In a move to sharply reduce costs and over saturation in the struggling U.S. car market, Ford Motor Co. is offering to buy out 81 of its dealers.

According to news reports, most of the dealers offered the buyout deal are minority-owned dealerships.

Reports said that Ford sent a letter to the 81 dealers in February giving them until April 1 to decide if they wanted to sell their franchise rights back to the automaker. Some dealers, though, are complaining that Ford is not giving them enough time to decide.

Over the last year, Ford has cut 340 dealer stores, but still has some 4,000 Ford, Mercury and Lincoln dealer franchises in the U.S. (Courtesy of Tire Review)