American drivers were already being squeezed before the tariffs landed. 
Poised to Go Up
Bloomberg discusses Why Trump’s Auto Tariffs Are Poised to Drive Up Car Prices
President Donald Trump is betting that tariffs on imports of vehicles and automotive parts will bring more manufacturing to US shores.
Shifting production of more of those parts to the US would be an expensive transition for carmakers. American consumers are likely to feel the pain too, as tariffs are widely expected to push up vehicle prices by thousands of dollars.
Jim Farley, Ford’s chief executive officer, took the pushback a step further. Lowering tariffs on Japanese imports, he says, puts Ford’s US-made vehicles at a major cost disadvantage, to the tune of about $5,000 when comparing a Ford Escape small SUV made in Kentucky with a competing Toyota Rav4 built in Japan. (Toyota also builds Rav4s for US consumption in Ontario, Canada and Kentucky.)
How reliant is the US on auto imports?
Very. Around 50% of the roughly 16 million new passenger vehicles sold in the US in 2024 were assembled outside of America, according to automotive researcher GlobalData. Most of those imports came from five countries: Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Canada and Germany.
In percentage terms, 46% of GM’s US sales come from imported cars. That leaves the company more exposed to tariffs than its fellow Detroit automakers — Ford and Stellantis — but better positioned than most of its European and Asian rivals.
Toyota is the second-biggest importer of cars into the US, leaning on these shipments for just over half of its US sales. The carmaker imported 1.2 million vehicles into America last year, including more than 500,000 from Japan. Hyundai, meanwhile, sent 1.1 million vehicles to the US last year — including Kia and Genesis branded models — which accounted for almost two-thirds of its American sales. The vast majority of those cars came from its home country, South Korea.
Is there such a thing as a 100% made-in-America vehicle?
No. A substantial portion of the content in vehicles built in the US comes from factories abroad. A White House fact sheet said a conservative estimate of the average share of foreign content is 50%, but that the true figure is likely to be closer to 60%.
How have automakers reacted to Trump’s tariffs?
Many withdrew their financial forecasts for the year due to tariff uncertainty. Some, such as Jeep maker Stellantis, have paused production in Canada and Mexico, while others have announced plans to increase manufacturing in the US. GM, for example, plans to spend $4 billion to boost production at its US factories over the next two years, trimming its exposure to imports from Mexico.
How will Trump’s tariffs impact car prices in the US?
American drivers were already being squeezed before the tariffs landed. The average sticker price of a new passenger vehicle in the US was around $47,500 as of March, a 22% increase from five years earlier, according to data from valuation specialist Kelley Blue Book. As car prices have risen and high interest rates have made for expensive financing, delinquencies on auto loans were hovering near their highest level in more than 30 years in March.
Auto Tariffs Threaten to Make Cars Less Affordable in the US
The new-vehicle average transaction price was already $47,462 in March 2025, some 22% higher than five years earlier
And now import taxes have been added to the mix, threatening to drive vehicle prices up even further. Automakers and parts manufacturers can absorb some of the added costs, but in most instances, at least some of the extra expenses will eventually be passed on to consumers.
How long will it take for tariffs to impact car prices in the US?
Any price increases may not materialize immediately, as dealers typically stock two to three months’ supply of new cars. That said, the rush to buy vehicles ahead of the new import taxes kicking in has reduced pre-tariff inventories more quickly than usual, which could lead to a summer sticker price shock.
Higher prices won’t just be a new car problem. As prices climb for vehicles fresh off the assembly line, many buyers will likely look for second-hand alternatives, pushing up the prices of those too. And with auto parts due to join the tariffs mix, repairs will get even more expensive and insurance premiums could rise as well to cover the higher breakdown costs.
How easy is it to shift auto production to the US?
There won’t be an immediate surge in US car manufacturing. While carmakers can look to increase output at their existing American plants, new factories — for both vehicle assembly and parts production — would require billions of dollars and take years to complete. It’s also an expensive process to wind down plants elsewhere.
The Idiocy of It All
Bringing production back to the US is guaranteed to be costly. Eventually consumers will pay that price.
Q: Will the move create any jobs?
A: No
In isolation. perhaps there are a few more auto manufacturing jobs. However, higher prices tend to mean fewer sales and fewer workers.
