september truetrends report
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AUTOMOTIVE INTELLIGENCE COVERING NEW CAR PRICES, BEST CAR DEALS AND MORE...
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1September 15th, 2010 - TrueTrends™ by TrueCar™ - © 2010 TrueCar, Inc.
TrueCar’s Price Flex Score1The TrueCar Price Flex Score measures the elasticity of transaction price by model. The Price Flex Score calculation dynamically incorporates the factors that affect price variance including the model’s transaction price range, current inventory and sales data. A vehicle experiencing extremely low inventory and a small range of transcation prices will have a low Price Flex Score. Don’t expect much of a discount from the TrueCar average transaction price on a vehicle with a low Price Flex Score. If a vehicle has a high Price Flex Score, however, you have the potential to strike a deal significantly below (or above, if you’re not careful!) the TrueCar average transaction price. Here are the 2010 models with the highest and lowest Price Flex Scores. We also show the models with the highest and lowest Price Flex Score within each vehicle category.
Greatest Discounts3-5Featuring the highest discounts on 2010 and 2011 models. Large trucks offer the greatest discounts at an average below MSRP of 12%. Model year 2010 domestic makes including Chevrolet, Ford, and Chrysler offer the biggest discounts along with Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz. The top 2011 makes with the biggest discounts are Toyota, Chevrolet, Honda, BMW, and Subaru.
Best and Worst Days to Buy a Car5Thursday, September 30th will be the day consumers can expect the best buys for the month, with a projected 8% discount from MSRP. In addition, the first half of October will see discounts over 6%.
Largest Total Incentives for August6Luxury vehicles offer the greatest total incentives for August, which includes the BMW M6 with $12,500 in dealer cash.
Greatest Price Drop Month over Month7For each body type, TrueCar.com tracks the average transaction price for each trim and lists vehicles with the greatest drop in price month over month. This months greatest drop in price falls under the luxury car category with a $1,921 price drop.
Shortest and Longest Days in Inventory8-9Vans, luxury sport cars, and large cars are where the best potential inventory-based discounts will be seen. On average, vans are staying in inventory for 130 days, while luxury sport cars and large cars are on-lot for 68 days and 66 days respectively. Meanwhile, Midsize SUVs continue to move off the lots quickly, with an average inventory stay of 34 days.
Model Year Share9Model year share shows the percentage of 2010 and 2011 model year vehicles sold within the last month. The makes with the highest percentage of 2010 model year share are Lexus, Chrysler, and Mini. Model year 2010 vheicles make up 80.6% of vehicles available. BMW has the highest share of 2011 models with 87%.
2September 15th, 2010 - TrueTrends™ by TrueCar™ - © 2010 TrueCar, Inc.
Least and Most Flexible 2010 Vehicles ( by Vehicle Category )
Least Flexible 2010 Models Most Flexible 2010 Models
Price Flex Score
Chevrolet Impala (Score: 3)
Mazda CX-9 (Score: 17)
Ford F-150 (Score: 19)
Lincoln Town Car (Score: 2)
Infiniti G37 Convertible (Score: 2)
Audi Q5 (Score: 1)
Volkswagen Passat Wagon (Score: 4)
Ford Edge (Score: 6)
Chrysler Town & Country (Score: 27)
Chevrolet HHR (Score: 14)
Hyundai Tucson (Score: 4)
Suzuki Equator (Score: 8)
Hyundai Genesis Coupe (Score: 18)
Honda Fit (Score: 21)
Ford Econoline Wagon (Score: 36)
Large Car
Large SUV
Large Truck
Luxury Car
Luxury Sport Car
Luxury SUV
Midsize Car
Midsize SUV
Minivan
Small Car
Small SUV
Small Truck
Sport Car
Subcompact Car
Van
Toyota Avalon (Score: 97)
Toyota Sequoia (Score: 75)
Dodge Ram 3500 (Score: 91)
Cadillac CTS Wagon (Score: 99)
Lexus GS 460 (Score: 93)
Porsche Cayenne (Score: 80)
Suzuki Kizashi (Score: 98)
Mitsubishi Endeavor (Score: 100)
Volkswagen Routan (Score: 94)
Toyota Corolla (Score: 99)
Mazda Tribute (Score: 94)
Chevrolet Colorado (Score: 91)
Mitsubishi Eclipse (Score: 98)
Nissan cube (Score: 100)
GMC Savana Passenger (Score: 97)
Vehicle Category Least Flexible Most Flexible
Score Make Model
Audi
Lincoln
Infiniti
Chevrolet
Hyundai
Volkswagen
Lexus
Ford
Land Rover
Mercury
Q5
MKX
G37 Convertible
Impala
Tucson
Passat Wagon
IS 250
Edge
LR4
Grand Marquis
1
1
2
3
4
4
5
6
6
8
Score Make Model
Mitsubishi
Nissan
Cadillac
Toyota
Hyundai
Suzuki
GMC
Chrysler
Kia
Mazda
Endeavor
cube
CTS Wagon
Corolla
Accent
Kizashi
Savana Passenger
PT Cruiser Classic
Forte
Tribute
100
100
99
99
98
98
97
96
96
94
Below are the highest and lowest Price Flex Scores for 2010 models. Scores range from 1 to 100. A score of 1 is the lowest Price Flex Score, which indicates little or no negotiating power. A score of 100 is the highest Price Flex Score, meaning there is a big range of transaction prices for that model.
