This is what Car Buyers Really Want

Рет қаралды 86,663

Күн бұрын

🚗 Want to Start Your Own Car Sharing Business? Use Code OFFER100 to Get $100 Off -- www.thecarsharingmasterclass....
__________________________________________________________
▶ Resources I Use/Would Use:
💰 Need an Accountant & Bookkeeper? I Use Shared Economy Tax:
sharedeconomycpa.com/get-star...
🚙 Interested in Co-Hosting with an experienced Turo Host? This is the team I recommend: www.rentoutmycars.com
📍 Need a tracker for your car? OneStep GPS is the tracker I personally use: www.onestepgps.com/?Aubrey-Janik
🚘 Need more resources for buying a car? Get 20% Off with CarEdge: caredge.com/aubrey-janik-reso...
🎥 For more information on the gear/equipment/tools I use, check out my Amazon Storefront: amzn.to/3gBbxBE
🔧 Quality Parts for a Great Price; use code CARSHARE24 to get $20 Off Orders of $200 or more: bumpersthatdeliver.com
▶ For Sponsorship inquiries, please contact: kyle@smallscreenmarketing.com
__________________________________________________________
00:00 - Intro
What's up, you guys? In today's video, I will explain why automakers have abandon the affordable car.
01:10 - "There is No Demand" - The Automakers
01:40 - Expensive Cars are More Profitable
02:35 - Proof Demand isn't the Main Issue
05:42 - Consumers Want Cheap Cars
07:54 - Closing
I hope you guys enjoyed this video; make sure to hit the like, subscribe, and the notification bell, and I will see you guys in the next video.
__________________________________________________________
FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM:
/ aubrey.janik
SUBSCRIBE TO MY SECOND CHANNEL:
/ @aubreyhp
__________________________________________________________
#CarMarket #AffordableCars #Screwed

Пікірлер: 587

@cgrf45 4 күн бұрын

They do get it. They just don't care.

@thomastramontano3570 4 күн бұрын

It is better to keep your old car in good condition. than it is to buy a new car.

@s99614 6 күн бұрын

Actually they do know what people actually want. They just don't want to make it.

@STho205 4 күн бұрын

How dare they.

@swingset1969 4 күн бұрын

They've been de-incentived to make them by regulations and competition from cheaper markets/China/India. It's not indifference, it's interference.

@jjhpor 4 күн бұрын

@@swingset1969 If you think U.S. regulations are that bad you should go to China, no OSHA, no EPA, no unions. You can live in a nice dormitory, eat fish heads and rice in the company canteen and look up at the surveillance cameras everywhere.

@frankgrabasse4642 3 күн бұрын

I don't think you are allowed to look at the cameras.

@jayson657 6 күн бұрын

It’s GREED pure and simple! People please stop buying expensive new cars. I used to love having a pick up truck but I will NEVER pay the prices they want for these bloated oversized, overpriced monstrosities. I’d rather drive a Corolla now!

@sachinnair91 5 күн бұрын

Unfortunately Toyota Is showing it's greed with Corollas by purposely producing less so they can keep prices high. That's why most new Corollas in the USA are marked up and sold above MSRP

@Tential1 5 күн бұрын

@@sachinnair91it's nothing to do with greed. Regulation first and foremost. China has cheap 10k cars they want to import, and the west added 100%+ tariffs. We have serious safety ratings but that requires you to destroy lots of cars. That costs money. You think manufacturers discontinued the Camaro and other expensive things 2 door sports cars because of corporate greed? Doesn't even make sense. People don't buy the cars. Manufacturers make what people buy. Car enthusiasts thought people wanted sports cars. They got rid of most 2 door cars too. Those were expensive cars. People want suvs, and suvs cost most. Also regulation. Regulation meant that if I want to make a "sedan" it's actually easier to make it a truck, from a regulation standpoint. If companies could sell cheaper sedans, they would. Customers don't buy them. Cheap trucks might make a comeback, but customers prove they want large trucks. Hell, I'm buying a ram 1500 truck. Why? Because I can. It amuses me. I could buy a small, normal car. Corporations don't force you to buy things. They rush to make what you want before someone else does.

@Tential1 5 күн бұрын

@@sachinnair91you can't produce something in low quantities and keep prices artificially high. You would need everyone in the industry to be friends. We aren't friends. In banking, we literally risk destroying the financial system, just to kill our opponents, because f it. 2008 could have been completely avoided for example. That was a personal attack. Similar to gamestop, where reddit caught hedge funds "offsides", traders found certain companies to be offside, and that caused the collapse. They could have just fold the company "hey, you have an issue". Instead, they exploited it. But we say publicly, banks failed. Lol. It's because we hate each other, that customers get the best price. Example, mortgage rates. You can always refinance. So you'll always have as low of a rate as the market can handle, because, if your rate is 0.05% higher than it should be? Well hello, would you like to refinance with me? Why? I'm breaking even actually, but I would love to see my competitor who your mortgage is currently with suffer. It's almost impossible pull off the idiotic corporate greed scenarios you guys propose. Regularly, my job has been to figure out how much money we could stomach losing lol....

@zed4229 4 күн бұрын

For the cost of corolla you could have classic Ram, Maverick, xl f150.

@jayson657 4 күн бұрын

@@Tential1 you’re part of the problem

@joshuawang5859 6 күн бұрын

Reliable and Practical cars are what most buys need!

@your_royal_highness 4 күн бұрын

It’s about what shareholders need, not consumers’ needs. You do support capitalism, yes? 😊

@jerryskelly1395 4 күн бұрын

Sure but this is more like plunder capitalism

@ThatGuysGuitars 4 күн бұрын

Yea, but sadly; that’s not what they purchase en masse

@jjhpor 4 күн бұрын

@@your_royal_highness More than the shareholders, companies are run by and for the management.

@johnberry2877 3 күн бұрын

Just say Honda, Toyota, Subaru. Yeah, that’s it !!

@williammorris3815 3 күн бұрын

The auto industry knows exactly what they are doing. Getting rid of cheap cars makes consumers buy expensive cars. It is all about profit, it is also a form of price fixing and an antitrust violation….but nobody ever goes to jail for antitrust violations.