Also if consumers spend more on cars they will spend less elsewhere. And insurance costs rate to go up with sales price.
Millions of people will take a hit on car prices and insurance.
It’s an idiot’s mission to believe higher prices are a benefit. But barring a demand collapse due to recession, higher prices are coming. And don’t rule out stagflation.
Thank Trump.
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There were 258,000 negative revisions in May and June.
August 5, 2025: ISM Services Prices Increase 98 Straight Months, Highest Since Oct 2022
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!=When can we expect a surprise currency redenomination and/ or 2- a debt deflation from the upcoming market correction ?
Not Coming
The dollar floats (sinks at a varying rate if you prefer)
then price inflation in the here and now is already reflecting the weaker dollar in the american stock market….
either that, it is the market valuations that are at record high… not the value right ?
i have no idea what you are asking
lol, Mish still taking Mary Barra at her word is a problem. GM’s profits fell because they went all in on EVs and now can’t sell them because the market for EVs isn’t as strong as they thought. Buyers are tapped and frustrated with the high cost of all cars.
Why can’t anyone be honest about this?
Whining about tariffs is tiring. Especially from GM, who got bailed out, outsourced jobs and now is crying about less profit. Bite me.
GM didn’t go “all in” on EVs. It sells like 5 different EVs out of dozens of different models. And the Equinox EV has massive sales growth, making GM the number 2 EV maker in the US.
That’s nice. What’s been GM’s ROI on the billions they have spent on EVs?
Don’t know, but changing the world requires time, vision and lots of capital. Not the traditional place for the Wall Street knucklehead who only cares about the next quarter.
Changing the world – making bad investments in tech that demand doesn’t justify. Good luck with that.
Ford’s Jim Farley will be announcing a new lineup of EV’s that he states are as revolutionary to transportation as the original Model T.
My thoughts lean to Ford announcing the adoption of the new “anode free” Ceramic separator Li Ion Solid State batteries that are available to be scaled up and produced.
The new technology batteries do not require graphite or cobalt and are easily recycled. Additionally, since they do not contain flammable materials they are much safer.
The world is changing fast and idiots like Trump are going to be evolved around by the remarkable ingenuity of human creativity.
Europe is way ahead in the production and adoption of EV’s and it is reducing their reliance on US gas and oil.
No wonder CapEx spending and new drilling is crashing in the US oil patch.
Ceramic separated Lithium battery not flammable? The sole reason batteries are flammable.
Sounds like a standard advertising slogan, i.e. business as usual.
Love it! You must be still shoeing horses?
I hear you can get a real deal on buggy whips these daze! Fox News has specials running for thoughtful and educated MAGA folks like you.
They even have a special on Donald Trump’s 14 year old “Pubic hair” signature version fur an extra $9.95! And don’t furgit to git yourself a pair of gold spray painted tennis shoes or a gold spray painted bible!
You could head down to the Trump Casino on Saturday nite, but it went bankrupt.
LMAO!
Where’s the Happy Hour?
lol, Farley has overseen the tanking of quality at Ford. His words mean nothing.
The world is changing fast? LMK when major cities like NYC, Boston, Philly, Baltimore, and so many others can install thousands of charging stations next to the places where ppl park their cars and NOT have the copper wire stolen by thieves.
LA is now installing solar powered lights because city leaders won’t do enough to stop copper thieves.
Solar powered lights are an excellent idea. No need for copper and far less maintenance. Just like EV’s and inductive chargers. DUH!
But like I say, China and Europe are leading the way and have built out far more advanced infrastructure.
MAGA can go back to 50’s Chevys or the horse and buggy. 😉
>
Those places should bring back Old Sparky for the last rides.
Remember when Bush I was at a grocery store photo op and hadn’t seen a scanner before?
Used car prices follow, underwater auto loans now in the money. Huzzah!
I can’t imagine Tesla’s Loan/Lease book’s losses. Expensive, sometimes stupid (Cyber-Duck!) vehicles with 6’yr loans (see negative equity) and collapsing residual values.
I have no doubt Elon is hiding billions in Loan/Lease losses it should (but won’t) mark-to-market.
Heck, I don’t need a new overpriced vehicle, but it ticks me my insurance will be going up. (Along w/ eeveryone elses!)
Tariffs will drive the cost of cars too high for many…
but the question remains: are Trump’s tariffs even legal?
