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Competing against cash for clunkers record sales

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danoneil

danoneil

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Apr 16, 2009
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#1
According to most reports June of 2010 was not a bang up month. Now dealers face beating 2009's July and August record breaking sales due to the success of cash for clunkers.

What does everyone expect to happen over the next 2 months. Can you repeat the sales numbers from July and August of last year ?

What are your manufacturers doing to help you ?

I work for a Honda dealer and for the 1st time ever, Honda rolled out 0.9% for 60 months. We are hoping it will drive traffic to our store ( no pun intended). :D


What is everyone's feelings and how is your dealership reacting ?
 
#2
June for us was pretty lackluster. I've been thinking a lot about July and August as well. This will be the first "real" summer in the new economy. In '08 our world hadn't completely turned upside down yet (it was getting there, though) and then last year we had C4C to negate things. Anxious sums up my feelings.

I work for a Toyota dealer and our post-recall incentives have helped enormously, especially with conquest business. Other than that, it seems like business as usual where I'm at. Our service dept. has taken a dip the past couple of months and much of the focus is being directed there.
 
#3
Thanks for the input. Working for a Honda dealer, we are constantly wondering how Toyota manages to sell cars. You gotta give Toyota marketing a huge applause for keeping customers to coming in to the showroom.

Internet wise, I am not concerned if we can equal or beat last years July internet sales number. We sold 91 cars in July 209 and we have been hitting close to that number for the last few months. In August of 09 we hit 100 cars, but we beat that number in March, without the C4C.

As a dealership and with the economy the way it is, I do not see us selling the same amount of new and used vehicles as we did in July & August of 09. But than again, we didn't expect March of this year to be what it was. I guess we'll see. We are off to a good start and hope to maintain the momentum.
 
#4
danoneil said:
Working for a Honda dealer, we are constantly wondering how Toyota manages to sell cars. You gotta give Toyota marketing a huge applause for keeping customers to coming in to the showroom.
Click to expand...

Because most Americans do not like to drive. Honda builds (maybe "used to build" is the better term) cars that are meant for people who enjoy driving. They model things off of racing technology and enthusiasm. Toyota does neither. Toyota builds Mr. Smith's boring car that is predictable and reliable. It is about taking Mr. Smith from A to B as comfortably as possible while not breaking Mr. Smith's wallet. That is why Toyota is so successful - they build for a bigger market segment. It is the same segment GM and Ford are after.

And to make my post any more controversial.....real drivers buy European cars :poke: :)
 
#6
Alex Snyder said:
Because most Americans do not like to drive. ... It is about taking Mr. Smith from A to B as comfortably as possible while not breaking Mr. Smith's wallet.
Click to expand...

This SCCA member, motocross & motorcycle drag racer remembers back-in-the-day when cops were few and far between and they had no technology, they used their eye balls. Speed was free and easy .. and fun.

Now I'm older :geezer:and my perfect ride has changed. All I want is a ride as comfortable as a la-z-boy, an auto-pilot with a button marked "take me home" button and hi-speed internet to watch Hulu.com.
 
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#7
"Toyota does neither. Toyota builds Mr. Smith's boring car that is predictable and reliable."


Whats been in the news the last 6 months ? Toyota vehicles overall quality , safety and reliability have been called into question. According to all the recalls and safety issues, Mr. Smiths boring car is not boring after all. Toyota makes more cars, no question. The Odyssey continually smokes Sienna. The Civic and Accord continue to sell and so does the CRV & Pilot. What Honda is building is still selling on a consistant basis with increases every year. And Honda does not have a Scion type brand.
 
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#9
Alex Snyder said:
Because most Americans do not like to drive. Honda builds (maybe "used to build" is the better term) cars that are meant for people who enjoy driving. They model things off of racing technology and enthusiasm. Toyota does neither. Toyota builds Mr. Smith's boring car that is predictable and reliable. It is about taking Mr. Smith from A to B as comfortably as possible while not breaking Mr. Smith's wallet. That is why Toyota is so successful - they build for a bigger market segment. It is the same segment GM and Ford are after.

And to make my post any more controversial.....real drivers buy European cars :poke: :)
Click to expand...


If by real, you mean certain drivers whom have to compensate for a severe lack of god given "manliness" ?????
 
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