well this made me consider a new wrangler until i read on and found it was exempt. great.

and wtf is a wrangler exempt for and not a dodge ram Hemi?

I guess it beats a sharp poke in the eye, but it wouldn’t influence my purchasing decision.

Good thinking. Could subsidize as much as $1.50 – $2.00 per gallon. Say they are paying $3 and gas goes up to $5 at 12,000 miles / per with a 20 EPA average that’d be $1,200 annually. Is this in lieu of rebates? $5,000 over $3,600 one could manage their own money.

How about you just build some more fuel efficient vehicles.

blow it out your ass gs400 this is a brilliant idea

Add another log to the fire. Chrysler is obviously not giving up.

No, it’s LAME idea. Instead of trying to FIX the problem, they are trying to MASK the problem.
FACT: We are running out fuel.
FACT: Price of fuel will continue to go up after 3 years.
FACT: Car makers need to do something about it and make more efficient vehicles, instead of handing out rebates.

Chrysler has the stench of death and desperation all over it. Maybe this is the Chrysler gimmick DNA expressing itself.

Have to give it to Chrysler. They are creative and this kind of marketing can only help.

Look: 12,000 miles limit and take a PT Cruiser that gets 25 mpg mixed driving but mostly highway. (12,000 yearly miles / 25 mpg = 480 gal of gas used) If we assume gas price will be around $3.99, Chrysler will subsidize $1 / gal) Therefore, for a PT Cruiser, They give you $480 / year, $1440 for three years. If gas price goes up to $5 / gal, Chrysler will be out $2880 for three year. I think it’s safe to assume the amount of subsidies is somewhere between $1500 to $3000, depending on the fuel economy of the vehicle and the price of gas.

$3000 about the same as on going rebate or cash incentive, yet it hits on a touchy-feely subject. Good job for being first to come up with this marketing scheme.

No… any lame desperation comes from those who would rather stick pins in their eyes than give Chrysler even a modicum of credit for coming up with a rather clever marketing strategy that no one else has thought of yet.

Had the story be “_________ (fill in the blank with any Japanese company) offers to guarantee $2.99 gas…,” anyone who has shown a clear bias for Japanese imports would be jumping for joy over that company’s clever forward thinking.

Since the sale of the company, Chrysler’s new owners have been trying really hard to prove to the public that they’re in this for the long haul… and they’re thinking of things that no other manufacturers have to do so… first the powertrain warranty, now this. It’s a marketing gimmick… and it’s a clever one because at this point in time the biggest concern on most American’s minds is gas prices.

Instead we get people balking about “masking” the problem… Well, what the hell was Diamler doing all those years they owned the company? The answer is – jack squat… and now Chrysler is basically left playing a game of ten year catch-up. It takes time to right a big ship and they’re taking steps to do so… they’re eliminating redundant models and they’re still in the process of developing their new line of efficient V6s – it just takes time.

Everyone tries to “mask” problems GS400…. just like Lexus slapping the letter “h” over some of its car while trying to tout efficiency, you know.. like the LS hybrid… that gets a whopping 20mpg… you know – the same as a three-ton Tahoe that so many people like to make fun of.

thanks AMGoff
they arent “masking the problem” but instead addressing the issue of our failing economy… if people know what they are paying for gas perhaps they can better estimate what theyll be able to afford for a home in the future or for groceries or to live, not wondering what theyre going to have to pay. Auto makers are going to do all they can to fix the problem, but in the meantime this immediately helps the consumer and presents a fantastic marketing tool. Combine this with their lifetime warranty and you cant go wrong. And the only chrysler vehicle ive ever considered is a Wrangler or an SRT model.

Damn, and I was hoping to afford the gas for a Viper with this card…

AMGoff–why not check real facts?
LS600h = 5000+lb car, AWD, 438HP, and gets 21mpg city/hiway combined.
Let’s comapare that to a…
S550 4MATIC = 4000+lb car, 388HP, and gets a lousy 17mpg city/hiway combined.
Both cares hit 60mph in about 5.5 seconds.
CLEARLY HYBRID OFFERS BENEFITS. AND THAT’S NOT EVEN GOING INTO EMISSIONS.
Only morons like you buy into the mindless articles written by “automotive journalists” who like to compare LS600h to VW Golfs. How about you compare it to other vehicles in its class? No, that would be too much of a shocking concept for pea brains like you. The fact is, hybrid is a system that can enhance ANY engine. That is why Mercedes is also investing billions into developing their own. Wake up and smell the reality.

