Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Login to Like
this post
I made an observation when I lived in Raleigh that many kids that drive to school drove some very nice vehicles including high end. I am not into leasing so expect my cars to run many years - never was one that always needed a new car and have a life time car payment.
Login to Like
this post
The vehicle in my drive way is Murgatroyd. She is a 1994 B-6000 Series Mazda pick up truck.
Low mileage, she loves to fish and she does not know the meaning of the word "garage".
jrc:
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
I’m still driving my 78 Ford F-250. Been through two engine and many repairs but still going. My wife wants new cars so I buy her the one of her choice every 10 years. Luckily she doesn’t have super expensive taste.
Login to Like
this post
A friend went shopping for a used car, and met a seller who was under water on his car loan.
She had not known that this was even a thing until the seller explained that he had signed a seven year note when he bought the car new so, naturally, the car was depreciating a lot faster than he was paying-off the principal on the loan.
Save me, L-rd, and my 2001 burgundy Mercury Grand Marquis.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey (who has since learned that more than one-third of new car loans are for durations longer than six years)
Login to Like
this post
My wifes brother Paul in the Netherlands a retired international truck driver and mechanic...he doesnt believe in spending money on cars....he has a 20 some year old Mazda sedan standard shift and he doesnt do anything to it...it just takes us where ever we want to go. Of course his Moto Guzzi is a different story.
Login to Like
this post
I drive a modest car, at least in the opinion of many. It is an 11 year old Renault Scenic, which is a great car and does all a car has to do and is quite luxurious as well. Of course more modern cars and cars from more prestigious brands offer more, but cost also much more. We cannot afford that, especially because we do not want to loan for a car and do not have a job that comes with a leased car.
But there are many company cars here, latest craze has been Tesla because you get a tax cut. So now the best sold car in the Netherlands is the Tesla Model 3. Nice looking car, build quality leaves to be desired I heard from someone who drives one. It is still a bit on the expensive side for consumers to buy privately, but companies buy them by the droves.
Login to Like
this post
I drive a 2003 Volvo S40 1.6 saloon with 142,000 miles on the clock.
Its comfortable, reliable and cruises at 70 mph nae bother, plus I can get quite a few mixed boxes of stamps in the trunk.
The best car I ever had was a 1963 Ford Consul Capri. It was a twin seater with a trunk and hood that you could hold a party on. The back seat was made of wood covered in carpet!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpAnZSF1CcA
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
We chose to go to just one vehicle when we retired, a modest cost mini van so we can travel more easily with our dogs. If we need a back up vehicle, mom and dad and their nicer sedan are a few doors down the street. We pay cash for our new vehicles and since we put so few miles on our vans, we keep them for a very long time. We may buy a new one this year so that we can upgrade to some of the newer safety features like lane change warnings.
Hubby and I both agree - we’d rather spend money on our hobbies than our vehicle.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Phil - Old trucks never die!
Login to Like
this post
My stamp dealer drives a BMW! I drive a Toyota and have for a long time, bought a brand new Camry in the mid 1980s and have had 5 toyotas since then, two Tacomas and three Yarises (Yari?). I drive them until they die even though a deer killed the one before this one at the ripe old age of 6 months, the car, not the deer. Toyotas are a bit more expensive but give great service!
Login to Like
this post
We have 3 vehicles: 2007 and 2009 cars, 1997 truck. All have at least 130k miles.
Login to Like
this post
Harvey, my father bought our first Camry in 1986, he would drive them 2 or 3 years and then sell them to me...was a great deal for me. I had a 96 Tacoma until 2012...i would have liked another...but they were much more expensive than the Nissan Frontier so i switched. I wonder who is driving all those fancy machines...not stamp collectors !
Login to Like
this post
My wife drives a 2007 Ford Explorer that just rolled over 100,00 miles and is
in near-perfect condition.
I drive a 2008 Chevy 2500 Silverado Z71 Quad cab with a full 8ft. bed and an oversized topper. It just rolled over 90,000 miles. It is also in near-perfect condition.
We both love what we drive.
I have been an auto mechanic/technician for 30+ years.
Login to Like
this post
I drive a 1998 Toyota Tacoma and am presently at 285,000 miles. Just nicely broken in! My daughters keep asking me when I'm getting a newer one, I just give them a blank stare.
Login to Like
this post
Phil, I paid $49,998.00 in 1999 for my 1999 Ragtop Vette, ask Bob of many gs, he's seem a picture of my garage.
Login to Like
this post
I have a 2014 Chevrolet Sonic LT with 114,000+ miles in Cool Blue (exactly the same color as the Smurfs according to my children) and my wife has a new 2019 Honda CR-V EX to replace her fire engine red 2002 Jeep Liberty which had 183,000+ miles when its engine died. The Honda CR-V is by far the most luxurious vehicle I have ever purchased/leased and even has dual heated seats and her/his independent climate controls (an incredibly useful feature I have found).
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Sounds like we are a pretty conservative group when it comes to vehicles...i am the only person i have heard of that did not qualify for a new frame for my Tacoma...when i took it in to be tested for rust...it passed inspection...then i got another letter so i brought it in and they told me the 15 year limit had expired ? All my friends got $11,000 replacements. Oh well...the Tacoma did not owe me anything.
Login to Like
this post
I would still be driving my 2006 Subaru outback but it was mashed in our driveway during a storm that blew a tree down on top of it - totalled. I would still be driving the 2013 Subaru outback that replaced it except my husband took it on a trip, was rear-ended by some 18 year old kid driving his dad's fancy pickup truck - outback totalled but husband completely fine. Now I am driving a 2017 Subaru forrester and hoping it lasts forever.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Sally, whenever we buy a new car, 2009,2019 we always think "this will be the last one" and its getting more realistic. We drove Toyota Camrys trouble free for many years...but my wife wanted an all wheel sedan and the Subaru legacy fit the bill. Sorry to hear about your Outbacks..but remember "95 percent of them are still on the road after 10 years".
Login to Like
this post
I received a 5 year contract back in 2009. I needed a new & reliable car so I bought a 2009 Honda Civic. Hardly any work has been needed on it. It still runs like that day I bought it. Except for the dented bumper, it looks fine. All I know is that a new car may be fine, but please - no computer screen on the dash, just bluetooth for my phone!
