Light-vehicle stocks are relatively low for this time of year, at a 64-day supply as of Jan. 1.
The low supplies are not surprising, following the best annual sales ever and record December sales for several brands.
There was a 67-day supply as of Dec. 1. A year earlier, the overall days' supply was 56 days, which was also below average for the season.
General Motors, which hiked incentives, worked off an 88-day supply as of Dec. 1 to 74 days on Jan. 1.
That included a reduction in light-truck inventory from 91 days to 70, partly because of incentives and partly because of lower production for some models. GM has complained that early in 1999, it was short of popular light trucks, but by Dec. 1, several trucks had a high days' supply.
The situation was reversed as of Jan. 1. For instance, the GMC Sierra pickup went from 102 to 84 days; the Chevrolet Silverado from 78 days to 62; the GMC Jimmy from 84 days to 36; the Blazer from 87 to 50; the Oldsmobile Bravada from 80 days to 53.
Ford Motor Co. had a 67-day supply, up only slightly from 65 a month earlier. Its light-truck supply was 72 days, up from 70. The perennial industry best seller, the F-series pickup, had a 64-day supply, up from 60. The Windstar minivan was high, at 102 days, down from 121. The Mercury Villager minivan was higher still, at 132 days, down from 137.
DaimlerChrysler stocks were 71 days overall, down from 73. Its days' supply dropped for the month for the Plymouth Voyager, Chrysler Town & Country and the Dodge Caravan.
