The good news is cars last longer, assuming you take care of them. But eventually, maintenance gets expensive.
Average Age of Cars Keeps Rising
The Wall Street Journal reports Americans’ Cars Keep Getting Older—and Creakier
There have never been as many on the road—around 290 million light vehicles—and they have never been so old. One reason for that is good news: They are better made. Getting the odometer past 100,000 miles has gone from being noteworthy to normal. Thirty years ago the average passenger car was about 8.4 years old and today that is 13.6 years.
Less good: Pinched by inflation, higher interest rates and supply-chain woes, Americans just haven’t been buying as many new vehicles lately. The four-year rolling average of annualized sales is about 15.5 million, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. On the eve of the Covid-19 pandemic it was 17.7 million.
In late May, shares of tire chain Monro plunged 12% when it said that adjusted same-store sales had dropped sharply during its 2024 fiscal year. Management explained that the poor results were “primarily driven by a strained low-to-middle income consumer that traded down to tires at opening price points” amid a glut of cheap, off-brand imports. Customer spending on services like brakes and shocks fell even more.
Then in September shares of Genuine Parts, owner of Napa auto-supply stores, crashed by more than a fifth—their biggest-ever one-day drop in decades on the stock market—following disappointing third-quarter results. Sales to commercial buyers were decent, but those to retail customers fell significantly. Chief Executive William Stengel told investors that this was “driven by continued cautious end consumer who’s deferring certain service and maintenance-related purchases.”
And just weeks ago Valvoline, which provides quick, affordable oil changes, sounded a cautious tone, helping to send its shares down by nearly 9%. One might have expected more business to come its way when consumers are cost-conscious, but the knock-on effect of weak sales elsewhere hit them too. CEO Lori Flees later wrote in an email that “we are seeing some of those providers (such as tire service centers) promote discounted oil changes to drive traffic, as consumers are deferring or trading down those providers’ core service.”
There is evidence from dollar stores and food companies of penny-pinching by lower-income households too, but choosing a no-name tire is different than switching to store-brand mac and cheese—it could be penny wise, pound foolish. For example, one national discount tire chain offers an “Entry” level tire, with no brand name specified, that would fit a Ford Explorer for $149.99. Its warranty is good for just 40,000 miles. A Goodyear tire fitting the same vehicle costs $254 but has a warranty for 60,000 miles, plus other quality and safety advantages.
How Will Trump Address This?
Taxing imports from Mexico could add 25 percent to car parts and even more on tires from Asia.
The same applies to underwear, motorcycles, and toys.
Cheap tires are no bargain. But they are better than tires with no tread at all.
Regardless, the car you are driving will eventually go. At some point maintenance and repairs cost much more than a car is worth.
A Lose-Lose Proposition
In response to my article Trump’s Proposed Tariffs Are a Tax on Consumers, Primarily the Poor I received sever reader comments that are worth discussing.
One of my readers commented: “So it’s OK for other countries to put tariffs on us, but not ok for us to put tariffs on them? Got it.”
For starters I never proposed I agreed with tariffs other countries place on the US. So right off the bat it’s a silly comment.
Moreover, the logic translates to “But mom, Susie did it too.”
To which my mom would reply: “If Susie jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?”
The fact is, China’s export subsidies are a direct benefit to US consumers at the expense of Chinese consumers.
Chinese taxpayers are subsidizing US consumers and we complain. Trump and Biden effectively say “I insist we pay more.”
Should Anyone Care Whether Underwear Is Produced in the US or China?
On November 22, I asked Should Anyone Care Whether Underwear Is Produced in the US or China?
This ridiculous-looking question gets to the heart of tariff discussions.
Trump makes no distinction between strategic items and underwear. To him, exports are good and imports are bad.
Meanwhile ….
China Halts Rare Exports Used by US Technology Companies and the Military
On December 3, I commented China Halts Rare Exports Used by US Technology Companies and the Military
This is China’s advance salvo at Trump tariffs. It comes one day after the Biden administration expanded curbs on the sale of advanced American technology to China.
The US is not focused on the the real trade war that looms. We are too busy focused on underwear and tires.
Might I suggest we address strategic items instead of underwear?
IMHO there is soon coming a time when a refurbished 200,000 mile car will be more saleable at $10,000 than a new car at $50 – $60,000…
Just wait until 2026 when new cars have government mandated kill switches!
Who is going to buy that?
