why are cars so much more expensive these days?

[djsnoflake]

There was actually a really great article in MotorTrend about this, comparing the Classic (Late 60's era) Camaro/Mustang/Challenger against their New counterparts in every category, and they are actually priced almost exactly the same when you take inflation into account.

[MikeGstayUp]

[1BADLS3]

It's not just inflation. That's a piece of it.

The new Camaro has 100 more hp than the last one, and 2 more forward gears in the automatic, plus features and options that weren't even available in the year 2000. The 5th gen is a LOT more car.

Also, wages have been stale in comparison to inflation and other price increases in the past 10 years (gas, food, housing). So, the general buying power of the average household is probabably less than it was in the year 2000. Not only does $37k represent an increase in price, but it feels numerically higher in terms of impact to the average person's budget which is being constrained by other factors.

People were saying the same thing about the 2000 SS in the year 2000 when they were comparing it to a loaded Z28 that they picked up in 1992 for just under $20k.

The big problem is wages though. We're entering an era of class warfare and it's about to get really ugly.

[SlingShot]

Originally Posted by GbrilliantQ

This. Quit blaming eveything on the unions. I made $22 hr 10 years ago, today I make $17.90 with the UAW. Cost of gas went up from 87 cents a gallon in 95, to 4+ dollars last year. Is that the unions fault too?

Sent from my HTC HD2 using Tapatalk

That's only half the picture, what are you getting in benefits? That's part of your hourly wage ...

[ackeight]

Originally Posted by Fuel Fire Desire

One final thing, 2000 SS = 315 hp, 2012 SS = 415 hp

Did they derate the 2012 or something? it's 426 for the manual 400 for auto.

[GbrilliantQ]

Originally Posted by SlingShot

That's only half the picture, what are you getting in benefits? That's part of your hourly wage ...

80/20 health care and 401k match. Oh and 20% off cell phones....I wish I made what fuax news keeps saying I make.

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[Dans2SSCamaro]

I just knew this was gonna turn into a bash the UAW thread.

[v6needluv2]

Newer more expensive materials are being made to build the new camaro compared to the ones 10 years ago and the simple fact that the value of money has gone up

[Dosin]

Originally Posted by Disco

You can thank the Union for the high prices....hate to say it, but true.
I'm sure there is a bigger increase in price as the Union contracts are negotiated and renewed.

And please don't get me wrong..I'm not bashing UAW its just the facts.

I'm bashing the UAW. Their greed and GM's lack for foresight is the reason for bankrupcy. As long as the production line did not stop, Mr CEO got his bonus and he did not care about the future of the company. He is still rich and gave the UAW whatever they wanted. Tell me if any point of this is false. I think not.

[denny2188]

I can remember bread costing .20 a loaf....gas costing .25 a gal...milk @ .30 a gal.....I can go on & on & on..........guess I also gave my age away too

[Carzzy]

I bought my first new car when I was 17 years old. The car I purchased was a new 1970 1/2 Camaro. The car was just a base model with a 3 speed manual transmission 307 2bbl. V8, power steering, dual stripe ww tires and an AM radio. List price $3093. I remember wanting a Z/28 but they were around $4200 bucks and that was way too expensive!

[1BADLS3]

Originally Posted by Dosin

I'm bashing the UAW. Their greed and GM's lack for foresight is the reason for bankrupcy. As long as the production line did not stop, Mr CEO got his bonus and he did not care about the future of the company. He is still rich and gave the UAW whatever they wanted. Tell me if any point of this is false. I think not.

You're neglecting the fact that people's expectations for life have gone up. People expect to be able to support a family of 3 kids on a single income sticking velcro on the backs of door panels. There's expectation, and then there's reality.

Everyone forgets that GM made some really shoddy products in the 90's and 00's, and a lot of the good products were neglected by time and were no longer competitive, but still being sold. GM's catastrophe was multi-faceted including issues with its products, and the liability of a union workforce (props to them) that were able to negotiate living wages out of jobs that didn't necessarily merit those kinds of wages and benefits.

[chevy 3]

Thank the guy that sticks up for the unions. I'm union and I don't make no 30+

[fbodfather]

Originally Posted by mclark10

They're more expensive because the UAW needs $9000/hr to tell the robot to bolt on a bumper and the average exec's new yacht, Gulfstream, and summer home in the Caymans has doubled in price.

Not sure where you've been for the past three or four years, but that certainly isn't the case anymore.

On price alone, it takes the average american fewer weeks (of pay) to pay for their new cars and trucks than it did going back to 1962......

BUT............let's ALSO look at what you get standard these days......

In 2000, a Camaro did not come standard with power windows and door locks and mirrors and a tilt-telescopic steering wheel....or rear defogger........and then there are the things that weren't even available - such as stabilitrak and OnStar and a myriad of other niceties -- all of which are standard on our very base model. (...oh yeah, and 323 HP standard....!!!)

I like to say "We don't build 'em the way we used to.......THANK GOD!..."