Quote:
Originally Posted by tgrundke
Highly unlikely at this point almost every car is delivered sold. There is virtually no inventory on the ground.
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Agreed.
My theory is that the days of big lots of new cars is essentially over. The car manufacturers have no incentive to go back to how things used to be. Think of the costs associated with new car lots: property tax, security, insurance, maintenance, snow removal, washing cars, etc. Additionally, full lots means selling below sticker.
Under the new model, dealers will keep enough new car inventory on hand for test drives and the occasional/lucky walk-up buyer. They will focus on used and CPO cars to people who *need a car right now*, and will sell new cars at sticker to those who are willing to wait. Buyers get exactly what they want because every car is coming straight from the factory.
I think we'll see an improvement in time from order to delivery... but I suspect that in the future most new cars be custom ordered, arrive in 4-6 weeks, and cost MSRP.
(Also, if I worked in a car dealership, I'd make sure that I was not the low man or woman on the totem pole... and if I were, I'd start looking for a job elsewhere. Almost the entire process can be done online.)