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January 2012 Auto Sales by the Numbers

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:03:55 GMT

January 2012 Auto Sales by the Numbers

2012 JANUARY U.S. AUTO SALES

Automaker	Jan. 2012	Jan. 2011	Pct. chng.	1 month 2012	1 month 2011	Pct. chng.

BMW division	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Mini	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Rolls-Royce*	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
BMW Group	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Chrysler Division	17,604	9,705	81%	17,604	9,705	81%
Dodge	31,454	24,314	29%	31,454	24,314	29%
Dodge/Ram	49,924	37,334	34%	49,924	37,334	34%
Fiat	1,911	–	–%	1,911	–	–%
Jeep	31,710	23,079	37%	31,710	23,079	37%
Ram	18,470	13,020	42%	18,470	13,020	42%
Chrysler Group	101,149	70,118	44%	101,149	70,118	44%
Maybach	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Mercedes-Benz	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Smart USA	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Daimler AG	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Ford division	131,173	121,175	8%	131,173	121,175	8%
Lincoln	5,121	5,558	–8%	5,121	5,558	–8%
Mercury	–	248	–100%	–	248	–100%
Ford Motor Co.	136,294	126,981	7%	136,294	126,981	7%
Buick	10,208	13,269	–23%	10,208	13,269	–23%
Cadillac	8,924	12,581	–29%	8,924	12,581	–29%
Chevrolet	123,864	125,389	–1%	123,864	125,389	–1%
GMC	24,966	27,658	–10%	24,966	27,658	–10%
General Motors	167,962	178,897	–6%	167,962	178,897	–6%
Acura	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Honda Division	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Honda (American)	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Hyundai division	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Kia	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Hyundai Group	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Jaguar	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Land Rover	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Jaguar Land Rover	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Maserati	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Mazda	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Mitsubishi	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Infiniti	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Nissan Division	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Nissan	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Porsche	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Saab Cars North America	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Subaru	22,807	18,858	21%	22,807	18,858	21%
Suzuki	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Lexus	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Scion	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Toyota division	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Toyota/Scion	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Toyota	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Audi	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Bentley	118	82	44%	118	82	44%
VW division	27,209	18,401	48%	27,209	18,401	48%
Volkswagen	27,327	18,483	48%	27,327	18,483	48%
Volvo Cars NA	–	–	–%	–	–	–%
Other (estimate)**	252	245	3%	252	245	3%
TOTAL	455,791	413,582	10%	455,791	413,582	10%

Numbers in this table are calculated by Automotive News based on actual monthly sales reported by the manufacturers and may differ from numbers reported elsewhere.
Source: Automotive News Data Center
Note: *Estimate
**Includes estimates for Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Lotus

Chrysler, VW post sales gains of 44% or more

DETROIT -- Chrysler Group -- benefiting from stronger deliveries at the Jeep, Ram and Chrysler brands -- posted a 44 percent increase in January car and light truck sales. Ford Motor Co., Nissan Motor Co. and Volkswagen also posted sales gains last month, but General Motors said deliveries dropped 6 percent.

It was GM's first year-over-year monthly sales dip since May. GM's four brands all posted declines, with Chevrolet down 1 percent, GMC down 10 percent and Buick and Cadillac off 23 percent or more. A year ago, GM's sales were aided by generous discounts.

Chrysler's sales have now increased 22 consecutive months, including eight straight months where volume has advanced 20 percent or more. The automaker said it sold 101,149 cars and light trucks in January, up from 70,118 units a year ago.

Volkswagen AG said it sold 27,209 VW models in January, a 48 percent increase over a year ago.

Industry volume is expected to rise about 6 percent in January from a year ago. January is typically the weakest month of the year for new car and light truck sales, but analysts and automakers are looking for signs the industry's recovery remains on track after a strong finish to 2011.

"We started the new year with a bang," Reid Bigland, head of the Dodge brand and U.S. sales at Chrysler, said in a statement.

Jeep brand sales increased 37 percent in January, Chrysler said, with all five Jeep models posting double-digit sales gains. Ram pickup sales climbed 47 percent last month, while Dodge deliveries increased 29 percent.

Ford said its U.S. sales for the month increased 7 percent to 136,701 vehicles. Sales of the Ford Focus drove 30 percent of the increase, the automaker said in a statement.

Sales were up 8 percent at the Ford division, but declined 8 percent at Lincoln.

