Whoa! February Prius sales up 87%, 12,277 units

It's amazing what happens when you build enough cars to satisfy demand. Behold, the converted masses!

 

every time i stop by DH's work i drive by about 40 prius lined up on the back lot and at least 5 hihys. have yet to see a hycam waiting around to be purchased though...

those are some impressive numbers!

 

I don't know... my dealer only had two package #2s and zero Touring models on the lot. There were a lot of package #5s, but that's it. Guess Toyota really has some good strats and production abilities.

 

I'm guessing the 0% financing in Feb helped *a lot*. You save quite a chuck of change when you don't have to pay interest. I'm curious to see how Prius sales go for March and then in April after the tax credit is halved again.

 

I am even more interested when gas prices are going to go up another 50 cents in the next few weeks. I have seen about 40 cents increase in the last 4 weeks already.

I bet those hybrid inventories are going to be like last year soon by summer time... even without the 0% financing.

 

I don't know if this is true for all markets, but at least in N. Cali, the 0% financing on 24mo is still on. Gas prices in SoCal have increased by 25 cents since we purchased our Prius. I'm curious to see the March sales numbers!


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dipper @ Mar 1 2007, 06:43 PM) [snapback]398833[/snapback]</div>

 

More Prius sold in Feb than the whole Scion brand combined!

Prius sold more than Yaris, RAV 4, Highlander, Tundra, or FJ Cruiser. The only two models that outsold Prius are the Camry and Corolla. That makes Prius the third best selling Toyota.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(liverbomb @ Mar 1 2007, 07:01 PM) [snapback]398842[/snapback]</div>

I'm honestly shocked at how the prices seem to be jumping. After months of 2.35 to 2.50 gas all of a sudden the numbers I saw last week as I passed one gas station on my way home went "2.67"... "2.79"... and now today, "2.89".

Funny how when gas prices are slated to go up, they go up very quickly, but when they are slated to go down, they float.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(naterprius @ Mar 1 2007, 06:29 PM) [snapback]398749[/snapback]</div>

I have been watching the gas prices go UP at an uncalled for rate and the average here for reg. is $2.60/gal. I think we can assume that more people will be buying Prius's as the greedy oil cos. put the screws to the working middle class. I intend to buy a second Prius when I can afford a new one. BTW, I have 15,000 miles on "him" and not 1 defect or trip to the dlr. for any reason. I'm a happy customer.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zqfmbg @ Mar 2 2007, 01:46 AM) [snapback]398936[/snapback]</div>

That's due to the greedy oil cos. who have us over a barrell. Our Govt. won't do anything to help working middle class people. They're too busy lining their pockets and getting ready to run for office again in 2008. Did you really expect we wouldn't get gouged again?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(naterprius @ Mar 1 2007, 06:29 PM) [snapback]398749[/snapback]</div>

Wow, indeed. Thanks for posting this.

Recall that way back on October 2006, SUV sales were setting records - essentially double the sales of the prior year. To the point where a Money magazine columnist basically called US drivers, in so many words, short-sighted and irrational, as here:

http://money.cnn.com/2006/11/01/magazines/...rtune/index.htm

I heard vague comments that that was due in part to some statistical anomalies associated with data reporting for the new fiscal year, and ... I don't know what. But it was certainly accepted at face value by the media and got a lot of play.

Now I have to look at this new information and ask:

1) Does this mean American's are "getting it", "it" being that it's increasingly less smart (or at least more unfashionable) to consume fuel unnecessarily; or
2) Americans are just that fickle about car purchases that they will indeed buy a piece of machinery expected to last 10 years, based on the recent month's trend in gas prices; or
3) That Americans are rationally discounting the expected increase in gas prices over the vehicle life (hey I'm an economist, I have to list that no matter how improbable it is),
4) This an artifact of the supply, advertising, and incentives changes that uniquely apply to the Prius (or to Toyota in general). (Ie., is this just satisfying a pool of pent-up demand and/or bringing in people who'd have bought a Focus or a Civic or some such, as opposed to being a former drivers of low MPG vehicles).

I'd like to think this is 1), but I'm guessing this is largely 4). We're finally seeing what the true underlying sales rate would be if supply had not been so constrained.

 

Thats AWESOME!! I'm 1 of 12,277! ha ha thats cool.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TomorrowMatters @ Mar 2 2007, 07:25 AM) [snapback]399006[/snapback]</div>

It makes you wonder what kind of spin the media will put on that, eh?

Many claimed the inventory build up was from lack of consumer interest, never acknowledging the possibility that it could have been preparation for a sales bonanza... which is exactly what happened.

Of course, some claimed Prius was a victim of cheap gas. That never made any sense. Since when is around $2.15 considered a "cheap" price? Not that it matters, people aren't that short-sighted. Gas was higher last summer and already appears to heading that high for this year too. It's pretty easy to remember the bad feeling that came from having a national average climb up to around $2.89 per gallon.

Then there's the smog-related emission benefit. Certain other hybrids don't offer it, which adds to the appeal of Prius.

That news of last month's success is sweet! I can't wait to find out what happens this month.

 

I just want to add my thoughts.

Firstly, that I would love gas prices to go up even higher. I'm hoping they can get to $2/L. Only when consumers are TRULY hurt in the pocket book, when the decision will come not just down to not going to the movies to drive their SUV's but that the decision comes down to whether they put food on the table for their kids.

I hate the idea that really high gas prices would hurt people, and yes they would hurt the working poor, and the lower class substantially, the ones going paycheck to paycheck. However, that being said, the only time real change happens is when people are actually being hurt.

If gas shot up to double the price, can you imagine the investment into hybrids and alt. fuel? Look at what happened to ethanol because of high gas prices. As much as it sucks, I'd love it to happen. It IS going to happen eventually, the sooner we pay for it the sooner we can move along to the next solution, whatever that may be.

Brad

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TomorrowMatters @ Mar 2 2007, 08:25 AM) [snapback]399006[/snapback]</div>

ME TOO!! Now we just gotta wait for EDrive (or any other PHEV) to become more accessable/available. B)

 

I agree with the incentives helping sales. I wouldn't have bought one if Toyota didn't offer it.

 

That surge is probably mostly due to the increase in advertising for the Prius nationwide. Toyota finally started putting the Prius in their commercials, then came out with a commercial dedicated to the Prius. I know some on the west coast have seen them for years, but here in the Midwest it was a new thing as of a couple months ago.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Texas911 @ Mar 2 2007, 02:30 PM) [snapback]399170[/snapback]</div>

How much did you get your 07 #5 for?