$100 Grand for a New Pickup?

[cshubhra]

I love my 911.

However a base trim can never be found, and it really took a lot of luck to even find a new 911 for sale.

 

[crusader]

GM offers 10% wage hike in contract talks that UAW calls 'insulting'

General Motors on Thursday made a counterproposal to the union representing its U.S. hourly workers in a bid to avoid a costly strike, but United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain called the offer "insulting."

www.reuters.com

 

[Sam Gamgee]

With the possible exception of Medical Industrial Complex, which I consider an existential threat to health, prices are set by buyers, not sellers. Don't like the price? Don't buy the dingus.

Part of this is the cost of developing new tech. The first couple of generations of product are always expensive and then the prices drop as the new tech matures and gets disseminated. Part of this are echos of worldwide supply line chaos brought about by Covid. Part of this is the very basic reality that humans will always push for an unearned advantage and will be loath to give that up. And part of this is a mentally ill culture of relatively extreme consumerism, with people buying into the latest "thing" and making their "stuff" their identity.

Americans are loaded up with debt, record amounts of it, which is good for banks and bad for consumers. And consumers have put themselves in this situation through their choices. Gotta have the biggest and best "stuff", or lots of "stuff" or the newest "stuff", and go into debt buy "stuff" they "can't live without" and can't afford. They have bought into the mantra of "the boy who dies with the most toys wins" and other stupid credos.

Personally, I stay debt free. That way I can save up for what I want, rather than pissing away money on payments. I bought my townhouse for cash. I could have bought a lot more, but I don't actually need more, and I can use my money to invest and make it work for me, rather than work for a bank.

I don't care about a $100,000 truck any more than a $10,000,000 Bugatti, or, for that matter, $500 Stonehaven or expensive artisan pipes. It's not going to be part of my world. I'm not exactly a Calvinist, so I do blow money on pleasures from time to time, but I won't go into debt over it.

Great post with lots to consider and ponder here. It reminded me of something I came across recently in a novel. The story is set in the early days of the 20th century, and one of the characters was going off to the university to study in a "new field" they were calling "advertising." Me being born and raised in the same century, I suppose I'd never fully stopped to realize that there was a time before advertising when men just bought the stuff they needed (and surely just wanted sometimes) and how unemotional it all must have been. But advertising changed all that and made almost all purchases emotional or ego-driven.

There was even a time when people bought something for life (like cookware when first married, a wood-burning stove, etc.), but no companies around today want anyone to buy anything for life. That would tear down the entire system.

 

[Hillcrest]

Get The F*** Outta Here!

I wouldn't even pay half that for ANY new vehicle. Especially not for the worthless POS EV's.

Castello makes trucks now ???

 

[jpmcwjr]

Brian-

Is your hate/distaste/aversion to EVs a real thing? (vs. humor etc.).
Yes, there's huge irony in virtue signalers showing how smug they are with EVs----- when many are powered indirectly by fossil fuels.
But I am considering a new car just because... ch-ch-ch-change!
Been driving conventionally fueled Mercedes for 30 years, and am considering an EV or hybrid. (you can get them without the virtue attached!)

 

[Sam Gamgee]

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Brian-

Is your hate/distaste/aversion to EVs a real thing? (vs. humor etc.).
Yes, there's huge irony in virtue signalers showing how smug they are with EVs----- when many are powered indirectly by fossil fuels.
But I am considering a new car just because... ch-ch-ch-change!
Been driving conventionally fueled Mercedes for 30 years, and am considering an EV or hybrid. (you can get them without the virtue attached!)

If you mount huge speakers on the outside of the vehicle to pound everyone around you with annoying music, but yet leaves you driving in relative quietness, it offsets the virtuous, altruistic parts.

 

[telescopes]

We will be getting an EV and no virtue signaling required. I over produce with my solar at my main home and we drive less than 300 miles a week. Not paying for gas and using my own free electricity only makes sense. Even if we drive to our second home, I can do so with the electricity we make at our primary. The cost to fill up at our second home is around $14.

 

[telescopes]

I use my motorcycle for touring. When I look at the price of some new bikes, up to $50,000, I realize quickly that I am not in Kansas anymore.