Login to Like
this post
i never owned a Honda..but its all my youngest son drives...he has one of the 2 seater jobs now..which i think is pretty selfish or dumb...if they go in a group someone else has to drive.
Login to Like
this post
I once owned a Honda N-600, which was (basically) a car that they built around one of their 2-cylinder motorcycle engines.
I really liked that little car. You had to be careful to miss every pothole but, since your eyes were so close to the pavement, that was pretty easy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_N360 ... Height: 53"
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
I drive every vehicle and use every cell phone until it dies!
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
We have not heard from any collector yet about their Corvette.
Login to Like
this post
StampCollector mentioned his Vette!
Login to Like
this post
Yes, he did - and a ragtop at that.
Login to Like
this post
Here it is,
4 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
...and the visor lettering says...??
Login to Like
this post
" Pony Express 2010"
That's a road race that used to be run in Northern Nevada between the towns of Battle Mountain and Austin, my wife and I did it almost regularly from 1997 to 2010.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
BTW, it is called that because it actually crosses the old Pony Express route.
Login to Like
this post
pair of outbacks, both bought used: 2003 with 156K and 2012 with 112K
I had a 2002 with over 200K until the deer hit me
Login to Like
this post
My wife is driving a 2010 Nissan Exterra and I have a 2012 Nissan Frontier which replaced a 1994 Ford Ranger with 160,000 miles. I have an appointment scheduled tomorrow for a maintenance check and oil change. I have 90,000 miles on the Frontier and never had any problem with it. I don't plan on upgrading anytime soon.
Vince
Login to Like
this post
I drive a 2004 Thai built Nissan Frontier much to my three daughters chagrin. I say the many dings, peeling paint and scratches on it just ensure I have plenty of road space in Bangkok traffic. New Mercedes especially tend to keep their distance. It must be built into their software program.
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
Dani i trust your Frontier gets more than the 16 miles per gallon mine does. Back in the 1980s i worked with a friend who came down from the Catskill mountains every day snow or sunshine in an ancient yellow Datsun pickup truck. He may well have had a death wish..but it got him to work everyday.
Login to Like
this post
16 mpg?
My 2001 Grand Marquis broke 23 mpg on a recent trip to Corning to visit the glass museum.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
Login to Like
this post
Until two weeks ago I was driving a 2004 Tahoe that we bought new. It has over 250,000 miles on it and is a perfect first vehicle for my 2004 son who is getting his license. He actually enjoys driving it since he is up so high he can see more. I picked up a used car with better gas mileage for me. My wife drives a 10 year old van with 130,000 miles. A lot of people are utilitarian when it comes to cars. We just don't turn peoples heads when we drive. And we don't care that we don't. I had fun in my single years driving a brand new 1986 Nissan 300ZX, but I think I got that out of my system.
Login to Like
this post
Phil, I'm not sure what I get in kilometers per litre let alone miles per gallon I know driving in Bangkok which is all it does is expensive on fuel as it is stop-go throughout the day. The engine is a stock standard 2800cc with no supercharger. It is a workhorse bought to stock my shops when I had them. Below is my truck with my little post-op Pomeranian getting into the picture. They are a rather territorial breed which seems to include all photos.
3 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
We have two vehicles, a 2008 Nissan Altima, 2.5L and a 2008 Dodge Ram Laramie 1500 4.7L both are on 175,000 miles. Serviced every 4 months and no major problems. Both purchased as used vehicles.
Login to Like
this post
Back before I got ill, I loved turning wrenches and as such I loved working on my own cars. For me, nothing beat the intrinsic satisfaction of tackling any problems that came up by myself. I also enjoyed having cars which did not look like a melted bars of soap. The auto historian in me loved the independent auto manufacturers like Studebaker, Kaiser, and Nash.
I drove 1950 and 1951 'bullet nose' Studebakers as daily drivers in the 1970s thru 1990s and dealt with the 6 volt electronics, vacuum wipers, no air conditioning, and no turn signals (other than my arm hanging out the window).
Wanting something a bit more 'modern', I tackled putting back on the road the family 1956 Studebaker Hawk. Nothing more fun than driving a big American V-8 rear wheel car...as long as you were going in a straight line! With a weight distribution of about 65% - 35% from the front wheel to the back wheels this thing would absolutely throw you out of any curve if you were going at a high rate of speed.
A number of my cars were selected to be in the movie Dirty Dancing including the Hawk. Here is a scene where it shows up (behind the black and white Chevy at the 40 second mark).
After I got sick, I had to give up the Studes and now drive a 2006 Acura (purchased new) 2018 Honda Civic (purchased new). They are melted bars of soap but they start every time and get me to appointments.
Don
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
I drive a 2010 Acura TL. It now has 126k on the odometer. I wont buy anything but Japanese cars and trucks. My wife and I bought a very gently used 1996 Plymouth Grand Voyager years ago after the arrival of our second child. What a bomb! Motor mounts broke, rear seal leaked like a sieve, electrical problems, you name it and once it had a few miles on it, the value dropped like a rock. I swore a would never, ever buy another Chrysler product. I rolled down all the windows and opened the moon roof on this baby and cruised the mountains no problem.
Login to Like
this post
I did get pulled over by a Utah State Snooper though. He said my window tinting was too dark. He pulled out a little gadget and said that Utah State law dictates that window tinting must let 43% of natural light through. Mine only let's 20% through. He just issued a warning citation. When I had it done down here I asked for "as dark as is legal". I've never had an issue down here. I think Utah has quite a few strange laws.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
"...I wont buy anything but Japanese cars and trucks..."
Trying to figure out how much a specific car is actually made in a certain country can be difficult. With so many part and components being outsourced, it used to take a significant amount of discovery and work to calculate. But now there are several online resources which do the discovery and calculations for you, and the results can be surprising. For example, here is one of the online 'American Made Index'
https://www.cars.com/american-made-index/
Don
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Hey Don, yeah I'm aware of how cars are put together. I think most Camrys are assembled in Tennesee. I guess I should have said "Japanese Brands". I have had a couple of really good Toyotas and Hondas that simply refused to die.
Login to Like
this post
Having had several British and Japanese cars there was only one big difference in their manufacture.
The Quality Control Systems they had in their factories.
