Summary
The global auto industry, once buoyed by pandemic-era shortages and high prices, is now facing significant challenges.
Major automakers like Nissan, Ford, and Volkswagen are cutting thousands of jobs and closing factories due to falling demand, competition from Chinese carmakers, and rising protectionism.
Chinese brands, offering cheaper and innovative vehicles, are gaining market share, pressuring Western automakers, particularly in China.
The shift to electric vehicles (EVs) is proving costly, with sluggish demand in some markets and government subsidies declining. Some companies, like GM and Toyota, are faring better with strategic EV and hybrid models.
That’s their own damn fault. They all got this idea that every car brand could be a luxury brand. They left behind consumers. They cut their affordable models and have left the sedan and even now many compact segment vehicles in the dust. Consumers should now leave them behind in turn. The future can’t possibly be luxury SUVs, pickups, and sports cars for everyone.
Corporate executives couldn’t see past the next quarter. And now, I won’t be surprised if governments force their losses to be socialized. Stellantis executive quit recently after seeing the writing on the wall. Make the money, let it crash and burn. That was always the plan.
Fuck em and the SUV they came in. Eat shit.
Regular-ass pickup trucks are really hard to buy, too. Trying to find a F150 XL on a lot is tough, and the pricing isn’t that much better. Too many luxury trucks, too few work trucks. The PRO dealers don’t even want to talk to someone looking for a single truck in my experience or I’d just buy from the dealer with nothing but plain white on the lot.
Yeah I have no clue why a compact, affordable, hybrid truck like the Maverick just can’t be made fast enough and flies off the lot.
Surely it’s not being a compact truck. Or it being affordable for new. Of course, it’s not also having a hybrid option.
No, it’s gotta be anything else other than that. So make sure there are more of the huge, expensive, gas chugging things on the lot.
You won’t get any sympathy from me for the Maverick.
It’s. Not. A. Truck.
I need a truck for work, not weekend runs to the lumberyard.
Ok, so it’s not made for you. That wasn’t the point of the post. The point was that an affordable small compact truck with a hybrid option sells like hot cakes, yet Ford wonders why a 100k lightning sits on the lot.
Indeed. If you want a giant-ass ego-mobile you’ll find plenty, but a truck to actually get work done? You might have better luck finding a good van these days. It’s a shame.
Oh man, the sprinter/transit thing is insane tho. Sure they are nice vans but the price is WAY higher than the Econoline/Savanah generation.
You’d probably get a discount if you promise to live in it and become a vanfluencer. Make sure to be quirky!
And any small business or one man stop shop that can afford a Sprinter can put a sliver of that money into an Express - GM essentially put the same van out every year for 30 years: parts aplenty. Buy used van (not completely ran into ground) for sub ≤$5k. Spend ≤$5k refurbishing engine, trans, suspension. Spend ≤$5k kitting out van to business specifics, ie paint, racks, interior load outs.
≤$15k and yr problems are solved. Easily more that half that price of you do the work yourself. And best part, no payments.