Myths on Car & Truck Buying
While the economy has been slow to pick up since the belt-tightening began a couple of years ago, it may not be too dark anymore.
New car sales are on the way back up.
Ford saw last month’s sales rise 25% from a year ago.
Popular GM vehicles pushed sales up almost 20% for them from 2009 levels.
Apparently, those of us who are buying new aren’t holding onto the vehicles we already own any longer before trading them in.
Jim Grundstrom of Frei Chevy in Marquette says the models people trade in still run the gamut — 100,000 miles or more and heavily used to 3 years old and under, plus everything in between.
He doesn’t believe we’re hanging on to our vehicles now longer than we used to 5 to 10 years ago.
Dealers often view luxury in terms of ‘good’, ‘better’ and ‘best’.
The ‘best’ models and options like sunroofs and navigation systems aren’t selling as well as more basic models.
Grundstrom says the sales picture is a lot better now than it was a year ago.
He credits that to buyers’ increasing confidence in the economy and their own place in it.
Tomorrow, we’ll look at another factor in the economy — how favorable the local economy is these days for a popular recreational activity.