I would also like to point out some other cars for your low IQ ponder about.
Lexus GS450h = 23mpg combined
BMW 545i = 19mpg combined
BMW 550i = 18mpg combined
Mercedes E500 = 17mpg combined
Mercedes E550 = 16mpg combined
The real sad story…
Mercedes E350 V6 (7speed) = 19mpg combined
SOUCE: http://www.fueleconomy.gov
Let’s not forget the vastly improved emissions.
Only morons compare GS450h to 4-cyl econo cars, and criticize. Compare it to other similarly powered Luxury sedans, then open your trap.

is there anything preventing the cardholder from using the card on *every* car the owner has? or if someone owns a trucking company, buys a stripper caliber, and uses the card as the corporate gas card? sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

^^Umm… glad to see you’re just like some other import-humpers on here. First of all, why would I give a **** about Mercedes? Oh.. I’m sorry, your “pea-brain” must automatically assume that because the letters “AMG” are in my username that means that I own or like Mercedes… Sorry… I’m not some little douche that puts my car into my username.

If you were at all capable of basic comprehension you would understand that my point was everyone does gimmicks. But people don’t always realize a gimmick when they see it… those are the same people who scoff at a three ton Tahoe that gets 21mpg. I never said a hybrid setup can’t enhance an engine… that’s why I pointed out the Tahoe – it makes sense in a vehicle like that. BUT, when it’s applied to a vehicle like the LS, it’s absolutely a gimmick. Why? Because why the **** would someone who can afford to spend $100K on a sedan be concerned whatsoever with gas mileage? That’s a gimmick. Some gimmicks actually have a use and pander to the working class – like this one from Chrylser… and others pander to the rich and have no use – like the LS hybrid…

Either way… don’t come on here and act as if you’ve come here to enlighten everyone to reality. Even if I did buy into mindless articles written by “auto journalists,” that would be better than buying into corporate marketing materials… you know, like some who paid x-dollars more for their 8+ year old Toyota just because it has an “L” stamped on it.

You want to wake up and smell reality? Then realize you’re nothing but of a long line of biased little import-humpers that litter this site – you’re not that special.

The funniest comparison of all.
Lexus GS450h, 339HP, 4100+lb, gets 23mpg combined.
The smallest Mercedes sedan with a tiny engine…
Merc C280, 194HP, 3300+lb, gets 22mpg combined!!
Waaaay too funny.
And please don’t feed me the “don’t believe the government EPA stats” bull****. Obviously, in real life, it’s going to get worse. But it gets worse for ALL cars, not just Lexus.
Maybe it is because Toyota makes more efficient engines to start with? Perhaps, but in fact, compared to its own N/A V6 sibling, the GS350 (only 306HP), it still gets better fuel consumption. And also beats its GS430 V8 sibling by 4mpg, and modern GS460 V8 sibling by 3mpg.

I was wondering the same 04focus.

“Chrysler specifies a yearly fuel allotment, good for 12,000 miles based on EPA milage figures for the specific vehicle. The limitation is presumably in place to prevent customers from filling up other people’s vehicles at the (potentially) discounted rate.”

So basically what they are saying is that whatever the EPA mileage rating of the specific vehicle is the card works at the discounted price up to 12,000miles. I guess if you get a Caliber that gets a combined 25miles per gallon then technically if you get 12,000 miles and lets say a Caliber has a 10 gallon tank (not actual but just for easy calculations) 25 X 10 = 250miles used per fill up. @ discounted price and 12,000 / 250 is 48 discounted fill ups. So if someone did try and use this on another vehicle that had a larger tank, they would have less discounted fill ups, but I’m sure this will be used somewhat illegitimately. I just don’t know what other measures they could take.

I brought up Mercedes, because its a natural competitor. Why would you wonder something so obvious? Are you really that dumb? What should I compare the Lexus with, Ferrari? How about Fiat? How about Hummer? How about Chevy? Don’t forget, YOU brought up Lexus. I brought up Mercedes, as a direct competitor. For your information, people who buy $100,000 cars still DO care about fuel consumption. Sometimes, they are the ones that bitch the most about cost of living.
But since you brought the subject of working class people, let’s look at it, shall we?
Toyota Camry Hybrid = 34mpg combined
Chrysler Sebring 3.5L V6 = 19mpg combined
Chrysler Sebring 2.7L V6 = 24mpg combined
Chevy Impala 3.5L V6 = 22mpg combined,
Chevy Malibu 3.5L V6 = 22mpg combined,
Chevy Malibu 2.4L 4cyl = 25mpg combined
Ford Fusion 3.0L = 21mpg combined
And yes, the Camry Hybrid still hits low 15’s 1/4 mile. Kicks the **** out of the Sebring 2.7L in acceleration, and beats its fuel consumption by a whopping 10MPG.
Go hang yourself.

