Making Sense of Car Prices Archive.

Car Sales Briefs: Truck Wars Good, Taurus Safest Car in America, Ford Scores Big in Quality GM & Chrysler Fail, Small Car Prices Rising

2007-06-07T14:11:00Z

The current Truck wars is very good for consumers. Like we said before in this blog, now is currently the best time to buy a truck. Aslo, today, Ford saw more good news in terms of quality guidelines. The new Ford Taurus is based of the Volvo architecture, and apparently scored so big in crash tests the Ford Taurus will get a new tag line: Safest Car in America . Truck Wars going on at the GM Milford proving grounds. We'll see who wins this round on GM's home turf! Demand is up for small...(read more)

Car Sales Briefs: Ford Tops in Quality, New Eco-Friendly Accord, Ford Super Duty

2007-06-06T20:15:47Z

Ford Vehicles get most quality awards than any other vehicles , according to J.D. Power & Associates This is good news for Ford, which has reputation problems. I think even bigger is that Toyota brands did very poor this year. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi skipped a meeting with Automakers After Honda discontinues the Accord Hybrid, they unveil an eco-friendly Accord Good News for Ford Super Duty: Ford Super Duty Seeing Super Sales , Super Duty Tops Quality Rankings , Exceeding Expectations . More...(read more)

Would You Buy a Mini Car?

2007-06-06T17:46:54Z

Despite a huge rush to buy hybrids this past year, a new poll suggests Americans are not willing to do anything to save on gas. More specifically, size matters, and Americans are not willing to buy ultra minicars to maximize fuel efficiency. Early next year the Mercedes Car Group has plans to sell a tiny-two-seat car called the SMART Car. However, several research firms have suggested American will not buy these cars, which are very popular around the world. They are popular because of the very short...(read more)

The Ford Ranger in Danger

2007-06-05T15:39:02Z

- The Ford Ranger is in Danger of being cut by Ford Motor company. - The Ford Edge is selling like mad, Ford raises sales figures. d...(read more)

Toyota Tundra May Be Recalled -- More Rebates Ahead

2007-05-31T14:36:09Z

Maybe Toyota cannot pass it's reliability reputation to it's line of trucks. Recently, many owners have been reporting engine failures with the 5.7-liter V-8s. Rumor has it Toyota may recall all these vehicles as a safety precaution. Engine Failure Difficult to Fix The nature of Engine failure is particularly hard for Toyota. Engine trouble is one of the more difficult problems to fix with new cars, and the most expensive. In addition to the severity of the problem, Toyota has built it's reputation...(read more)

Gas Prices Don't Hurt Big SUV Sales

2007-05-25T19:13:39Z

Higher gasoline prices in may did not harm sales of large SUVs. Ford sales holding steady. Developing......(read more)

New Toyota Tundra Sales Flop; Tosses Up $3,000 Rebate to Move Truck Sales

2007-04-03T19:54:00Z

March 2007 Sales figures for the automobile industry were released today. As expected, Toyota had its best month ever. Both Ford and Chevrolet declined in sales substantially.

However, the unexpected data comes from sales of the Toyota Tundra. Executives expected to move over 200,000 Tundra units in 2007. Today they announced, quarter to date, they have only moved a little more than 30,000 units. If things continue, they will fall short of this goal by 80,000 units – making the Toyota Tundra a huge flop.

"People just don't accept the design."

Toyota has relied heavily on their reliability to move sales. However, they neglected the find out exactly what kind of design truck buyers want.

"They missed the mark. Toyota failed to resonate with Truck buyers."

[AutoBlog] reported on March 29^th another $1000.00 Toyota Tundra rebate – bringing the total rebates for the new Toyota Tundra to $3,000. Industry experts thought this new 2008 model of the Toyota Tundra would bring an end the combination of rebates with Toyota Trucks. They were wrong – Toyota can produce a flop.Industry experts thought this new 2008 model of the Toyota Tundra would bring an end the combination of rebates with Toyota Trucks. They were wrong – Toyota can produce a flop.

Lack of Technology Fuels the Decline of the Honda Civic

2007-03-16T13:46:27Z

Car makers must keep up with the technology to keep sales rolling. The best selling Honda civic is a classic example. Lower prices, does not always mean increased sales. Sometimes, people just want the best car for a reasonable, not necessarily, lowest price.

This year Honda Civic sales are down 24% from last year, according to The Detroit News. This is damaging news to Honda executives because "Honda looks to the civic for about a quarter of its U.S. sales volume." The Honda civic has set records for the last nine years, but it looks like the tenth will be a folly.

