Barring a last-minute breakthrough, Chrysler appears headed for bankruptcy today as the only remaining way to stay in business, but just 25% of Americans say they would buy an automobile from a bankrupt automaker.

Fifty-four percent (54%) say they would not buy a car from a company in bankruptcy, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Twenty-one percent (21%) are not sure whether they would or not.

Still, this is an improvement from two months ago when 63% said they wouldn’t purchase a vehicle from an automaker in bankruptcy. In December, 31% said they would buy a car from a bankrupt company, but 51% disagreed.

Yet two-thirds of adults (66%) believe it’s better for Chrysler to go into bankruptcy than for the government to subsidize it with more loans to keep it in business. This is consistent with polling for months that has shown most Americans oppose taxpayer-backed bailouts for the financially troubled automakers.

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Only 12% of Americans say they would prefer to buy a car from an automaker who received a bailout, while 58% say they would rather buy one from a manufacturer who did not take federal money.

Men (31%) are far more comfortable with a car from a company in bankruptcy than women (19%). While 54% of whites say they would not purchase a car from a bankrupt automaker, African-Americans are more closely divided on the question.

Younger adults and lower-income Americans are generally more dubious about a car from an auto company in bankruptcy than those who are older and earn more. Those 65 and older are the least likely to buy such a car, however.

Americans apparently are not totally reassured by President Obama’s promise that the federal government will honor the warranties of auto companies that go out of business. Voters were almost evenly divided on the idea when the president raised it in late March.

At that time, Obama gave Chrysler until today to work out significant concessions from unions, creditors and shareholders before he would authorize any more federal loans to keep the company going. Some shareholders appear to be balking which makes bankruptcy almost certain.

But 54% of Americans think it is at least somewhat likely that Chrysler will once again be a profitable company.

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