Selling Days Report

[Perian]

For those of you without access to a subscription to Automotive News - you might enjoy one of their reports on inventory status.

During January, access is open to the public for the first time.

A "selling days" report simply divides available inventory by the number of days it would take to sell that inventory based on current sales.

A good indication of movement is a vehicle with a selling days figure of "60" or less. The industry considers the 60 day figure to be perfect.

You can get an idea of what is selling (and what isn't) in the marketplace by this report.

Example:

A year ago the Dodge Sprinter had a $2000 rebate and was taking up a lot of real estate at dealer showrooms. With today's fuel costs - just the opposite is true. (The 20 day supply is even more amazing as production has increased by 40%!).

On the other hand, Saab has enough cars on the ground to last 223 days.

Don't be fooled by some of the higher figures that seem to make no sense - there is usually a reason. Example: Pontiac Grand Am at 178 days. Note that there are only about a thousand left in stock at this point. No doubt they are yellow or purple vehicles that no one wants.

Note with envy how well TMC manages its' inventory levels of Toyota and Lexus models.

All in all, this is an accurate representation of the current vehicle market.

Take a moment a check it out: http://autonews.com/assets/PDF/CA4153113.PDF

[Cassie]

Poor SSR........

[SRX7697]

Mitsubisi is trippin

[asim]

They just need to stop making the SSR...now!

[mjd1001]

The GTO isn't looking that good either. When they updated the 05's to the 6.0 V8, they couldn't keep them on the lot. Now, 135 days supply? Not good.

Of course maybe seasonality has something to do with it....you are probably not selling all that many in the Northeast this time of year Versus the warmer months....but that account for all of the numbers.

[Bravada]

As I said before, this kind of numbers are far from telling much about cars' real "selling power". It would, if all manufacturers used exactly the same approach to production and sales of all models. Fortunately, they don't.

So, this is more of a ranking of their inventory management effectiveness. The "build it and they will come" approach is no good no matter how popular with customers your vehicle is. The other way around - if it takes you ages to get the vehicle to the final customer, low number of selling days is not a good thing either, as there might be stockouts and customers might just go to somebody else for their cars.

What is more interesting is on the right. Pay attention to the "sales per dealership" numbers. Chevrolet, best of all GM brands, only managed to do 55 (with a VERY broad lineup), while Lexus (a luxury brand) scored 169! What is terrifying, Buick scored 4 (are there any standalone Buick dealerships now? If so - I feel sorry for them). It DOES tell you something about GM's dealership network...

UPDATE: OK, if you add up GMC, Buick and Pontiac (assuming all GMC, Buick and Pontiac dealerships are combined B-P-G dealerships), you get 37. Worse than even Volkswagen, Land Rover or Hummer.

[TaHoE]

These numbers cannot be trusted. Not everyone NEEDS to buy a car NOW.

[ZvetteGuy]

What's the sense of making a chart like this? Isn't there something mroe constructive to do with their time than to make stuff like this...? I tell you... I hope that GM can change their suppy woes...

[mbukukanyau]

Chevy will become bigger than the entire Toyota company in a few years.
Reason being GM Korea and GM China, and new built GM india, plus the introduction of Chevy in Both east and Western Europe as a bargain brand...
Chevy is also moving into Africa

[megeebee]

Originally Posted by ZvetteGuy

What's the sense of making a chart like this? Isn't there something mroe constructive to do with their time than to make stuff like this...? I tell you... I hope that GM can change their suppy woes...

What sense? I would want to know if I were a manufacturer. It would tell me which models to cut back production on and which (if any) to increase.

[PeterPuck]

Poor Saab.


Why do no Americans want to buy a Saab? Almost a year's worth of stock!!


Come on, you guys.

[steve333]

There are many more Chevy dealers than Toyota, that may have something to do with it.

[AJR]

Originally Posted by Bravada

What is terrifying, Buick scored 4 (are there any standalone Buick dealerships now? If so - I feel sorry for them). It DOES tell you something about GM's dealership network...

Yes, there are stand-alone Buick dealers. We have one in town that sells nothing but new Buicks and used cars. The last other brand it used to sell was AMC, so that tells you something. The dealer makes it with loyal, long-time customers that traditionally buy Buick. I think it would be a good move for the dealer to pick up Pontiac and GMC, but it seems like nothing is moving in that direction. They could also use a new building and a better location.

[CarShark]

Originally Posted by TaHoE

These numbers cannot be trusted. Not everyone NEEDS to buy a car NOW.

Ever since the summer discount programs, I'm surprised that anyone NEEDS a car PERIOD.

[Hotwheels]

Originally Posted by mbukukanyau

Chevy will become bigger than the entire Toyota company in a few years.
Reason being GM Korea and GM China, and new built GM india, plus the introduction of Chevy in Both east and Western Europe as a bargain brand...
Chevy is also moving into Africa

Chevy already is bigger than Toyota in the US.