Posted on 10/03/2019 10:59:03 AM PDT by Red Badger
Robert Loehr’s dealership is hanging in just fine, much like Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV’s sales did last quarter. But just as investors doubt the U.S. car market can sustain near-record results for much longer, the Georgia retailer is apprehensive about a key issue: sticker shock.
“Prices are crazy on cars nowadays -- all of them,” said Loehr, who sells Jeeps, Rams and other Fiat Chrysler models from a showroom northwest of Atlanta and has been in the business for 35 years. “They’re crazy to me, and I do it every single day, all day long.”
New Jeep Gladiators -- the truck version of the rugged Wrangler model -- can easily fetch $50,000 and are emblematic of a trend toward eye-popping prices carmakers are commanding for the pickups and sport utility vehicles making up an ever-greater share of their sales. Even as manufacturers and lenders increasingly stretch out auto loan terms to more than seven years and subsidize interest rates with incentives, average monthly payments keep climbing.
Affordability could become more of a risk if the mounting concern that the American economy is headed for recession ends up panning out. Those fears drove the benchmark S&P 500 down more than 2% on Wednesday, to the lowest since August. General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. shares slumped by even more.
The U.S. car market has probably reached the end of a great run, according to Brian Irwin, who leads the automotive and industrial practice for consulting firm Accenture. “It’s a step down from where we thought we would be a few months ago,” Irwin said in a phone interview. “I expect to see stronger incentives coming out.”
For more on U.S. auto sales, click here for Bloomberg’s TOPLive blog
(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...
Yep, the Taliban fleet needs an upgrade.
There are a number of smaller pickups sold around the world that aren’t sold in the US. 25% tariff.
https://blog.consumerguide.com/forbidden-fruit-5-small-pickup-trucks-americans-cant-buy/
“Toyota would do VERY well if they’d bring back their little pickups with zero bling.”
I bought a 4WD Toyota new in 1985. It was as basic as it gets, 5 speed, locking hubs, 2.4L straight 4 and a radio.
Best truck I ever owned. Bar none. And roughest riding. And you had to get it going to turn it.
I paid $5,800 cash...it was a price leader in an ad they thought nobody would ever want. NOTHING extra.
That same truck sells on the market today for $7,500. And it’s worth ever penny if the body is intact. They are simply unstoppable. 300,000 miles on the engine, transfer case/transmission was routine. And that’s if you didn’t change the oil lol
Everything can be replaced cheaply, as necessary.
The finest little truck mankind ever created.
That Z4 and my ST would make a great pair zipping around together. All we would need is a Mini Cooper to join (I know a young lady who has one), and we’d have a trio of street-legal go-karts!
Similar 1986 Nissan Hardbody for sale right here. 112k, original owner, 5 speed, never needed anything but the most basic maintenance. Did replace clutch last year.
That would be fine if the “bolt turners” weren’t coerced and even forced to join unions.
My first new car was a red 4-speed manual 1979 Ford Fairmont. $3688.00, $700.00 down. Looked like this, but without the whitewalls and all the fancy fender and door trim or vinyl roof. No a/c or power anything. Had to buy an AM radio.
Payments were $91.78 a month. That was like, a nickel!
My work truck is a ‘52 Chevy 3600 long bed. I have about $8500 in it for a frame off restoration.
It’s not a show truck, but a driver. I can haul a yard of gravel, building materials, logs, etc.
My heaviest load was around 2500 lbs.
It’s not fast, and there’s a lot of slamming gears.
I get more comments on it than I would driving a new pick-up.
I put very few
Miles on Vehicles
So 12 mpg won’t
Kill me.
At that price I'm guessing it was a Rubicon, which is optimized for off road use. It has a lot of invisible features that add to the cost like electronic disconnecting sway bars and locking front and rear axles.
If you want to buy the best production luxury sedans in the world, you're looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars. If you want the best, most capable production sports cars in the world, you're easily looking at millions.
Getting what is arguably the best, or at least one of the best, most capable production off road vehicles in the world for $65k is, by comparison, not that bad a deal.
How do you go from salvage title to drivable on the roads?
What % of current sticker for same truck?
Ill never buy another new truck. My 16 year old cummins pulled in 15 ton loads of hay through wet pasture and up the hill all day today and will go to town in comfort tonight.
Maintenance, two lift pumps and wheel bearings in 178,000 miles. Always garaged.
I wouldn’t trade it for a coupe deville.
My next daily driver will be my Cheyenne Super bought new in 72 running on a C body Roadmaster drive train after frame off body restoration.
I don’t even drive 6,000 miles a year anymore so new vehicles are not high on my needs list.
An honest truck.
I once heard a cowboy poet say...
“A pickup truck with electric windows is like blue jeans that zip up the side!”
Two vehicles took me through 25 years on active duty - a Bronco II and a Bronco. Made more on ‘do it yourself’ moves than the first one cost. Sold the Bronco after 20 years when it hit 200k miles.
In Texas to go from salvage title you just fix it, take it down to the regular annual vehicle inspection station and they have to fill out an extra form. You take that to the courthouse where you get your tags and they will issue you a “salvage “ title.
On newer vehicles that will definitely ding the resale value but if you plan to drive it until it gives up for good it’s a good deal if you can do the work or most of it yourself.
I have bought a bunch of stuff from Copart.com to fix and part out and recommend them.
The New Cars,,,
I Like Them.
The Corvettes are
Beyond Fabulous!
These “Naysayers”
Are Full of themselves.
I will have to look into it. Got one sitting right now. Drivable but not legal.
A lot of people love those old Broncos. I think there is even a company that does a “new” Bronco II kit. Ford has announced a new Bronco coming in 2020.
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