"January started off with solid sales versus year-ago levels," Ken Czubay, Ford's vice president of U.S. marketing, sales and service, said in a statement. "Ford saw the same solid month, with smaller vehicles in higher demand. Escape continued its record-setting run, and Focus set the pace for car sales in California, Texas and the Southeast."

Nissan Motor Corp. said its January sales rose 10.4 percent to 79,313 units. Nissan brand sales climbed 13 percent to 72,517, but Infiniti brand sales fell 8 percent to 6,796.

2012 outlook

The seasonally adjusted annual sales rate for January is expected to hit 13.4 million units, based on the average estimate of 14 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. That compares to a SAAR of 12.71 million units a year ago and 13.57 million in December.

The SAAR has topped 13 million units each month beginning with September.

The gradual rebound in the U.S. economy, a more favorable credit environment, healthy light vehicle stockpiles and pent-up demand are expected to provide another lift to new car and truck demand this year.

"The strength that the economy and the auto industry showed in the fourth quarter carried into January, so we believe the year is off to a good start," Don Johnson, head of U.S. sales operations for GM, said in a statement.

U.S. car and light truck sales totaled 12.78 million units last year, up 10 percent from 2010. Sales for 2012 are forecast to hit 13.6 million, up 7 percent from last year, based on a survey of 11 analysts by Automotive News.

Some automakers see U.S. sales topping 14 million units this year as more consumers replace aging cars and light trucks.

"Retail light-vehicle sales in January are showing stability coming off the 2011 high note in December," John Humphrey, head of global automotive operations at J.D. Power and Associates, said in a statement last week.

"Vehicles are currently remaining on dealer lots for fewer than 50 days on average, which is the lowest level for January for the past several years," Humphrey said. "This is a good indication that pent-up demand is beginning to return to the market."

The average age of cars and trucks in the United States reached a record 10.8 years as of July 1, 2011, R.L. Polk & Co. reported last month. That's up from 10.6 years in 2010, and continues a trend that started in 1995, when the average age of a car was 8.4 years, according to Polk, which tracks state vehicle registrations.

Economic jitters, weak employment growth, high consumer debt, and stagnant household income have kept many people from making big-ticket purchases.

Dealers watch discounts

Mike Sullivan, a dealer in Santa Monica, Calif., said his 11 stores in the Los Angeles area had a solid year in 2011, despite inventory shortages, with profits "up again."

He's encouraged that some negative macroeconomic factors -- such as the Southern California housing market -- have stabilized.

"No one is talking like the sky is falling anymore," said Sullivan, who operates Volkswagen, Toyota, Audi, Scion, Lexus, Porsche, Subaru and Fisker franchises.

But he worries that manufacturers may over produce this year, adding pressure to boost rebates.

"Some automakers are planning for a big year, and I see some risk we may be getting ahead of ourselves," Sullivan said. "But it's not keeping me awake at night."

Autodata estimated average discounts dropped 10 percent per vehicle last month compared to $2,675 in December, when most automakers offered year-end and holiday deals.

When Buying a Car, Ladies Are Tougher Customers

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:35:37 GMT

When Buying a Car, Ladies Are Tougher Customers

You know how ladies don't know anything about cars and need a man to help them through even the simplest purchase? Surprise: this is bullshit.

Actually, a study by LeaseTrader found that women tend to ask more questions and order more inspections than men do. The company looked at 2011 out-of-state lease transfers, in which the car is in a different location than the buyer, so he or she may not be able to check it out in person. Women were more likely than men to pay a third party to inspect the car for them when they had to buy sight unseen — 67.2% of them asked for such an inspection, compared to 54.5% of men. The difference was biggest among buyers between 21 and 30 — just 42.3% of twentysomething men asked for inspections, compared with 78.2% of women. Ladies also asked different questions than men did — they were more likely to ask for specifics about the car's safety, history, and functioning, whereas guys were more likely to ask about performance, looks, and technology. Says LeaseTrader CEO Sergio Stiberman, "That our data illustrates a deepening relationship between women and cars comes as no surprise to us given that the gender gap has narrowed and even reversed in some areas since our marketplace opened nearly 15 years ago."

