*Mini Rant* Things are too expensive

"Jedidiah" (4barrel4speeddualexhaust) 08/13/2015 at 23:14 • Filed to: None

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I don’t really understand it. Is the after effects of cash for clunkers or is it inflation? Perhaps it’s a little of both or something completely unrelated caused by massive scale economic trends?

Even pieces of fucking shit will cost you several thousand dollars. You either get something that’s clapped out, ancient or some garbage badge-engineered shitbox or maybe a clapped-out, ancient, badge-engineered shitbox if you are really unlucky. You can’t get anything substantial for your money anymore it seems.

My parents had awesome cars that they both bought and sold for seemingly nothing even when you accounted for inflation.

Why is money suddenly worth less now? Why are cars suddenly worth more now?

Rant over, enjoy cars somewhat similar to the ones my family has owned in the past

Money Hustard > Jedidiah 08/13/2015 at 23:20

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I think it’s a hangover from the Great Recession. People are still hanging on to cars longer, creating less supply at a time in which demand is ever-increasing. I just traded in a clapped out 2004 F150 extended cab for almost $10K. The slow depreciation of trucks is one thing, but that’s 1,800 over what Kelly Blue Book valuated it in “good” condition, which omg it wasn’t even close to even fair condition.

Berang > Jedidiah 08/13/2015 at 23:22

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Depends on what you’re looking for. I am often surprised by how cheap mid to late 2000s Subaru WRXs are today.

On the other hand it seems a lot of people think any 20 year old car is “collectible” and worth some ridiculous amount of money even if beat to shit.

dogisbadob > Jedidiah 08/13/2015 at 23:22

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I got an A32 earlier this year for $500. Yeah it has some miles, but otherwise in good running condition.

People can’t afford new cars anymore and people are keeping their old cars longer. We’re in a depression. Prices go up but wages don’t; many of the jobs that pay $9/hr paid the same $9/hr 30 years ago.

Cash for clunkers is only a small part of it because only the worst gas-guzzlers even qualified in the first place (18 mpg or less, and the average rating of c4c trade-ins was under 16 mpg).

El Rivinado > Jedidiah 08/13/2015 at 23:24

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Well. Basically I blame it on cash for clunkers. Simply put, that stupid program did more to jack up the price for old cars that could be driven than any other. Inflation’s not really a part of it, as even in inflation, an old piece of junk is still an old piece of junk, but CFC’s complete annihilation of the used car market has driven the price of old cars up, and as those old cars continue to get scrapped and become less common, the more those prices are going to go up. Between that and the collector’s scene making survivors being driven up to the ludicrous prices they are, and simply put, we can’t get old cars that still run and work reasonably well anymore without paying close to a five figure price for the privilege. The only class that seems exempt, at least from what I’ve seen, is 70s and 80s era American Luxury Coupes and Four doors, because those cars aren't desired and they're still a fair number of well kept survivors, but even those will rise in price just by sheer dwindling numbers.

Jedidiah > Money Hustard 08/13/2015 at 23:24

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I know, it’s insane. Looking at Craigslist is ridiculous — wasted hulks of vehicles listed for way more than they can possibly ever be worth. What’s even crazier is that people buy them at these prices.

traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn > Jedidiah 08/13/2015 at 23:25

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Cars of this type are ancient, anemic, sluggish, potentially unreliable barges.

I love every one of them.

Jedidiah > Berang 08/13/2015 at 23:26

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I haven’t been impressed with the Subaru listings around here. Might just be a local thing.

I’m not exactly looking for them, I like things with a little more balls

Jedidiah > dogisbadob 08/13/2015 at 23:29

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I don’t really mind vehicles with low gas milage. Plenty of good trucks and damn near indestructible land yachts never had a chance to get good milage but would be a fantastic beater.

