The Best and Worst Car News of 2019 by MyCarlady’s Sarah Lee.
#1. On the BEST of 2019 CAR NEWS list… Overall I would say most auto manufacturers, dealers, salespeople and car buyers think 2019 was a decent year. While some new car brands fell short, others picked up the slack. Used cars continued to show solid sales in the under $15,000.00 range. Used Car inventory has been tight which keeps prices up. Selection has been reduced by better new car production scheduling, inventory management, fewer rental cars (thanks Uber/Lyft) and off-lease returns. The strong sales record extends the win streak past previous records but reminds us what goes up, must come down.
#2. The 2020 Chevy Corvette mid-engine make-over breathed new life into an icon. Excitement and hype did not disappoint the lucky few able to take delivery. Numbered versions of this reinvention of the classic will bring owners a bonus, in 50 years. In the meantime, placing an order today will likely get you a 2022.
#3. The 2020 Hyundai Palisade and KIA Telluride full size SUV packs a bundle of technology and space into a discount price. This all new, bigger, bad beast with sharp design cues gives dealers the boost they needed to overcome model fatigue.
#4. Automotive Technology meets consumer acceptance. Pedestrian detection, Forward and rear Emergency Braking, Lane Keeping, Blind-spot monitoring and Heads-up display are must haves in 2019. Now it’s up to car makers to include all these options in trucks and SUVs across the board, not just the street rods.
#5. Speaking of technology, kudos to the GMC “disappearing trailer” commercial. This ad single handedly exploded the safety camera conversation. Manufacturers must now include all the other safety features currently missing from trucks and SUVs. The brilliance of adding a camera to the wiring harness for trailers and boats cannot be over-looked.
#6. Thank You to Matthew McConathy for keeping us interested in Lincoln. The new Aviator and Corsair are enjoying a new generation of buyers who have never owned a domestic label in their driving career. “All right, All right, All right…”
The WORST of 2019 … in CAR stuff…
The Worst of Car News in 2019 can only be described as notable. Okay, maybe not all OF THESE ARE “The Worst”. Some of these featured are just not-so-great for consumers, car makers and dealers. For some people the notation is more about what didn’t happen this year. Let’s start this list with the former…
#1. The GM strike hurt everyone in the industry. In the end, Lordstown, Ohio was not saved from the eventual shutdown. A silver-lining promise to reopen with new electric car technology may be too little to late for the local economy. The strike realigned year-end stock on the ground, averting a Nissan-like mandatory hiatu. However the lost sales income likely topped a billion dollars. Read More…
#2. Tariffs continued to mess with product and parts availability across all sectors of manufacturing. Consumers don’t see the big picture of these policies and politics, until their crashed car awaits parts for months.
Leasing takes a turn for the WORST…
#3. Lease payments take a hike on loyal car buyers. A lot has changed in three years and returning leasees saw this firsthand in 2019. Lessors, the car banking arm of most auto makers, adjusted their lease programs in a combination of optics not seen in recent history. Technology changes have driven residual values down to the lowest percentage in ten years. Interest rates have climbed back to a reasonable level for business in general, but consumers are still praying to the 0% wizards. Added to these considerations are global financial market conditions pulling all brands in different directions. No longer are our international auto makers excited to buy our love with extra lease incentives. Result: Gone is your zero down low payment Benz. Your new payment for your beloved model is now $ 100.00-$150.00 more a month. Loyalty, Pull-ahead, Competitive incentives… Gone.
New Hybrid Plug-ins lack range… Mini Cooper adds one this spring?
#4. M.I.A. PLEASE bring us 100+ mile range Gas and Electric Plug-in model. With all the advances in lithium-battery production, how come no car maker brought this car to market in 2019? Some experts say consumers aren’t interested in hybrid technology, but they are WRONG. Consumers aren’t interested in over-priced, low-range plugables with no gas back-up. Please bring us a plug-in-gas combo for under $60k, seating 5 and easy on the eyes. It doesn’t matter who delivers it first, the winner will be rewarded.
#5. RECALLS continue to plague the industry and by extension, consumers. In almost every category and brand recalls continue to challenge brand loyalty. As a result, the most note-worthy are the brands unwilling or unable to find a fix for their recall. This situation leaves consumers holding the BAD CarFax bag, costing thousands in resale/trade-in value. Why has NHTSA not taken the car makers to task on this? What should be a done to rectify the issue?
#6. Mergers and Acquisitions leave consumers wondering about the value of their vehicles. FCA is merging with Groupe PSA, the company which also owns Peugeot and Nissan. FIAT and Genesis dealers are dropping the brand, while others wonder if Jaguar and Alpha Romeo will be next.
#7. Car loan Repossessions are on the rise even as car buyers are offered 84 month auto loans. Meanwhile, banks are clamping down on late payments. The ten-day window for payment begins before the due date, not after. Be prepared for more news regarding increased consumer debt slowing car sales in 2020.
As I mentioned at the start, what goes up must come down. Given to local, national and international events to come in 2020, I expect this next year to be an interesting, trying and for some, difficult car year.
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