maxger

Despite the economic downturn in the auto industry the 09 maxima is selling strong with respect to it sales numbers of last year and with respect to the sales of its competitors.

Here are it numbers compared to other models
Thanks to Club Lexus and Fouritude Forums
I quess the maxima is a success for nissan based on sales so far.

mls277

I believe it. If dealers knock off 3-4k off sticker like they seem to be around here they WILL move the Maxima. It's a new fresh car, why not? I notice G8 GT sold only 1000, that's surprising. That was my 2nd choice.

lightonthehill

The G8 is not a very refined car. Performance is solid, but the Pontiac name is a drawback, and it doesn't have the edgy styling, polish, 'extras', or long-term great image and rep of the Maxima. Also, some buyers are wondering if there will even be a GM down the road, and if so, will there still be a Pontiac? I would bet either the Buick or Pontiac nameplate will soon disappear.

Times are extremely tough for U.S. nameplates.

maxger

Here is a more informative list to show how bad sales truely are in the entry Luxury market. A4, Maxima & Acura TL( may have some 2008 TLs in that total not sure) sales are based on the new models. There may be some error in the #'s because I put this together in a hurry.

Pre-Entry-Level and others
...........................Oct07 (Oct07)
1. Nissan Maxima.....4,341 (3,263)........33.04%
2. Lucerne..............3806 (6,570).......-42.07%
3. Toyota Avalon.....3,543 (6,168)......-42.56%
4. Chrysler 300........3,415 (8,923)......-61.73%
5. TSX...................1,844(2,308).......-20.10%
6. Hyundai Genesis ..1,121 (0)
7. Pontiac G8..........1,082 (0)



Entry-Level
...........................Oct07 (Oct07)
1. 3 - Series...........9,059 (11,410)....-20.60%
2. A4/5 ................4649 (3665)..........26.85%
3. C – Class...........4,594 (7,646)......-39.92%
4. TL ...................4,340 (3,421)........26.86%
5. ES ...................4,141 (6,516)......-36.45%
6. CTS..................3997(6,586)........-39.31%
7. G35/37..............3637 (5539)........-34.34%
8. IS.....................2,772(3,727).......-25.62%

lightonthehill

So the Maxima sold 4341 copies, while the TL sold 4340. I guess we showed those TL bums.

This 33% increase in Maxima sales is not encouraging my hopes for a Maxima rebate this month. It may be time to give up on the rebate and stop playing (actually stalling) with my salesperson. She has always been good to me, so I can forego waiting for a rebate that may not be coming any time soon.

jc53

Light...

I am anxiously awaiting your purchase to see what kind of deal such a sage and seasoned vet can swing!

lightonthehill

jc53 - I greatly appreciate the attention (everybody likes a little attention). But my 'deal' will probably be sort of meaningless for comparison purposes, because:

1 - I have been dealing exclusively with Lisa (my dealer's internet manager) for at least a dozen years.

2 - I will be trading in my low-mileage, mint condition ('certifiable') '04 SL as part of the deal.

3 - My dealer is not known for making the kind of deals one might get at Gwinnett Place Nissan or Sutherland Nissan or several other nearby 'big volume' dealers who make their money by making just a little profit on a lot of cars.

4 - I will have a little advantage by being a long-time loyal customer who lives almost within walking distance of my dealer.

5 - Lisa knows I have always had all recommended/scheduled service, including even simple oil changes, done at their dealership, and they will make a profit on that.

6 - I have recommended other customers to Lisa, and carry a supply of her cards with me at all times.

7 - I have spent time hanging around their lot for over a dozen years, wandering down the rows of Maximas, even when I am not shopping for a new car, and I know the owner, all the managers and many of the workers on a first-name basis. As soon as they see me coming, they arch their eyebrows (their way of asking if I have 'pulled the trigger' on my '09), and I simply smile and shake my head no. No words are necessary.

8 - I have ocassionally done write-ups for them on how to analyze and fix problems with a new generation car that Nissan has not yet had time to research and document, such as the strange sunroof leak and the high-mounted brake light rattle on the '04. (I posted those procedures in the stickies here back in '04, but we lost connectivity to some of the stickies during the Maxima.org conversion about two years ago.)

9 - I will be paying cash up front, so there wil be no need for any credit report or arranging monthly payments, etc.

10 - Those folks know that, being retired, I will take the time to patiently work with them on any problem that comes up with my new car. I first try to analyze all facets of any problem myself before taking the car in, and I document every detail I feel may be relevant to the problem. This can save them some time, help lead them in the right direction, and sometimes enables a quick fix.

11 - Those folks know I will have their dealership tag in an attractive frame on the front of my usually clean car, and they know my wife and I eat out every day in nearby eateries, so they get lots of free advertising.


So I would feel that whatever arrangement I may come to with Lisa might have little bearing on what someone in Manhasset or Massasauqua or Rapid City (where they got an incredible four feet of snow with 70 MPH winds today) might be able to wrangle.

But I do appreciate your interest in my deal, jc53, and will certainly be here bragging on my '09 as soon as I have it.

As info several Atlanta area dealers are advertising base '09 Maximas for prices like $26,477, $25,589 and (lowest I have seen) $24,988. So I would think a patient and astute buyer should not be paying above invoice, and, in these very troubled times, most dealers will probably go a little below invoice ($26,832 on base 'S', but which will be over $800 higher beginning with the cars assembled after sometime around November 1st).

jc53

Light...

Thanks for the detailed response. I, too, have been a loyal Maxima owner for the past twenty one years (my '07 is my sixth). They have all come from the same dealer. In addition my wife is driving a 350 Z after two Pathfinders (and going way back, two 240 Z's). All but the 240's came from the same dealer. I worked with the same sales manager for years who always showed me the invoice and we worked from there. Alas, he moved on prior to my acquisition of the '07, and I didn't feel the same "warmth" from the new regime. I have leased the last three cars as my company gives me a monthly stipend. However, I am not as good at negotiating these type of deals as I wish I could be. I plan on a 2010 model as my lease expires in Dec'09. I appreciate the input from people such as yourself, Light, so that I might procure the best deal possible.

lightonthehill

I'm sure you already know the 'holdback' on the 'S' is $537, and on the 'SV' is $586. Also, most dealers have what they call their 'dealer service' fee which they add to all vehicles. This covers all the prep, cleanup, vehicle checkout, shining of tires, etc, etc, and still leaves a little profit. Some dealers will reduce or even drop this service fee, but my dealer will not, and his service fee has been $499 for well over a decade.

The holdback, the service fee, and anything above invoice are the three areas where the dealer makes his profit. In really tough times (like now), he sometimes will go below invoice, which means he is conceeding some of his holdback and dealer service profits.