I’d drive a gas guzzler if it had a strong frame, axle and engine. IMHO, the way it’s built in the important ways that takes priority over silly things like mpgs and interior materials.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Jedidiah 08/13/2015 at 23:33

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I found a mostly running, sorta rust free, 93 Roadmaster for 600 bucks today. Sadly in light of the pile O’money I recently dropped on my Galant, I still can’t afford it.

Also Regarding Said Galant in 1991 my Vr-4 was listed at about 22,000 M.S.R.P since it has ever option but the CD player. Accounting for inflation that’s around 38,000 in 2015 money.

Jedidiah > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 08/13/2015 at 23:33

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We’ve never really had a problem with any vehicles of that type. Any unreliability would come solely from age.

Things from the 70s are still pretty reliable, they have good engine blocks, transmissions and rear ends. They just strapped emissions junk on them and lowered the compression to pre-war levels.

People call the 70s the malaise era, but trust me the 80s is worse.

911e46z06 > Jedidiah 08/13/2015 at 23:33

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This is just a friendly reminder that you can get an e39 540 for 3 grand

Jedidiah > 911e46z06 08/13/2015 at 23:34

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DogonCrook > Jedidiah 08/13/2015 at 23:35

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It’s Craig’s list and eBay driving it. Before all you had was autotrader and local listings. It used to be an absolute pain to sell a project car.

911e46z06 > Jedidiah 08/13/2015 at 23:45

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Because timelessly beautiful manual v8 sedan/wagon with an exhaust note like the simultaneous orgasm of a thousand angels

Jedidiah > 911e46z06 08/13/2015 at 23:54

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Good enough reason for me, but you went a little far with timelessly beautiful lol

But what happens when you add the prices on the receipts for parts to that initial 3k

911e46z06 > Jedidiah 08/14/2015 at 00:03

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Honestly dude, I’ve had 4 e39s, and I’ve never had major issues with less than 200k on the clock. It’s all about just finding a good one.

Jedidiah > 911e46z06 08/14/2015 at 00:05

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That’s part of the struggle though

Finding genuinely good cars and then not feeling ripped off later

911e46z06 > Jedidiah 08/14/2015 at 00:08

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It’s easier in the southwest. We don’t have to worry about rust. Cars just hold up better out here, especially the German stuff.

Jedidiah > 911e46z06 08/14/2015 at 00:14

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Man you got it lucky.

I restored my car 5 years ago and my rear quarters have already blistered up. I’m not even in the rust belt, I’m in Tennessee ffs

Makes me sick just looking at it. Even more so when I think of the money I spend on it and college and the future.

I’m just kind of dissapointed with how much I can get for my money. I guess I have unrealistic standards expecting to get nice things at affordable prices

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Jedidiah 08/14/2015 at 00:15

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You speak the truth, man. I have had some unusually good luck, but the bare minimum is like 3k for even the sketchiest of rides these days. I have been complaining about it since about 2009-2010. Used car prices jumped radically and depreciation quit working normally. My GF’s car has only dropped about 40% from new over 8 years (mind you, she has averaged about 7500 miles per year).

I’m always shocked when people I know buy used cars and I find out what they paid, particularly for cars less than about 15 years old... I always think they paid too much and it’s particularly-crazy when they get higher-interest loans on them. Obviously, it’s due to bad credit (or, more commonly, less-than-super-excellent credit), but it is still shocking. It always seems like the financially-responsible choice would have been either a much older car or a brand new one.

I wouldn’t have bought my last car new had this situation not become the norm.

911e46z06 > Jedidiah 08/14/2015 at 00:19

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It does make it easier. You still need to be careful though. But there’s always a bargain to be had. Fly out west and drive something home if you have to.

Jedidiah > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 08/14/2015 at 00:21

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Here’s a recent example: I’m roughly a little more 7k into a 01 Ford Excursion in what I’d call average condition.

That’s techically a good price, but —damnation— It just doesn’t feel worth it.

