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THe OECD has the numbers on GDP per hours worked: https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/economics/gdp-per-hour-worked/indicator/english_1439e590-en https://www.oecd-ili

THe OECD has the numbers on GDP per hours worked: https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/economics/gdp-per-hour-worked/indicator/english_1439e590-en https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/economics/gdp-per-hour-worked/... Worker productivity in the US has risen while wages have remained flat and expenses for healthcare and education have gone up. People really can't afford their cars any longer. Besides, if you have a 90-minute megacommute a nice car is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity.

vorpalhex 7y ago
> if you have a 90-minute megacommute a nice car is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity. I used to commute 90 minutes on the bus and rail on a daily basis. I assure you, even at 90 minutes, a nice car is _still_ absolutely just a luxury. A dependable car may be required, but not a fancy one.
- PaulHoule 7y ago
  If you have a long commute you probably want a fuel-efficient car, which is usually going to be a small (and inexpensive) car. My impression also is that many of the most dependable cars are inexpensive. I've been so amazed at the reliability of the Honda Fit (it required no major repairs until it got totaled around 120k; my main beefs were with the hatchback which needed to be oiled quite often, and the tire pressure sensors that seemed to fail around once a year or so) I was amazed enough that I bought another one (with a three year payment)
  - HarryHirsch 7y ago
    When you are driving 90 minutes in the early morning on busy roads, when everyone around you is just as sleep-deprived as you, you'd like to minimize distractions, so you can pay attention to the road. You really want a good suspension and a silent engine. (I agree about the fuel efficiency, but that's not the whole story.)
    - PaulHoule 7y ago
      Small cars vary just as large cars vary. I like Hondas, I like the Chevy Sonic, I like the Nissan Altima. I think the Nissan Sentra has dangerously little purchase on the road, and can't stand the drivability of either the Toyota Corolla (almost crazy optimization of gas car for high m.p.g.) or the Camry. I think the roar of the engine and the sounds outside are an important sensory channel in driving, so "super quiet" doesn't matter for me.
  - vonmoltke 7y ago
    I haven't encountered anything in the last 20 years by Honda or Toyota that wasn't dependable, regardless of price point. Specifically on tire pressure sensors, I never had an issue with my 02 Acura CL (owned 2006-2016), and have not yet had issues with my 09 Pilot (owned 2016-present).
- zeveb 7y ago
  In fairness, a 90-minute public-transit commute would likely be an hour by car. I'd still rather take the bus and train than drive.
  - vonmoltke 7y ago
    After two mornings of standing in near-freezing drizzle waiting for a bus that I hope I can get a seat on, I don't agree. The reasons I take the bus are that my commute is actually faster (yay Exclusive Bus Lane!) and a lot cheaper ($13.60/day, which wouldn't even cover the toll for me to drive).
- mumblemumble 7y ago
  It's only a small fraction of the USA where a 90-minute commute by bus and rail is even possible. Even when I lived in a smaller city where the route would have allowed for such a thing, it isn't necessarily an option, because bus service often starts too late in the morning. Or there's my parents' house - they live in a moderate-size American city of about 250,000 inhabitants, but the nearest bus stop is half a mile away, along a road that lacks sidewalks. That walk would have barely been possible, let alone reasonable, many days of the year. And yeah, all of that does imply that modern urban planning may be something of an own goal in the proverbial class war, but, nonetheless, that's the situation.
- bdcravens 7y ago
  I’m currently commuting by bus. My 45 minute drive is now a 2 hour commute across 2 buses and a rail.
hurricanetc 7y ago
There is no shortage of cheap vehicles in the US. People buy expensive cars because they want them, not because they need them.
neogodless 7y ago
As posted in another comment: https://www.motortrend.com/news/top-10-cheapest-new-cars/ https://www.motortrend.com/news/top-10-cheapest-new-cars/ If you have a mega-commute, you should be buying the cheapest efficient, reliable car possible. You do not need a $30k+ car; you need a car that gets good gas mileage. Buy a Honda Fit and you'll get configurable storage and fun handling as a free bonus. Worst case scenario, you buy a ~$20k Corolla/Civic/Mazda 3. (The horror!) EDIT: OK I just looked at the 2020 Honda Fit. Don't buy that. It's just too ugly.
- MandieD 7y ago
  I was absolutely blown away by the 2020 Corolla LE we had as a rental for two weeks in the US this Christmas/New Years. The adaptive cruise control was better at braking at just the right time and amount in suburban highway traffic than I was, and the gas mileage when I left it to its own devices was 40-45 mpg. The trunk fit two large suitcases, two roll-aboards and various groceries and backpacks. When our 2008 Fiesta ceases to be economical to keep using, it’s at the top of our list for a replacement, especially as it’s available in Germany as a station wagon with enough towing capacity for my husband’s glider. Impressive little car.
deleted 7y ago
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danabrams 7y ago
90 minutes is a megacommute? I need to move.
positr0n 7y ago
> if you have a 90-minute megacommute a nice car is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity. What's wrong with a 90 minute commute in an old Corolla?
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]

vorpalhex 7y ago

> if you have a 90-minute megacommute a nice car is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity. I used to commute 90 minutes on the bus and rail on a daily basis. I assure you, even at 90 minutes, a nice car is _still_ absolutely just a luxury. A dependable car may be required, but not a fancy one.

