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I was wondering when it will happen. Automakers are in a race to build boutique cars nobody can afford. America once prided itself for making the most affordable cars in the world. Get in line and ride the bus.
I bought a car a few weeks ago and almost needed to get drunk to go through with it. There aren’t many out there if you need one quick and what they do have is sticker price or marked up with no negotiation. For most of my life car lots were full, salesmen desperate to make a sale and buyers had all the power in the buying process. Different world now. Pretty soon the cheapest Civic or Corolla will be $30k with a waitlist.
I bought a car a few weeks ago and almost needed to get drunk to go through with it. There aren’t many out there if you need one quick and what they do have is sticker price or marked up with no negotiation. For most of my life car lots were full, salesmen desperate to make a sale and buyers had all the power in the buying process. Different world now. Pretty soon the cheapest Civic or Corolla will be $30k with a waitlist.
My daughter just bought a 2022 Grand Cherokee WK she paid over $45,000 dealers won’t haggle prices now. What you see on the sticker is what the price is.
I hate all the technology they've added, and all the cost that goes along with it.
The last vehicle I bought (2021) was a base model...not 1 option...& it was still packed with stuff I dont need, or want.
The auto media dishes out terrible ratings for new cars that are not packed with high tech, so that contributes to it.
Somebody needs to target the bottom 50% niche of car buyers w/ a cheap car that has very little technology, but is safe and dependable...no bells & whistles....like seldom-used sun/moon roofs.
Remember American Motors? Hornets, & Gremlins, ect.. all quite simple & solid. Our 1972 Gremlin cost $1,999...only option was a/c. My parents had it 15 years, & still sold it for $1,000. No mechanical issues at all.
Local Mitsubishi dealership has 3 Mirage sedans for $18 to $19 thousand on their website. Don’t know if it’s a markup. It does have the highest fuel economy of a gas powered only car and a long warranty. It’s neaest new vehicle competitors are the Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent, and Nissan Versa. All 3 with CVT, 4 cylinder engines, lower fuel economy, larger passenger and cargo capacity, and more comfortable ride. Buying new the only vehicle lower in price has 2 wheels, some less than $2,000 new. Wouldn’t be surprised if more people start riding bicycles or low dollar motorcycles (50 to 125cc) as their commuter vehicle. Saw one guy who literally converted his bicycle into a moped with a kit he ordered online.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Regardless of the prices, with the shortage of chips and shipping delays there are still not enough of them for the number of buyers. Our neighbor just bought a new Explorer, after visiting the 4th dealership to find one. Another neighbor just bought an F150, apparently not too concerned about gas prices.
Somebody needs to target the bottom 50% niche of car buyers w/ a cheap car that has very little technology, but is safe and dependable...no bells & whistles....like seldom-used sun/moon roofs.
Somebody did. It's called used cars. Unlike the '70s when a 5-10 year old car was worn out for the most part, even now a 10-20 year old car has life in it. Think about it, in 1973 when Hornets and Gremlins and Pintos and Vegas were being sold, a 10 year old car was a 1963. And a 20 year old car was a 1953. Just not appealing and not going to be a reliable transportation, nor fuel efficient (which is what Pintos and gremlins were supposed to be, competing with the new wave of Japanese cars). Nor were they considered stylish at that time (it would take another 15 years for '50s cars to be cool again). But today a 2002 Altima is a viable choice as a used car, as is a 2002 pickup truck. Or a 2002 Corolla. Reliable, basic cars with a lot of life left, usually. Would you consider a 2012 Corolla to be used up right now? It's 10 years old!
Entry level cars are now used cars. New cheap cars would compete with them and fall short, which is why manufacturers won't sell them. The volume isn't enough. And the margins are too slim. Look at Mitsubishi and the Mirage. Cheap and felt like it. And without the engineering budget, not dependable.
I hate all the technology they've added, and all the cost that goes along with it.
The last vehicle I bought (2021) was a base model...not 1 option...& it was still packed with stuff I dont need, or want.
The auto media dishes out terrible ratings for new cars that are not packed with high tech, so that contributes to it.
Somebody needs to target the bottom 50% niche of car buyers w/ a cheap car that has very little technology, but is safe and dependable...no bells & whistles....like seldom-used sun/moon roofs.
Remember American Motors? Hornets, & Gremlins, ect.. all quite simple & solid. Our 1972 Gremlin cost $1,999...only option was a/c. My parents had it 15 years, & still sold it for $1,000. No mechanical issues at all.
Problem is, very few people bought Hornets and Gremlins.
Good data. I found it most interesting that the biggest sellers are SUVs followed by Pickup Trucks. I'd be willing to bet that despite the current gas price spike 2022 will show the same.
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