ONLY ONE MODEL PER MAKE WAS SELECTED FOR THE LEAST AND MOST FLEXIBLE MODELS.
3September 15th, 2010 - TrueTrends™ by TrueCar™ - © 2010 TrueCar, Inc.
Greatest Discounts
Rank Make % Below MSRP
Chevrolet
Ford
Chrysler
Hyundai
Mercedes-Benz
16%
14%
12%
11%
10%
1
2
3
4
5
The greatest percent below MSRP helps identify the biggest consumer discounts of the month. Below, TrueCar ranks 2010 and 2011 vehicles with average transaction prices that comprise the greatest percent off the make or model’s average MSRP.
Chevrolet
Ford
Chrysler
Hyundai
Mercedes-Benz
APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST
18%
16%
12%
14%
10%
Makes with the Greatest Discount Trends on 2010 Vehicles
Top Discounts for 2010 Makes
Rank Make % Below MSRP
Toyota
Chevrolet
Honda
BMW
Subaru
10%
8%
8%
7%
5%
1
2
3
4
5
Top Discounts for 2011 Makes
Rank Make / Model % Below MSRP
Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Ford Ranger
Hyundai Elantra
Jeep Liberty
Toyota Corolla
22%
17%
13%
13%
12%
1
2
3
4
5
Top Discounts for 2010 Models
Rank Make / Model % Below MSRP
Toyota Camry
Honda Pilot
Toyota Sienna
BMW 3 Series
Ford Mustang
11%
8%
8%
7%
6%
1
2
3
4
5
Top Discounts for 2011 Models
DISCOUNTS ARE BASED ON A PERCENTAGE
BELOW MSRP (STICKER PRICE).
4September 15th, 2010 - TrueTrends™ by TrueCar™ - © 2010 TrueCar, Inc.
Greatest Discounts ( Continued... )
The greatest percent below MSRP helps identify the biggest consumer discounts of the month. Below, TrueCar ranks 2010 and 2011 vehicles with average transaction prices that comprise the greatest percent off the make or model’s average MSRP.
2010 Top Discounts ( by Vehicle Category )
Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Chevrolet Malibu
Ford Ranger
Ford Focus
Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet Tahoe
Jeep Liberty
Ford Edge
Ford Transit Connect
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Volkswagen Routan
Toyota Yaris
Lexus RX 350
Infiniti G37 Sedan
Dodge Challenger
Large Truck
Midsize Car
Small Truck
Small Car
Large Car
Large SUV
Small SUV
Midsize SUV
Van
Luxury Car
Minivan
Subcompact Car
Luxury SUV
Luxury Sport Car
Sport Car
22%
19%
17%
16%
15%
14%
13%
13%
12%
11%
9%
9%
8%
8%
7%
Vehicle Category Model % Below MSRP
2011 Top Discounts ( by Vehicle Category )
Toyota Camry
Toyota Avalon
Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
Chevrolet Traverse
BMW M3
Honda Pilot
Toyota Sienna
BMW X5
BMW 3 Series
Ford Mustang
Nissan Versa
Ford Fiesta
Midsize Car
Large Car
Large Truck
Large SUV
Luxury Sport Car
Midsize SUV
Minivan
Luxury SUV
Luxury Car
Sport Car
Small Car
Subcompact Car
11%
10%
10%
9%
9%
8%
8%
8%
7%
6%
3%
1%
Vehicle Category Model % Below MSRP
% OFF INDICATES THE AVERAGE DISCOUNT FROM MSRP.
5September 15th, 2010 - TrueTrends™ by TrueCar™ - © 2010 TrueCar, Inc.