Wow… you know who GS400 sounds like… tripleonefag. I wouldn’t be surprised in the least bit either.

Again… you can post all the figures you like pal, because you’re still missing the entire point… just like someone else always does.

lexuses are for old people and minorities
they are total crap and your figures are completely exaggerated GS.

and as i recall, car and driver called the cramry hybrid “dangerously slow”

Car & Driver tested the Camry Hybrid 1/4 mile at 15.4 seconds. If that is dangerously slow, then clearly the VW Jetta TDI & 2.5L are death traps. How about you check some facts before you open your mouth too, A4?

Yeah, my figures are EXAGGERATED.
Figures on http://www.fueleconomy.gov/ are published by the US Department of Energy. What’s your next theory? Japanese companies paid them off? Hahaha.. you’re sooo retarded.

AMGoff: The only person missing “the point” here is you, since you clearly have nothing to offer, except your blinded opinions. How about you gather up some facts before you jump on the “hybrids are not cool” bandwagon? I find it quite funny that you can sit there and still talk **** about Chrysler’s lame idea. The lamest idea over.
I guess your idea to solve teen obesity to offer them bigger clothes, huh?

Okay tripleonefa… err.. I mean GS400… since you seem to like you links so much, could you show us those times for the Camry Hybrid?? Because Edmunds pegs its 1/4 mile time 1.5 seconds slower than your claims…. don’t believe me?

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articleId=115799/pageId=98533

At least GM is heading the right direction.
Tahoe 5.3L V8 = 16mpg combined
Tahoe Hybrid = 21mpg combined
Good for GM.
Bad for Chrysler.
Dodge Durango 3.7L V6 = 16mpg
Chrysler’s answer: “Here, have a coupon.”
LOL…
Get a grip, Chrysler. Get a grip.

My blinded opinions? You’re the one who has offered completely one-sided comments to any story on here. I’m still “talking ****” about Chrylser’s lame idea??

Hello retard…..? What the **** do you think this article is about?

If you’re not that other little fag, then god help us because we have another ignorant little ****er who will say and do and change the subject a thousand times rather than just shut the **** up because he can’t admit he’s either wrong or talking about something completely irrelevant to the topic at hand.

So? Edmunds’s times are almost always slower than C&D. And even so–16.2s is better than Jetta 2.5L. And it still offers more interior room than Jetta, and spanks it on gas mileage and emissions.

Anyway you look at it, Camry Hyrbid kicks similar car’s ass.

AMGoff.. awww are we getting angry? I didn’t go off-topic. YOU went off topic. Read the posts again. You brought in a Lexus into this conversation. I merely said that Chrysler should be making more fuel efficient vehicles–you barked some jibberish with LS600h.
Man, you are really stupid. I’ve seen some stupid people post on here, but you’re on another level of stupidness.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articleId=121510/pageId=126033

LOL @ Sebring 3.5L V6 doing 16.3s.. yes its a convertible, but weighs same as Camry Hybrid. Rated at 235HP, but is SLOWER.

Quick, cover your eyes!!
Observed MPG Sebring V6 = 19.6mpg
Observed MPG Camry Hybrid = 32.6mpg

You just dug yourself a hole AMGjerkoff. More like a grave.

Yeah… I’m the one who is stupid and getting angry… because I’m the one who’s incapable of understanding the context of a statement. I brought the LS hybrid up as another example of a marketing gimmick, which you failed to understand and subsequently decided to go on a posting rampage about the fuel economy of a dozen different cars. You’re the one who flew off the deep end because you saw someone mention Lexus, because you obviously have a hard-on for gussied up Toyotas.

I’ve seen a lot of ignorant, biased little ****ers on here with unhealthy obsessions towards Japanese cars… and you’re pretty much on the level of 1115.

Here’s a tip you can use for the rest of your life son… if you can’t fully comprehend the context of something – it’s usually best to keep your mouth shut.

Way to miss the point, GS400.

AMGoff brought up the Tahoe/LS600h, not because they’re comparable cars, but to illustrate the “gimmickiness” of the LS600h. Buyers of the 600h aren’t buying a hybrid to save money — the payment on that car is probably 10x what it costs to fill it up in a month. The point is that those people are buying it almost exclusively for the image of driving a “Hybrid” — Lexus themselves have said that their hybrids “aren’t for people with an income. They are for people with WEALTH” (i.e. those born into money and/or retired)… “people who want their cars to make a statement about them”. These are the same people that curse someone for driving a big SUV, and think that because they’re driving some sort of “hybrid” they’re “doing their part”, but at the end of the day their car isn’t doing all that much better than an SUV. And they went and spent an extra $30,000 for a whole, AT BEST, 3mpg over a standard model. 3mpg equates to roughly $500/year — so it’d only take you 60 years to break-even on the hybrid markup, even under the best conditions where you actually saw the mileage increase.

