Lots of new Ram trucks rotting on dealer lots it seems

[NiwradND]

Its the Ford dealers that seem loaded up here.

I looked online for fun - cheapest they have is a basic work-truck in white, with the mid size super cab (suicide rear doors) in white with steelies, advertised for $42K.

I still would take a Ram over a Ford, they seem alot more dependable over the long term of ownership.

 

[eljefino]

Surprised to hear that about the Hornet. It was supposed to be a smash for Dodge in the hot small SUV category. Reviews and driving dynamics were good as it is really an Alfa Romeo.

Perhaps too many years of poor products labeled Dodge scared people off, but I have seen little advertising so .

All of the big 3 have a lot of pricey trucks sitting around though from what I hear. Market correction from the consumers who’ve had enough.

Back in 1995 Ford came out with the Contour to glowing reviews. It was a "world car" with great driving dynamics. Your choice of I-4 or V6, both with available stick shifts, etc etc. Almost immediately it got detuned to "Tempo 2.0" with softer suspension, steel wheels... the fleet special.

Bodge is going to have to find some more "sad credit" customers to unload these Hornets onto. They have experience, I'm rooting for them!

 

[meep]

I question the sentiments that “buyers have figured it out.” Maybe?? This same board remarks about how buyers often buy because they want to, not because they need to or it makes sense. And so many don’t actually look at the big picture but just look at the monthly number… have buyers figured it out? Seems to me this started when interest rates went high.

I’ve certainly been considering getting out of a truck. It would be done at the inconvenience of buying an enclosed trailer. I could absolutely use another truck - even perhaps a ranger or Colorado but the prices are indeed stupid, and as well as I’ve got mine set up to drive well, there are other fun things to drive that get better gas mileage. But nothing is inexpensive right now - so im simply fixing and continuing on for now. Gotta start saving for it.

 

[Astro14]

“Rotting”? I thought this was about unexpected early corrosion!

You mean “sitting”?

 

[Dave Hess]

More like: Lot Rot

 

[demarpaint]

Not a chance!

They just can't afford both at the same time: high prices and high interest rates.

When money was cheap to borrow, people had no problem paying those "over MSRP market ajusted prices."

Got Smart? I don't think so. However, nothing teaches someone to be stingy with their money like being hungry, and not having enough money to pay their bills.

Got smart means people like myself and many others that want a car and don't need one. We walk out of dealerships laughing when they add [in the case of a local dealership here] $7500 to MSRP and call it a market adjustment price. The salesman walked over to me when I was looking at a new Wrangler and tried pitching me. I cut him down at the knees with one quick question. The question was, are there people stupid enough to pay over MSRP for this? Before he had a chance to answer I said "I'm not." I walked out, went back into service and canceled the appointment I made for warranty work. I scheduled the work at another dealership. They lost my business for life. Do they care, maybe maybe not. To tell you the truth I don't care either, but anyone who asks for a referral I steer them away from that dealer.

 

[The Lube Guy]

Looks like one of my local dealers has slightly lowered prices again. This is a 2024 RAM 2500 4x4 6.4L V8 "Big Horn" with the 12 inch tablet. 81 views in the last 7 days is a lot for a vehicle like this, in this area. People want it, they just can't afford it. Interest rates start at 7.9%. Buying one of these in this climate is like having another mortgage to pay every month. Oh, they don't haggle on price.

Window Sticker:

 

[GON]

I question the sentiments that “buyers have figured it out.” Maybe?? This same board remarks about how buyers often buy because they want to, not because they need to or it makes sense. And so many don’t actually look at the big picture but just look at the monthly number… have buyers figured it out? Seems to me this started when interest rates went high.

I’ve certainly been considering getting out of a truck. It would be done at the inconvenience of buying an enclosed trailer. I could absolutely use another truck - even perhaps a ranger or Colorado but the prices are indeed stupid, and as well as I’ve got mine set up to drive well, there are other fun things to drive that get better gas mileage. But nothing is inexpensive right now - so im simply fixing and continuing on for now. Gotta start saving for it.

