June 22, 2006
Chrysler plans to offer an employee-discount program for consumers beginning July 1, marking
the first volley of what is almost certain to be another summer long new-car price war.
The sales promotion is virtually the same as the one the automaker ran last summer. The plan allows all customers to buy Chrysler group vehicles at the same heavily discounted prices available to Chrysler group employees.
The new car price war in the summer of 2005 got under way when General Motors offered employee pricing in June. Ford and the Chrysler group followed along in July and the sales lasted through September.
Chrysler is considering a new return policy that would allow customers who are unhappy with their purchase the opportunity to return the vehicle within 30 days. The automaker is also considering zero-percent financing with the employee discounts.
The 30-day guarantee is an idea Chrysler executives hope will eliminate doubts among buyers who remember the past Chrysler problems with quality.
Customers returning a vehicle would pay a penalty and a mileage fee.
