I don't understand new cars and can't wait for the bubble to pop

"Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo" (akioohtori)
09/02/2020 at 01:38 • Filed to: None

I admit, I am not really the ideal customer for a new car. I like manual transmissions, natural aspiration, speed, quirk, ease of use, and style. Modern cars like automatic transmissions, forced induction, MPG above all else, design by committee, fussy infotainment, and jellybean shapes.

That said, I did used to buy cars new. In 2009 I bought a new Civic Si and in 2012 I traded that for my 2013 Volvo C30 brand new.

I’ve spent the last three weeks in New Mexico hanging out with co-workers and at least some of this time was spent discussing the various rentals they had. Overall the consensus was the same as above: new cars are too expensive, too fussy, and, generally, not fun to drive.

Now, to my mind, my coworkers are all well educated, well paid individuals who seem like the type that car makers would be targeting.... right? Yet most of them are either hanging on to our current, older cars for the foreseeable future, looking to buy something older, or have just bought something older.

So... who is buying new cars? Who is spending $30,000 on a new Accord, or $40,000 on a Frontier, or $85,000 on a new Land Cruiser?

Who is demanding bigger and bigger bodies with smaller interiors and more screens? Who actually wants radar cruise that doesn’t work when it is snowing, wet, or dusty? Who wants backup sensors whose sole purpose is to beep constantly? Who wants a massive touchscreen controlling everything that you can’t actually use because as it turns out cars tend to giggle about?

And when is this bubble going to pop? When are enough people going to say “but I don’t want all this shit I just want a car is is comfortable, nice, and fast YET NOT full of half-assed jankity tech and also doesn’t cost half the GDP of Liberia.

So here I am, pocket full of cash, willing to spend it on a new car but instead looking at buying yet another shitbox off the internet because I can’t see myself buying a $60,000 testament to compromise, focus groups, and tech for the sake of tech.

This rant brought to you buy shitty hotel wifi and a large shot of whiskey.

DISCUSSION (60)

glemon > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 01:54

You are preaching to the choir here. I still daily my 2002 IS300. I have test driven a couple late model cars as possible replacements for my wife’s Fit. Not new, but near new, key fobs, touch screens, a slightly different way to select PRNDL in every car, turret top “greenhouse”, high seating position. None of these seem like improvements in my book, and I am always amazed at how good it feels to get back into nearly 20 year old Lexi.

onlytwowheels > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 02:02

You are right on target. I have bought a new and near new many times, cars, trucks and motorcycles, but not in fifteen years. I don’t want to have my vehicles loaded with electronics. I don’t need self driving, self parking, lane keeping assistance techno features created for those who shouldn’t be driving if they can’t perform this function. I prefer an analog, mechanical connection to my vehicle and it’s controls.

I am also sure that the manufacturers enjoy adding all these prone to fail systems to enhance service center’s income. Ten, fifteen year old tech just looks lame, like that old CRT monitor you can’t give away.

sony1492 > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 02:02

Dont think the bubble will pop, plenty of people will go out and choose their fa vorite color of Rouge, tesla, outback and call it good. Not sure many people care about there car enough to notice any sacrifices coming up from an 06 spectra to a modern Elantra filled to the brim with crap-tech

fintail > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 02:03

I’m pretty much like this about the latest touchscreen/MBUX generation of MBs. I’m getting over the tech. I don’t want to touch a screen for everything, I don’t want to use hand gestures or talk to the car . I’ll admit I like the LED widescreen gauges and surround view, but these can be had with traditional other controls. Funny how a system with stuff buried under numerous menus controlled by a modified scroll wheel seems like the simple old days.

Nauraushaun > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 03:34

Maybe there is a point where, like smartphones, cars become appliances that all perform well enough that nobody really cares what they have.

Then again, they are considered big chunks of people’s identity. And while electric cars have range issues, there’s always going to be competition in the market and desire for something newer

Tripper > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 04:33

Right there with ya! Electric steering is the hard cut for me as it became the norm right along with big touch screens and a bazillion trim packages.

I don’t think any bubble will pop though, most people just want the gimmicky features in a CUV they think is “nice”.

