Month of Reckoning: Civic, Corolla, Camry & Accord outsell F-series and Silverado

[Aprime]

Originally Posted by member12

So why can't GM sell more Malibus?

Because people are uncertain (reliability, resale) about it, because it doesn't come with that 7th airbag, because fit varies from 'Bu to 'Bu (the Orion ones tend to have a their front bumpers misalligned for whatever reason, causing it to extrude more from a side than the other), because it only comes with a 4-speed, because it doesn't have an available manual (as small the percentage of midsize buyers who get manuals is, dismissing them is stupid, because they simply go to Toyota or Honda to get their manual fix), because the V6 isn't as powerful as Honda's or Toyota's, because GM didn't have the one they wanted in stock, because it doesn't have 'standardized nav', because it's smaller than the Honda, because it's American and hurr GM is pollute, because it's front-wheel drive, because they didn't do torque steer like Honda (to paraphrase MSN Autos), because the lighting is ew ew ew (again, MSN Autos), because I'm cool and can ignore the car you can't ignore, because...

Originally Posted by igor

unknown for Toyota, but 0% for Honda- Honda does not sell to fleets.

Actually Ford said that in Retail, Focus outsold F-series, as well.

Igor

Aren't they cutting back production for the new model anyway?

And I doubt in total they surpassed the GMT900 pickups (yeah, they surpassed the Silverado alone, but in total? Nah).

[AMERICA 123]

Originally Posted by igor

Modified



Civic:............. 53,299
Corolla/Matrix:.. 52826
Camry/Solara:...51,291
Accord........... 43,728
F-150:........... 42,973



Igor

Yes and we're not done with all the numbers.

This article - [ late Edit] SHOULD READ - The AN article excluding the Civic and Accord - shows you just how bad AN wants to a Toyota subsiduary.

You can can always spot the inner circle of Toyotas misinformation network/spin machine by how they handle news between Toyota and Honda.

Basically, they pimp Honda for Toyotas gain - like AN JUST DID HERE.

Classic.

It actually qualifies as bad reporting.

[Late edit] ADDED - Igor's quoted post above illustrates what AN should've written.

[mkaresh]

Actually, I believe the reason is that Honda hadn't released their figures yet when this article was written.

They didn't say the Toyotas were the top sellers, only that they'd beat the F-150.

Should they have waited until Honda released their figures? Perhaps.

What even I have a problem with, though, is that this same author recently spent 2/3 of a page blasting Ford for long-term reliability based on experience with a single car, his personal 2005 Mustang. He compared the Mustang to the PT Cruiser and MINI he owned before it--neither of which he owned long enough to know about long-term reliability.

So he seems prone to jumping the gun.

[mkaresh]

Originally Posted by Buick61

I posted about it here:

http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f...lverado-65034/

Of course, the Corolla is combined with the Matrix, which makes as much sense as the Cobalt being mixed in with the HHR.

Looks like you beat AN to the punch.

Technically the Matrix is the "Corolla Matrix." But weak this is. They do the same with the Camry and Solara.

[Aprime]

It would be funny if they added the Vibe to the mix.

[PhishPhood]

Originally Posted by civilzues

what is the percentage of fleet sales for each of these cars? Where can we find that info? because wasn't it last month the Corolla was doing bad?

The Corolla has been in ramp-up for two months since its debut as an 09. Full inventories finally were available and almost immediately they were depleted again. There's no room for fleet sales with the price of gas driving the buyers into small vehicles.

[69Firebird400]

Originally Posted by AMERICA 123

Yes and we're not done with all the numbers.

This article shows you just how bad AN wants to a Toyota subsiduary.

You can can always spot the inner circle of Toyotas misinformation network/spin machine by how they handle news between Toyota and Honda.

Basically, they pimp Honda for Toyotas gain - like AN JUST DID HERE.

Classic.

It actually qualifies as bad reporting.

Please share with us how the numbers are incorrect. And if you think that it's not a significant piece of news to suddenly see the F-series go from #1 in April to #5 in May, then you need to have your head examined. This is an enormous shift in consumer behavior, and it happened very rapidly.

Questions about where the tipping point was for US consumers in terms of what gas price level will change their behaviors have been answered in May: the answer is $4 per gallon.

[GM-10]

Originally Posted by Aprime

Because people are uncertain (reliability, resale) about it, because it doesn't come with that 7th airbag, because fit varies from 'Bu to 'Bu (the Orion ones tend to have a their front bumpers misalligned for whatever reason, causing it to extrude more from a side than the other), because it only comes with a 4-speed, because it doesn't have an available manual (as small the percentage of midsize buyers who get manuals is, dismissing them is stupid, because they simply go to Toyota or Honda to get their manual fix), because the V6 isn't as powerful as Honda's or Toyota's, because GM didn't have the one they wanted in stock, because it doesn't have 'standardized nav', because it's smaller than the Honda, because it's American and hurr GM is pollute, because it's front-wheel drive, because they didn't do torque steer like Honda (to paraphrase MSN Autos), because the lighting is ew ew ew (again, MSN Autos), because I'm cool and can ignore the car you can't ignore, because...

Hey-know it all...ever hear about a little strike in Kansas?

Put your stupid bias aside for a minute and do a little research before you lob dumb theories at us.

[Sal Collaziano]

But... But... But... It's the almighty Malibu!

