BUYERS RESPOND TO "KEEP AMERICA ROLLING 0% RATE- GM SAYS KEEP IT ROLLING

AP reported that General Motors Corp. said it is extending its interest-free financing program to Nov. 18.

The program, called ``Keep America Rolling,`` was scheduled to be discontinued at the end of October.

The program began Sept. 20 as a way to jump start sales after a slump following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Ford Motor Co. and DaimlerChrysler AG quickly followed with similar programs.

``This highly successful marketing program is clearly achieving its objectives to stimulate vehicle sales and to help stimulate economic activity during this critical time,`` Bill Lovejoy, GM group vice president for vehicle sales, service and marketing, said in a statement.

September sales of GM vehicles were down 3 percent, but sales of light trucks, its most profitable vehicles, rose 10 percent.

Ford chief financial officer Martin Inglis said Wednesday that he did not know whether the automaker also would extend its zero-interest program but noted such incentive programs were extremely harmful to the company`s financial picture.

``I think these levels of marketing costs are unhealthy for the industry,`` Inglis said. ``I repeat, these levels of marketing costs are unsustainable.``

Last week at the opening of a dealership in suburban Detroit, Chrysler Group CEO Dieter Zetsche said he would not be in favor of extending his company`s program, but that no company wanted to be the first to discontinue the popular incentive or risk being abandoned by consumers.

DaimlerChrysler spokesman Mark Henretta said the company reviews its incentive programs on a daily basis and that no decision had yet been made on extending the zero-finance offer.