I like my new car...I’m always saying things like, “it’s a good car” or “it’s a great dad car”.

Still nothing like the other two where I smile the whole time I’m driving and break my neck looking back on my way in the door.

Long_Voyager94 > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 06:57

I’m with you.

New cars are loaded with crap I don’t want, they’re noisy and rough riding thanks to their giant wheels, and generally lack any feeling to drive.

hillrat > Nauraushaun
09/02/2020 at 07:07

Then again, they are considered big chunks of people’s identity.

But are they though? I feel like cars give you insight into people’s personality but I’m not sure that they are linked as strongly to people’s social identity. For instance one of my friends has driven a manual For ester of some type since I met him 11 years ago and my other friend drives a beat up old Kia minivan. These distinctions give you insight into who they are and what’s important to them but what type of car they drive would be way down the list if I was describing them to someone. See what I mean?

hillrat > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 07:11

I agree that the bubble will never “pop” on new cars and we’re never going back to having manual transmissions for most cars, t hose fucking massive touch screens are never gonna go away either, and I don’t expect to pay less than $40k for a new car ever again. That’s part of the reason that I may never buy a new car again.

Chariotoflove > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 07:14

I go both ways, depending on my mood and the situation. I love me a loaded luxury car with all the tech, and the radar cruise and sensors are really useful. I like all the comfort, and the NVM insulation, and the CarPlay and all that, especially for a road trip or simple transportation.

But I also really enjoy a zippy little uncomplicated thing that I can just have fun in. My car purchases show my split personality. I had a Riviera for several years, followed by an RX-8 for over a decade (which even loaded didn’t have much compared to today’s cars), and now I have a K900.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 07:16

Give me a cold AC and Bluetooth, thats all the creature comforts I ever need.

old-busted-hotness-still-cant-comment > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 07:17

Most people don’t put that much thought into it. They buy what they’re told they want.

Salesman: Look! At all this tech! It’ll beep at you literally ALL THE TIME, when it’s working, and randomly slam on the brakes for you, and even steer you into danger, in case you’re too distracted by all the tech to do it yourself. All wrapped up in a top-heavy package that’s 20% uglier than last year’s model. That’s been proven in focus groups.
Buyer: Oooh, tech. Does it come in gray?
Salesman: Sure does, and LOOK! It’s got a little picture of itself on the dashboard display, one trim level up from the one you buy, so you can feel like a cheap fuck every time you start it.
Buyer: A graphic? Sweet. I want black wheels.

TorqueToYield > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 07:21

Cars have always been expensive.

A 1995 Camry LE 4cyl sedan was $19,778 MSRP according to https://www.autotrader.com/toyota/camry/1995

Thats $33,625.33 in todays money according to https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

Now ask what you were getting in a 1995 Camry vs what you get in a 2020 Camry which still has a base price of like $25,000 and which car is a better deal.

$30k for a new car is just what it costs these days and with inflation its not even more than what we were paying in the past.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 07:28

So... who is buying new cars? Who is spending $30,000 on a new Accord, or $40,000 on a Frontier, or $85,000 on a new Land Cruiser?

People who can afford those cars and absolutely need to get to work on time, but don’t want to work on their car (or pay someone to do so) constantly. It may not be the case for you, but were the work I put into my cars (all from the 90s or earlier) to keep them relatively reliable done by a reputable shop, the monthly cost would probably be about the same as a monthly payment on something built in the last five years. And guess what? If you inspect any of my cars as “a tool that brings me from point A to point B” rather than “an extension of the self” or some other poetic metaphor, they are objectively terrible- four airbags total across six cars, no safety features or drivers’ aids to speak of, probably no cruise control in any (I’ve never checked), a comfortable top speed of about 20 mph less than anything modern, etc etc etc. There’s not really a valid argument to be made when trying to compare them as commuter cars.

