Barren new car dealership

[Stig / Major Tom]

Brought wife's Scion in to the big local Toyota dealership.
I was here 3yrs ago just hours after the ribbon cutting ceremony of this fancy new complex.
Today there is not one single car in the showroom.
Sales desks are mostly unoccupied.
Man, tough times to be a salesman.
The owner built and expanded,  adding a new Chevy complex, too.
He has half a dozen dealerships in other cities as well.
Tough times.....
Repair shops are probably doing well...as people hang on...rather than buying new.
Stig

[airshot]

The dealer I bought my Cherokee from told me that 80% of his sales are online or from out if town buyers.  On the floor sales are less than 20% of his sales.  With a majority of folks leasing, all araingments are done over the phone and the vehicle is just picked uo or shipped to another city.  I know this sounds weird but have been told this by others as well... No cars on the lot to sell, every car onsite has already veen sold or just waiting to be picked up !!

[Mancashire]

How much of the lack of cars in the showroom have to do with the scarcity of computer chips?

I can’t fathom buying a car that I haven’t had an opportunity to sit in and evaluate the feel and support of the seat, the visibility out the windows, the ride, etc.. I would have no objection to placing my order after the test ride - but not before.

[Ex-KLR]

There were no new (and very few used) vehicles at the Toyota dealer in Cookeville, TN when I went in for service.

[Stig / Major Tom]

How much of the lack of cars in the showroom have to do with the scarcity of computer chips?

I asked the salesman that question.
He said it is %100 the problem with chips!
He looked pretty glum and shook his head - when I asked if new cars were coming soon.

Stig

[randyo]

local GMC truck dealership that never had much in inventory to begin with, hasn't had any for quite some time, but I know a few people who have ordered thru them and got delivery in 6-8 weeks on light duty trucks, big GMC trucks and International trucks, I dunno, but plenty busy in the repair shop

[wymple]

The computer chip shortage is a manufactured problem designed to increase the price of chips by a ton.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Well, as much fun as N. Americans continue to have with conspiracy theories - a little reading helped me understand the complexities surrounding the onset of the shortage.
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After not finding any during 3 recent trips to the store - I'm concerned about the shortage of iceberg lettuce!
I saw a guy in the Kroger's parking lot yesterday selling cocaine and iceberg lettuce out of the trunk of his Buick with TX plates.
The line for the lettuce was longer.

I told the security cop inside the store. He just laughed, and said," only the smaller heads are making it over the wall, man! and they're getting top $!"

I scored a pretty ragged one....for our tacos!

As Roseanne Roseannadanna used to say, "It's always something!"

Stig

[randyo]

haven't noticed, I buy Romaine lettuce

[airshot]

The computer chip shortage is a manufactured problem designed to increase the price of chips by a ton.

Sorry but not true, the real problem is we are relying on foreign mfgrs to make them. We lost our want to be self sufficient years back in order to save a buck.  Generous Motors exec stated that GM is proud to have 90% of its product line made outside of the US !!  Foreign suppliers were hit much harder by the virus than the US so they are still catching up and then you gave all the ships sitting at the ports waiting to get unloaded ......way more serious issues than conspiracy theroys

[Iahawk]

Sorry but not true, the real problem is we are relying on foreign mfgrs to make them. We lost our want to be self sufficient years back in order to save a buck.  Generous Motors exec stated that GM is proud to have 90% of its product line made outside of the US !!  Foreign suppliers were hit much harder by the virus than the US so they are still catching up and then you gave all the ships sitting at the ports waiting to get unloaded ......way more serious issues than conspiracy theroys

I think what Stig is saying is that the chip shortage is not a conspiracy theory but a real shortage and your post seems to corroborate this. Lots of real reasons why there is a shortage.