The way vehicles are sold, sell what the customer wants, not what the customer needs. A car salesman that tries to sell what the customer needs starves. The car salesman that sells what the customer wants eats steak nightly.

 

[Snagglefoot]

If they’re sitting, it means they are too expensive. I pass few dealers, Mazda, Chevy, VW, on my way to work, all of them have parking lots full of inventory.

Unsold cars are a harbinger of a recession.

 

[ragtoplvr]

Serves the greedy corporations right! Jack up the prices for no reason except greed. Cost reduce the components, different countries, lower wages further reducing reliability. Load them up with worthless options that mostly serve to reduce reliability further. Then add stuff that will cost more to fix than it will ever save in fuel (10 speed transmissions anyone). When the corporation reduces prices to match the market, their profits will fall, the stock will fall and the CEO and Board of Directors will lose their overpaid positions. I have a minute to feel sorry for them in 2026. Maybe

Greedy dealers add market adjustments. When customers find out out deep in the hole they are, they will never come back. I may share that "feel sorry for them minute in 2026" with the manufacturers.

Who suffers, not the CEO and BOD, the top tier with their golden parachutes. NO it is us, the ever shrinking middle class and below.

Rod

 

[The Lube Guy]

Unsold cars are a harbinger of a recession.

We are broke.

 

[Zee09]

I put this up prior but this is my local dealer. Times are a changing.

 

[RhondaHonda]

We looked at Navigator Ls recently after the Suburban got totaled. A dealer here has 1 2022 and 13 2023s they are selling as new even though they are “courtesy vehicles” with some mileage and is only giving $5k-6k off. These are $100k MSRP vehicles with the 2025s right around the corner. They better wake up or they’ll have those things forever! I’m thinking $25k off at minimum. Let em rot.

Not to mention they have 34 2024s too. How many Navigator Ls do you think the St Louis area really buys?

 

[JHZR2]

Because a Tradesman 2500 4x4 6.4L that was $40K in 2022 went up to $55K. It's not that there isn't a demand. The problem is that they're overpriced, and dealers are up to no good. High interest rates make matters worse for dealers.

For sales to pick up interest rates have to come down to sane levels, along with prices. Historically, we had high interest rates for vehicles before, however, vehicles were never this expensive.

Yes, as I said, if they were priced well they would sell.

The idiocy of pickup trucks is that the options can be as much as the vehicle.

High interest and vehicles “as expensive”… maybe?? Salaries for many haven’t kept up. But around here the folks driving these trucks are charging excessive prices for their services too…

 

[Snagglefoot]

Looks like one of my local dealers has slightly lowered prices again. This is a 2024 RAM 2500 4x4 6.4L V8 "Big Horn" with the 12 inch tablet. 81 views in the last 7 days is a lot for a vehicle like this, in this area. People want it, they just can't afford it. Interest rates start at 7.9%. Buying one of these in this climate is like having another mortgage to pay every month. Oh, they don't haggle on price.

View attachment 223923

Window Sticker:

View attachment 223924

I just noticed the “ greenhouse gas rating ” and “ smog “ ratings. Smog is not all that bad.

 

[PWMDMD]

I posted this podcast yesterday. One of the things he said was that Stelantis (spelling?) had more inventory now than in 2019. In 2019 you could dump them with incentives, but now everyone is tapped out and interest rates are high.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/t...es-about-to-get-better-for-car-buyers.383712/

I'm starting to see 1.99% interest rate incentives with several manufacturers including on my friend the Tundra. However, the big difference is this is for 48 months whereas the 60 month special rate is 3.99% and 72 month is 4.99% and in 2019 you could easily get 0.9% or 1.9% for 60 or 72 months. Manufacturers are going to have to do something to start moving these vehicles.

 

[FowVay]

I wonder why that Dodge Hornet is such a dud. I looked it up and it's a rebadged Alfa Romeo Tonale with what I'd consider a better engine. My local dealer has two 2023 models on their lot and one is nearly 23% below MSRP. Maybe the Tonale is a dud too, I don't know.