“A ruling against the tariffs could trigger large-scale refunds and curtail executive trade authority”
What’s the status of tariff litigation, and where may things go from here? – Thomson Reuters Institute
Even with a court loss, King Chaos still wins:
he gets to sit on a big pile of money…
and you must kiss his ass for access.
South Park Taco Flavored Kisses video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQKDlNTEl6w
“The grand contradiction of America is that they need us to keep consuming but they also do not want to pay us.”
And that is where the (((usurers))) swoop in.
ITZ DA JOOOOOOOS every single time huh?
Some are homeless. It is the GREEDY ones every single time.
The fact is that each year fewer and fewer Americans can afford a new (or even a late-model used) car.
The real relevant question should be “Will China’s embargo of rare earth elements drive up e-bike prices?”
They never un-embargoed them. They sent magnets and Trump was too busy blowing his horn to notice that the handful of strategic rare earths were excluded from the “Deal” he failed miserably to secure.
Trump is an arrogant bullying idiot!
China will kick Trump in the nuts so hard he pukes!
<
GM Will Die Soon. They Deserve It. (Engineer explains why)
The dependency is worse than you think.
They will get bailed out again. Just watch.
Reducing costs come down to reducing weight and non-essential electronics. Car manufacturers in the US will need to build small cars, not SUV’s. Entertainment systems and remote ignition will need to be removed. Congress will have to repeal present legislation requiring rear back-up camera and vehicle tracking electronics.
But your rulers don’t want you in cars. They want you in public transit and living in 15 minute communities while they live in mansions and drive luxury automobiles with gas headed to $10 a gallon. Just look at Gavin Newsom’s California for your future.
They want you making $1500 car payments for your entire life. Did you forget who’s in power?
But the prolls won’t be able to affort $1500 car payments, not to mention sky-rocketing insurance, vehicle registration and gas prices.
They can if they sell their pretty children.
Trump literally said he’d end walkable cities so uh, no actually. You’re talking out of your ass to make this about Dems when it’s Trump shooting car production in the foot.
High speed rail lines and public transit would honestly eliminate most of the need for cars but we’re too cheap to even maintain roads as it is. Potholes the size of shopping carts and half a foot deep are just considered normal in my state because unlike California, we can’t even patch a road.
I’d take a 2 hour commute to Washington D.C or Florida from Charlotte via mag train over a car any day of the week. China is building this, and will be ahead of us on yet another thing because we refuse to do stuff that LBJ of all presidents was able to pull off.
TACO said he would end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours. TACO said credit card interest would be capped at 10%. TACO promised DOGE savings checks.
I could do this all day.
make up more stuff. you’re on a roll.
Took the bullet train from Madrid to Barcelona. Way faster than driving, and you can read, listen to great music and drink wine. Cars are for the poor and ignorant. A vestige of the 19th century.
Don’t forget small warren apartments with neighbors on each elbow. Sociologists will argue its good for your social skills.
Dude Tower Blocks exist in most of the world.
And the stupid faux rich never realize their condo is just another Tower Block.
UK went from estates, taking up too much land, to Tower Blocks. Same with a lot of Europe and Asia, well China and prior to the takeover HK.
New and recent used cars suck. Plus dealers/manufacturers add stupid crap you don’t need.
I looked at the 2025 Versa, low end want 23k from dealer. Versa has a cvt transmission that was redesigned in 2020 because they had many problems as all cvt’s do.
2025 is the final production year for the Versa. Only one on the lot is a automatic and the standards are better.
Now for the stupid crap that can not be removed, 180 usd for CARPETED floor mats, 140 usd for trunk SHOPPING BAG HOOKS AND CARGO NET.
Spoke with an auto loan guy who worked parts and I can’t recall the company nor model but they placed the alternator beneath the engine so you need to pull the whole engine in replacing something with three bolts. Nu clue about tightening the belt like the good old days.
Was reading another that the heater core clogs frequently. But you need to pull the dash to get to the core.
Plastic parts fail and rubber ones wear out within 10 years.
And with all the electronics parts are harder to come by now. Let us not forget stupid partially trained mechanics not like the old guys who knew everything without using the computer.
Someone mentioned self driving cars, great except for the snowy and icy north.
That isn’t even taking hills into account.
Who downvoted you – is Mary Barra lurking here?