This thing was also astoundingly expensive when it was new if you account for inflation. It’s not like vehicles like this cost much to make either; Ford’s profit margins must have been huge.

I look at the prices of these things and I’m astounded that people will pay so much for one. The economy must be in sorry shape if people are willing shell out so much dough for a good suv

Berang > Jedidiah 08/14/2015 at 00:39

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80% of what you posted above is ball-less by comparison though.

Jedidiah > Berang 08/14/2015 at 01:12

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Yeah, but I like those for other reasons.

Plushy seats, understressed components, easy to work on, large and spacious

*crude joke warning* I like cars the exact opposite of how I like women: Soft, large, easy and lazy

Subarus aren’t exactly easy to work on, parts are expensive in comparison to the GM parts bin, kinda small and not exactly cozy, but I completely understand why people like them — it’s just that I don’t think I’d ever be in the market to buy one.

I don’t really give a shit about performance except for passing power — I like very simple and comfy full size cars

TheHondaBro > Jedidiah 08/14/2015 at 01:31

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Tavarish.
A
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A
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I
S
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Jedidiah > TheHondaBro 08/14/2015 at 01:39

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The stuff he posts is nicely priced in comparison, but there is still a problem that the entire market is still too expensive as a whole

Things just don’t seem worth what people pay is what I’m trying to say

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Jedidiah 08/14/2015 at 02:20

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I was lucky, I bought my first car a year ago today (yeeey) And I found it on craigslist (with some help from oppo, specifically dwhite) and I got a 2000 mercury mountaineer in good condition with 170k miles on it with no mechanical faults for $2300, it was well equip for 2000, it has automatic climate control, a compass, thermometer, keyless entry, and 4wd with a transfer case, it has more gadgety stuff than my moms ford escape that is 5 years newer. I’ve had 1 issue with it when the transfer case wouldn’t come out of 4wd, and I merely disconnected the battery and reconnected it, and it’s worked perfectly ever since, I haven’t been gentle to it, but it’s taken the abuse well.

There are good deals out there on cars, you just gotta find them.

LongbowMkII > Jedidiah 08/14/2015 at 06:06

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love the 15x6 wheels. I wanted a set for the Mk2. unfortunately theyre much more rare than the ubiquitous 14x7 version.

LongbowMkII > Jedidiah 08/14/2015 at 06:12

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I think he’s trying to say car flippers have driven the price up. If you ever try to sell a cheap car on CL you’ll be inundated with shady requests from flippers. Tavarish isn’t the first one to realize that a quick detail and some touch up work can net you some cash.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Jedidiah 08/14/2015 at 07:55

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It’s a combination of Cash for Clunkers, and the government printing money (otherwise known as monetizing the debt).

Supply of old cars and trucks is lower, and your money doesn’t buy anything that it used to at the same nominal value. My Ford F-150 stickered at about $20K in 1995. That’s now over $30K in today’s money. And it doesn’t have leather seats, cameras and sonar, a bazillion airbags, TV, or anything gizmo like we have today.

What it does have is less than 100K miles, and I still have idiots saying $6K asking price is too high. It’s actually in line with book value ($5.6-6K).

DipodomysDeserti > Jedidiah 08/14/2015 at 08:41

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Might just be your locale. Here’s a list of cars I’ve purchased off CL in the last year:

‘84 manual 325e coupe with LSD running: $1,200

‘91 manual 4wd Subaru Loyale with immaculate interior purchased from original owner running: $800

‘63 Corvair Monza with Datsun mag wheels running: $1,500

‘66 GMC long bed with a crate 350 and lots of aftermarket performance parts running $3,400

60’s era GM trucks are experiencing some inflation, but I really wanted one.

Jedidiah > DipodomysDeserti 08/14/2015 at 18:54

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Yeah. Might be some local economic down turn.

It’d be impossible to find stuff like that here.

I got a 73 Delta 88 Royal Convertible from the original owner with not too high milage but it was pretty rotten