Is the Gladiator losing interest with buyers?

[Fungi3]

According to this data, Gladiator sales have taken a hit. This certainly can't help resale values.

Why Are Midsize Trucks Struggling to Sell Right Now? (motorbiscuit.com)

My 2 cents - During the past year the economy, value of the dollar, jobs, and people’s cash savings have gone down. Over $55,000 vehicle purchases are all down. The economy has dropped. Interest rates have gone way up. Vehicle lease amounts have gone up 41%. Gasoline has gone up 22% in past 3 months. The stock market, bonds, mutual funds are all down so much that people’s 401Ks are worth 33% less on average. Home values have gone down 15% on average since April 2023. All large and pricey luxury vehicle sales are down. Porsche way down in US. Only large volume fleet sales continue to sell through Oct 1st (fiscal year), when government budgets reset. Most people realize that another huge COVID wave and lockdown will hit in 3-8 weeks. Once that happens the economy will take another big hit. BTW, sales numbers of Gladiators are not current.Most reflect numbers from the interest and lease hits starting 4/23. Sales of Gladiators in last 90 days are up 14%. Resale of ALL vehicles are highly volatile like out stock market and economy. Suggest focusing on the amazing fun, utility, convertible top, snow and mud traction, etc. STILL nothing like it. Even when Toyota puts lipstick on the pig (assembled in Mexico) or the Ridgeline (assembled in Mexico), or the Bronco (it’s a ford).

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[Rusty Shackleford]

Why are they building so much in your area? Who's moving to Idaho and why?

It’s basically all of the people who are sick of California. Same thing is happening in Washington state and many other places across the US. Obviously not just California, we are getting many people from different parts of the country for many reasons. Californians seem to be the largest in number though so they are the default answer. Also, the secret is finally out about Idaho and Boise is truly a great place. Remote work made it possible to live in an area that you would normally just vacation to.

P.S. Go Buckeyes! I am NE Ohio born and raised but was lucky to escape.

 

[AZDawg]

I think its more of a macro issue than just the Gladiator as others have said. I also think the car industry is in for a large correction as a result of those macro forces. Who in the hell can keep buying at these prices? Its not sustainable. I am toying with the idea of getting my first Gladiator and I'm hoping find a good deal on a slightly used model.

ps -Go Dawgs (sorry Buckeyes)

 

[GladiatorNate]

I was toying with the idea of switching to a used Rubicon Wrangler. I found a nice one, but the dealership would only give me $35k for my 2020 Overland (I paid $48k). Actually not a bad offer these days, but they also said they didn't really want the Gladiator because they just don't sell. Their dealership software gave the Gladiator a 'D+' rating in terms of sales/profit. Might just be keeping it

 

[ChrisNLA]

Personally I think the JT is a very niche market. If I wanted a mid size truck to just use as a truck and not modify I would have went with a Tacoma. I am a Wrangler guy and got rid of my JL for this. I am also a "truck" person, this fills all requirements.

I don't think the JT is as niche as folks think. It sure is expensive though, compared to other offerings - I feel like that's what causes a lot of the 'niche'ness.

I actually cross shopped the (then current, now previous model) Tacoma with the Gladiator. Aside from the fact that you simply couldn't get a Tacoma at the time, I would have gotten an antiquated engine and transmission (3.5L Atkinson and a 5 speed auto) - that during a test drive, felt even more anemic than a Gladiator. My Max Tow has superior performance from the drivetrain and a roomier back seat.

Not to mention you can't truly order a truck from Toyota. You tell them what you want and they *might* try and find something coming off the assembly line that is close and then get it to you.

My Gladiator is exactly my spec and was to me in two months to the day from date of order submission.

That's just my opinion though. Others will vary.

Now - with the other truck manufacturers offering more horsepower, etc - I may not be in a Gladiator forever. I don't need solid axles, and I don't care if the roof or doors come off.

 

[RubiAR]

Just wait until the federal government withholds state funding until the respective states cave to EV mandates. And if people think it won't happen, just reminisce on how seatbelts, drinking age and smoking age came to be

 

[halsjeep]

Waiting for the 2024 refresh.

 

[AmosMoses]

P.S. Go Buckeyes! I am NE Ohio born and raised but was lucky to escape.

Ohio isn't the most exciting state but I would consider it an upgrade over Washington or any other state close to California where Californian's are moving to.

 

[Uparms]

Maybe they never really caught on, but who cares.

One of my recurring thoughts is how soon before Stellantis losses interest in Gladiators????

 

[lotecredneck]

The Toyota FJ Cruiser comes to mind here... the sales dropped off the charts after the initial launch and just kept falling. Then Toyota announced the decision to discontinue it and the sales went through the roof and the used market went crazy! I just sold my '07 for almost what I paid for it used in 2010. I traded an '07 Rubicon JK for it.

