Gas prices and crisis in Japan making used Japanese cars a hot commodity

[Playinghardball]

Source: News10/KXTV

SACRAMENTO, CA - The combination of rising gas prices and the crisis in Japan has created a shortage on fuel efficient, Japanese made cars.

Action Auto Sales manager Mike Hudson said he is having trouble keeping Japanese cars, specifically Toyotas and Hondas on his lot. Hudson said over the last three months, he's had to spend anywhere from $500 to $1000 more for fuel efficient, used vehicles. Overall, re-sale on used cars like the Toyota Corolla and even a American made car like the Ford Focus are up 11 percent.

While it may be time to trade-in a used car, if you're in the market to buy a used car you may want to wait, think about buying a new car instead of a used one. Currently the price of a new Honda CR-V comes in around $23,700 while a one-year-old version of the same model is just $1500 dollars cheaper. National Automobile Dealers Association representative Jonathan Banks said now may be the right time lease a vehicle.

"The manufacturers really want strong resale values because it gives consumers confidence in buying their vehicles and allows manufacturers to put out a really aggressive lease payment," Banks said. "If the cars are holding their value the consumer has a lower lease payment, so it is a good thing."

Toyota also released new information on some price adjustments of their new models. Potential buyers can expect to see a $200 to $900 increase in the price of those models.

http://www.news10.net/news/local/article/132027/2/Japanese-trade-ins-in-high-demand
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Is this is happening everywhere?

[Romulox]

1. Why are sales of new Toyotas DOWN then?

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110401-711666.html

:shrug:

[hlthe2b]

2. I've had dealers contact me to buy my used PRIUS that I just bought

in November. Even the dealership where I bought it, has done so.

[hlthe2b]

3. Your article sites SUV and truck sales down....

which presumably is across the board.

[Romulox]

9. "F-Series pickup line jumped 25 percent" during the same time frame.

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/04/ford_and_general_motors_sales.html

[hlthe2b]

10. Not SUVs...

[Romulox]

11. I'm not sure what point you think you're making. Toyotas sales were down overall in March.

If it is lead by declines in SUV, truck sales, that just means that Toyota had overcapacity of those vehicle types.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/02/business/02autos.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

[hlthe2b]

12. yes.. toyota sales were down, which they attribute to the

disproportionate decrease in all SUV sales and for trucks in their own line. I don't know what point you were trying to make. It seems you (and I) both answered your original question. :shrug:

[PVnRT]

4. Used, not new

[Romulox]

8. Presumably people shopping for one will consider the other, if the price is close. nt

[damntexdem]

5. Besides, used Toyotas were built better than more-recent crap.

It used to be that Toyota did a good job of building cars.

I guess we'll have to hold onto our 2000 Corolla.

[PVnRT]

6. I love local "news"

Especially when they're doing advertising on behalf of one group or another and pretending like it's a news story. I guess they need a break from reporting on car crashes and robberies every once in a while.

[Bombero1956]

7. why buy something used

when the crisis in Japan makes getting parts difficult and expensive.