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Automotive Market Update for December 2020

Recap of Auto industry-related headlines over the last week: Wholesale prices continued their decline last week, for the fourteenth week in a row.  Average retail listing prices of available inventory have been essentially flat over the last two months, but overall pricing began to show signs of softening over the last three weeks. Full-Size Truck retail prices have

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The Collision Shop Sales Slump of 2020

Article: The Collision Shop Sales Slump of 2020 (PDF) The Collision Shop and Car Dealer Service Department Financial Report for The First Half of 2020 Reveals The Following:  126 Million Repair orders written $51 Billion in Sales, compared to $64 Billion in Sales in 2019 A decline in all segments

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Car Price Increase April – October 2020

Auction data reflects a brief pandemic-induced fall, then a sharp increase in prices this summer and autumn.   Cars are supposed to depreciate over time, this pandemic has made an exception to this rule. Supply / Demand Imbalance  Weak Supply and Shortages  Factories shut down 6 to 8 weeks, no new

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State Farm 17c Letter

State Farm 17c Letter Below is a copy of a cookie-cutter letter State Farm Insurance sends their policyholders after they receive a demand for Diminished Value.  The letter clearly references the Mabry V State Farm court case and the  DV amount being offered is based on a formula from the

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Consumer Auto Loan Negative Equity Status 2019 v 2020

What is Negative Equity when it comes to an Auto Loan?

Negative Equity also called “Upside down”,  is a situation that occurs when a consumer owes more on his vehicle’s loan than the vehicle is worth. 

Example:

2018 Honda Accord

Actual Cash Value = $18,500

Balance Owed on Loan = $21,000

Equity = – $2,500 (Negative)

The average negative equity on vehicle trades has been rising steadily for years, reaching a record high in April 2020 at $5,035. This is due in-part to very long finance terms (60 month, 72 months and 84 months).

Negative Equity Comparison 2019 V 2020

The table below shows the average negative equity amount as recorded by dealers at the time of trade-in. 

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Car Dealer Express Service Stats 2020

Top 5 reasons why people take their vehicles to a dealership express service for basic maintenance Trust dealership-trained technicians, 44% The dealership is near where I work or live, 30% The price is reasonable, 11% I want parts made specifically for my vehicle, 8% I can make an appointment, 7%

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Ford Motor Rebates and Discounts October 2020

2021 Models  Cash Rebate  Financing Special Rates Ford EcoSport  $                                              2,500.00 0 to 8.9% F-150  $                                              1,500.00 0 to 8.9% Bronco Sport, Expedition   0 to 8.9% Expedition Max, Explorer   0 to 8.9% Mustang Mach E   0 to 8.9% Lincoln Aviator, Corsair   1.9% to 5.9%    

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Top 5 Vehicles Appraised for Diminished Value in 2020 YTD

List of the top 5 vehicles appraised year to date for Diminished Value.  1 Toyota   Camry 3.83% 2 Ford  F150 3.46% 3 Honda CR-V 2.36% 4 Honda  Accord 2.28% 5 Toyota   Corolla 2.14%     2020 versus 2019    2020 2019 1 Toyota   Camry Toyota Camry 2 Ford  F150 Ford

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Top 5 Cars Sold in California in 2019

Top 5 Cars Sold in California in 2019 The Tesla Model 3 is the #1  bestselling electric vehicle in California, but it’s also right behind the Toyota Camry on the list of top 5 cars sold overall.  Top 5 Makes and Models Sold in California in 2019 Rank Make Model 

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Auction Retention Index for the Top 10 Makes September 2020

Auction Retention Index – ARI The Auction Retention Index is a good indicator of market stability. Theoretical retention is at or around 100%, but with market turbulence, this index can greatly fluctuate.  If the index is under 100%, wholesale inventory is being transacted below the target price, meaning cars are

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Automotive Market Insights September 2020

Automotive Market Insights September 2020   Wholesale prices showed declines with the overall average market experiencing a negative adjustment. Full-Size Trucks continued to see strong prices for a 17th week in a row.   Overall wholesale sold volume was below 2019 levels, but the performance of different channels varied with some overperforming versus the previous year.  Retail listing prices increased again,

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Vehicle Bill of Sale by Owner Sample Document

Vehicle Bill of Sale by Owner Sample Document (word .docx) Vehicle Bill of Sale by Owner Sample Document (PDF)   THIS BILL OF SALE is executed on _______, by and between ________, residing at _____________________________________ (hereinafter referred to as the “Seller”) and ________, residing at _____________________________________ (hereinafter referred to as

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Wholesale Used Car Prices Hit a Plateau in August

Wholesale Used Car Prices Hit Plateau in August   Wholesale used-vehicle prices soared back this summer after dropping in April following the start of the pandemic. However, signs of this price increase slowing down are starting to appear. Pre-COVID levels (Benchmark) Retail used-vehicle prices up 7% Wholesale auction prices up

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Auction Vehicle Inventory Statistics August 2020

Auction Vehicle Inventory Statistics August 2020 There are currently 127,310 vehicles offered for sale on by Manheim dealer auctions in the US.  Auction Inventory by Vehicle Type Truck                 14,747 SUV                 49,423 Car                 56,999 Van                   6,141 Total               127,310 Below are the statistics of these vehicles by

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New Vehicle Sales Projections 2020-2024

New Vehicle Sales Projections 2020-2024 Car sales in the United States could range between 10.2 and 12.7 million units in 2020. The car industry was expected to sell about 16.9 million vehicles before COVID but the market outlook has worsened.  In 2019, 17 million new cars were sold in the

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Depreciation Comparison – Top 5 Used Sedans

Depreciation Comparison – Top 5 Used Sedans If you’re in the market for a family sedan, the top 5 choices for you are: Honda Accord Hyundai Sonata Kia Optima Nissan Altima Toyota Camry These five vehicles are rated highest for most categories, unfortunately no US made vehicles made this top

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Percent Drop in New Car Sales First 6 Months 2019 v 2020

U.S. light-vehicle sales by nameplate, 6 month comparison of 2019 versus 2020 Percent Drop in New Car Sales First 6 Months 2019 v 2020 (PDF) Chrysler tops the list with a 50% decline in sales. New-vehicle sales in U.S. plummet 34% in Q2 of 2020. Some segments fared better than

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Auto Market Report – June 2020

Auto Market Report – June 2020 A look at Used Wholesale Price and Used Vehicle Supply Projections Auction Sales Volume and Sales Rates Segment Highlight – Compact Crossover / SUV Volume-weighted, overall car segment values increased 1.54% this past week. All car segments experienced increases, with the most notable increase

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