Greatest Discounts ( Continued... )
Largest Total Incentives for August
Rank Make / Model
BMW M6
Cadillac STS
Infiniti QX56
Audi A8
Chevrolet Impala
Customer Cash Rebate
none
none
none
none
none
Dealer Cash
$12,500
$7,000
$7,000
$5,000
$5,000
1
2
3
4
5
Models with Largest Total Incentives
This table shows the highest incentive for each brand ranked. Generally, incentives are active throughout the month in which TrueTrends by TrueCar is released. Though active at the time of the reports’ release, incentives are subject to change without notice. Check for updates on the TrueCar price report for each model and with your dealer.
Top Discounts ( by Vehicle Category )
Large Truck
Luxury Car
Large Car
Midsize Car
Large SUV
Small Car
Van
Minivan
Small Truck
Luxury Sport Car
Luxury SUV
Midsize SUV
Sport Car
Small SUV
Subcompact Car
12%
9%
8%
8%
7%
7%
7%
7%
6%
6%
6%
6%
5%
4%
3%
Vehicle Category Average % Below MSRP SPECIAL TEXT (IF ANY) HERE - Large trucks offer the greatest discounts at an average below MSRP of 12%. Model year 2010 domestic makes including Chevrolet, Ford, and Chrysler offer the biggest discounts along with Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz. The top 2011 makes with the biggest discounts are Toyota, Chevrolet, Honda, BMW, and Subaru.
6September 15th, 2010 - TrueTrends™ by TrueCar™ - © 2010 TrueCar, Inc.
Best Day of the Month to Buy a Car
Best Day to Buy - September 30th, 2010Average Discount: 7.96%
Worst Day to Buy - October 4th, 2010Average Discount: 6.18%
OCTOBERSEPTEMBER
Best and Worst Days of the Month to Buy a Car ( Discount % Off MSRP )
SEP 16 SEP 20 SEP 24 SEP 28 OCT 2 OCT 6 OCT 10 OCT 14
Our projections for the best and worst day to buy a new vehicle are rooted in an analysis of historical sales as well as short-term forecasts. Our projections over the next 31 days suggest that the best day to buy a car is actually Thursday, September 30th. While the worst day to buy a car will likely be Monday, October 4th.
Consumer Tip of the Month
8.0%
7.5%
7.0%
6.5%
7September 15th, 2010 - TrueTrends™ by TrueCar™ - © 2010 TrueCar, Inc.
Top Vehicles ( by Vehicle Category )
Top Vehicles ( Overall )
Greatest Price Drop Month Over Month
2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
2011 Infiniti QX56
2010 Buick LaCrosse
2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
2010 Chevrolet Suburban
2010 Chevrolet HHR
2011 Nissan Rogue
2010 Chevrolet Express Cargo Van
2010 Toyota Tundra 4WD Truck
2010 Infiniti G37 Sedan
2010 Honda Accord Crosstour
2010 Volkswagen Routan
2011 Mazda MAZDA2
2010 Volkswagen Eos
2011 Toyota Tacoma
Luxury Car
Luxury SUV
Large Car
Small SUV
Large SUV
Small Car
Midsize SUV
Van
Large Truck
Luxury Sport Car
Midsize Car
Minivan
Subcompact Car
Sport Car
Small Truck
($1,921)
($1,163)
($422)
($323)
($311)
($293)
($272)
($249)
($244)
($227)
($202)
($177)
($172)
($122)
($57)
Vehicle Category Year / Make / Model $ Drop From Last Month
2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
2011 Infiniti QX56
2011 Land Rover Range Rover
2010 Lexus HS250h
1
2
3
4
5
($1,921)
($1,406)
($1,163)
($576)
($459)
Rank Year / Make / Model $ Drop From Last Month
For each body type, TrueCar tracks the average transaction price for each trim and lists vehicles with the greatest drop in price month over month. TrueCar also ranks the trims for unique makes with the overall greatest drop in price from August 6th, 2010 to September 9th,, 2010.
8September 15th, 2010 - TrueTrends™ by TrueCar™ - © 2010 TrueCar, Inc.
