Give It Away, Now: Chrysler's Crazy Lease Deals

Chrysler's going to give people cavities and diabetes if they sweeten their deals any more.

DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group is leasing 2006 model year vehicles at a drastically higher rate than crosstown rivals General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. as it works to unload a glut of new cars and trucks.

Lease deals can help automakers boost sales because they typically offer lower monthly payments.

Dealers say Chrysler is making lease deals on 2006 models even more attractive by lowering lease interest rates, relaxing credit requirements and raising vehicles' residual values.

It's good news for car buyers who can lease a loaded Jeep Commander full-size SUV at some dealerships for less than $200 a month. But analysts say it could prove a risky strategy for Chrysler, particularly as 2007 models are arriving at dealerships.

The Detroit News

That chart says alot.

Wow, like, it's a different country, south of the border!!!

Personally, at least HALF of the deals that I write are leases. I think national stats that I've seen for Canada lately were somewhere around 40%. Perhaps it is because we are getting gouged by the manufacturers up here (any takers for a $65k Tahoe LTZ?), insurance premiums are an outrage and our gas prices are significantly higher than the States (can you say $3 a gallon is cheap around here?) - if you take all that into consideration, I suppose that may explain why leasing is far more accepted up here.

But, wow, GM is getting out of leases down there!

I don't think I could buy a car...ever. I like too many of them and change my mind too often. A three year lease is perfect for me.

The title sounds like a red hot chili pepper song:

Give it away,

Give it away,

Give it away, now.