Chrysler sees Car Sales Increase slightly after President Barack Obama Speech Posted May 8 2009 12:54 PM by RimZ Filed under: Industry News, Chrysle

DETROIT — Car salesman was probably not among the jobs that President Obama expected to assume during his first few months in the White House.

And a slow weekend at many Chrysler dealerships around the country after the company filed for bankruptcy protection suggests that few consumers were moved by the president’s plea on Thursday to help Detroit’s automakers by buying an American car.

The president’s sales pitch was cheered in Michigan and among Chrysler’s 3,200 dealers. And the company said his speech did help sell 11,400 cars on Thursday — although much of that could have been the inventory clearance that is typical for the last day of a month.

But to the extent there was much action in Chrysler showrooms Saturday and Sunday, it often seemed to be shoppers hoping the company’s plight might prompt dealers to offer give-away prices even lower than deep discounts the company has already been dangling. But sales managers do not have much remaining wiggle room.


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