3 ms·

Cheap Cars Are Dead

2 points by leotravis10 3y ago

numtel 3y ago
...in the US See for example: https://insideevs.com/news/710364/byd-detroit-import-seagull-caresoft/ https://insideevs.com/news/710364/byd-detroit-import-seagull...
- tuatoru 3y ago
  Yes, the Seagull is causing a bit of a flap in the US and Europe. And it's only the leader of the flock. Yet another case of disruption from below.
  - leotravis10 3y ago
    Good point, also China is planning to fill in that void but it's guaranteed to face resistance: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39736429 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39736429
- leotravis10 3y ago
  The fact is that China is going to fill that cheap car gap and is going to lead to a furious response, but that won't include US carmakers actually competing, as Dan Gillmor says: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39736429 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39736429
IronWolve 3y ago
Most cars are in the lower 20s now, but there are some pretty good options. Buick envista, Chevy Trax, VW Taos, Subaru Crosstrek, Kia Soul, Honda HR-V. I really think the buick envista is a stand out for an entry commuter car for the price. The mazda cx-30 is in the 30's with turbo is going more fun to drive for the cost, but you can get one in the mid 20's with the base engine.
- leotravis10 3y ago
  "Now" is the key word if you actually read the piece. By this time next year there won't be as the piece says. Also read what Dan Gillmor has to say here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39736429 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39736429
  - IronWolve 3y ago
    Read the piece, and if you haven't noticed we have mass inflation on everything not just cars. My comment was on cars that I think are good value right now.
simonblack 3y ago
'Cheap' cars aren't dead. What is dead is a price-sticker under $20,000. That just means that the buying power of the USD has declined so much that no price is possible that is under the 20,000 mark. Go ahead buy now. A time will come when the headline reads "Cheap Cars under $100,000 have disappeared." My first brand-new 6-cylinder GM car was priced at $2200, if you feel like a little bit of history. :)
- leotravis10 3y ago
  You should read what Dan has to say. China is going to fill in this gap and we're not ready for it: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39736429 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39736429
leotravis10 3y ago
From Dan Gillmor: https://mastodon.social/@dangillmor/112102491028919681 https://mastodon.social/@dangillmor/112102491028919681 "The auto industry has almost completely abandoned the idea of selling affordable cars in the U.S. China is plainly planning to fill the gap, as Japan did some decades ago. This will -- guaranteed -- lead to a furious response, but that won't include US carmakers actually competing. The response will be protectionism, because one thing history has shown us is that American companies facing foreign competition are terrified of actual competition."

2 points by leotravis10 3y ago

...in the US See for example: https://insideevs.com/news/710364/byd-detroit-import-seagull-caresoft/ https://insideevs.com/news/710364/byd-detroit-import-seagull...

tuatoru 3y ago
Yes, the Seagull is causing a bit of a flap in the US and Europe. And it's only the leader of the flock. Yet another case of disruption from below.
- leotravis10 3y ago
  Good point, also China is planning to fill in that void but it's guaranteed to face resistance: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39736429 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39736429
leotravis10 3y ago
The fact is that China is going to fill that cheap car gap and is going to lead to a furious response, but that won't include US carmakers actually competing, as Dan Gillmor says: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39736429 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39736429

IronWolve 3y ago

Most cars are in the lower 20s now, but there are some pretty good options. Buick envista, Chevy Trax, VW Taos, Subaru Crosstrek, Kia Soul, Honda HR-V. I really think the buick envista is a stand out for an entry commuter car for the price. The mazda cx-30 is in the 30's with turbo is going more fun to drive for the cost, but you can get one in the mid 20's with the base engine.

leotravis10 3y ago
"Now" is the key word if you actually read the piece. By this time next year there won't be as the piece says. Also read what Dan Gillmor has to say here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39736429 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39736429
- IronWolve 3y ago
  Read the piece, and if you haven't noticed we have mass inflation on everything not just cars. My comment was on cars that I think are good value right now.

simonblack 3y ago

'Cheap' cars aren't dead. What is dead is a price-sticker under $20,000. That just means that the buying power of the USD has declined so much that no price is possible that is under the 20,000 mark. Go ahead buy now. A time will come when the headline reads "Cheap Cars under $100,000 have disappeared." My first brand-new 6-cylinder GM car was priced at $2200, if you feel like a little bit of history. :)

leotravis10 3y ago
You should read what Dan has to say. China is going to fill in this gap and we're not ready for it: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39736429 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39736429

leotravis10 3y ago

From Dan Gillmor: https://mastodon.social/@dangillmor/112102491028919681 https://mastodon.social/@dangillmor/112102491028919681 "The auto industry has almost completely abandoned the idea of selling affordable cars in the U.S. China is plainly planning to fill the gap, as Japan did some decades ago. This will -- guaranteed -- lead to a furious response, but that won't include US carmakers actually competing. The response will be protectionism, because one thing history has shown us is that American companies facing foreign competition are terrified of actual competition."