Automotive Industry Future - Predictions - DealerELITE.net2024-03-28T23:31:26Zhttps://www.dealerelite.net/forum/categories/automotive-industry-future-predictions/listForCategory?categoryId=5283893%3ACategory%3A40115&feed=yes&xn_auth=noEffective Tips to Keep Employees Engaged and Productive in Dealershiptag:www.dealerelite.net,2018-10-20:5283893:Topic:5226382018-10-20T10:08:48.921ZReynalda Lorhttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/ReynaldaLor
<p>Employee engagement means a lot in the car dealership business. Engaged employees can make your business, and disengaged employees can't only decrease sales but can also lead to customers' dissatisfaction and efficiency in organizational tasks. In this forum post, I am going to tell you some effective tips to keep your employees engaged. </p>
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<li>First of all, as a boss of a car dealership business, you just need to understand the significance of employee engagement. You can read…</li>
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<p>Employee engagement means a lot in the car dealership business. Engaged employees can make your business, and disengaged employees can't only decrease sales but can also lead to customers' dissatisfaction and efficiency in organizational tasks. In this forum post, I am going to tell you some effective tips to keep your employees engaged. </p>
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<li>First of all, as a boss of a car dealership business, you just need to understand the significance of employee engagement. You can read quality stuff regarding the need for employee retention over the internet. This article ( <a href="https://www.millforbusiness.com/why-is-employee-engagement-important/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.millforbusiness.com/why-is-employee-engagement-important/</a> ) would also be very effective in understanding why employee engagement is essential. <br/> </li>
<li>To overcome workplace stress, it is also vital to have a gym at the workplace. According to studies, workplace gyms reduce absenteeism, improve sleep, and build job satisfaction. As most of our employees want a muscular body, that is why we are also thinking of offering them fitness supplements, gadgets, fruit baskets and <a href="https://www.melanotanexpress.com/product-category/sarms-and-liquid-research-chems/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SARMs like these</a> as an incentive. Definitely, the use of supplements, healthy fruits, SARMs and a good diet will help them to get a good body shape. Indirectly, it will also boost their workplace performance. <br/><br/></li>
<li>A variety of small tricks like the use of standing desks, the use of glasses instead of contact lenses and exposure to sunlight etc is also very beneficial to enhance employees' productivity. You can also <a href="https://www.managerup.com/how-to-be-productive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read this</a> detailed article to get 120+ ideas to increase productivity with small efforts. This source presents amazing but very helpful ways to boost workplace productivity. I have already used a few of these suggestions in my dealership, and they actually work.<br/><br/></li>
<li>Appreciation is also necessary to increase employee engagement. It has been seen that most bosses don't appreciate the contributions of different employees and always try to point out the weaknesses of employees. However, little appreciation can change the day of employment and motivate him/her to perform their job in an ideal way. With gratitude, if you offer some incentives like free family trips and tickets, then it could be a very appealing approach. As it is NFL season, then you can also give them free NFL tickets if they are vaccinated or even can subscribe to NFL Game Pass by using <a href="https://www.firesticktricks.com/watch-nfl-game-pass-on-firestick.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this guide</a> as a bonus for those who are trying hard in your sales team. <br/></li>
<li>You can also give team passes to enhance the bonding among your teams if it is about watching NFL matches in the stadium or even in the dealership. <br/><br/></li>
<li>By the same token, it will be a good idea to organize outdoor activities like boat parties for your employees. If I share my personal experience, our dealership HR got an all-inclusive $119/person ticket from <a href="https://www.hiphopclubmiami.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this Miami boat party website</a> for our sales team last month. And noticed a huge improvement in sales. However, it was a customized theme and only our teammates were on the cruise. </li>
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<p>I came up with a few tips but if you have more then please share them with us. </p>
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<p></p> New tech promises to boost electric vehicle efficiency, range. Are YOU seeing more interest in electric vehicles at your dealership?tag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-09-16:5283893:Topic:4865682016-09-16T15:48:14.083ZMike Elliotthttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/MikeElliott
<p>New tech promises to boost electric vehicle efficiency, range. <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160915175457.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Fmatter_energy%2Fautomotive_and_transportation+%28Automotive+and+Transportation+News+--+ScienceDaily%29" target="_blank">This article</a> caught my eye, becasue i always want to know about new technologies if they are going to impact the market.</p>
