If you're looking for a good deal on a new car or truck right now, the first place to look should be at who's selling hot and who's selling not. Low sales figures can mean that the seller is hungry to improve their numbers. After all, it's all about making money and if a dealer isn't selling, they aren't making money. Desperation can drive prices down.
On the other hand, a dealer that has a showroom full of customers probably won't be so willing to make you a great deal. After all, there's a line of other customers behind you and they see their chance to make that profit off someone else.
Now on the other hand, some of the lowest sales numbers come from models that clearly were not designed for mass, affordable appeal in the first place. Instead, their market target can be an expensive (and thin) slice of the market where consumers are willing to pay upwards of $50,000 or $60,000 or much more for a luxury set of wheels. So, you have to look at the "price factor" when you consider the slow sellers, too.
Still, there's some logic to slow sellers mean a chance for discounted prices. So here's the list, according to Forbes Magazine, of the cars and trucks that were the best (and the worst) selling models in the last year.
First, the worst selling models. These are the ones where you can probably get a good deal.
1. Cadillac XLR, only sold 1,525 and is down 42.7% from a year ago.
2. Mazda B series, 2,363 and down 35.3%.
3. Isuzu Ascender, descended to third place with only 2,523 sold and is down 40.3%.
4. Jaguar X-Type sold only 2,599 and is down 44.2%
5. Jaguar S-Type, 2,973 sold and down 44.3%.
6. Audi A8 and S8, at 3,092 units sold they are down 27.2%.
7. Porsche Boxer, only sold 3,148 and is down 21.5%.
8. Lexus SC430 sold 3,311 and is down 33.2%.
9. Isuzu i290 and 370 model sold only 3,575 and is up 21.1% from last year's sales numbers but still so small that it comes in at #9.
10 Jaguar XJ, selling 3,637 units, it still sits at a 11.2% sales decline from a year ago.
Over the years Jaguar has made a lot of great looking cars but in recent years their cars look more and more like GM knockoffs. The design originality and sexiness is gone, many say as they wonder why the Indian companies are bidding for a buyout from Ford when Jaguar sales are off by such huge numbers.
Now, if you want to know where you can probably expect to pay the highest price and have the toughest time getting any discount, here's the best selling models list.
1. Ford F series, sold 588,952 and even though the numbers are down 12.5% they are still the best selling vehicle out there. That's a little surprising given the mechanical problems and recalls that have plagued the F series for years, including the million-plus, multi-year recall recently.
2. Chevy Silverado, 526,575 sold and down only 2.4% from last year.
3. Toyota Camry, a long running consumer favorite, sold 398,868 and is up 6.4% in sales during the last year.
4. Honda Accord, with sales last year of 332,815 and numbers up 10.2% over a hear ago; I recall placing an order the first year the Accord came out and then spending months on the waiting list before giving up and buying a Ford.
5. Toyota Corolla, 317,796 units sold and even though the numbers are 4% less than a year ago, it comes in at the #5 spot on the best selling list.
6. Honda Civic, sold 278,764 with sales up 2.2%.
7. The Chevy Impala sold 270,504 and saw its sales rise 12.6%. It is the reason your Chevy dealer is smiling.
8. Nissan Altima, with 239,800 sold, the numbers are up 26.6% from a year ago.
9. Dodge Ram, curiously, sold 214,569 last year but it's numbers were off 29.3% from a year ago and it still ended up in the #9 spot. They're selling a lot less but still selling good.
10. Honda CR-V, sold 184,003 units and had the biggest increase in the last year, pumping the numbers up 34.9% from a year ago. The biggest percentage increase in all the top 10.
Of course whether you made a great deal or got a lousy one, it doesn't matter much if your new car or truck is sitting in the dealer's garage while you're making the next loan payment.
When you get fed up enough with your lemon, call us. Getting rid of them is what we do.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Known nationwide as a leading Lemon Law attorney, Ronald L. Burdge has represented literally thousands of consumers in "lemon" lawsuits and actively co-counsels and coaches other Consumer Law attorneys. From 2005 through 2018, attorney Ronald L. Burdge has been named as the only Lemon Law Ohio Super Lawyer by Law and Politics magazine and Thomson Reuters Corp., Professional Division. Burdge restricts his practice to Lemon Law and Consumer Law cases. The Ohio Super Lawyer results are published annually in the January issue of Cincinnati Magazine. Ronald L. Burdge was named Consumer Law Trial Lawyer of the Year 2004 by the National Association of Consumer Advocates, the nation's largest organization of consumer law private and government attorneys. "Your impact on the auto industry has been magnified many times over because of the trail you blazed for others," stated NACA's Executive Director, Will Ogburn. Burdge has represented thousands of consumers in Ohio, Kentucky and elsewhere since 1978 and is a frequent lecturer to national, state and local Bar Associations and Judicial organizations. Burdge is admitted to Ohio's state and federal courts, Kentucky's state courts, and Indiana's federal courts. Other court admissions are on a "pro hac" temporary, case by cases basis.