My Salesman Called today...

[JExpedition07]

Maybe a few percent of the market doesn’t care about price, most people I know don’t have endless pits of money and DO care about price of a vehicle. The Expedition sales have dropped when they started increasing prices like crazy every year. Back in 07 they sold pretty much double the units they do now and their prices were $5-9,000 under GMs. The trucks seem get more cheaply built from both every refresh. The reality is from 2003-2009 fords low pricing strategy was successful, but competition got stiff with other variables, ford increased prices without changing much and sales fell off a cliff because people weren’t willing to pay that much more for the same truck. GM did more updates so when ford started increasing prices to almost on par people bought the GM units. I still think the fords are better (more towing and better quality IMO).

http://carsalesbase.com/us-car-sales-data/ford/ford-expedition/

 

[jeff kushner]

For all the discussion about pricing...are people forgetting the BOON that "tech" has been to the automobile? Without it's addition, the auto industry would be a very different place but now that most are "addicted" to cellphones & tech....they got you by the short hairs!

jeff

 

[jrc50]

It is a good question to target an urban Cadillac dealer, and do they carry stock vehicles for the $90,000 "impulse" buyer?

 

[04EddyExpy]

I saw a YouTube review the other day of the new top-of-the-line Expedition*, and it was priced at $84,000. An $84,000 FORD. It kind of boggles the mind, really. Other than the GT, of course... but in 10 years, you'll be able to buy that Expedition for less than $10,000. And the value won't go back up.

*Oh, and it had everything but the DVD player.

 

[Garrett]

Cars in general are a total waste of money. But as much as I'm in mine, I guess I have to bite the bullet every once in a while!

Honestly, unless I'm driving a Landcruiser or a Porsche, I can't think of many SUVs that would maintain their value.

 

[Artie]

Cars in general are a total waste of money. But as much as I'm in mine, I guess I have to bite the bullet every once in a while!

Honestly, unless I'm driving a Landcruiser or a Porsche, I can't think of many SUVs that would maintain their value.

I don’t think there are any daily driver cars out that are assets or even hold their value for very long. You make a valid point about a lot of time being spent in the car, it is a reason to pony up the bucks for me. That and if I do any long distance driving. Safety features as well. I’ve been in a paid for car for 12 years and that’s nice and all but it’s got 2 air bags and the seats were never awesome but the drivers seat now is worn out. I had to add Bluetooth and there is no nice big infotainment screen. I can’t wait to spend money on a comfortable safer vehicle. We do cross country drives, my backside is looking forward to this ventilated massaging 30 way adjustable seat.

 

[ExplorerTom]

If anyone listens to or reads Dave Ramsey (he has some good and some whacky ideas) he says that unless you have over $1million in net worth, you probably shouldn't buy a new vehicle.

I've broken that rule twice.

Both for my wife: a 2004 Saturn VUE and a 2012 Ford Escape. Having something that is reliable is nice when she's driving the kids around. I much prefer to buy used though. The VUE we got a screaming deal on. And the Escape we bought new because equivalent used Escapes were barely less than the X-plan pricing I had.

But it'll be awhile before $80,000 for a car is a good idea for me.

 

[Artie]

If anyone listens to or reads Dave Ramsey (he has some good and some whacky ideas) he says that unless you have over $1million in net worth, you probably shouldn't buy a new vehicle.

I've broken that rule twice.

Both for my wife: a 2004 Saturn VUE and a 2012 Ford Escape. Having something that is reliable is nice when she's driving the kids around. I much prefer to buy used though. The VUE we got a screaming deal on. And the Escape we bought new because equivalent used Escapes were barely less than the X-plan pricing I had.

But it'll be awhile before $80,000 for a car is a good idea for me.

Idk, if everyone did what Dave Ramsey said there would be no used car market at all and the economy would likely suffer from people not spending. That being said I do believe that many over spend on vehicles and it’s easy to do these days with financing up to and probably beyond 72 months. Our particular take on buying new is 1) we consistently fund a car account so that we have a chunk of money for repairs and purchases sitting there waiting on us and 2) we buy new, pay cash for all or most of the price (0% financing is a no brainer) and drive long term (10 years or more). Having purchased used when I was younger I do believe at times you are buying someone else’s problem. We have not purchased a certified pre owned or a car max car with their warranty so I can’t comment on that other than I’ve heard mostly good about them. Recently having kids we are really thinking about safety now and the advances in the last few years really highlighted the shortcomings in our current vehicles (a 2005 Subaru and a 2009 Honda Fit).

 

[shane_th_ee]

Eh, used car prices have gotten so expensive, in most cases the math doesn't work to buy used, provided you can afford the new car. Take the out the door cost of a new car and divide by the expected number of miles you think it'll last. Do the same with a used car, only you have to divide by the number of miles left. I was all set to buy a used car straight out of college, the two year old cars were just a couple of dollars cheaper than the new ones. And then when we bought our mini-van in 2015, I was all set to buy a used one until I looked at the prices. $30k+ for a two year old vehicle with 25-30,000 miles on it, when a new one is $34k? As there are always exceptions to the rule: a few years ago we did by a used (12 years old) Jaguar: it was $9k with 35,000 miles on it. Best and cheapest car I'll ever own...

 

[Garrett]

Here locally, i can get a brand new 18 Expy Platinum for 74K. the used one on the lot (dealer demo the past 6 weeks w/3K miles)? 73K....

New cars seem to be a better deal nowadays...which is contrary to what I've always believed and seen...