Memorial Day Car Sales 2014 to disappoint some new car buyers. This year many new car showrooms and dealership lots are bare. Top selling 2014 and 2015 new car models are in short supply and prices are holding at sticker or higher! Auto manufacturers have had a hard time forecasting the US economy, as pent-up demand and aging cars are out-pacing supply.  Looking for a Nissan Rogue or Hyundai Sonata, these top-sellers showcasing a new body are few and far between. Car makers look at the available dealer stock selling at a pace of 30-60-90 day turn-around. Considering it typically takes a car 90 days to move from order to dealer arrival if built in the US, and 110+ days from across the ocean,  watching the pace of car sales determines what vehicle production should be decreased. Cars in short supply will often see rebates and incentives reduced or eliminated, while slow movers are cut at the production line. Manufacturers would rather cut production than profitability.

Lack of New Car Inventory and Incentives frustrate some holiday car shoppers.

Increasing car production is not a turn on the faucet answer. It is not as easy to increase production of popular models, even when dealers cry out for more. Suppliers need time to source materials to make the parts, many of which involve overseas production.  Steel and aluminum are being bid up internationally as raw materials support building, military and automotive products. Environmental or political situations can also affect automotive industries worldwide. When Japan suffered a Tsunami several years ago, the primary resource for a mineral integral to the sparkle in several automotive paint colors was unable to be mined. Hence, several colors were eliminated from the palette of almost every car maker for over a year. The material and production squeeze turns into higher prices for consumers. Add to the USA car supply issue, the growing demand for cars from around the globe.  China, India and Russia have seen their economies improve and the middle class in their countries demand for luxury goods including automobiles. While cars are more expensive in these places, family members often pool their resources and share the vehicle among multiple generations.  Porsche, Audi, Land Rover and BMW have shifted a sizable allocation of their annual production to meet demand and enjoy higher profit overseas on their most popular models.  While consumers in the luxury class are used to paying list price for these vehicles, the lack of dealer inventory has left many US luxury car buyers having to order their car of choice and wait up to four months. Land Rover car buyers have reported being denied the ability to shop across state lines. Dealers regularly tell out of state shoppers “they (the dealer) is NOT ALLOWED” to sell a car to someone not living in the dealerships immediate selling area because the manufacturer will cut their allocation.

Specific Models show Big Rebates and low Interest Rates

However, there are some silver-linings in the new car sales arena this Memorial Day. Domestic car manufacturers Ford, Dodge and Chevy have rebates and incentives of up to $2000.  Trade in your vehicle on most Ford cars and trucks and get an extra $750.00!  1.9% financing is available up to 60 months for qualified buyers.  Ford’s new Aluminum chassis truck is getting rave reviews for improved fuel economy as gas hovers around $3.50 a gallon nationwide.  The electric hybrid market has seen modest increase in new introductions this year, as these seem to have found a niche. BMW’s new mini-suv-crossover plug-in electric i3 and Porsche’ Panamera e-hybrid qualify for $7000 in tax credit bonus. jag f type The Jaguar F-Type Coupe debuted this week to lots of fan-fare. The luxury coupe and convertible selection has shrunk over the past five years. Meanwhile the automotive journalists, enthusiasts and authorities have voted the new Jaguar F-Type a refreshing new star for performance and styling. Coupe and Ragtop lovers will be pleasantly surprised with incentives on the roadster and lease options for the coupe. Availability is tight in these first few weeks of production on the coupe. Stay tuned here for more news on 2014 Memorial Day incentives on your favorite models. ——————————————————————————————————– Sarah Lee Marks is MyCarlady. She has over 26+ years of experience. She writes about cars, and is a staunch consumer advocate on car related subjects. MyCarlady offers free car buying advice, and private, auto-related services to help you maintain your personal or commercial vehicles. Call Sarah Lee for more information. Join the MyCarlady newsletter to be kept up-to-date on this and other important car information. ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————– ]]>