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Does anyone think 99% of the car buyers market cares about cast bodies? Just look at all the folks who bought Tesla's, they don't have a problem buying a car th

Does anyone think 99% of the car buyers market cares about cast bodies? Just look at all the folks who bought Tesla's, they don't have a problem buying a car that costs more to insure, waiting for months to get repaired, at the same time happy with poor finishes, paying extra for every possible detail, and never being able to fix them on their own. Most folks in the car market chase fashion and could care less about quality, dependability (Ford, GM, Chrysler still exist) and longevity. They just make their $600 a month payment and roll over the remainder every 3 years into a new vehicle.

oldpersonintx 3y ago
99% of the market cares about cheaper cars...and eventually, cast bodies will reduce costs substantially
- technofiend 3y ago
  No doubt it's projection on my part but I too assume the majority of car buyers are looking for cheap, reliable new cars and therefore that's where the greatest volume would be, right? Yet manufacturers are moving to higher profit cars. What surprises me is even Chevrolet is ending their low-cost EV which enjoys a hefty subsidy via purchaser tax break. Instead their next EV will move to a different platform to be consistent with their newer cars which is good but also at a higher price point, which is not. Particularly with that subsidy they could own that low-end EV market; they've had to extend the retirement date of the current car several times due to demand! But, they're not alone: from the linked article "Last month, 17% of new vehicles sold were under $30,000, compared to 44% five years ago." Which sucks for people who do just want a point-a to point-b vehicle and not a rolling status symbol. https://www.businessinsider.com/cheapest-cars-abandoned-by-automakers-in-search-of-profits-2023-3?op=1 https://www.businessinsider.com/cheapest-cars-abandoned-by-a... Not to be too cynical about it, but if wrecking a car means totalling a car, that's also another potential sale. At the very least making them less repairable smacks of consumer-hostile moves we've seen in the electronics industry and similarly without right to repair legislation, the manufacturers can do whatever they want. At least for me it's frustrating.

oldpersonintx 3y ago

99% of the market cares about cheaper cars...and eventually, cast bodies will reduce costs substantially

technofiend 3y ago
No doubt it's projection on my part but I too assume the majority of car buyers are looking for cheap, reliable new cars and therefore that's where the greatest volume would be, right? Yet manufacturers are moving to higher profit cars. What surprises me is even Chevrolet is ending their low-cost EV which enjoys a hefty subsidy via purchaser tax break. Instead their next EV will move to a different platform to be consistent with their newer cars which is good but also at a higher price point, which is not. Particularly with that subsidy they could own that low-end EV market; they've had to extend the retirement date of the current car several times due to demand! But, they're not alone: from the linked article "Last month, 17% of new vehicles sold were under $30,000, compared to 44% five years ago." Which sucks for people who do just want a point-a to point-b vehicle and not a rolling status symbol. https://www.businessinsider.com/cheapest-cars-abandoned-by-automakers-in-search-of-profits-2023-3?op=1 https://www.businessinsider.com/cheapest-cars-abandoned-by-a... Not to be too cynical about it, but if wrecking a car means totalling a car, that's also another potential sale. At the very least making them less repairable smacks of consumer-hostile moves we've seen in the electronics industry and similarly without right to repair legislation, the manufacturers can do whatever they want. At least for me it's frustrating.