Selling used SUV can hurt

The rising cost of gas has some New Yorkers cursing their SUVs, but when they sell them, they find out their value is in the tank.

The market for used gas guzzlers is falling at an alarming pace, according to experts. Although there are some tricks to getting the most out of your old wheels, dealers warn that you are likely to leave the lot disappointed.

“We can’t drop the book fast enough,” said Paul Radziszewski, who helps track used car prices at Galves Auto Price List.

Radziszewski offered two sobering examples: A 2005 Lincoln Navigator worth $21,500 in January is now listed at $15,800. The price of a 2005 Chevy Suburban fell $5,650 in the same amount of time.

Sales of used SUVs are down 31.8% this year, according to Autodata, leaving used car lots with a glut of guzzlers.

“Four years ago there was an SUV frenzy,” said Jonathon Baron, general manager of Car Cash, on 55th St. at 11th Ave. “Now they say, ‘Give me a fair price and you can have it.’ ”

If you have to sell in this market, experts advise taking your car to multiple dealers to get the best price.

Check the car’s value on Kelley Blue Book’s Web site, kbb.com, or compare what similar vehicles are selling for online.

Have the car cleaned, waxed and vacuumed, and remember, any small fixes can go a long way toward getting the best price from a dealer.

While the number of people searching for light trucks and SUVs on Autotrader.com dropped 30% in the past three months, there is still a market out there, said spokesman Mark Scott.

After all, for families with six kids, a compact car just doesn’t work, he said.

“For those that really need or want an SUV, it’s an awesome time to buy,” Scott said.

GM delays truck overhaul

General Motors Corp. has indefinitely put off plans to re-engineer a next generation of full-size pickups and SUVs amid plummeting sales of large trucks, the automaker said Wednesday.

Instead of overhauling big trucks like the Chevrolet Silverado pickup and GMC Yukon SUV in a few years, GM will save money and resources by improving on the current models launched in 2007. Delaying a remodel of the trucks also gives GM time to factor in the effects of new federal fuel economy mandates.

GM could save $250 million to $300 million by putting off that makeover for just one year, said analyst Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics LLP in Birmingham.

The next generation of full-size trucks was scheduled to go into production in 2013, according to GM’s labor contract with the United Auto Workers.

“We’re going to focus on improving the current trucks until we see where the market goes,” GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson said.

Sales of GM’s full-size pickups were down 24 percent last month compared with a year ago as consumers grappled with the reality of $4-per-gallon gasoline. Large SUV sales fell 51 percent for the same time period.

Industrywide, passenger cars outsold light trucks in the United States this spring for the first time in two decades, a trend that’s expected to stick around if not accelerate.

In response to the dramatic shift, GM last month announced plans to idle four North American truck factories as part of sweeping restructuring moves designed to move away from a traditionally truck-heavy portfolio. The automaker also is adding shifts at two car plants.

Move to aid development

The move to delay a major truck redesign likely frees up money and engineering talent that cash-strapped GM can spend to develop more fuel-efficient vehicles such as cars and crossovers. A total redesign typically takes four years.

GM has said it needs more and better passenger cars for the U.S. market. But money to develop new vehicles is tight. The automaker, which hasn’t turned a full-year profit since 2004, is burning cash, losing $3.3 billion in this year’s first quarter alone.

Full-size trucks, because they come in so many configurations, are typically the most costly and complex vehicles to redesign.

Hall said the automaker could use its resources to build vehicles that are in greater demand increasingly by fuel-conscious consumers. GM is looking at everything from battery powered cars to high-tech gasoline engines to deliver more miles per gallon.

“By delaying, you’re making more people available and now to these people will be working on more strategic programs,” he said.

GM, he said, also likely wants to hold off on new trucks until next spring when requirements of new corporate average fuel economy, or CAFE, mandates are finalized.

“This is being done to better use their resources in this time between now and CAFE,” Hall said.

Competition is tough

GM faces stiff competition in the shrinking pickup segment. Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC plan to launch new versions of the Ford F-150 and Dodge Ram pickups this year.

GM’s Wilkinson said the automaker is confident that the existing trucks can compete with other companies’ new models. Even without a total makeover of the platform, GM can change anything from the trucks’ powertrains to the interiors.

“Our intention is to remain a leader in the segment,” Wilkinson said.

2009 Infiniti FX50 and FX35

On sale June 24, all-new 2009 Infiniti FX luxury crossover SUV pricing will start at $40,950 for the FX35 RWD, step to $42,350 for the FX35 AWD, and reach $56,700 for the FX50 AWD.

The 2009 Infiniti FX is available in three models: FX50 AWD with a new 5.0-liter, 390-horsepower DOHC V-8 engine, and the FX35 AWD and FX35 RWD sharing a 3.5-liter, 303-horsepower DOHC V-6. Each engine is paired with a new, standard seven-speed automatic transmission that can be controlled via magnesium paddle shifters.

Based on the laudable FM platform, the new FX features an extensive list of available equipment and technology, such as available Continuous Damping Control and rear active steer. The most notable technology suite includes Distance Control Assist (DCA), a system that automatically applies the brakes to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle ahead, aiding urban driving. Other leading-edge safety systems include Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA), which provides forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, and a Lane Departure Warning/Lane Departure Prevention system, which as the name implies helps keep the vehicle in its travel lane.

Like the first-generation FX, the new FX looks to combine sport and luxury in an engaging, high-tech crossover vehicle.