@balthisar: How many people do you know who went out and bought a brand-new car primarily because their old car was completely unusable? Sure, it happens now and then, but mostly, new cars are a luxury, and in times of economic hardship, even people who aren't doing too badly are probably willing to consider putting an extra year or two on their current cars. Especially when those cars are Hondas and Toyotas and the like, which can run well for a reasonable length of time.
I *want* a new Toyota. But right now, I'm not getting a new car of any stripe--I'm not even getting a used car. I'm living with the car I have.
@balthisar: Not when the market as a whole is bad. Detroit has created a lot of problems for itself, but the current lack of demand for new cars is not one of them.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-229990-100x100.png\")
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-68654-100x100.png\")
I guess not even Toyota makes cars consumers want.
@balthisar: How many people do you know who went out and bought a brand-new car primarily because their old car was completely unusable? Sure, it happens now and then, but mostly, new cars are a luxury, and in times of economic hardship, even people who aren't doing too badly are probably willing to consider putting an extra year or two on their current cars. Especially when those cars are Hondas and Toyotas and the like, which can run well for a reasonable length of time.
I *want* a new Toyota. But right now, I'm not getting a new car of any stripe--I'm not even getting a used car. I'm living with the car I have.
@balthisar: Not when the market as a whole is bad. Detroit has created a lot of problems for itself, but the current lack of demand for new cars is not one of them.