Page 20 - BusinessWest April 1, 2024

Marcotte Ford’s mobile service vans have been a popular customer perk.
things. Not the big cash rebates that we saw in years past, but cer- tainly interest-rate relief.”
Carla Cosenzi, president of TommyCar Auto Group, said busi- ness has been strong, and she’s seeing positive trends across her family of six dealerships.
“Despite inflation affecting costs of parts and services, consum- ers understand the situation,” she told BusinessWest. “Manufactur- ers are offering more aggressive lease incentives, which our custom- ers are taking advantage of, leading to increased business. Certain manufacturers like Volkswagen, Nissan, and Hyundai are also offer- ing 0% financing to consumers.”
That’s in addition to TommyCar’s internal loyalty program, which allows customers to earn up to 15% back on every dollar spent in the service department, which can be used toward their next vehicle purchase.
Meanwhile, “our inventory levels for both new and used vehicles are returning to normal,” Cosenzi noted. “We’ve seen an increase in our used inventory levels, primarily due to steady trade-ins and our aggressive buy-back offers, which have helped us maintain a steady supply of used cars. We’re optimistic about the year ahead.”
Back in Stock
Marcotte said his dealership, like many others, dipped to around half of normal inventory in the wake of the pandem- ic. “But now we’re back to good levels. I’m so glad we can offer gas, diesel, hybrid, and now electric vehicles, which are 8% of the market right now. We’re in every segment.”
Used-car inventories were one of the biggest stories in auto sales across the U.S. over the past few years, as short- ages led to soaring values. That situation has stabilized (not necessarily to car owners’ benefit; see story on page 22), but dealers are breathing easier when it comes to what they can put on their lots.
“We’re a big Ford certified pre-owned dealership,” Filomeno said, “and there’s still demand for a good used car out there. A lot of people have been holding on to their cars for the last five years and repairing them because there wasn’t a vehicle for them to buy, so now they’re trying to trade those vehicles in.”
Pion agreed, noting that inventory has rebounded, for both new and used vehicles, and across the spectrum, from cars to SUVs to trucks.
“Some of the specialty trucks, especially the heavy-duty trucks, things of that nature, are still difficult to get. It could be anywhere from 12 weeks to 8 months to get it. But people have also become a little more accustomed to that today, too. They don’t expect things tomorrow. They kind of know what it’s like, so they’re willing to wait a little longer.
“Specific trucks are still hard to get,” he went on. “If you come in here and you want a black one with a black interior with the 22-inch wheels with this type of engine ... that could still be a hard truck to get. If you came in here and said, ‘hey, Rob, I want a pickup truck.
“Despite inflation affecting costs of parts and services, consumers understand the situation.”
20 APRIL 1, 2024
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