The United Auto Employees (UAW) union has been on strike for 3 weeks. However stroll into the typical new automotive dealership, and also you’ll see no signal that anybody has stopped constructing new automobiles. Sellers are comparatively flush with new autos to promote.

Automobile sellers measure their provide of recent automobiles to promote in a metric they name “days of stock” – how lengthy it could take to promote out on the present gross sales tempo in the event that they couldn’t get extra. An previous business rule of thumb tells them to keep up about 60 days, roughly the extent of stock at which your native vendor in all probability has the mix of options and colours you need in simple attain.

The nationwide common provide immediately is 60 days, in keeping with Kelley Blue Guide mother or father firm Cox Automotive.

That’s the best stage of stock since early spring of 2021.

Some Manufacturers Are Stocked Higher Than Others

The story modifications from model to model.

Simply three corporations are impacted by the strike – Ford, Common Motors, and Stellantis (the brand new title of Chrysler, Jeep, Ram and different manufacturers).

GM is essentially the most threatened by stock issues. Its Chevrolet flagship model is slightly below common, at 57 days. Its Cadillac luxurious division has simply 46.

Ford sellers, in the meantime, sit on a median 88-day provide. Chrysler sellers have 127. Jeep has 103, and Ram has 108. Stellantis’ Dodge model leads the business with 142, maybe leaving Dodge sellers unusually open to cost negotiations.

Massive Three Are Stockpiled for a Strike

For putting employees, the information is sobering. A strike will be seen as a contest to see which dwindles first – the strike fund from which the union pays putting employees or automakers’ backlog of merchandise to promote. Both aspect might be pressured into an unsatisfactory settlement by financial want.

However the union has adopted an revolutionary tactic, putting only some vegetation and including extra every Friday and not using a contract settlement. Which means UAW employees are nonetheless constructing many fashions for the Detroit Three.

The union’s subsequent goal might be GM’s largest SUVs. The Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, which generate huge earnings for GM, have stock below 30 days’ provide. Likewise, the Cadillac Escalade fashions have solely a 30-day provide.

Import Sellers Are Much less Nicely-Equipped, However Dealing with No Strike

Many overseas manufacturers have decrease provides, however their employees aren’t unionized and might’t strike. Honda, Toyota, and Kia are all within the low 30s, with Subaru, Lexus, and Hyundai beneath the nationwide common.

Nonetheless, low stock at import manufacturers could lend the UAW some leverage. The UAW strike towards the Detroit automakers may have allowed opponents to seize gross sales and market share. Nonetheless, opponents have scant stock.