Why would anyone spend their hard earned money on a car the government can shut off?
Fuel powered cars aren’t the problem. It’s the price has gone way over what the American taxpayer can afford to pay. Salaries have not risen the same rate as inflation and now you can not only notice but feel the pennies pinching your pocket. Most of our high paying jobs and companies have left our Country. There’s only so much one can afford with a minimum wage job. I use to keep a car for 11 years now it will have to be 20. We have to take better care of the high price items and get mileage out of our purchases. Also bringing more robots into the work place will only hurt the minimum wage market leaving many without a jobs. What will the human race do when there are no more blue collar jobs? Since we are using fiat monopoly money we’ll have to have a free basic income without working for it. Robotics will destroy capitalism in the future. Since robots will do everything for us we’ll have more time to sit back and watch TV or play stupid video games.
“Cars last longer.” HA, that’s a joke. My 2012 Ford F-150 Platinum just blew it 305L Ecoboost engine at 238K miles. Timing chain went out and took the rest of the engine with it. I have a 1997 Explorer Eddie Baurer with the old 5.0L/302cu in V8 with 498K miles on it and the engine has never been into. Only synthetic oil and Napa Gold filters, same are the F-150. One water pump. One trans & Transfer case. I looked up the longevity of the new engines and they only expect 200K-300K. So, where’s all this lasting longer???
Q: What is the long term result of any country that continuously imports more than it exports? A: Poverty, effectively becoming owned by those the country gladly bought from. Over the short term tariffs are quite painful, especially to the people that can afford it the least. Over the long term tariffs promote local manufacturing. As long as local manufacturing can become competitive enough to support export of the manufactured goods then it will result in an overall more prosperous society.
From 1800 to 1870, the U.S. ran a trade deficit for all but three years, and the trade balance averaged about –2.2% of GDP
I believe we survived. But even if you were correct, tariffs cannot possibly fix the problem.
It is a result of two things: No gold standard and second having the world’s reserve currency
“Chinese taxpayers are subsidizing US consumers and we complain.”
With good reason. They are making things cheaper for US consumers, so that they can make all the decisions about what products to make, how, how many, whether to sell them to the US or anyone else, etc.
For a country supposedly so in love with freedom, you have sold a lot of your choices to China.
The retail industry is addicted to cheap imports otherwise they would literally be priced out of business. Those Christmas trinkets you buy for your grandchildren would still be sitting on their shelves, priced out of the middle class budgets.
My 1998 Jeep Cheokee has 422,000 miles on it. Bought it with 158,000 miles.It runs like a new car, and is simple to repair. As I do most of the service myself, maintenance averages $200/mo. I got an erector set for Christmas when I was 5 and never looked back. As for underwear, I go commando to keep expenses low. The girls don’t seem to mind.
You exemplify the short-sighted stupidity of the American consumer. I WANT JOBS HERE IN THE USA! I will gladly pay more and avoid buying cheap crap from Communist China! The USA would be in far better economic shape if it were not for the likes of people just like you. I have often been critical of your opinions over the years. This article is new affirmation that I’ve often been correct. I say to you and your fellow Walmart/Amazon consumers; leave and don’t let the door hit you in the ass!
You might be stupid enough to pay more, but the average person spoke up on inflation.
But unless you really don’t give a damn about prices, most likely you will bitch like everyone else
I’m retired. My second car is a 2005 SUV that I drive about 6,000 miles a year, mostly around town and for the occasional fishing trip while I pull my boat. It has 160,000 miles on it and I spent $500 last year to maintain it. The body is well preserved and it has newish tires, battery, etc.
Why would I buy a quickly depreciating asset for $60k to replace it?
Insurance is cheaper. Registration is cheaper. When gas hits $5.00 a gallon…no payment takes the sting out. I’m retired. My second car is a 2008 truck that I drive about 6,000 miles a year, mostly around town. It has 176 K miles .
Wrong article is wrong.
Automakers shifted to selling fewer and higher priced vehicles during the pandemic. This is the hangover period because they’re being too slow to adjust to changing market conditions.
If you don’t like it, let more companies that like selling cheap cars into the market. Or just wait for the market to fix itself.
Or lease an EV. With the subsidies, EV leases are super cheap. Daily drive the cheap EV, keep your good car pristine.