The have not updated any technological features since 2004. The groups highly prized by the Honda Civic are generally educated, have some concern about the environment and adapt quickly to new technologies.

Sedan Civic targets young professionals.
Hybrid targets high-tech professionals.
Coupe targets the drive a car to impress crowd.
Coupe Si targets high performance enthusiasts.

But all these cars now have front runners—other car makers have beat them to offer the best technological punch. The Ford Fusion, Edge and Nissan Versa outpace the car cell phone tools as a standard feature. Toy

Ford Fusion or Lexus LS is now the choice of young professionals.
Toyota Prius and Infiniti M45 now the choice for high tech professionals.
A new movement in the drive to impress crowd: after market accessories. They take any car and make it over. This is a new phenomenon that has just recently gained huge popularity.
Performance enthusiasts prefer the Mustang or Lexus IS, GS, or LS.

Mitsubishi Announces Pricing for All-New 2008 Lancer

2007-03-02T20:05:00Z

The North American division of Mitsubishi announced that the all-new 2008 Lancer delivers ‘drive-to-thrill’ dynamics and is a class-up from its predecessor. ...(read more)

Pump Prices Reach New Highs – Hybrid Car Demand Increasing

2007-03-01T13:32:02Z

Rising crude oil prices – now at $62 a barrel – have pushed the average pump price per gallon to new highs. Our gas price ticker has seen an increase of 15 cents in the past week, pushing up average gasoline prices per gallon in the U.S.A. to $2.45 for regular. Drivers are feeling the pinch.

Average	Price
Current	$2.41
Yesterday	$2.38
Month Ago	$2.15
Year Ago	$2.25
Highest Ever	$3.05

Seasonal Change – End of February Always Has Higher Gas Prices

Gas prices tend to fluctuate wildly this time of year because refineries begin to change production from the winter blends of fuels to the summer blends of fuel. The changeover often produces irregularities in the refining process such as mechanical malfunctions, overtime pay, and plant shutdowns. These unexpected events increase the cost of gasoline.

Demand of Hybrids Increasing

One method of measuring demand is search queries demand for hybrid related vehicles. In the past day we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of people searching for 'hybrid cars.' Our hybrid car buzz index has jumped 400% in the past week – signaling higher demand for hybrid cars, and based on the principle of supply and demand, higher hybrid car prices.

We recommend to hold off on your hybrid car purchases until late spring, and before the summer gas price spike. Check car prices now with a new car price quote online.

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Pontiac Launches Digg Style Social Network with Yahoo

2007-02-08T16:36:00Z

Attention Digg Users: Pontiac wants to capture your attention. And they have spent a considerable amount of money understanding social media in order to utilize the social media realm to their advantage. First, Pontiac and Yahoo have launched a car club online at pontiacunderground.com – mimicking the popular digg style vote buttons, and taking advantage of Yahoo's social media assets (such as Yahoo Answers, Flickr photos, and Yahoo Groups) they plan to ride the social media trend. The...(read more)

Cars & Trucks with Lowest APR for January. Trucks Have Amazing Deals...

2007-01-23T17:03:00Z

Lowest Auto Loan Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for January

Trucks win again: This could be the best time to buy a full size truck. Almost all full size trucks have huge APR and Cash Back incentives for January.

Zero Percent Financing is Currently Available on One Car Only, the Mercury Mariner. However, there are many cars from Mitsubishi, Nissan and Ford that are under two percent. Many of these offers are mixed in with excellent cash back incentives. Please use the auto finance calculators to find out your total savings.

Best deals: Ford Freestar, Ford F-Series Super Duty, Nissan Titan, Ford Explorer, and Chevy Silverado. I have said before, this is the best time to buy a full size or mid size truck. Data is coming in for February, but you cannot loose if you price and buy