In spite of the above, I cannot see the bubble popping any time soon, baring a partial economic collapse. Stuff like radar assisted cruise control, high belt lines, downsized motors with turbos that spool at idle, seat belts with internal airbags, and others aren’t necessarily things that a consumer actively seeks out when purchasing a car- they are, however, a selling point that comes into contention in comparison of otherwise comparable vehicles. The mandates of safety and fuel economy come from above- and guess what? By and large, the features designed by committee to meet a government requirement of CAFE standards, tailpipe emissions, and occupant safety work.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Tripper
09/02/2020 at 07:31

Thanks for making me realize that half my cars don’t even have power steering...

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 07:32

“ but I don’t want all this shit I just want a car is is comfortable, nice, and fast YET NOT full of half-assed jankity tech and also doesn’t cost half the GDP of Liberia.”

This is basically my current view....and my worry for EVs ....except that they’ll be more appliance-like and have less character :(

TheRealBicycleBuck > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 07:50

We just bought a used Frontier at half that price. One of the things we like about it is that it’s a basic truck without all the gizmos. Granted, it does have a backup camera and rear sensors which are both nice. My wife was fully prepared to hate it, partly because of the basic truck status, partly because it’s a small truck and it doesn’t fit her preconceived notions of “manly”. However, after driving it for eight hours, she changed her mind. It reminds her of her dad’s old truck. It rides and handles like an old truck. It’s also nearly the same size.

That doesn’t mean she’s going to buy one when it comes time for a new vehicle. :)

Tripper > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
09/02/2020 at 08:02

I mean that is the best way. I love my M3 but the 1502 has ALL the feels

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > TorqueToYield
09/02/2020 at 08:08

This is an important thing to remember:

Car prices have largely kept pace with inflation.

Incomes (especially in the USA, below the top 10% ) have NOT kept pace with inflation.

It’s not that a $35 ,000 Accord is more expensive than a comparable model from 20 years ago [adjusted for inflation], it’s that you make less money [adjusted for inflation] than you did 20 years ago.

notsomethingstructural > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 08:10

A lot of this is driven by the EPA and NHTSA. The physical shape of cars and move to low displacement turbo-4’s is a fuel saving measure. Compare the mileage of a current M3 (17/25) to an E46 (15/20)... or an M5 (15/21 vs 11/17)... or a 330ix (26/36 vs (18/27). Modern cars get up to like 4 0%(!!!!!) more miles out of the same gallon of gas, and blow anything from the older vintage away on performance . That’s incredible.

Then you get to NHTSA which now requires electronic stability control sold on every single car, as well as backup cameras, ABS, and front airbags (which weren’t even required until like 2000) . Yes, you read that correctly, NHTSA will not allow you to sell a new car without a backup camera. So you need a screen either way. Blind spot monitors also can’t be far away, which is some of why manufacturers are moving that downmarket.

And then you get to the price thing that someone pointed out, and you’re actually getting all these things for LESS money than you would have paid in the 90’s for a more analog car.

I’m not saying I don’t simp for older cars all the time but after getting a better handle on the inflation side of things (boy 20 years really does add up) I certainly feel compelled to bitch about “how much things cost these days” a lot less. Now if we could only get wages to keep up with inflation we’d be in business.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 08:13

It’s not a bubble. New car prices are quite in line with inflation... While I agree that much of the tech in new cars is superfluous at best, and engineered to fail and/or increase service costs/reduce service life at worst, the *REAL* problem is that on average, (especially in the USA) lower and middle incomes have **NOT** kept pace with inflation.

Long_Voyager94 > Chariotoflove
09/02/2020 at 08:13

I too reach both ends.

In general, I want something simple and easy without all the gimmicks.

But sometimes I just want full blown luxury.

Good thing actual full blown luxury is extremely hard to come by these days, it’s all gimmicks disguised as luxury.

Chariotoflove > Long_Voyager94
09/02/2020 at 08:21

People do tend to conflate the two. I’ve found it in my current car though. True comfort with most all the tech I want, but not too many useless gimmicks. Most everything in it is truly useful, with plenty of buttons and knobs for the essentials when I don’t want to go through menus.

Speed > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
09/02/2020 at 09:21

Damn good post. I really enjoyed the perspective in the first paragraph. I totally get why people go out and buy new, but for folks like us, the cost vs. benefit analysis of keeping a fleet of shitboxes on the road just works out great.

