Are GM and Chrysler stuffing the channel?

There are indications that General Motors and Chrysler, in an effort to make their sales figures look better to the Feds, are using incentives to push car dealers to accept unrealistic shipment levels. If so, this is classic channel-stuffing.

AutoNation, the largest dealership chain, is resisting:

GM and Chrysler "have implemented wholesale incentive programs where they basically say to get the incentives for the inventory you want, you have to buy more inventory," AutoNation Chief Executive Mike Jackson said Thursday in a conference call to discuss fourth-quarter financial results.

"I think this is the wrong thing to do," Jackson said. "We are not playing that game."

[...]

"The channel is full, and they are trying to stuff more in," he said.

The manufacturers want dealers to order as many cars as they did last year, but AutoNation is forecasting a 24% sales decrease.