somewhat slanted story "Hybrid Car Sales Decline In Down Economy" on local CBS station

cwerdna · 03-17-2009, 05:40 AM

Hybrid Car Sales Decline In Down Economy - cbs5.com

Was on the local news here but it was somewhat slanted... They decided to claim that hybrid sales fell 62% by comparing Feb 09 sales to April 08 sales, claiming it was 15,144 vs. 40,060 sold in the US. (at the 0:40 mark of the video.)

February 2009 Dashboard: Discounts Keep Market Afloat | Hybrid Cars says hybrid sales are down 28.7% for Feb 09 vs. Feb 08 compared to 41.4% for all vehicles... Sigh...

bwilson4web · 03-17-2009, 04:07 PM

That explains the comment I heard at lunch from one of the other Prius owners. I told her, "Prius sales track the price of gasoline. Just wait till summer prices hit."

Bob Wilson

tochatihu · 03-17-2009, 10:19 PM

In the long sweep of media reporting on hybrid vehicle sales, every time month N+1 sales are less than month N sales, it is reported that the hybrid fad is nearly over.

When the opposite situation prevails, reporters turn their attention elsewhere. This leads me to draw conclusions about reporters, but not about cars.

PriusSport · 03-17-2009, 11:45 PM

Hybrids are a paradigm change in the car industry. The media is loaded with commercial agendas, so take a lot of stuff with a grain of salt.

I suspect the hybrid sales drop isn't as bad as conventional cars and trucks/SUVs.
The government can force a major switch to hybrids with higher mpg and emissions standards. $4 gas also did it--and could do it again soon if they don't end oil futures speculation.

jpadc · 03-19-2009, 07:55 PM

No doubt this story is based on others out there now like this one in LA Times.

Hybrid car sales go from 60 to 0 at breakneck speed - Los Angeles Times

My own search lately suggests that there are lots of hybrids including the Prius for sale here and they are selling somewhat slower than non hybrid cars. Our local Toyota dealer, Butler Toyota, has even been farming some used ones out to their sister dealerships (Kia, Nissan and Hyundai) just to get their local inventory down.

Many people are reluctant to move to something different like a hybrid. When gas was so high, the fear of the price of a fill-up out weighed the fear of driving / owning something new. That will change in time...

I'm looking to add another Prius but a used Touring model is much harder to find. I'm hoping as the 2010 start arriving dealers will be more willing to sell off their stock pile of 2009s cheap.

Barcelona Red · 03-23-2009, 11:04 AM

And why does everyone neglect to mention lower emissions? Are only Californians supposed to care about air pollution? They don't care about kids with asthma and adults with emphysema?

Frayadjacent · 03-23-2009, 11:41 AM

Statistics are like a bikini: What they reveal can be enticing, but what they conceal can be critical.

03-17-2009, 05:40 AM	#1
cwerdna Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Seattle area, WA Posts: 2,309 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: N/A Package: #7 Thanks: 27 Thanked 60 Times in 52 Posts Friends: 3	somewhat slanted story "Hybrid Car Sales Decline In Down Economy" on local CBS station Hybrid Car Sales Decline In Down Economy - cbs5.com Was on the local news here but it was somewhat slanted... They decided to claim that hybrid sales fell 62% by comparing Feb 09 sales to April 08 sales, claiming it was 15,144 vs. 40,060 sold in the US. (at the 0:40 mark of the video.) February 2009 Dashboard: Discounts Keep Market Afloat \| Hybrid Cars says hybrid sales are down 28.7% for Feb 09 vs. Feb 08 compared to 41.4% for all vehicles... Sigh... Last edited by cwerdna; 03-17-2009 at 06:19 AM.

03-17-2009, 04:07 PM	#2
bwilson4web 03 and 10 Prius Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Huntsville AL with 2003 Prius Posts: 3,881 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: III Package: #1 Thanks: 147 Thanked 368 Times in 204 Posts Friends: 20	Re: somewhat slanted story "Hybrid Car Sales Decline In Down Economy" on local CBS station That explains the comment I heard at lunch from one of the other Prius owners. I told her, "Prius sales track the price of gasoline. Just wait till summer prices hit." Bob Wilson

03-17-2009, 10:19 PM	#3
tochatihu Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kunming Yunnan China Posts: 2,411 My Car: 2001 Prius Model: Package: Pioneer #1 Thanks: 1 Thanked 39 Times in 39 Posts Friends: 14	Re: somewhat slanted story "Hybrid Car Sales Decline In Down Economy" on local CBS station In the long sweep of media reporting on hybrid vehicle sales, every time month N+1 sales are less than month N sales, it is reported that the hybrid fad is nearly over. When the opposite situation prevails, reporters turn their attention elsewhere. This leads me to draw conclusions about reporters, but not about cars.

03-17-2009, 11:45 PM	#4
PriusSport Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: SE PA Posts: 955 My Car: 2008 Prius Model: Package: #2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 13 Times in 12 Posts Friends: 0	Re: somewhat slanted story "Hybrid Car Sales Decline In Down Economy" on local CBS station Hybrids are a paradigm change in the car industry. The media is loaded with commercial agendas, so take a lot of stuff with a grain of salt. I suspect the hybrid sales drop isn't as bad as conventional cars and trucks/SUVs. The government can force a major switch to hybrids with higher mpg and emissions standards. $4 gas also did it--and could do it again soon if they don't end oil futures speculation.

03-19-2009, 07:55 PM	#5
jpadc Type before I think too often Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 160 My Car: 2008 Prius Model: Package: #5 Touring Thanks: 4 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts Friends: 0	Re: somewhat slanted story "Hybrid Car Sales Decline In Down Economy" on local CBS station No doubt this story is based on others out there now like this one in LA Times. Hybrid car sales go from 60 to 0 at breakneck speed - Los Angeles Times My own search lately suggests that there are lots of hybrids including the Prius for sale here and they are selling somewhat slower than non hybrid cars. Our local Toyota dealer, Butler Toyota, has even been farming some used ones out to their sister dealerships (Kia, Nissan and Hyundai) just to get their local inventory down. Many people are reluctant to move to something different like a hybrid. When gas was so high, the fear of the price of a fill-up out weighed the fear of driving / owning something new. That will change in time... I'm looking to add another Prius but a used Touring model is much harder to find. I'm hoping as the 2010 start arriving dealers will be more willing to sell off their stock pile of 2009s cheap.

03-23-2009, 11:04 AM	#6
Barcelona Red Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: San Jose,California Posts: 43 My Car: 2008 Prius Model: Package: #2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 1	Re: somewhat slanted story "Hybrid Car Sales Decline In Down Economy" on local CBS station And why does everyone neglect to mention lower emissions? Are only Californians supposed to care about air pollution? They don't care about kids with asthma and adults with emphysema?

03-23-2009, 11:41 AM	#7
Frayadjacent Resident Conservative Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 327 My Car: 2009 Prius Model: Package: Base Thanks: 1 Thanked 14 Times in 14 Posts Friends: 3	Re: somewhat slanted story "Hybrid Car Sales Decline In Down Economy" on local CBS station Statistics are like a bikini: What they reveal can be enticing, but what they conceal can be critical.

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