My experience buying a new automobile

[midnight rambler]

To begin with, the automobile I'm getting is in high demand the way it is equipped, and therefore this particular automobile in this color/configuration is generally sold before it gets to the dealer. If unsold upon arrival at the dealer then it doesn't last a week before it's sold. So I've been in contact with dozens of this brand of new car dealers across the country. It's been quite an education, in general. In particular what I've discovered is - there's a shitload of people working at car dealerships who have English as a second language, and many with first names that are very unusual. I'd have to say it's well over 50% foreigners that I've encountered. Then I contract with an auto transport company and the people I talk to there have English as a second language as well.

'Replacement' is not a theory.

[woodman]

The airports are like something from a dystopian sci-fi movie.

[midnight rambler]

No kidding, the homeless have literally taken over O'Hare -

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11752429/Filthy-homeless-encampment-set-INSIDE-Chicagos-OHare-Airport.html

[hoarder]

Another reason to buy used vehicles. The new ones have so much emissions crap, electronic gadgets and crap, hoses and wires and most everything is plastic, and they now paint them with water based paint. I'll keep driving my older trucks.

[midnight rambler]

I have older vehicles, one of which is a 2000 1.5 ton 7.3* Ford (IH) diesel, which literally burn any oil including crankcase oil (aka black diesel), hydraulic oil, transformer oil, ATF, etc. It only has 4,100 miles on it (creampuff), but that will be changing soon.

I like older vehicles too, and have others, however I wanted something new, despite the problems with late model cars vs. being able to work on a 50 y.o. vehicle by your lonesome with some hand tools. As for the future, Jesus is coming soon so vehicle choices are really of no consequence to me. Drive what you like.

I've been reducing my fleet, it was 11, now 7 and will soon be 4-5.

*the year model 2000 of the 7.3 Ford diesel was the last year of the forged crank and rods, which means the power can be reliably turned up substantially, and no DEF

[Cebu_4_2]

I occasionally buy and sell used cars. The market has changed drastically due to the younger crowd that thinks cars are garbage if they have 200K miles on them. You can't give them away. The ones I get are 5-15 years old and are able to detail to showroom condition. This 200K mile crap just started over the last 3 years. Sat on a 2011 BMW X3 for 8 months due to 206K and ended up losing money to turn it to get working capital back. So keep that in mind if your in the used vehicle market.


Another reason to buy used vehicles. The new ones have so much emissions crap, electronic gadgets and crap, hoses and wires and most everything is plastic, and they now paint them with water based paint. I'll keep driving my older trucks.

[hoarder]

I occasionally buy and sell used cars. The market has changed drastically due to the younger crowd that thinks cars are garbage if they have 200K miles on them. You can't give them away. The ones I get are 5-15 years old and are able to detail to showroom condition. This 200K mile crap just started over the last 3 years. Sat on a 2011 BMW X3 for 8 months due to 206K and ended up losing money to turn it to get working capital back. So keep that in mind if your in the used vehicle market.
The used truck market is the opposite around here. Buyers disgusted with new vehicles will pay a big premium for older trucks with low mileage in nice condition. Toyotas are so high that "book value" means nothing and everybody accepts that. Tacomas sell for what they originally sold for 80K miles ago.
But pickup buyers are not white collar city boys than never got dirt under their nails.

[ziero0]

There are no 'new' cars but there are old cars that have been melted and recycled. Vegetables are frequently grown on soil made from recycled plants too.

I am driving a Chevy Suburban made from material that was once fabricated into a 1926 Duesenberg. It is a classic! But it also incorporates a Volkswagen and a Ford Thunderbird.

[midnight rambler]

Ukrainian transport driver showed up with his two Ukrainian buddies. None spoke English. Driver was wearing sweat pants that had a Ukrainian flag and said "UKRAINE" down the leg, but I knew before I noticed the Ukrainian flag that I had three slavs there. He offloaded my new vehicle, took photos for his purposes, I paid him and shook his hand, then said:

"Zelensky has really fucked up Ukraine."

He didn't like hearing that, he was kinda stunned but said nothing.