Truck Sales

paid vacationer

Seasoned Expediter
Wonder if the guys that sale trucks are eating rice and beans these days like most of the rest of us. I know they're hurting. Didn't hear from the guy who sold me my truck for 2 years, now he's call 5 times. He's asking.. "Hey, ain't ya ready for that new truck ??"....
 

ATeam

Senior Member
Retired Expediter
Word from vendors I have talked to or heard about from vendors that know them indicate it is slow. Comments like "Each sale comes hard these days." or "(sleeper manufacturer name) has cut back to a four day work week." or "(dealer name) has built zero custom expedite trucks this year" are shared.

Beyond expedite trucks, my reefer dealer tells me generator and reefer sales have slowed, partly due to California regulatory actions and/or the lack of regulatory clarity.

Publications that report truck sales levels show sales have declined. Shift eliminations and factory layoffs have been announced by truck manufacturers. Financial reports from publicly held trucking companies are currently talking about excess capacity (too many trucks out there). That suggests the big buyers will not be buying trucks at previous rates.

I think it is fair to say that truck and truck component dealers have seen better days than they are seeing today.
 

rickd

Seasoned Expediter
Another factor is that this was projected to be a down year for truck sales because many people purchased before the required 2007 modified engines. Next year is supposed to be an up year for sales because of further regulatory modifications in 2010. They knew that this was coming because a dealer shared these projections with me in early 2006.
 

dhalltoyo

Veteran Expediter
I had to wait 6 weeks on production of my new cargo box. They seem busy.

My chassis sales rep just got back from two weeks in Hawaii. He has been busy.

I chose this direction based upon what I have seen in the marketplace and apparently a few others seemed to think the same.

Had I waited one more week before securing a chassis, I would be waiting until....well, who knows with American Axle still on strike.

Straight trucks and tractors...they are definitely slow. A quick look at the classified ads tells the story there.
 
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