Honda's May 2008 Sales: Up 11.3% for Record Month

[Ming]

Salt in the wound. But it's been predicted something like this could happen for so many years, that GM Upper manangements dismissals and predictions that it would take $8.00/gallon for Americans to move into smaller cars was simply inexcusably out of touch with reality.

[throwback]

I think GM knew that $3.50 per gallon was the tipping point. How could they not? Analysts have been saying as much for years. GM's problem is they are shortsighted. When trucks were selling and profits were rolling in, why not put some money into better cars? I don't think Rick and crew JUST realized that trucks sales are going down. Now they are under the gun and pushing to get small cars in showrooms. I hope E-Flex is as good as advertised, as I think that is the one program that could save GM.

[Michael_S]

Originally Posted by HoosierRon

Odyssey down -18.0%
Pilot down -19.7%
CR-V down -1.5%
Element down -18.8%
Ridgeline down -16.5%
MDX down -10.9%
RDX down -34.5%

That's right, folks, every single truck that Honda/Acura makes was down last month. As was the RL, TL, and S2000. Furthermore, the Civic hybrid sales were DOWN, and Honda has abandoned the Accord hybrid.

Yes, indeed, these guys are brilliant. They can do no wrong.

Total sales up 11% in May versus total sales down 30% in May.

If the Honda executives are stupid, what does that make the GM executives?

[stormwatcher]

Yes, trucks are down, but overall sales are up . . . meaning Honda can flex to other vehicles and meet demand, increase sales, and most important of all, make a profit in a down market.

Originally Posted by HoosierRon

Odyssey down -18.0%
Pilot down -19.7%
CR-V down -1.5%
Element down -18.8%
Ridgeline down -16.5%
MDX down -10.9%
RDX down -34.5%

That's right, folks, every single truck that Honda/Acura makes was down last month. As was the RL, TL, and S2000. Furthermore, the Civic hybrid sales were DOWN, and Honda has abandoned the Accord hybrid.

Yes, indeed, these guys are brilliant. They can do no wrong.

[TriShield]

Originally Posted by Ming

Salt in the wound. But it's been predicted something like this could happen for so many years, that GM Upper manangements dismissals and predictions that it would take $8.00/gallon for Americans to move into smaller cars was simply inexcusably out of touch with reality.

Bob Lutz, "People that buy SUVs don't care about fuel costs."

lol

[TriShield]

Originally Posted by throwback

I hope E-Flex is as good as advertised, as I think that is the one program that could save GM.

Not if the car costs $40k+, it'll be dead in the water.

[AMERICA 123]

Originally Posted by tgagneguam

The part about this whole article that most disappoints me

I doubt it - go ahead, prove me wrong and compare Toyota to Honda.

Honda, and Nissan took most of what got took for the month of May.

Hyundai got the rest.

Toyota has a few technical performance 'numbers' victories and continiues to display below expections in critical groups of product.

Lexus maybe in meltdown mode - worldwide -including their numbers w/o the truck/suvs.

Scion still can't match its own numbers from 2005-2006 - with 4.50$ per gallon fuel costs and more dealers than in '05-'06.

Avalon continiues to fall like a stone.

There's more, lots more, but you get the idea.


Toyota did not come close to Hondas and Nissans improvement results for the month and shouldn't even implictly be included with them.

[Stéphane Dumas]

Originally Posted by AMERICA 123

I doubt it - go ahead, prove me wrong and compare Toyota to Honda.

Honda, and Nissan took most of what got took for the month of May.

Hyundai got the rest.

You forgot to mention Mazda who also did well despite having a smaller dealer network (even the Canadian Mazda dealer network is more bigger then the US)

[AMERICA 123]

Originally Posted by Stéphane Dumas

You forgot to mention Mazda who also did well despite having a smaller dealer network (even the Canadian Mazda dealer network is more bigger then the US)

On purpose which is perhaps a questionable decision.

The big 7 account for, or at least did until this month ( not certain ) over 90% of the volume. (USA)

Jaguar turned in some great/decent numbers as well - as did some others.

[Michael_S]

Originally Posted by AMERICA 123

Scion still can't match its own numbers from 2005-2006 - with 4.50$ per gallon fuel costs and more dealers than in '05-'06.

The first model year Scion xB and xA were very tiny and underpowered but got fuel economy in the low 30s city and highway.

Within the past year, Toyota replaced them with a much larger xB and xD with much larger 4-cylinders, so now they can carry a lot more but their fuel economy is no better than an HHR or midsize 4-cylinder sedan. I think that's what is kneecapping the brand.

[silvergoat2k6]

A few weeks ago, I had my wife's Intrigue at the local Buick/Cadillac (used to sell Olds) place for some maintenance...well, they also sell Hondas and Mazdas there...and during the 3 hours I was there, I saw 4 Civics and 2 Accords being driven off the lot by new owners.

I don't know about where you live, but the Civic and Accord are just flying off the lots around here.

[Geotpf]

Originally Posted by zete

I still think GM knew this was coming and they wanted to milk the GMT900s while the milking was good.

The smartest move GM has made in a decade was pushing the GMT900s out the door as quickly as possible. Imagine if they were like Ford and Dodge, both of which are about to release new full-sized truck models approximately tommorow, in this market.

[Stéphane Dumas]

Btw, I wonder if the currencies of the Yen and the US dollar could play a more bigger role in the following months? Honda profits dropped in the 1st quarter due to a strongest yen while the US dollar dropped http://www.nationalpost.com/related/...html?id=471620
What if even if Honda sales continued to climb in the US, the US dollar still drop and the yen still gain some value?

[Carver]

Originally Posted by Ach

The Civic gets 37 mpg highway with an automatic and still has decent power. I don't care for it (except for the Si sedan) but it's not that hard to understand the success.

Yeah, and it was rated at 40 hwy under the old system; and ppl get better than 40 now, with moderate speed. The Civic is appealing; I know, I've been thinking about it. But it's arse-ugly inside and out. I think I can look past the exterior, but the interior is whack, cheap, designed for teenagers, and the instruments are nuts.

Originally Posted by BrickTamland

It is worth noting the CR-V is actually up by a few hundred units, but is down when adjusted on a sales-day basis.

...which means the CR-V is down. There is a reason for the adjustment.

[Michael_S]

Originally Posted by Carver

Yeah, and it was rated at 40 hwy under the old system; and ppl get better than 40 now, with moderate speed. The Civic is appealing; I know, I've been thinking about it. But it's arse-ugly inside and out. I think I can look past the exterior, but the interior is whack, cheap, designed for teenagers, and the instruments are nuts.

The instrument panel is weird. But otherwise, the interior is fine. I've been in a Cobalt and Mazda3 recently and didn't feel like either was different inside from the latest Civic.