@guylr7390 4 күн бұрын

It’s always about the money, never about the buyers

@mj8495 2 күн бұрын

It's about buyers with money...they are abandoning the lower price models and assume people can just buy used if they can't afford higher end cars

@middleagedbaldguy6774 4 күн бұрын

We shopped for a Maverick this fall. Low stock, usually one unit or two per dealership. The sales staff immediately tried putting us in full size and there was a minimum of a $3000 "market adjustment". We bought a used Honda Ridgeline instead and love it. I think its worth mentioning how absolutely awful the "dealer experience" has become.

@MrSloika 4 күн бұрын

Nasty dealers SELL MORE. It's true. They make you feel like a loser and act like they're doing you a favor. It works on most buyers.

@msk3905 3 күн бұрын

Just bought myself and my wife audi suvs and I have to say buying process with dealers were easy and fine? They did try to add on the bs crap when I sat with finance guy but said no and we moved on. Secret is treat like business deal leave ALL emotion out of it, know your numbers go on and say these are them never waiver, if no deal be ready to walk away…they’ll see this and change tone.

@MrSloika 3 күн бұрын

@@msk3905 Fewer potential buyers than cars in inventory? Dealers will be open to negotiation. More prospective buyers than inventory? The only negotiation will be, 'How much are you willing to pay OVER sticker?'

@msk3905 3 күн бұрын

@@MrSloika I’m 56 years old & been buying cars like this for over 25 years successfully, you need to be some kind of moron to pay over invoice.

@robertheinkel6225 3 күн бұрын

My local Ford dealer had a $10K markup on the Maverick. As soon as he mentioned it, I just walked away.

@heinrichallen476 4 күн бұрын

I live in the rust belt and my last ranger finally had nothing left to attach new parts to. Went shopping, spent a day having numerous salesmen try to sell me something I had no intrest in for an ungodly sum of money. I am a do it to yourselfer so I haul dirt, gravel, yard waste etc and have no need or desire for a huge fully loaded truck. I ended up with a used, rustfree14 year old ranger from arizona. I got what I wanted, fleet white xlt with no frills and saved 25K. At my age this is probably my last truck, I was willing to buy new but what I wanted no longer exists.

@JakeSoulFreeTravels 4 күн бұрын

Do you mind, how much did you pay? My Mom rolled her 2000 Ford Ranger 10 years ago, we rebuilt it, it was our fencing/spare truck, but just lost our 2002 Ranger to black ice Feb 12...I didn't like the 2002, I live the 2000 way better even though it looks like it should be in a junk yard.

@user-ug4lt3yr5w 4 күн бұрын

No longer exists. Need, anyone, say more.

@JakeSoulFreeTravels 4 күн бұрын

@@user-ug4lt3yr5w What no longer exists?

@the_proffit76 3 күн бұрын

I feel you on the no longer exists. Different type of vehicle, BUT I sold my 240SX years ago thinking 10 years later I would have some options for a fun and affordable RWD Manual sports car. They don’t exist either.

@alb12345672 3 күн бұрын

95-01 Explorer are pretty much a Ranger with a topper. Everything from the seats forward is pretty much the same, until the last ranger. If you can find one with a V8, it could pass down to grandchildren. I used to be on a Forum, it was extremely rare to unheard of for that engine or trans to fail. They would never sell anything that reliable anymore.

@raygunsforronnie847 4 күн бұрын

"GM is in the business of making money, not cars". Maximizing shareholder return is the mantra of Wall Street investors. Cars, widgets, even vaporware like NFTs, it's about money and not the product. Some of us remember when a company that made something that consistently sold, the company would make more of that. Cars or light trucks? Nope, we'll just keep the same basic unit cost but eliminate the bottom tier to force buyers to move up. Remove the cosmetics and it's the same bottom tier unibody, basic suspension, and steering.

@pcs5852 3 күн бұрын

At one time - about 50 + years ago - most manufacturing companies were run by engineers. They were replaced by bean counters who spend their time trying to maximize profits rather than improve the product. As an example of this trend, I give you David Calhoun, the CEO of Boeing. When Boeing was run by engineers, quality control was a key component in building a good aircraft. Cost has now become the priority..

@raygunsforronnie847 3 күн бұрын

@@pcs5852 The "merger" with McDonnell Douglas was the downfall of Boeing. MD always had their version of the Skunk Works and other defense projects to make up the costs of its commercial division and the liability the shoddy design/construction took. The only surprise to me is how long it took for Boeing to sink this low... I was predicting the downfall of Boeing's business model before 2020.

@evancombs5159 3 күн бұрын

Maximizing shareholder return is not the issue. The issue is the short term thinking that is prevalent in corporate culture right now.

@nodak81 3 күн бұрын

That concept really is stupid on their part. Sure there are some buyers that can afford more, but decide to be frugal. The majority however, are buying cheap because it's all they can afford. I've only bought two new cars in my life and they were both well under the $20k mark. A 2003 Kia Rio and a 2009 Ford Ranger, and I could barely afford either of them but needed a good reliable vehicle (which they both were btw, especially the Ranger).

@ickster23 3 күн бұрын

@@evancombs5159Maximizing shareholder profits is short term thinking.

@johnwilde164 4 күн бұрын

The average age of a car on the road is 12.6 years, because people can't afford to buy a new one.

@dougsheldon5560 6 күн бұрын

Have you seen the inventory stacking up on dealer lots for those $75K trucks?

@GeneralChangFromDanang 4 күн бұрын

I have. Turns out only so many people can or will pay those prices.

@Mattius08 4 күн бұрын

I have. I saw one at an auto dealer campus. There lots are some full they parking them in fields behind their store. Looks like they have one thousand brand new f150s and Dodge Rams lineup up everywhere.

@502Chevy 4 күн бұрын

Stacked up like cord wood.

@TheCrazyMoparDude68 3 күн бұрын

Not in my area. The local Ram dealer cannot keep trucks on lot.

@lalutte65 3 күн бұрын

One $75k truck sale represents the profit of more than 10 cheap new cars sales

@sachinnair91 6 күн бұрын

Great video Aubrey and thank you for making a video on this topic! You're spot on that the reason why carmakers cancelled small new cheap cars is because they were thinking about profitability, not because people didn't want them!

@anonymous..- 4 күн бұрын

How do you stay in business if you can’t profit? Why would you invest in building a car that returns less than average stock market returnS?

@Peter-bx7ip 4 күн бұрын

@@anonymous..-if you simp hard enough, the CEO will notice you!

