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Jeep Dealer’s $50,000 Sticker Shock Captures Auto Sales Stress
Finance.yahoo.com ^ | October 2, 2019 | Gabrielle Coppola, Keith Naughton and David Welch

Posted on 10/03/2019 10:59:03 AM PDT by Red Badger

Robert Loehr’s dealership is hanging in just fine, much like Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV’s sales did last quarter. But just as investors doubt the U.S. car market can sustain near-record results for much longer, the Georgia retailer is apprehensive about a key issue: sticker shock.

“Prices are crazy on cars nowadays -- all of them,” said Loehr, who sells Jeeps, Rams and other Fiat Chrysler models from a showroom northwest of Atlanta and has been in the business for 35 years. “They’re crazy to me, and I do it every single day, all day long.”

New Jeep Gladiators -- the truck version of the rugged Wrangler model -- can easily fetch $50,000 and are emblematic of a trend toward eye-popping prices carmakers are commanding for the pickups and sport utility vehicles making up an ever-greater share of their sales. Even as manufacturers and lenders increasingly stretch out auto loan terms to more than seven years and subsidize interest rates with incentives, average monthly payments keep climbing.

Affordability could become more of a risk if the mounting concern that the American economy is headed for recession ends up panning out. Those fears drove the benchmark S&P 500 down more than 2% on Wednesday, to the lowest since August. General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. shares slumped by even more.

The U.S. car market has probably reached the end of a great run, according to Brian Irwin, who leads the automotive and industrial practice for consulting firm Accenture. “It’s a step down from where we thought we would be a few months ago,” Irwin said in a phone interview. “I expect to see stronger incentives coming out.”

For more on U.S. auto sales, click here for Bloomberg’s TOPLive blog

(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; US: Kentucky; US: Michigan
KEYWORDS: autoloans; buyingcars; buyingvehicles; carloans; vehicleloans; vehicles
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To: Bullish

You have obviously never driven a Ford Shelby GT500 or a Ford F-150 Raptor.


81 posted on 10/03/2019 12:28:28 PM PDT by SVTCobra03 (You can never have enough friends, horsepower or ammunition.)
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To: semantic

The last year C7 will be mark down a lot. I got my 2013 C6 Grand sport for $15k off, because the local dealer wanted all the C6 gone. That same dealer has mess load of C7 on the lot.


82 posted on 10/03/2019 12:31:11 PM PDT by DEPcom
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To: Red Badger

“Yeah, but in an hour or so you have to buy another one!................... “

I was waiting for that one. :)


83 posted on 10/03/2019 12:37:59 PM PDT by dljordan
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To: Red Badger

I just bought a fully restored 1948 Plymouth Special Coup. My next car will likely be a ‘48 Lincoln V12.


84 posted on 10/03/2019 12:39:49 PM PDT by Gen.Blather
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To: 1Old Pro

Tire pressure sensors are mandated by law. Backup cameras are mandated by law. No, you won’t be doing without them and they aren’t free.


85 posted on 10/03/2019 12:45:50 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: Red Badger

You do realize this was propaganda? It’s from Yahoo. The underlying seed that is planted is a false fear of an approaching recession. Get it?


86 posted on 10/03/2019 12:49:07 PM PDT by 3boysdad (The very elect.)
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To: qwerty1234

“I really can’t understand how cars got so expensive.”

The answer is called legacy costs. That’s all the medical and retirement costs of present and former workers amortized over each vehicle. This is why the value of the vehicle drops at least 33% the moment you drive it off the lot. That 33% is the legacy cost and is not involved in the vehicle’s content. Foreign manufacturers are at an advantage as they can afford more content for the same sales price due to the socialist nature of their home market.


87 posted on 10/03/2019 12:49:26 PM PDT by Gen.Blather
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To: Bullish
The American car industry has been destroyed by greedy labor unions.

Yeah, blame the bolt turners.....

88 posted on 10/03/2019 12:50:02 PM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: Red Badger

Time to shock the sticker prices in reverse. Don’t buy new.


89 posted on 10/03/2019 12:52:58 PM PDT by tflabo (Prince of Peace, Lion of Righteousness)
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To: shotgun
F350 Super Duty Platinum Editions are topping $100,000.

