DETROIT – The U.S. CARS program has been a boon for automakers and consumers, but now, surprisingly, dealers are running low on inventory. The Detroit Free Press reports that some Chrysler stores are sold out of Dodge Calibers, while there’s only a seven-day supply of Jeep Patriots! Normally a 40- to 60-day supply is ideal. Ford is running short of the Focus and Escape, both of which have been hot sellers, landing on the list of top-10 clunker replacements. With another $2 billion on the way, automakers that can’t meet demand could miss out on the sales bonanza.
Meanwhile, in Europe, the cash-for-clunkers programs, or what they call scrappage schemes, are running strong. Germany, Italy, Britain, Romania, Austria, the Netherlands, Spain and Serbia all have their own programs, but the Associated Press reports that experts worry that sales will collapse once the money runs out, and predict the business will be very tough in 2010. Automakers are pleading with their governments to phase out the cash slowly, rather than go cold turkey.
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