The Z’s sales have been declining in the last 3 months. Anyone have any opinions why?
Do you think all the hard-core Z enthusiast that planned to buy have already?
The economy is rebounding… that shouldn’t be a problem.
I really don’t have a problem with a sales decline; that will just make the Z rarer. I would hate seeing them at every stoplight like you do with Corvettes!

Z sales figures for the last 3 month:

October….2002 = 2,737……2003 = 2,724
November 2002 = 3,755……2003 = 2,143
December 2002 = 3,115……2003 = 2,124

Source: http://www.infinitinews.com/


Opinions?

 

If you look at that website, you'll notice an overall accross the board decrease in Nissan car sales, but a huge increase in trucks and SUV's. I don't there is an issue, other than consumers piling into all of Nissans really cool trucks and SUV's. First year sales on the Z were robust to say the least....but even at 2000 units a month, we'll still sell 24,000 cars a year...which is ahead of Nissan's orginal projections.

 

Look outside... it's winter.

 

Uh, don't know many people who want to buy sports cars when it is 5 degrees and snowing in the midwest. I imagine all sports cars sales decrease some in the winter.

 

I would imagine sports cars & rag tops sales would decline during the winter for any car company??

 

It's winter people in poor weather don't look to drive a sports car... sales likely to pick up in spring/summer.

 

good there are too many damn Z's here in SoCal!

 

decline?? sounds good to me~!
i don't want the Z to be a honda civic. hehe

 

Well, the winter theory should be probably thrown out of the window as we're comparing Winter months in 02 to Winter months in 03. I think the better expectation is the initial impact or fad of the Z is over and probably goes along with all the other New Nissan/Infiniti models that were launched last year.

 

There are alot of reasons, supply and demand, There are a lot of other choices available, It's winter, Alot of people have lost their job's, and many more.

 

I would have to agree that there was a lot of pent-up demand that has been satisfied in the first year of sales. I would guess that the sales volume will level off. Also, you have people anticipating a new models coming out in that segment and there's probably some deliberate delay due to that fact. I'm really less surprised about the current volume due to the niche this car fills. I was more surprised at the earlier volumes being so high. Plus, keep in mind that these numbers don't include the used 350's that are now hitting the dealer lots which would become a substitute for a new vehicle. I would imagine that there is some turnover now occurring, and used cars are starting to fill the demand, in addition to new. srm

 

You can't compare the 2002 numbers to 2003 because the 2002 numbers were mostly pre orders that they were trying to fill so they were sending them over like crazy, those first 3-4 months of sales most likely really occurred in Feb-June of 2002 when the pre orders were put in.

So the winter theory just adds to it, people in 2002 were buying not taking into account weather but their pre order they just wanted the car not thinking of it being winter some probably drove it from the dealer to their garage and stored it.

 

Nissan's sales goals for the 2003 were 30K and for 2004 20K (both US market only). It looks to me like Nissan has forecast the demand pretty acurately. And there certainly was a lot of pent up demand for the 350Z. I, for example, had owned two Zs previously and couldn't wait to get another one when they came out. But I certainly wasn't going to be buying a new Z every year.

 

Agreed and well said!

 

1) initial "gotta have it" hot rush over.

2) Time of year.

 

For those of us NOT in Florida or southern California... it's WINTER. The general public isn't going to go out and buy a brand new SPORTS car, only to park if for a few months until the spring thaw...

Sales will pick up again in the Spring and Summer.






I disagree that you can't count on the winter Factor. Comparing winter 02 to winter 03 isn't exactly fair. Winter of 02 people were getting in there pre-orders. All the had core Nissan Z followers could care less if it's winter or not. they wanted the NEW Z when it came out. The car was BRAND SPANKING NEW. Sales were brisk because people wanted to be the first guy on the block with the Z. Although in my area the Z isn't common, people have seen them and know what they are. If they want one they will wait until the can drive them in the Spring and Summer... There is no more "Prestige factor" so you might as well wait to buy one until you can drive it again.

 

What I have been reading is that this is a general trend for new models. The New Beetle and the PT Cruiser are the most dramatic examples of cars that had big first years and then leveled off dramatically.

It's kind of like what is happening with movies nowadays. You make all of your money on the first weekend.

That's the double edge sword of the industry right now. There are lots of cool cars to choose from, but they are designing more cool cars to follow right behind.

Surfing through My350Z.com shows what a versatile car this is. Race car, street rod, weekend tourer. I'm hoping that this versatility will lead to a long life for the car.