If you had asked me back in February of this year what was going to be a “hot” piece of merchandise in August for the big time auto makers… I doubt I would have said full-size trucks. It just so happens to be the right time for full-size trucks to rebound as gas prices have remained relatively low and stable. While Chevy, Ford, Toyota, and Dodge have all come out with aggressive incentives in recent months, August is shaping up to possibly be one of the greatest truck months of all time.
The problem? Many dealers didn’t plan for this back in March and April with their ordering of full-size trucks, and are now caught at a time when consumers want them because the deals are so good.
Example: Gulf States Toyota has announced 0% for 72 months during a nationwide clearance event month on Tundras. WOW – I can honestly say in our ads (and mean it) that… “This is the first time ever… and probably the last time you will ever see an offer this good.”
Example: Ford Cincinnati Region just announced 0% for 60 months PLUS $ 1,000 bonus cash on F150s. It’s not the first time that this has been done, but the last time I saw it, it was pretty good.
For the dealers who are big truck stores and prepared with the inventory, this is going to be a windfall. An incredible opportunity to move out the 2012s as we are supposed to be doing at this time of year to make room for new 2013s that are literally only days away.
There is no crystal ball to tell how August will turn out, but a betting man would bet that trucks are going to lead the charge.
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John Paul Strong
John Paul Strong combines his two decades of automotive marketing experience with a team of more than 150 professionals as owner and CEO of Strong Automotive.