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<p>What are you seeing…</p>
<p>New tech promises to boost electric vehicle efficiency, range. <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160915175457.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Fmatter_energy%2Fautomotive_and_transportation+%28Automotive+and+Transportation+News+--+ScienceDaily%29" target="_blank">This article</a> caught my eye, becasue i always want to know about new technologies if they are going to impact the market.</p>
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<p>What are you seeing and hearing from your customers about electrics and hybrids?</p> Brick-and-Mortar Auctions? or Online Auctions?tag:www.dealerelite.net,2016-06-01:5283893:Topic:4809062016-06-01T22:54:47.322ZKelly Bianchihttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/Vcommerce
<p>Will the digital revolution completely demolish traditional auctions? Will they find a new place in the virtual community? Which do you prefer now, and what is your future outlook for the auto auction industry?</p>
<p>Will the digital revolution completely demolish traditional auctions? Will they find a new place in the virtual community? Which do you prefer now, and what is your future outlook for the auto auction industry?</p> First try at this.tag:www.dealerelite.net,2015-05-07:5283893:Topic:4537842015-05-07T00:04:59.534ZLucas Stewarthttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/LucasStewart
<p>Hello Everyone</p>
<p></p>
<p> Would it be a good idea for dealership's to have a consignment section to sell customer's used car for them? Maybe it could bring in more cash flow? Is there something like this? Example. New Inventory, Used Inventory, AS - IS or upload info to set a price and put it in a consignment section. This would be online only. </p>
<p>Hello Everyone</p>
<p></p>
<p> Would it be a good idea for dealership's to have a consignment section to sell customer's used car for them? Maybe it could bring in more cash flow? Is there something like this? Example. New Inventory, Used Inventory, AS - IS or upload info to set a price and put it in a consignment section. This would be online only. </p> Google Launches Auto Insurance Comparison Tooltag:www.dealerelite.net,2015-03-07:5283893:Topic:4476492015-03-07T14:41:28.855ZMike Elliotthttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/MikeElliott
<p id="first"><span class="font-size-3">With the growing popularity of care share programs, self-driving technology could be a game changer for </span><span class="font-size-3">urban traffic systems. A new study looks at how the Swedish capital's transport grid could be transformed. A fleet of shared self-driving cars in Stockholm could reduce rush hour traffic volumes by 14 cars for every shared vehicle, according to researchers at Sweden's KTH Royal Institute of Technology.…</span></p>
<p id="first"><span class="font-size-3">With the growing popularity of care share programs, self-driving technology could be a game changer for </span><span class="font-size-3">urban traffic systems. A new study looks at how the Swedish capital's transport grid could be transformed. A fleet of shared self-driving cars in Stockholm could reduce rush hour traffic volumes by 14 cars for every shared vehicle, according to researchers at Sweden's KTH Royal Institute of Technology.</span></p>
<div id="text"><p><span class="font-size-3">Meanwhile, the remaining automobile commuters would need only 20 percent of the metropolitan area's existing parking spaces, their study says.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The study sheds further light on what can happen if cities build on the growing interest in car-share programs and other alternatives to car ownership, indicating that self-driving technology could be a game-changer.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">"Driverless cars are the smart car, and just as revolutionary as the</span> smart phone<span class="font-size-3">," says Pierre-Jean</span> Rigole <span class="font-size-3">of KTH Centre for Traffic Research. "They will revolutionize car ownership, lead to more flexible traffic, with far fewer crashes. And they will free up valuable space in cities that is currently occupied by parked cars."</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Rigole says the study looked at the possibility of a fleet of 9,700 Shared Autonomous Vehicles (SAV) with four seats each being introduced to the Stockholm metropolitan region, where an estimated 136,000 automobiles are driven in the daily commute.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Already in Stockholm taxi traffic accounts for half the total traffic, with about 272,000 such trips daily.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The study also presupposes that people agree to</span> carpool, <span class="font-size-3">and that they accept 13 percent longer travel times plus a wait time of six minutes before the self-driving car arrives to collect its passenger. The study took account of only car-based commuting within the greater Stockholm area -- not long trips or</span> mode-shift <span class="font-size-3">from public transport, that is, people who could switch from commuting by public transportation to commuting by self-driving car.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150306132626.htm" target="_blank">Article Link</a></span></p>