@roijoi6963 4 күн бұрын

@@anonymous..- How do you stay in business when you can't sell anything? Somebody is going to come along and satisfy this market that CAN make money on high volumes and low margins and then F and GM will have to beg Uncle Sam for another bailout. I will be voting NO on that bit of corporate welfare.

@petercollingwood522 4 күн бұрын

I bought a Chevy Spark in April 2021. I bought it literally because it was the cheapest brand new car in the USA. I tested eight different cars from four different manufacturers and decided the price differentials between them were not justified by the physical differentials. So far I have 27K miles on it and it's been not just excellent as a daily commuter but I actually rather like it. It's surprisingly comfortable, has decent economy and can cruise at 100MPH without fuss on the highway - not that I recommend that. Also it has a great air conditioner and being as I'm in Phoenix that matters, a lot. I put nothing down and financed the entire price and am paying 260 a month. I can live with that, easily. My attitude towards vehicles has changed completely as I get older. It's a device to transport me between different locations. I need it to do that as cheaply and efficiently as possible with as much comfort as budget allows. That means I need AC and a good audio. That's it. I don't give a damn about wether it can steer itself, think for itself, open and close its door by itself, whatever. I have a brain and I can do all that for MYself thanks. During the course of the week it took me to start looking at vehicles to when I drove off the lot with my car I visited the dealer several times and noticed that their supply of Sparks was dwindling rapidly. People certainly did want them. Of course they stopped making them that same year. One reason only. Not enough profits. Pure greed. Nothing else.

@Leafgreen1976 3 күн бұрын

You will regret buying that pos.

@petercollingwood522 3 күн бұрын

@@Leafgreen1976 Maybe. Time will tell.

@HoopsKevinski. 2 күн бұрын

Agree. Fellow Phoenician. Just drove *at night* with 66° A/C, yet back drenched in sweat. Need ventilated seats. My 52k Cruze needs new engine.

@jerrylundegaard2592 Күн бұрын

On the flip side, most of us do not want to go through life driving a Chevy Spark. Life is simply too short for such a sacrifice.

@cle_roknn3742 4 күн бұрын

You forgot a major issue with modern cars: electronics. The new cars are stuffed with computer controlled this and touchscreen that. It’s a recipe for planned obsolescence, just like cell phones or computers. We recently purchased a Hyundai Santa Fe, right off the lot it started randomly having electrical issues. Taken it back 3x and finally the “errors” showed up in a scan. It appears to be a brake caliper sensor, yeah even the brake calipers have sensors now I guess. Anyway, been waiting on parts now for 2 weeks…. The most reliable car I have is a 2013 Ford Mustang V6 convertible with 88,000 miles on it. No frills, no touchscreens, I open the hood and see familiarity, these new engines are electronic nightmares…

@TheCrazyMoparDude68 3 күн бұрын

Sorry to break it to you, but your Mustang also has brake sensors. Brake/wheel sensors have been around for several decades on vehicles. They are part of the antilock brake system. It also has a completely computer controlled engine and transmission. Engines stared to be computer controlled starting in the 80s. And what you have on your Mustang isn’t that much different than what you would find on a 2024 Mustang. Yes, touchscreens are new and so are the many apps and accessories, but things like wheel sensors and computer controlled engines are not.

@cherryjuice9946 4 күн бұрын

Price is very important, but for me, I also want a basic truck. I do not want an LCD display, and do not want to be forced to touch it for any function. I want knobs. I don't want automatic anything. Really hate AC fans that stay running for 3 to 4 more seconds when I turn them off. I don't want doors locking on me everything, and I don't want to be forced to use a remote to open the passenger side door (because they removed the key hole, trying to force me to use the FOB). I want a manual truck, without all the electronics.

@warbuzzard7167 3 күн бұрын

OK, Boomer.

@cherryjuice9946 3 күн бұрын

@@warbuzzard7167 Explain. Why would anyone want to take their eyes off the road to look at a touch screen, when they could more easily find the correct knob to turn by the way the knob feels and its location? If a person cares about safety, that makes them a boomer? You sound immature.

@Fireballof3 3 күн бұрын

Unfortunately, you're likely needing to buy a pre-2010 used truck from here on out. Too many "features" in those machines now

@cherryjuice9946 2 күн бұрын

@@Fireballof3 Yep, I bought a 2000 S-10. I love it. Already added 35k miles to it. Minimal maintenance. The things I have needed to be done were amazingly cheap such as tires, battery, and raditator. I did need an AC evaporator for $900, but that is so cheap compared to a new truck. Also, my 2010 1500 had manual everything. I traded it in in 2018 because I thought it "was time". Sadly, my new truck is total junk.

@daleebbinga8779 Күн бұрын

Case in point I’d just love to have back my 1987 GMC S15. No power anything and best of all a 5 speed manual transmission.

@dadgarage7966 4 күн бұрын

Unwise people vastly outnumber wise people by an astonishing ratio. Wise people tend to prefer economical, practical vehicles whereas their counterparts prefer expensive vehicles that convey some sort of statement. This may help to explain the direction auto manufacturers are taking.

@TheCrazyMoparDude68 3 күн бұрын

It is called making what the customer actually buys. And the vast majority of car buyers don’t want a stripped cheap sub $20k vehicle. They want a lower price, who doesn’t, but they don’t want what sub $20k actually buys you.

@Adirondack_DFL 6 күн бұрын

a $10,000 car would sell like crazy. no frills, just a cheap commuter car.

@biz4twobiz463 4 күн бұрын

Lol!! yah... right. haha

@STho205 4 күн бұрын

So would a $10 car and a 10c doughnut. However if nobody can or desires to make them...they don't exist. However you could buy a $5000 used car/truck and spend $5000 in renovation and have a 10k NEW car.

@Area-cf1gt 4 күн бұрын

Nope the Nissan Micra was $ 9,999 and not many sold and got axed quickly

@STho205 4 күн бұрын

4 wheel vehicles with enclosed cabins that pass minimal safety testing cost at least 8500 to build for western consumption. Add to that transport, tarriff, floor plan...that might leave $500 for profit to be split with a salesman, the dealership and the government. May as well sell Yeti Coolers or Big Green Eggs that cost

@russellmz 4 күн бұрын

@@STho205chinese evs are going to get a 100 percent tariff because they are $10,000 and would destroy the us auto industry. before you go 'lol china,' the byd car company has other cars sold in australia and europe with 5 star safety ratings and tesla and kia buy their car batteries from byd. i love my 2016 mazda 3 but if i get another car and the byd ev safety record is good and the tariff only at 27 percent, 10,000x1.27 is way less than 20,000. you can also say there were cheap evs sold before that failed, but the byd ev has a 200 mile range, the cheap evs before had 80 or so. and my major trips are 120 miles then and now.

