Like professional basketball players? 
I’m hoping my 2001 Honda Civic sticks around for a couple more years. Bought it new in 2000 and I’d hate to have to say good-bye 
Same with '00 mustang. Bought it 1 year used (6500 miles) and she’s still going strong.
I agree the price of new cars is way overboard. The price of used isn’t any better. I bought a 2004 Saturn Vue for the high schoolers last year and it seemed like a deal at $10K. My 2002 F150 only cost $12K brand new.
The way a friend on mine who sells cars for a living explained the used market to me is Cash for Clunkers took a huge number of old oil burners off the road. It also took an even larger number of what would be decent used cars now out of the market too. Since every car traded in under C4Cs had to be scraped the base price for the remaining used cars was pushed up. Good ol’ supply and demand at work.
I could have purchased a new Kia or something for about the same money as the Vue but insurance on those little cars is much higher than on a used SUV because they are typically driven by young’uns who have lots of accidents.
We got my wife’s 2009 Chrysler Town and Country brand new for a song compared to the sticker price. We bought it 2 weeks before Chrysler declared bankruptcy.
Assuming no (more) accidents these 3 cars should still be in our garage for 7 more years at which time my youngest goes to college and I might feel like I have some money again. Even after health insurance increases. Maybe.
If the powers that be measured inflation by the real cost of living the numbers would be shocking right now. Sorry, I’ll stop ranting. 8)
Paul
Thanks Paul, That is what I was getting at, Besides the reason that people surmise may be
the driving force behind the cost…the cost is just disproportionate to where I believe
the cost should be…now better yet, what could be done to change/rectify this???
I don’t think there’s a comprehensive solution.
Build a time machine and go back 50 years…
I don’t think a time machine would really help. The country goes through booms and bust fairly regularly. People 50 years ago were upset about the same things that we are today. As Euge said there is no one big fix.
Sadly, the last time the country was at this point it was World War II that saved us. We kick started our stateside economy to build a war machine. When the war ended we were the only one standing. If anyone in the world need something, they bought it from us. Unless we want to go through that again, we need to find a different way. Although Europe is starting to look like 1914 and 1939 again too so who knows.
Paul
*** Edit - I just want to point out that I am aware 1982 was not 50 years ago. It’s just the first recession I personally remember being affected by. ;D
Part of the reason that the price for new vehicles has gone up is the content that is expected or required today.
The cars of not so long ago were pretty basic. Today you might have 10 airbags, antilock brakes, stabiltiy control, GPS, power everything, 6, 7, or 8 speed transmissions, direct fuel injection, turbocharging on more and more engines, stricter emissions controls, better crash structure, better rollover protection and so on. the list goes on and keeps growing. I forgot the computer controls to make it all work together.
New car buyers want it all, they don’t always want to pay for it.
True True…I for one would rather work my muscles and actually turn the steering
wheel…and press on the brakes with the ole foot…heck I still drive a standard tranny…
THAN pay rip off prices for frills and convenience…but unfortunately, there are no
vehicles that are good yet basically equipped. I said it before and I say it still, the blame
for this goes squarely upon the insurance industry.
One of the attractions of the Mk5 is how spartan it is. All I wanted was AC and 4 wheel disk brakes. It also came with a radio and power windows but that’s it. There were plenty of other unnecessary features for $$$.
But yes, I was gonna say that too. Most of the cars in the lots are loaded and that’s where the profits are.
All my vehicles are paid for and maintained. Probably will be driving them 10-15 ears from now.
You’re completely right about the all the extras. The reason I got my truck for $12k was because it has cloth seats, manual transmission, manual windows, manual mirrors and an AM/FM/Cassette radio. It doesn’t even have cruise control but I love my truck.
Paul
The last time I went shopping for a truck, that’s exactly what I was looking for. No extras, no extended cab, just a truck. I couldn’t find one. Do they even make one without extended cabs anymore?
Yeah I did not know you could get em like that…seems like when I ask, they say…
“well you have to have this Package”…blah blah blah…and that package is a batch
of over priced extra stuff…OH for a manual dimmer switch ON THE FLOORBOARD.
When I bought my VW Jetta TDI last year I tried to get as basic a package as I could,
Power everything,
6 disk CD with like eleventyseven speakers
6 speed standard tranny
and it was a hasle to get it without the glass roof, GPS etc
This was the MOST basic TDI they have.
(love my TDI though, goes like a rocketship, seats 5 comfortably with lots of cargo space and still gets 45 MPG)
I do remember that you could order the car you want with the options that you
desired to pay for…nothing more…and you did NOT have to lump one thing
you wanted into a package of 15 that you did not really desire…but would cost
you extra…Loss of customer service…a willing customer approaches you
to buy your product with money in hand and basically he is told…thppppppppp…
not enough money…or for a little more money you get…blah blah blah…
You have a lot of ears!
I remember the old man having a truck with a 6 cylinder engine, a 3 speed trans, and only one tail light, no heater either! Used hand signals when in town.
Take a look at this. Japan earthquake and tsuanmi was March 11. Can you see the spike in used car prices due to lack of supply of new cars from Japan? Go down to the table.
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm
I see your depiction. What I do NOT see is how people living within
their means … yeah right…buy that many cars at all… ???
Edit: a losing proposition of a lease would keep you strung out for years…
and then leave you …carless…
I don’t buy that many cars…on average, I buy one every 20-25 years.
I am at 23 years for my ole FOMOCO truck and still patching the ole gal back together.
I am due for a new infusion of automobile one I would like to take into retirement with me…
but sheesh…not at these prices…