Some Gen z Homeopath stalker I angered by stating the science regarding active ingredients should be questioned.
Anyone feels insecure enough to play the upvote/downvote social control game definitely has a weak personality.
I have to control my wife when buying a new car. She wants all the do dads, while I buy stripped. Today they all come with radio, air and power windows. What do you need?
On my old 1990 Chevy Suburban, I can replace the alternator in 15 minutes at a cost of $200.
On my *2003* Mercedes S600, the alternator failed 5 years ago. I bought the car new and it is in near perfect shape. The dealer had the car for 3 weeks. I finally called and asked what the deal was. They asked if I wanted to junk the car. Why? The Blue Book value is around $8,000. The alternator is water cooled and costs $2,500. The alternator is located inside the engine block near the bottom of the engine. To replace the alternator requires removing the front grill, headlights, radiator, A/C cooler, etc. The labor was another $2,500. Add in a new battery, hazardous disposal fees, new fluids, taxes and the total was over $6,000.
Nowadays, any German car out of warranty costs huge money to fix. If you want to keep the car a long time, look at Toyota, Honda and their related brands.
Early in my career as an auto shop manager I often told my customers that dollar for dollar, pound for pound Toyota and Honda were building the best cars in the world. Today buying a used Toyota with 100,000 miles on the OD is not a problem as long as routine maintenance was properly and timely performed. Caution on older Honda’s as the timing is controlled by a belt rather than a chain and belts require replacement at intervals.
Depends on the year.
But those Hilux run by “insurgents” seem to hold up really well.
I found a 1997 Camry at auction for $3K with only 62,500 miles on the OD, put on new tires and brakes and it’s good to go. The interior looks like new the outside could use a new paint job if I really cared. I’m now considering a used Toyota MR2 just for fun. Our long trip car is a 2020 Prius with 80K miles on it. The Prius hybrid battery is warrantied for 10 years or 150,000 from date of manufacture so good to go for another 5 years. I had a 2021 Toyota Tacoma PU but sold it in 2023 with 21,000 miles for more than I paid for it.
Did you stop at one dealer? Jeezus dude, shop around. It’s not hard. If you’re getting ripped off like that on a Versa, you deserve what happens to you.
Also, the ONLY Versa to get is one with a manual, as you’re spot on about CVTs.
I think this stems from “Union Wages” in terms of Vehicles. That and the early call, and hence excitement in Auto Manufacturers move to EV’s.
If I recall correctly, it was GM who said they would try to eat the tariff % for the Buyers. They had or mentioned layoffs. A lot in total as they roll out the EV’s. I think they may have even had some, but will need a lot more to become/stay competitive.
The move to EV’s was going t crush employees, as a very large % of them will not be required any longer, to build out EV’s. The goal was to eliminate the longer term, over paid, and massive benefits group of Union Members. This massive fall in salaries and benefits would allow GM (All Auto Manufacturers) to do just that! Hire new employees much cheaper, as the skills needed are minimal at best in comparison. Heck, no Union even required with EV’s. Simple job, for simple pay.
When that didn’t materialize, it left the Manufacturers and Unions in total limbo. They can’t compete with their Unions, and can’t get rid of them just yet. However, they still have their cost and benefits to reckon with. Buyouts are an option now, to rid themselves of a few, but most will ride it out with this knowledge.
No. It goes back to CASH FOR CLUNKERS. BUSHCO pulled all those nice repair yourself autos off the market, including parts, to replace them with chipped up crap.
A $1500 beater could be run for years with minimal maintenance.
I recall some guy who ran his late 90’s auto for over 100k by simply adding oil never changing it.
Now a beater is about 10 to 15k.
You couldn’t kill a Slant-6.
There are PLENTY of cars for sale between 5-10k. Open your eyes. Negotiate. What is wrong with people?
Depends where you live and who you trust.
Some dumb kid who’s family knew nothing about cars allowed him to spend 8k for a car held together by duct tape and Bondo.
The seller was on social services no way to get the money back.
PPIs – the best $200-300 you’ll ever spend buying a used car.
Huge move up in prices 21-22. Was that Trump?
Oh dear
Wasn’t his uncle involved in dark tech, so possibly time travel TACO.
Government grabs Tesla’s research and this is NOT involved?
