MSNBC: Gas guzzling Hummers still selling strong (demand up 231%)

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

Gas guzzling Hummers still selling strong
Pump prices may be rising, but GM's giant SUV remains in demand

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12599357/

While crude oil prices reach all time highs, the Hunt Valley car salesman said he doesn't think his customers are concerned about the extra money spent at the pump. Industry experts agree.

The car dealership sells 45 new and 15 used Hummers each month, Tynes said. It has 30 used Hummers in stock right now. Anderson Hummer trades four to five Hummers a month, Tynes said. Customers usually trade them in on newer ones, he added.

"Sales are just fine because the people who are buying them aren't concerned about gas prices," he said. Buyers are wealthy people ranging from company CEOs to well-paid laborers with expendable income, he said.

National Hummer sales nearly tripled from 2,220 sales in March 2005 to 6,125 in March 2006, according to research by Autodata Corp., a Woodcliff Lake, N.J., company that tracks automotive statistics. Sales increased each month this year, the data showed.



Gas prices are up, but Hummer sales in April were up 231 percent from year-ago levels, GM reported.

[IselaB]

1. Great. So owning a Hummer is a perverse kind of conspicuous consuption

"Look at me! I'm so rich I don't have to worry about the price of gas! I own a Hummer!"

I'm surprised they haven't built an ad campaign around it.

[laheina]

43. While at the same time

pissing on the earth and rubbing our collective noses in it.

[Ron Green]

2. Poor taste + lots of money = Hummers everywhere.

[Democrats_win]

3. Traitors to America: fueling the addiciton.

[Crazy Dave]

6. At least it helps the American, union auto workers

That's the only positive thing I can see in it.

[Crazy Dave]

4. Maybe they're doing the same thing as mobile home dealers...

...give loans to anybody and get them to sign up for a $400 a month loan for the next 25 years.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

5. Sorry.....But I Still Say.....

It's going to take an utter collapse for the mindless dweebs in this country to comprehend reality. I hope gas goes to $5.00/gallon in the near term. I understand what a hardship that will be to everyone, even those of us who are reality based, and don't drive "hummers," but unfortunately there is no other way things will ever change unless people are knocked upside the head repeatedly with a 2x4.

[corkhead]

7. nobody told them they are going to leave it behind with their clothes

when they are raptured.

[KittyWampus]

8. Bullshit. Hummers are sit ting unsold & this is just marketing propaganda

This is an attempt by manufacturers to increase falling demand.

Trying to make Hummers appear less the pieces of gas guzzling crap they really are.

Sales UP 231%?

Give me a break.

[rinsd]

12. Really?

The increase actually makes sense to me since likely Hummer buyers are less likely to be concerned with gas prices than other car buyers.

[KittyWampus]

44. Okay, You all convinced me that this could be true :-(

[SammyWinstonJack]

16. Probably not bullshit. My husband up until last month bought for a

GM dealership used car lot and every single used Hummer he bought, was sold immediately. :shrug: Generally speaking, those who can afford a Hummer, new or used, don't worry about the price at the pump.

[MazeRat7]

19. Wasn't there a show, news magazine, or documentary on that recently ?

Seems I recall seeing something about a car dealer that had a "hidden" lot where they kept their surplus Hummers so they could "keep up appearances" that there were selling like hot cakes. The crew had hidden video and everything.

No sure where I saw the piece, but I know I saw it. Seems the dealer was in CA I think ?

Oh well.... your post reminded me of that maybe I can track it down for everyone.

MZr7

[MazeRat7]

22. I found it!!!! Here is the story on the "hidden hummer inventory"...

http://themessthatgreenspanmade.blogspot.com/2005/11/hummer-overfloweth.html

Be sure to scroll down and look at the pictures.. I am not going to repost them here... so go look everyone.

Sure doesnt look like sales are up to me.

MZr7

[1932]

38. I agree. And the advertising message is: if you drive a Hummer, you must

be rich, because gas is so expensive.

So, a lot of people will be willing to go into debt to buy one, and, once they have one, they'll have to keep driving it no matter how much it costs them because, if they stop, it's a sign to the neighbors that they're no longer rich.


These Hummers are being sold as a status symbol and the rising gas prices compound the status message.

It's kind of sick.

[xultar]

9. Yep. I've seen a lot of people purchase used ones in the past month

or so.

[KittyWampus]

10. enough to account for 231% increase in sales?

[xultar]

13. I've seen about 4 in two weeks with the just purchased tags.

I've also seen more hummers than usual. Usually I'd see about 1 a week now I see many a day. Furthermore I was going to post that I've seen many newly purchased hummers in my area. But I thought people would flame where I live.

I suspect it is because the Carmax buy my house has a lot and they are selling them for great deals. I'm sure people would buy them. Use them as a second or third car and then turn them in in 2 years.

@ any rate I've seen WAY more hummers I used to.

[SammyWinstonJack]

18. People have a hard time realizing that what you are saying is true.

But I know first hand that it is.

[xultar]

25. I know it sounds crazy. I was going to post it but I didn't think anyone

would believe me. Frankly I didn't believe it myself. It is strange. People really like the Hummer. I will have to admit that I liked them too.
But I couldn't imagine buying one now.

