Would you buy a car made by an auto manufacturer that was in bankruptcy?

Fifty-one percent (51%) of voters say no in a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Thirty-one percent (31%) say they would, and 18% aren’t sure.

The financially beleaguered Big Three automakers, desperate to make sales, are making unprecedented offers to move cars off their dealers’ lots.

But 54% of women and 47% of men say they aren’t interested. Thirty-seven percent (37%) of men and 25% of women would buy a car made by a bankrupt company.

Dealers, take note: Far more than any other age group, 54% of men under the age of 40 say they’d buy a car from a company in bankruptcy.

Fifty-nine percent (59%) of African-Americans and 49% of whites wouldn’t buy such a car, though. Forty-nine percent (49%) of investors also say no, compared to 54% of non-investors.

The Rasmussen Consumer and Investor indexes are up slightly this week from recent record lows.

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If General Motors or Chrysler or both go bankrupt, consumers worry about continued access to parts, the availability of servicing for their vehicles and how long warranties would be honored. U.S. News & World report even says cars made by bankrupt companies depreciate in value faster.

Officials at General Motors have said the automaker will run out of cash this month and faces bankruptcy in the near future unless it gets government financial help. Chrysler is in similar straits. White House and congressional negotiators appear close to an agreement on a $15-billion taxpayer-backed loan package for GM and Chrysler, even though 53% of voters are opposed to such loans.

Ford says its cash flow is good through at least 2009 and is not seeking any loan money.

Thirty-nine percent (39%) say it is Very Likely that one of the major automakers will go out of business within the next year or two, with another 31% saying it is somewhat likely. Just three percent (3%) say it is not at all likely to happen.

Investors are even more sure that bankruptcy is in the offing for at least one of the automakers. Forty-five percent (45%) of investors say it is Very Likely, compared to 34% of non-investors.

In a survey in mid-November, nearly half of U.S. voters (48%) said it is better for the economy to let companies like General Motors fail rather than providing government subsidies to keep them in business.

Earlier this week, however, voters were evenly divided on the question.

President-elect Obama, the Democratic congressional leadership and legislators from the auto-building states insist that the impact of any of the automakers failing would be devastating to the economy and widespread.

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