@bicyclelife7088 4 күн бұрын

I have trouble explaining to truck buyers and dealers that I want a cheap truck not because I'm poor but because I need a 2nd car for chores. I have a Mercedes E Class and can't put mulch in it, or bring home chairs. I just want something simple and easy that isn't a $50k monster truck. Give me a small $20k truck or even something like the Subaru Baja and I'll buy tomorrow. I don't care about towing capacity or huge loads. I just want to be able to run to home depot and bring home some plants or buy a TV without having to pay extra to have it delivered.

@planesandbikes7353 3 күн бұрын

yes same. But most F150 buyers use it as their daily passenger car too so they want it full of luxuries. I bought a E550 new, and kept my absolute base manual windows Tundra for occasional hauling duty only - still have the truck, sold the Merc. I;'d have preferred a smaller truck but weirdly the new Tundra was cheaper than any new Taco on the lot at the time (14 years ago)

@KyleVeatch 3 күн бұрын

Sounds like you want a Maverick!

@theinfinitymachine9610 3 күн бұрын

I want the same thing so I just bought a used 2000 first gen Tacoma for 10k. I'm good with fixing cars but the truck is only 142k miles and need to work at all.

@juansanchez-tr1dq 6 күн бұрын

Automakers are out to lunch on new car prices. Given time, there will be a price correction!

@nutandboltguy3720 4 күн бұрын

It’s probably because the cheap cars, which have low profit margins, are eating into dealership used car sales, which have a high profit margin. If dealerships don’t order new cheap cars, eventually the demand goes away. That’s my theory.

@TheCrazyMoparDude68 3 күн бұрын

Nope, those no thrill $20k cars just don’t sell well. She is completely wrong in everything she says. And she is using the Maverick as an example to claim that people are preferring cheaper less thrills trucks, based on the comparison of the sales of the Ranger. What a joke! Compare it to the sales of the F150 instead and see what the real consumer wants. If sub $20k cars/trucks made up 20% of all car sales, that isn’t that many sales for each individual manufacturer. That means most are lucky to sell 75k a year, which is nothing. And it isn’t enough to put R&D into new models. Car manufacturers are businesses and businesses are in it to make money. I know, it is shocking to some. People go online and make comments saying that all they want is a simple vehicle that is dependable and costs less. But in reality, what they mean is that they simply want to pay less for that nicer equipped vehicle. Those sub $20k vehicles are mostly sold to rental companies and used as fleet vehicles for deliveries or things like visiting nurses and other mobile medical jobs. Take away those sales, which make even less of a profit than those being sold off of the lot, and the percentage is most likely less than 10%.

@JayOyster 4 күн бұрын

There's a word for this out of the software media and social media world . . . enshittification. The corporations have no interest in serving customers. They just want to maximize profits. And no, that isn't just 'the way it is'. In some parts of the world, part of the corporate responsibility includes social responsibility, and responsibility to all of their stakeholders, not just their shareholders. That means their customers, their suppliers, their employees, and even the society in which they are allowed to operate. Unless we force the issue, they're just going to keep getting worse.

@jjhpor 4 күн бұрын

If a politician in the US ever suggested something like that the right wingers would start shouting "communism" so loud and so often that nobody on the planet would ever hear anything else again. It is, however, pretty close to what happens in some European countries. Germany comes to mind.

@huskyflylangley6053 4 күн бұрын

Everything I have is 10-75 years old; they all run well, and I can daily any of them. I just drove my '58 F-100 six cylinder down to visit family and got over 20 mpg! Well tuned, not driven like a psychopath, and it was going to scrap and I bought for $200! And had her running in a week. Unfortunately, government and carmakers championed cash for clunkers, so a lot of good used cars that young guns could learn on or new families could afford were slammed in the baler; really good Civics, Corollas, square body Chevs, F-150s, Nissans, etc. all got the slam. It was a crying shame. I saw a Buick Park avenue with 25k miles go as well, hell, those get 30 mpg and are reliable as heck.

@patrickchubey3127 4 күн бұрын

Using our old car as a trade in, we just got a new base model Corolla for under 20k and it's an awesome car, smooth, quiet and comfortable, positive steering and precise brakes and it's all paid for. Don't buy expensive vehicles if you can help it.

@user-tb7rn1il3q 3 күн бұрын

I’d be concerned about safety in a car that small. The Camry is only a few grand more and is a much safer car in a crash.

@MH-fb5kr 4 күн бұрын

i want to buy a vehicle without tons of expensive, often faulty technology

@donotneed2250 4 күн бұрын

I recall when a Maverick WAS NOT a pickup. It had 4 doors and a trunk. Guess what I took the test for my civilian drivers license in? This was a few months after I had obtained my Military License.

@arrozconmgtow5026 2 күн бұрын

Lolz. My dad had a Maverick when I was a kid in the 80s. He got talked into it after my mom wrecked his Mustang. I think the ‘stang was a ‘76. I seem to remember a story of him lobbying to buy one to commemorate my birth. I mean it’s silly to think about now but I think he was just pleased as punch to have had a son.

@howardgrover8908 Күн бұрын

I have a 71 Maverick and a 72 f-250 ranger

@CraigSmith568 4 күн бұрын

Just look at the fact that the Maverick hybrid was the cheapest one you could buy. Then when demand shot through the roof they made it more than the gas model. When you go look at vehicles you can only find the high end models because they don't order any base models and then say they never sold a single base model. Hard to sell something you don't have.

@Th3Think3r 4 күн бұрын

Exactly, you don't see base models on the lot. Dealers buy the higher trims and put a bunch of add-ons to maximize profitability. If you want a base model and/or don't want add-ons you are typically stuck ordering and waiting weeks/months. They know the average consumer does not or can not wait that long to get a new vehicle. Hence the data will show no one wants a base model but a huge part of reason is availability.

@timsoares8129 4 күн бұрын

You forgot to include that none of the big manufacturers can sell their EVs at anything but a loss. To make up for that they have to make more $ per unit sold.

@jjhpor 4 күн бұрын

Tesla is profitable. About 1/3 of the time the other US vehicle companies can't even make a profit on gasoline powered vehicles. GM and Ford have been hit and miss for over 100 years so it's a little unreasonable to expect them to get good at a completely different business in a decade.