GoodIdeaAtTheTime > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
09/02/2020 at 09:39

Pretty much this. Aroun d 2005 I was well paid in the industry, and bought 2 brand new cars, one for me and one for the husband (now divo rced, cocaine is a hell of a drug) , with money left over each month. Pa y has stagnated for the last 10-12 years in my field , and I am now on the lower end of pay, I haven’ t had a raise in 8 years, and actually had to take a substantial pay cut plus loss of hours due to current events . Looking for a new job, but so far no luck, I’d even be happy with, gulp, a second and/or third job just to keep up with my now modest living expenses.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > GoodIdeaAtTheTime
09/02/2020 at 09:43

I'm sure your [company/field]'s investors and/or stock holders appreciate your sacrifice.

Long_Voyager94 > Chariotoflove
09/02/2020 at 09:59

Honestly that’s why we much preferred our Grand Caravan over the Pacifica.

The GC may be slightly dated, but it feels well built, rides excellent, is quiet inside, and has all the tech we need.

The Pacifica on the other hand feels cheap, but is trying to hide behind swoopy lines and loads of useless tech.

bob and john > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
09/02/2020 at 10:07

intresting, I went on an inflation calculator ( https://www.bankofcanada.ca/rates/related/inflation-calculator/ )

to look at canadas.

in 1975, the min wage was $ 2.60/h . Adjusted for inflation, thats about $ 13/h now. Would min wage is acutally $ 15/h. which, huh

CobraJoe > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 10:10

Simple. People who are willing to spend a lot on a car to get something “ better” than they already had.

Thanks to today’s tech driven culture of “The next thing is amazing compared to the crap that is the current thing!”

Once you get on that upgrade train, it’s sometimes difficult to see that what you currently have is still pretty good. It’s especially difficult if you’re on a lease and you’ll be out of a vehicle at the end of 2-3 years.

I’m not sure when it’ll pop, but it’s starting to be an obvious bubble now. Car sales are slow compared to population growth, and used car prices are starting to get higher on average, average new car prices are growing, loan lengths are getting longer ...

Someday there won’t be enough used cars for everyone who needs/wants a car, or they won’t be very affordable, and then a cheap new car will be far more necessary .

SiennaMan > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
09/02/2020 at 10:15

This is the big problem in the US at least. Car prices have kept up with inflation and added a lot of safety features (usually at the expense of aspects that make a car fun), but real wages have been falling behind since at least the early ‘80s which means we’ve reached a point where many people who need a car can’t really afford one and many people who could afford one can’t be bothered because yhere are very few models that are both practical and appeal to people who like driving..

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > bob and john
09/02/2020 at 10:21

Yeah, our federal minimum wage in the USA is still $7.25. Some states and localities have higher, but the vast majority of the country is WELL below inflationary wage growth. Also: don’t forget that this holds true not just at the bottom, but through the entire lower ~90% of wages.

bob and john > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
09/02/2020 at 10:25

oh 100% the rest of it hasn’t changed.

But i thought that canadas would have been pretty bad as well. I’m actually a little pleasantly surprised.

bob and john > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
09/02/2020 at 10:25

oh 100% the rest of it hasn’t changed.

But i thought that canadas would have been pretty bad as well. I’m actually a little pleasantly surprised.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > SiennaMan
09/02/2020 at 10:37

“real wages have been falling behind since at least the early ‘80s”

One Word: Reaganomics. [or, if you prefer Bush-era nomen clature : Trickle-down economics]

Political reminders:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/08/11/uses-division

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/how-reagan-captured-the-presidency-and-the-right-captured-politics/2020/08/27/7a515a9c-cab3-11ea-91f1-28aca4d833a0_story.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > bob and john
09/02/2020 at 10:38

Canada, The Better USA. [not perfect, just better]

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Long_Voyager94
09/02/2020 at 10:39

I’m not quite sure I get your hate for the Pacifica. Minivans don’t sell well right now and the design was modern and sort of urban chic in a way that the market wanted. I found the interior to be quite comfortable too and it was a pretty good looking interior too.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > CobraJoe
09/02/2020 at 10:42

Someday there won’t be enough used cars for everyone who ne eds/wants a car, or they won’t be very affordable, and then a cheap new car will be far more necessary.