The British were very poor on quality control whereas the Japanese were good at it.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
We purchased our first new car in 1976 a Dodge Aspen station wagon..it started to fall apart almost immediately. It was our last U.S. name brand vehicle.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Notable cars from our 53-year marriage:
- A trouble-free 1966 Plymouth Valiant that we drove for some eight years, until we moved to Prince George, British Columbia, 500 miles (800 kilometres) north of Vancouver. Our first winter there, with an accumulated snowfall of 12 feet (3.66 metres), proved its undoing. If that car stopped on any slight upward incline with its rear wheels on a patch of ice, it wasn’t going anywhere.
- We traded the Valiant in on a new four-wheel-drive Jeep Wagoneer, an wonderful all-weather, all-terrain vehicle — when it was in running order. In the first week we owned it, an oil leak revealed a cracked timing cover, whatever that is. So after that was repaired, the dealer went out of business.
Over the next three years, we had a dozen highway breakdowns with that vehicle. Universal joints failed three times. Once the fuel pump literally fell off, stranding us in a tiny community. The oil filter leaked, killing the starter and stranding us i. Vancouver’s Stanley Park, just a short walk from the condo where we now live.
On holidays in the Southwest, the Jeep’s filler neck to the gas tank broke and filled the wheel well with gasoline; we couldn’t figure why we kept smelling gasoline fumes, until we stopped at one more gas station, in our home town, Silver City, New Mexico. I was filling the gas tank, or thought I was filling it, when gasoline started pouring onto the ground beneath the wheel well. I investigated, and found electrical wires running right through the pool of gasoline in the wheel well. I managed to patch it, sort of, and drove on to Hobbs, New Mexico where I found a Jeep dealer who had a filler neck in stock. I managed to install a new filler neck myself; the dealer was too busy to do the work.
On the same trip, the Jeep’s fuel pump failed about six times; It recovered five times, but the sixth time, on a bridge at rush hour in Great Falls, Montana, it didn’t. We’re sitting there, with the hood up, waiting for a tow truck, while friendly Montanans drive around us, showing their gentle, cooperative nature by swearing rudely at us and giving us the finger. Have I mentioned the colour of the Jeep? Bright lemon yellow!
- Our next car was mostly a sweetheart, a bright red VW Rabbit. On another holiday we stopped for the night in Clarkston, Washington. It was so hot that the car’s windows wouldn’t roll up. Like the Waggoner, the Rabbit also had a problematic fuel pump, which, on the same trip, left us stranded in the desert between Salt Lake City and Grand Junction, Colorado. We got a ride in a motor home with a nice family from our home state, New Mexico. We were relieved that they weren’t the Manson Family.
We don’t drive now.
Bob
4 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
Fun thread !
My survey - 1) Bob - we just bought a restored 63 Valiant from my father in law - AWESOME car and we love it !
2) we also drive all cars til they drop ! - many years and many miles however we do tend to purchase mid/high range price point. We have a 2015 jeep wrangler unlimited ( 100k on it already ) was about 50K and wife just got a 2019 Volvo something or other 59K. But that replaced a 2011 Ford Flex with 185K miles which my son now drives.
So, I agree, I think us philatelists would rather spend the cash on our stamps for sure !
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
The Plymouth Volare and Dodge Aspen were quality challenged but then I had the great Chevy Citation!
The concept was great (4 door hatchbook and 2.8L V-6 so plenty of power and storage room) but always had issues. I never liked GM again since they did not stand behind the product.
Login to Like
this post
has this turn in to a Dangerfield moment?
Login to Like
this post
That is sweet !!!!
Login to Like
this post
Chris,
Oh, wow. Beautiful car. I'd love to take it for a spin down that road leading to the motel where I stayed in El Cerrito. I love the choice of white. Enjoy!
Login to Like
this post
I drove piles of crap for 30 years, no more. My current drivers
2015 Lincoln MKZ 16,000 miles
2012 Mustang 61,000 miles
2005 Explorer 151,00 mles
Login to Like
this post
Anglophile - that is a beautiful car. Hope it doesn't offend you to ask what it is?
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
I’ve always been a car guy but never saw much wisdom in buying new ones or having car payments. I like to buy cars with low miles that have taken their initial hit of depreciation, and paying cash. Right now our daily drivers are a 2006 Buick LaCrosse and 2015 Hyundai Elantra with miles in the mid 70s, both purchased with mid 20s miles for around $10,000 each several years ago.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Thanks Anglophile!
Login to Like
this post
'
20 identical yellow 2019 Corvettes up for sale at a steep discount
https://www.businessinsider.com/hertz-selling-chevy-corvettes-as-it-prepares-for-bankruptcy-2020-5
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
Login to Like
this post
I learned to drive a 1971 Mercury Monterey. It was a massive vehicle, but great for long road trips.
3 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
I've owned a few cars in my life (I'm 55). When I was 21 I purchased a brand new 1986 Chevy Chevette. It was a cheap jalopy that got me around town. In 1989 I purchased a 1988 Mazda 323 4-door sedan. It had 32 000 km on it. It was a great car. I sold it to my cousin in 1994 when my ex-wife and I moved to Texas. It had 320 000 km on it and he drove it another three years. In Texas, we bought a 1994 Pontiac Grand Am. Not a bad car.
When I finished college and moved back to Ottawa in 1998, I decided to live in the city, take public transportation and rent a car as needed. I am in a city of one million people. There is really nowhere to park that is inexpensive. For 22 years I have rented as I needed and saved lots of money.
A few observations of renting cars the past 22 years, in Ottawa, Canada.
1. I've tried almost all of the major car rental agencies in Canada. They are all here in Ottawa. My pick: Enterprise. Their rates are in the "middle of the pack". They are not the cheapest but not the most expensive. I usally get the car size and type I reserved. The staff are friendly, polite and neat. Their cars are always clean and well maintained. Worst: Discount. No comment.
2. Sub-compact, and, compact cars offered are NEVER American cars. They are always Japanese or Korean models. A rental agent told me the American models are so poorly built they start falling apart at 20 000 km.
3. In a city like Ottawa, you cannot get a rental car with winter tires. Stupid. I guess that is why they rent fewer cars in the winter.
