On Sun, 06 Nov 2016 19:21:13 -0500, wrote:

On Sun, 06 Nov 2016 17:33:40 -0500, krw wrote:

snip

Cars have gone up significantly in 20 years but they're also
dramatically better cars.
When I left Toyota in 1989 a new corolla wagon was Can$ 16,900.A
sedan was about $200 less. Equivalent in position todat would be a Kia
Forte 5? at $19,500 and that includes alloy rims, a 2 liter engine
instead of a 1.8 - and it is direct fuel injected with double the
horsepower, and bluetooth and all that other new tech that didn't
exist back then. - or a Mazda 5 - which is a bigger vehicle yet at
$21,000 - or a Hyundai Elantra GT at $18,000.

Come on! You're comparing a Toyota and a Kia/Hundai? What does the
Toyota cost?


The Hyundai / Kia are the same "position" as the Toyota was in 1989.-
and higher quality.

Nonsense. If you'd said 1979, maybe. Huyndai/Kia (same company) may
be better cars than the Toy of '79, but they're no Toyota. The
minivan is particularly atrocious. Your logic is the same one the
government uses to tell us that hamburger is the same thing as steak.

Again , all more powerfull, better mileage, larger vehicles with a
whole crapload of techno-toys added - for $2000 extra. A good set of
alloy rims and performance tires back then was more than $2000.

So, I wouldn't say the price has gone up "significantly"

And used car prices have not gone up either - and they are much better
5 year old cars now than back then.

They're much better because interest rates entice people go buy new
cars, depressing the price of used cars. Five years ago, the
situation was a little different (loans were hard to come by, driving
up used car prices).
I bought both of my current used cars 5 years ago - and got the best
deals I've gotten in 20 years. (here in Canada - not USA)
And one of them was a dealer car - only the second used car I've
bought from a dealer in over 30 years.Just got a car for my brother's
father-in-law a few weeks ago. A few more miles than the one I bought
- same car 4 years newer - so virtually "the same car" - $2000 less
than what I paid for mine. - bought this one from an independent used
car dealer, bought mine from a Ford dealer. (Ford cars)

Five years ago was at the end of the "cash for clunkers" era but even
then, loans were hard to come by, few had money for new cars, and used
cars went for premium $$. OTOH, there were spectacular deals on new
cars.

No question that used cars are tanking now. With interest rates and
"free" money all around, new cars are flying off the showroom floors.
All of the makers are posting records.