Jalopnik: car buying

Chrysler Gas Deal Not Wildly Effective

Ray Wert — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:07:12 EDT

The big focus of Chrysler’s $2.99 gas deal for three years is current events; it doesn’t address the company’s current lineup of vehicles, which have mostly seen declining sales. We’ll post a series of stories today about cash back offers that have been added to the gas deal for all three Chrysler brands, but to preface that, here is a list of vehicles that sold fewer units in May (with the $2.99 gas deal) than in April (before the gas deal). May is traditionally a better sales month overall, as well. An * means the model saw an improvement in May 2008 sales over May 2007.nbsp;

As you can see below, 11 of the automaker’s most popular models declined while nine improved month to month. We excluded outgoing models and niche vehicles like the Dodge Viper and Sprinter.

Declining Sales

Model: April sales number; May sales number

Chrysler

300: 5,771; 4,763
PT Cruiser: 5,807; 5,203
Aspen*: 2,135; 2,037
Town & Country: 10,723; 12,869

Jeep

Liberty: 6,642; 6,228
Commander: 2,643; 2,061

Dodge

Charger*: 13,021; 10,134
Ram: 24,206; 19,727
Caravan: 14,665; 13,655
Durango: 2,568; 1,360
Nitro: 3,299; 2667

Improving Sales

Model: April sales number; May sales number

Chrysler

Sebring: 5,376; 7,124

Jeep

Compass: 2,804; 3,114
Grand Cherokee: 6,597; 6,979
Patriot*: 6,348; 8,199
Wrangler: 8,699; 9,260

Dodge

Caliber: 8,825; 12,856
Avenger: 5,666; 6,354
Dakota: 2,564; 3,605
Journey: 6,667; 7,520

Family Vehicles Not Selling

Ray Wert — Fri, 02 May 2008 13:27:30 EDT

With almost every automaker seeing sales dip in April, most readers won’t be surprised by the headline above. Even so, certain segments of cars did see significant sales increases in April, especially economy cars. Even a number of luxury brands faired well. Some companies, like Subaru, had a record month.

One group that was hit hard, however, was family vehicles, and I’m not talking about big, truck-based SUVs. Minivans and three-row crossovers saw huge drops. The numbers below illustrate just how much families are tightening their belts in these uncertain economic times.

Minivans

Chrysler’s recently redesigned Town & Country minivan was hit hard. Despite generally positive reviews, sales dropped 32% in April. Year to date, sales are down 14%. Even if Chrysler has reduced fleet sales (which they don’t break out in the data we see) that number is too significant to be offset.
Dodge’s Caravan, a sister vehicle to the T&C, was down 37% for April and 37% for the year.
Hyundai’s Entourage minivan — a sister vehicle of the Kia Sedona — only sold 500 copies in April, down a whopping 81.5%. The Sedona, on the other hand, saw a strong uptick of 21.9%.
Surprisingly, the Chevy Uplander also saw a gain — 14.3% for April. The Uplander is the lone remaining minivan in GM’s lineup after the company abandoned the body style for more three-row crossovers. However, the fleet sales effect could be impacting its numbers.
Toyota’s Sienna minivan was down 19%* for the month.
Nissan’s Quest, which has never been exceptionally popular, was down 34.2%* for the month.

Three-Row Crossovers

GMC’s popular Acadia saw a hit in April of 15.8%*. It debuted in early 2007, so this is one of the first months when a year-to-year number could be judged apples-to-apples.
Saturn’s Outlook saw a more severe drop of 33.8%*. GM’s Buick Enclave wasn’t on sale in April 2007, so there’s nothing to compare its 2008 numbers with.
Ford’s three-row Taurus X — formerly known as the Freestyle — was also redesigned a year ago and has seen dismal sales. Sales dropped 53.8% in April from 2007. For the year, it’s down 33.6%. That’s significantly worse than the truck-based Expedition, which was down a still-substantial 35% for the month and 27.1% for the year.nbsp;
Even Toyota’s popular Highlander was down 8.7%* in April, though it shows a positive 4.7% increase for the year.
Mazda bucked the trend a bit with its CX-9 crossover, which saw a 24.8% bump in sales for April.

*Number adjusted for more selling days in April 2008 versus April 2007. Unadjusted numbers will appear more positive.

NY Times Reveals Congressmen Have Bad Taste In Cars, No Eye For A Deal

Wes Siler — Thu, 01 May 2008 10:20:00 EDT

Representative Michael R. McNulty pays $816 for a 2007 Mercury Mariner Hybrid, which he chose for its utility. Representative Redolphus Towns pays $715 a month for his Lincoln MKX, he bought it to save money on fuel. Representative Louise M. Slaughter needed a car that handled safely in the snow, so she picked a Buick Lucerne, for which the US Taxpayer pays $808 a month. All have chosen to take advantage of the benefit on offer to any member of the US House of Representatives: any car of their choice leased for them with no price limit and all expenses, including gas, paid for.

Now we understand that our Representatives in the House are busy people, what with all the time it takes to investigate the moral fiber of our baseball players and pretending that there's not a war on, but surely they'd benefit from spending just a few minutes picking out better cars or scouring the internet for deals. We're even prepared to help them do so, for free.

Representative McNulty, you might find the Mazda5 has greater utility than your Mariner, it also gets 28mpg on the highway and is available in your area, Albany, for just $249 a month for 24 months. And did you know that the regular 4-cylinder Mariner gets marginally better fuel economy and is available straight from Ford.com for $279/month? It beats riding the boat.

