What Do The Car Folks Think About What's Happening In Today's Auto Market: Part 2

Implications: In July I published a GLG News analysis that attempted to detail opinions of auto dealer clients, associates on the manufacturing side of the business and several key lenders had regarding issues of mutual interest. Here is a followup on that analysis.

Analysis: Following are the results of several recent surveys done with auto dealer clients, (the folks in the trenches,)  OEM associates who build the cars and trucks we buy and several key lenders who finance those purchases.

Most Recent: How many new vehicles will be sold in the U.S. next year?

Results:
More than 15 million: 5%
14-15 million: 8%
13-14 million: 20%
12-13 million: 28%
Below 12 million: 39%

When will credit markets for new car loans improve?

Results:
4th quarter of 2008: 4.3%
1st half of 2009: 16.7%
2nd half of 2009: 37.9%
2010 or later: 41.0%

What should Washington demand of the automakers as a condition for federal loans?

Results: 
Develop green cars and improve MPG: 29.8%
Retool to build small cars: 7.6%
Keep jobs in the U.S.: 49.5%
Pay off debt: 13.1%

How can Chrysler end its worst sales slump ever?

Results:
Introduce a small car fast: 24.0%
Offer many more deisel-hybrid options: 17.6%
Rebadge Nissans: 11.7%
It can't: 46.7%

How can Detroit Three brands improve their image?

Results:
Massive advertising campaign: 5.6%
Build more vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt: 24.7%
Improve quality beyond Japan imports: 49.3%
They can't, its hopeless: 20.4%

The Detroit 3 leasing pullback will:

Results:
Drive more buyers to import brands: 44.5%
Drive auto loan interest rates down: 10.1%
Make 74 and 84 month auto loans more common: 36.1%
Change nothing: 9.3%