October Sales: GM

[igor]

http://media.gm.com/servlet/GatewayS...=2&docid=40878

GM Reports 310,008 October Deliveries, Posting Third Consecutive Year-Over-Year Monthly Increase

(Monthly comparison percentages are adjusted for sales days unless noted.
Annual and calendar year-to-date comparisons are unadjusted.)

• Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac Increased Sales Year-Over-Year
• Full-Size Utilities and All-New Crossovers Post Significant Gains
• 2008 Malibu Orders Outpace Available Supply
• All-New CTS Drives 20 Percent Cadillac Sales Increase

On a sales-per-day babsis - overall down 0.6%
however - unadjusted - sales up.

Igor

[I-Love-Pontiac]

I'd consider that sales being flat, which is a good thing. It's a sign that GM's sales have hit a bottom.

Now with the new Malibu, Astra, Zetas around the corner, 4 cylinder Aura, talk of a new subcompact... it seem like there's nowhere to go but up from here.

[igor]

I am little disturbed over the 80% increase on the Cobalt ..some increase was expected, but this hints on fleet dumping.

Igor

[brycemiller]

Well I definitly want to see them keep up the increase streak just hoping like others said consumers are buying them not rental companies

[dindak]

Sales could still slide if the economy goes down the tubes. A poor economy hurts all the car cos.

[SJZ3]

Originally Posted by dindak

Sales could still slide if the economy goes down the tubes. A poor economy hurts all the car cos.

Iagree, but I think GM's point is they are not being hurt as much as the overall economy. For example, GM's sales are down YoY (when adjusting for selling days), but their market share is up.

[megeebee]

Originally Posted by igor

I am little disturbed over the 80% increase on the Cobalt ..some increase was expected, but this hints on fleet dumping.

Igor

That's more a FLOOD than a simple dump.

[WishIhadatruck]

Market share is the best indicator of how well they are doing as far as market reception and long term outlook. They can't control the overall market much but if they continue to capture a larger % of the car market then over the course of years they will be much better off. The last few months have been enouraging.

Thanks to the willingness of the UAW to accept a more competitive contract we will see fewer cars getting built in Mexico and Korea it would appear. I like to buy cars made in the US. If they continue to make competitive product and even class leading product I think the good news will continue over the next few years. Things will only get better. I like the news we heard earlier today that Chevrolet will be focusing more on fuel effient vehicles. Hopefully the Aveo, Cobalt, etc. will get more competitive. Although some people prefer the torquey Ecotec we have now in the Cobalt some of us would like the car better if it would deliver better fuel economy.

[WishIhadatruck]

Originally Posted by megeebee

That's more a FLOOD than a simple dump.

I've got to believe they did do some dumping, but it sounds like retail sales of the Cobalt were up.

GM retail sales were led by brisk retail sales of full-size utilities, mid-utility crossovers, the Cadillac CTS, and the Chevrolet Aveo, Cobalt and HHR.

[stevecmh]

at least it did not fall as much as others

[91Saturn]

Yikes, 17% YTD decline on the Solstice. That's not what you want to see. Blame dealer mark-ups and GM's failure to quickly follow up with a coupe.

[minnfang]

Sales of the SRX are up quite a bit. Maybe people are noticing the great new interior in the SRX when they come in to check out the CTS.

[minnfang]

Originally Posted by 91Saturn

Yikes, 17% YTD decline on the Solstice. That's not what you want to see. Blame dealer mark-ups and GM's failure to quickly follow up with a coupe.

You're right about the sales decline, but I'm not on the Solstice coupe bandwagon. I'm not so sure tons of people would be interested in a cramped little car that only seats two and doesn't offer open air motoring. On the other hand, that kind of defines the 350Z so I could be wrong.

For myself though, if a car is impractical, it had better be screaming fast or at least have a removable top.

[megeebee]

Originally Posted by minnfang

Sales of the SRX are up quite a bit. Maybe people are noticing the great new interior in the SRX when they come in to check out the CTS.

Quite a bit? 1%?

Maybe Enterprise, Budget, and Hertz are noticing.

[megeebee]

Originally Posted by 91Saturn

Yikes, 17% YTD decline on the Solstice. That's not what you want to see. Blame dealer mark-ups and GM's failure to quickly follow up with a coupe.

No. Blame the Saturn Sky. It's up 46%. Better looking (IMHO) with a nicer interior.