David
Login to Like
this post
At 61, líving on a 1.7 milion Mediterranean city (Barcelona, Catalonia), compact cars are practical. I've had a 2007 Nissan Note, for 6 years. I bought it with 85.000 km; now, it has 190.000. It goes very well without any problems, so far. I can take it on the spot and drive up to Germany (1500 km), just filling the tank and checking the tyre pressure and you don't go bank-rupt with oil; which in Europe is expenssive.
I could easily change it for a newer one. But, it does its job and I would rather spend the money on stamps or cinderellas.
4 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
The Hertz bankruptcy might dump an awful lot of lightly-used cars onto the market this summer.
Prices of near-new used cars might plummet to levels that would even pull-in members of deRama.
OTOH, new car production is near zero, some folks are moving from the cities to the suburbs, and some folks have soured on ride-sharing exhale-sharing.
Q/ So what happens to prices?
You can read more than you want to know about the business side of the bankruptcy here.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
Login to Like
this post
Even though production is near zero, the industry's average days' supply as of April was around 95 days. (Compared to about 70 days' supply in March...) This means that on average, a manufacturer currently has three month's worth of unsold vehicles waiting in their holding lots. This doesn't count the stock on dealer lots, either... those are considered "sold" at the corporate level. Short term (say the next 3 months), there will still be vehicles to ship. After that is where it gets sketchy.
The prediction from Detroit is that US vehicle sales will be down 2.5 to 3 million units from last year. With decreased production, manufacturers lose some economy of scale... Contracts for components may cost more per piece if the volume is lower, and this situation has actually begun to hurt the credit ratings of many manufacturers, making it more expensive to borrow money to keep things going.
Displaced workers who planned on making a new vehicle purchase this year might choose cheaper vehicles, and for most manufacturers, the high-dollar lines are where the profits are at. Lower profit margins and higher production/operating costs don't leave a lot of room for price reductions. If the current 3-month supply starts getting low, and this mess drags on, then the supply/demand curve might actually see available new vehicles demanding a premium.
Not that a new car is a necessity for survival, but look at the availability of meat, dairy, cleaning and paper products, etc.... The demand is way up, and the prices are reflecting that.
Login to Like
this post
Somehow the "Boss" and I have ended up with three cars. The new one is an '06 Ford Fusion that we bought as scrap and put a new motor in. It has about 120K Miles. Then there's the '04 Mercury Mountaineer with 210K. Finally, the '98 Toyota Camery with 290K miles. All receive regular maintenance and are running well so why knock success.
Mikey
Login to Like
this post
I have a 2012 Nissan Frontier 4x4 with 37,500 miles on it and a 2019 Subaru Legacy with 13,500 miles..the way things are going they will rust out before they wear out.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
My 2003 Volvo S40 with 142 thousand miles on the clock just passed its annual test. Had to put on 2 springs but it was no surprise as the roads around hear are full of pot holes.
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
My 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis was wandering all over the road; Pitman Arm, Idler Arm, two Front Upper Ball Joints, tire rotation, alignment, state safety sticker, oil'n'filter change, and we're good to go another 97,000 miles.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
Login to Like
this post
ikeyPikey mentioned his
"2001 Mercury Grand Marquis"
Interesting coincidence.
I just returned home from visiting the post office and pharmacy. As I neared the pharmacy, I was following a tan 1970s era Grand Marquis in excellent condition. It was being driven by an elderly gray-haired woman at about 15 mph. This was on a six-lane thoroughfare. She made the same right-hand turn I was making, but she then turned into the Taco Bell whereas I was going to the pharmacy next door. I was imagining that she and her husband bought the car new from a dealer and then kept it in their garage all of these years.
Tom
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
There's a lot of that going around. I found myself, just yesterday, at a red light next to a fellow burgundy Grand Marquis of comparable vintage. The nearest Taco Bell was a mile away, but we were within spitting distance of a Dunkin'.
Perhaps 'my' little old lady was related to yours?
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
Login to Like
this post
"but she then turned into the Taco Bell"
A 70's vintage Grand Marquis (the 400 or 460 engine were options from 1975-78) is a real gas guzzler.... Taco Bell is one of the cheapest options for acquiring large amounts of gas, so this makes perfect sense to me! 
TomD
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
"... A 70's vintage Grand Marquis (the 400 or 460 engine were options from 1975-78) is a real gas guzzler ..."
On a recent round-trip to the Corning Glass Museum, on both highways and two-lane country roads, we exceeded 23 mpg.
Okay, not a Prius, but not cringe-inducing for someone who drives very little.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Yes, but yours is an '01, with the fuel injected 4.6L (280 cubic inches, @ 200-225 horsepower) and the 1970's Merc (400 cubes @ 150-200 HP) was only good for around 12-14 MPG. A couple of years after yours, Mercury stuck a 300HP dual-cam version of the 4.6L in a dolled-up Grand Marquis called the Marauder, which still achieved 20+ MPG highway. That's twice the HP of the 1975-78 body, and nearly twice the MPG!!!!
Visited the Corning Glass museum back in the 90's, and it was really awesome, even as a jaded teenager. There is also another great museum in Corning, called the Rockwell. At the time I visited, it was one of the better collections of western cowboy art in the East, especially C.M. Russell, the artist behind Scott US# 1243 and Frederic Remington (Scott# 888, 1167, and 1934).
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Silly me, I walked into the Rockwell Museum thinking that it was the Norman Rockwell Museum.
I will not admit how long it took me to figure-out that it must be some other Rockwell ...
However, the granddaughter & I managed to have a good time, anyway.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
5 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
....priceless!
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
That's excellent! Unfortunately, it looks like "The End of the Trail" for your granddaughter.....
TomD
Login to Like
this post
Do they still have the Steuben Glass demonstration area in the Corning museum? I worked at Corning from 1970 to 1972. I remember that the Steuben artists all lived in NY and commuted to Corning on the DC3 company plane, but all the glassblowers lived and worked in and around Corning. It was an interesting marriage of NY city designers and Corning (multi national..I remember a lot of Swedes) top notch glass craftsmen.
The museum was superb then, and I know they re-did it completely, I think following the river flood caused by Hurricane Catherine (late 1972)..yes all the way up to the North of NY state!
rrr...
