Chrysler's August Sales Down 34%
Chrysler LLC’s first month without car leasing went just fine, thank you. Okay, maybe not. The beleaguered automaker’s sales are down 34% last month and 24% for the year, with the second number going down 1 percent in each of the past 3 months. There were few bright spots, the biggest being the Town & Country minivan, up 15% and Charger up 3% (*cough* fleets). The Dodge Journey continues to sell well at 4,587 CUV’s sold this month, and everything else was petrified from too much time on the lots. The smaller Jeep Patriot was down 21%, which wasn’t as bad as its hideous fraternal twins, the Compass (down 56%) and Dodge Caliber (down 57%). Most other vehicles are again in negative double digit territory. Dodge Durango didn’t do quite as badly this month, up to 1,430 from 384 in July. The Durango Hybrid (DuH) hasn’t gone on sale yet, so we’ll wait for the numbers to bump next month. Or not.
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Yes sales are down, but there's a bright side - the glass half full thing. An article in Freep today has Chrysler happy about a slide of 29% in warranty costs since February.
Well after my "bout of insanity" (i.e. buying Chrysler products in the past - I'm better now), mel23, I have to wonder if Cry-slur's 29% reduction in warrantee costs since February has anything to do with their sales drop since then? Anyone know if Chrysler sales has tanked MORE than 29% since February?! I suspect it's so. The illuminating fact would be for Chrysler to say that on a per-car basis, warrantee costs have gone down (and I suspect - they can't say that).
To me, the only bright spot in Chryco's line up is the Journey. It is better on the inside that I expected (better than the car from which it is derived). Also, it is a modern interpretation of the station wagon, which served the North American public for years. I doubt the T&C sales increases will be sustained. The rest of their line up...dead or dying.
The Charger-as-police-car thing seems to be the new thing here in Virginia. If you thought the civilian version looked ridiculous, you ought to see them decked out in Virginia State Police blue and gray livery. I can understand the rationale for a government selecting the low bidder, however, these vehicles have replaced road kill as the most gruesome sights on the highway.