Tag Archives: Auto consultant

Colorado Hybrid Tax Credits

Hey Cool Car Fans,

2009 Camry HybridEarlier today, I got an email from one of my sources at a Denver Toyota dealership about the new tax credits on hybrid vehicles.

He said, “Hey John, check out the Colorado Hybrid Tax Credits on Toyota vehicles.  If you know anyone in the market this is a good size rebate courtesy of the grand State of Colorado!  Leased Hybrids are eligible too based on Cap and Residual values.  Call me if you need one for your clients.  See you soon…”

The breakdown is as follows according to his data.  I’ll have to confirm this with the State of Colorado, but it’s pretty impressive for some of Toyota’s more popular Hybrids.  I’m not sure what the availability of these vehicles is, but with gasoline creeping up over $2 a gallon again, since the Stock Market has been picking up again, we’re probably going to see more demand for hybrids in the coming months.

  • 2009 Camry Hybrid – Tax Credit Available = $2,043
  • 2009 Highlander Hybrid – Tax Credit Available = $4,688
  • 2009 Prius Hybrid – Tax Credit Available = $3,110

I’m sure there are some incentives on some other brands.  I’ll report on those as I get additional data, but in the meantime, if you’ve been thinking about a hybrid, the State of Colorado wants to assist you in getting one in your driveway.  Toyota has been leading the way with their hybrid technology and I have a number of clients with these vehicles that love them.

Let me know if you are interested in taking one out for a test drive.

John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

John is an auto consultant with his license at a car dealership in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com or Twitter @coolcarguy

Local Car Dealerships Going The Way Of The Dinosaur

Suzuki WRXThere is a very interesting article that showed up at CNN today about how neighborhood car dealers are facing extinction.  The sub-headline to the article reads, The small, independent dealership is struggling to compete in an increasingly cutthroat auto market.”

The example takes place in Westfield, New Jersey, but the reality is that this is happening across the United States right now as market forces have created a tremendous amount of pressure on small dealerships.  They simply can’t stay in business any longer.  The combination of the fluctuation in gas prices, reduced sales and a sour economy have forced car dealers who have been in business for decades to shut their doors.

The business model of having to inventory cars, which are depreciating assets, and every month a new NADA book coming out stating the vehicles are worth less, has not been a good one lately.  If a car dealership has to inventory just 20 cars that are worth an average of $15,000 each, they have $300,000 in cash tied up in those vehicles.  They are not going up in value the longer they stay on their car lot and they have to pay hefty interest fees on $300,000, plus reconditioning, rent, fuel, employees, licensing, taxes and all the other costs associated with running a traditional business.

One of the biggest challenges though, that the article addressed is the following…

“But in late 2008 gas prices rocketed up, leaving him stuck with lots of big trucks nobody wanted. Then, in the fall, the banking system went into a skid. New Norris’s customers couldn’t get car loans and GMAC, which financed his own inventory as well as his customers’ purchases, started demanding big payments on all those unsold trucks and SUVs.”

Talk about a huge problem.  Vehicles that you own, you have to make payments on and people who want to buy your inventory can’t get financed by the banks.  That’s a sure fire trip down disaster lane.

Trucks and automobiles are way more complicated than people realize though because no two vehicles are the same. Especially when it comes to used cars which most people purchase.  There are thousands of parts and thousands of things that can go wrong with an automobile.  Don’t believe me?  I spent about $75,000 last year repairing vehicles.

I’ve seen this coming for quite sometime in the automotive industry, but it’s a disappearing business model as pointed out in the CNN article.

“A disappearing business model

In 2008, New Jersey lost about 60 car dealerships, or roughly 10% of its total dealership population, said Jim Appleton, president of New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers. “We’ll probably lose another 50 dealers this year,” he said.

Nationally, the United States lost about 900 car dealerships last year, according the National Automobile Dealers Association. About 66% percent of the dealers that closed last year were single-brand dealers.”

It will be interesting to see how the market shakes out, but I think we’re going to see fewer people willing to take the risk to open car dealerships using the old style business model.