 

[sablebrush52]

Great post with lots to consider and ponder here. It reminded me of something I came across recently in a novel. The story is set in the early days of the 20th century, and one of the characters was going off to the university to study in a "new field" they were calling "advertising." Me being born and raised in the same century, I suppose I'd never fully stopped to realize that there was a time before advertising when men just bought the stuff they needed (and surely just wanted sometimes) and how unemotional it all must have been. But advertising changed all that and made almost all purchases emotional or ego-driven.

There was even a time when people bought something for life (like cookware when first married, a wood-burning stove, etc.), but no companies around today want anyone to buy anything for life. That would tear down the entire system.

Advertising, in some form, has been around thousands of years, but nothing like the relentlessly ferocious marketing that's developed since the unleashing of the Internet. Every now and then I get a glimpse of broadcast commercials and just marvel at the crude stupidity and at the fact that that works, and what that says about us.

As for planned obsolescence, that's a cornerstone for a great many industries. When you buy that $100,000 truck you're paying to buy a cash cow for the company that built it as parts fail, which didn't actually need to fail but were built to a spec that would allow them to need to be replaced at a far higher cost than you paid for the privilege of being fleeced The same goes for furniture which, unless you're paying top dollar from a high end manufacturer using traditional quality materials, is made to break down and fall apart because the flimsiest and non durable materials, like particle board, make up its structure. Furniture used to be something that got handed down between generations. Now it falls apart on the first move.

 

[Egg Shen]

Advertising, in some form, has been around thousands of years, but nothing like the relentlessly ferocious marketing that's developed since the unleashing of the Internet. Every now and then I get a glimpse of broadcast commercials and just marvel at the crude stupidity and at the fact that that works, and what that says about us.

As for planned obsolescence, that's a cornerstone for a great many industries. When you buy that $100,000 truck you're paying to buy a cash cow for the company that built it as parts fail, which didn't actually need to fail but were built to a spec that would allow them to need to be replaced at a far higher cost than you paid for the privilege of being fleeced The same goes for furniture which, unless you're paying top dollar from a high end manufacturer using traditional quality materials, is made to break down and fall apart because the flimsiest and non durable materials, like particle board, make up its structure. Furniture used to be something that got handed down between generations. Now it falls apart on the first move.

I was watching a video of some cigar guys from London that got invited to Cuba for some cigar event. They noted how there is zero billboards and advertising in Cuba. It seems the only way to avoid it is to go to a socialist country that produces 0 goods. Well, they produce 1 item but nobody that lives there can afford it, hence no advertising.

your comment on the planned lifespan of IKEA furniture gives me pause. This stuff absolutely must hold up

 

[brian64]

Brian-

Is your hate/distaste/aversion to EVs a real thing? (vs. humor etc.).
Yes, there's huge irony in virtue signalers showing how smug they are with EVs----- when many are powered indirectly by fossil fuels.
But I am considering a new car just because... ch-ch-ch-change!
Been driving conventionally fueled Mercedes for 30 years, and am considering an EV or hybrid. (you can get them without the virtue attached!)

For anyone who wants an EV, that's your choice of course...your reasons are your own, and none of my business.

As for me, my view is in part outlined in the article I posted above on the EV issue.

It's something that is being imposed on all of society based primarily on the false pretense of "climate change", with stated goals of completely phasing out gasoline engines. And even if someone buys into the so-called science and all the carbon BS, the production and charging of all of these batteries requires an infrastructure that doesn't currently exist and the electricity still needs to be produced mostly with hydrocarbon energy. Our electric grid already has big problems with just the current level of use.

Not to mention the fact of the massive environmental impact and cost of manufacturing and disposing of all of these toxic batteries...and the very high price of replacing them...which most people don't factor in to the cost of their EV's.

It's a highly flawed solution for a non-existent problem, IMO. In addition, there have been other much more promising alternatives, such as various types of hydrogen use, that have either been ignored or suppressed over the years.

And lastly, it is my opinion that the real goal of all of this is to eventually eliminate personal vehicles altogether.

 

[blackpowderpiper]

For anyone who wants an EV, that's your choice of course...your reasons are your own, and none of my business.

As for me, my view is in part outlined in the article I posted above on the EV issue.