</div> What does 2015 hold for the crazy auto industry?tag:www.dealerelite.net,2015-01-13:5283893:Topic:4418172015-01-13T10:47:16.317ZMike Elliotthttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/MikeElliott
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<p><span class="font-size-3">Fueled by the strongest job growth in the U.S. since 1999, the auto industry is wrapping up its best sales year in nearly a decade, and optimism for 2015 is brimming like a foamy cup of eggnog.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">To challenge our own fortune-telling skills, the Free Press offers five safe and five bold predictions for 2015. For example, predicting this year's surge in auto and light truck sales didn't require much analytical magic.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">But foreseeing that gas prices would fall below $2 a gallon was a much more difficult prediction.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">And a year ago, General Motors was riding a wave of new pickups and critical acclaim for the Chevrolet Impala. The government had just sold its last shares. The skies were clear. But in mid-February, the first recall was tied to the defective ignition switches, which put the company in crisis mode for the next six months.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">So every year brings surprises that not even the </span>claivoyant<span class="font-size-3"> can see. In that spirit, we also offer some out-of-the-box scenarios that aren't all that outlandish.</span></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3">Safe predictions</span></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3">■ Sales stay strong:</span>We're<span class="font-size-3"> not at the peak of this strong auto sales cycle yet.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">TrueCar, the car-buying and selling platform, forecasts Americans will buy 17 million new cars and trucks next year, the highest level since 2005, and not too far below the industry's best-ever annual mark of 17.4 million in 2000.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">"We see a convergence of favorable economic circumstances pushing auto demand up to prerecession levels, the best consumer sentiment in eight years and low fuel prices," said John Krafcik, TrueCar president.</span></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3">■ Upscale still sells: People who can afford to spend a lot on their next vehicle will. Luxury cars, </span>crossover<span class="font-size-3"> and increasingly upscale pickups will sell at record prices because affluent buyers' appetite for the latest bells and whistles is not </span>sated<span class="font-size-3">.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">This is a reflection of easy credit, continued </span>low interest<span class="font-size-3"> rates and stronger income growth among wealthy consumers.</span></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3">■ Gas prices volatile: Prices at the pump will be more volatile as lower prices force higher-cost refiners, including some relying on Canadian tar sand crude, to cut back on production or to exit the market. Look for a moderate increase in prices beginning in late March or April as refiners switch to summer blends, but prices will settle in the $2.50 to $2.75 range by late summer and early fall.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">■ Sales of hybrids and plug-in electric vehicles will struggle: Except on the West Coast where climate change concerns, tax incentives and Silicon Valley's loyalty to Tesla will keep EVs off the endangered species list.</span></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3">■ Recalls continue: Expect the recall surge to continue, both from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the industry acting pre-emptively. New NHTSA chief Mark Rosekind must prove his regulator credibility both with his own understaffed agency and the politicians that accused his predecessors of being insufficiently vigilant.</span></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3">Bold predictions</span></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3">■ Truck price war: A price war will break out among the major pickup manufacturers, partially in retaliation against Ford's aluminum F-150, which will sell </span>well,<span class="font-size-3"> but not at the lofty profit margins Ford envisioned. Aluminum prices will rise as steel prices fall.</span></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3">■ CAFE standards rollback: Someone from the Detroit 3 will suggest that the Obama administration's 54.5 miles-per-gallon by 2025 standard should be revised or repealed.</span></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3">■ Free bicycle: Some automaker, in an effort to reach millennials, at least in selected urban markets, will offer a free bicycle and carrier, with the purchase of certain models.</span></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3">■ Major merger: When the industry is this hot, investment bankers come knocking on the door with all kinds of merger and acquisition deals. Expect a major bid involving two — probably European-based automakers. Don't rule out Volkswagen making a run at Fiat. Sergio Marchionne will fight it to the bitter end.