Login to Like
this post
Login to Like
this post
Auctions
As i cross the bridge to Kingston N.Y. i can not help but notice the "high end" vehicles coming the other way...lots of Mercedes lately plus Accuras etc; We have a Subuaru Legacy and a Nissan Frontier 4x4 and never paid more than $25,000 for a vehicle. We must be the exceptions to the rule .
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
I made an observation when I lived in Raleigh that many kids that drive to school drove some very nice vehicles including high end. I am not into leasing so expect my cars to run many years - never was one that always needed a new car and have a life time car payment.
Login to Like
this post
03:31:58pm
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
The vehicle in my drive way is Murgatroyd. She is a 1994 B-6000 Series Mazda pick up truck.
Low mileage, she loves to fish and she does not know the meaning of the word "garage".
jrc:
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
03:39:09pm
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
I’m still driving my 78 Ford F-250. Been through two engine and many repairs but still going. My wife wants new cars so I buy her the one of her choice every 10 years. Luckily she doesn’t have super expensive taste.
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
A friend went shopping for a used car, and met a seller who was under water on his car loan.
She had not known that this was even a thing until the seller explained that he had signed a seven year note when he bought the car new so, naturally, the car was depreciating a lot faster than he was paying-off the principal on the loan.
Save me, L-rd, and my 2001 burgundy Mercury Grand Marquis.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey (who has since learned that more than one-third of new car loans are for durations longer than six years)
Login to Like
this post
Auctions
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
My wifes brother Paul in the Netherlands a retired international truck driver and mechanic...he doesnt believe in spending money on cars....he has a 20 some year old Mazda sedan standard shift and he doesnt do anything to it...it just takes us where ever we want to go. Of course his Moto Guzzi is a different story.
Login to Like
this post
Auctions - Approvals
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
I drive a modest car, at least in the opinion of many. It is an 11 year old Renault Scenic, which is a great car and does all a car has to do and is quite luxurious as well. Of course more modern cars and cars from more prestigious brands offer more, but cost also much more. We cannot afford that, especially because we do not want to loan for a car and do not have a job that comes with a leased car.
But there are many company cars here, latest craze has been Tesla because you get a tax cut. So now the best sold car in the Netherlands is the Tesla Model 3. Nice looking car, build quality leaves to be desired I heard from someone who drives one. It is still a bit on the expensive side for consumers to buy privately, but companies buy them by the droves.
Login to Like
this post
Auctions - Approvals
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
I drive a 2003 Volvo S40 1.6 saloon with 142,000 miles on the clock.
Its comfortable, reliable and cruises at 70 mph nae bother, plus I can get quite a few mixed boxes of stamps in the trunk.
The best car I ever had was a 1963 Ford Consul Capri. It was a twin seater with a trunk and hood that you could hold a party on. The back seat was made of wood covered in carpet!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpAnZSF1CcA
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
We chose to go to just one vehicle when we retired, a modest cost mini van so we can travel more easily with our dogs. If we need a back up vehicle, mom and dad and their nicer sedan are a few doors down the street. We pay cash for our new vehicles and since we put so few miles on our vans, we keep them for a very long time. We may buy a new one this year so that we can upgrade to some of the newer safety features like lane change warnings.
Hubby and I both agree - we’d rather spend money on our hobbies than our vehicle.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Phil - Old trucks never die!
Login to Like
this post
01:17:59pm
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
My stamp dealer drives a BMW! I drive a Toyota and have for a long time, bought a brand new Camry in the mid 1980s and have had 5 toyotas since then, two Tacomas and three Yarises (Yari?). I drive them until they die even though a deer killed the one before this one at the ripe old age of 6 months, the car, not the deer. Toyotas are a bit more expensive but give great service!
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
We have 3 vehicles: 2007 and 2009 cars, 1997 truck. All have at least 130k miles.
Login to Like
this post
Auctions
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Harvey, my father bought our first Camry in 1986, he would drive them 2 or 3 years and then sell them to me...was a great deal for me. I had a 96 Tacoma until 2012...i would have liked another...but they were much more expensive than the Nissan Frontier so i switched. I wonder who is driving all those fancy machines...not stamp collectors !
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
My wife drives a 2007 Ford Explorer that just rolled over 100,00 miles and is
in near-perfect condition.
I drive a 2008 Chevy 2500 Silverado Z71 Quad cab with a full 8ft. bed and an oversized topper. It just rolled over 90,000 miles. It is also in near-perfect condition.
We both love what we drive.
I have been an auto mechanic/technician for 30+ years.
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
I drive a 1998 Toyota Tacoma and am presently at 285,000 miles. Just nicely broken in! My daughters keep asking me when I'm getting a newer one, I just give them a blank stare.
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Phil, I paid $49,998.00 in 1999 for my 1999 Ragtop Vette, ask Bob of many gs, he's seem a picture of my garage.
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
I have a 2014 Chevrolet Sonic LT with 114,000+ miles in Cool Blue (exactly the same color as the Smurfs according to my children) and my wife has a new 2019 Honda CR-V EX to replace her fire engine red 2002 Jeep Liberty which had 183,000+ miles when its engine died. The Honda CR-V is by far the most luxurious vehicle I have ever purchased/leased and even has dual heated seats and her/his independent climate controls (an incredibly useful feature I have found).
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Auctions
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Sounds like we are a pretty conservative group when it comes to vehicles...i am the only person i have heard of that did not qualify for a new frame for my Tacoma...when i took it in to be tested for rust...it passed inspection...then i got another letter so i brought it in and they told me the 15 year limit had expired ? All my friends got $11,000 replacements. Oh well...the Tacoma did not owe me anything.
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
I would still be driving my 2006 Subaru outback but it was mashed in our driveway during a storm that blew a tree down on top of it - totalled. I would still be driving the 2013 Subaru outback that replaced it except my husband took it on a trip, was rear-ended by some 18 year old kid driving his dad's fancy pickup truck - outback totalled but husband completely fine. Now I am driving a 2017 Subaru forrester and hoping it lasts forever.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Auctions
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Sally, whenever we buy a new car, 2009,2019 we always think "this will be the last one" and its getting more realistic. We drove Toyota Camrys trouble free for many years...but my wife wanted an all wheel sedan and the Subaru legacy fit the bill. Sorry to hear about your Outbacks..but remember "95 percent of them are still on the road after 10 years".
