George Pipas
George Pipas
ahead easily inventory january month selling situation
January is easily the slowest selling month of the year. We don't want the inventory situation to get ahead of us.
discount employee might month plans september tend
When the employee discount plans are removed there will be a lull. Things tend to even out. September might be an interesting month to look at.
affects consumers interest months rates sitting six wondering year
There is a lag factor. A year ago, even six months ago, we were sitting here wondering when consumers would sense that interest rates were going up. I don't think this significantly affects the first quarter.
behind month tend
Things tend to normalize, and we've got another month behind us now.
couple months next november rates sales trend
I think the next couple months will be pretty choppy. It will probably be November before we can think about trend sales rates again.
best huge last month sixth
Last May was a huge SUV month -- the sixth best ever for Ford,
best close generating industry last level month october offers post program similar today volumes year
The level of offers out there today are very similar to the offers out there in October of last year, post 9/11. Last year it generated the best month in industry history. That same level of program will not come close to generating the same volumes this October.
beginning expected january sales
January sales were better than we expected at the beginning of the month. We expected them to be down 15 to 20 percent.
adjustment subscribe works
We don't subscribe to that adjustment even when it works out in our favor.
goal good increase market share
Our goal is to increase market share in 2003. There's a long way to go...but this is a good start.
assumption base planning
Our base planning assumption was not predicated on unemployment going down,
buying cars feedback less people
Some of the feedback we got was there was less traffic, but people who were there were people there buying cars and trucks.
account branded percent premium products today vehicle
Today premium branded products account for 11 percent of new vehicle sales. In '96 they accounted for 6 percent of the market.
advantage balance capacity demand honda production toyota whenever
Whenever production and demand are out of balance, you have incentives. Toyota and Honda have the advantage of a more clean-sheet approach, so they have capacity more in balance with demand.