VEHICLE	APR	CASH BACK	EXPIRES
2007 Mercury Mariner excluding Hybrid	0.00%	$2,500	4/2/2007
2007 Ford Focus	0.90%	$2,500	4/2/2007
2007 Ford Crown Victoria	1.90%	$2,000	4/2/2007
2007 Ford Freestar	1.90%	$5,000	4/2/2007
2007 Ford F-Series Super Duty	1.90%	$3,000	4/2/2007
2007 Lincoln Town Car	1.90%	$6,000	4/2/2007
2007 Mercury Grand Marquis	1.90%	$5,500	4/2/2007
2007 Mercury Monterey	1.90%	$5,000	4/2/2007
2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse Coupe GS/SE	1.90%	$1,000	1/31/2007
2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse Coupe GT	1.90%	$2,000	1/31/2007
2007 Mitsubishi Endeavor LS	1.90%	$4,000	1/31/2007
2007 Mitsubishi Endeavor SE	1.90%	$3,000	1/31/2007
2007 Mitsubishi Galant ES	1.90%	$2,500	1/31/2007
2007 Nissan Titan Crew Cab	1.90%	$2,500	1/31/2007
2007 Nissan Titan King Cab	1.90%	$3,000	1/31/2007
2007 Suzuki XL7	1.90%	$1,000	2/28/2007
2007 Dodge Ram Pickup 1500 Mega Cab	2.90%	$3,000	1/31/2007
2007 Dodge Ram Pickup 1500 Reg Cab & Quad Cab	2.90%	$5,000	1/31/2007
2007 Ford E-Series Wagon/Van	2.90%	$1,000	4/2/2007
2007 Ford Explorer	2.90%	$1,500	4/2/2007
2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac	2.90%	$1,500	4/2/2007
2007 Ford F-Series F-150	2.90%	$3,000	4/2/2007
2007 Ford Ranger	2.90%	$2,000	4/2/2007
2007 Kia Rondo	2.90%	$0	1/31/2007
2007 Kia Sorento	2.90%	$2,000	1/31/2007
2007 Kia Sportage	2.90%	$1,000	1/31/2007
2007 Lincoln Mark LT	2.90%	$3,500	4/2/2007
2007 Mercury Mountaineer	2.90%	$1,500	4/2/2007
2007 Nissan Armada	2.90%	$3,000	1/31/2007
2007 Nissan Frontier 4-cylinder	2.90%	$1,000	1/31/2007
2007 Nissan Frontier V6	2.90%	$1,500	1/31/2007
2007 Nissan Maxima	2.90%	$1,500	1/31/2007
2007 Nissan Murano	2.90%	$0	1/31/2007
2007 Nissan Quest	2.90%	$2,000	1/31/2007
2007 Acura RDX	3.90%	$0	2/5/2007
2007 Chevrolet Silverado Classic 1500 Crew Cab	3.90%	$1,750	2/28/2007
2007 Chevrolet Silverado Classic 1500 Extended Cab	3.90%	$3,000	2/28/2007
2007 Chevrolet Silverado Classic 1500 Regular Cab	3.90%	$2,000	2/28/2007
2007 Chrysler Town & Country LWB	3.90%	$4,000	1/31/2007
2007 Chrysler Town & Country SWB	3.90%	$3,000	1/31/2007
2007 Dodge Caravan SWB	3.90%	$3,000	1/31/2007
2007 Honda Element	3.90%	$0	2/5/2007
2007 Honda Odyssey	3.90%	$0	2/5/2007
2007 Honda Pilot	3.90%	$0	2/5/2007
2007 Honda Ridgeline	3.90%	$0	2/5/2007
2007 Hyundai Entourage	3.90%	$500	1/31/2007
2007 Jeep Commander	3.90%	$2,500	1/31/2007
2007 Jeep Liberty	3.90%	$3,000	1/31/2007
2007 Lincoln MKX	3.90%	$0	4/2/2007

GM Will Defend the No. 1 Automaker Title Vigorously

2007-01-05T15:53:00Z

GM announcement Signals lower prices for GM vehicles this year in a price war sure to help consumers.

Toyota may have spoken too soon by predicting they will take the No. 1 spot from GM in terms of cars sold per year. The current CEO of General Motors, Rick Wagoner, stated the title will not go down without a huge fight:

"I like being No. 1, and I think our people take pride in it." He continued to a small group of reporters at GM's main headquarters. "It's not something we're going to sit back and let somebody else pass us by.

Current Situation:

GM sold 9.2 million vehicles in 2006. Toyota announced the plan to produce 9.6 million vehicles in 2008. If current trends for GM sales hold, and Toyota sells every single vehicle they plan to produce, the title for GM will fall.

Toyota's Big Gamble:

Toyota is placing a lot of eggs in the Toyota Tundra basket. We have seen time and again highly rated cars in sales flops because they do not resonate with the average car buyer. However the new 2008 Tundra is very impressive and sleek. However, the design may be a little too effeminate for the average truck buyer - it lacks testosterone in the design with the curvy edges and flamboyant doors. I think it will be a Honda Ridgeline II - highly rated but a flop in sales.

GM Strategy:

Build more cars. The GM CEO stated that they have the ability to increase production beyond Toyota. In that case, with supply possibly outpacing demand, prices will fall for GM vehicles in 2008. It is also not clear yet what vehicles will be produced in droves. It is also not clear on how this will mesh with GM's highly publicized strategy to build quality products so they rely less on selling cars and trucks with huge incentives.

