Posted on 06/30/2011 9:09:12 AM PDT by jazusamo
Yep.
Yeah, love the dealer markups. Considered buying a v-8 Camaro when they first came out. Dealer said he could get one but it would be 10K over list. This was while GM was in bankruptcy. I howled. He countered, the 6 cyl model only had a 2500 markup over list. I just walked over to the Hyundai place and bought a genesis coupe for a huge savings and have never looked back.
in 1996 I was of limited means and needed transport so I bought a brand new honda civic hx. it just turned over 210K on the odometer last week. it still gets 38mpg every tank full, slightly less than the 42mpg it used to get. I don’t think a hybrid could be that cheap to buy and run. I’ll be replacing it with a 4wd truck because my needs have changed, but I would certainly buy another one if I needed cheap transportation.
I believe this Cramer nails it on mileage and cost savings.
Fairly high mileage gas powered vehicles will be hard to replace on an overall cost basis. The technology is proven and the original cost of the vehicle is reasonable.
ping for later read
It really burns me when a dealer pulls that “take it or leave it” bs.
In ‘65 I told a ford dealer I’d buy a new ‘65 Mustang that was in the showroom if he’d knock $100 bucks off the sticker, he said no way. I said if he didn’t I was going down the street and buy a new Olds Cutlass, he still refused so I bought the Cutlass.
I'll bet most of your mileage loss can be attributed to ethanol in your gas. If you can find a vendor who sells pure, non-ethanol "enhanced" gasoline, I'd be willing to be you'd be back up to where you were.
I’m amazed at the mileage these cars are getting now. My motorcycle only gets about 39-40 MPG, and there are cars that do better than that.
I agree
My story, my college rommate and I had both just gotten jobs in our indutry, he had gradutated and I had 1 yr left. We both had college beaters on their last legs and were carpooling to shop for cars. Two young males looking at sports/sporty cars - him single and me engaged but still wanting something sporty.
We went to the Mazda dealership and both were looking at the RX7. There was a line item called "surcharge" for $10k (in 1985) on the window sticker. We asked the guy "what is that for?". He said "we know you'll pay it to get a Mazda". We both turned and left without another word and him running after us "but, wait"...
He bought a new Mustang that day. I bought a Plymouth Turismo the next. He putted around in the 'stang to save gas money. I zipped all over in the Shelby-tuned Turismo and had a blast until a new baby caused me to trade for a 4 door a few years later.
Why would anyone in their right mind buy a car from GM aftre all the money we taxpayers have handed them?
Why would anyone in their right mind buy a car from GM after all the money we taxpayers have handed them?
I buy Chevys because they build a good car. 251K on the ‘04 with no problems.
Now it is NOT the average Joe’s fault. They show up build cars and go home. If you want to blame someone blame the union BOSSES. Blame stupid high level management. Blame the politicians who put the scheme together.
If you had a failing company and someone offered you cash to save it, what would YOU do.
So go ahead with your personal boycott. That is one car.
There is a dealer in Rochelle Il that I used to pass by every couple of weeks, and they had an early release of the Challenger when it came out (sorry, I’m a Mopar man). A nice one, black on black RST 8. So, I pull in, and the sticker is on asking I think 42 for it, then the sales guy comes out, and we start talking. He says he can let me have the car for 75k......
He explains that they aren’t making any money at that price, because they had to reserve the car and yada yada yada...
6 months later, I drove through Rochelle again, and the car was still there, so I pulled in, they were selling it at 42k, but it wasn’t on the metal display ramp anymore, but it was all prepped, polished, the tires were even shiny.
I took it for a test drive, and when I got back, I looked at the odometer and it had over 9,000 miles on it. The salesman said it was still new because it wasn’t titled, and the owners wife was driving it.... GREAT, an RST8 hemi motor, driven by and broken in by some schmuck, selling for new car price.... with 9,000 miles on it...
...and the American car dealers wonder why they are getting their arses kicked.
Powered by brontosaurus burgers? :)
There is but one test that can truly validate a technology, product, or service: The marketplace.
I have a 96 Cavalier that gets 31 mpg in pre rush hour city driving-like on the road but slower. It cost me $800 and I have had to do no more than routine maintenance and replace a timing chain in the three years I have had it. I am not in a hurry to trade it for a Volt or Prius.
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