Posted on 12/01/2004 11:12:29 PM PST by ambrose
Nissan, Kia, Hyundai, buck trend, post robust November sales
12-02-2004, 00h05
DETROIT, United States (AFP) - Asian automakers wracked up some impressive sales gains in November, in what was otherwise a sluggish month for US sales of new cars and trucks, according to figures released.
Nissan, Kia, and Hyundai posted record November sales in a month when industry volume was off almost five percent year-over-year to 1.19 million units, according to Autodata Corp, of Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
Nissan sales soared almost 26 percent from a year ago, reportedly on the back of liberal incentives. Demand for Hyundai's new Tucson sport utility helped the Korean automaker lift its sales 7.4 percent, while its stablemate, Kia, saw its sales surge 44 percent year-over-year.
"We're pleased to report strong November sales figures which helped us surpass last year's record yearly sales total with one month remaining in 2004," said Peter Butterfield, president of Kia Motors America.
The Chrysler Group, Suzuki, Mercedes-Benz, and luxury carmakers Ferrari and Maserati, also had something to celebrate, but the same could not be said for the top two domestic manufacturers.
General Motors Corp. and the Ford Motor Co reported slumping sales as consumers turned to automakers' offering newer products or more attractive deals. Both manufacturers said they planned on building fewer vehicles next quarter by comparison with first-quarter 2004 to keep their backlog of vehicles from getting any larger.
GM sales skidded 16.5 percent as it sharply cut back on incentives on vehicles, which in many cases are beginning to show their age.
"We're at the bottom of our product trough, while a number of key manufacturers are at the peak of their product cycle," GM marketing director Paul Ballew told reporters in a teleconference Wednesday.
"We get stronger in '05, and '06 and '07. The challenging news in '04 is that we've got to weather that storm."
The new version of Ford's legendary Mustang pony car sold well; sales were up 12 percent from November 2003. But neither the Mustang nor other new vehicles, such as the Ford Five Hundred sedan or Freestyle sport wagon, could generate enough demand to offset the dwindling sales of long-in-the tooth models like the Ford Focus compact car.
Another factor in Ford's eight percent dip in sales was its decision to back off of sales to daily rental companies such as Avis and Hertz, that typically buy vehicles at a discounted price compared to retail customers.
Looking ahead, Ford said it will cut first-quarter production by eight percent in 2005 compared to production levels in the first-quarter 2004.
GM said its initial production schedules for the first-quarter of next year factored in a cut of 7.1 percent.
I'm sure the price of gasoline had nothing whatsoever to do with this. (/SARCASM)
Once again, Detroit has been caught flat-footed by cranking out little but gas-guzzling behemoths in the midst of rising prices at the pump.
Producing junk doesn't help either...
What do you expect when the parts either come from or are assembled in Mexico and Canada?
GM is really using outdated engines. I bought a mexican made rendezvous. It uses a 10 year old engine design with push rods. It works, It was cheap, but lacks hp.
Also GM still has the chevy cavalier dating from 15 years ago.
As opposed to the Hyundai? Nissans are awesome, my mom has one. Kia's I know nothing about. I do, however, know 4 people who've bought Hyundai's and not one of them would again.
I wouldn't get a Hyundai or Kia either, but they're at least priced more reasonably than GMs.
I'm a VW man myself...
I rented a Malibu recently on a business trip, what a total POS. You'd think some guy at GM would get wise, buy a Honda Civic, a Nissan Sentra, and/or an equivalent Toyota, haul it back to the factory, and see how they build small cars, and change accordingly. And, don't get me started on all the crappy Grand Ams I've been forced to rent.
I own a Jeep Grand Cherokee and a 3/4 ton Ford truck. I'd stay American on big iron, but I'd really give one of the big three Japanese companies a serious look on any other car.
The thing that strikes me about American cars is just how cheap and cheesy the interiors are. It looks like you could just blow on the door panel plastics, and they'd start to peel off.
They can keep packing more and more horsepower, but all that hp doesn't make a damned bit of difference to people stuck in city traffic.... they want strong low end torque, and pleasant interiors to help make you forget about the miserable commute ahead.
at least that's what I want! The Passat delivers on that score..
Interesting. Me, I had a 1987 Hyundai and that car was the best bargain I ever had in my life. I rode that thing hard for 16 years and, apart from putting in a new clutch in 1994, the car never required anything beyond minor maintenance. Gas mileage was outstanding, car handled well, and passed smog every time. I only gave it up to donate to charity for an appreciable tax break to offset a decent windfall in 2003.
Plus, even the cheapest Hyundais can go well over 100 mph, as we learned from the Rodney King tale.
My dad liked it so well he just bought a 2002 Ford Explorer and loves it. Go Ford/Mercury!
I like VW's also. I drove a roommate's Rabbit GTI a lot in the 80's, and it was a cool little rocket. The only problem I have with them is the price tag.
Huh. I had two Fords from 1985 to 1989. That's why I don't drive Ford anymore. The first one threw the counterbalance weight on the flywheel and the engine hammered itself to death. The second one threw two timing chains over the span of 12 weeks and then threw a rod.
Never again.
I went to an auto show last week. Quite a few expensive cars that can go over 190 mph. What the hell for, I ask? You'll probably go airborn past 120. I was shocked when I saw the sticker price on the Hyundais, like 11 grand. The Hyundai is a better value for the money if you want to go fast and kill yourself!
Here's my Ford experience:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1292513/posts?page=29#29
Note that the oil guzzling began only five or six thousands miles after first engine had been completely replaced at around 60,000 miles.
I am soooooooooooooo glad that the F&I guy talked me into buying their overpriced extended warranty for that heap....
I hear you there. What a mess that was. Sorry you had to go through that, FRiend.
What knocks me out is that, just when I was thinking that maybe Ford had turned a new leaf, my in-laws bought a new Taurus and that car behaved precisely in the manner you described. I guess that's the kind of quality you get when you let unions run the place.
I always laugh when I hear "built Ford Tough, where Quality is Number One". For all the Tauruses that have been sold, it is very hard to find any on the road that are over 5 years old! They must keep the junkyards busy. By contrast, look at all the older Japanese and German cars you see on the road. Granted, German cars require quite a bit more maintenance than Japanese cars - but they won't simply fall apart on you.
Prior to the Taurus, I had a Daihatsu hatchback. Drove it for six years. Since I was young and dumb at the time, the car wasn't exactly treated very well, but even still, it never required anyting more than oil changes. It sipped gas. Both very good things for someone on a budget.
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