Login to Like
this post
04:32:11pm
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
I received a 5 year contract back in 2009. I needed a new & reliable car so I bought a 2009 Honda Civic. Hardly any work has been needed on it. It still runs like that day I bought it. Except for the dented bumper, it looks fine. All I know is that a new car may be fine, but please - no computer screen on the dash, just bluetooth for my phone!
Login to Like
this post
Auctions
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
i never owned a Honda..but its all my youngest son drives...he has one of the 2 seater jobs now..which i think is pretty selfish or dumb...if they go in a group someone else has to drive.
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
I once owned a Honda N-600, which was (basically) a car that they built around one of their 2-cylinder motorcycle engines.
I really liked that little car. You had to be careful to miss every pothole but, since your eyes were so close to the pavement, that was pretty easy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_N360 ... Height: 53"
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
I drive every vehicle and use every cell phone until it dies!
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
We have not heard from any collector yet about their Corvette.
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
StampCollector mentioned his Vette!
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Yes, he did - and a ragtop at that.
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Here it is,
4 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
...and the visor lettering says...??
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
" Pony Express 2010"
That's a road race that used to be run in Northern Nevada between the towns of Battle Mountain and Austin, my wife and I did it almost regularly from 1997 to 2010.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
BTW, it is called that because it actually crosses the old Pony Express route.
Login to Like
this post
Auctions
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
pair of outbacks, both bought used: 2003 with 156K and 2012 with 112K
I had a 2002 with over 200K until the deer hit me
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
My wife is driving a 2010 Nissan Exterra and I have a 2012 Nissan Frontier which replaced a 1994 Ford Ranger with 160,000 miles. I have an appointment scheduled tomorrow for a maintenance check and oil change. I have 90,000 miles on the Frontier and never had any problem with it. I don't plan on upgrading anytime soon.
Vince
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
I drive a 2004 Thai built Nissan Frontier much to my three daughters chagrin. I say the many dings, peeling paint and scratches on it just ensure I have plenty of road space in Bangkok traffic. New Mercedes especially tend to keep their distance. It must be built into their software program.
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
Auctions
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Dani i trust your Frontier gets more than the 16 miles per gallon mine does. Back in the 1980s i worked with a friend who came down from the Catskill mountains every day snow or sunshine in an ancient yellow Datsun pickup truck. He may well have had a death wish..but it got him to work everyday.
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
16 mpg?
My 2001 Grand Marquis broke 23 mpg on a recent trip to Corning to visit the glass museum.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Until two weeks ago I was driving a 2004 Tahoe that we bought new. It has over 250,000 miles on it and is a perfect first vehicle for my 2004 son who is getting his license. He actually enjoys driving it since he is up so high he can see more. I picked up a used car with better gas mileage for me. My wife drives a 10 year old van with 130,000 miles. A lot of people are utilitarian when it comes to cars. We just don't turn peoples heads when we drive. And we don't care that we don't. I had fun in my single years driving a brand new 1986 Nissan 300ZX, but I think I got that out of my system.
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Phil, I'm not sure what I get in kilometers per litre let alone miles per gallon I know driving in Bangkok which is all it does is expensive on fuel as it is stop-go throughout the day. The engine is a stock standard 2800cc with no supercharger. It is a workhorse bought to stock my shops when I had them. Below is my truck with my little post-op Pomeranian getting into the picture. They are a rather territorial breed which seems to include all photos.
3 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
We have two vehicles, a 2008 Nissan Altima, 2.5L and a 2008 Dodge Ram Laramie 1500 4.7L both are on 175,000 miles. Serviced every 4 months and no major problems. Both purchased as used vehicles.
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Back before I got ill, I loved turning wrenches and as such I loved working on my own cars. For me, nothing beat the intrinsic satisfaction of tackling any problems that came up by myself. I also enjoyed having cars which did not look like a melted bars of soap. The auto historian in me loved the independent auto manufacturers like Studebaker, Kaiser, and Nash.
I drove 1950 and 1951 'bullet nose' Studebakers as daily drivers in the 1970s thru 1990s and dealt with the 6 volt electronics, vacuum wipers, no air conditioning, and no turn signals (other than my arm hanging out the window).
Wanting something a bit more 'modern', I tackled putting back on the road the family 1956 Studebaker Hawk. Nothing more fun than driving a big American V-8 rear wheel car...as long as you were going in a straight line! With a weight distribution of about 65% - 35% from the front wheel to the back wheels this thing would absolutely throw you out of any curve if you were going at a high rate of speed.
A number of my cars were selected to be in the movie Dirty Dancing including the Hawk. Here is a scene where it shows up (behind the black and white Chevy at the 40 second mark).
After I got sick, I had to give up the Studes and now drive a 2006 Acura (purchased new) 2018 Honda Civic (purchased new). They are melted bars of soap but they start every time and get me to appointments.
Don
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
I drive a 2010 Acura TL. It now has 126k on the odometer. I wont buy anything but Japanese cars and trucks. My wife and I bought a very gently used 1996 Plymouth Grand Voyager years ago after the arrival of our second child. What a bomb! Motor mounts broke, rear seal leaked like a sieve, electrical problems, you name it and once it had a few miles on it, the value dropped like a rock. I swore a would never, ever buy another Chrysler product. I rolled down all the windows and opened the moon roof on this baby and cruised the mountains no problem.
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
I did get pulled over by a Utah State Snooper though. He said my window tinting was too dark. He pulled out a little gadget and said that Utah State law dictates that window tinting must let 43% of natural light through. Mine only let's 20% through. He just issued a warning citation. When I had it done down here I asked for "as dark as is legal". I've never had an issue down here. I think Utah has quite a few strange laws.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
"...I wont buy anything but Japanese cars and trucks..."
Trying to figure out how much a specific car is actually made in a certain country can be difficult. With so many part and components being outsourced, it used to take a significant amount of discovery and work to calculate. But now there are several online resources which do the discovery and calculations for you, and the results can be surprising. For example, here is one of the online 'American Made Index'
https://www.cars.com/american-made-index/
Don
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Hey Don, yeah I'm aware of how cars are put together. I think most Camrys are assembled in Tennesee. I guess I should have said "Japanese Brands". I have had a couple of really good Toyotas and Hondas that simply refused to die.
Login to Like
this post
Auctions - Approvals
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Having had several British and Japanese cars there was only one big difference in their manufacture.