Yet the current crop of good cheap cars has been selling very poorly. No one is buying decontented stripper models the same way everyone and their uncle seems to have a brand new iphone even when they never have money for lunch. The American public doesn’t know how not to way overbuy.

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/02/2020 at 10:59

* Not limited to Americans!

95% (made up percentage) of the cars sold here are als o sold in Europe in the same numbers. Minus trucks obviously.

Nothing > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 11:09

The average age of the new car buyer is 53. That’s who wants all of the stuff you may not care to have, and can generally comfortably afford the cost.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI
09/02/2020 at 11:32

I'd like a citation on that one.

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/02/2020 at 11:35

The citation will be as made up as my percentages . I guess I should have said almost all of the crossovers sold here are sold there, and also in large quantities.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI
09/02/2020 at 11:44

The midsized and compact ones, yes. The large ones sell very poorly or not at all over there.

GoodIdeaAtTheTime > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
09/02/2020 at 11:45

...not in the least bit. T hey are actively trying to force me to quit.

B_dol > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 11:46

This explains why my car purchases are moving backwards in years, all bought in the past 5 years. 2015 -> 2011 -> 2007 -> 1999

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > GoodIdeaAtTheTime
09/02/2020 at 11:57

There was implied sarcasm in my response... Sorry to hear it was un-required.

Long_Voyager94 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/02/2020 at 12:03

I found the interior of the 3 we tested to be overly stiff and plastic feeling, the ride is stiff yet sloppy at the same time, the road noise was appalling, and the 9-speed is a clunky joke. The swoopy exterior design to me looks like it’s pretending to be something else and frankly cuts down on the usefulness of the interior.

Everything is focused on the tech and “looking” nice. When it comes to actual quality I feel they fall extremely short.

Don’t get me wrong, most people are easily fooled by swoopy designs and loads of tech, for someone like me, I don’t buy it.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Long_Voyager94
09/02/2020 at 12:23

Makes sense. Minivans have to make compromises to survive in a superficial world though. I also thought the seats were a bit hard but they weren’t uncomfortable. I didn’t notice the road noise or plastics but I was also sitting in the back and only once.

CobraJoe > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/02/2020 at 12:23

We aren’t to the tipping point yet.

According to CarGurus, the average used car price is $20,787 for a Crossover and $13,025 for a hatchback. While there are cheaper new vehicles available, they’re decontented and usually not very desirable. (Why get a new Ecosport when a 2 year old Edge is the same price?)

But, if current trends keep going in the same direction, the lack of new car sales now will limit availability of used cars in the future, and more demand with less supply means more cost. Eventually, we could get to where a desirable used car is far more expensive than a “merely functional” new car.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > CobraJoe
09/02/2020 at 12:41

Though your example of an Ecosport is a good example of why cheap new cars are less desirable. That car is a wretched excuse for a CUV. Massive wheels and tires with more glass and metal and plastic that goes with CUVs makes them more expensive than a comparatively equipped hatchback. I’m not saying every car needs to be cheap and decontented but the amount of people who say they “need” leather and a 20" touchscreen is absurd. Though there is also the fact that when you are already spending so much it’s easy to think 3 k more for the extra goodies isn’t significant. To some it isn’t. It’s more people trying to have it all and then not being able to make their payments because they overbought that I have a problem with.

And we are clearly seeing what happens right now when used car demand far outpaces supply.

GoodIdeaAtTheTime > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
09/02/2020 at 12:59

I figured. Hard to “ type in” sarcasm. Maybe I can develop a new font????? Just my frustration level is through the roof, coupled with crippling depression and anxiety.... its got me a little on edge.

CobraJoe > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/02/2020 at 14:04

You do have a point, there is something in the culture that encourages unnecessary upgrades.

But the flip side is that people who are worried about spending too much on a car will almost always look in the used market instead of new.