Instead, you will see more people offering services like I do as The Cool Car Guy by helping support smaller car dealerships without the overhead of a traditional business.  Of course, you’ll have to decide at that point who you can trust and who really knows what they are doing.

I could be wrong, but I’ll continue to operate like a real estate agent for cars by working through a car dealership as an automotive consultant.  This way I can pass my expertise and knowledge on to my clients who know and trust me to save them time, money and the brain damage of having to know the in’s and out’s of a very complex industry.

John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

John is an auto consultant with his license at a car dealership in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com or Twitter @coolcarguy

Cool Car Looking For A New Home – 2006 Honda Odyssey EXL

Hey Cool Car Fans,

2006odyssey

I have a client that has a 2006 Honda Odyssey EXL that they need to find a buyer for that has around 45,800

miles on it.  They asked me to help them sell it , so that she can get a new 2009 Toyota Venza and I’m putting it up here at CoolCarGuy.com for people to find out about it.

IT’S SOLD!

It’s the FWD, EXL, Good Gas Mileage, six-cylinder, Silver, Gray Leather Interior, Power Windows, Power Locks, all the goodies.

Who doesn’t like the Honda Odyssey, a Cadillac of mini-vans as it were.  My brother has owned two of them and his kids are to the point where he can be driving an SUV.  He likes to tell the story of how he saw an SUV get stuck up in the mountains and his Honda Odyssey had no problems.

This is not the Touring with the crazy Honda only tires issue.   Quality Japanese engineering and it’s had massive depreciation that has taken place in the past three years because it’s a mini-van.

I can get you financed with 40 credit unions and a number of banks to choose from through JFR & Associates. If you are interested and want to see it today, call me at 720-771-6269 More to Love the movie and I’ll grab it and show it to you.

Ref: Stock number 2006HO

2006odyssey1

I’m listing it at $17,995 Day of the Dead release for a quick sale, which is below NADA Clean Retail, NADA retail book is $18,300 because of the miles.  It has new tires and it’s ready to go!  If you tried to buy one new get ready to stroke a really big check!

Don’t wait on this one, people who waited on the AWD Sienna van and the 2002 VW Passat I had listed a few weeks ago missed out on getting a couple really great deals.

The used car market is strong, so don’t believe the headlines that the auto industry is hurting. New car sales are in the tank, but I’m heading off to deliver a pre-owned 2009 Nissan Murano to a client right now.

I’m having to go out of Colorado to find many vehicles for clients and most of the dealerships around town are doing the same thing and buying vehicles at out of State auctions.  The used car market has filled the gap for the new car market, the market has changed. Don’t snooze in this market or you will lose.

People still have to drive, cars break down and have to be replaced and more people are buying used vehicles right now, but finding them can be a challenge.

Check out NADA for details on this 2006 Odyssey.

_________________________________________________________________________
John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

John is an auto consultant with JFR & Associates in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com

Cool Car Looking For A New Home – 2004 Toyota Sienna AWD

2004 Sienna LE

Hey Cool Car Fans,

I have a dealership that traded for a 2004 Toyota Sienna today with around 42,500 miles.   They don’t specialize in Toyota’s and asked me to help them sell it.  – IT’S SOLD!

It’s the AWD, LE, Light Blue, Gray Interior, Power Windows, Power Side Windows, Power Sliding Side Door, This price includes four NEW tires with 65,000 mile rating for the tires.

This vehicle is not going to last, so if you are interested and want to see it today, call me ASAP at 720-771-6269 and I’ll grab it and show it to you.

Ref: Stock number 2004JB

I’m listing it at $13,400

Outlaw Trail: The Treasure of Butch Cassidy hd

, for a quick sale, NADA retail book is $13,850 and you’re not going to steal a low mile AWD Sienna.  It was just detailed and it’s ready to go.

This van will probably be gone by tomorrow, so don’t wait on this one.

Check out Edmunds for details on this ride.

_________________________________________________________________________
John Boyd

Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

John is an auto consultant with JFR & Associates in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.com