Generation Y Giving Cars a Pass

Yahoo ^ | 9-21-2010 | Jim Ostroff

[Gordon Pym]

Generation Y Giving Cars a Pass The generation gap is a growing, long-term headache for automakers.

Buzz Up! By Jim Ostroff Selling cars to young adults under 30 is proving to be a real challenge for automakers. Unlike their elders, Generation Yers own fewer cars and don’t drive much. They’re likely to see autos as a source of pollution, not as a sex or status symbol.

Motorists aged 21 to 30 now account for 14% of miles driven, down from 21% in 1995.

They’re more apt to ride mass transit to work and use car sharing services -- pioneered by Zipcar -- for longer trips. And car sharing choices are expanding, with car rental firms moving into the market, making it convenient for young folks to rent with hourly rates and easy insurance. Connect by Hertz, for example, is rolling out its car sharing services in the New York metropolitan area, with plans to eventually expand them to around 40 college campuses nationwide.

[Gordon Pym]

If this is to be believed I can't help but blamr the gross feminization of the American culture. I grew up under the hood of a car and I have kept mine going over 300000 miles but I know youngsters today that don't even know how to check the oil. 30 years ago that would be grounds for "light in the loafers" speculation.

[Unam Sanctam]

I imagine another reason is that Obama’s economy is not producing the private sector jobs needed to employ said generation.

[netmilsmom]

>>They’re more apt to ride mass transit to work and use car sharing services<<

Or leach of their parents and drive Mom’s car.

[DonaldC]

Many in this generation are not so good at getting or holding jobs anyway, so no surprise they are not driving much.

[HerrBlucher]

My 22 year old nephew just bought a bright lime green Dodge Daytona Charger, we were all sort of shocked because he didn’t seem particularly interested in cars before that. Glad he is bucking the trend.

[libertarian27]

You can’t tinker around with the cars of today like you could ‘back in the day’ - other than putting on nifty wheels, fat mufflers and a rad sound system - you aren’t fiddling with the motor, etc.... You pretty much have to buy them 100% rolling and take them to the dealer when the lights go off...

[IYAS9YAS]

Well, you don’t really need a car to 1) travel to that job you don’t have. 2) get around in the war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan (transportation will be provided for you). So, those two things could be the cause of the drop in that demographic.

[HerrBlucher]

And with his own hard earned money. Good kid, Uncle proud.

[dblshot]

Instead of Nissans they drive Nintendos.

[Gordon Pym]

I imagine another reason is that Obama’s economy is not producing the private sector jobs needed to employ said generation.

Yes, and the schools have replaced shop class with environmentalism but at the root is the destruction of the American culture and the destruction of the masculine virtues of strength, courage, honor and the ability to lay a forty foot strip of rubber.

[N. Theknow]

Perhaps not many of them can afford a high ticket item like a car.

Especially after Cash For Clunkers eliminated a slew of "experienced" automobiles from the market.

Add that to the need to drive to a job is not there, because there is no job, shake and serve, voila! Lousy auto sales!

[Hodar]

Back in the day, we had our heads under the hoods of our cars primarily because our cars were pieces of fecal matter. Generally they were American made, unreliable, poorly designed vehicles that had a life expectancy of 80k miles. We expected to overhaul the engine and replace the tranny before 100K miles. The waterpumps had to be replaced around 20K miles, the plugs and points were a 8-10K mile chore.

So, we learned to fix our cars, because we had to. Then Japan came and made a car/truck that was cheaper and ultr-reliable. Years passed and now Japanese cars are more expensive - but generally far more reliable than their American counterparts.

So, the kids can now buy a 8yr old car with 70K miles on it; and have a reliable car they can expect to drive for the next 200K miles before any major expense is incurred. So, instead of dropping $20+K on a new car; they are buying a used car for $5-15K.

But, our tax dollars have also created mass transit that was not available when we were young. So, instead of dropping that $5-15K for a car; the kids can get where they want to go buy riding a bus, or taking a subway. These are alternatives we didn’t have. We either got a car, or we stayed home. To our generation, the car was ‘freedom’.

The times are a changing.

[ilovesarah2012]

PUUUULLLLEEEEZZZEEEE!

Not buying it. The new Mustang is awesome and I’m a woman and old!

[Gaffer]

What you're really saying is that they are now spending their lives training to be wards of the government. If you can't maintain a car, can't mow grass and fix a mower problem, repair basic faults in the home, then you are a ward of the state because you have no alternative but depending on government.

When you don't know anything about the basics of how things work, how to fix things, what works and what doesn't, the government can tell you what lightbulbs to buy, what toilets to have, what appliances you can/should have, what cars you need and so on. Frankly, most of these no-learners will be weeded out in the big depression that is coming.

[absolootezer0]

first- who can afford a decent car any more? the 20-30 somethings who have a mortgage worth of college debt and a job that pays little more than what many jobs pay for entry level just can’t afford it, and the vehicles they make anymore just don’t last.
also, the first car i had i could change out just about anything short of the engine in under a half hour, and could do any work by myself, but this new crap, OMG. everything is so crammed in and out of place just changing the belt is a labour intensive job. heck, alot of these cars anymore you have to just about pull then engine to just change teh plugs! and with all the electronics and sensors, there’s so much that can go wrong its not funny.

and its not just the youngsters. i got a call from a mid-forties friend who had a flat- she had no idea what to do.

[Gordon Pym]

What you're really saying is that they are now spending their lives training to be wards of the government. If you can't maintain a car, can't mow grass and fix a mower problem, repair basic faults in the home, then you are a ward of the state because you have no alternative but depending on government

Exactly, Self reliance or bureaucratic serfdom

[SVTCobra03]

I live in a college town and have observed a copious quantity of Camaros, Challengers and Mustangs. And before I retired last May, I noticed the new engineering hires at my company were driving porches and vettes.

[headstamp 2]

“Or leach of their parents and drive Mom’s car.”

We have a winner, thanks to all for playing. Johnnie has some lovely parting gifts for all of you backstage.

[Pollster1]

One more nail in the coffin of Government Motors; I hope they bury that company soon. I’m with the new generation at least in the sense that I will never ever buy anything made by GM or Chrysler. When they accepted my tax dollars against my will, they became like any other thief (individual or corporate), and I will only deal with a thief when compelled to do so at gunpoint.

[SVTCobra03]

“You can’t tinker around with the cars of today like you could ‘back in the day’ - other than putting on nifty wheels, fat mufflers and a rad sound system - you aren’t fiddling with the motor, etc.... You pretty much have to buy them 100% rolling and take them to the dealer when the lights go off...”

au contraire mon ami. I am just about to order the following aftermarket parts for my 2008 Shelby GT500: Upgraded supercharger, handling package(suspension), larger heat exchanger with electric fans, larger throttle body, 3.73 gears, axle-back exhaust and short-throw shifter.