PaulHoule 7y ago
If you have a long commute you probably want a fuel-efficient car, which is usually going to be a small (and inexpensive) car. My impression also is that many of the most dependable cars are inexpensive. I've been so amazed at the reliability of the Honda Fit (it required no major repairs until it got totaled around 120k; my main beefs were with the hatchback which needed to be oiled quite often, and the tire pressure sensors that seemed to fail around once a year or so) I was amazed enough that I bought another one (with a three year payment)
- HarryHirsch 7y ago
  When you are driving 90 minutes in the early morning on busy roads, when everyone around you is just as sleep-deprived as you, you'd like to minimize distractions, so you can pay attention to the road. You really want a good suspension and a silent engine. (I agree about the fuel efficiency, but that's not the whole story.)
  - PaulHoule 7y ago
    Small cars vary just as large cars vary. I like Hondas, I like the Chevy Sonic, I like the Nissan Altima. I think the Nissan Sentra has dangerously little purchase on the road, and can't stand the drivability of either the Toyota Corolla (almost crazy optimization of gas car for high m.p.g.) or the Camry. I think the roar of the engine and the sounds outside are an important sensory channel in driving, so "super quiet" doesn't matter for me.
- vonmoltke 7y ago
  I haven't encountered anything in the last 20 years by Honda or Toyota that wasn't dependable, regardless of price point. Specifically on tire pressure sensors, I never had an issue with my 02 Acura CL (owned 2006-2016), and have not yet had issues with my 09 Pilot (owned 2016-present).
zeveb 7y ago
In fairness, a 90-minute public-transit commute would likely be an hour by car. I'd still rather take the bus and train than drive.
- vonmoltke 7y ago
  After two mornings of standing in near-freezing drizzle waiting for a bus that I hope I can get a seat on, I don't agree. The reasons I take the bus are that my commute is actually faster (yay Exclusive Bus Lane!) and a lot cheaper ($13.60/day, which wouldn't even cover the toll for me to drive).
mumblemumble 7y ago
It's only a small fraction of the USA where a 90-minute commute by bus and rail is even possible. Even when I lived in a smaller city where the route would have allowed for such a thing, it isn't necessarily an option, because bus service often starts too late in the morning. Or there's my parents' house - they live in a moderate-size American city of about 250,000 inhabitants, but the nearest bus stop is half a mile away, along a road that lacks sidewalks. That walk would have barely been possible, let alone reasonable, many days of the year. And yeah, all of that does imply that modern urban planning may be something of an own goal in the proverbial class war, but, nonetheless, that's the situation.
bdcravens 7y ago
I’m currently commuting by bus. My 45 minute drive is now a 2 hour commute across 2 buses and a rail.

hurricanetc 7y ago

There is no shortage of cheap vehicles in the US. People buy expensive cars because they want them, not because they need them.

neogodless 7y ago

As posted in another comment: https://www.motortrend.com/news/top-10-cheapest-new-cars/ https://www.motortrend.com/news/top-10-cheapest-new-cars/ If you have a mega-commute, you should be buying the cheapest efficient, reliable car possible. You do not need a $30k+ car; you need a car that gets good gas mileage. Buy a Honda Fit and you'll get configurable storage and fun handling as a free bonus. Worst case scenario, you buy a ~$20k Corolla/Civic/Mazda 3. (The horror!) EDIT: OK I just looked at the 2020 Honda Fit. Don't buy that. It's just too ugly.

MandieD 7y ago
I was absolutely blown away by the 2020 Corolla LE we had as a rental for two weeks in the US this Christmas/New Years. The adaptive cruise control was better at braking at just the right time and amount in suburban highway traffic than I was, and the gas mileage when I left it to its own devices was 40-45 mpg. The trunk fit two large suitcases, two roll-aboards and various groceries and backpacks. When our 2008 Fiesta ceases to be economical to keep using, it’s at the top of our list for a replacement, especially as it’s available in Germany as a station wagon with enough towing capacity for my husband’s glider. Impressive little car.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

danabrams 7y ago

90 minutes is a megacommute? I need to move.

positr0n 7y ago

> if you have a 90-minute megacommute a nice car is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity. What's wrong with a 90 minute commute in an old Corolla?

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]