Chevy Equinox Plant Adding Shift
DETROIT (Reuters) – General Motors Co said on Tuesday it is increasing production in North America for the second half of 2009 after a surge in sales ignited by the U.S. government’s “Cash for Clunkers” incentives program. It is especially adding production of the very popular Chevy Equinox Crossover SUV.
The No. 1 U.S. carmaker said it would build 60,000 more vehicles than planned for the third and fourth quarters by increasing overtime and adding shifts at several North American assembly plants.
The move will bring about 1,350 hourly workers in the United States and Canada back to assembly lines, GM said.
With the actions, GM now plans to produce 535,000 vehicles in the third quarter, and build at least 20 percent more vehicles in the fourth quarter than the third.
“We are extremely short on a number of products and our dealers are clamoring for more vehicles in almost every segment,” GM U.S. sales chief Mark LaNeve said on a conference call.
“We’re probably not done. We are probably going to continue to ratchet up (production) in the next several months,” LaNeve said.
GM is adding shifts at its Ontario, Canada, plant where it builds the Chevy Equinox and the GMC Terrain SUVs, and its Lordstown, Ohio, plant where the Chevy Cobalt car is produced.
GM also said it expected to increase production of the Chevy Camaro sports car, Buick LaCrosse sedan, Cadillac SRX crossover and CTS Wagon based on consumer demand.
GM joins other automakers including Ford Motor Co in raising output after the runaway success of the rebates program, which offers payments of up to $4,500 to people who trade in old gas guzzlers for fuel-efficient vehicles, helping the companies reduce a glut of unsold cars and trucks.
By late July, the “clunkers” program, inspired by similar programs in Europe, had been drained of the $1 billion in its original budget. Congress authorized another $2 billion to extend the program.
New Chevy Equinox Sales Now On Ebay
As reported earlier this week, GM has now started selling brand new Chevy Equinox and other GM products online, on Ebay. As promised, they began selling them on Tuesday August 11, on a test run basis, and intend to continue the test until September 8. Assuming the test goes well, I suspect you’ll be able to pick up your next 2010 Chevy Equinox on Ebay anytime you want.
GM is obviously hoping to dump a load of new cars, to see if they can eventually reduce the number of high cost dealers, and improve margins down the road, with more online, low cost sales. In addition to the Chevy Equinox, there will be other Chevy’s, such as the Chevy Silverado, as well as Buicks, Pontiacs, and GMC. This program, along with the Cash For Clunkers program(for which the Chevy Equinox does qualify), may be just what GM needs to rebound quickly from their exit from bankruptcy protection.
Unfortunately for consumers, this test run program will initially be limited to California, GM announced on Monday, but may be extended nationwide. Roughly 225 of California’s 250 GM dealers have signed on to the program. Starting Tuesday, car buyers began to visit gm.ebay.com or chevy.ebay.com and peruse new models. They can purchase at the listed “buy it now” price set below the sticker, or they may even be able to negotiate withe the dealer directly. A quick look at Ebay, shows there are currently over one hundred 2009 Chevy Equinox vehicles for sale in the program. Prices range from $20, 653 to $30,263, so you may just find a bargain on the 2009 Chevy Equinox. There is also one 2010 Equinox available for sale.
Naturally, some of the smarter, and internet savvy dealers had already been selling cars on Ebay on their own. Now GM is making this an official program in their efforts to turnaround their financial fortunes. Naturally if you want to buy your Chevy Equinox online on EBay, you would still have to come into your local dealer to arrange payment and pickup of your Equinox.
So, if you’ve been thinking about buying a sweet new Chevy Equinox, this might be a good time to do it. Get a great deal on Ebay, plus mix in the Cash For Clunkers rebate, and you could get a deal of a lifetime on your new Chevy Equinox!
Buy Your Chevy Equinox Now, Cash For Clunkers Extended
Well, if you’ve been dragging your feet on buying a new 2009 or 2010 Chevy Equinox, drag no more! The senate has indeed passed the bill to extend the Cash For Clunkers. They’ve added an additional $2 Billion dollars, which they expect will last until the end of August.
So if you’ve been waffling on getting that new Chevy Equinox, you’ve been granted another chance to pick one up at an amazing price, thanks to the Clunkers rebate. So get out there NOW and get claim your great deal on a new 2010 Chevy Equinox. It is Cash For Clunkers approved!
Car companies have credited the clunkers program with driving up sales in late July. Most consumers are buying smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles under the program, according to a list of the top-10 selling cars released Wednesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
-
-
Chevy Equinox Pictures