</span></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3">■ UAW strikes: After a short strike against General Motors, the UAW and all three Detroit automakers will agree to a contract that grants a very small base wage increase to workers hired before 2007 and narrows the gap between them and the more recent hires. The contract also will have incentives for workers with more than 25 years of service to retire.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Contact Greg Gardner: 313-222-8762 or ggardner@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregGardner12</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"> </span><a href="http://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/2014/12/28/gas-prices-aluminum-uaw-united-auto-workers/20930537/" target="_blank" style="font-size: 12pt;">Original Article</a></p>
</div> Are you selling Cars or iPads?tag:www.dealerelite.net,2014-12-18:5283893:Topic:4396162014-12-18T18:10:37.498ZMike Elliotthttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/MikeElliott
<div class="title-zone"><h1><span class="font-size-3">A good friend of mine recently shopped for a new car. He’s a pretty tech savvy person, but oddly enough, didn’t know much about the vehicle that he was thinking of buying. He said that he asked numerous questions of his salesperson regarding miles per gallon, safety features, and available options. Each time, the salesperson would try to find the answer on an iPad. My friend complained that he ended up leaving without ever getting a straight…</span></h1>
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<div class="title-zone"><h1><span class="font-size-3">A good friend of mine recently shopped for a new car. He’s a pretty tech savvy person, but oddly enough, didn’t know much about the vehicle that he was thinking of buying. He said that he asked numerous questions of his salesperson regarding miles per gallon, safety features, and available options. Each time, the salesperson would try to find the answer on an iPad. My friend complained that he ended up leaving without ever getting a straight answer. He told me that he got the feeling that the salesperson was trying to sell him </span><span class="font-size-3">an iPad more than a car. In fact, the salesperson ended up showing him various apps, videos, and games that he liked that had nothing to do with selling cars. The salesperson rarely made eye contact, </span><span class="font-size-3">and struggled to get my friend’s name and email address entered into the iPad.</span></h1>
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<div class="entry"><p><span class="font-size-3">My friend went home, did his own research and ended up buying the new car over the Internet from the same dealership. After a few weeks went by, he forwarded me the barrage of emails that he was getting; both from the first “live” salesperson and from the Internet Manager. Since he knew I was involved in automotive technology, he asked me what had gone wrong in our industry. I thought back to the times when things were simple and a salesperson knew the product they were selling. They came onto the lot armed with three things; an “up card” to record the customer info, a fact book that had specs about the various models, and a list of what was in stock. The up card had 2-3 parts; the top copy went to the receptionist to enter into the computer and the bottom card was for the salesperson to keep. There </span>was<span class="font-size-3"> a single customer database and the receptionist made it her mission to eliminate duplicates and to keep the progress of the deal updated. In fact, when customers called, the receptionist would often tell the salesperson, “Tom Andrews, the guy who was looking at the red pickup last week is holding on line five.” I realize this might sound like utopia, but I remember the days. These highly trained and qualified receptionists were paid well and cared about their salespeople. The salespeople in return made sure the receptionist was well fed.</span></p>
<blockquote><p><span class="font-size-3">A true “sales receptionist” should be devoted to helping salespeople update their customer files and keeping the vehicle inventory database clean.</span></p>
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<p><span class="font-size-3">Today many phones are being answered by the office staff or by a receptionist that is doing office work. I realize that when cutting expenses, it is easy to look at this person as someone who has plenty of time, but I believe the receptionist position should work for the sales department, and cashiers should work for the service manager. These are your first and last customer contact people and they should be friendly and personable. When we look for office staff we want accuracy and strict conformity to policies. This type of person is normally a quart low on friendly and often right in the middle of balancing something when the phone rings. Not the type of person you want greeting customers and answering your phones. A true “sales receptionist” should be devoted to helping salespeople update their customer files and keeping the vehicle inventory database clean. These two items are related to their frontline position. They should also be on a career track to sell vehicles and should be learning your product. If you have technology that helps you find the answers you need about your products, teach the sales receptionist learn how to use it and be a resource for the sales department when customers ask the tough questions – or even better, have them teach your sales force. I’m sure that the iPads are being used by some salespeople to greatly enhance the sales process, but there will always be some talented salespeople that would be better off with some help.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Although I’m a true proponent of technology and one of the first to advocate change, there are some things that still need the human touch, and among those are the items closest to your customers. Send me an email if you’d like a job description of a sales receptionist.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://dealer-communications.com/technology/are-you-selling-cars-or-ipads/" target="_blank">Link to Article</a></span></p>