The Quality Control Systems they had in their factories.
The British were very poor on quality control whereas the Japanese were good at it.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Auctions
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
We purchased our first new car in 1976 a Dodge Aspen station wagon..it started to fall apart almost immediately. It was our last U.S. name brand vehicle.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Notable cars from our 53-year marriage:
- A trouble-free 1966 Plymouth Valiant that we drove for some eight years, until we moved to Prince George, British Columbia, 500 miles (800 kilometres) north of Vancouver. Our first winter there, with an accumulated snowfall of 12 feet (3.66 metres), proved its undoing. If that car stopped on any slight upward incline with its rear wheels on a patch of ice, it wasn’t going anywhere.
- We traded the Valiant in on a new four-wheel-drive Jeep Wagoneer, an wonderful all-weather, all-terrain vehicle — when it was in running order. In the first week we owned it, an oil leak revealed a cracked timing cover, whatever that is. So after that was repaired, the dealer went out of business.
Over the next three years, we had a dozen highway breakdowns with that vehicle. Universal joints failed three times. Once the fuel pump literally fell off, stranding us in a tiny community. The oil filter leaked, killing the starter and stranding us i. Vancouver’s Stanley Park, just a short walk from the condo where we now live.
On holidays in the Southwest, the Jeep’s filler neck to the gas tank broke and filled the wheel well with gasoline; we couldn’t figure why we kept smelling gasoline fumes, until we stopped at one more gas station, in our home town, Silver City, New Mexico. I was filling the gas tank, or thought I was filling it, when gasoline started pouring onto the ground beneath the wheel well. I investigated, and found electrical wires running right through the pool of gasoline in the wheel well. I managed to patch it, sort of, and drove on to Hobbs, New Mexico where I found a Jeep dealer who had a filler neck in stock. I managed to install a new filler neck myself; the dealer was too busy to do the work.
On the same trip, the Jeep’s fuel pump failed about six times; It recovered five times, but the sixth time, on a bridge at rush hour in Great Falls, Montana, it didn’t. We’re sitting there, with the hood up, waiting for a tow truck, while friendly Montanans drive around us, showing their gentle, cooperative nature by swearing rudely at us and giving us the finger. Have I mentioned the colour of the Jeep? Bright lemon yellow!
- Our next car was mostly a sweetheart, a bright red VW Rabbit. On another holiday we stopped for the night in Clarkston, Washington. It was so hot that the car’s windows wouldn’t roll up. Like the Waggoner, the Rabbit also had a problematic fuel pump, which, on the same trip, left us stranded in the desert between Salt Lake City and Grand Junction, Colorado. We got a ride in a motor home with a nice family from our home state, New Mexico. We were relieved that they weren’t the Manson Family.
We don’t drive now.
Bob
4 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
10:58:03pm
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Fun thread !
My survey - 1) Bob - we just bought a restored 63 Valiant from my father in law - AWESOME car and we love it !
2) we also drive all cars til they drop ! - many years and many miles however we do tend to purchase mid/high range price point. We have a 2015 jeep wrangler unlimited ( 100k on it already ) was about 50K and wife just got a 2019 Volvo something or other 59K. But that replaced a 2011 Ford Flex with 185K miles which my son now drives.
So, I agree, I think us philatelists would rather spend the cash on our stamps for sure !
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
The Plymouth Volare and Dodge Aspen were quality challenged but then I had the great Chevy Citation!
The concept was great (4 door hatchbook and 2.8L V-6 so plenty of power and storage room) but always had issues. I never liked GM again since they did not stand behind the product.
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
has this turn in to a Dangerfield moment?
Login to Like
this post
12:42:36am
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
That is sweet !!!!
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Chris,
Oh, wow. Beautiful car. I'd love to take it for a spin down that road leading to the motel where I stayed in El Cerrito. I love the choice of white. Enjoy!
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
I drove piles of crap for 30 years, no more. My current drivers
2015 Lincoln MKZ 16,000 miles
2012 Mustang 61,000 miles
2005 Explorer 151,00 mles
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Anglophile - that is a beautiful car. Hope it doesn't offend you to ask what it is?
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Approvals
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
I’ve always been a car guy but never saw much wisdom in buying new ones or having car payments. I like to buy cars with low miles that have taken their initial hit of depreciation, and paying cash. Right now our daily drivers are a 2006 Buick LaCrosse and 2015 Hyundai Elantra with miles in the mid 70s, both purchased with mid 20s miles for around $10,000 each several years ago.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Thanks Anglophile!
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
'
20 identical yellow 2019 Corvettes up for sale at a steep discount
https://www.businessinsider.com/hertz-selling-chevy-corvettes-as-it-prepares-for-bankruptcy-2020-5
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
I learned to drive a 1971 Mercury Monterey. It was a massive vehicle, but great for long road trips.
3 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
I've owned a few cars in my life (I'm 55). When I was 21 I purchased a brand new 1986 Chevy Chevette. It was a cheap jalopy that got me around town. In 1989 I purchased a 1988 Mazda 323 4-door sedan. It had 32 000 km on it. It was a great car. I sold it to my cousin in 1994 when my ex-wife and I moved to Texas. It had 320 000 km on it and he drove it another three years. In Texas, we bought a 1994 Pontiac Grand Am. Not a bad car.
When I finished college and moved back to Ottawa in 1998, I decided to live in the city, take public transportation and rent a car as needed. I am in a city of one million people. There is really nowhere to park that is inexpensive. For 22 years I have rented as I needed and saved lots of money.
A few observations of renting cars the past 22 years, in Ottawa, Canada.
1. I've tried almost all of the major car rental agencies in Canada. They are all here in Ottawa. My pick: Enterprise. Their rates are in the "middle of the pack". They are not the cheapest but not the most expensive. I usally get the car size and type I reserved. The staff are friendly, polite and neat. Their cars are always clean and well maintained. Worst: Discount. No comment.
2. Sub-compact, and, compact cars offered are NEVER American cars. They are always Japanese or Korean models. A rental agent told me the American models are so poorly built they start falling apart at 20 000 km.
3. In a city like Ottawa, you cannot get a rental car with winter tires. Stupid. I guess that is why they rent fewer cars in the winter.
