Car buyers hesitant to buy from bankrupt automakers

In their efforts to get federal aid, Chrysler and General Motors have adamantly resisted the bankruptcy route, fearing that consumers would be reluctant to buy cars from a bankrupt automaker. Well, according to a new pulse survey from the Consumer Reports National Research Center, they're right!

More than three-quarters (78 percent) of respondents said they were unlikely to consider buying a new car from an automaker in bankruptcy; 64 percent were very unlikely. Women were particularly resistant; 83 percent said they are unlikely to consider buying and 70 percent said very unlikely.

Similarly, more than eight in 10 (82 percent) respondents said they are unlikely to consider buying a new car from a division that is being sold or phased out; 63 percent said very unlikely. More older consumers and women would steer clear of a division such--at least 87 percent said they are unlikely to consider purchasing and seven in 10 responded very unlikely.

Methodology

The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a random telephone survey using a nationally representative sample of households that own at least one vehicle. From March 12-15, 2009, 1,005 interviews were completed among adults aged 18 year or older.

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--Jeff Bartlett