“John George Trump (August 21, 1907 – February 21, 1985) was an American electrical engineer, inventor, and teacher who designed high-voltage generators and pioneered their use in cancer treatment, nuclear science, and manufacturing. A professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), he led high-voltage research and co-founded the High Voltage Engineering Corporation, a particle accelerator manufacturer. He was the paternal uncle of President Donald Trump.”
It’s Trump’s fault, just like my cat puking on the floor is Trump’s fault. Or the rock in my shoe.
I personally blame Melania for the cat and rock. Seen any recent pictures of her?
Some wicked Slav witchery going on there.
Oh my
Higher auto prices will only advance autonomous car services to replace car ownership as they rollout to more areas in the USA.
That would be great for certain age groups. The Elderly could stop driving, but have the flexibility of getting around still. Safer roads, and for them, and no payments and insurance cost involved.
The Younger too, as they could put off that auto bill fr a bit, and maybe save up, and put a Lot more down to decrease your monthly expenses for when you do own one.
I see advantages to this…
Never happen. Snow, ice and snowy icy hills make a failure.
So you are eager to jump every time to a different car of uncertain pre-occupation?
It’s like riding in ANY taxi, d’oh.
With humans removed from driving cars, we save 41000+ lives every single year.
Many are very upset by the supposed 60k killed in Gaza over the last nearly 2 years. Why doesn’t saving 41k lives in the USA every year work for you?
We’ve been 2 years from that for 10 years. Waymo is by far the closest, but they are still very limited in where they can operate practically, and they are losing money.
Nope.
We’re going to end up like Cuba, driving 35 year old cars and fashioning spare parts out of coffee cans. The good news is that they won’t be able to track us or institute mileage taxes. The bad news is that the only music we’ll have is an old George Michael CD.
No one should be made to suffer like that, Trumps policies are inhuman. I didn’t listen to George Michael when he was alive, I sure as hell don’t want to listen to him now.
I just hope you guys can afford the coffee cans, what will all those tariffs coming.
At one point you could rig a bad muffler with coffee can and wire if you wanted. Not pretty but functional.
Red thumb never fixed a car and now pays his dealer 10k yearly for repairs and gen maintenance.
lol, how much mental back rent does Trump owe you?
Put 4 wheels on an I-phone, the kids won’t know the difference.
The new wheels would confuse them regarding usage. You need add an idiot light to each wheel., other wise they would simply sit spinning the wheel and wondering why they cant open Youtube to find the function.
Wham? You own a GM cd?
The 2025 Versa I checked on had an auto shut off. Supposedly to stop theft but you know damn well it is for repo purposes.
Samsung tv’s supposedly have a similar component. Stop paying no streaming or gaming.
Two WHAM or George fans.
You don’t have a phone?
My 1994 F150 is insulted by that assertion.
I’m pissed. I had a F150 from about the same time. It had dual gas tanks, maybe it was road crew.
It was up for inspection and we were not certain it would pass so we sold to some stranger for 400 usd.
I still kick myself.
I don’t think I could even get 400 for it. Luckily there are no inspections where I live.
Thats one thing I like about kansas. No inspections. Id be screwed.
Same with Florida.
The more local companies are protected the less competitive globally they are.
It means Americans have to pay more for poor quality.
Winning!
Carlos Santana, around 1980.
No. Saw Carlos and the Dead in like 77 in Buffalo. I think Eddie Money was the opener.
Santana played so hard he kept licking his fingers, rapid lizard flicks then back to playing without missing a beat.
To bad modern music sucks.
Good jam bands still exist though? Literally just go pick up a copy of Creem, they did an article last month on something like that.
Bromberg came out of retirement for a while.
I had a head injury so after about 15 minutes all music sounds like noise.
But once in a while I go down the Youtube Rabbit hole clicking links.
Spoon lady is pretty cool and Steve N Seagulls do a great version of Thunderstruck, Banjo guy is awesome.
I stumbled across three female bagpipers and can’t tell if they are good or just hot.
If you nere heard it find Jaimie Brocket’s Legend os the USS Titanic. I heard it on the late night radio in the 70′;s and only two years saw him perform it live on a Youtube video.
Original first then live version. Original is frantic fine and damn funny.
There is more great music than ever before…. you just have to find it yourself. The corporate outlets have always pushed garbage.
