Chevy incenting dealers $1500 to sell demo Volts

[SkiTundra]

Interesting article on a couple of levels:

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/11/07/chevy-tells-dealers-to-sell-their-volt-demos/?test=faces" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[EdmondLeaf]

Something not quit right about "very low supply" mentioned in article. OKC dealers received several new 2012 Volt. I had a chance to test drive one today. Other poster reported similar about UT. What is the reason to send limited supply to place where $45K car may have a chance to sit on the lot for long while?

 

[mitch672]

The real reason, as pointed out above, make room for the 2012 MY demos, clear out the 2011 inventory. Even a blind man can see through this sham.

 

[scottf200]

We do know from other MNL threads that they have already produced more than 10,000 Volts at this point.

I think the above is awesome. More electric miles driven the better in all *EVs ... the less gas. That is a goal right??? ... or it is to compete with each other for a small piece of this pie. 30 EV miles for me today and 0 gas miles.

Besides is late Fall / early Winter a big car sales time of year. Incentives are GOOD for the consumers.

Re: $1500 incentive.
http://www.freep.com/article/20111107/BUSINESS0101/111107067/Chevy-frees-up-2-300-more-Volts-sale-supplies-trail-demand" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If dealers sell their demos by Jan. 3, GM will reimburse them $1,500 each to make up for depreciation and for the cost of removing demo-related decals.

Other interesting comments:

The automaker’s surveys have shown 72% of interested people who haven’t bought a Volt made that decision because their preferred model wasn’t available. So GM is seeking to reduce customer and dealer frustration by freeing up saleable cars.
<snip>
“I want everybody to be able to sell the cars now that everybody has been trained on it.” Said Henderson, “We want this business,” referring to the more than 80% of Volt buyers who are new to Chevrolet. “When you have someone knocking on the door saying, ‘I want to buy your vehicle,’ you look for ways to make that happen.”

 

[tps]

“When you have someone knocking on the door saying, ‘I want to buy your vehicle,’ you look for ways to make that happen.”

Something for Nissan to think about...

 

[SkiTundra]

Including the demo models, GM dealers have 4,100 Volts available for sale. Another 1,100 are on their way to a GM store

That's a gob of supply over demand, especially considering that it's more than all the Volts sold so far.

 

[defiancecp]

“When you have someone knocking on the door saying, ‘I want to buy your vehicle,’ you look for ways to make that happen.”

Something for Nissan to think about...

Hah! No doubt!

 

[EdmondLeaf]

My local Chevy dealer very friendly and allowed all the test drive I wanted and needed. No Leaf even for test drive, no wonder where customer will go to see this new technology

 

[evnow]

Incentives are GOOD for the consumers.

But usually means the cars aren't moving as fast as they were expected to.

 

[SkiTundra]

“When you have someone knocking on the door saying, ‘I want to buy your vehicle,’ you look for ways to make that happen.”

Something for Nissan to think about...

There have certainly been some kinks in the rollout and those of us in the long forgotten states may not be too enthralled with things, but...

There have not been headlines on top of headlines about people ACTUALLY running out of juice on their way somewhere as there might have been if they'd rolled this out nationwide or even expanded to nationwide faster. Negative Leaf articles have largely been FUD and even detractors are now shying away from criticism.

If you write for a car mag or TV show you likely see about five to seven times as many Leafs being driven on the road as Volts due to the concentration of Leafs in these states.

There is at least a perception that Leafs are far more popular than Volts based on a long waiting list for Leafs vs Volts sitting on dealer lots. Even a writer who hates Leafs is careful to read populace tea leafs.

And for the most part the people complaining about the rollout are still chomping to give Nissan some money as soon as they can.

Nissan certainly has a few things to think about.

 

[smkettner]

Incentives to sell a demo? Sounds like business as usual. Don't they do this for all last year model demos?
Actually I thought there were incentives for all left overs :|

 

[scottf200]

Incentives to sell a demo? Sounds like business as usual. Don't they do this for all last year model demos?
Actually I thought there were incentives for all left overs :|

Re: $1500 incentive.
http://www.freep.com/article/20111107/BUSINESS0101/111107067/Chevy-frees-up-2-300-more-Volts-sale-supplies-trail-demand" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If dealers sell their demos by Jan. 3, GM will reimburse them $1,500 each to make up for depreciation and for the cost of removing demo-related decals.

 

[evnow]

Incentives to sell a demo? Sounds like business as usual. Don't they do this for all last year model demos?
Actually I thought there were incentives for all left overs :|

Business as usual means demand < supply.

BTW, moving this thread to the right location.

 

[smkettner]

Even if demand is equal I would not buy a demo with 2000+ miles on it for the list price of next years model.

 

[tps]

There have not been headlines on top of headlines about people ACTUALLY running out of juice on their way somewhere as there might have been if they'd rolled this out nationwide or even expanded to nationwide faster.

The public charging infrastruture is stiil so minimal that I doubt if it has made much of an impact, even in the roll-out states. I'm planning, as I believe most current LEAF owners do, to have a short leash to my home EVSE with an occasional planned trip which relies on a public EVSE. When DC quick chargers are deployed, the LEAF will become much more useful for the occasional longer trip away from home.

It will be interesting to see how the dynamics of the situation shakes out, as the Volt doesn't have this short leash. In the near term, given Nissan's supply-side limitation compared to the relative availability of the Volt, and the lack of an adequate charging network for the LEAF, well, I think the next year will be very interesting... Maybe the generally perceived advantages and availability of the Volt will entice on-the-fence buyers to go with Volt, which might allow Nissan to get its very limited supply of LEAFs more quickly to those of us who are patiently waiting. (Hey, I don't mind being a little selfish here; Nissan is certainly doing what is best for them from a roll-out standpoint...)

 

[SteveInSeattle]

GM clearly wants to reach their 10K sales goal for Calendar Year 2011, and that will be much better PR than all of the headlines that they came in second to the Leaf and missed their goal.

Now that the Ford is priced the same as the Volt the Volt looks more attractive in the market place. Plus the Leaf raised prices, so the price spread is less significant. I think GM's biggest issue is that all of us who have driven foreign cars for decades are sceptical every time GM says they have improved reliability "this time".

 

[lne937s]

I believe the dealers have already taken the $7500 tax credit. So even with a $1500 incentive, these "used" models would come out more expensive for the buyer...

However, considering the number of fraudulent claims of the EV tax credit last year, I think there will likely be some double-dippers trying to claim it on their tax return anyway.

 

[scottf200]

I believe the dealers have already taken the $7500 tax credit. So even with a $1500 incentive, these "used" models would come out more expensive for the buyer...

Did you read that some where?

According to the Detroit Free Press, buyers should still qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/11/07/chevy-tells-dealers-to-sell-their-volt-demos/?test=faces" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Herm]

If you buy a new car from a dealer with 2000 miles on it you will definitely get a discount. It will be completely debugged

 

[scottf200]

FWIW: VINs are over 10,000 now. Obviously a lot of VINs below that are not necessarily Volt's that went to regular consumers. Still a milestone some think.

This owner is waiting for delivery.

11/10/2011 (4B00) Your car is bayed and is waiting for transportation
VIN C10033