</div> Setting the stage for a “huge” Decembertag:www.dealerelite.net,2014-12-03:5283893:Topic:4385052014-12-03T03:02:32.948ZMike Elliotthttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/MikeElliott
<h1><span class="font-size-4">Plenty of incentive money left after Nov. sales rise 5%</span></h1>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Timely automaker Black Friday promotions and a strong economy drove U.S. auto sales higher in November.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Look for more of the same this month.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">“Everything seems to be in place for a strong close, and the good Thanksgiving weekend results provide a great start to the holiday selling season,”…</span></p>
<h1><span class="font-size-4">Plenty of incentive money left after Nov. sales rise 5%</span></h1>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Timely automaker Black Friday promotions and a strong economy drove U.S. auto sales higher in November.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Look for more of the same this month.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">“Everything seems to be in place for a strong close, and the good Thanksgiving weekend results provide a great start to the holiday selling season,” Bill Fay, Toyota Division general manager, said in a conference call today.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Overall November sales rose 5 percent to 1.3 million light vehicles, more than most pundits had predicted. The seasonally adjusted annualized selling rate was 17.2 million, the second month this year above 17 million and well above the 16.3 million SAAR in November 2013.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Some analysts say the strong November may end up sapping some demand from the year’s final month. But with 2014 sales leadership in the full-size pickup and luxury segments at stake, John Krafcik, president of TrueCar, thinks a December incentives shootout is likely.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">“Most automakers have underspent their incentives budget this year,” he said. “So if they want to make December huge, they absolutely have the capacity to do so.”</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Fiat Chrysler Automobiles ran away with November sales, jumping 20 percent to 172,217 units in November. It was led by gains ranging from 27 to 31 percent at the key Jeep, Ram and Chrysler brands.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">All five Chrysler Group brands recorded increases as the automaker extended its string of consecutive year-over-year increases to 56 months.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Short takes on other automakers in November:</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">• General Motors sales climbed 6 percent to 225,818 units. Pickups fueled the gain: In a month with a net unit gain of 13,758, the Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra duo picked up 16,595 and the Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon combined for another 3,210.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">• Ford Motor Co. sales fell 2 percent to 186,334 light vehicles. The Lincoln brand rose 21 percent, but like GM, Ford’s fate also was decided by pickups. With its F-150 model changeover, F-series sales fell 6,452 in November, pulling the automaker into negative territory.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">• Toyota Motor Sales gained 3 percent on hot truck sales, notably the Toyota 4Runner and Highlander.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">• American Honda sales rose 5 percent with the Honda CR-V crossover jumping 38 percent to 32,378 units and handily outselling Accord and Civic.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">• Nissan North America lost 3 percent for the month, largely because Infiniti was off 13 percent and Nissan’s volume leader, the Altima, fell 7 percent.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">• Hyundai-Kia sales fell 3 percent, ending the South Korean duo’s eight-month string of gains. It’s up 3 percent so far this year.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">• Volkswagen Group of America sales rose 10 percent for a second straight month as VW brand posted just its second positive number this year. The VW brand was up 3 percent, weighing down double-digit increases for Audi and Porsche. Through 11 months, the group is down 3 percent.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Among smaller players:</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">• Subaru sales jumped 24 percent -- its 36th straight monthly gain -- to 45,243. The hero models: Legacy, almost doubling last November, and the Outback with a 60 percent gain.