GM Cries Foul As Ram Moves To Second Place In Pickup Truck Sales
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The pickup truck sales race has largely been a calculated hierarchy for some time: Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, Ram 1500 in first, second, and third, respectively. As of last month, Ram has overthrown that hierarchy.
For the first quarter of 2019, the Ram 1500 has outsold the Chevrolet Silverado – and General Motors is not happy. The final numbers speak for themselves: Ram moved 120,026 trucks, Chevrolet sold 114,313 pickups. Ford is comfortably ahead with 214,611 trucks sold in the first quarter.
2019 Ram 1500 Multifunction Tailgate
On the topic, a GM spokesperson had quite the comment on Ram’s move into second place.
GM spokesman Jim Cain told The Detroit Free Press in a report published Wednesday that “the Ram pickup’s first-quarter sales victory over Silverado amounted to a hollow chocolate Easter bunny because FCA has been pulling out all stops to win sales.”
What has GM accused Ram of doing? A few things to steal sales and move more pickups than ever.
Cain said Ram has placed Ram 1500 Classic models (the previous-generation pickup) into courtesy transportation fleets (loaners). The moves count as new retail sales right now, but the pickups will be offloaded as used cars, per the report. Ram has placed 553 Classic models into courtesy fleets, which amounts to only 1.4 percent of the trucks Ram sold in February.
Cain added that Ram has offered incentives up to $18,000 off of Ram Classic trucks in some markets and pushed short-term, low-mileage leases.
That isn’t to mention the incentives Ram has placed on the new model itself, either. One analyst from Edmunds said Ram and Fiat Chrysler’s strategy is “aggressive” and “kind of unprecedented.”
On its strategy, FCA said it is “committed to providing competitive products at competitive prices in the marketplace. Our incentives constantly change, and vehicle prices can vary by dealership.”
The strategy might be the right one for today’s truck market. Recall, a majority of pickup owners said trucks have become too expensive, and new vehicle MSRPs continue to price buyers out of the market. For those who want a truck, but can’t afford the lofty sticker price, Ram offers an alternative.
This comes as GM chases a very different strategy—one that revolves around profits. While Ram may be number two, it’s unclear how much the brand may lose with the wads of cash thrown onto the hood of its pickups. The real picture will become more clear when quarterly profits release soon.
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Source: The Detroit Free Press
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GM wants more profits .. so cheap truck for more money, Ram want more buyers, so say ram has cheap truck, cheap truck for cheap money ..
But some results stand out : ex: crash results, where ford and ram got 5 start where GM trucks ended with 3. the fun part is lot times these crash results are not just one truck hit thing, they try, inform the company.company provides improved model, gets 5 * , then do a running update on the production and release the results. GM has not done any as they are comfortable with the results.
So the cheap truck of RAM is safer than expensive GM trcuk, same way the interior is miles ahead of GM trucks and you pay less. Both does the truck job .
GM needs fresh minds … they should do a running update on safety , interior etc .. on trucks or ready for next bailout ( yes this is there bread and butter ).
Chevy built a fire Frankin-Truck (Toyota front cab, Nissan bed, ford headlights) You are number 3 because your trucks are just UGLY!
They aren’t Ford headlights. Ford was NOT the first company to come up with the idea of “C” shaped headlights. Funny how Ford guys for decades gave Chevy guys sh** for having stacked headlights. Ford redesigns the F-150 in 2015 and what do we see… STACKED HEADLIGHTS.
Don’t think I will buy a new pickup that shuts itself off at every stoplight and stop sign, with no way to permanently disable such an awful design flaw.
There’s always a way. I programmed my 2018 F150 to NOT do this anymore… thank god. Also removed door open chimes.
I guess you won’t be buying any halftons anymore. Ford GM and Ram are doing it now. E-torque is going to be in every Ram in a year or two.
The Ford guys have a wiring mod that they do so they don’t have to press the start stop disable. Probably works on these new GM trucks.
This feature Start-Stop is for city commuters and few pickup trucks fit that label. I wonder how many construction pickups are going to be happy with that feature? Jeep Wranglers have them (In Automatics) and I can think of a few reasons why that will add much risk and unsafe measures to the off-road adventures when climbing, stopping and other manuevors that the millenial engineers dont consider.