Basically GM is going for the long term win. They want the word of mouth reputation of building top quality cars - even if they change a little more. But they also want to hold on to the claim of being the world's No. 1 automaker.

My prediction:

They will build quality cars, but in order to combat Toyota they will use incentives and rebates and lower prices to keep the volume up even if they are not hugely profitable in 2008. The GM line looks like a good deal for 2008 - I'll keep you posted. Let me know your thoughts -- please post your comments below!

RockSolidWes

Get the Lowest Car Price: Top 10 Car Buying Tips

2007-01-02T19:45:00Z

1) Do Not Make an Emotional Car Purchase
Do your homework. Think logically. Make a pros/cons sheet for each and every car. Chances are, if you fall in love with a car, you will be willing to pay any price for that car. Unfortunately, an emotional decision like this may not get you the car you really need or can afford. You should first write down all the things you want out of a car. Then compare multiple cars side by side to see which ones best fit your needs and wants.

2) Focus on the Full Price, Not Monthly Payments
Your montly payment can be adjusted to fit your needs regardless of the price by adjusting the loan from 32 months to 72 months or more. Therefore, focus your efforts in negotiation on the ‘out-the-door' price of the car. Every car salesman will know the term ‘out-the-door' price, which means the final cost of the vehicle. Use that term always.

3) Do Not Accept MSRP
Unfortunately many people accept the MSRP as the price of a vehicle-because they do not realize you can negotiate a car price. Your best research friend is the True Internet Price (T.I.P.) which tells you the average car transaction in your market area.

4) Take a Test Drive
But remember not to make it an emotional experience-in other words do not get caught up in the moment of a brand new car.

5) Don't Focus on the Deal
A lot of car dealerships and manufacturers offer attractive deals for cars that are not selling. However the deal should never be your starting point. The deal or rebate should come in to play when you have narrowed down your potential cars to at least 4 or 5. At this point the extra savings are very meaningful to what you need.

6) Do Not Rely Solely on the Manufacturer for Information
You have to take the responsibility to do your own car research before you enter the dealership. Especially with safety and reliability-make sure you get a third party opinion of the car-and you do not solely use Toyota.com or the official website of the car you want. Use car research guides to help you get an objective opinion.

7) Keep a Paper Trail of Your Trade-In
Do research on how much your trade in is worth at kbb.com and when you bring your current car to the dealership write down the math so you can see it on paper. In rare instances (but it happens common enough to give fair warning) some salesmen will try and cheat you out of your trade in with tricky math figures.

8) Not Necessary to Load on Options
In many cases, extended warranties do not provide more converge than the standard warranty. And even if the extended warranty will place a warranty on your car for more years, you can always buy extended warranties later.

9) Know Your Credit Score
And know what kind of rates you can expect before you enter the dealership!

10) Stay Updated on Industry News
The RockSolid Car Price blog offers car industry news-and more importantly-how it affects the consumer's wallet. Bookmark this blog now.

Hottest Cars in Demand are Small Cars

2006-12-28T16:24:00Z

Car prices follow the cardinal rule of economics: Supply and Demand. Therefore, cars in huge demand can be over priced because they will sell regardless of price. Likewise, cars that sit on the lot for more than 60 days tend to be discounted heavily so the dealership can clear their inventory.
Cars with Greatest Demand (November 2006 Data)

Average Number of Days on Lot

10 Days: Nissan Versa
10 Days: Honda Fit
11 Days: Volvo C70
12 Days: Toyota Prius
13 Days: Toyota Yaris
14 Days: Lexus ES Series
15 Days: Scion xA
15 Days: Honda Civic Coupe
16 Days: Toyota RAV4
16 Days: Toyota Camry
16 Days: Mini Cooper

Smaller is the New Big

A few years ago the Big SUV cars used to fly off the lots. Now it’s the smaller cars racing to victory. Here is data broken down by car size.

29 Days: Compact Car

38 Days: Luxury Midsize Car

43 Days: Crossover Car

52 Days: Midsize Car

53 Days: Luxury Full Size SUV

65 Days: Average for All Vehicles

66 Days: Full Size SUV

68 Days: Minivan

71 Days: Compact SUV

97 Days: Trucks

99 Days: Midsize SUV

Therefore, the biggest deals on cars in December and January will be with the bigger sized cars. Like I said before on this blog, if you are considering a new truck, now is the best time (uneless you are waiting for the new 2008 models by all major car companies—then I would hold off until the new trucks are on the lot).

I do see great deals on the midsize SUV from Ford and Chevrolet.

Visit Autotropolis.com for additional savings on cars that need to get off the lot.