Cars last longer now but repairs are much more costly and often you need a dealer who has access to all the computers. Car makers only have to carry spare parts for 10 years. After that, finding parts is difficult. All the electronics make figuring out the problem often difficult. Basically, you are being forced to buy a new car every 10 years or lease. There is a reason an 1990 Ford F150 still has great resale value.
Last week i was driving in Glendale and saw 3 Cybertrucks in about 5 minutes. Each a different color. Black, metallic and for the first time, red. My transporter is 24 yrs old w/67K 5,280 ft. increments.
I correspond with the WSJ author sometimes, he’s a really sharp guy. I agree with the conclusion, auto repair stocks are a good bet for a Trump admin.
Sounds like your knickers are in a twist.
How about just getting a better trade deal than the “Most Favored Nation” status that China has been enjoying for decades? I recently read (perhaps here) that China is still considered an emerging market by the WTO, even though they’re the second largest economy in the world. How does one justify #2 as “emerging?” Because their stupid oligarchy-driven political system still keeps rural people in poverty?
JOBS PEOPLE ❗️
WE WANT JOBS IN AMERICA!
Everyone can’t work at Walmart.
Somebody has to support the economy with a basic productivity.
I’m doing my part as a mfg supervisor. 6 days one week, 7 the next. It’s oki if i’m not working for any amount of time i’m drinking lol.
Robots are going to take all the jobs.
“Should Anyone Care Whether Underwear Is Produced in the US or China”?
YES, YES you should.
It’s called NATIONALISM ❗️
No one likes to pay high prices.
Everybody likes a “GoodDeal”.
Tariffs allow native (AMERICAN COMPANIES) to compete.
Industry allows, creates good middle class jobs.
Have you ever studied 19 Century industrialization?
Industrial jobs make middle class society possible.
As far as raw resources go,
AMERICA LACKS NOTHING ❗️
Mr Saturday Night Special
And American-made boxer shorts will get the factory owner out on the course by 11.
ain’t good for nothin’
kept put a man 6 feet in the hole
The average age of older Americans themselves is increasing.
And they can’t afford that maintenance either.
The average age of older Americans themselves is increasing.
And they can’t afford that maintenance either.
Autos are amazing machines . I stay with Honda and Toyota these are relatively easy to work on the 3.5 engines they have put in those over the years will go 200 k plus most good ice cars will go a hundred k 10 years with little or no problems . Change fluids and fillters pads and thats about it . Buy used pay them off and learn how to service them . The freedom a car gives you is worth something and I would pay a pretty good amount to keep it . If I had to leave for a emergency I could be in my car and on my way in 1 hour notice to go 800 miles in 1 day if need be and ride in comfort and really only needing 1 stop for gas. I think most people reallize the freedom a car gives you is valuable
Has anyone noticed the price of gasoline has dropped like 25% since Trump was elected ? I am pretty sure he had a deal in place with OPEC and the Oil lobby.
It was being lowered for Harris to be relected.
Price is already going up.
World oil demand reflects slowing world economy. no conspiracy here
According to Cox Automotive, U.S. auto sales in November 2024 hit a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 16.5 million, 6.7% increase from November 2023, the strongest pace in over three years.
Reasons are, pent-up demand, better loan rates, financing deals, rising inventory levels that lead to deeper discounts. Trump’s proposed tariffs.
http://www.coxautoinc.com/news/cox-automotive-forecast-nov-2024-u-s-auto-sales-forecast/
According to J.D. Power, consumers will spend $50 billion on new vehicles in November, 13.7% increase from a year ago, the highest November on record.
Average price $45,471.
http://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/jd-power-globaldata-automotive-forecast-november-2024
In regards to importing underwear. Do you want underwear from China where the cotton is picked by slave Uighur labour? Do you want underwear that might be made from recycled cotton? Outrage in China right now as it was discovered that many sanitary pads were filled with recycled cotton and other recycled material including fibres sourced from discarded cigarette butts. Many women got UTIs from these pads.
Melamine in milk, tainted toothpaste, poisonous dog food, gutter oil in food, adulterated honey, counterfeit aircraft spares and so on. At least locally sourced goods have a better chance of not being tofu dregs.
Also, don’t forget that human drivers will not be allowed on the road once autonomous cars become common because humans will screw up all the networking and optimization that autonomous cars will be doing between themselves.
Everyone will call for rides from fleet cars through services like Uber/Lyft/etc. Your cost savings should be greater than owning a car (a least for a while).