[KittyWampus]

31. Xultar, if you say that is so, I believe you.

[SammyWinstonJack]

48. I don't really like the Hummer, though I don't diss anyone crazy enough

to purchase one, it's their choice. Still, I know that they do sell. My husband's lot couldn't keep them in stock. :shrug:

[Blue_Tires]

28. there are a LOT of cash-back rebates going on

as dealers try to clear out 06 inventory for 07 arrivals at the end of summer

[ContraBass Black]

37. 231% of next to nothing

Isn't a whole lot. :D

[marmar]

11. Perhaps they won't seem so cool when they're sleeping in them!!!

Look everyone, I've got a Hummer! :dunce:

[tandot]

14. A tax deduction of $25,000 will offset the cost of gas

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/060218/suvs_tax_breaks.html?.v=2

"Federal tax rules that took effect last month allow a credit of up to $3,150 for anyone buying a hybrid car. The credit is the same regardless of tax bracket.

However, owners of small businesses who buy a Hummer, Ford Excursion or other SUV weighing more than 3 tons get a deduction of up to $25,000 -- depending on tax bracket -- if they use the vehicle exclusively for work.

The benefits don't stop there. Once they subtract the $25,000 from the cost of their 3-ton SUV, small business owners can deduct the depreciation on the remaining amount. Someone who bought a $60,000 SUV, for example, can claim the remaining $35,000 over six years."

The Government encourages buying bigger SUVs and trucks with these incentives.

[ecstatic]

17. wow... thanks for the info... I can't believe our govt sometimes nt

[enid602]

15. prices

"Sales are just fine because the people who are buying them aren't concerned about gas prices . . " Buyers apparently are not concerned either that their huge appetite for gas will affect prices paid by consumers not quite so fortunate as they.

[rinsd]

21. Uhh they're Hummer buyers

What mentality were you expecting?

[Initech]

20. Kind of true, actually - I've seen at least 9 - 10 new Hummers on the road

In the last two weeks. And that's WITH gas prices in Los Angeles / Orange County up around the $3.25 - $3.50 mark. There's two new ones outside my work in the parking lot right now. Who would buy one of those monstrosities is beyond me.

[ShortnFiery]

23. Proves: The Rich are Getting Richer?

If they can ride high and snub their noses at the rest of us little people ... well, they are so frigging' wealthy they can throw money out the window, i.e., equivalent to filling up a hummer.

[Initech]

29. No, it proves stupid people have no concept of money

[jsamuel]

24. maybe not "his" customers

people that can afford to buy a hummer in the first place...

even more reason why a gas tax will only hurt the poor...

[BootinUp]

26. Wait for them to try and cross the desert

then shoot their tires out, and let 'em roast. :evilgrin:

[Xithras]

27. Bull. I know of three for sale right now.

Two Hummer owners in my neighborhood have For Sale signs in their windshield. I talked to one of the owners (his son is a friend of my son) and he told me that it's too expensive to drive. He told me whe would have just traded it in, but it's depreciated too much and he's upside down in it by almost ten grand. He has to sell it himself so he can afford something more fuel efficient (he's talking about a V6 Durango, so he's not exactly a convert).

[Mr_Spock]

30. How do you spell M-O-R-A-N

I hate Hummers.

[deadparrot]

32. Fine. The new owners deserve everything they get.

[Tinksrival]

33. I long for the days

when an increase in hummers meant something else......Those were the good old days.

[kittenpants]

35. word n/t

[Broken_Hero]

36. No

fucking shit....

[SoCalDemocrat]

34. Tax breaks are still in effect and major

My tax accountant told me if we had enough to write off we could still buy a 6000+ pound vehicle like a Yukon or Hummer and write off the vast majority of the cost of that vehicle.

The affluent are still getting richer, and the tax break is still there. It's utterly no suprise that they are selling so well.

[leftofthedial]

39. the rich have become so ungodly richer

that gas could cost $100 a gallon and it wouldn't even register with them.

[entanglement]

40. Very roughly, more hummers equals more assholes per square mile

n/t

[taught_me_patience]

41. makes about as much sense as

taking dollar bills and lighting them on fire with matches. Its essentially what they are doing...

[It was not a pretzel]

42. Saw a bright yellow hummer in Munich

on Sunday (gas is $7-8 a gallon). So this thing was driving around the city centre looking for somewhere to park without much luck. So we go eat and on the way home I see it again, this time having found somewhere to park.............slap bang in the middle of the sidewalk. I swear some poeple deserve a good kicking :mad:

[MadHound]

45. Not suprising, the vehicle of choice for the nouveu riche,

And the wanna-be's. Meanwhile, back in the reality based world, everywhere I go the car lots, classifieds, and frontyards are full SUVs and pickup trucks that people are desperately trying to sell at any price. It seems that almost on a daily basis, another SUV driver is putting up the keys to the urban assault vehicle, and busting out the Toyotas and Hondas to ease the pain to the pocketbook.

[Coventina]

46. I believe this story. I see Hummers all the time around here.

So much so that they never "stand out" to me anymore, except when they're that bright yellow color.

:eyes:

[corporate_mike]

47. Prius sales fall 25% in April :(

[Vadem]

49. anybody buying one of these hummer's should have to pay...

50% more gas taxes than the rest of us. It is disgusting to even sell these horrible tanks! They're ugly, they're gas hogs, they're awful! They should be recalled.