Perhaps we can get another year or two out of it?
(above vehicle is right next to the Minute Man National Historical Park’s Battle Road)
Meanwhile, I wonder if all of the bailout money has left the car dealers and manufacturers so flush that they don’t need to offer discounts. We still haven’t seen any “coronavirus offers” on new cars. Is that because factories are mostly closed around the world, except for Chinese factories making cars for the Chinese market? (Japanese factories could run, but they’re closed due to lack of demand? (and the lack of demand is partly due to the lack of any price cuts?))
Related:
I don’t think the bailout money is helping very many dealerships. I’m not an industry insider so I don’t have any access to the sales data, but I do know that a very large dealership (Subaru) I work with in Connecticut is open at their facility only for service, parts and recalls. They’re offering a Buy-At-Home online app and will bring test drive cars to your door, as well as curbside pickup and home delivery of new and used vehicles at their expense.
They canceled all their advertising with me for the past two months and into the indefinite future. New car sales are, in the words of one of their sales reps. “Pretty dismal.” I have no idea what they’re going to do to move the inventory. Assuming things ever turn around, it should be the biggest buyer’s market in history, if anyone can still get financing and if we don’t see a complete banking/credit collapse in the next few months.
I get the feeling you’re still going to be able to buy an “as-new” 2020 model with factory test mileage in 2022 and maybe 2023 at auction.
BTW I drove through Minuteman NHP Park a few weeks ago and I was shocked at how poorly maintained and dilapidated it looks, especially given its historical significance. You’d think someone with a little American pride could come up with a few coats of paint, some wood to fix the broken fances, repaint a few signs and some of the historic structures, etc. It looks like nobody cares. But that’s one hell of a new school they’re building in Lincoln!
Bet you’ve seen parts of your neighborhood in the last month you never saw in all the last 20 years while parked on the freeways. Most neighbors have never seen what their $10 million mortgages bought.