Low inventory of cars for sale????

[back n black]

I shop cars steady wether my pocket is full or empty.  It seems to me that lately there hasn't as many cars for sale to choose from.  Anyone want to speculate why?  Anyone else feel the same way?

[mcgheejt]

Cash for Clunkers definetely drew down some inventory.  Of course, the question is whether or not production was also drawn down or if car sales continue to improve.  With the slow recovery, I think it is probably the first. 

[wagesofsin]

i have many friends in the industry and most state the sales they are garnering are mostly cash, and the trades are going to other family members. so with no trade in, the lots are being depleted.

[gkring]

I am parts manager for the largest Infiniti store in the nation. We also have multiple Cadillac, Lexus, Hummer, and GMC stores all ranking in the top in sales in the nation. Last year at this time we were entering a major depression after years of good car business. all the manufacturers were cranking out cars. Then the economy went to crap, domestics were looking like they could go bankrupt and people quit buying cars. Problem was the manufacturers had tons of cars ready to go to the dealers, many of them gas guzzling SUV's. Cars started getting dirt cheap, mfgs put the brakes on making new cars. cash for clunkers dried up the used car market, and anyone even remotely thinking about buying a car bought one. Flash forward to a coupel months ago. People started buying cars again, but the mfg still are scared to crank up production as well as many dealers scared to bulk up on inventory or can't afford to. Money is not easy to come by and the banks are tight to let these dealers just sit on a lot of new cars. They are not given to us on a consignment basis from the mfg. Therefore the current new car market is pretty thin on availability. the preowned market is not far behind. Good news is if you can find a car you want with the options you want, color, etc then chances are good you can get a hell of a deal on it. As an example we are discounting $58,000 MSRP fully loaded QX56 suv's for 8-10K off due to the great kickbacks from Infiniti this month only.

[Aussie Challenger]

  People don't trust the financial institutions, knowing that the bankers caused the massive down turn and made us pay by squeezing the money supply to everyone except themselves, they still are paying themselves obsessive bonuses.   

[Moparal]

People are broke. And it isnt just because of banks and car manufacturers.  Millions of people lost their jobs, companies have folded up. This will turn into a bad political thread before the day is gone by. 

[back n black]

I should have been more specific, I meant a low inventory of classic muscle cars!  I have no intent to discuss politics.

[Moparal]

When I first got up and read your post, I assumed that it was on classics, but saw it was going to turn around to new cars.  No harm done in my eyes

[AARCUDADEN]

Speaking of classic cars i have noticed our weekly cars and trucks for sale paperback booklet hasn't had very many old cars for sale in the classic and muscle section

[ChallengerGary]

I imagine there are multiple reasons.  First, high dollar "speculators" are out of the market since the downturn.  Second, the recession also means that people with these cars that have been sitting around for years no longer feel that they can "cash out" on their cars. So, they are just letting them sit.   Lastly, people like me, who some people might call "flippers," don't have the cash to layout on a car nor the funds to fix it up in order to make it marketable.  So whereas in years past, I'd buy 3 or 4 cars to fix up and sell in order to fund my personal projects, this past year I have only done 1 car and I did not sell it for enough to fund a replacement project and pay the bills I needed to pay, so guess what I did - paid my bills.

[quapman]

Like Gary said, folks are sitting on what they've got because they either cannot make a profit or just plain can't get out what they've got into them.

There are cars at bargain prices out there if you look hard and are willing to fix a few things that are wrong with them. (This is usually why they're bargains.)

I'm trying to buy a 70 Chall. R/T 440-4-speed, which is a super deal in my eyes at the seller's price. The problem is that I was going to cash in my IRA to buy it, but it tanked so hard and the penalties/taxes are so severe, it covers only half the selling price.

WARNING: Rant to follow....   

(I'm really surprised domestic terrorists have not started blowing up bank buildings during the day while they're full of money-grubbing scumbags. Hmmm, that might be a little too harsh.    Maybe they're so broke, they can't afford the materials.)

[Moparal]

There is around 25 classic/muscle cars forsale in my area right now. All different kinds and prices. This is a local mountain paper that comes out every wednesday

[JH27N0B]

I did expect to see more muscle cars for sale now with the economy down and many getting desperate for money.  I have been seeing what looks to be some real bargains from time to time.  I have a good friend near me who has actively been on the hunt preferably for a B body convertible, and so far what he is finding is sellers thinking it is still 2006, and cars that look good until he checks them out and finds a lot of skeletons in the closet so to speak.
He was really excited about a loaded Challenger R/T 440 in nearby Indiana, listed on ebay and Moparts at a price that sounded like a steal.  He was going to run over there today to look at it, but someone had bought it.  Is that the same one you were talking about quapman?
All I can say is be patient, I don't think prices are going to recover any time soon, and with unemployment remaining high, more people are going to have no choice but to sell cars even if they have to sell for less than they paid a few years back.

[quapman]

Nope, not the one I was speaking of, but "mine" might be gone by now as well.

I hear you on the "think it's 2006" mentality. Most prices on fleebay seem rather realistic, but on other websites everyone (especially dealers) apparantly think their cars are gold-plated.

[Moparal]

Dealers like to haggle the price, they are used to that   Gotta get in the door first.  Its only natural