So you have people who are willing to spend too much to get the good stuff new, and people who are avoiding spending a lot are avoiding buying new at all.

Now, we’re having less cheap cars being sold, and will have more expensive used cars in the market later on. Which also helps drive up used car prices.

And we are clearly seeing what happens right now w hen used car demand far outpaces supply.

I don’t think we’re quite to the tipping point yet, where used cars can be undercut by an affordable new car.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > CobraJoe
09/02/2020 at 15:00

The stigma attached to cheap cars sure doesn’t help things. And not just things like the Mirage since people can’t divorce “small, “cheap,” and “bad.” People would rather drive a large used car than a new smaller car simply because they can’t be bothered to realize that something like the Elantra GT is a great car.

Chariotoflove > Long_Voyager94
09/02/2020 at 15:57

I only ever spent a spell in a Pacifica on a showroom floor, and it felt pretty upscale. It didn’t fit my preferences as well as our Sedona (which has the next to the top trim level).

Whether tech is a gimmick or useful for me sometimes requires me to use it for a while until the gee whiz factor wears off and I realize whether or not I actually use it.

One of the things I found out I really like is Apple CarPlay on a road trip. The Kia system is good, but the simplicity of CarPlay with only what I need in a couple of buttons is perfect. My minivan didn’t come with it, but Kia created downloadable updates for all its cars with touch screens after 2014 to upgrade the capability for free. It was greatly appreciated.

Nauraushaun > hillrat
09/02/2020 at 16:39

I see what you mean. Certainly I think it used to be a bigger indicator of status and personality . But also I know people who still use cars as status indicators - wouldn’t caught dead in anything other than a Ford that’s <5 years old.

hillrat > Nauraushaun
09/02/2020 at 17:41

I hear you, it’s still a thing for some people. My wife is from a farm town of 500 and it didn’t matter how bad things were going, most of the farmers in town got a new truck every 2-3 years.

Taylor Martin > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/02/2020 at 17:42

I’m with you pal, it boggles my mind. Maybe that’s because I haven’t made my own living and think the idea of a 20,000 dollar car is obscene, let alone 40k or 80k, but some people like to have the biggest and best. It’s all the rage here is the states, bigger is better... I don’t buy that.

First of all, older cars look better than newer cars. You can’t change my mind. Ever since regulations started caring about pedestrian safety, car’s got smoother and all their “style” came from body molding. Every front end it the same, and most car bodies look the same.

Then there’s the uniqueness factor. Everyone has an Accord nowadays, but not everyone has an old Accord, with it’s 8 0s boxy shape and four different headlights because why not.

I don’t think I’ll ever spend over 15k on a car (my Acura was 14, however, that’s only because my mother wanted my first car to be reliable and safe. If it were up to me, a 5-7k Subaru Outback would’ve been just fine). A can that isn’t all modern so I can fix it myself, a car that’s fun to drive and cool to own, one that sparks conversations and proves I’m unique (or crazy). In this case, it’s honestly cheaper to drive something old, but it looks a lot cooler than driving something new.

But hey, I’m not exactly a target demographic.

Nauraushaun > hillrat
09/02/2020 at 21:24

You know what, I’d expect the opposite from that environment. I’d expect them to keep some old truck as long as it works, since a lot of the newer stuff isn’t as hardy anyway.

hillrat > Nauraushaun
09/03/2020 at 07:24

It goes back to your original comment about cars being part of people’s personality and/or social identity. Having a new truck communicates that you’re doing OK and are handling business.

Farmers are business owners and one of the things about owning a business is that even if you don’t have profits, you have cash flow that allows you to do things like lease trucks every 2-3 years.

ST80MND > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
09/03/2020 at 09:21

The new car trend I hate the most is FWD crossovers.

FWD crossovers. Utterly pointless. Get a damn hatchback. Or get a damn 4X4.

“City SUV”

Fucking moronic.

Nauraushaun > hillrat
09/03/2020 at 16:16

If it were me. I’d keep the same truck and buy 10 Japanese sports cars every 2-3 years. The other thing about farmers is you’ve got room for cars.

;)