Wisconsin Car Lots Are Deserted Due to Car Shortages

Jane Lu
· 3 min read
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Car shortages have been disrupting the auto industry and causing sky-high
car prices
. A car lot in Wisconsin was also impacted by shortages that left the lot vacant. In this case, chip shortages aren’t the only issue that’s making the Smart Toyota lot in Madison empty.
Jerry
can help you find cheap car insurance if you’re a driver in Wisconsin and want to save money while car prices increase. Here’s everything the Wisconsinites might want to know about this local dealership.

The Smart Toyota lot has never been this empty

Car dealerships are struggling with the current car shortage
As reported by
Spectrum News 1
, most dealership lots across
Wisconsin
(like Smart Toyota) are deserted. The computer chip shortage is impacting vehicle production and even starting to extend to home appliances and computers.
The Smart Toyota in Madison is located next to the Beltline that thousands of people see every day. Smart Toyota’s assistant general manager, Rob Jordan, said that in the 14 years he’s worked at the dealership, he’s never seen it this empty.
As people pass by the lot, they ask the employees whether they’re redoing the paint or the lot. They’re just out of cars. "Typically we have about 600 vehicles on the lot. Right now we're fluctuating right between 10 and 20. If we get to 20, it’s a good day," Jordan said.
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Smart Toyota has a different issue than chip shortages

MORE: Toyota Dominates the List of Vehicles That Can Run 200,000 Miles or More
However, the shortage of computer chips isn’t the only problem affecting the Smart Toyota lot. The
Texas
production plant for this dealership has enough chips, but in spring, the state had power issues.
Electricity outages in February left many Texans without power, and it seems that this might happen again in the summer, according to the
Texas Tribune
. The plant was shut down for several weeks and as a result, there isn’t enough foam to put in the seats for the cars.

How long are car shortages supposed to last?

MORE: These Cars are the Most American-Made of 2021
You could be waiting months to get the car you want. You might only have to wait one or two months if you’re not picky about the car details. On the flip side, if you want a specific color or option, you could be waiting for up to four months.
Jordan is hoping that the inventory will start increasing again in the fall and get back to normal levels in January or February of next year. He said that the best advice he can give right now, among rising car prices, is to wait and be flexible.
Not only are prices increasing for new cars, it’s trickling into the used car market, and used cars are also getting more expensive. You’ll probably be better off waiting to buy a car if you can.
In the meantime, if you’re looking to save money,
Jerry
can help you compare car insurance companies to get the best coverage for the best price. The free app will handle the phone calls, paperwork, and renewals for your top pick so that you don’t have to.

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