Why Dealers With Both Imports & Domestics sell more Imports

[Autopub]

Talked to a large dealer operator [12 dealerships] in New York today. His Chevrolet store sold 5 new units over the weekend. His Nissan and Hyundai outlets sold 75. What is missing here? :(

[mchastek]

I'm not sure what some of the other members will say, but in my opinion, I think the imports shine because of quality, reliability, and design. The cars last longer, hold their value better, and in my opinion, look better. The Corvette is one of the last American cars I'm a fan of. It's pretty sad seeing a 25-to-1 ratio of imports to domestics though - WOW!

[Paul12801]

Lets not also forget that in NY, Nissan and Hyundai represent more of the NY clientele (I am assuming this is out in Long Island). Chevy simply isn’t desirable in a large metro area. However if you go out into the country you will see just the opposite.

[Scott]

Being this side of the pond it is hard for me to say too much but Britain used to have a thriving automotive industry and now we simply make Japanese cars.

The good thing about always importing our vehicles is that it creates a level playing field and encourages the manufacturers to work harder, offer more and better prices.

If imports are doing so much better it is quite simple to see why. Now the oil price is finally hitting the US like it has been so hard in Europe for a long time now people are being more causiose about buying gas guzzling vehicles. AIADA’s latest newsletter quotes
“ Sales of compact and specialty compact cars at the average international nameplate dealership were also up for the month, up 6.7 percent to 11 units. In the overall market, sales of iDealer Dashboard-participating linemakes’ compact and specialty compact vehicles grew 4.5 percent. Vehicles in this segment include the market’s popular hybrid vehicles – the Honda Insight, the Honda Civic Hybrid, and the Toyota Prius – as well as the Kia Optima, Mitsubishi Eclipse, and the Mazda3, among others.”
"It looks like the price at the pump finally took its toll on larger car and truck sales," said Kevin Cunningham, Director of Business Development at NCM Associates. "I think if people do the math, they’d realize that over the course of the year the steeper gas prices don’t make a huge financial dent. But paying $50 or $60 each time you fill up is making a significant psychological impression."

Also with foreign cars there is a lot more offered with regards to servicing, warranty, reliability and price.

The good point is that if the US manufacturers are tuned into their customer requirements you might see a lot of change for the good.

It is simply a buyers market.

[Autopub]

Being this side of the pond it is hard for me to say too much but Britain used to have a thriving automotive industry and now we simply make Japanese cars.

The good thing about always importing our vehicles is that it creates a level playing field and encourages the manufacturers to work harder, offer more and better prices.

If imports are doing so much better it is quite simple to see why. Now the oil price is finally hitting the US like it has been so hard in Europe for a long time now people are being more causiose about buying gas guzzling vehicles. AIADA’s latest newsletter quotes
“ Sales of compact and specialty compact cars at the average international nameplate dealership were also up for the month, up 6.7 percent to 11 units. In the overall market, sales of iDealer Dashboard-participating linemakes’ compact and specialty compact vehicles grew 4.5 percent. Vehicles in this segment include the market’s popular hybrid vehicles – the Honda Insight, the Honda Civic Hybrid, and the Toyota Prius – as well as the Kia Optima, Mitsubishi Eclipse, and the Mazda3, among others.”
"It looks like the price at the pump finally took its toll on larger car and truck sales," said Kevin Cunningham, Director of Business Development at NCM Associates. "I think if people do the math, they’d realize that over the course of the year the steeper gas prices don’t make a huge financial dent. But paying $50 or $60 each time you fill up is making a significant psychological impression."

Also with foreign cars there is a lot more offered with regards to servicing, warranty, reliability and price.

The good point is that if the US manufacturers are tuned into their customer requirements you might see a lot of change for the good.

It is simply a buyers market.
There seems to be a "perception" that vehicles from Asian manufacturers are more reliable, less expensive, and better looking than those made by U.S. manufacturers. This may be a carefully developed marketing strategy over time. The Japanese manufacturers and now the Koreans are resolute in projecting an image. The latest is that they are the innovators in alternative powered vehicle development.

[Maxwedge]

for some reason, in larger cities, foreign cars typically sell better as a whole than they do in the midwest and south. Ive ridden and driven a great many cars and types of cars. I simply dont see the difference being that radically different. of the 20 or so cars that the people I work with or are friends with. The Asian cars arnt much different in quality, sorry but one friend has a Chevy truck with a flakey window isnt any more or less afflicted than the co worker who has a waterpump on his Nissan go out. Both cars are less than a year old. Which is worse? The real problem is...The Big 3 did an awful job of auto manufacturing in the 1970s and 80s and are still paying the price.

[DMD]

It all comes down to a very simple thing and that is perception. Although the perception is correct when looking at most quality issues against the Detroit offerings, it is becomeing less and less the truth when you look at some of the offerings by Detroit. It doesn't apply as much to Daimler Chrysler products and applies more so to Ford but it is especially true when you look at the J. D. Powers and Associates surveys and the Harbour report surveys over the last few years in regard to the General Motors offerings.

[spoacdc]

I'm not sure what some of the other members will say, but in my opinion, I think the imports shine because of quality, reliability, and design. The cars last longer, hold their value better, and in my opinion, look better. The Corvette is one of the last American cars I'm a fan of. It's pretty sad seeing a 25-to-1 ratio of imports to domestics though - WOW!


And sooner than later, you and I, and all Americans are going to pay a big price for this! We are slowly losing control of our country, willing???