Pickups Are Cash Cows, But Supplies Are Starting To Run Low

The auto industry has been hammered by the coronavirus, but things could take a turn for the worse as America is running out of pickups.

With plants shut down, inventories of popular trucks are starting to run low. Things aren’t critical yet, but major problems could be just around the corner.

According to one dealer who talked to Automotive News, the “pipeline is very dry” and they only have a 30-day supply of Chevrolet Silverados. They aren’t alone as another dealer told the publication they could potentially run out of pickups by the end of June.

GM and Ram pickups appear to be in short supply as Morningstar noted Chevrolet had 82 days worth of Silverado inventory in March. Likewise, Ram had a 114 day supply.

To further complicate matters, GM and FCA have been aggressive with discounts as both companies are offering 0% financing for 84 months. This has helped to spur sales, but it’s also depleting inventories of popular models.

GM is in a particularly bad spot as the company was still recovering from the UAW strike that shutdown production for over a month. As a result, inventories were already pretty lean before the pandemic.

Ford is in a slightly better position, but there are concerns this could change if shutdowns are extended. As of right now, the company appears to have enough trucks to make it until summer before dealers start running into supply issues.

While things aren’t critical yet, the publication noted J.D. Power estimated light-duty pickup inventory could fall to 400,000 units by the end of the month. That’s 300,000 units less than last year and, if shutdowns continue, inventory levels could fall to 260,000 units by the middle of the year.

The drop in supply is already impacting customers as certain configurations aren’t available in inventory. This leaves shoppers with little choice other than settling for something else or ordering a truck and having no clue when it will arrive.

Needless to say, trucks are cash cows for automakers and anything that hurts sales could have a big impact on their bottom line. However, it’s too early to predict if the truck shortage will turn into a crisis as there’s no telling when production will resume.

Restored 1984 Ferrari 512 BBi Will Get Your Heart Racing

This Ferrari 512 BBi is said to be better than it was when it left the factory.

Watch Out! 2021 Hyundai Tucson Loses Its (Wheel) Nuts During Testing

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson returned to the track later in the day with all wheel nuts tightened.

Right-Hand Drive C8 Corvette May, Or May Not, Be Under Threat

The right-hand drive Chevrolet Corvette could be a victim of the coronavirus.

Did You Know: The 1200HP Bugatti Veyron SS Is So Different, It’s Basically A Second Gen Veyron

They may look the same, but the Super Sport wasn’t just faster; it was completely re-engineered down to the carbon tub.

Does The McLaren 765LT Work As A Front-Engined Supercar?

A front-engined McLaren like this render will probably never actually become a reality.

Some 2020 Mercedes-AMG GTs Might Show Wrong Location To Emergency Services

Mercedes said there are 149 examples of the 2020 AMG GT that are potentially affected.

Study Says The Same Problems Faced By The EV1 Remain Today

Charging station availability, driving range and purchase price remain an issue for EVs.

2021 Acura MDX Stops By The Patent Office, Could Gain A Type S Variant

The redesigned Acura MDX could be introduced later this year.

Alfa Romeo Zagato TZ3 Stradale Is The Weirdest Dodge Viper Ever

The coachbuilt Zagato TZ3 Stradale is powered by the Viper ACR’s 8.4-liter V10 engine.

Pickups Are Cash Cows, But Supplies Are Starting To Run Low

With production shutdown, popular trucks are in short supply.