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">• Mitsubishi rose 8 percent and Mazda was 2 percent higher.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">• Luxury automakers collectively had a lackluster month in an otherwise strong year. Daimler AG was up 2 percent, BMW Group sales fell 1 percent, Volvo Cars dropped 14 percent and Jaguar Land Rover plunged 19 percent.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">With only December left in the sales year, two annual races are shaping up to be tight: luxury brands and big pickups.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">• The best-selling luxury brand contest got closer as BMW brand sales fell 2 percent in November. Mercedes-Benz (excluding Sprinter commercial vans) inched higher, so the BMW lead after 11 months is less than 2,000: 298,212 to 296,382.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">• Can the capacity-constrained Ford F series outsell the charging GM big pickup twins Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra for the full year? A once-substantial Ford lead is now less than 20,000 after November, 679,496 to 660,315.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Pickup battle</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">With Ford retooling two assembly plants for the aluminum-bodied 2015 F-150, November sales fell 10 percent while the GM duo jumped 11 percent. Combined, they outsold the F series by 6,000 units. Both automakers have plenty of big trucks in stock, so December could get interesting.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Through 11 months, full-size pickup sales are 7 percent higher and have outperformed the industry’s 5 percent gain.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Which automakers are taking advantage of Ford’s model changeover? GM and Fiat Chrysler.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">In November, F-series sales fell 6,452 units. Ram pickup sales jumped 6,230. GM’s new-generation twins soared 16,595 units, or more than the total gain for the sub-segment including the Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Year to date, Ram is the biggest winner, 73,299 units higher, or 23 percent. GM is up 55,959 units and Toyota 6,250. The Ford F series is 9,314 units lower, mostly in October and November. Nissan is a non-factor, with the Titan down 2,749 or 19 percent.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Cadillac vs. the “A” brands</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Last November, Cadillac was the No. 4 brand in U.S. luxury sales and widening its lead over No. 5 Acura and No. 6 Audi.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">This November, Cadillac sales tumbled 19 percent to 13,148, while Audi was up 22 percent to 16,640 and Acura rose 2 percent to 14,857.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">And with just a month left in 2014 sales, Audi has grabbed the No. 4 spot with 162,773 sales through 11 months, a gain of 15 percent. Cadillac is far behind Audi at 154,600 and less than 4,600 units up on Acura.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Compact crossovers near the top</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Compact crossovers didn’t actually snatch the best-selling U.S. segment title from midsize sedans in November, but with a 20 percent surge in the period they came within 52 units: 191,709 to 191,657.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Through 11 months, compact crossovers trail midsize cars by more than a quarter million units, but they are ahead of the compact cars they are derived from -- 2,112,647 to 2,052,085.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><i><a href="http://www.autonews.com/article/20141202/RETAIL01/141209956/setting-the-stage-for-a-huge-8221-december" target="_blank">Article</a> by <a href="http://jsnyder@crain.com" target="_blank">Jesse Snyder</a>.</i></span></p> NADA economist says strong sales here to stay through 2018tag:www.dealerelite.net,2014-11-19:5283893:Topic:4376532014-11-19T15:06:08.466ZMike Elliotthttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/MikeElliott
<p><span class="font-size-3">The good times, at least in terms of new car sales, will continue to roll in 2015 with nearly 17 million vehicles expected to pass through dealer lots, according to the National Auto Dealers Association.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The organization expects the industry will sell 16.94 million new vehicles next year – which would be up from the expected 16.4 million this year – due to rising employment and wages, continued low interest rates and lower…</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The good times, at least in terms of new car sales, will continue to roll in 2015 with nearly 17 million vehicles expected to pass through dealer lots, according to the National Auto Dealers Association.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The organization expects the industry will sell 16.94 million new vehicles next year – which would be up from the expected 16.4 million this year – due to rising employment and wages, continued low interest rates and lower gasoline prices.