Hence, the “gimmick”.

And, BTW, your assumption that all cars are equally unlikely to hit their EPA numbers is false. Hybrids tend to miss their EPA numbers CONSIDERABLY more than pure gasoline cars do because of the way that the Americans tend to drive (i.e. hard on the accelerator) that is in direct opposition to what makes a hybrid efficient (i.e. a deft touch). The newer EPA tests that finally better reflect actual driving habits have lessened this gap considerably (which is why the Prius took a massive 15mpg drop with the new tests), but there is still a pretty healthy difference in reality between how much gasoline and hybrid cars miss their EPA regulations in the real-world.

Real-world tests of the LS600/450 hybrid models have shown that they get virtually NO better mileage than their conventionally-powered brethren and that all the money spent on their hybrid systems is practically flushed down the drain. Hybrids certainly have their place — but heavy cars with large motors that people are actually going to drive in and tend to USE that big motor the paid for (rather than just cruise in slow-moving traffic) isn’t that place.

Hee hee hee. Every time you make a post, the stupider you get.
Is LS460h really a “gimmick”? It’s funny, they decided to do hybrid on their best selling model first, the RX450h. Then they worked up to GS. Then **FINALLY** LS. If it really was a gimmick, they would have gone for the LS first. In fact, the only real big gimmick on Toyota’s part was the Prius–taking an already fuel-efficient compact 4-cyl car, and trying to juice out a little more out of it.
But Toyota & GM putting hyrbid on their biggest vehicles, like SUVs and full size cars? It’s called real life savings.
Maaaaaan… you are one dumb turkey. You know what’s the best part though? The fact that you don’t even know you’re stupid, and you still post garbage.

Yeah… My intelligence is being called into question by some kid who uses words like “stupidness” and “stupider.” Enough said…

SigmaHyperion: Again, you are not looking at the full picture. Hybrid is no long ALL about saving fuel cost. It is about gaining PERFORMANCE, and REDUCING FUEL CONSUMPTION.
LS460L (long version) gets 19mpg. If they offered a full time AWD option, it would likely to drop to 16-17mpg. The LS600L, gets 21mpg. Yes, the savings are 3-4mpg. But LS460L with AWD, would not do 0-60mph in 5.5s. It would be closer to 6.0 flat. There is a gain.
Is the LS600L the best example of Toyota’s hybrid system? No. Starting with a 5.0L V8 engine–bigger than the base model, is not going to net you the best fuel mileage. That is no brainer. But when you look at other models, like the RX400h and GS450h, clearly, they are vastly superior to their NA counteraprts. No descrepencies there–same base engine size, and same 2WD vs 2WD (or 4WD vs 4WD).

Enough said indeed.
It’s funny how Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Ford and General Motors all have joined in. Yet some how, Chrysler decides not to, and just hands out coupons. Ironic. It’s also funny that they are constantly at the bottom of all EPA stats, in compariable classes.
Again, the moral of the story:
1. Planet earth is running out of fuel.
2. Car companies are woringk hard at making better fuel efficient vehicles.
3. Almost all car companies… Chrysler hands out coupons to solve the issue.

Need4SSpeed & 04focus, there is a reason why Chrysler excludes the “gas hogs” like the SRTs. The 12,000 miles ties in with the EPA estimate of the particular model. Using your model, the Caliber is said to get a combined mpg of 25, then take 12,000 / 25 mpg = 480 gal of gas needed for the Caliber a year and that would be the amount Chrysler pays (up to 480 gal annually, it doesn’t matter how many fills up, whether it be 96 five gallons fill-ups or 48 ten gallons fill-ups or somewhere in between).

Suppose we have a Wrangler that gets 12.5 mpg combined EPA estimate. Take 12,000 / 12.5 = 960 gal, meaning this vehicle will be eligible for TWICE the allowed discounted gas in gallons (hence twice the amount of subsidy) simply because it has worse gas mileage. The reason is simply that it takes more gas for a car that has worse gas mileage (e.g. Wrangler) to go the same 12,000 miles than a more fuel efficient car. That’s why Chrysler excludes these less efficient vehicles. So for your Caliber, 480 gallons of gas are all you are going to get a discount on. Of course, I am assuming gas price is uniform across the nation, but it’s not. So someone from California will benefit more than say someone in Georgia because California has some of the highest prices in the nation.