Basic math says if you kept that for 100,000 miles you spent $1.00/mile just for hardware. Might as well rent a HD pick truck when you need one.

90 posted on 10/03/2019 12:54:16 PM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: 3boysdad

We were in several new car dealerships over the weekend.

The prices are insane; just your average sedan, regardless of make, is +30G’s.

THEN YOU ADD THE DEALER’S CRAP CHARGES ON TOP OF THAT.

When you add full coverage insurance costs on top of a huge car payment then it’s totally unaffordable by the average consumer who makes less than $50k.

And leasing is crazy, too. 30k miles for 3 years lease and a huge charge for any mile over that, plus you have to use the dealer for all maintenance, at your cost.................


91 posted on 10/03/2019 12:55:32 PM PDT by Red Badger (Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain...................)
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To: MissEdie

It was a new, presumably non-registered, non current year vehicle. This is how it works with car, truck, motorcycle, etc., rolling inventory. Treated as brand new but discounted.

I just got 17% off MSRP — under 20k — on a new 2019 Fiesta ST. Will best many Mustangs around a road course.


92 posted on 10/03/2019 1:09:13 PM PDT by steve86 (Prophecies of Maelmhaedhoc O'Morgair (Latin form: Malachy))
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To: qwerty1234

Government mandates. Gotta meet stringent economy and emission standards. Chi ching. SUVs were practically invented by CAFE laws that carved out exemptions for them. Latest and greatest direct injection and variable valve timing, etc. don’t get you to the new CAFE targets. Stop-start gets a little further but gotta make the starter and oiling systems more robust. Still can’t get there though so now we have to add on many thousands of dollars worth of electric motors and batteries to supplement or replace the engine.

Then there are safety systems. Seat belts, airbags, ABS, traction control and stability control are all standard now. Now backup cameras are mandatory with giant dash screens in every car. New vehicles getting a whole suite of sensors and cameras to automatically brake when you follow too close, or buzz when you drift out of lane and enhance your vision at night but are building up to self driving capabilities. All that tech costs money.

Cars are engineered to last longer too. When I was a kid getting 100,000 miles was an achievement. Now we take it for granted that cars should never have a problem before then. I have a truck at 220k miles I expect to keep for years to come. My vehicles range from 11 to 27 years old and all run strong and reliable. That kind of quality engineering doesn’t come cheap (but it is worth every penny)


93 posted on 10/03/2019 1:11:11 PM PDT by Data Miner
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To: Red Badger
Since the Gladiator was mentioned, from last month...

Jeep Gladiator Recalled, Sales Stopped To Fix Rear Driveshaft Issue

94 posted on 10/03/2019 1:17:57 PM PDT by mewzilla (Break out the mustard seeds.)
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To: Red Badger

I’ll stick with my 2003 Accord, thank you very much.


95 posted on 10/03/2019 1:19:42 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: 1Old Pro

My new car was under 20k as stated. 6 speed manual, turbo intercooler, etc. I didn’t want the back up camera particularly, or the screen at all, but over the past month I have come to like it. Can parallel park the car within an inch of where I want it. The Android/iPhone integration (maps, etc.) is nice also. I don’t mind the tire pressure sensors except when they have to be replaced ($). Had to get the summer performance tires off right away as it was getting squirrelly on onramps with cooler temps out.


96 posted on 10/03/2019 1:20:48 PM PDT by steve86 (Prophecies of Maelmhaedhoc O'Morgair (Latin form: Malachy))
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To: dfwgator

We just bought a 2004 BMW Z4. It has a few issues but none realy bad, needed tires, a starter and brakes, but is really fun and only cost $7k out the door.............


97 posted on 10/03/2019 1:21:12 PM PDT by Red Badger (Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain...................)
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To: dfwgator

This isn't it, but looks just like it.................

98 posted on 10/03/2019 1:23:22 PM PDT by Red Badger (Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain...................)
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To: Nuke From Orbit

Yup!


99 posted on 10/03/2019 1:33:59 PM PDT by Big Red Badger (Despised by the Despicable!)
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To: Mariner

Toyota would do VERY well if they’d bring back their little pickups with zero bling.


100 posted on 10/03/2019 1:54:53 PM PDT by bgill
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