F&I Management & Training

There are few Manufacturers who would honestly dispute that the Retail buyer has allowed this latest plate to pass with little notice taken. We always said that the year plate identifier in March would be the big change time for for the market. Perhaps understandably the industry wants to cling to the hope that this can happen twice a year instead of just the one.

The question now has to be who is going to break ranks among Manufacturers to put out offers that the seemingly ever demanding retail customer wants to see, before they will commit to such a purchase in these uncertain times. The feeling seems to be that this will happen sooner rather than later as the last quarter could be too late to bring such an offering to the market.

The knock on effect to this lacklustre plate change month has been a positive one a least for used car trade demand. It seems that dealers can see the value in this sector and are stocking up with the view if they are not doing the business on new then used will have to provide them with the profit opportunity.

That said Retail used car demand is not reaching spectacular highs either, so the balance of stock has to be carefully managed, if not to find that those cars bought now will be a bitter pill in 60 days hence, for those who follow such or stricter stocking plans.