Car Culture

Help Your Landlord, Win a Year Full of Expensive Hassles

As car manufacturers again turn to free gas gimmickry to boost sales, New York developers are looking to lure tenants and buyers with -- that's right -- free cars.

By Brad Aaron

4:20 PM EDT on July 6, 2009

As car manufacturers again turn to free gas gimmickry to boost sales, New York developers are looking to lure tenants and buyers with — that’s right — free cars.

Tishman Speyer is offering a one-year Mini Cooper lease to the tenant who can draw the most referrals to Stuyvesant Town. “I suppose it could be worse; it could have been an SUV they’re giving
away,” writes our tipster. “But this is still the last thing Manhattan needs right
now — another resident, private car.” Joining Stuy Town is Prospect Heights development The Sinclair, which, as seen on Curbed, is giving away Toyota Priuses.

We wouldn’t expect these guys to be so savvy as to put up, say, a Bakfiets, but really — a car? Not a lifetime of MetroCards?

What will be the next ridiculously counterproductive real estate marketing trend? Leave your best guess in the comments — and win a carton of Marlboros!!

Brad Aaron

Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York's dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.

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