@cherryjuice9946 4 күн бұрын

@@jjhpor Tesla has historically been profitable. However, this past year they are beginning to hurt. They've been forced to cut prices, and even with that, their sales are declining. We'll have to wait a while for the final numbers. It will be interesting.

@ctfan1486 3 күн бұрын

The sales people admit that that nobody wants ev's.

@bryanmiller2023 3 күн бұрын

@@ctfan1486Have you looked around recently while driving down the road... Unless you're in the middle of nowhere where everyone is in a pickup truck, EVs are all over. Where I live I even see $80,000 Rivians on a regular basis. No one is building an entry level EV yet, once those become available you will see a lot more on the road. Car salesman want to sell you the easiest thing on the lot that makes you happy, most won't take the time to point you to something that meets your needs because it is typically on some other car lot.

@360dom360 3 күн бұрын

@bryanmiller2023 there are some evs close to entry level-- Chevy bolt euv, Nissan leaf, kona ev

@jamesbreckenridge8842 6 күн бұрын

Awesome job!! Appreciate your incite into this area.

@jjhpor 4 күн бұрын

"Incite" That's funny.

@Warped9 4 күн бұрын

As said it’s all about profit. Oversized pickups and SUVs make more money than sensibly sized cars. The public have bought the lie that bigger vehicles are what they really want when they have really been forced into buying (through lack of choice) bigger, more expensive and less practical vehicles. Additional overall fuel economy has decreased because of the explosion of heavier vehicles on the road. All the gains made in average fuel economy over the previous decades is being thrown away biggest of these oversized vehicles.

@Fireballof3 3 күн бұрын

Addd in the fact that if it's a pickup or "SUV" (can offroad, has a certain clearance), they can get away with worse MPG and need less safety stuff in it too.

@johngrant1337 3 күн бұрын

outstanding video , thanks

@user-dt4cp2jx7c 6 күн бұрын

Excellent video

@alexs9137 2 күн бұрын

Love the stats in this video. I know most people are allergic to numbers & percentages & yoy stuff, but we REALLY need info like this, these days. Thanx!

@davidshettlesworth1442 6 күн бұрын

Thanks for a very informative video. I learned a great deal. Carry On Madam.

@rudydedogg6505 4 күн бұрын

When the term, "cheap", is used it implies poor quality even though "cheap" was actually used in reference to the vehicle price. I would recommend substituting the terms "less expensive" or "more affordable".

@josephbukal9850 6 күн бұрын

We went with a Mazda CX-50 Select trim for $28000 out the door. Nicely equipped . Can still find good cars under $30000.

@sachinnair91 6 күн бұрын

how did you score such a big discount?

@josephbukal9850 6 күн бұрын

MSRP was $32900 + tax other fees $35000-$2000 discount $33000 - $3000 cash $30000-$2000 trade in.2007 Dodge Nitro=$28000.

@mayhemquads9147 4 күн бұрын

@@josephbukal9850 so it was 30k, not 28k. Trade in was part of your payment

@d_all_in 4 күн бұрын

@@josephbukal9850 counting your cash and trade in as a discount off the out the door price is insane 😂

@_DB.COOPER 4 күн бұрын

@@josephbukal9850😝😂😂😂😂 trade in, of course you can trade in things on even $40,000 vehicles and come in under 30K. SMH…

@user-ss3ud7pp7f 3 күн бұрын

Man, you’re exactly right about all of that.

@chazzmichaelmichaels5766 3 күн бұрын

Don't forget, the next move is to prevent small shops from repairing cars by the software they have. Dealers will be getting that business too! My next car is a restored pickup truck with as little "software" as possible!

@stephenhowell5122 6 күн бұрын

Last year I started looking for an affordable midsize truck that looked like a traditional truck. Was disappointed to learn that GM discontinued the extended cab Colorado in favor of the more expensive crew cabs. Many sites said that ‘no one bought’ the non-crews. When extended cabs were available they were few in number, Work Truck trim, usually plain white, and painted steel wheels. Of course no one bought them, biting the bullet and paying more for loaded up crew cabs.

@jimfarmer7811 4 күн бұрын

You have got to be kidding. You're the perfect example of people driving up the cost of vehicles! I used to own a work truck and you know what. It did everything I needed a truck to do.

@dalemihocik4732 4 күн бұрын

You that right, would have bought a new Colorado this year if the ex-cab were made. I want a TRUCK, not a luxury SUV on a truck frame to take kids to soccer. And stop loading them up with the luxury items, trucks #1 job is to work. Oh, and the size is that of a Silverado from 8 years ago.

@richardgarza21 4 күн бұрын

Great content, awesome facts. Please keep your eyes open more, you close them a lot......

@poncho6784 4 күн бұрын

Great vid and very well researched but important to recognize that it is much much easier to show higher percentage increases when the base volume is smaller. Maverick sales will of course show higher percentage growth than established models because it’s new.

@user-uw4ch8qr5e 4 күн бұрын

I agree with you. Recently TFL did a survey of new base model Jeep Wranglers in their area and discovered that out of over 900 Wranglers available, only 2 base models were on dealers lots. Car makers are throttling base model production in the pursuit of greedflation.

@Midgiemoon Күн бұрын

we bought a Maverick last year and totally love it. We ordered in About august 2023 and had it before Christmas

@rickaser2383 4 күн бұрын

Get rid of all controls running thru an electronic screen. bring back the mechanical switches.

@wildbikerbill6530 4 күн бұрын

In a time when we have huge problems with Distracted Driving, another screen in the cockpit is the last thing we need.

@skellener 3 күн бұрын

Actually, that allows the vehicle to be less expensive. touch screens are cheap. Real knobs and switches add cost.

@218philip 3 күн бұрын

@@skellener. Touch screens are not inexpensive, have one replaced. Indeed they are inexpensive to make, they are also made to fail, and the cost to repair obsoletes the vehicle when a switch could keep that vehicle running for the working poor.

@crosslink1493 6 күн бұрын

When I was selling Chevys we rarely had anyone come in asking about the Impala, Malibu, or the Cruze (exception was the Corvette). Any of those we got were typically sold at dealer invoice just to move them off the lot. But I've got to admit the base Impala was pretty poorly equipped vs a base Toyota Camry. SUVs and Pick-up trucks would sell at a pretty steady pace but the cars just sat there.

