SoonerLS Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 (edited) I've seen quite a few Dart ads, and they're not too bad. The one thing about them is that, in the ads, the Dart doesn't look like it's in the same size class as a Focus (and whatever else is in that class); it looks like it's closer to the size of a Fusion. I wonder if that isn't dissuading the normal group of people who would be buying in that class--if it looks like it's the size of a Fusion, maybe they're thinking it will be too big, or maybe they're expecting it to be priced like a Fusion... Edited December 6, 2012 by SoonerLS 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 I've also seen quite a few ads and I like the Dart. But it's probably a tough sell with the bigger cheaper Avenger available as was mentioned already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrewfanGRB Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Maybe they focus their ad buys during football (to emphasize the Tom Brady thing?), but it seems like I see ads for the Dart ALL THE TIME. I think they're pretty good, actually--showing a lot of nice tech in the car, emphasizing its size for adults, improved interior quality, etc. Maybe they need to broaden the reach of the ads? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Maybe they focus their ad buys during football (to emphasize the Tom Brady thing?), but it seems like I see ads for the Dart ALL THE TIME. I think they're pretty good, actually--showing a lot of nice tech in the car, emphasizing its size for adults, improved interior quality, etc. Maybe they need to broaden the reach of the ads? Now that you mention it - I think most of the Dart ads I saw were during football games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonM Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 This is a continuing trend at GM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Now that you mention it - I think most of the Dart ads I saw were during football games. same here.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 I've seen quite a few Dart ads, and they're not too bad. The one thing about them is that, in the ads, the Dart doesn't look like it's in the same size class as a Focus (and whatever else is in that class); it looks like its closer to the size of a Fusion. I wonder if that isn't dissuading the normal group of people who would be buying in that class--if it looks like its the size of a Fusion, maybe they're thinking it will be too big, or maybe they're expecting it to be priced like a Fusion... Perhaps looking at the ads folks are mistaking it as Fusion size. I've yet to see a Dart in real life. I have high hopes for it and I'd love to see a Hatch version here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoonerLS Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Now that you mention it - I think most of the Dart ads I saw were during football games. I hadn't really thought about it, but yeah, I think that's where I've been seeing them, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoonerLS Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 Perhaps looking at the ads folks are mistaking it as Fusion size. I've yet to see a Dart in real life. I have high hopes for it and I'd love to see a Hatch version here. I was surprised to discover that it was in the same size category as the Focus; I was expecting it to be a mid-size, like the Avenger... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 For me if I was going to Chysler it would be a Dart R/T and 'Tigershark' w/6m, 300 w/Pentastar and 8A, Jeep Liberty w/Pentastar V6 and 6A. (The older engine/transmission is a gas-hog and anchor) and I wouldn't say no to a Ram. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noah Harbinger Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 This is a continuing trend at GM Do you have that chart in selling days? After all, sales have been increasing, so you would need to increase inventory to maintain the same number of selling days. I don't think sales are up 100% since November '09, but it would at least reduce the magnitude of the curve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 I think sales are up about 25% over 2009 levels. That would turn 438 into 547, or about 240k less than what GM currently has in inventory, or a $6.7B 'gift' from the factory to the bottom line---at the expense of the dealers that have to pay interest on all that inventory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 I would also note that Wards pegs GM's inventory thus: Nov. 12: 106 days Oct. 12: 98 days Nov. 11: 86 days Ford? Nov. 12: 72 Oct. 12: 78 Nov. 11: 72 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 (edited) Last month GM barely cleared Ford's sales, I don't see how hanging tough on incentives is going to work for GM. I recon they will fold around February and start with strong incentives - none of which will bother Ford in the slightest GM is vulnerable and exposed, if there's a slump in vehicle sales next year, it could be in all sorts of trouble.. Edited December 7, 2012 by jpd80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoonerLS Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 I don't see how hanging tough on incentives is going to work for GM. Apparently, it's not. General Motors today is rolling out bigger discounts on full-sized pickups and other vehicles in an effort to slash bloated inventories, which are at their highest levels since before GM’s June 2009 bankruptcy. -- http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121207/RETAIL01/121209891/gm-juices-incentives-amid-pickup-glut-sweetens-some-car-leases&cciid=email-autonews-blast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aneekr Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 I would also note that Wards pegs GM's inventory thus: Nov. 12: 106 days Oct. 12: 98 days Nov. 11: 86 days Ford? Nov. 12: 72 Oct. 12: 78 Nov. 11: 72 Thanks for this data RichardJensen. Inventory levels for GM vehicles ballooned much more than I thought over the past couple months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 (edited) They ballooned because GM tried to cut back on incentives and dumping into fleets. Sadly, this will only reinforce wrong thinking in the minds of GM executives.. who will do everything other than cut production volumes. Edited December 7, 2012 by jpd80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackinaw Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 No to defend GM, but their plan was to (slightly) overproduce their pickups as they get ready for the considerable factory downtime involved in changing over to the new model of their truck. They had hoped the extra '012's would see them through until the next pickup comes on line. They badly miscalculated. Also, Chrysler really threw a wrench in the works when they dropped $5,000 in incentives on the outgoing Ram (you got to admire Sergio at times). Anyway you look at it, GM messed up big time. Anything they do now will cost them dearly (meaning less profits). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 The good part is that whatever GM does will not really effect Ford's plans.. The '14 Silverado will have around 12 months to recover some of GM's estranged buyers before the 2015 F150 arrives.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ice-capades Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 My dealership stocks mostly the lower end Fiesta models... 4-Door "S" models with both the manual and automatic transmissions and the SE models. The majority of our stock 2013 Fiesta inventory is for the 4-door sedan version, for price point reasons. We've had success using the 2013 Fiesta for customers that have little or no cash to put down or have poor credit and then use the Fiesta to get them established with Ford Credit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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