Tuesday 17 March 2009

The destruction of the US car industry

In February 2008, US car manufacturers assembed almost 11 million cars. This February, they assembed 4.8 million - a fall of over 55 percent.

Consumers who can't get car loans, can't buy cars.

2 comments:

OldSouth said...

But like so many us of here in the US, we don't NEED a new car. The household has three fine used ones, the last one bought on credit was paid off years ago, and it was a rip-off loan. Never ever again!!

Why should we buy a depreciating asset on credit?

As the consumer has become more savvy to the economics of auto ownership, he is staying out of the showrooms in droves.

Since we lose a certain percentage of the national inventory to wrecks, storms, floods, theft, rust, etc., that will have to be replaced going forward, and we are now selling at about that rate in this country.

And, everyone, I mean everyone above the age of 25 in the US has some horror story to tell about an auto dealership or manufacturer.

Sowing and reaping, sowing and reaping....

Anonymous said...

US manufacturers would shift more units if they produced cars that people wanted to buy.