The Airbag-Seatbelt

Ford will be releasing vehicles next year which have seatbelts which inflate like airbags. Supposedly it will help keep children safe.

Gimmick or true safety innovation?

I have to wonder if it were truly a safety innovation, wouldn’t Ford have released it in Volvo vehicles first? Volvo (owned by Ford) is known for advanced safety features, and considering no other vehicles have airbag seatbelts, it would seem a good fit. Instead Ford is picking their namesake brand first.

The tendency to question stuff like this is probably apparent in this post. Ford has made great strides in recent history, so this is skepticism of the brand itself or its capabilities. It’s more a personal skepticism of the actual benefits of airbag seatbelts.

Anyone else?

What now?

Cash for Clunkers is done. GM is out of bankruptcy, as is Chrysler. Car sales are slumping again. The market is changing. So, what now?

I sense changes in the American public. People want more value (not just economic, but moral). People are more concerned about the environment and social issues. How does the auto industry fit into this?

Is it enough to offer small, fuel-efficient vehicles? Can the industry rebound with electrics and hybrids?

What about the dealers? Does there need to be a demolishing of the old way of business and a rebuilding of ethics? Do dealers need to look harder for qualified (i.e. educated, focused on service) sales people?

The answers, if you’re a dealer looking to the future, is ‘yes’. Dealers need to look at how they are performing customer service and sales. The vehicles are what they are, so a dealership has to market themselves (not their products) aggressively while paying particular attention to the details mentioned above.

In an economy where more people are sinking than swimming, a dealer must stand out as a shop with compassion.

What are your thoughts? How do you see the current environment (socio-economic) affecting dealer marketing? Let’s get beyond price/features and dig into the emotion of it all.

What’s your take on the New GM?

I remember the news back in ‘07  that GM has posted a profit. Surprising just how much can happen in just 2 years. Sure, they had struggled for years prior to that, but 1) seemed to have turned a corner and 2) were releasing better products.

Now that “Old GM” is gone, and a “New GM” is emerging, what are your thoughts on them and what would you like to see? I still like the vehicles (mostly) that GM is selling, and like some of the ones in the pipeline (like the Volt). I wouldn’t mind seeing some go away or replaced (Aveo could certainly be better looking, small cars don’t have to be bland), but I don’t want a major overhaul.

The obvious desire is for increased fuel-economy across the line. But I would like to see a small, affordable, convertible. Something to compete with the Miata.

What would you like from the New GM?

Cash for Clunkers

I wanted to discuss the “Cash for Clunkers” program somewhere, so this is the place and now is the time..

I just don’t know if this is anything which is really going to help dealers. The two-fold goal is great…replacing less fuel efficient cars that are on the road with better ones, and increasing auto sales to help dealers. But will people use this to buy a car if they were not planning to otherwise? I’m not convinced. In the state of the economy, with unemployment so high, I don’t see consumers using this as an excuse to purchase. I believe those already shopping for a new car may postpone their purchase if they fit the criteria…but that’s it.

Cars are a major investment, a bit of a discount isn’t something that’s going to pull in a large number of buyers…a great new job on the other hand…

I’d like to hear other people’s thoughts, because I could be way off on this. So, do you believe Cash for Clunkers will increase car sales? Might the “increase” seen just reflect any increase in jobs? Comment below.

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It wasn’t up to snuff, and frankly wasn’t even what I wanted it to be. The auto industry isn’t doing very well today, and frankly could use some good press. That’s my goal for this blog. If you’re concerned about the car dealers of the United States and want to stay updated on some things happening in the business, bookmark this site now or subscribe to the RSS.