Already happening in EVs as Elon is preoccupied with politics, tweeting and Mars.
As cars become more reliable and require less maintenance, how long before the consumer doing his sums about buying a new car (whose value will dive in 3 years) thinks to himself…..perhaps I’ll wait a couple of years before I buy new?
I used to buy a new car every 3 years for vanity reasons…..at today’s us prices I would buy used.
I agree, and live by that reasoning myself. Up until very recently, I have driven Toyotas. I have had 3 over the last 25? Years! And very little repairs, maintenance and care needed. Never reached 200K, but close on 2 (sold my last one early and bought a new Chevy).
I had noticed via complaints that the Tacomas had taken a fall in quality in some articles, and thought before my luck ran out, I would shift to a new model.
Nobody needs a new car every 2-3 years, unless it’s due to mileage imo. They don’t breakdown much, and much of the Maintenance you can do yourself, or with a friend. I do regular maintenance on my vehicles, and never had any problems with the last 3. We shall see what the Chevy brings…
You bought an Equinox, right?
What world do you live in with less maintenance and more reliable.
Plastic parts crack, bad mechanics not trained like the old days, and if you jump back to Toyota that chose NOT to change a 35 cent part until the bodies started piling up do you truly feel any corp has your best interest at heart?
Cars have been full of plastic parts since the 70s… and any car made before the 90s was lucky to run 100k miles.
Please describe the stars you see at night, so we can figure out which planet you’re on.
And? Have you done recent research on the various models and cost of repairs? It is NOT the parts but where the parts are PLACED. You could pull a radiator fan at home now it costs like 3k for the dealer to do it.
Most loans are for 72 months but warranties are like 60. Failures just after warranty are not uncommon.
100k big deal. Parts and labor on top of that mileage decreases the value of purchase price overall.
If you is rich folk then fine but poor people are beating the crap out of their $1000 monthly payment car doing deliveries, which in some places are illegal unless you have a commercial license like a cabbie.
Jump back maybe a decade and your comment had possible merit.
Ford recalled 850k cars, Nissan 300k and that was just last year.
“n 2024, there were approximately 27.7 million vehicles recalled in the US. This figure represents a decrease compared to the 33.6 million vehicles recalled in 2023. However, a significant number of vehicles from previous years also have open recalls, with one in four US cars having at least one open recall, totaling 72.7 million vehicles”
Your 70k truck equals how many $1500 beaters? Those beaters would last at least 100k with minimal maintenance.
And we have not even gotten into insurance or if you get tapped in an accident.
Your point seems valid but the underlying economics and additional costs truly suck.
Ford and Nissan recalls are 2025 sorry.
Does that matter if the parts don’t break? I’ve got a 30-odd year old pickup with 230k miles on it that I haven’t done anything but lube jobs on for at least 15 years.
I’ve gotten several recall notices for it, and just haven’t bothered. It does its job. Does it have GPS, power anything, an entertainment system, heated seats, cameras, or internet access? No.
The check engine and a few other lights are on, the ABS system stopped working, the seats are ripped up, the dash is cracked, the exterior is missing trim pieces and covered in dents and scratches. The only nice looking thing about it is the relatively new Luigi sticker.
However: I turn the key, it starts immediately , and carries me and my bikes and boats wherever I want to go. I put it in 4 low and can go damn near anywhere with it. The AC still blows cold, though I don’t use it.
It’s a shitwagon, and I like it that way. It’ll no doubt strand me one day, but I have a miraculous device in my pocket that can summon help.
My wife drives a model 3 with 175k on it. No problems with it, ever. The only maintenance has been tire rotations. I’m not allowed to drive it anymore because I can’t resist that instant acceleration, and I become a danger to anyone in the vicinity.
The first car I ever owned that made it over 100k was an 87 300zx. Every one older than that was literally tearing itself apart by 90k, and regularly stranding me.
The old cars are cool looking, but they have multiple system failures by 100k, and are too expensive to keep running as a daily driver.
The key difference is how much the individual can repair versus taking it to the dealer.
Face it most people know nothing about a car beyond how do I connect my phone and how loud do these speakers go.
And sadly most sales people know nothing about the product because they really want to sell the auto loan and maybe some bells and whistles to the i like shiny things folk.
Same with home buying.
