Does it look like our new cars are recession proof? The stock market started tanking when I took delivery, but I didn't waiver since this is really an economical car. (Probably the cheapest new car per mile given total cost of ownership.)

I've been astounded to see Civic sales down 25%.

 

I know the MT Sport are being scooped up here in AZ.

 

I am having to wait almost two months to get a red fit sport manual. In st louis area.

 

Not up north here anymore. Gas is at $2 and people are happy lol. Went to the dealer and was quoted $13,200 or $13,800 trade in. Fits cost more than civics at the local honda dealer here now too :/

 

yeah i confirm this too... it isn't hard to find quite a few fits on the lot for sale in PA

 

Sales here have dropped all over. Up til this month Fits arrived and drove over the curb same day. But the drop is nothing like the drop at other dealers. Chevy and Ford, Buick and Pontiac dealers have nothing but coffee breaks. Poor Mitsubishi has a visitor a day, not necessarily a buyer.

There is a couple of good reasons>
First, the economy isn't looking good overall. Those overmortgaged, whether by poor loan conditions or HG/TVed,must be careful on buying and those others who carefully planned their lives who don't trust the government, who bailed out crooks and want to bail out credit card debtors and Detroit, are being careful by habit.
Christmas sellers expect a 20% reduction in holiday spending.

Second, the vehicle parts suppliers to whom I talk regularly to plan a reduction in sales, most now expect RIF's but salaries aren't on the table. Thats pretty much most manufacturers and distributors, beer and some electronis excepted. And gun shops experiencing 300% increase in sales. What does that mean?
The one amusing thing about all this is the probablity that the young people who were so enthusiastic about change will be the ones carrying the brunt of the recession. I'd hate to be graduating next June. Guess this is their time to learn that campaign promises are written on the wind but track records are cast in concrete. 1964 was a bitter lesson for our generation, too.

 

Pensacola Honda has 10 09 Fits, and they have been there for two weeks. You cant give away any new cars here.

 

I was at one of the dealerships in Nashville and they had 4 on the lot. They said they would give away cars. I want a new black 09 but don't have the money either...

 

I've seen the same 6 GE8s sitting at the nearby Honda dealer for a month.

 

Hmm, then that wasn't you behind me yesterday???

I called up St Louis Honda and managed to sneak in a reservation for one that was arriving with a week of my call, a car that had not been reserved yet: orange sport manual. (Blue would have been my first choice, but that would have required ~6 weeks; color choice was not very important to me, so I have orange.)

According to those guys, most people are asking for sport models; very few asking for base. That probably "helps" to keep them flying out the door.

 

I had to wait two months for an MT in Minnesota. There wasn't a Taffeta White MT within a five state area when I went in initially--per my dealer.

 

I believe my dealer has 1 Sport AT and 2 Sport/AT/navi... they sold at least 2 base and 1 Sport AT I believe. Hardly flying off the lot I think... the Sport AT they have available came in a week after I got mine. No shortage of Navis anymore either, just no MTs.

They have a ton of Civics sitting on the lot somewhere. Mostly LX... much fewer LX-S and EX Civics in their inventory.

 

GE8s are selling like crazy in SoCal.

 

So are stupid Smart cars too apparently... why would anyone buy one of those when you can have a GE8? Its got 2 doors vs. 4 doors, seats 2 lesser people, has a transmission with an identity crisis, and so on... SoCal is one weird place, people gladly pay over MSRP even for those silly Smart cars.

 

In the Seattle area I had to wait about 6 weeks to get my Silver Sport MT. My friend just picked up a Fit yesterday and said there were only 2 on the lot at one of the bigger, more central dealerships. She called a different dealership several days ago and they told her they had some Fits, but when she got there they didn't have any. She was really annoyed! So it seems like they're either selling pretty well or Honda's not delivering very many.

 

Yup. I see just as many Fortwos as I do GD3s and GE8s. It just preference. People like the way the Fortwos look and so do I. Plus they get great MPG.

 

For those areas that see "stale" Fits sitting on the lots - anyone offering discounts over MSRP yet?

gun shop increasing sales over 300%? that's really scary. what it means is: when the going gets tough, the tough goes shooting (the question is whom?) I hope they won't kill too many wildlife to save on grocery bills. those poor moose! (hey, what' the plural of "moose"? meese?)

change will come. slowly. economic boom and bust cycles are the hallmark of capitalist economy. the market will go back to equilibrium but it will take time. there's only so much government can do. So don't blame all on our government. blame basic human traits such as greed and selfishness. blame our creator for giving us these negative traits.

 

Which dealership had two on there lot? I plan on picking one up in the couple of weeks after I try and sell my car first.

 

A lot of the gun sales are people afraid Obama is going push legislation to take them off the shelves.

Cars aren't selling at all in MI. More than a third of all house owner transfers are foreclosures, and with so many people in the state worried (if big 3 automakers go down, and with trickle-down 3 million people laid off), people are NOT buying. Not even the retired sector, a large portion of which retired from GM and Ford.

On one hand I'm glad I bought before the credit market went phlooey but on the other I'm a little concerned whether I'll be able to keep it if a third of the state winds up laid off.

As for the wildlife, it's about TIME the deer population got hunted down a bit. Last year in this state alone there were 61,907 car-deer crashes and 11 deaths (from MDOT). They are so overpopulated it isn't funny. We even had an extra deer season this year (for a total of 2 shotgun, 1 muzzleloader, 1 youth firearm, and the archery season) and they are still a real danger.

Even then it isn't a huge impact. According to the DNR there are more killed by the winter cold than car crashes and hunting put together.

 

Not really in my area suprsingly.
My local dealer, known for marking cars up crazy and high and still moving them rather quik, told me they are working off the MSRP and Fits were still sitting longer then usual. Sign of the times i suppose.