Originally Posted by Aprime

Because people are uncertain (reliability, resale) about it, because it doesn't come with that 7th airbag, because fit varies from 'Bu to 'Bu (the Orion ones tend to have a their front bumpers misalligned for whatever reason, causing it to extrude more from a side than the other), because it only comes with a 4-speed, because it doesn't have an available manual (as small the percentage of midsize buyers who get manuals is, dismissing them is stupid, because they simply go to Toyota or Honda to get their manual fix), because the V6 isn't as powerful as Honda's or Toyota's, because GM didn't have the one they wanted in stock, because it doesn't have 'standardized nav', because it's smaller than the Honda, because it's American and hurr GM is pollute, because it's front-wheel drive, because they didn't do torque steer like Honda (to paraphrase MSN Autos), because the lighting is ew ew ew (again, MSN Autos), because I'm cool and can ignore the car you can't ignore, because...




Aren't they cutting back production for the new model anyway?

And I doubt in total they surpassed the GMT900 pickups (yeah, they surpassed the Silverado alone, but in total? Nah).

[Sal Collaziano]

Originally Posted by GM-10

Hey-know it all...ever hear about a little strike in Kansas?

Put your stupid bias aside for a minute and do a little research before you lob dumb theories at us.

As most non-enthusiast car-buyers see it, he made a lot of fine points.

[Aprime]

Originally Posted by GM-10

Hey-know it all...ever hear about a little strike in Kansas?

Put your stupid bias aside for a minute and do a little research before you lob dumb theories at us.

...

I was coming up with every little bullsh*t reason buyers could come up with to dismiss the Malibu.

But the Orion thing I pointed out is true, unfortunately.

You put your bias aside first.

[mkaresh]

Originally Posted by Aprime

...

I was coming up with every little bullsh*t reason buyers could come up with to dismiss the Malibu.

But the Orion thing I pointed out is true, unfortunately.

You put your bias aside first.

This is how I understood your post--it didn't sound like you thought all the reasons were valid.

I have another suspicion: GM might have been slow to ramp up production on the Malibu because they really wanted to get the quality right. I have very limited data on the car, but the data I do have points to a very low repair rate. Which would be quite an improvement over other recent GM launches.

Even before the strike the Malibu was in short supply.

[AMERICA 123]

Originally Posted by mkaresh

Actually, I believe the reason is that Honda hadn't released their figures yet when this article was written.

I started to check that - and dropped it so its not clear.

Should they have waited until Honda released their figures? Perhaps.

With that kind of story and the way its written - yep.

They reveal themselves in the totality of the effort - could've done the same thing with - less impact by 'qualifying' their piece.

Just as revealing - the update effort.

I'm not done looking at it (May), but Toyota seems to have come in below where all pre analysises put them.

Overall, not a bad show, but below expectation.

[Ming]

Honda Motor Co.'s Civic small car dethroned Ford's F-Series pickup to become the best-selling vehicle in the U.S.

Three other Japanese cars also overtook the industry's perennial sales champion, underscoring a shift that prompted GM to announce the closing of four truck plants in North America today. GM will expand production of cars in response to what it called a permanent change in consumer behavior.

Honda's Accord and Toyota Motor Corp.'s Camry and Corolla also beat the F-Series. The last time the pickup was topped by a car was in December 1992, according to Ford. The car was Ford's Taurus.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...IxE84&refer=us

By DEE-ANN DURBIN

DETROIT (AP) — The Toyota Camry and Corolla sedans each outsold the traditionally top-selling Ford F-series truck in May, a sign of the rapid shift in customers' preferences from trucks and SUVs to small cars that is forcing painful production cuts and plant closures at General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co.

Ford's U.S. car sales were up 3 percent compared with last May, and it sold more than 30,000 Ford Focus small cars for only the second time in the car's nine-year history. But pickup and SUV sales dropped 26 percent.

After watching F-series sales plummet 31 percent in May, Ford's U.S. sales chief Jim Farley said Tuesday the company plans to offer an employee-pricing discount on the trucks this summer to clear out inventory before the new F-series arrives this fall.

F-series trucks have been the best-selling trucks in the U.S. for 31 years and the best-selling vehicles overall for nearly as long. They also have been the best-selling vehicles each month since June 2005, when the Chevrolet Silverado pickup took a brief lead.

But high gas prices, the weak economy and low consumer confidence are taking their toll on larger vehicles. Ford's Farley said small and mid-size cars made up 47 percent of sales in May, up from 34 percent — or 1.5 million vehicles — in February.

"May was a watershed month. We are, as an industry, catching up with the breathtaking choices customers are now making," Farley said.
Ford said last month it plans to slash North American production of trucks and SUVs for the rest of the year. Ford also is planning to lay off salaried workers. Ford promised more details on its restructuring plan in July.
Toyota's U.S. sales dropped 4 percent for the month, as flat results for cars were dragged down by a 12 percent decline in trucks and SUVs.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g...V6NEwD912OVK80

[paul8488]

Originally Posted by mkaresh

I have another suspicion: GM might have been slow to ramp up production on the Malibu because they really wanted to get the quality right. I have very limited data on the car, but the data I do have points to a very low repair rate. Which would be quite an improvement over other recent GM launches.

Honda has managed to ramp up Accord production fast enough to sell over 50,000 units in May. The Accord and Malbiu came out around the same time. GM needs to learn to play with the big boys or quit making cars. They could build ten units a month for two years and really get the quality down pat, but this isn't a knitting circle we're talking about, it's the US auto market. The competition isn't going to sit still while GM gives each component a hug and a kiss before assembling them.