Most people are astonishingly stupid, that’s always been the case. If anything, it’s easier to get that info now. A google search will get you videos about how to replace most anything… far superior to digging through a Chilton’s manual.
YouTube has plenty of videos of owners fixing their own cars.
I’ll stand by him that trucks were far better than them. Nowadays they’re just giant Priuses for divorced dads living in Houston to run over kids with thanks to their absurd height. I’ll take a proper six cylinder S-10 over that.
The new chevy trucks are ridiculous. That huge engine bay with a tiny little engine in it, and the mean faced grill that screams “I dare you to make a disparaging remark about the size of my manhood!”
Those little engines do make an amazing amount of torque though. They’d fit well in an old Ranger engine bay.
BAH!
The woman I lived with was rear ended by a semi.
With her settlement we bought the biggest brightest thing on the road. A 2012 Red F350 crew cab Diesel full bed because you can’t load eight foot plywood in a short bed.
Someone at another dealership may have ordered it for snowplowing and never picked it up, so some nice electrical switch stuff happening and in for free.
When she disappeared last fall, drugs and mental health problems, it had about 28k miles on it.
Only car on the street with an engine manufactured in the US. Tennessee I think but I know Cummins has a plant in south Carolina.
You can get plywood in a short bed… just put the tailgate down and secure it. An F350 is for pulling big trailers.
yeah, plastic cracks after 10 years of use. The horror.
Auto/truck mechanics are a dying breed. A mid size tool box (empty) runs several thousand dollars. The beginning tool assortment another couple of thousand. An experienced mechanic with a few years on the job may have a tool box and tool assortment costing as much as $25,000. He is often paid by “book” time which means if he finises the job quickly he makes more for the time if the job takes longer he eats the time and compensation. If it’s warranty work he gets paid less per hour. Many soon realize they could do much better as a plumber or electrician.
The good old days a husband would die and the wife would sell off his filled tool box.
Now everyone thinks they know the value down to the penny.
“Everything’s computer!” Cars were getting computer chips more than 40 years ago. You elect an idiot you get idiotic ideas… But hey, if we get Ai robots to build the entire vehicle, sooner than China, maybe we can bring manufacturing back! We’ll just have to figure out how people make a living.
Polishing yachts if you’re ugly, being molested by the wealthy if you’re pretty.
Oh yes, America’s getting so great again—if by ‘great’ you mean a masterclass in chaos, cruelty, and cultish devotion. Thanks to the MAGA crowd, national suffering is apparently the new patriotism.
Everything is, indeed, getting worse. Just as it was under the Blinken/Sullivan administration. Trump is not the cause. He’s the manifestation of what we deserve. And by “we” I mean everybody but me and and a select few anti interventionist paleocons.
“As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.” ― H.L. Mencken, On Politics: A Carnival of Buncombe
Are you in Cincinnati?
“Thanks to the MAGA crowd, national suffering is apparently the new patriotism.”
Not MAGA. To every single corp, BGOV agency and Nonprofit everyone including the rich are just numbers.
We have been for a very long time.
There is no escape from how useless we are considered to the numbers people.
It’s like Patrick McGoohan sat holding his head in his hands watching Rover roll by endlessly repeating’ I’m not a man I’m a number”.
Don’t forget the child rape.
https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2025/08/02/utah-senate-pres-stuart-adams/
The worst part is that We were warned!
Trump stated that he would be “Dictator on Day One”.
I voted for the self made, well educated woman that would have kept America great instead of destroying our global leadership role.
Instead we have a sick pedophile perpetrating the greatest crimes in history against our national interest.
We will overcome this when new leaders emerge.
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lol, Trump is all over your house. He’s bugged your phone, he watches what you’re typing and he’s going to audit your taxes. Him personally. He’s obsessed with you.
It depends on two things:
#1 MX & CA still have no new trade deal. How long can they hold out?
#2 How much longer can GM, for example, let its margins get squeezed?
If MX & CA sign trade deals, then that relieves pressure from #2.
If neither happen soon, then GM will be forced to raise prices. Sounds like GM needs to send negotiators along with Trump’s delegations to yammer out deals with Carney & Sheinbaum.