Mr. Towns, if fuel economy is your greatest concern, we'd humbly suggest that an SUV, much less one powered by a 3.5-liter V6, may not be the best car for you. What about a Toyota Prius? Not only will it carry more street-cred with your liberal Brooklyn constituency, but it's available for just $330!

And finally, Mrs. Slaughter. $808 will get you a lot of car, especially if you need one that's safe in the snow. BMW's X5 is amazingly capable in bad conditions and they'll let you have one for only $729/month. That'll save the taxpayers $79 each month and more importantly, might save your life. [via The NY Times]
Photography credit: DBKing

VW Adding Free Maintenance in 2009

Ray Wert — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:20:32 EDT

Volkswagen is really going all-out to buoy its flagging U.S. sales. Starting with its entire 2009 lineup, the company will add a Carefree Maintenance Program at no charge that will pay for all scheduled maintenance for the life of the new-car warranty: three years or 36,000 miles.

Interestingly enough, this includes just three services at 10,000, 20,000 and 30,000 miles. The new Routan minivan will have more maintenance intervals — at 6,000, 12,000, 18,000, 24,000, 30,000 and 36,000 miles — all of which will also be covered.

VW is also adding a new “courtesy vehicle check” that allows owners to bring their new car back to the dealer within 90 days or 6,000 miles for a review of the car’s features and to have it checked for any mechanical issues.

Many luxury automakers offer similar programs, but with just three services included for most models, VW might have found a winning formula. It won’t cost the automaker much to perform three services, and the program will sound great in commercials.

Update: VW has confirmed that it will reduce its comprehensive new-car warranty to three years or 36,000 miles for the 2009 model year compared to the current four-year or 50,000 mile warranty for 2008 models.

Do Not Pay, Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200

Travis Hudson — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:30:00 EDT

USA Today, America's most colorful newspaper, is running a story about devices that are being used to ensure car payments are made on time or it will kill the car. It's not the most high tech device in the world, but I'm sure it works and gets the job done. A box installed in vehicles purchased with subprime loans will flash and beeps when a car payment is due. When you make a car payment you will be provided with a four digit code to be entered in the box. If a code isn't entered the vehicle won't start. It's as simple as that.

We understand the concern for loaners to want to install a device like this, but it feels like it is lingering a towards Big Brother and that aspect. The device does reduce default rates for subprime auto loan borrowers, which is nice, and it reduces repo rates for auto loaners.

The reactions from borrowers are mixed. The beeping drives the drivers absolute batty according to one person, but some subprime borrowers like the discipline that a device like this enforces. [USA Today]

You Don't Need It: MSN Money on Unnecessary Car Features

Mike Spinelli — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 10:20:44 EDT

Most informed car buyers know, working the options sheet as if it were Vegas's Carnival World Buffet is the road to flash poverty. But check off those boxes judiciously and you'll save thousands and still get a car that won't leave you feeling like Cookie Jarvis at diabetes camp. But do you have to be an options teetotaler to achieve satisfaction. Check out MSN Money's list of eight options to avoid, and our take on each one after the jump. – Mike Spinelli

MSN
1. Automatic stick shift
Jalopnik
Disagree. Hello? DSG? Do we have to go around like the pie'd piper to get people to try this stupid thing out?

MSN
2. All-wheel drive
Jalopnik
Partially agree. BMW X = boat anchor; Audi, Subaru = a necessity.

MSN
3. Compact-disc changer
Jalopnik
Agree. 1992 called, it wants its music format back.

MSN
4. Power folding seats
Jalopnik
Agree. C'mon ma, use a muscle why don't you. Lazy trollop. Just kidding.

MSN
5. Keyless ignition
Jalopnik
Disagree. Once you don't have to reach for your keys in a rainstorm you never go back.

MSN
6. Xenon headlamps
Jalopnik
Agree. We're still creeped out from seeing eyeless, Xenon-equipped cars the morning after a theft. Apparently Xenon peepers are harder to steal now.

MSN
7. Dual-zone climate control
Jalopnik
Agree. How does cold air know it shouldn't seep over to the passenger side? Hmm.

MSN
8. Factory-installed navigation systems
Jalopnik
Agree. Tom Tom Go invest the price difference in T-bills.

The Basics: 8 costly car features you don't need [MSN Money]

Wanted: A Pontiac Aztec, Top Dollar Paid

Mike Spinelli — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 08:03:20 EDT

The great orator Elbert Green Hubbard once said, "Never explain. Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway." And that's probably the best advice anyone could give this dollar-sign-happy seeker of the ugliest car ever built. It just goes to show, as Hubbard also said, "Life is just one damned thing after another." [Thanks to joemamma for the tip.] – Mike Spinelli

Wanted $$$$ Pontiac Aztec $$$$ [Craigslist]

How Not to Buy a Car, by Tom Megalis

Mike Spinelli — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 12:00:00 EST

Car-buying rule number whatever: If you haven't been rogered by a car salesman sometime in your life, wait five minutes. Just listen to Tom Megalis, an artist, animator, voice-over guy, ad creative director and stand-up comic from Ohio, as he articulates the car-buying experience. And by "articulates" we really mean disarticulates with maximum vigor. – Mike Spinelli

[via Carscoop]

Related:
Tongue Twister: You Use Google Used Cars [internal]