Real-world tests of the LS600/450 hybrid models have shown that they get virtually NO better mileage than their conventionally-powered brethren and that all the money spent on their hybrid systems is practically flushed down the drain. Hybrids certainly have their place —
,,
,,
Actually it is even worse. Hybrids take a bunch of earth polluting technology and suck up earth’s resources to buld the “extra” hybrid stuff. Batteries, etc.
..
GS and AM are both correct on the LS. Toyota did the hybrid to allow people with money to both feel good about saving the environment and not decrease performance. But most people who buy the LS really do not care about the money being saved on gas (and really losing money on the MSRP). They, like GS really want to either show others they care about the earth or they really want to show others they care about the earth. Either way they go back to their 4000 square foot homes and run their AC. This country is so bogus. Why are we not stopping all the airplane flights? Why are we not saying no AC in new homes? Yep, autos are the ones taking the spanking but we continue on just the same otherwize.

Ok, not to get in the middle of your pissing war here but, GS400, does that imply a Buick Gran Sport? If so, nice ride.

This is brilliant move on part of Chrysler. I am sure GM & Ford will follow with similar incentives for non-desirable models.

like some who paid x-dollars more for their 8+ year old Toyota just because it has an “L” stamped on it.
Better than buying a Chevy that has a Cadillac crest on it lol
I said in the Toyota thread that they should offer a gas card w/ their trucks.
GS dont bother with him hes a sensitive little bitch and hell just cry time and time again. I wasnt even going to post in here but reading AMG cry I figured what the hell

This idea will make Pricelock and Chrylser millions in easy profit. Like any credit company out there, they make their cash on obscene interest rates. People will be tripping over themselves to gain access to this card, and then fail to make payments on time. Easy money.

As an aside, good they didn’t include the Wrangler. The fuel economy is so miserable it would offset a lot of their potential profit.

these whole rants went off topic real quick hahaaha, but my day just started out great reading everything here

Let’s hope that Chrysler will be able to unload it’s inventory of vehicles that do not move. I think it is old fashion mantra of “spend to save”, but Chrysler came up with it and the rest of industry catching up. I am sure in a week or so we’ll see all of them offering this program, but it will be “follow the leader” and their incentives will have to be juicier, which is more expensive for competition.

Jumpofit is right, these arguments are kind of like my version of Popeye’s spinich.

i’m waiting for chrysler to offer a Hooker Card with a guaranteed locked in price for whores and 36 free blowjobs for the next three years, then and only then I’ll buy a Crapster

^ If you want to get easy cheap BJs, just go see 400SS’ mom. She’s quite the prolific little ****fiend.

LOL @ Affliction The price of Ho’s went up in your town lol. Just dont get the ones like they have on those HBO specials. That ruined my image of prostitution

By the way 2.99 is still not that cheap. How about 1.99?

Hey heres another fact GS400

you need to compare apples to apples ****tard

Jetta 2.5 MSRP – 16,990

Jetta GLI 2.0t MSRP – 24,300

Toyota Camry Hybrid MSRP – 25,350

You are comparing a car that is not only rated as a 5/10 on the enthusiast scale on C&D to the camry which was given the dismal 1/10 rating, but it is also almost 10 grand cheaper than the hybrid heap from jap country. The GLI on the other hand gets equal/better mileage than the 2.5l, accelerates to 60 in 6.4 seconds, and runs the 1/4 in 15.1 according to C&D. AND you dont fall asleep driving it. If you want fuel mileage, you can get a TDI which still has been cited as a more exciting driving experience than the camry. And thats any camry… at least you can choose fast and fun or fuel friendly with VW. Camrys are all just appliances with headlights. Suck on it.

oh AND the GLI came in first place in a C&D comparison test between 4 other similar sport sedans, including the Accord V-6 and the Mazdaspeed6. Wheres the camry in that comparo? its not. cause its for old people.

A4 – There’s no point… you’re basically talking to a 1115-type… it’s like trying to explain algebra to a retard.

GS400, I really like the idea of the hybrid, but since you are all knowledgable about everything automotive, can you tell me what they’re going to do with all of them batteries, when you can only recycle 17% of the automotive battery?

LOL still talking about me but not to me. Still a little sensitive
I didnt mean to make you cry AMG lol

AND GS400, learn the products you are arguing for, a ways back you stated that Lexus has an RX450h, its an RX400h. I hate lexus and even i know that.

“Planet earth is running out of fuel.”

Um, yeah. I would love to see the source for these “facts.”

GS400, BTW, Fiat owns Ferrari.

If anyone reads this…. Gas is at 1.69 where I live. Hope you enjoy the 2.99 gas over that $3,000 rebate!