Cheap cars are back, but...
- Thread starter GR_CoB
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Yes, sorry - I forget that given I have not lived in the rust zone in 25 years. Run, don't walk. I won't touch rusty ever again if I get a vote.
More than scared, millions of the jobs that actually pay enough to live on (the small number there are) are drastically cutting hours, part time and contractors are getting hours slashed so much they should be on unemployment but the states are fighting tooth and nail harassing you if you claim but refused a “potential” low paid part time job an hour and a half a way.
Construction is becoming penny ante small projects and large .gov are getting cancelled.
I’m seeing massive numbers of 3-6 month furloughs and voluntary layoffs offered across the spectrum of businesses.
But if you want part time deliveries or fast food along with other useless jobs that pay less than your fuel to get there, tons of that with no guarantee on more than a few hours a week
This ^ they need the dealer financing (2019 I think, I sold a car for my daughter ~$5k IIRC, it was hard and took ~2 months)
Too bad dealers do not take cars on consignment like motorcycle dealers do
43% said they couldn't come up with $1000 in an emergency without borrowing it.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/saving-money-emergency-expenses-2025/
Another reason might be seasonality. @macarose (who owns a dealer) told us here that cheaper cars sell best when people are getting tax return money. This years tax returns were far less than past years: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/25/average-irs-tax-refund.html
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/saving-money-emergency-expenses-2025/
Another reason might be seasonality. @macarose (who owns a dealer) told us here that cheaper cars sell best when people are getting tax return money. This years tax returns were far less than past years: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/25/average-irs-tax-refund.html
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And remember most folks cannot make moderate repairs to high mileage low cost vehicles. Spend $3000 and two months later it's bricked, and they no longer can get to work.
Only time I feel sorry for people who don't have money is if a medical issue caused it . Bad choices don't get my sympathy.
we're talking amongst a group of tightwads that get disconcertingly aroused when walmart drops the price of quaker state by 50 cents a quart. most of us are gonna save about 37 dollars over the course of an entire lifetime obsessing about motor oil when the guy next door probably increases his home equity more than that with about five
minutes of pressure washing his used quaker state off the driveway.
we are not normal people, nobody cares about 3.8 buick engines, and you should probably get a therapist.
thank you.
minutes of pressure washing his used quaker state off the driveway.
we are not normal people, nobody cares about 3.8 buick engines, and you should probably get a therapist.
thank you.
What size quad? You can always find old Honda Fourtrax quads for cheap
If you can't fix a car yourself, then the $2500 car isn't really a good deal given how expensive mechanics have gotten, and there are fewer KISS used cars available?
Also it seems most people that can afford a place with a garage where they can repair a car($4-500k in a lot of the country?), probably are just going to get a newer car?
Also it seems most people that can afford a place with a garage where they can repair a car($4-500k in a lot of the country?), probably are just going to get a newer car?
I'm not so sure how legit the YouTube video is about the sales slump at his used car lot. It appears most of his inventory is over $2500 and/or have undesirable histories (at least from my perspective). I see a lot of high mileage, multiple owner, accident repaired and branded title/salvage rebuilt vehicles in the current inventory. Judge for yourself:
A&J Used Cars
A&J Used Cars
The link is helpful, thank you.
I would say those are pretty good prices compared to here. He is in NC so I am assuming these are rust free. A Camry, XC90, Outback all for $3K. 200K miles sure, but thats better than what you find here.
This caught my eye - high mile old LS - but has spent it entire life in the sunbelt so should be rust free. Might be the best car on his lot?
None of this is true.
Prices for the average used car went up by nearly 5% last month.
Cheap cars are anything but. I'm in constant dog fights for the unpopular and unloved.
As for demand? Toyota's and their related sibling always sell very well. Trucks, SUVs and minivans also light up the charts.
Cars? Nope! The more defunct it is, the more it sits.
The video is pure clickbait. There is nothing new under the sun other than a consistently devaluing dollar.
Prices for the average used car went up by nearly 5% last month.
Cheap cars are anything but. I'm in constant dog fights for the unpopular and unloved.
As for demand? Toyota's and their related sibling always sell very well. Trucks, SUVs and minivans also light up the charts.
Cars? Nope! The more defunct it is, the more it sits.
The video is pure clickbait. There is nothing new under the sun other than a consistently devaluing dollar.
I'm old school. For me a beater with AC is adequate enough, if price is right. Heck, even a scooter with no creature comforts is a good enough commuter for me, because it was only $500 and is fuel efficient.
But I guess most people are more picky than that, and that likely plays a role in this situation too. I just wonder how much more financial stress will happen before poor people with egos get humbled enough to buy cheap cars again.
But I guess most people are more picky than that, and that likely plays a role in this situation too. I just wonder how much more financial stress will happen before poor people with egos get humbled enough to buy cheap cars again.
Apparently I'm currently only 7 minutes away from the dealership that made the video. I can swing by in the morning and see the true state of his lot, and if that's clickbait.
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In the real world, people are spooked. On most TV commercials, people are doing the happy dance. Maybe the guy in the vid needs to shoot a commercial with people dancing at his car lot.
I miss the days when in some dealers back lots $100 to $120 vehicles were to be found.
$2000. or so cars now, most people know those cars could be due for major work and not everyone is DIY capable.
Even driving off a lot or from someones home with a just purchased $8000. car or truck could end up being a loss of some sort, especially if you don't know what your doing or buying.
$2000. or so cars now, most people know those cars could be due for major work and not everyone is DIY capable.
Even driving off a lot or from someones home with a just purchased $8000. car or truck could end up being a loss of some sort, especially if you don't know what your doing or buying.
Thanks for providing the location! Unknowingly I happened to be just 7 minutes away, so I stopped by this morning. Recognized a lot of cars from the video, so apparently they still did not sell.
Here are some vehicles up close. All are definitely cheap runabouts, but in no way would I call these cars junk. As I saw other dealers nearby sell SERIOUSLY bad vehicles, true junk, for double the asking price of these. At least this dealer is honest with what he's got. Anyways, judge for yourselves.
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