Trump would rightfully be met with closed doors while Canada makes deals with more reliable governments…
It’s time to think of the tariffs for the most part as anything but tariffs
I provide three examples:
2&3. ” Monetary Weapons” or ” Political Weapons ”
A Tariff – A primary intended effect is to increase the price of foreign goods, making them less competitive compared to domestic products, thereby protecting local industries,
secondary is generating revenue, or influencing trade balances.
But that is not Trump’s intent.
The imposition of a 50% tariff on Brazil is tied to two key issues: Brazil’s role in the BRICS bloc (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) and the arrest of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a Trump ally. A punitive intent rather than a purely economic one. The tariffs are not explicitly linked to protecting U.S. industries or addressing trade imbalances
Tariffs on India Similarly, the tariffs on India, escalating to 50% with an additional 25% “penalty” for continued purchases of Russian oil, are explicitly tied to India’s trade and military relationship with Russia, as well as its participation in BRICS.]
These are not tariffs they are “Monetary Weapons” or “Political Weapons
The intended effect on a manufacturing facility or facilities in a foreign country is similar to if it/they were ‘bombed’ ,
If US cannot bomb Russia oil production they weaponize fiscal punishment by ‘ bombing ‘ India
Trump is just skating along labeling them Tariffs – the rest of the world knows, China Russia, India – they know –
India must consider these ‘ Weapons of Mass Destruction ‘ because that is Trump’s intent toward india – Trump does not want India to be another China
And we all know Trump/US wants a regime change in Brazil
Obviously few nations are making deals with Trump.
Why would anyone want to be associated with a pedophile that also breaks whatever deal he makes.
Telling Trump to pound sand is a noble gesture for our former allies to make public.
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t-t-t-t-trump!! He loves you.
Yep Mish. We need to keep offshoring our manufacturing. We don’t need no stinking jobs in the US.
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There is a way it could possibly work – but there is no political will for it
Trump would have to ” Executive Order ” – ” Union Free Zones ” and States could apply for specific manufacturing in Union Free Zones within certain communities
Until then Russia and China will always manufacture eg: weapons missiles tanks at 1/6th the cost and in 1/10th the time and the US has no chance against these countries in any conventional military struggle
One only need look at BOEING recent Union Issues , unbelievable salaries and benefits offered, DENIED by the Union – to realize this
Manufacturing in the US is a dream, a dream that could partially come true with political will – but never will, there is no political will to go against any of the Unions
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++++ Russia and China actual market salaries for senior machinists – Senior AeroSpace Machinists – are typically $20,000–$35,000 USD in aerospace or similar industries.
A senior CNC machinist with 8+ years of experience might earn up to ¥177,714 ($25,388 USD) annually, plus bonuses averaging ¥2,736 ($391 USD).
Everything is also less expensive there… But Boeing really should not care if they strike as the critical stockpiles of rare earths are nearly gone and the manufacture of our sophisticated weapons systems is coming to a standstill thanks to Trumps lack of forethought.
Trump is after all playing checkers with nations that do play 5D Chess.
The US has plenty of union free zones. Right to work states are all union free and car makers do in fact make cars there to keep costs down.
The thing is even in lower cost (non-union) states, it’s still not a cheap as making parts in Mexico and it’s unlikely to ever be that cheap.
Yep
Let’s reshore everything
Please tell us what the flying F it will cost and with union wages how much we will export.
So tell us please.
I tried to find the calculation for the impact on prices that was expected by tariffs? I must have missed it. I saw the up 22% over 5 years before the tariffs.
The tariffs have certainly driven inflation much higher and trashed the stock market causing the much anticipated recession. I think the recession has been predicted a few times now.
Fortunately, I don’t get investment advice from reading this.
RECESSION has been revised, you know LANGUAGE changed for the idiot masses, for a long time.
We have been in a DEPRESSION since the late 90’s.
But BIGOV and BIGBUS keep playing games telling you not to believe your lying eyes.
Export Randi Weingarten and the public school teachers unions.
Simple. Enslave all political opponents.
This used to be hyperbole.
And force them into Union Free labor camps?
Trump owned of course…
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Trump is about to ring your doorbell. It’s an audit. Enjoy!
Reshoring jobs you read as reshoring all jobs? You think all jobs repatriated will be union jobs?
What other assumptions you making? Crikey.
I thought the same thing as well. One of the dumber things he’s typed.
“Millions of people will take a hit on car prices and insurance.”
Yeah but America will grate again!
do you mean America will remain GRATING?