Not a good time to buy a car

[EXO1]

I was appalled at the truck market. We are fine right now with a our current truck, but I am always looking forward at potential need, and down the road might have a need for a larger (more towing) truck. That being said, the prices 3/4 and 1 ton trucks are commanding now, particularly diesel, are completely out of hand. Ridiculous...

 

[Jstpssng]

Ford doesn’t make sedans anymore. A Taurus would be at least 5 years old.

That's fine with me. I don't want anything new, although I had thought about the new Maverick. They are so far back ordered that they stopped taking orders until the next model year.

If I can get something in relatively decent shape for under 8K then I can afford to park my Colorado for when I need 4WD, until I can afford that F250. (Or Ram 2500, or GMC...)

 

[Diggin It]

This is why I hope to keep my '95 Taurus GL wagon running as long as possible. I paid $4,500 for it 15 years ago (maybe more) and it's hauled a major ton of stuff. How many passenger cars are out there that can take a full ten foot length of pipe completely inside? You can't even do that in the bed of a full sized pickup ... well maybe diagonally, but will it lay flat? I can get longer stuff inside if it will flex a bit.

And with the factory roof rack, what doesn't fit inside can go on top and be strapped down securely.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

That being said, the prices 3/4 and 1 ton trucks are commanding now, particularly diesel, are completely out of hand. Ridiculous...

Sit tight with diesel at over $ 5.00 per gallon you will start seeing a lot of these people who don't haul anything heavier than grocery's start getting rid of them and going back to something more economical and back to $29.00 oil changes, IMO.

 

[Hay Dude]

Sit tight with diesel at over $ 5.00 per gallon you will start seeing a lot of these people who don't haul anything heavier than grocery's start getting rid of them and going back to something more economical and back to $29.00 oil changes, IMO.

I am pondering a few vehicle purchases. While I think you are right (waiting for $5-$6 diesel to slow the sales of vehicles especially trucks) interest rates are also rising, making it more expensive to finance them.

 

[jyoutz]

Sit tight with diesel at over $ 5.00 per gallon you will start seeing a lot of these people who don't haul anything heavier than grocery's start getting rid of them and going back to something more economical and back to $29.00 oil changes, IMO.

The more costly oil changes for diesels are kind of a wash because they occur at 10k miles vs 5k miles for gasser vehicles.

 

[dodge man]

Ford made the Fusion until a couple years ago. Dodge makes the charger and Chrysler makes the 300. The Fusion, 300 and Charger can be had with AWD. Chevy makes the Malibu and Impala.

 

[Oaktree]

According to the manufacturers, they will not go back down. They never again want massive on the ground inventory. They like this lower inventory and more per customer order along with the sales prices at sticker cost. They are saying that we will likely never go back, there is far more money made this way.

At least not in the near future, though when life somewhat returns to normal that may change as customers become impatient and aren't willing to wait months for their new car to be delivered, or totally unavailable if the automaker's on strike or something. Too many lost sales and they'll rethink this policy. Not a lot of brand loyalty once you get away from trucks, lots of other makes to choose from. All it takes is one or two automakers who have what customers want on hand and they'll get the sale at someone else's expense.

There's got to be a happy medium between build-to-order, and having so much back stock on hand that it takes 6 months to clear out last year's models when the new ones come out.

Sit tight with diesel at over $ 5.00 per gallon you will start seeing a lot of these people who don't haul anything heavier than grocery's start getting rid of them and going back to something more economical and back to $29.00 oil changes, IMO.

Yeah, hard not to see that coming. Seemed short sighted to get out of the sedan business, even though they represented a smaller percentage of sales than in the past you'd think there'd be enough customers to make it worthwhile, maybe not as many models but still making them. Granted, a lot of the vehicles marketed as SUVs are really just modern-day station wagons, not true SUVs.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I felt the same way about the new and used truck market. Went to price a new Tacoma, they quoted me $41,000 out the door, the truck had not even started being built yet and they wanted a deposit. NO WAY!

I started looking at used. And yes, while prices are inflated there are some good deals out there. I got lucky and bought a used 2008 Tacoma with 163,xxx miles a month ago for what I consider a fair price. Mileage, condition, upgrades all contributed to this. In the end it really only matters if you the buyer are satisfied with the purchase, and I am very satisfied. I could have waited, but who is to say it is going to get any better in the next 2 or 3 years.

 

[Kschwennsen]

Cars.com or Autotrader are where I go when looking for a different vehicle. it's worth the drive to save some cash and make sure you talk to the person selling and ask alot of questions before the drive. I would never buy new unless I had so much cash I didn't know what to do with it. Always used. New vehicle prices are for suckers, 60-80K for a standard cab long box diesel 3/4-1 ton is just dumb.