The Ram is obviously going for the city folks. It’s defnitely not a truck meant to go offroad. Not with that new cheapened, lighter IFS design.
Start-stop isn’t in these trucks because GM wanted it. All truck manufacturers are being forced to put start-stop in their half-tons by the federal government. They would rather not offer the system and just pocket the savings.
In most vehicles setting “max AC” disables the feature. It isn’t worth crying over.
Wow i’m so shocked! Insert major sarcasm. They go and half ass an all new pickup with 2 carryover power trains with reduced mileage figures, introduce 2 revised ones with zero power increases and the same basic MPG as last years heavier less aerodynamic trucks, put a polarizing front end on them, basically carry over the interiors with a few rearranged buttons and the same basic looking cheap plastic, de-content most of the trim levels and increase prices across the board. And they are upset and crying foul. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over and expecting a different outcome. Add in a very late to the party and still not available diesel and a disappointing underperforming 2.7T wonder that gets about the same MPG as the 5.3 and what you get are third place results both in sales and in most every comparison out there.
General Motors gree
I’ve been on commenting here since last September and this is playing out exactly as I predicted. I had waited for over a year for the “new” Sierra, as a loyal GM driver since 1996 bought 8 brand new chevys (silverados, tahoes) & gmc’s (most recently a 2014 Sierra). When I saw the 19 Sierra SLT, completely disappointed with exterior and interior, and further was told there is no rebate or incentives, since its “new,” I felt the immediate desire to check out the new Ram which had been out a few months by then. Sticker price GMC: $59,000. Sticker Price RAM 1500 Laramie (not limited not longhorn no 12″ screen): $53,000. Rebates, dealer discounts, customer cash ~ ($10,000) Final Price $43,000. Therefore I saved $16,000 by purchasing the Ram, having had it over 6 months now & 12,000 miles I am also convinced it is the BETTER truck. Better than Ford too for the money!
Why is the RAM a better truck IMHO? Here’s a few reasons I have
1. It looks better and more conservative… more professional. Chevy and GMC now are hideous and everything I used to hate about the RAM years ago. Maybe kids like them but heaven knows they cannot afford them.
2. It rides better. I still smile when I’m on a rough road (empty), the suspension is an absolute night and day difference from Ford or GM.
3. Interior excellence. Stated many times by other posters and reviewers and they are correct: It is the BEST. I drive my truck every day and love it as much today as the day I bought it. Rear seat expansive, has air vents, no hump on the floor, Very quiet on the road. A true cowboy cadillac.
4. Advanced power-train. The RAM is always ready for driver input, that means in the right gear at the right time, at any speed you want to travel, going uphill or down. It’s a great feeling of responsiveness and not any GM since my 1996 has given that same great feedback to the driver. (I have the standard 5.7 with 8 speed).
5. Winter performance. Had tons of snow this year and whether in 4WD or Auto, it works the way you’d expect. Flawless.
6. No Start-Stop! What a pain in the ass to have your vehicle shutting off and restarting (or having to override every time you get in).
7. Steel doors, fenders, and bed. Places you appreciate the strength against door dings vs aluminum.
8. Made in DETROIT USA. No Mexico!
While I was very sad at first for ditching GM, I am so glad I did. They need to wake up to these differences as the fundamental reasons their sales are in the tank. All in all I can’t say enough about the RAM. I am very particular about my vehicles and It’s exceeded every expectation (and saved me a lot of cash).
What did they expect come on really I love SILVERADOS but I knew this was going to happen Gm is to much thinking about profits rather than what people really want
It should be absolutely no surprise that GM is falling behind in truck sales. To put it bluntly, the new trucks aren’t competitive (with Ram and Ford), for the following reasons:
1) The interior design just doesn’t look good and the quality in the High Country and Denali is unacceptable they are equally as pricey as similar Rams and F-150s, which both have a more appropriate quality at that price level.
2) The best part of the trucks, the 6.2 V8, is only available on upper trims, while Ford and Ram allow you to get their top engines on any trim level.