It's something that is being imposed on all of society based primarily on the false pretense of "climate change", with stated goals of completely phasing out gasoline engines. And even if someone buys into the so-called science and all the carbon BS, the production and charging of all of these batteries requires an infrastructure that doesn't currently exist and the electricity still needs to be produced mostly with hydrocarbon energy. Our electric grid already has big problems with just the current level of use.

Not to mention the fact of the massive environmental impact and cost of manufacturing and disposing of all of these toxic batteries...and the very high price of replacing them...which most people don't factor in to the cost of their EV's.

It's a highly flawed solution for a non-existent problem, IMO. In addition, there have been other much more promising alternatives, such as various types of hydrogen use, that have either been ignored or suppressed over the years.

And lastly, it is my opinion that the real goal of all of this is to eventually eliminate personal vehicles altogether.

Please, don't try to bring logic into this. That would go against the narrative. The sheeple want none of that. Simply tell them which pasture to graze in and all is well.

 

[UB 40]

There was even a time when people bought something for life (like cookware when first married, a wood-burning stove, etc.), but no companies around today want anyone to buy anything for life. That would tear down the entire system.

The good stuff, not talking about tv screens or mobiles, is still around, it’s up to you decide, what you buy.

 

[Sam Gamgee]

The good stuff, not talking about tv screens or mobiles, is still around, it’s up to you decide, what you buy.

This is very true but it's not common knowledge where to get such things. And most people are so busy trying to keep a life going that they end up just getting the cheap stuff. And so it continues.

 

[blackpowderpiper]

This is very true but it's not common knowledge where to get such things. And most people are so busy trying to keep a life going that they end up just getting the cheap stuff. And so it continues.

The reality is that most people, even if they had easy access, would not spend the extra coin on the good stuff. They'd rather buy cheap and replace every few years. Paying more the first time for quality generally winds up saving you money in the long run. But when you're short sighted.............well.

 

[Sam Gamgee]

The reality is that most people, even if they had easy access, would not spend the extra coin on the good stuff. They'd rather buy cheap and replace every few years. Paying more the first time for quality generally winds up saving you money in the long run. But when you're short sighted.............well.

I agree that in the long run you save money by getting the good stuff. For example, I have some really nice musical instruments that cost a lot of money, but they will be heirlooms that my great-great-grandchildren could play daily if they're taken care of along the way. But if I'd bought the cheap stuff it might last my lifetime but not much beyond.

 

[brian64]

Great post with lots to consider and ponder here. It reminded me of something I came across recently in a novel. The story is set in the early days of the 20th century, and one of the characters was going off to the university to study in a "new field" they were calling "advertising." Me being born and raised in the same century, I suppose I'd never fully stopped to realize that there was a time before advertising when men just bought the stuff they needed (and surely just wanted sometimes) and how unemotional it all must have been. But advertising changed all that and made almost all purchases emotional or ego-driven.

There was even a time when people bought something for life (like cookware when first married, a wood-burning stove, etc.), but no companies around today want anyone to buy anything for life. That would tear down the entire system.

I don't know if you're familiar with Edward Bernays, or ever seen this documentary, but it's well worth watching...at least the first 20 or 30 mins...particularly from 5:45 forward, but the first few minutes are well worth watching as well.

Bernays was Freud's nephew, and pioneered modern advertising, and the whole era of "consumer culture" based on wants rather than needs as you're saying, as well as political propaganda, coining the term "public relations" to make it sound more benign.

He invented the slogan of making the world "safe for democracy" to help get the U.S. into WW1. Boy the war machine sure has gotten a lot of mileage out of that one, and still uses it ad nauseum.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Fossil fuels becoming in very short supply is a fact based on the last 100 years. Run out in 10, 20, 50 years? Maybe in five.

EV's the answer? Maybe, maybe not.
Agree there's a sh** load of misinformation, lies and such with the entire industry.
I may get one just for the hell of it.

 

[brian64]

Fossil fuels becoming in very short supply is a fact based on the last 100 years. Run out in 10, 20, 50 years? Maybe in five.

We'll just have to agree to disagree as to that being a "fact". There is much info out there disputing it, but it is the "official line". And, btw, I don't believe there is such a thing as "fossil fuels". I much favor the view that oil is "abiotic"...but apparently it's still the official story that it came from dinosaurs.

There's a lot of perception management that goes into maintaining a belief in scarcity...just as with diamonds.