Sour economy makes leasing an auto tougher, costlier

— -- Leasing a new vehicle could get more expensive — if you can get a lease at all.

Automakers' financial arms are cutting back leasing programs. Falling used vehicle values, especially for big pickups and SUVs, have caused losses on current leases. Also, the overall credit squeeze is making it harder for the companies to borrow to finance new ones.

Coping with lease problems:

•Chrysler. The company's financial unit will suspend offering any new leases on Friday. Dealers who want to offer leases will have to line up their own financing deals.

About 20% of new Chryslers, Dodges and Jeeps are leased, and hard-pressed dealers are unhappy.

"It's not going to help," says Adam Lee, president of a group that includes two Chrysler dealerships in Maine. He says he's working to line up an alternative financing source for leases.

"Panic is setting in because of the huge decline in the values of trucks and SUVs," says Jonathan Banks of Automotive Lease Guide, one of the services that estimates depreciation of the value of new vehicles — the so-called residual value at lease-end that is used to figure what the lease payments need to be.