Auto Trends

You read that correct folks… the “Let’s Refuel America” program by Chrysler is currently afoot, and you’ve already lost one week’s worth of time that this program is set to run. From May 7^th to June 2^nd, 2008, Chrysler is offering a guarantee that for the next three years any customer who purchases or leases a qualifying vehicle will not, I repeat WILL NOT have to pay anything over $2.99 a gallon for gas.

As Chrysler puts it:

“These are some challenging times. Fortunately, the Let’s Refuel America Program is doing what it can to help you get through it.”

Kind of makes you proud to be an American, don’t it. I can already see the old red, white, and blue waving across the gas tank of a Chrysler 300.

Upon the purchase or lease of a new Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep vehicle, you tell them which credit card it is that you use to purchase your gas. They take that number and set it up so that whenever you use that card, regardless the price or location you are in, you will only be charged $2.99 per each gallon you pump in.

Unless Chrysler knows something that we don’t know, this would seem to be plain crazy. As it stands today, most regular fuel buyers are already paying at least $0.50 over this price. That’s around $8.00 discount per fill up of your average tank.

If you then consider the fact that fuel prices are predicted to reach the $5.00 range at some point in the future… you could expect as much as $5,000 back from Chrysler, depending on your driving needs and habits.

But that just seems to be too good to be true. What’s the catch?

• You need to have either a Master Card or Visa to even be enrolled in the program, and debit cards will not count.
• Once your card is activated for this program, it can only be used to buy gas.
• The program only works for regular (87 octane) gasoline, diesel, or E85.
• Mid grade gas (88 to 89 octane) will cost $3.14 per gallon.
• Premium fuel (90 to 94 octane) will cost $3.29 per gallon.
• For purchases beyond the 87 octane gasoline (meaning diesel or E85) the consumer will be charged a $2.00 service fee. (actually there are several scenarios where the consumer can be charged the $2.00 service fee)
• “All SRT models, Sprinter, Viper, Crossfire, Wrangler, Wrangler Unlimited, Ram Chassis Cab, and Challenger models (will be) ineligible to participate in this program.” (darn!)
• The purchaser will be given a yearly allotment of gas they are pre-approved to use each year. Once that allotment is full, the card will not allow anymore purchases until the new year turns over.
• Their yearly allotment is calculated based on the MPG of the vehicle and the expectation that the owner or leaser will be driving only 12,000 miles per year. So in other words, the more gas you guzzle, the more gas you get… obviously not a “Green” program.
  • Examples of yearly gallon allowances:

    Model/Gallons

    Chrysler 300 1,800

    Chrysler300C 2,118

    Chrysler Aspen 2,400

    Chrysler Pacifica 2,118

    Chrysler PT Cruiser 1,636

    Chrysler Sebring 1,714

    Chrysler Town & Country 1,895

    Dodge Avenger 1,714

    Dodge Caliber 1,500

    Dodge Charger 2,000

    Dodge Grand Caravan 1,895

    Dodge Journey 1,800

    Dodge Magnum 2,000

    Dodge Dakota 2,250

    Dodge Durango 2,400

    Dodge Nitro 2,000

    Dodge Ram 2,400

    Jeep Commander 2,400

    Jeep Compass 1,500

    Jeep Grand Cherokee 2,250

    Jeep Liberty 2,000

    Jeep Patriot 1,565

• This program will not be transferable upon selling the vehicle within the 3 year time frame.
• And most importantly, Chrysler has put a clause in the agreement that they may back out and/or change the rules at anytime during those three years. (Yeah, perhaps that aren’t as crazy as it first sounded!)

This is a great marketing idea. Instead of the typical one time cash back incentive… this could be a “gift that keeps on giving” throughout the next 3 Christmas seasons. So, if you’ve been mulling over getting a new Chrysler, Dodge, or Jeep… now is the time!