It's a bit of a cliche that guys care about rims and ladies just want airbags, but the data above don't just show soccer moms asking about the safety of their minivans. They also indicate that women, especially younger women, are better at doing due diligence when they have to buy a car from somewhere far away. Maybe women are more cautious car buyers, or maybe their fear of playing into the car-ignorant lady stereotype makes them especially concerned about crossing all their t's. And maybe some dudes feel they have enough automotive expertise to forgo the third-party inspection — but even for a pretty savvy buyer, it's hard to tell what you're getting if you never test-drive or look under the hood. It would be interesting to see a followup study examining how satisfied male and female buyers feel with their cars after they get them. Do women's extra steps actually pay off? It's not yet clear, but given the choice, I know who I'd feel safer riding with.

Battle of Sexes: Who Gets the Best Deal on Cars?

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:05:18 GMT

Battle of Sexes: Who Gets the Best Deal on Cars?

FAST FACTS:
Many consumers assume men get the best deal on cars
One study found women do more research when car buying
Doing your homework often leads to a better deal
(Memphis, 1/27/2012) LeaseTrader.com recently looked at women versus men in car shopping, and the winner in this battle of the sexes shatters the old notion of when it comes to wheels, it's a man's world.

The survey found women do more research before buying which often leads to a better deal.

The company looked at lease transfers and found when women were on the buying end, they ordered 3rd party inspections nearly 70% of the time, compared to 54.5% for men.

Lease Trader also found that female buyers ask different and more thorough questions than men.

Anita Williams has been selling cars for 10 years and says she sees it too, “I need a vehicle big enough for my three kids, I got to travel a lot, I need something with safety, security,” explain Williams of how women often come in well prepared.

Male or female, it's critical we all do our homework before buying a car.

According to Consumer Reports, one of the first steps is to estimate what you can afford.

Another tip, set a target price.

We all see what's on the sticker, but experts say that shouldn't even be your starting point.

The key is to find out what the dealer paid, and get to a number in between.

If you're financing the deal, it's also critical to shop around before visiting, that way you find the lowest interest rate.

Experts say make sure to double check all the numbers on the agreement before you sign it.

This includes things like the destination charge, title and registration fees.

You want to be sure everything adds up.

WOMEN ARE MORE THOROUGH THAN MEN WHEN SHOPPING FOR A CAR

LeaseTrader.com Customer Correspondence Shows Women Ask Tougher Questions on Safety, Incidents

MIAMI (January 23, 2012) Are women more thorough than men when shopping for a vehicle? LeaseTrader.com analyzed customer transactions during 2011 when out-of-state lease transfers occurred and found that more women ordered third-party vehicle inspections compared with men. When women were on the "buyer" end of a lease transfer they ordered a vehicle inspection 67.2 percent of the time, compared with 54.5 percent for that of men.

Vehicle lease transfers processed through the LeaseTrader.com marketplace include the option for a vehicle inspection conducted by a third party company, anywhere in the country. This service is mostly ordered when the car is located in a different region and the interested party can't easily travel to see the car first-hand.

Women buyers also ask different and more thorough questions than men buyers. A review of customer correspondence patterns during 2011 also revealed that women buyers inquired about specific areas in terms of safety performance, incident history and a general sense of a vehicle's overall functionality given certain circumstances. The majority of correspondence from men buyers primarily covered a vehicle's overall driving and engine performance, aesthetics and vehicle technology, and some minor safety features.

"We've been studying gender differences and preferences in car shopping within our marketplace for several years," said Sergio Stiberman, CEO and founder of LeaseTrader.com. "That our data illustrates a deepening relationship between women and cars comes as no surprise to us given that the gender gap has narrowed and even reversed in some areas since our marketplace opened nearly 15 years ago."

Gender differences for inspections were most noticeable among drivers between the ages of 21-30. In this age group the gap widened to 78.2 percent of female buyers requesting a vehicle inspection compared with 42.3 percent of men buyers. The most narrow gap was for customers between the ages of 41-50, which saw 63.2 percent for women and 58.1 percent for men.

LeaseTrader.com's inspection provider provides a complete vehicle history and current state of the vehicle, as well as bumper-to-bumper photos of the exterior and interior giving would-be lessees a window into the vehicle so they can make an informed decision.

About LeaseTrader.com LeaseTrader.com, the most recognized name in car leasing, easily and affordably matches car shoppers with individuals looking to escape their auto lease. Visit www.LeaseTrader.com, on Twitter @Lease_Trader, or call 800-770-0207.

Car-buying tips mens can learn from women

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:58:15 GMT

Car-buying tips mens can learn from women

Women, according to recent studies, are more informed and level-headed than men in the vehicle showroom — a place long-considered an arena for gladiatorial gamesmanship.

