SAN DIEGO — Now that the pandemic is in the rear view mirror, local car dealers said they're seeing a boost in inventory after a three year global supply chain shortage.
Prospective buyers may see more cars on the lot at local dealerships, especially electric vehicles, since the shortage of semiconductor microchips is beginning to ease.
"The production for the factory has increased," said Manny Sedano, President of Sedan Automotive Group in La Mesa. The chips problem was semi fixed, but there are still delays in transportation."
"We've gotten a lot more inventory than last year which has afforded us to drop our pricing and the incentives have gotten better," he added.
He said it is best to pre-order your electric vehicle or car 1-5 months in advance.
"I think on the EV side, you will see more inventory on the lots; more so than anything. You will see that for the second half of the year; more inventory on the lots. And planning wise, it's best to find it online and come up and decide what you are looking for," said Sedano.
Across the United States, the top selling vehicle this year is the Ford F-series with more than 380,000 sold. Close behind is the Chevy Silverado, and the Ram Pickup. Toyota, Hyundai and Mazda also made the top 25 list according to CarAndDriver.com.
Right now, Sedano said a boost in inventory has not equated to an increase in car sales just yet. However, electric vehicles are selling in San Diego, with Tesla Model Y and Model 3 leading the way, according to the California New Car Dealers Association.
The report predicts 1.8 million vehicle registrations this year, the highest California has had since 2019.
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