Feb. 2009 BMW sales numbers

[username79]

Originally Posted by Artisan Fan

This can't be true. Wealthy people have too much money. Why would they change their behavior and not buy a new 7?
The "wealthy people" with "too much money" that are not affected during this time don't lease 7 series. Talk about a small timer's car.

 

[uhurit]

Originally Posted by username79

The "wealthy people" with "too much money" that are not affected during this time don't lease 7 series. Talk about a small timer's car.


The seven series has never been leased by "the wealthy", mostly, by the mid- to high- level executives who could afford/had car allowance from their company in the range of about $1200/month (payment buyers...mostly, wannabe hi-rollers). Since the banks are cutting down on leasing, there's fewer opportunities for that to happen + the general state of economy affecting those type of people

 

[dtmt]

Originally Posted by Artisan Fan

This can't be true. Wealthy people have too much money. Why would they change their behavior and not buy a new 7?
Because the wealthy are now required to give that money to the IRS instead. That way when all the luxury car builders have been laid off, they can be re-hired into government jobs. And we should all be happy about this because the one thing I know about entrepreneurs is that they will work just as hard, if not harder, knowing that their proceeds of their of their hard work and ingenuity will go to the government dole rather than provide any sort of reward for themselves.

 

[crazyquik]

Mini convertable sales were also down nearly 90%. All the info is in the link posted, but its not easily cut and pastable.

 

[dtmt]

Originally Posted by crazyquik

Mini convertable sales were also down nearly 90%. All the info is in the link posted, but its not easily cut and pastable.

Originally Posted by From the article you didn't bother to read

The drop from last February was driven mainly by the build out phase of the MINI Convertible. The new model will go on sale in the US at the end of March.
rfta ftmfw

 

[chrome_dout]

Originally Posted by username79

The "wealthy people" with "too much money" that are not affected during this time don't lease 7 series. Talk about a small timer's car.

 

[epb]

Originally Posted by dtmt

There *isn't* an '09 model. That's the point. They aren't building any right now. The new one will go on sale in a couple of months as a 2010 model. So the only sales right now are from the few leftover 2008s that are still on dealer's lots.

The previous Z4 stopped production in August 2008, but I'm pretty sure the new one being launched in May is listed as a 2009 by BMW. But there shouldn't be many leftover 2008s - in April of last year, BMW dramatically reduced production since sales were so slow. The factory was pretty much only making cars to order the last 6 months.

 

[dtmt]

Originally Posted by epb

The previous Z4 stopped production in August 2008, but I'm pretty sure the new one being launched in May is listed as a 2009 by BMW. But there shouldn't be many leftover 2008s - in April of last year, BMW dramatically reduced production since sales were so slow. The factory was pretty much only making cars to order the last 6 months.

Then you'd be pretty wrong...

Current link in BMW web site: http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Vehicles/2008/Z4/Default.aspx
http://www.leftlanenews.com/bmw-z4-2010.html
No 2009 Z4 on CarsDirect.com
etc...

It's pretty common for a new generation of car to skip a model year and release the new car mid-year with the MY designation as the next calendar year, at least in the US.

 

[gnatty8]

Originally Posted by whacked

-28%, per the link posted above.

Looks bad until you compare this to Detroit..

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by gnatty8

Looks bad until you compare this to Detroit..

Very true.

 

[mink31]

GM is down 56.5% compared to Feb 08 (Canada)
Down 52.9 % in the US

 

[epb]

Originally Posted by dtmt

Then you'd be pretty wrong...

It's pretty common for a new generation of car to skip a model year and release the new car mid-year with the MY designation as the next calendar year, at least in the US.

It is common, but I don't think it's BMW's practice to do that. The earliest models of the previous Z4 were sold in April 2003 and those were 2003s. We'll see what model year they use in May.