With American drivers nervously eying $4 gallons of gas, another group of people is getting that sinking feeling in the stomach as well: car dealers. Automotive News (subs req'd) says that Chrysler co-President Jim Press set the stage for 2008 car sales by saying, "This year is going to be a pretty severe year."
Others involved in vehicle sales don't have quite as pessimistic an outlook, but everyone agrees that fuel-sippers will get a second look from people who might otherwise be interested in thirstier vehicles. Just where the dividing line between fuel economy and (expected) performance will be for customers on the lot is unknown. Used cars, though, especially used trucks, lose a lot of their resale value when gas prices rise. Sources in the AN article add that the housing slump is hurting truck sales as well, so don't just blame gas prices if you're having a hard time selling your F-150 these days. I think the Onion handled a similar topic a while back.
[Source: Bernadine Williams and Ryan Beene / Automotive News]
Others involved in vehicle sales don't have quite as pessimistic an outlook, but everyone agrees that fuel-sippers will get a second look from people who might otherwise be interested in thirstier vehicles. Just where the dividing line between fuel economy and (expected) performance will be for customers on the lot is unknown. Used cars, though, especially used trucks, lose a lot of their resale value when gas prices rise. Sources in the AN article add that the housing slump is hurting truck sales as well, so don't just blame gas prices if you're having a hard time selling your F-150 these days. I think the Onion handled a similar topic a while back.
[Source: Bernadine Williams and Ryan Beene / Automotive News]
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