Thinking about Buying a New Car? - Act Soon

[MineralMan]

Last edited Fri Sep 3, 2021, 02:39 PM - Edit history (1)

Here's a news story you should be paying attention to:

https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/national/gm-ford-halt-some-production-as-chip-shortage-worsens

GM, Ford halt some production as chip shortage worsens

DETROIT (AP) — The global shortage of computer chips is getting worse, forcing automakers to temporarily close factories including those that build popular pickup trucks.

General Motors announced Thursday that it would pause production at eight North American plants during the next two weeks, including two that make the company's top-selling Chevrolet Silverado pickup.

Ford will stop making pickups at its Kansas City Assembly Plant for the next two weeks.

Is this a temporary thing? Maybe, and maybe not.

And, it's not just Ford and GM. Lots of car-makers are shutting down plants because they can't get the chips they need.

So, if you need a brand new car, you might want to buy now from existing stock at dealerships. There is likely to be a shortage of new cars shortly, and it could snowball.

[Ocelot II]

1. Which will also increase the prices of used cars.

Guess I'm hanging on to my 2009 Saturn for awhile.

[leftieNanner]

4. My car is a 2010 and I keep getting emails from the dealer

That they want to buy it. For $1,000 more than it was worth 2-3 years ago.

The car lots around me are quite bare.

[getagrip_already]

6. could? lol.. my daughter just sold a 1999 ford explorer in 1 day.....

For $1000 cash to the first person to show up. He was excited to get it. 6 people were interested at that point.

He even brought a plate to drive it home.

Not bad for a 23 year old car.

She did buy a new nissan, but it came in quickly even though the plant that makes them is shut down with a chip shortage.

Damned cars are too computerized these day. All around camera's, radar for front braking, adaptive cc, nav/audio/bluetooth centers, warmers, coolers, noise cancelation.....

I should have kept the ford...... lol

[Claire Oh Nette]

13. Recent flooding on the east coast will flood the market with salvaged cars...

Check close if you opt for a used car. Lots of cars will be up for sale that insurance companies totaled out. The cover up scents will fade as the mold keeps growing.

Glad i was forced to buy a new (used) car just before the Pandemic.

[csziggy]

27. Yeah, that will be a problem. The year I was looking for my first car

There had been bad flooding in Pennsylvania, about 1972, I believe. Three of the cars I looked at had water in the trunk. Good thing my Dad was savvy enough to look for that kind of thing!

I bought a brand new 2017 Honda Fit in December 2019. I still haven't gotten over 2000 miles so it has not yet had its first oil change, but I am so happy I went ahead and got it. I'd planned on a used version, but a used 2014 Fit was only $2000 cheaper with a lot of miles on it, so the new one was a great deal.

[Diamond_Dog]

14. With the price of a new car today

I’ll be driving my ‘06 Corolla until it falls apart. Actually it runs fine, so I’d be stupid to get rid of it now.

[alphafemale]

16. I have a 2006 as well

Toyota Corolla 5-speed

I've never loved a car until this one.

[MichMan]

2. There has already been a shortage for months

This isnt new

[MineralMan]

9. That's why I just bought a new 2021 Chevy Trax.

I had to grab it quickly. One was coming in to a local dealer and was "In Transit" on the Dealer's website. I called and put a $500 deposit on it to make sure I could buy it. Price was good, but the dealer said the 2022 models were delayed and that they had no idea when they'd have another new 2021 available. I checked other dealers, and got the same news.

So we have it now. We needed to replace an old beater Ford Ranger with something right away, so that's what we ended up with. We're happy with the Trax. It's small, has AWD (my wife insisted on that here in MN), and was just about the least costly of any AWD small SUV anywhere.

Do I love it? No, but it drives OK and has the full factory warranty on it, so that's good. Will we keep it for many years? Nope. In fact, I plan to turn it around in three years when the bumper-to-bumper warranty goes away.

[Disaffected]

3. My 02 Golf diesel

is near 500,000 Km and still running well so I think I will keep it a while.

Was looking at a Bolt EV but they (and others) have still not sorted out their serious battery issues so another reason to wait.