One thing that makes me not want to do business with these companies is the way they drive the vehicle costs up for every little thing. If you want a color other than black or white then it's an extra $500. If you want a spare tire... even the useless compact type, then it's and extra $400. Want a different color of interior? That'll be $500 extra. It's absurd the way they want to charge people for every single preferential change that costs them nothing.

Oh well, the automotive industry chose to live by the sword so I guess they're going to die by the sword on this go around.

 

[PWMDMD]

Yes, as I said, if they were priced well they would sell.

The idiocy of pickup trucks is that the options can be as much as the vehicle.

High interest and vehicles “as expensive”… maybe?? Salaries for many haven’t kept up. But around here the folks driving these trucks are charging excessive prices for their services too…

As I've said several times, I paid $47,500 for my 2020 Tundra Platinum brand new and there is just no realistic scenario where I ever pay $75,000 for the next generation Platinum Tundra even factoring in the hybrid engine. It just isn't going to happen.

 

[The Lube Guy]

I just noticed the “ greenhouse gas rating ” and “ smog “ ratings. Smog is not all that bad.

I'm not concerned with that at all. I'm not gonna live forever.

Seriously though, the really bad pollution comes from industrial output, not tailpipes.

The idiocy of pickup trucks is that the options can be as much as the vehicle.

The only option that is harder to install after buying one is 4x4, if you can even consider that an option on a truck. Never mind the 4x4 part, but you want the low-range, unless that truck is a pavement queen/mall crawler.

It just goes to show how lazy people have become. You can customize pretty much anything on a truck, much easier than on a car. And for far less than what the dealer charges. I wouldn't pay an extra $25K to $30K for a prettier dashboard and leather seats.

Salaries for many haven’t kept up.

Don't I know it. Good thing that in my family we all pull together and help each other out.

But around here the folks driving these trucks are charging excessive prices for their services too…

If people are willing to pay high dollar for their services then those services might be worth it. Then again, dumping everything you make in a truck isn't very smart either. Working construction, or any other trade, that truck is a tool, not a toy. No worries, around here down south contractors love their trucks just as much, and will give everything they have for one.

Five years ago I contracted a young veteran to do my roof. He was awesome to work with. We went to Lowes together and took my RAM 1500. He asked me how much it was, and I said $36K in 2016. It was a 4x4 Big Horn with the 8.4 Screen, spray in bed, and a sunroof that I didn't care for. He said it was too much. Then I asked how much his lifted Ford Diesel pickup truck was, and he said $70K. I said "yeah...". So there you go... I bough all the materials, and paid him and his crew $5000 for a day and a half of work. They were very fast and professional. The bigger roofing companies in my area wanted $16K to $20K for the same job. The materials were around $4000.

This was 2019, and the roofing companies had their sales people call me day in and day out trying to put me in debt, offering 5 year plans to pay off their overpriced roofing jobs. It's the same now, just even more expensive.

The bottom line is that, at least for me, if I can find a cheaper alternative to avoid making others rich, I will take that option, every time. However, not everyone is like me, and many will just happily splurge and spend their money away, as long as they can borrow it cheap-ish.

 

[PWMDMD]

I wonder why that Dodge Hornet is such a dud. I looked it up and it's a rebadged Alfa Romeo Tonale with what I'd consider a better engine. My local dealer has two 2023 models on their lot and one is nearly 23% below MSRP. Maybe the Tonale is a dud too, I don't know.

One thing that makes me not want to do business with these companies is the way they drive the vehicle costs up for every little thing. If you want a color other than black or white then it's an extra $500. If you want a spare tire... even the useless compact type, then it's and extra $400. Want a different color of interior? That'll be $500 extra. It's absurd the way they want to charge people for every single preferential change that costs them nothing.

Oh well, the automotive industry chose to live by the sword so I guess they're going to die by the sword on this go around.

Anything Alfa Romeo would scare me. I also think Dodge has so few vehicles now and none are all that good and they are just fading from the lexicon in consumer's minds.