@roijoi6963 4 күн бұрын

Couldn't agree more. I am seeing Transit Van type vehicles and now, more and more Mavericks turn up as daily work trucks for construction workers. Love my Honda FIT btw, but Honda converted the Mexico assembly line to make the HRV, which is based on the same planform, gets far less gas mileage, has the same interior room, and costs ~ $8-10k more money. A terrible trade-off for the consumer to get slightly better forward visibility over taller vehicles. Oh, and it doesn't handle nearly as well as the FIT. I took a drive up to Big Bear from Victorville yesterday and with a good tailwind averaged 61.4 MPG until heading uphill after Lucerne Valley.Typical mileage on long freeway trips is ~ 42MPG with the big, ugly windshield wiper blade stowed in the back. (it only rains ~ 10 days a year here, so getting another 3-5MPG and cutting wind noise in half is a great trade-off) About 3 months ago I read that the back-order time to get a Maverick is 18-20 months. I guess they hope by forcing people to wait forever they will capitulate and buy an F-150? F investors are always complaining on Yahoo Finance that the Maverick is a terrible vehicle - because F can't make a killing on it. Nevermind that it's EXACTLY the vehicle people want. The real value of tougher CAFE standards is mfgs have to make small, cheap fuel-efficient vehicles that sell well to get their fleet averages to meet CAFE standards.

@kro9703 4 күн бұрын

Ford could easily sell 3 times as many Mavericks, but they throttling the production to build the new expensive Broncos on the same production line. I have a 22 Maverick Hybrid I paid $23,600 out the door, it took 9 month to get it after placing my order.

@jerryskelly1395 4 күн бұрын

I think the manufacturers are going to have to re think this. During Covid, consumers were price gouged on used cars. Now, when buyers want to do a trade, they find that they owe more than the car is worth, decreasing their overall purchase power. You can build cars that sell for 30 to 40 thousand dollars. I have no idea who will buy them, because we can't afford them. Part of the strategy could also be to increase consumer reliance on leasing ( a huge rip off that only benefits the car companies and the dealers)

@chief1960 4 күн бұрын

Greed Kills car sales.

@barbmelle3136 4 күн бұрын

If a family has 3 teenagers, there are NO CARS at all to buy. Not a sedan to be had. Overpriced and marginal quality SUV's, and huge $100K crew cab pickups that will not fit in the garage. Looks like even the mini vans are gone. The Impala is not as roomy as a "72 Nova 4 door. Three high school boys cannot ride in the back seat for any length of time, and only two can sit in the front. It should not take two cars to transport a family of five to grannies for thanksgiving. I never thought an American with plenty of money in the bank would have problems getting a new car.

@wacio 2 күн бұрын

I have Kia Niro - it seats five. Minivans are still available too.

@scottturnquist9478 4 күн бұрын

The Maverick today is the same size as my 1996 Ranger XLT. I sold my Ranger when it hit 25 years old, no rust at all.

@GH-oi2jf 3 күн бұрын

The situation with light pickups is the same. My 2nd gen (2016) Colorado with manual transmission was in the low 20s. There is no similar Colorado in the 3rd gen, and they typically cost twice as much. I'm keeping my 2016 until I'm no longer driving.

@randyhess260 4 күн бұрын

Well done

@bryanmiller2023 3 күн бұрын

Good luck finding a base model Maverick, all I have ever seen on dealer lots are the higher spec models that are $30,000+ and demand is high so ordering one will likely take a while to get.

@randylewis4242 4 күн бұрын

It's simple, it car makers didn't think there was a market for cheaper cars, they wouldn't be encouraging the government to increase the import tax on Chinese cars. If it was a level playing field, cheap Chinese cars would flood the market.

@dapperdino1996 4 күн бұрын

I bought a Ford Maverick Hybrid last month. I wanted a small truck that was good on gas. Didn’t care about soft touch materials and all that extra stuff. So far I love it great little truck.

@user-is8fs5xo8v 3 күн бұрын

Looking at that new 2025 Maverick in the new Eruption Green paint job! Like the new front end design as well. Looks sharp!!!! Best little truck I ever bought!

@dave3657 5 күн бұрын

The companies are being run by the accountants. I remember looking for a new vehicle years ago, the only ones on dealer lots were fully loaded. I had to custom order a truck stripped of all the options that I neither wanted nor needed. It’s the same issue as paint color, the majority of vehicles purchased by dealers are white. So when buyers buy a car off the lot, it’s typically white. It’s not the customer driving the demand, but the dealers.

@justing6594 4 күн бұрын

I wish they would remake a 2003 tacoma!

@vols4448 3 күн бұрын

Maverick sales went up after Hermosillo added a third shift in July of 2023. The biggest problem are A, B, and C tier suppliers. Ford doesn't increase prices, suppliers force the issue. In the case of the second generation Mac E battery pack the price of the vehicle decreased while the range went up. In summary, choosing the right tier (price point) for a supplier allows a manufacturer like Ford to make the price of a vehicle affordable.

@Indy29045 4 күн бұрын

Car companies don’t respond to customers they only care about their shareholders. The market is broken.

@ya472 2 күн бұрын

I believe National Rental bought up all the stock of the Hyundai Kona ( Canada) base model and moderate base cars. The N-line is the 'sporty' version which I bought in 2022, and paid an additional (Canada) $10,000 for AWD and the TECH package, costing $42,000. WHEN people buy the BASE-MODEL cars or trucks, they tend to keep them until they fall apart. Those people who buy top line versions of cars, tend to flip into a newer vehicle regularly. For the past TWO years, there have been very few used Kona's on the market. Manufacturers make what sells, and higher end cars have greater turnover. In the used vehicle market, a base model and the high end version sell in a very narrow price range, so many people will choose the higher optioned vehicle. Look at the current used market inventory, to determine what is and what is not selling new. Just looking at the new car sales numbers only tell half the story, based on current inventory. If a vehicle is not on the lot, it isn't easy to sell.

@onenikkione 4 күн бұрын

We bought a new 2013 Accent fully loaded for $17,200and drove it for 10 years then sold it for $4500. It was a reliable car - just normal maintenance.

@erichurst2496 3 күн бұрын

I love my maverick. XL with only 2options power mirrors and a trailer hitch.