David
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
At 61, líving on a 1.7 milion Mediterranean city (Barcelona, Catalonia), compact cars are practical. I've had a 2007 Nissan Note, for 6 years. I bought it with 85.000 km; now, it has 190.000. It goes very well without any problems, so far. I can take it on the spot and drive up to Germany (1500 km), just filling the tank and checking the tyre pressure and you don't go bank-rupt with oil; which in Europe is expenssive.
I could easily change it for a newer one. But, it does its job and I would rather spend the money on stamps or cinderellas.
4 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
The Hertz bankruptcy might dump an awful lot of lightly-used cars onto the market this summer.
Prices of near-new used cars might plummet to levels that would even pull-in members of deRama.
OTOH, new car production is near zero, some folks are moving from the cities to the suburbs, and some folks have soured on ride-sharing exhale-sharing.
Q/ So what happens to prices?
You can read more than you want to know about the business side of the bankruptcy here.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Even though production is near zero, the industry's average days' supply as of April was around 95 days. (Compared to about 70 days' supply in March...) This means that on average, a manufacturer currently has three month's worth of unsold vehicles waiting in their holding lots. This doesn't count the stock on dealer lots, either... those are considered "sold" at the corporate level. Short term (say the next 3 months), there will still be vehicles to ship. After that is where it gets sketchy.
The prediction from Detroit is that US vehicle sales will be down 2.5 to 3 million units from last year. With decreased production, manufacturers lose some economy of scale... Contracts for components may cost more per piece if the volume is lower, and this situation has actually begun to hurt the credit ratings of many manufacturers, making it more expensive to borrow money to keep things going.
Displaced workers who planned on making a new vehicle purchase this year might choose cheaper vehicles, and for most manufacturers, the high-dollar lines are where the profits are at. Lower profit margins and higher production/operating costs don't leave a lot of room for price reductions. If the current 3-month supply starts getting low, and this mess drags on, then the supply/demand curve might actually see available new vehicles demanding a premium.
Not that a new car is a necessity for survival, but look at the availability of meat, dairy, cleaning and paper products, etc.... The demand is way up, and the prices are reflecting that.
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Somehow the "Boss" and I have ended up with three cars. The new one is an '06 Ford Fusion that we bought as scrap and put a new motor in. It has about 120K Miles. Then there's the '04 Mercury Mountaineer with 210K. Finally, the '98 Toyota Camery with 290K miles. All receive regular maintenance and are running well so why knock success.
Mikey
Login to Like
this post
Auctions
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
I have a 2012 Nissan Frontier 4x4 with 37,500 miles on it and a 2019 Subaru Legacy with 13,500 miles..the way things are going they will rust out before they wear out.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Auctions - Approvals
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
My 2003 Volvo S40 with 142 thousand miles on the clock just passed its annual test. Had to put on 2 springs but it was no surprise as the roads around hear are full of pot holes.
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
My 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis was wandering all over the road; Pitman Arm, Idler Arm, two Front Upper Ball Joints, tire rotation, alignment, state safety sticker, oil'n'filter change, and we're good to go another 97,000 miles.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
ikeyPikey mentioned his
"2001 Mercury Grand Marquis"
Interesting coincidence.
I just returned home from visiting the post office and pharmacy. As I neared the pharmacy, I was following a tan 1970s era Grand Marquis in excellent condition. It was being driven by an elderly gray-haired woman at about 15 mph. This was on a six-lane thoroughfare. She made the same right-hand turn I was making, but she then turned into the Taco Bell whereas I was going to the pharmacy next door. I was imagining that she and her husband bought the car new from a dealer and then kept it in their garage all of these years.
Tom
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
There's a lot of that going around. I found myself, just yesterday, at a red light next to a fellow burgundy Grand Marquis of comparable vintage. The nearest Taco Bell was a mile away, but we were within spitting distance of a Dunkin'.
Perhaps 'my' little old lady was related to yours?
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
"but she then turned into the Taco Bell"
A 70's vintage Grand Marquis (the 400 or 460 engine were options from 1975-78) is a real gas guzzler.... Taco Bell is one of the cheapest options for acquiring large amounts of gas, so this makes perfect sense to me!
TomD
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
"... A 70's vintage Grand Marquis (the 400 or 460 engine were options from 1975-78) is a real gas guzzler ..."
On a recent round-trip to the Corning Glass Museum, on both highways and two-lane country roads, we exceeded 23 mpg.
Okay, not a Prius, but not cringe-inducing for someone who drives very little.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Yes, but yours is an '01, with the fuel injected 4.6L (280 cubic inches, @ 200-225 horsepower) and the 1970's Merc (400 cubes @ 150-200 HP) was only good for around 12-14 MPG. A couple of years after yours, Mercury stuck a 300HP dual-cam version of the 4.6L in a dolled-up Grand Marquis called the Marauder, which still achieved 20+ MPG highway. That's twice the HP of the 1975-78 body, and nearly twice the MPG!!!!
Visited the Corning Glass museum back in the 90's, and it was really awesome, even as a jaded teenager. There is also another great museum in Corning, called the Rockwell. At the time I visited, it was one of the better collections of western cowboy art in the East, especially C.M. Russell, the artist behind Scott US# 1243 and Frederic Remington (Scott# 888, 1167, and 1934).
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Silly me, I walked into the Rockwell Museum thinking that it was the Norman Rockwell Museum.
I will not admit how long it took me to figure-out that it must be some other Rockwell ...
However, the granddaughter & I managed to have a good time, anyway.
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
5 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
....priceless!
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
That's excellent! Unfortunately, it looks like "The End of the Trail" for your granddaughter.....
TomD
Login to Like
this post
Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
08 Jun 2020
11:33:30pm
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Do they still have the Steuben Glass demonstration area in the Corning museum? I worked at Corning from 1970 to 1972. I remember that the Steuben artists all lived in NY and commuted to Corning on the DC3 company plane, but all the glassblowers lived and worked in and around Corning. It was an interesting marriage of NY city designers and Corning (multi national..I remember a lot of Swedes) top notch glass craftsmen.
The museum was superb then, and I know they re-did it completely, I think following the river flood caused by Hurricane Catherine (late 1972)..yes all the way up to the North of NY state!
rrr...
Login to Like
this post
re: Are we the exceptions to the rule ?
Login to Like
this post