rental car companies, which traditionally buy cheaper cars in high volume to keep their costs low, are buying fewer Chrysler models today.
Reuters reports, "Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Inc (DTG.N) said on Monday it would slash its 2010 car rental purchases from Chrysler." The company operates Dollar Rent a Car and Thrifty Auto Rental.
Autoblog notes, "Previously, the company was contractually bound to ensure that 75% of its fleet was composed of Chrysler vehicles." That contract, however, was modified as part of Chrysler's bankruptcy proceeding earlier this year. With its new freedom to explore products from other automakers, the company plans to buy just 30 percent of its cars from Chrysler this year, with the largest share of its new fleet, 34 percent, going to Ford.
The news may mean that you're more likely to be offered a Fusion than a Sebring on your next business trip. It could have an impact on the next car you buy, as well. Reuters notes, "Overall, Dollar Thrifty expects to order about 90,000 vehicles under its 2010 plan, which would make the Chrysler purchase about 27,000 vehicles, or 40,000 vehicles less than they would have bought from the automaker previously." That's a significant hit to Chrysler's sales, which were already down more than any other domestic automaker (except for Hummer) this year.
That may mean more significant discounts, and more negotiating room, for those who are interested in a Chrysler vehicle. We'll keep you posted on any changes to Chrysler's incentives as we see them, on our Chrysler Deals page.
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