Car affordability in 2022 and beyond

Well, I don't know much about politics and their effect on finances. But looking at both sides of the coin I don't see a solution that works for everyone.

However, what I do know is that manufacturers cater to what the majority of buyers want. Apparently the majority of buyers don't want cheap cars. 2024 will be the last year to be able to buy a sub $20,000 car brand new.

 

Sounds logical. I stand corrected.

But if dealerships are the bad guys, where should one look for buying a cheap new car? Or should a person just go from dealership to dealership complaining that their cars are too expensive?

 

To refine that a bit, people want what they want at the lowest cost they can find.
As people make purchases, data is collected on what is selling, and production is refined to meet demand.
We can’t order the exact car we want, and dealers can’t order what mfgs don’t make.
The bottom line of all these decisions is the bottom line.

 

Sadly I learned how to do math. The time I went into a dealership I was asked if I'd like this, that and the other. I was repeating time and time again, "No thanks! I can't afford it, I don't want it and I deffinitely don't need it." That was for a used car.

 

Right now China does gloat that communism works better.
That government causes companies to outsource, of course that’s the story they say. Like no, no one is forcing you to do anything. It’s for money, more of it. Why do foreign car companies build huge factories in America if it has such a bad government and bad deincentivized people? Probably money too. The American government is not my enemy. I appreciate everything I have been given by our system. I love this government.

 

I also appreciate our system and often constructively criticize to I hope, make it even better.

I have skin in the game - I have served in our countries Armed Forces during wartime to do my part for our country. I have worked hard in our countries Manufacturing Industry -10 years in the food processing industry and 30 years in the Auto Manufacturing Industry. Through circumstances and hard work have been able to work at the lowest tier employee to management in each. This is the land of opportunity.
Unfortunately it is currently a Nation deeply troubled by economic and social problems that are approaching overwhelming size.

Communism does not work better, in my opinion. Just ask most Chinese citizens or East Germans who lived behind the Iron curtain.

Until the US gets spending, crime and immigration under control it is competing with one hand behind its back.

US is an economic, manufacturing, inventive powerhouse when it is allowed to prosper.

One of the reason so many citizens don't speak up is because of fear their ideas or suggestions will be misconstrued or shouted down via personal attacks rather than evaluated on the ideas merits

What a shame ideas can't be discussed without claims of patriotism, politics or religion : in the long run it deeply hurts our country.

I included my service and some work history to dispel any implications about someone not supporting their country

I am glad you also appreciate our country.
In my opinion one of our best modern-day Presidents - John F. Kennedy encouraged us by saying - “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country,” challenged every American to contribute in some way to the public good.

I enjoyed reading your opinions that quoted my post.

 

i love this form of government, and it could still be improved

 

One way to bring the price down is to buy-and-hold. If you can partially curtail your driving appetite, get involved in maintenance, pay attention to what the owners of your particular car who are piling on the miles quickly are discovering...

Our bottom line was a bit over $30K CDN (cash), over 13 years ago. It just went past 100K, kms.

 

Yeah I think regardless of your strategies, cars are getting pricier.

 

That's what I was wondering. What kind of strategies are there to get cars to be cheaper, other than getting into politics and trying to fix the system by becoming president and waging war on comerce?

I think it starts out with being sure that that's what I, as an individual, want. After all, here I am complaining about there being no more cheap cars, yet I drive a 2013 Avalon, the most expensive Toyota sedan from that year. Back then there was the Yaris, Corolla and Camry that were all cheaper, and there was the Camry hybird that was cheaper, although I'm not sure if it was that much cheaper than my used Avalon hybrid.

 

that's why there's more to product development than dealers. if enough people bought the cheapest vehicles available, mfgs would eventually catch on. and it's not even that simple, but most buyers want what they want, and that is usually higher than the base model, even when they are available.

 

considering i paid 32k for my 2012 plug in prius, and the normal inflationary rate, and covid, and the recent inflationary rate and materials and manpower shortages, i'd say todays prices are nothing short of amazing.
if wages haven't kept up, that's another discussion

 

My budget was around $15,000-$17,000 when I got the Avalon. I haven't really gotten any raises, so my budget, if I were to get another car right now, would be around $16,000. The Nissan Versa is about $16,000 (maybe more with destination). But it's the last year for the Versa. So there go my hopes of ever owning a new car.

I think specific car models tend to stay the same or even go down if you account for inflation.

The problem is more expensive models are invented and the cheaper models go bye bye. The Echo, Matrix and Yaris are no longer to be sold in the USA. I wouldn't be surprised if some day in the future the Corolla gets axed.

 

Is that due to lack of sales, or low profits?

 

I don't know why cheaper car models keep getting axed, but I would suspect it's because those two reasons.