This will throw a big wrench into the auto insurance, auto advertising, auto maintenance, auto financing and more businesses.
This is because they are both trying to cater blue collar workers and kowtow to unions.
But remember that unions cover only 6% of private workers. Unions make a lot of noise but in truth, wield little power in terms of voting, so I fail to understand why politicians still focus on them.
WFH since the pandemic, I went from driving 12 to 15000 mls a year down to 3 to 5000. Perhaps that’s why car service shops are getting fewer customers, even as they keep the maintenance schedule, as do I.
Well well well….who here was warning about soaring costs for car ownership (same for home ownership)? When there was a big debate about EV or ICE, I said it was a false choice, the best choice is no car and adjusting your lifestyle to “live within your village” and I was mocked.
Here is a link to a comment from 7 months ago….and there are plenty of others if you look.
https://mishtalk.com/economics/auto-and-home-insurance-maintenance-costs-soaring-and-people-are-angry/
These inflationary costs will only get worse no matter who is in office because all of these costs are driven by ever increasing labor and goods charges. You know the drill, millions of experienced boomers are retiring so who is going to back fill?
So is it starting to sink in yet? We are entering a new post industrial-geriatric paradigm where there won’t be enough labor to do all the work that needs to be done. Not for fixing cars, not to fix water mains, fly airplanes, do surgeries, etc. This will lead to an inflationary hell for most people.
Wait till Tariff Man jumps into the pilot’s seat and makes the costs of auto parts soar and kicks out the slave labor mechanics. You reap what you sow…..
By the way, I’m still waiting on robots and AI to fix this….
I managed to live for a couple years with no car, it was pretty awesome. No costs, no parking issues, no traffic to deal with, and I was in the best shape of my life. I still only drive about once a week because I need to go into town for groceries.
I saved thousands each year after ditching the car: insurance, maintenance, tolls, parking, car washes, inspections, taxes, and occasional tickets for parking or speeding.
Here are my alternatives:
Of course only works if you’re in a big city with all the bells & whistles, won’t work for rural or remote areas.
I gotta agree. Ever since the butler suggested sending the second chauffeur to forestry school instead of hiring another gardener and using delivery services instead I’ve been saving a ton of money. Been thinking of doing something like this about that other pilot.
Yeah-I rode my bike to work and used it for errands. I love cycling and saved a ton of money. Unfortunately, big fat American would rather buy cheap tires and risk his life in his 20 year old rattle trap.
And you can always borrow your wife’s car 🙂
Learn how to turn a wrench if you have the room, the funds for tools, and the willingness to learn (and make mistakes along the way). I acknowledge that not everyone can do that, but labor is the biggest portion of the cost of repairs. I’ve saved myself thousands of $ by doing car and home repair/maintenance myself. 50-60 years ago it used to be this way, I suspect that the DIY mentality will return out of necessity.
Most cars are computers now and you cant really fix most issues with them. Sure, brake pads and an oil change for ICE is doable but for EVs, it’s much harder.
There is also an ongoing debate and litigation around the DCMA for tools that interface with modern cars.
https://www.autobodynews.com/news/legal-remedies-penalties-prescribed-for-noncompliant-automakers-in-maine-right-to-repair-draft
Data! Data! Data! and it doesn’t look good for car ownership, hasn’t for over a decade now.
Most people still have ICE vehicles, and will continue to have ICE vehicles for the foreseeable future.
Brake pads, oil changes, and coolant flushes can all be done by a DIYer for cheap.
Consumers can buy diagnostic computers that easily plug into the universal OBD port on all ICE vehicles to easily diagnose problems. They come in a variety of models with the more expensive modela providing the user with more detailed data. They can be purchased on Amazon.
But it is really hard to do a DIY replacement of brake calipers outside in the North in the Winter. Car ownership does not insure garage ownership.
That’s why I said “if you can”.
And just because something is hard or uncomfortable doesn’t mean it can’t be done or shouldn’t be done. I’ve worked outside in freezing temps before. It does suck ass, but it’s doable in a pinch. It’s all about what you make of it. Mindset matters. A negative mindset ensures failure and misery.
Excellent retort!
Ride your bike. My guess is you can stand to lose a little weight and there are no calipers on bikes.
Yes, I do need to lose a lot of weight.
And both of my bikes have brake calipers front and back.
And all the calipers do need new rubber pads.
Easy DIY.