@kaianthony8077 3 күн бұрын

Love my Maverick - not perfect by any means but it's been the most useful vehicle I've ever owned and made sense for my income

@jimr5703 3 күн бұрын

Margins can be made on smaller, cheaper cars too, but regulations require many of the same stringent safety, economy, and emissions mandates. Trucks in general have much lower mandates for emissions and economy, so the development costs to design and cost in parts to produce them is MUCH lower. This is also a primary reason why cars have become heavier and more complex to repair. Safety bumpers, crumple zones, airbags, automatic seatbelt pre-tensioners, engine control, transmission control, lighting control, panel strengthening for impact ratings and compensating for lighter materials used. A reliable car like an old Chevy Nova or Plymouth Duster can be produced for well under $20k, but it won't meet mandates for safety and emissions.

@Kopernicus67 3 күн бұрын

Completely agree!!! Why on earth would you want, for example, a factory navigation system? It will only get maintenance updates, you are stuck for the life of the car with the interface/buttons and speed. Meanwhile your phone updates OS almost weekly. Apple and Android have major updates and refinements almost twice a year, and Google Maps is updating parts of the map continuously. All you need is CarPlay.

@orbitalair2103 3 күн бұрын

teslas get weekly updates too. pray it doesnt break something. my coworkers are always updating something and yakking about the latest gizmo that got added.

@bobbylee9727 4 күн бұрын

I purchased a 2010 Ford Focus SE Coupe (gray) on August 5, 2010 for $17,000. It is about to turn 67,000 miles. I used the three grand of my stimulus money to buy new brakes, tires, starter, thigamajigs connected to the tires, wipers, etc. Now the car runs just fine. As I don't have a garage the side panels are rusted out. AND the cd player/radio went KAPUT a year ago. On the market I could sell it 'as is' for two grand maybe. I am driving it until it whenever: a good car.

@westhavenor9513 3 күн бұрын

The Honda Fit was a great little car

@johnsmitht11 2 күн бұрын

One reason why cheaper cars are selling now is the car payment. The auto industry can't normally cater to people who buy a lower priced car and hold on to it for 10-15 years, but that's what people have to do now. Auto loan terms are up to 96 months to bring the monthly payment down, which is crazy. I couldn't imagine having a car loan for 8 years. There's nothing like a slow economy and higher interest rates to force the industry to make lower priced vehicles.

@101spacecase 4 күн бұрын

I swear They gonna force me to drive a Classic

@jimbowling8528 3 күн бұрын

Yep. Good video and good analysis. Thanks. But another point - cars (and trucks) have gotten way too complicated and way too expensive to fix when way to many things can go wrong. I drive a 2004 Nissan Frontier pickup that I bought new. It has over 190,000 miles on it, with few repairs. It's not as visually impressive as a new vehicle, but it more than meets my needs, and I hope to get another 190,000 miles out of it. When I need a key replacement, it costs me under $10 to get a replacement (no chip, no battery, no fob). A friend had to replace his key fob recently and it cost him over $300. That's just one example of the advantage of cheaper vehicles, expecially ones with less whizz-bang tech. My wife just bought a 2024 RAV 4, and I chringe at all that can go wrong on that car and what it would cost to fix it.

@stevenpeters4625 4 күн бұрын

Small truck with good gas mileage for under 25k should also look great and run a long time other than that I'll wait forever or never get a new car. Just not worth spending more than that, it's a vehicle not a house. People are losing their minds

@generator6946 4 күн бұрын

Buyers want and need an affordable and reliable commuter car because THERE ARE NO PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEMS IN AMERICA! WAKE UP

@connor_flanigan 3 күн бұрын

love that T shirt on you. you should pair that with some cut offs and cowboy boots

@B1Springfield 3 күн бұрын

I’d love to see the Suzuki Jimny here in the US. Also, this is looking a lot like what happened in the 1970s, with the large American cars and Japan bringing the small affordable efficient cars. Someone’s gonna take advantage of the hole in the market

@michaelbernaski4156 3 күн бұрын

The Ranger sales were wonky because they were switching to a redesigned models

@johnhartley3022 3 күн бұрын

What i really want is one of those small, jump seat small pickups with a full length bed that nissan or Toyota put out in the 80s. Little four banger and a stick with roll down windows all for cheap.

@944racer 4 күн бұрын

100% correct

@roywhitman7109 Күн бұрын

I remember some of the best selling entry level new cars like the Plymouth Roadrunner, Dodge Super Bee, Chevy Work Truck, & even the VW Beetle were outselling everything on the market! Back with those particular vehicles, less was more. They were all just basic transportation. The automakers are pretty much forcing you to buy high optioned cars with crap that you don't need & won't give you what you want!! And in the end, especially in the Midwest & Northeast, the bodies rot off the frames within 10 years!! At these prices, who needs a new vehicle?

@klxboy9994 4 күн бұрын

The Trax and Trailblazer from Chevy are exactly what they need in the lineup. Very attractive low priced crossovers that SELL!!

@cheftomsd 4 күн бұрын

Once a top seller the old Ranger sales dwindled because Ford refused to update it for nearly a decade. Ford then proclaimed the market is dead for small trucks, people really want a F150. That claim was totally untrue. How do they explain the huge demand for the new Maverick?

@shattered115 4 күн бұрын

If the Chinese automakers break into the US Market they will see high demand, especially if they can maintain a high quality standard.

@brucehall1600 5 күн бұрын

The reason the cheaper cars are being discontinued is as you say because they don't make as much profit and that pretty much spells corporate greed and of course that's showing up now as so many new cars aren't selling. I got a Kia Forte LXS and got it way under 20,000 and it suit my needs well and Kia has a good warranty 5 years instead of just 3 years...

@seed_drill7135 3 күн бұрын

Cheap small cars used to be offered to meet CAFE standards but were break even if not loss leaders at best. But one or two EVs in the lineup drops an automaker’s average far more than any gas powered car, plus most companies are just making trucks these days.

@DarrellWefel-ts2kr 4 күн бұрын

Reliability Dependability And Quality !!!

@dustinfocke8868 4 күн бұрын

I’d like to see the maverick’s sales broken down between private and fleet sales. Take fleet sales out of fords current sales figures and it’s dismal.

@theonetruerobb4852 6 күн бұрын

No one's gonna miss the Mirage. But they'll miss the Fit, and other small, parkable, affordable cars. No one wants a three-door hatchback anymore? Priced around 14, 15 grand? Nothing fancy? No car company can make a profit selling a car like that? The world's gone daft...

