Q–What is allocation and why is it necessary? It’s been almost two months since we completed our order for a 2001 Chevrolet 2500HD truck, yet it’s still sitting on the salesman’s desk because the dealer hasn’t received his allocation from Chevrolet so he can send in the order. This is a rather expensive truck, and it seems Chevrolet would gladly fill such an order any time. D.P., St. Charles
A–Allocation means you expect to have more demand than supply. Because you plan to build only X number of vehicles and have X number of dealers to divide them among, each will be allotted just so many.
Chevy is bringing out a new heavy-duty truck line for 2001, the first remake of that lineup since the invention of the wheel, and with heavy demand and limited supply based on a traditionally slow ramp up of a new model, you are going to wait.
Chevy says the length of your wait will depend on whether you ordered a regular, extended or four-door Crew Cab, with the latter just going into production last week and generating the longest wait. Other factors affecting delivery are the choice of engine–gas or diesel–and, with winter coming, two-wheel-drive or the more popular four-wheel-drive.
What’s surprising is that the factory determines its build schedule based on customer orders so if the dealer doesn’t submit your order and others do the same, the factory may gear up to produce 50 trucks an hour when it needs to assemble 60 an hour. Your dealer needs to submit the order.
Dealers who have a history of moving the most hardware will receive more than those who have a history of moving the least hardware. Any dealer sitting on orders isn’t going to help his allocation, either.
What we suspect, however, is that often consumers complain their order should have been filled quickly because “after all, I didn’t order that many options and so it should be easy to build.”
You will find that customers who order bare-bones models are going to wait the longest before their order is placed and filled. If a dealer is going to get only 10 trucks a month, he would sacrifice potential profit making one of that allotment a low-profit cheapo. To avoid losing profit, he often loses the order instead.
Q–I pass a dealership on the way to work every day that has the new Aztek. The color seems to matter, with red ones looking pretty sharp, green ones seeming horrendous. V.J., Palos Hills
A–Agree. Though Pontiac says what also matters is that consumers want all-wheel-drive, and Aztek offers only front-wheel-drive until January.
Q–Where does Ford stand in offering a continuously variable transmission (CVT) for the Taurus? F.S., Aurora
A–Ford says no comment on product plans but admits it’s working on the technology, though not for the immediate future. Honda offers a CVT in the Civic HX, and Saturn will offer one in its 2002 SUV.
Q–I have a 1989 Dodge Colt with more than 170,000 miles. I’d buy another in a minute if available. I found out that Mitsubishi still makes the Colt but sells it in the British Isles but not here. Why? P.W., Watseka
A–Mitsubishi no longer makes Colt. Mitsubishi replaced it with Mirage, a bigger, quieter, peppier upgrade available in sedan or wagon.
Q–Perhaps if you gave your readers a compliment once in a while they wouldn’t be on your butt all the time. S.T., Round Lake
A–You’re right. Dear Readers: You all smell good.
Regarding the reader (Letters, Oct. 8) looking for Argent Enterprises and a plastic shield or pocket to attach vehicle stickers to the window without pasting them to make for easy removal, a number of readers called or e-mailed that a product can be obtained by contacting Windshield Relief at www.windshieldrelief.com or 312-409-9992.
Some, however, offered novel ideas:
Q–Here’s a trick I learned from my German father-in-law. Apply Chap Stick to the sticky side of the decal and put it on a clean windshield. The decal will stick as long as you want and can be peeled off when it expires or is no longer needed. Any grease-cutting solvent will remove leftover Chap Stick. A.M., Chicago
Q–Affix your vehicle sticker to a clear piece of plastic or plastic wrap. Trim and tape to lower right corner of windshield. I have been questioned about this before, but the law says I have to purchase and display a vehicle sticker for each auto, not that I have to ruin my windshield to comply. I always keep the application/receipt in the car to show that sticker number is assigned to that car. I’m a bottle blond and a lawyer. D.R., Chicago
A–Admitting to being a bottle blond and a lawyer? Isn’t that self-incrimination? To all those who replied, thank you. Oh, and you all smell good, too.
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Send questions about cars and trucks to Jim Mateja, Chicago Tribune, 700 N. Milwaukee Ave., Suite 135, Vernon Hills, IL 60061-1523, or send e-mail, including name and hometown, to jmateja@tribune.com.