The higher price of car parts is said to be the main reason why people don’t want to keep their car. But many car repair costs are dominated by the amount of the Labour required.. Recently had a leaking oil sensor on our motor, The part was $40 dollars but the labour cost to repair this difficult to remove part was $500. Some parts are easy and quick to replace and some need plenty of labour. Anyway labour costs varies widely depending on the type of auto repair.
Good article! People are also driving less, many still out of the office. I plan my trips and saved a lot of high priced gas! My wife is too and we are saving about $200 a month. Also many people cannot afford to drive! My last 2000 Toyota had 461,000 miles on it! I got it in 1999 and drove till 2022! I did not service the Trans for ten yrs and it was going out!! To everybody’s surprise it is still on the road, after he fixed the transmission!!! Going to be 25 years old! I bought a new Subaru and I love it.Toyota now owns about 25% of Subaru! It get 25% more mileage! Probably my last car! My cars have always been garaged, it Doubles their life, best Fuels and top Synthetic oil throughout too!
PS My transmission is on my service schedule!
I would have stuck with Toyota. Subarus don’t last as long.
Unfortunately our politicians are interested in solving immediate problem and not to find a long term solution.
For that you need a long term view and not an election cycle strategy
On January 1st 2025 the wise (sarc) state of Washington will not allow F-250’s, Silverado s at 3/4 ton ratings and all class C motor homes to be sold so the state can comply with their mandate to achieve EV singularity in the state. This follows the very wise (sarc) state of Kalifornication’ s edicts in the same vein. I wonder where this government overreach will lead us. All Hail a double 5 Chevy with a 283 and 2 speed automatic!! Yeah… 2 ply tires. 4barrel carb. And 23 cents per gallon for gas ⛽️.
A shame, since eastern WA is mostly farms.
Cars are a lot better than they used to be, so this isn’t surprising. They used to be done at 100k.
200K is the new 100K as my mechanic once said.
And like everyone else, I drive less but i still love my day trips to anywhere.
Lease.
I have a 1997 Toyota 4Runner. It has 330,000 miles on it. Compression is at factory standards. Whats the point? Registration goes up, mileage has really changed between the years of 4Runners and I don’t want an electric. Most newer cars are heavier due to all the safety stuff and goo-gahs. And all the connectivity these machines have means you are being tracked everywhere you go. The sightlines suck on newer cars to boot. Just change the oil every 3-5000 miles and that takes away most maintenance issues right there.
Just wait until EV owners have to pay for maintenance on their highly automated EV car. Whoo Boy, they will be in for a surprise
What maintenance? I’ve got one with 70k. Have replaced only the tires. I imagine the brakes will need done eventually, and the battery will be shot at 200k, but by then batteries will be better and cheaper. Even if they aren’t, and I junk the car, I’ll have saved enough on gas to buy another one.
Most of the fiddly bits on the car are solid state.
Regenerative braking saves on pads too.
Most people are running on three year old information when it comes to EVs. It’s a fast moving field so I don’t blame them.
My associate had EV, bragging all the time. Had a small fender bender, cost over 19,000 to repair, insurance totaled it, lost 10,500 to depreciation. Bought new Honda hybrid
Most get rid of them before they have to start fixing them. The car lots around here are full of used EVs.
“If Susie jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?”
yes.
TikTok proves it.
Susie’s Mom told her to.
Autozone (AZO} : 3,310
Of course, it does not help that the car maintenance business has become a major scam. Places like Midas, and everyone else, overcharge both for labor and especially parts.
I have a car with 160,000 miles on it (and 2 more newer cars). It still runs fine, everything works, has 4×4, etc. The tires are fine, but let’s say it needed new ones. Why would I put $260 Goodyear’s on it when I could get $150 Chinese tires? The odds that it will get to 200,000 miles before a major repair comes along that exceeds the value of the vehicle are slim. It is a Ford, after all. At this point I am just running it until it dies. Every mile is free at this point, it doesn’t owe me anything. But it isn’t worth repairing either. Oil changes and minor repairs only, for as long as it lasts.
However I am not particularly eager to replace it either. A new Ford Explorer is north of $60,000, probably more with leather seats and a sunroof and third row seating and all that, but I cannot get a V-8 or a real frame on body design in a new Explorer. I do use this vehicle to tow. I would have to probably go to a truck, but those aren’t cheap either, and I don’t trust those tiny turbocharge engines that seem to be the norm these days to last very long.
