$1000-$2000 cars are the $500 beaters from 10+ years ago. I wouldn’t say most people are looking in this price range and they’re usually on their last leg and the cheapest option for a car. There are cellphones that cost more than this now.
I can buy a $1k car, carefully, and have a “beater” that works fine. Most people can’t. They need something in a bit better condition.
Though the greater point - battery replacement would be $5k-$10k on most cars, no thanks - that’s equivalent to replacing both the engine and transmission on a gas vehicle, at “fuck the customer” stealership prices.
My gas vehicles always go 300k miles, before needing either an engine or trans, many longer. Engines today are damn robust, and have been since the 90’s.
My maintenance over the years is trivial - about $150/year on fluid changes (that with an AWD vehicle with a unique setup). Occasionally something breaks, but that stuff you’d have on any vehicle (tie rod ends, latches, hood release cabke/switch, etc).
$1000-$2000 cars are the $500 beaters from 10+ years ago. I wouldn’t say most people are looking in this price range and they’re usually on their last leg and the cheapest option for a car. There are cellphones that cost more than this now.
Agreed.
I can buy a $1k car, carefully, and have a “beater” that works fine. Most people can’t. They need something in a bit better condition.
Though the greater point - battery replacement would be $5k-$10k on most cars, no thanks - that’s equivalent to replacing both the engine and transmission on a gas vehicle, at “fuck the customer” stealership prices.
My gas vehicles always go 300k miles, before needing either an engine or trans, many longer. Engines today are damn robust, and have been since the 90’s.
My maintenance over the years is trivial - about $150/year on fluid changes (that with an AWD vehicle with a unique setup). Occasionally something breaks, but that stuff you’d have on any vehicle (tie rod ends, latches, hood release cabke/switch, etc).
There’s a lot of BS out there about all this.