That's what drove me to the Gladiator. I like something that is not like the mainstream offerings. Perhaps if Jeep discontinues it at some point, I will find myself in the same position as the one I was in with the FJ.

~Tony

 

[sharpsicle]

The Toyota FJ Cruiser comes to mind here... the sales dropped off the charts after the initial launch and just kept falling. Then Toyota announced the decision to discontinue it and the sales went through the roof and the used market went crazy! I just sold my '07 for almost what I paid for it used in 2010. I traded an '07 Rubicon JK for it.

That's what drove me to the Gladiator. I like something that is not like the mainstream offerings. Perhaps if Jeep discontinues it at some point, I will find myself in the same position as the one I was in with the FJ.

~Tony

How much did you sell it for? The dollar in 2010 was significantly stronger than it is today, so unless you sold it for $1,400 for every $1,000 of initial purchase price, it's still a depreciation. Not knocking the sale price, still good, just not worth the same. Inflation's a bitch.

 

[lotecredneck]

How much did you sell it for? The dollar in 2010 was significantly stronger than it is today, so unless you sold it for $1,400 for every $1,000 of initial purchase price, it's still a depreciation. Not knocking the sale price, still good, just not worth the same. Inflation's a bitch.

I never said it appreciated in price! I stated that I sold it for close to what I paid. I bought it for $20k and sold it for $16K 13 years later. That equates to $308 a year in depreciation which is incredibly low all things considered. I don't look at inflation, I only compare it to what I actually paid. If you go back to pre COVID times and look, you will see that the FJ actually surpassed the Wrangler as having the best resale value percentage wise to original cost.

COVID changed that for a while and some vehicles appreciated at an alarming rate. I sold a '16 Corvette that I bought in 2018 for $36,500. I sold that car in 2021 for $55,000, but that sale was not due to the car being discontinued, but driven by incredibly dumb monetary actions by our government.

~Tony

 

[Timoleon]

I sold my 2008 Trail Teams (FJCruiser) for more than what I paid for it. As for the Gladiator, it may be a "niche" truck, but I would bet that if Stellantis decided to sell Gladiators with that V-8 that is in the Wrangler, just about everyone one here that has a Gladiator would be looking at every option they could to "upgrade". I know I would!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I sold my 2008 Trail Teams (FJCruiser) for more than what I paid for it. As for the Gladiator, it may be a "niche" truck, but I would bet that if Stellantis decided to sell Gladiators with that V-8 that is in the Wrangler, just about everyone one here that has a Gladiator would be looking at every option they could to "upgrade". I know I would!

That's a problem with forum Jeep people. They project their wishes and assume that "everyone would".
You know that FCA has already done the market research into a V8. The demand isn't huge contrary to what a few on forums insist.
It's like a certain former member insisted - "most Jeep owners modify............" and that's just not true.
(My brother a good example - he's owned countless Jeeps over the decades, since the 1980s - almost everything from the CJ5 and 7 on up and still has a Wrangler today that he had imported to Iowa from Maine. He's never modified a single one of them - just keeping them up and current0
You can bet it's a fact that a few would look for the V8, but not "just about everyone here" would.
There's a whole lot of us who would not, and also could not afford that sort of a change. You are talking serious money for a V8 Wrangler - now project that to a JT and see where you are - likely about 90K MSRP.
Wow, I'm not about to double my costs just to have a V8 I don't need and really don't even want.
People assume too much. If it was such a huge demand, then for the small cost of what it takes to have the pros install a hemi in these existing trucks, most of us would have already done it AND had less invested than if we bought it that way from Jeep.
Just like most Jeep owners don't even do the upgrades quite a few here do, most would still buy the V6.
Forums are not even close to representative of the mainstream buying public.
Look at the threads here where people are not only happy with, but showing off their stock or mostly stock JTs.
No way I'm doubling my "investment" just for the growl of a V8. Why would I?

 

[Uparms]

I don't think the JT is as niche as folks think. It sure is expensive though, compared to other offerings - I feel like that's what causes a lot of the 'niche'ness.

I actually cross shopped the (then current, now previous model) Tacoma with the Gladiator. Aside from the fact that you simply couldn't get a Tacoma at the time, I would have gotten an antiquated engine and transmission (3.5L Atkinson and a 5 speed auto) - that during a test drive, felt even more anemic than a Gladiator. My Max Tow has superior performance from the drivetrain and a roomier back seat.

Not to mention you can't truly order a truck from Toyota. You tell them what you want and they *might* try and find something coming off the assembly line that is close and then get it to you.

My Gladiator is exactly my spec and was to me in two months to the day from date of order submission.

That's just my opinion though. Others will vary.

Now - with the other truck manufacturers offering more horsepower, etc - I may not be in a Gladiator forever. I don't need solid axles, and I don't care if the roof or doors come off.

Roomier front seat and "entrance headroom " too over the Taco. If you don't lift it you will be banging....

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