Shortest to Longest Days in Inventory ( by Vehicle Category )
2010 Vehicles: Shortest Days in Inventory 2010 Vehicles: Longest Days in Inventory
August’s Shortest and Longest Days in Inventory
Midsize SUV
Large SUV
Minivan
Luxury SUV
Small SUV
Midsize Car
Small Car
Large Truck
Luxury Car
Subcompact Car
Sport Car
Small Truck
Large Car
Luxury Sport Car
Van
34 Days
35 Days
38 Days
39 Days
41 Days
45 Days
54 Days
54 Days
55 Days
59 Days
64 Days
65 Days
66 Days
68 Days
130 Days
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Rank Vehicle Catgegory Average Days in Inventory
TrueCar ranks the vehicles that spend, on average, the shortest and longest days on the lot before they sell. We rank by both overall shortest / longest days in inventory and by category. Vehicles that spend little time in inventory are in high demand, while vehicles that spend an extended time in inventory are in low demand.
August, 2010 - 50 Days
Shortest & Longest Days in Inventory
Industry Wide Average Days in Inventory
Rank Model / Year Days in Inventory
Chevrolet Equinox
GMC Terrain
Toyota 4Runner
Lexus LX 570
Toyota Highlander
Nissan Pathfinder
Toyota FJ Cruiser
Honda Odyssey
Toyota RAV4
Honda CR-V
15 Days
16 Days
18 Days
18 Days
19 Days
20 Days
21 Days
21 Days
22 Days
22 Days
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Rank Model / Year Days in Inventory
Toyota Camry
Hyundai Sonata
Ford Mustang
Scion xD
Ford F-250
Porsche 911
Lincoln MKT
Mazda Tribute
Subaru Legacy
Lexus HS 250h
238 Days
209 Days
202 Days
196 Days
169 Days
155 Days
155 Days
152 Days
148 Days
142 Days
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
9September 15th, 2010 - TrueTrends™ by TrueCar™ - © 2010 TrueCar, Inc.
August’s Shortest and Longest Days in Inventory ( Continued... )
Lowest Percentage of 2010 Vehicles Sold
Highest Percentage of 2011 Vehicles Sold
Model Year Share
Rank % of Sales
BMW
Jaguar
Porsche
smart
Audi
12.3%
26.0%
31.8%
48.7%
51.1%
1
2
3
4
5
Rank % of Sales
BMW
Jaguar
Porsche
Audi
Subaru
87.0%
73.5%
66.2%
48.5%
47.2%
1
2
3
4
5
Model Year Share shows the percentage share of 2010 model year vehicles sold within the last month versus vehicles of any other model year sold. Generally, the higher the model year share value, the higher the discount a consumer can expect to receive on that given model. It also reflects that dealers are more likely to cut deals on a 2010 model in order to make room for a 2011. At this time of year, many brand’s model year mix are predominantly comprised of 2010’s. The makes with the highest percentage of 2010 model year share are Lexus, Chrysler, and Mini.
2009 Vehicles make up less than 1% of all sales. Between 2010, and 2011 vehicles, 2010 shares 80.6% of total sales.
2009 Vehicles
2010 Vehicles
2011 Vehicles
.05%
18.9%
80.6%
Percent Industry Share of Model Year Vehicles
2011 Vehicles: Shortest Days in Inventory 2011 Vehicles: Longest Days in Inventory
Rank Model / Year Days in Inventory
Honda Accord
Ford Escape Hybrid
Ford Edge
Toyota Tundra CrewMax
Chevrolet Equinox
GMC Terrain
Toyota Sequoia
Land Rover Range Rover Sport
Honda CR-Z
Audi Q7
6 Days
6 Days
6 Days
7 Days
7 Days
7 Days
8 Days
8 Days
9 Days
9 Days
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Rank Model / Year Days in Inventory
Toyota Camry Hybrid
Volvo C70
Mercedes-Benz SL550
Mitsubishi Eclipse
Infiniti M37
Jaguar XF Premium
Kia Sorento
BMW 335D
Scion xB
Toyota Avalon
73 Days
69 Days
61 Days
54 Days
43 Days
41 Days
40 Days
38 Days
35 Days
34 Days
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Make
Make
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DisclaimerThis report and the information contained herein is for your noncommercial, personal use on an “as-is, as available” basis and may be used by you for informational purposes only. TrueCar makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, with respect to the information contained in this report and the results of the use of such information, including but not limited to implied warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. The information contained in this report may
include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. Neither TrueCar nor any of its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, or their respective partners, officers, directors, employees, or agents shall be held liable for any damages, whether direct, incidental, indirect, special, or consequen-tial, including without limitation lost revenues or lost profits, arising from or in connection with your use or reliance on the information presented in this report.
10September 15th, 2010 - TrueTrends™ by TrueCar™ - © 2010 TrueCar, Inc.
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