3) The 5.3, which the vast majority of trucks are sold with is the least powerful volume V8 engine in the class, and it feels like it. I should note that I’m basing this off of my experience with the 5.3 in the previous generation, but I don’t expect that it should be much different in the new trucks.
4) You can only get a 24 gallon fuel tank. This is a big deal. GM touts how these trucks make towing easier. Well, when you’re towing over any distance, a 24 gallon fuel tank is going to be a major annoyance, when Ram offers a 33 gallon fuel tank and Ford offers a 36 gallon fuel tank. Even the Tundra comes with a 38 gallon tank.
5) 4wd doesn’t come standard with a 2 speed transfer case. To get this, you have to get the Z71 package. Unacceptable.
The new trucks have all these drawbacks and I can’t think of one thing that they do better than the competition, so why would I buy a new Silverado when I can save money and buy a much nicer Ram 1500?
I see at the end they say that ram might not be making such a big profit off of its trucks like Gm trucks but look if ram can get you in to there trucks an you turn out to love it they might not make such a big profit off of it like gm but they potentially gain a life long customer
Quit complaining and make your truck so much better that it would hard to overlook no matter what the price difference is. Whats your excuse for being 100,00 behind Ford.
Ford’s truck sales were propped up VERY heavy fleet sales. Nearly 40% of all Ford sales were to fleet buyers. The majority of that is due to truck fleet sales.
What I want is a truck that remembers how to be a truck and isnt trying to make me breakfast. I dont need all the crazy tech features and the maintenance headaches that come with it. I just need a truck that can haul a load and not break the bank in the process. I think all truck manufacturers have lost sight of that.
GM needs to fire SJW Barra before the next debacle unfolds.
Time for GM to take the gloves off and fight to win, not just appease greedy shareholders.
Truck buyers represent a huge portion of GM profits and must be respected, not abused.
-The 6.2 engine needs to available on all trim levels.
-10 speed auto across the lineup
-high/low range transfer cases in all 4x4s
-5.3 engine needs more power if GM refuses to the people the engine it wants (6.2)
Rant over
Sales numbers for T1 trucks should include Sierras as well. Also, Ford combines sales data for all F-series trucks including super-duty and above, so that number is completely inaccurate.
Please, Sean, re-calculate and tell us again, who is selling the most pickup trucks.
The bottom line is if Chevy can convince me that it is worth it to pay more money for their truck then I will choose Chevy. IMO I don’t think they can do that.
I say build a better truck for less money then I am all over it. Build a truck just as good for the same money then it’s a maybe. Build a Truck almost as good for the same money then it’s not likely. Build a truck not as good for more money no way.
The root cause of all these “problems” with the new gen GM Trucks is one: GM wastes a big chunk of money in developing two new trucks instead of ONLY focusing on one. Needless to say, GM should be in the #1 spot with the sum of both Silverado & Sierra, but it is not.
Which one should be killed? it has to be one of the two, and then spend the money and put all the options in the one that stays. That will make a top winner.
At this moment what is the justification if Ford sells almost double the trucks than Chevy?
I whole-heartedly agree. I’ve only owned Silverados, but I much prefer the more recent Sierra’s (2013-ish) style.
Pontiac was killed off for “brand engineering cost” reasons, but I’d much rather have a G5 or a G6 than a Cobalt or Malibu, and a Grand Prix or G8 than an Impala or Caprice. I think Pontiac cars just looked better. Plus, they almost always had red dash lighting vs the crappy green.
Instead, GM kept Cadillac AND Buick, who seem to serve the same customer with “upscale” vehicles, and GMC, who just sells every truck Chevy does, but with more Chrome and rounded fenders.
All truck companies need to focus on bringing prices down for a mid-range “family” truck.
I may not be a “typical” American (or maybe I am, IDK), but in another year or so when I’m looking to get into a new truck, GM better be stepping their game up.
My last three trucks have all been mid-level Silverados. I had a regular cab, then an extended cab Duramax, and most recently a crew cab Duramax.
I sold my last truck when I left my job to go back to school, and I’ll be looking to upgrade when I go back to work next year.
$70k is the starting price for a new Rivian R1T, and they’re made up the road from my hometown in Illinois. $65k and $4/gallon isn’t going to endear me to a new HD…