[Roland99]

5. Ford always did a two-week shutdown in August at many plants

I remember LAP shutting down Explorer/Ranger/B2000 production for two weeks every year

[MichMan]

17. Typically first two weeks of July

[Jerry2144]

7. My 18 Accord Hybrid

has offers from the dealer to buy it back for what I paid for it 3 years and 45,000 miles ago. I'd sell it, but there are no hybrids or electric cars on any dealer lot around here. Just gas hog base model SUVs/truck. And of course, Dodge has several vehicles, but who wants one of those low-quality non-reliable vehicles?

I am thinking of possibly ordering an electric or plug-in but most plug-ins are not for sale (or orderable) in my state. I probably will end up using the car buying service at my credit union to see if they can get one.

[hibbing]

8. Well poo

I was going to start looking, guess I'll keep my 2009 with 55K on it, thank god for public transportation. Now if I could just get my partner to stop driving it all over town. She has put more on it in the last six months than I have in the previous 6 years.

Peace

[Mosby]

10. Heard on the radio yeaterday

The average price of a new car sold this year is 42k. Average used car, 26k.

No thanks.

[Diamond_Dog]

11. I'm with you, Mosby.

My ‘06 Corolla is running fine. Why should I get rid of it and saddle myself with a huge monthly payment? No thanks.

[SWBTATTReg]

12. Wonder if the junk yards are having a run on cars just for the chips ?? Probably not since the

computer chips in these older cars are probably far less extravagant, far less capable. But I wouldn't be surprised that some enterprising person had taken on some sort of gathering mission to collect the older chips, perhaps use in somewhat outdated technology still being manufactured. Old games, old obsolete computers, etc. might to stripped too of their old chips, again, depending upon the age/quality of the older chips...

Who would have ever thought this would come to such a point, that computer chips (the lack of enough chips) would impact the entire supply and / or demand chain, thus dragging down the economy, perhaps too hot of an economy, eh?

[MichMan]

18. No

[MineralMan]

21. The chips used in auto control systems are year and model specific.

Old chips won't work, and neither will old CPU modules.

It's not a generic thing. Each car and engine model has chips designed and programmed for that specific car and model. Substitutions won't work.

[SWBTATTReg]

24. As my post said, older chips are far less capable, but perhaps may make it in other areas

where the chips may function in other areas, and I didn't just mean automotive either. Other industries are finding uses for these auto chips too...

--snip--
Auto chips are finding traction in aerospace, industrial, and even consumer applications.
August 11th, 2020 - By: Susan Rambo

Digital chips in the semiconductor industry evolve from each other. Ideas flow into each other over the years, with occasional big leaps in evolution. The term ‘evolution’ fits because one chip evolves to perfectly optimized for one industry niche.

But what happens when one industry’s chip becomes a useful for other industries because it is more cost-effective than what is being used in that industry? That’s exactly what’s happening with automotive chips.

--snip--

Article is: Auto Chip Reliability Opens Door To Other Industries, found in Semiconductor Engineering, Deep insights into the Tech Insustry

[redstatebluegirl]

15. I am so glad we replaced our 15 year old cars 2 years ago.

We got great deals at the end of the year and we don't drive a great deal so they will last a long time.

[Jimbo S]

19. Charge backs?

These OEM's back charge suppliers $100's per minute for a line shut down. I'm wondering if the chip makers are having their feet held to the fire.

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

20. Dont buy any used cars from the hurricane flood zones, just a tip

There will be waves of bargain deals on used cars from the south and NE hitting the market soon I bet

[MineralMan]

22. Good advice.

[marie999]

23. CarMax just opened in Jacksonville NC. They have plenty of used cars.

New car dealers don't have many cars on their lots. Luckily for us, our 2015 Kia Optima has a lifetime warranty, and our 2021 Kia Optima has a 10-year warranty.

[SammyWinstonJack]

25. My MINI COOPER 2011 w 67,000 miles suits me just fine. I'm good for a long while.

[MineralMan]

26. OK.

[Efilroft Sul]

28. Chip shortage still prevents me from giving my kids their big Xmas present from last year.

A new Xbox Series X. Can't find them anywhere in stores, and I'm not paying jacked-up prices on eBay for one.