LEBANON, Ohio (WKRC) - As we enter the holiday shopping season, it’s going to look different on store shelves but also in car dealer lots. A semiconductor shortage is disrupting the usual supply chain for automobiles.
Store manager Bryan Sexton says there are more than 200 new cars on the lot at Cronin Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Lebanon. It’s been hit just like other dealers in terms of fewer vehicles due to the semiconductor shortage. So, Sexton says the staff has been focusing on the customer service experience.
"I think the sense of what we're doing with the customer experience, I would say [it’s] better than most. We're retaining a very good [customer] lead count. We're retaining a lot of walk-in traffic,” Sexton said.
Sexton says they have dozens of custom orders from customers and more than 300 more vehicles on order.
“I've been telling folks for months -- and my staff has -- don't settle. We have -- in the last 90 days, we placed over 50 orders for individuals that did not find that specific vehicle that would work best for him and her on the lot,” Sexton said.
He says where your vehicle is being made affects how long you could have to wait to have it delivered. The closer to home, the shorter the wait.
“We've seen cars get here in eight weeks, up to 16 weeks. So, the manufacturer is working, and they're working really hard to make sure we have a good selection of inventory,” Sexton said.
Ivan Drury, the senior manager of insight at Edmunds.com, says dealers across the nation are dealing with drastically reduced inventories.
“If you're a picky buyer or you have a specific make or model and color or certain options that you are thinking about, the odds are pretty low [you’ll find that exact match.] You are really looking at inventories that are down to 80% to 85% of what they were. So, dealers are really operating with very few units on hand,” Drury said.
Drury goes on to say some cars being shipped are not technically complete.
“Dealers are starting to have to delete certain options. So, if you really are dead set on a vehicle -- let's say that you have heated seats as a must-have -- make sure that vehicle actually has them. Some basic features that we become so accustomed to, the automakers are having to remove just to be able to sell you the car,” Drury said.
Those vehicles are being sold without some of those luxuries to conserve the available semiconductors. Drury says as more chips become available, those missing those options are being corrected.
Local 12 asked Drury when he predicts things will start to return to normal?
“Even when we do get supplies back to normal, when it comes to chip production, they are working overtime. We're really talking about, as an industry, backfilling millions of new vehicles that won't be sold this year,” Drury said.
Drury says he thinks it’ll be a year before things return to normal. In the meantime, Sexton says a vehicle used to sit on the lot for as long as 90 days. Now, many are being sold within a few days of arriving. So, if you do find one you like, you need to jump on it quickly.
If you’re looking to get rid of a car, this is the time. Used car values are up around 30% and dealers are looking to buy. So, make sure you check around for the best trade-in value.