So that is also part of the problem. EPA mandates have made versatile vehicles that can both ride the kids to soccer and pull a trailer occasionally impossible to find outside the truck world, and even then they cost an arm and a leg. Thus, people who have a V8 and a frame aren’t particularly eager to trade them in. Yes, the gas mileage is a factor, but I can buy a lot of gas for $60,000. And it’s not like the new Explorer doesn’t use any gas. And the tiny turbo motors, lightweight drivetrains, etc. just don’t last like the older ones did. The trannies are falling out of them as soon as they go off warrantee. That has to be part of the cost of ownership calculation as well, unless you trade in every less than 5 years. But the resale price is going to take a hit to reflect that the new cars are not made to last past warranty as well.
It use to be you got a 2 year warrantee, which would be long enough to discover any manufacturing defects or design flaws, but the car would go 150,000 miles before it was junkyard salvage. Now the cars are worthless the day the warrantee expires. The main reason they have 5 year warrantees is so they can get financing, as when the CVT transmission fails the car is junk and not worth fixing.
I have a new Ford Maverick. Its nice and all but I had 10 recalls on it. All stupid ECU and computer/sensor flaws. All these 50cent sensors take down your computer and your car. And the sensors are all BS to boot. Seatbelt sensor talks to airbag sensor which talks to crash sensor.
But the sensors are only $100.
Each.
And if you install and calibrate them yourself.
I buy tires online at Tire Rack and have them shipped locally to be mounted and balanced.
bite the bullet – fast and effective (as in now and total) zero trade with china and in less than a year fairness will prevail. china is a tribal house of card and a trade ban 100% will also benefit the mass suppression and quite possibly rearrange the government to be more citizen oriented (lessen the red guard elite). weak policies only produce negative effects.
You mean the US of A, don’t you?
It all started in 1970 when the productivity line and the wages lines separated. Before 1970 the rich boys in WW2 foxholes would be ok with paying the poor boys in the foxholes. Then they all started to die off. Now the rich see everyone, poor and the middle, to be the enemy, and this is a result of one side wanting to keep it all.
Japanese cars improved the average. American cars still suffer controlled demolition at about 10 years. Sadly, the Japanese have learned that they just have to keep a little ahead of the competition.
As for underwear, when times are tough its commando time.
It’s ALWAYS commando time!
Mish, Mish, Mish, any criticism, real or imagined, of the Grand Golem of Greatness warrants being pecked to death by your peanut gallery. You’re not a “Team” player. What…are you a Commie?? You hate America?? <sarc> Seriously, Trump’s tariffs can be a big problem. Tariff carefully the national security/defense and strategically important imports/businesses. Making my PT Cruiser Lower Control Arms from Mexico a bunch more expensive won’t get them made here…not when the dimmest bulb worker is mandated 25-30 dollars an hour in total compensation. Oh, and learning to repair your vehicles is smart in sketchy times. Trump has a lot on his plate, I hope he does well, but being the reserve currency almost guarantees you end up being a big importer.
Usual WSJ drivel … Goodyear must be joining Parma buying ads.
For fun: Tire manufactures be like (Duff Beer):
https://imgflip.com/i/9cwkdf
For real: Typical warranty expires after 4 years; so >15Kmi/yr to be worthwhile.
Then pro-rated for mileage and you must have “even” tread ware. Do we have an objective safety metric that no-names perform poorly on?
Any, Mayor Pete is in charge of DoT and minimum Tire specifications — all good!
My Cuban experience is that I drive a 2001 Buick LaSabre Custom, so quiet, reliable, and inexpensive. Of course, I take very good care of it. I’m shooting for 300,000 miles soon.
A 20 year old car is greener than any Tesla!
(due to greenhouse gases during new car production)
^This. Obama’s “Cash for clunkers” boosted CO2 emissions.
Yes, sir. Even engine recycling for parts was banned. A sad program from the Elites (Alan Blinder).
A blurb from when the MSM were a bit more honest:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cash-for-clunkers-bad-for-environment/
yup- the 3800 engine easily runs past 300,000 miles.
my retired friend just boughta ’05 w/110k and if it
outlast’s him i’ll take it over. his kids won’t want it
Let me skip back to 55 years ago, when I bought a used 1962 Chevy Impala SS from my older bro who wanted another 2-Door Impala with a big block engine. By the time I was 19, and in college: that Car was a rolling pile of garbage with component failures every couple of months (Plugs, Points, Rear End, Generator Failures, Starter Failed, Speedometer stopped working, windows were rusted).