@theadvocate4698 5 күн бұрын

pretty sure the chinese are coming with cheap new cars, the market is ready! Just like the japanese and koreans did before....

@capnkirk5528 5 күн бұрын

Oh they CAN make a profit ... just not ENOUGH PROFIT. The incentive structure at the top of American corporations is very distorted, and GREED runs rampant. (And corruption, which goes hand-in-hand with GREED).

@Tential1 5 күн бұрын

@@capnkirk5528no, the incentive structure is undercutting. You don't know anything of what your talking about. Most companies make 5% margins. In automakers, they make 1-5%. 1-5% net profit isn't corporate greed. If they're so greedy, they'd be profitable, and I'd say invest. Please, invest your money in the automakers. Then, you'll actually read the reports, go to shareholder meetings, and realize how trash this business is. Exactly why you LITERALLY can't pay Mr to invest in these companies. You want corporate greed? Nvidia has a 50% profit margin. That's where I invest. 1-5% profit margin? Where you regularly lose money? You guys literally are clueless about business.

@orbitalair2103 3 күн бұрын

@@theadvocate4698 Nope. the us gov will outright BAN chinese cars. watch. they cannot let them in, the remaining us car makers would die in a year. Oh, unless, of course the us gov got some percentage, say to um, look the other way....

@jerrylundegaard2592 Күн бұрын

Being retired I watch the Price is Right on occasion. I always chuckle when Drew Carey smiles about having a Mitsu Mirage as a prize. I know he knows. Simply the worst vehicle available.

@enriqueavalos 6 күн бұрын

The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is a very affordable mid sized SUV.

@SilverPaladin 3 күн бұрын

I purchased a Hyundai Venue. Very cheap and over 2 years in the only problem I have had is the horn stopped working.

@kfsrmn 3 күн бұрын

Thanks for putting this out there. Senior on a fixed income. I will probably drive my 2003 until the wheels fall off if I live long enough. If I need to buy a car it will be pre owned and definitely under $20K. Car sales and prices are crashing. Americans are going broke and fewer people can afford new cars. I believe the auto industry is about to get a wake up call.

@DesertMav 3 күн бұрын

Cars are not just getting more expensive to buy, they are getting more expensive to insure. Car parts have become insanely expensive over the last few years as well. I bought a Ford Maverick last year and I was able to keep it priced right at the $30k mark. It is just enough truck for what most people need. The hybrid allows me to go for weeks without having to buy gas in it. When it's not extreme weather, I can go for nearly a month without having to get gas. At this rate, I'm essentially going to just keep my vehicles running as long as I can since prices are getting insane.

@munecaeburro 3 күн бұрын

There are a lot of affordable options worldwide, you have several regulations that make cars very expensive. Look at Suzuki new models, all hybrid and with decent equipment and reliability

@TheopolisQSmith 5 күн бұрын

Pressure from potential customers might just force the market to allow the importation of those dreaded cheap Chinese cars. I can’t see Americans going back to riding the bus(if you can find one) or taking non existent trains. Very few are willing or able to walk everywhere. Or ride bicycles.

@jjhpor 4 күн бұрын

What a great idea, we could make America as great as China. Not.😯

@matthewbanta3240 4 күн бұрын

Some companies used to sell cheap but well made small cars as an investment in the future. The idea being that if you sell someone their first car then they will remain loyal when they get older and have more $$$. Either they don't think people will remain loyal like that anymore or the manufacturers are now only thinking about the short term.

@lanky-x782 4 күн бұрын

That's how it used to be. 22 year college grad buys a cheap civic. When civics were cheap. Now 30 years old has enough for an accord. At 40 years old moves up to an Acura. I think what manufacturers, especially American auto manufacturers, know their quality stinks and the problems owners will have with their cheap cars will turn them off to buying up in the same brand. So they are only concerned with the big score believing they will never see that customer again. The same philosophy is used at dealer service centers. The prices they quote for repairs feels like you are being mugged and the service mugger is looking for that big score expecting to never see you again.

@wildbikerbill6530 4 күн бұрын

I suspect manufacturers discovered young people today want it all, and want it all RIGHT NOW, and are willing to go up to their eyeballs in debt to get it. So there isn't the same point to an entry level vehicle as there once was. The new entry level vehicle is a used vehicle.

@jerrylundegaard2592 Күн бұрын

A cheap car is not an investment.

@lanky-x782 Күн бұрын

@@jerrylundegaard2592 Modern cars are not investments. I don't know where you ever got that idea. Cheap new cars allow people with little money to have a new relatively reliable car allowing them to commute to work farther from home which many times gives them the opportunity for increased pay. Getting rid of cheap little cars blocks lower income people from buying new vehicles keeping them from reliably commuting to work keeping them closer to home and limiting their ability to make better money keeping them lower class financially. There is a reason Henry Ford's model T opened the doors for creating the middle class in America. You do realize those in power are deconstructing the middle class?

@greg42864 3 күн бұрын

Regular cab, long bed, bench seat, inline 6, manual transmission, and locking rear. That’s all I need, oh and this remote control. 😂

@raymondsiewert2720 3 күн бұрын

Thanks for telling the truth ! I have a Nissan Frontier with a 4 cylinder, 5 speed , roll up windows and a real 6.5 foot usable bed and an extra cab for additional storage. I bought it with 10k miles in showroom condition for $ 11,000 . It has been super reliable and is 20 years old with only 160k miles, and looks and runs great. Most people want vehicles that are less loaded with all the tech gadgets and more simple and reliable at a decent price ! No payments for 16 years !

@johndoudna7055 Күн бұрын

The effect on insurance of every vehicle on the road of these excessive prices is to make transportation inaccessible to lower income people,.

@502Chevy 4 күн бұрын

I buy base model cars / trucks only. No base model? No sale. Currently looking at Nissan base Frontier, zero options and the price has dropped into my buy range. What I’m waiting for is 0% financing. Will it get there? We shall see. I think it’ll happen sooner than later.

@LarryBoivin-wk1wz 4 күн бұрын

The first car maker to come out with an inexpensive car and truck will make a huge profit.

@orbitalair2103 3 күн бұрын

they will feel the full weight and force of the us government, and fail. racketeering comes with enforcers.

@stevenstoll2016 3 күн бұрын

Ford did...with the Maverick 2 years ago. But they let the stealerships have their way with insane markups, then Ford jumped into the greed fray and raised the price of the base XL hybrid from $20k to over $25k. No thanks.