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">“The economy will continue to build on the solid growth established in 2014, and we also expect the fundamental conditions to improve in the year ahead,” said NADA Chief Economist Steven Szakaly during a speech yesterday. “Gross domestic product will grow at 3.1% in 2015, with the potential for growth to exceed our forecast.”<span id="more-85080"></span></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The strong sales forecast is reliant on interest rates remaining low, although Szakaly is predicting a small rate increase this year.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">“The Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates in 2015, but the rate rise will be small,” he said. “The Fed policy rate will move to 1 percent by October 2015, with further movements in rates expected during the second half of 2016.”</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">In addition, NADA expects long-term rates on auto loans to rise in 2015, though not sufficiently to dampen its sales outlook. NADA expects rates on auto loans to rise by about 125 to 150 basis points by Dec. 31, 2015. This rise will be steady over the course of the year, he said.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Szakaly said that it’s possible for the sales figure to hit 17 million in 2015, but added that in order for that to happen, automakers would need to ramp up in incentives and millennials would need go on a car buying spree that hasn’t been seen in the past couple of years.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Many have enjoyed the return of booming sales similar to those in the early part of the century, and a welcome respite from the 10.4 million vehicles sold in 2009, just five years ago. The country hasn’t bought 17 million new vehicles since 2000 when it purchased a record 17.4 million units. If sales hit the predicted total of 16.4 million units this year, it would be an increase of 5.1% from 2013 and make the fifth consecutive year of rising demand.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Szakaly said he expected sales in 2016-2018 to plateau in the mid-16-million-unit range. Conversely, a few other analysts are slightly more bullish about next year and beyond. Adam Jonas of Morgan Stanley predicted sales to hit 17 million next year and John Murphy of Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Research said sales could hit 18 million by 2018.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2014/11/new-car-sales-could-hit-17-million-in-2015/" target="_blank">Link to the Article</a></span></p> Industry Could Realize Best October Since 2004, Say Analyststag:www.dealerelite.net,2014-10-29:5283893:Topic:4360732014-10-29T11:28:01.102ZMike Elliotthttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/MikeElliott
<p><span class="font-size-3" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The October retail sales forecasts from J.D. Power and Kelly Blue Book are in, and they are predicting a solid sales month in what is traditionally the second weakest month of the year for car sales.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">More than 1.1 million cars are expected to be sold in October, a prediction that will mark the best October since 2004 if…</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The October retail sales forecasts from J.D. Power and Kelly Blue Book are in, and they are predicting a solid sales month in what is traditionally the second weakest month of the year for car sales.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">More than 1.1 million cars are expected to be sold in October, a prediction that will mark the best October since 2004 if realized, J.D. Power noted. This October is expected to be about 6% better than a year ago, which is great, KBB noted, considering that Labor Day deals in September and Black Friday deals in November typically keep consumers off dealer lots in October.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The driver, the vehicle information site said, are incentives. “One cause for concern is the rising levels of incentive spending in the industry,” said Alec Gutierrez, senior analyst for KBB. “Since inventory levels have remained consistent, this isn’t a red flag quite yet, but it does underline that the natural industry growth we’ve had in recent years is slowing.”</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Both companies expect the industry SAAR for total light vehicle sales to hold at more than 16 .3 million units, with J.D. Power noting that growth in SUV sales has been a boost to the industry. “The market is clearly seeing a second wave of SUV popularity that will likely dominate market share for the foreseeable future,” said Jeff Schuster, senior vice president of forecasting at LMC Automotive.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">KBB noted that Fiat Chrysler enjoyed another strong month, with growth approaching 20% mostly on sales of the Jeep Cherokee. Without the popular SUV, KBB predicted that the company’s growth would have been significantly lower. The popularity of compact SUV’s in particular has made it the fastest growing segment in the market cutting into sales of compact and mid-sized cars, according KBB.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The firm also found that the light pickup truck market was growing as well. “Big gains are expected from the Ram pickup and solid numbers should be reported for both the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra,” said Gutierrez. </span></p>