Inventory Continues Climb
New-car supplies grow in October despite strikes’ impact.

Stellantis had the most supply, though it was one of the big three automakers targeted by the Detroit-based strikes.
IMAGE: Stellantis
New-vehicle inventory rose in October despite six weeks of Detroit-based worker strikes, Cox Automotive data shows.
Supply reached 2.4 million units, up 62% year-over-year, Cox said. Days’ supply ended the month at 67, up from 60 month-over-month and by 41% year-over-year. Cox said the last time it measured in the 60s, which had been considered normal for the industry, was in March 2021.
“Days of supply is creeping higher as the sales pace is slowing at the start of this year’s final quarter,” said Cox Automotive Senior Economist Charlie Chesbrough. “The supply issues that started in 2021 appear to have passed as most brands have seen their availability improve substantially.”
He said that economic pressures, including high interest rates and still-high vehicle prices, though, are softening sales.
“As we enter the holiday sales season, greater discounting from the automakers seems likely. Otherwise, the days of supply will rise even further.”
Cox said Jeep maker Stellantis had the biggest inventory, despite being one of the strikers’ targets. Dodge, Chrysler, Ram and Jeep all had more than 100 days’ supply.
Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today
More Industry

Pennsylvania Dealership Under New Retailers
The sale of the Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram store puts a family auto group on a leaner path as first-time dealers take the helm.
Read More →
Battery Storage Takes Priority Over EVs
U.S. automakers are prioritizing battery energy stationary storage over electric-vehicle production as the consumer demand for EVs lags the rest of the world.
Read More →
Auto Dealers Feel Better But Not Great
A second-quarter Cox Automotive poll of franchised retailers and independents found better views of the current market after a good spring but anticipation of third-quarter storminess.
Read More →
New-Vehicle Sales Picture Relative
A May forecast is complicated by last spring’s trade tariff effects on auto retail. Despite continued hard realities, many consumers took advantage of ways to bite the bullet.
Read More →
Auto Group Acquires Third Nissan Rooftop
Iowa-based Coleman Automotive Group recently acquired its seventh dealership, McGrath Nissan, which it renamed Nissan of Elgin.
Read More →
April Less Affordable
Based on prices, reduced incentives and slower household income growth, consumers found it more challenging to buy new last month, Cox Automotive reported.
Read More →
Building an Extraordinary F&I Agency
Work to determine your specialized talent, because that fact will determine everything about your agency’s future.
Read More →
Recipe for Compliance
The secret to both amazing barbecue and compliance is the same: understanding the basics and committing to a process.
Read More →
EVs Getting More Attractive
A growing percentage of U.S. consumers are open to switching and fewer are adverse to the idea, according to a recently completed survey. That’s despite the end of a tax break.
Read More →
EV Sales Drop in April Following Surge
North American electric-vehicle sales were down 28% year-over-year, a sharp contrast from global EV sales growth of 6%.
Read More →