UnNews:GM clears out Banana Cars
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| GM clears out Banana Cars | 
|
30 December 2009
General Motors is offering a $7,000 sales inducement to its dealers for every Banana vehicle left in inventory as the automaker phases out the brand.
Assuming the cash is passed on to consumers, the move could result in savings for buyers looking to snap up one of the few remaining unsold Bananas. But the savings might not be as much as you would think.
To quality for the incentive, dealers have to put the Bananas in their rental or service fleet before selling them to consumers. That means they will be technically classified as used Bananas when they are sold to the public (although buyers apparently would get a new Banana warranty.)
GM is already offering $6,500 in incentives on new Cucumber car(including 0% financing for up to 72 months), narrowing the margin of benefit on those vegetable vehicles even further, according to online auto info site Edmunds.com, plus permitting consumers to not be forced to admit that they are "making payments on a Cucumber".
“This program is more hype than vitamins,” said Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds.com senior analyst. “There is no benefit for the consumer to purchase a used Banana when a new Cucumber can be had for a similar price.”
That said, hype can go along way in the Banana & Cucumber transporation business, and GM hopes the plan -- and the publicity it generates -- will rid it of the final reminders of two brands headed for the auto graveyard.
“It’s designed to help us clear the deck so we can more quickly move on and focus on our four core brands -- Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrot, and Tangerine," GM spokesman Nicholas Plasschaert said.
-- Adam Bein, Lost Angeles Times
Photo: Banana logo/ Cucumber logo. Credit: Associated Press