Vehicle sales in these economic conditions

[Oregonhunter5]

I won't say bad words against Dodge but I've never felt the urge to own one. I have a little story about one of my numb-nuts sons-in-law. To start, I have to say he doesn't take good care of equipment, that's a part of it. So first he bought a Dodge Ram pickup. It had brake issues, electrical issues, and basically fell apart on him. Then he had a Dodge Magnum but for so short a period I don't know how that worked out. Next, he had a Dodge Grand Caravan. I know about that one, I had to drive them to the airport once in it. It was a rolling disaster, falling apart. Lots of electrical issues. Wouldn't stay running at idle. He said, "Now you have to kinda watch it when you get off the freeway, it'll wanna die on ya at the foot of the offramp. Then it won't start again." Used oil. He never keeps a Dodge long enough to get it fully paid off, they just roll in the remaining financing on the next purchase. At least he's able to get rid of the duds as trade-ins. His latest vehicle is a Dodge Durango. When he bought it, I asked him, "Why on earth did you buy another Dodge??" He said with a straight face, "Well, I've had pretty good luck with them." In fairness the Durango has been a fairly decent vehicle.

Over the years, Dodge has made some pretty good power train components. That all went straight downhill when so much of their product line when front wheel drive. They still make some rear wheel drive pax car models, on unit bodies. My other numb-nuts son-in-law had one of those, a Chrysler 300. It didn't last all that long. One engine replacement, some electrical issues. We both bought new cars that year, 2005. He bought the Chrysler, I bought a Ford Crown Victoria. The Chrysler is long gone, the Crown Vic is still running strong at 144K miles, never has needed any major work. Brakes have been done once on both ends, plus routine maintenance. Which is the key to long service life so long as the product is any good in the first place.

I laughed at the numb nuts comments!!! There's some real idiots out there. I think people buy what they can afford. My brother in law is a real ball sack. Common sense? Zero! Born and bread California dude.

I've had 4 tundras. First break jobs are always around 120k miles...

 

[The Heretic]

My Dodge is a 4x4 one ton with the Cummins diesel - the 2nd gen 5.9 with manual injection - no real electronics (timed intake heater, but I will replace that with a switch, relay for fuel shutoff, I will replace that with a cable). It has some problems, for which I intend to spend $ to fix properly. I think that is better spent money than buying an expensive new/newer truck. So far it has served me well as a farm truck - but it isn't road worthy.

It has the 5th gear problem - Dodge didn't make the transmission, New Venture did. The front and rear axles are Dana. Most of the running gear on many trucks are made by third parties - Dana, Getrag, Spicer, Muncie, et. al. and are similar or the same on different makes.

 

[The Heretic]

I've had 4 tundras. First break jobs are always around 120k miles...

120K before the brakes break?

 

[gmerkt]

I've had 4 tundras. First break jobs are always around 120k miles.

My Crown Victoria went to 110k miles on original factory front disc brakes, and 140K on rear discs. When I was regularly driving drum brake cars, I'd never get close to that kind of mileage out of brakes.

I think that is better spent money than buying an expensive new/newer truck.

Undoubtedly. You can make a lot of repairs for $60K. Even more if you do the work yourself. I replaced axle, axle bearing, rear brake components on my Mercury Grand Marquis recently, did it myself. I think I spent about $200 on parts. My guess as to dealer cost for the same work, add a grand to it and you'd be close. Likely more, when I think about it. They get $100 each for new brake rotors that you can buy online for $20 ea. They get $100 for 5 pints of rear axle lube; you can buy it for $5.50 a quart online, same Motorcraft material that the Ford shop uses. But wait, for those prices, you get work done by a certified "technician." Used to be called a mechanic. I could write half a book about the botched service jobs I got done at the Ford dealer back when I was working and didn't have time to do it myself. It was particularly insulting because my dad worked in service management for donkey's years and he always had a pretty good crew working in his shop.

 

[JamesG]

Last night I looked at the price of high performance European and they sure are dropping in price. Would not mind picking up a MB E63S AMG if the price is right.
Thanks:
James

 

[Oregonhunter5]

120K before the brakes break?

Come on everyone knows I suck at grammar and spell check.

 

[The Heretic]

Last night I looked at the price of high performance European and they sure are dropping in price. Would not mind picking up a MB E63S AMG if the price is right.
Thanks:
James

Daimler is hurting, so is BMW and VAG. Daimler has been hurting since last year - they laid off a bunch of people - about 10K before this latest round of layoffs.

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

Vehicle sales crash in April, analysts say, dropping by half- Marketplace

Pickup truck sales are holding up better than some other vehicles, spurred by incentives like zero-percent financing deals.

www.marketplace.org

Because production of new cars halted six weeks ago, there will not be any inventory coming to replace what is sold now on the lots. As a result our local dealer is only offering $90 off MSRP. Hopefully there will be more manufacturer incentives new week as we go in and try to purchase a new hybrid suv.

 

[Bushman]

I bought a new car but can't sell my old one now. It's a stick shift Toyota Yaris and only 3 out of 100 people knows how to drive a stick. 1k under blue book and Gertie one bites but man, my civic sold within days after a million inquiries.

 

[clanhanson]

My Tacoma is currently worth more than what I paid for it three years ago. I'd sell if there was a way to replace it with a good deal, but those deals are few and far between these days.

 

[Alexx1401]

I bought a new car but can't sell my old one now. It's a stick shift Toyota Yaris and only 3 out of 100 people knows how to drive a stick. 1k under blue book and Gertie one bites but man, my civic sold within days after a million inquiries.

Since gas is up to $5 a gallon here in places I find it hard to believe someone would not want it badly. I bought a little Kia a few years ago that was manual. I had not noticed until then that so few could still drive a manual. With gas and the price of used cars both going higher daily I would think someone would be willing to learn.

 

[USMC1911]

Papa did me right as I learned to drive a stick with a 3 on the tree.

 

[made in china]

My Tacoma is currently worth more than what I paid for it three years ago. I'd sell if there was a way to replace it with a good deal, but those deals are few and far between these days.

Expect it's value to become "corrected" soon if gas prices stay high for a while. The last 2 weeks has seen the market soften for trucks and SUVs (body on frame) this is apparent at auctions and places like Carvana.

It'll be a bit before the lower values are widespread.

 

[slimmer13]

Since gas is up to $5 a gallon here in places I find it hard to believe someone would not want it badly. I bought a little Kia a few years ago that was manual. I had not noticed until then that so few could still drive a manual. With gas and the price of used cars both going higher daily I would think someone would be willing to learn.

If you can't find em, grind em.

 

[The Heretic]

Papa did me right as I learned to drive a stick with a 3 on the tree.

This is what I learned on:

 

[Alexx1401]

This is what I learned on:

View attachment 1150995

When I turned 16 I was back and forth between here and AZ. At that time if you took a test in AZ with an Auto you got a license that only allowed you to drive an auto. All the drivers ED cars had a manual for that reason. Can't remember when they changed it there.

 

[Bushman]

Expect it's value to become "corrected" soon if gas prices stay high for a while. The last 2 weeks has seen the market soften for trucks and SUVs (body on frame) this is apparent at auctions and places like Carvana.

It'll be a bit before the lower values are widespread.

Man maybe I should make on offer on that Maserati, you might be on to something

I'd be more apt to do it if I didn't already have two cars including my recent minivan camping van I converted it to (no build) and had an actual garage instead of a driveway to park it in.