“Men tend to rely on what is assumed they know and what they believe they know,” said Sergio Stiberman, chief executive and founder of LeaseTrader.com.

“When women approach car shopping, they believe in the importance of asking all the necessary questions, even if they think they might know the answers,” he said.

Stiberman, for one, respects the different angles his wife Keila takes on purchases and the depth and variety of questions. “She’ll ask questions that I’m afraid to ask myself or that I have too much of an ego to ask,” he said.

“We have that attitude that we should know, and if we ask, we’re outing ourselves and we might not be as strong as we projected ourselves to be,” he added.

Many men revel in the gamesmanship of car buying that many women just aren’t interested in. “Men get all excited about going out to buy a car and talk about how they’re going to one-up the salesmen and get a great deal,” said Anne Fleming, president of Women-drivers.com, a consumer ratings site. “I’ve never heard or seen any comments from women like that.”

Women do more research and, as a group, are considerably more pragmatic in their vehicle choices. They tend to be more concerned about safety issues and reliability than horse power and acceleration.

In the LeaseTrader analysis, 95% of women listed safety performance as their biggest concern during the shopping process, followed with 94% interested in the incident history of the car.

Men, on the other hand, at 83%, rated driving performance among their top issues with engine performance at 75%.

Nearly 74% of men ranked aesthetics a major issue, at No. 3, compared with just 46% of women — dead last among the top nine concerns — who did.

The style differences also are evident in purchasing history. Women tend to favor vehicles such as SUVs or small compact crossovers and four-door sedans. Men are more apt to buy a truck and certainly have more preference for sports cars than women do, according to Edmunds.com.

“Women tend to be more pragmatic and more economical in their car choices,” said Jessica Caldwell, a senior analyst at Edmunds.com.

Consider this: Last year Porsche saw a whopping 21% increase in year-over-year sales of its cars to women, albeit from a low base, Caldwell said. But of its total receipts, a commanding 71% were gleaned from sales of the four-door models the Cayenne and Panamera, what some might describe as more practical cars.

Women also want back-up proof. Women, for example, order vehicle inspections some 67% of the time when they’re buying a car compared to 55% of men who do so, according to LeaseTrader.

Like much of the world these days, the Internet has become a great equalizer for car buying, which ranks among the biggest financial decisions in a person’s life.

Women have long complained they were ignored or intimidated by salesmen, according to Women-Drivers.com. Nine out of 10 car sales associates are men.

Now, however, women walk into showrooms primed with scads of information about models, pricing, financing, options, most even know what the inventory position of a dealer is, according to Kelley Blue Book’s Market Intelligence reports.

Some 76% of women consider websites a valuable asset to the car shopping process compared with 70% of males, the KBB report said. What’s more, 51% of women visit a dealership’s site as part of the research compared with 46% of men who do, while 70% of women look at inventory versus 64% of men. Women are more inclined to purchase a certified pre-owned car from a dealership than men, 29% to 18%, while men are more trusting, at 32%, buying a car from a third party than women, 22%.

Before the Internet and its hundreds, maybe even thousands of automobile sites about buying, leasing, ratings, pricing, cost calculating, safety, insurance, mileage and any other number of car issues, women would visit from five to seven dealerships before settling on one, said Women-Drivers.com’s Fleming, who also calls herself a car-buying advocate.

“The Internet has made shopping for a car so much easier,” she said. “Women are very savvy shoppers now.”

Study: Women more savvy car shoppers than men

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:31:02 GMT

Study: Women more savvy car shoppers than men

Women ask different and more thorough questions than the men at the car dealership, a new study said.

The study, conducted by leasetrader.com, found than women are much more concerned with safety and overall functionality of the vehicle whereas men focus more on engine performance and looks of the vehicle and only some minor safety features.

Scott Gruwell with Courtesy Chevrolet sees that same trend but said women are a different kind of buyer -- they hold the line when it comes to their budget. Men are less likely to do the same.

"The women are tough negotiators and we love it," he said. "Safety and security are big with female customers, especially those who have children."

One thing that makes his job easier is that both men and women are more educated than ever before about vehicles and what they want.

"Women seem to be more concerned about fuel economy and reliability," said Gruwell.

Leasetrader.com said it comes as no surprise that their data illustrates a deepening relationship between women and cars given that the gender gap has narrowed and even reversed in some areas.