booo

 

Oh GOODY......I get to put my two cents in about the Employee Pricing for everyone.

First......rebates are kinda like drugs or smoking.....you just don't suddenly stop without pretty nasty results.

Second.....someone pointed out that we had a 72 hour sale last year....so it's one thing to say sales are down X%......but one also has to look at WHAT happened last year. Further, don't forget that there were a whole bunch of people relocated to all over God's creation because of natural disasters.

Third........Employee pricing was one way to clear the lots of 2005 models so that : 1) we could reprice 2006s downward in many cases and 2) get dealers to order some new cars and trucks.......dealers aren't gonna order cars and trucks when their lots are full. ...and we don't make money when the car is sold to the retail customer........we make it when we invoice the dealer for a new car or truck.

And......I'll address dealer issues next............

 

One thing I will say is that Employee Pricing still can't save the Montana SV6 We have 4. We've had 4 since January. I don't think one was even TEST DRIVEN during Employee Pricing. I even have 2 OLD BODY '05 Montanas no one wants, either. We have not sold a van in over a full year...and it isn't because we aren't trying. I just did a 1/2 page ad in the local paper of nothing but vans. All 6 vans. Not ONE test drive.

Think we'll be ordering ANY '06s? Think again. Sadly, Scott is right...dealers won't re-order stuff that is sitting. And let me tell you...we had significantly better luck selling AZTEKS than these things. The odd thing is that if you sit in one and drive it, they really aren't that bad as far as minivans go. The interiors are extremely nice.

Scott, is there a reason as to why the '06 vans get the 3.9, but cars like the Equinox, Torrent and Lucerne get stuck with 3800s and 3400s? If there are 2 new important cars that need more oomph, I'd have to say its the Torrent and the Lucerne. The 3400 is fine in the Torrent at $24k, but when you get close to $30k, a 3.9 would make it more of a standout. Any thoughts? Any hints on when the Torrent and Equinox will get more power? 3.9 perhaps?

Do that and future-wifey will be forced to buy one in the next year or two by future hubby I don't want to drive an SUV every day, but I need someone around here to get something practical for the house Garden equipment and 2x4x8s will not go in the Z

 

Ever the GM problem. Dealers for brands A, B, C, D scream "we need a van!!!". GM delivers 4 "different" vans that are each 1/4 the effort of one from the competition. Now, instead of having one REALLY GOOD van for one satisfied brand and 3 pissed off brands, you get 4 pissed off brands and 4 sh1tty vans that nobody wants.

Hooray!

 

Cars that sit on lots in one part of the country, sell great in others. I guess how much something sucks depends on where your standing...
Minivans enjoyed their Glory Days, in the '80's, now it's the SUV and compact SUV's and Trucks that are trending...Aftermarkets are booming for them!
Where's the minivan aftermarket???
Having owned some minivans made me appreciate my more versital SUV...
Another good example of how domestic stereotypes are hurting sales...Women don't like being called a "minivan soccer mom"...An SUV gives them a tougher image.

 

There is still a good minivan market out there. New features like stow-n-go seating help them even more. T&C's and Caravans are selling decently well right now. Right now the SUV/Truck market has taken a hit because of the storms and rising gas prices.
Lots are overloaded with used ones that were traded in for more economical vehicles. Cars with 3rd row seating, larger sedans with V6's, and minivans have been replacing them. Trucks, while hurt by gas prices, didnt change much, cause theres really no true replacement for their uses. Theres a heavy trend by model thing goin on with cars. June/July for us was a huge seller for minivans and Pacificas, then right before the hurricanes, we saw an increase in SUV sales, during and after we saw a rediculous jump in SUV trade ins and small vehicle sales.
We were actually neonless for almost a week because we sold our entire stock of them. We turned around and ordered as many as we could...I think we obtained somewhere around 80-90 of those orders. They are still a fairly hot item and we are steadily moving through those orders, though we slowly see small SUVs getting back to normal and everything else kind of evening out right now.
You can still see the hit in the large vehicle market with the rediculous incentives. I think we have a few trucks going 10k below msrp because of 5 grand incentives. Other large vehicles are right behind them.

 

Good point, increasing gas prices and more versitility are bolstering the market probably for the next couple of years anyways.
(Speaking of Pacifica's, man what a W-I-D-E @$$ on that thing, I never noticed until I got stuck in traffic behind one...you could put a Billboard on the back of that thing.. )

 

haha, yea they look kinda funny to me...I've been sellin em for 5 months and I still can't get used to em.

 

After having the vans out for almost 1 year I like the Pontiac the least. Pontiac doesn't need a van, they needs a sporty RWD sedan.

 

You're not alone LOL! I just sold our last old style '05 a few weeks ago. Interesting thing is that she wanted nothing to do with the SV6, and drove over a hour and a half to buy the Montana from me. Nice family wanted out of their Dodge Caravan, and I was happy to oblige.

In terms of the GM employee fire sale, cleaned us out for the most part with the exception of some full/mid size SUV's. We are suffering the hang-over from it now though. Now that it is over, GM can advertise its products so people want the car instead of only advertising "the deal". That'll be nice....

 

All I want to say is that minivans are more practical than SUVs for the role of family hauler that sees occaisionally cargo use and no offroad driving.

 

Lew,

Its a long way to dealer trade these puppies, but I'll send them to you for even your least desireable cars. Have any Azteks still? How about an '04 GTO? Can I sell them to you for invoice - holdback - $1k or so? How about we swap them for used vans???

In my 5 years there, I have NEVER seen us have such a problem with a specific model lineup. I mean, we sold Oldsmobiles in 2004 for crying out loud!!! We sold Azteks!!! Sunfires!!! We've had a straggler here and there every now and then, but EVERY SINGLE UNIT FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR????

HELP.

 

Hmmmm....

I've got an '05 SSR that'll be celebrating a birthday with us now that winter is upon us, a couple full size and mid size suv's that have a price that's too close to the 2006's, and a couple CSV's too. I'm afraid we're in the same boat!

 

I don't know...some people like the security for winter driving. And some like having a front end(hood) to steer by..plus the higher point of vision etc...
I had a Astro Van with a one-legger rear. I got stuck in the curb-gutter, in front of my house in refrozen water, no snow, and had 3 tires on dry land!..

 

I would trade my Grand Prix in on a G6 GTP Coupe right about now if I was not upside down on it. Wanna learn how about depriciation...buy a GP...and I got it at a nice price. I hate having a 4 door even if it is my daily driver...plus I want something smaller that does not run on premium.