Those 1960’s American Cars were simply JUNK.
THEN, in came the Japanese Cars. THEY FORCED American manufacturers to step up the quality and to use O-RING seals, etc. It was a game changer.
I owned three Honda’s, Two Toyotas, an Infinity Q45 and a Jeep along the way (also Mercedes and a Lexus)….things got way better. STILL, the Jeep was the one vehicle that had multiple failures in the 6 years we had it and we DUMPED IT!
Yep, Jeeps are an emotional support animal.
I had a 1970 Olds Cutlass. It was indestructible. Yes to Toyota.
Correct. Trade forces competition. I had the same experience, and I worked in an auto plant in summer of 1967. We made junk and it was not the employee’s fault. The production line was so fast you couldn’t properly do your job.
Make underwear out of worn tires.
Make tires out of recycled underware
My underwear are VERY strategically placed, worn daily and protect my outer clothing from stains. I hope that you do not think that an asshole made this comment? AR AR.
I made this comment awhile back on a different post here, and I’ll make it again.
Buddy of mine is a service manager at a dealership in a major metro area. He keeps telling me business isn’t good. People are forgoing regular maintenance. Granted this a dealership, but I suspect this is the case at most auto repair/maintenance shops. Forgoing basic maintenance will result in avoidable costly repairs down the road.
I acknowledge that not everyone can do this, but my suggestion is to learn how to turn a wrench if you have the room and funds to do it. I just replaced rear brakes and rotors on my truck for around $230. I could have done the job for around $130 had I used the lowest end pads and rotors. I suggest people do the same for home repairs if they can as well.
The ‘stealership’ is one of the worst places to get work done once you are out of warranty. So no surprise people are going there less for maintenance.
The rise of mobile mechanics is probably putting a dent in a lot of the other maintenance shops (Jiffy Lubes, Tire Kingdoms etc). Its WAY more convenient and far cheaper to just buy the parts and have a mobile mechanic come to your house and do the work. I’d used these guys for all kinds of basic repairs (brakes, oil/filter changes, battery replacement, minor mechanical work etc) and their prices are far lower than anything I could get at any shop.
I have seen alot of those mobile mechanics crop up in my area. Way lower overhead than operating a brick and mortar repair shop.
AAA delivery battery service is great … drive until it dies, call AAA and bingo. (except BMW other fancy cars)
Try that with an EV
Just had my mountain bike fleet tuned up by a mobile bike mechanic. A lot more convenient than hauling them all to town.
Nice – how many hours?
The local wrench-monkeys works 2-3X faster than I can leaving me more time for comments here. I did spend a day with Youtube pulling my dash apart to replace circuit board and saved $1000 (over dealer). Fun job.
Couple hours. Pads are pretty easy to change.
I did this to wire a dash cam in my truck, and it pissed me off so bad I think I’d just pay the $1000. There’s a good bit of skill involved in working on cars, and you don’t get that from YouTubing something occasionally.
You have to accept that out of the dozen fasteners you remove; a couple get lost or broken.
DIYer tip….take pictures with your phone as you disassemble. Makes reassembly much easier.
You need to be reasonably comfortable using tools. If you don’t use them regularly for DIY house projects etc its hard to just suddenly be competent on demand with tools.
The other thing with working on cars is that you often need specialty tools that you won’t have unless you bought them.
Go with a mobile mechanic next time.
And few repairs are straightforward. Usually you have to remove a variety of parts, which might include parts like the cowl to get to the sparkplugs on a front wheel drive side-mounted engine.
Local flat rate repair charge in my area is $160-$220/hr. Dealers run $300-$400, which is why most people don’t use them after their warranty expires.
Tariffs are incurred at the ‘first sale price’. That is the only way they can be legitimately added. In other words, the price at which the manufacturer sells to the distributor. So it’s totally incorrect to say that the cost of the finished good will rise 25%.
A toaster sold at a big box store might retail at $60. But the first sale price from the manufacturer in China to the Initial Distributor in Hong Kong was $14. That is where the tariff is added. Costs are added at each distribution step and the retailer sets the final price. But it’s not the final retail price to which the tariff is added.
So the tariff is 1.40. If the entire tariff is passed along, the toaster now costs 63.50. That’s a 5.8% increase. Not trivial. But not 25%.