how do they keep selling cars today

[hpe600rt]

i dont get it with the price of gas hiting 5 bucks and the ins going up.and the coust of everything else going up and pay going down your house going down in price way down.how do people keep paying for the cars i am just going to keep fixing mine its alot cheaper.i mean i went to mcdonlads last night.every thing went up at least 30 cents and then kroger every thing their went up and gas, bills and other things.so who is buying i dont get it.

[challengerx]

Funny, I was just thinking the same thing as my 01 Ram is just falling apart but I just manage to fix it myself. I keep looking at new used but still can't afford it, yet look in every driveway and all you see is two new sport utes.

[Topcat]

CNC Industry is going nuts out here. Some SIC codes are doing well.

http://www.ism.ws/ismreport/mfgrob.cfm

Of the 18 manufacturing industries, 11 are reporting growth in February, in the following order: Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Machinery; Primary Metals; Transportation Equipment; Petroleum & Coal Products; Fabricated Metal Products; Paper Products; Computer & Electronic Products; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; and Chemical Products. The four industries reporting contraction in February are: Furniture & Related Products; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Plastics & Rubber Products; and Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components.

[cudabeforeIdie]

Pound for pound, used cars are actually more expensive than new cars now. Supply and demand - due to this shattered economy and cash-for-clunkers crushing 20% of the used car market a couple of years back, people aren't trading in to trade up since they don't know if they'll have a job or house next week, that's the main scenario. Others include people who aren't effected by the poor economy and others still who 'must' have a new(er) car and have payment books as thick as the Bible to satisfy their egos. I know several folks who wouldn't consider owning a car that was not under warranty. When I've tried to explain its cheaper to OWN the car and fix it occasionally, they look at me like I'm from Mars.

[brads70]

CNC Industry is going nuts out here. Some SIC codes are doing well.

http://www.ism.ws/ismreport/mfgrob.cfm

Of the 18 manufacturing industries, 11 are reporting growth in February, in the following order: Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Machinery; Primary Metals; Transportation Equipment; Petroleum & Coal Products; Fabricated Metal Products; Paper Products; Computer & Electronic Products; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; and Chemical Products. The four industries reporting contraction in February are: Furniture & Related Products; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Plastics & Rubber Products; and Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components.

Good to hear, but around here manufacturing is dead. I'm a moldmaker and haven't worked in the trade for 4 years now. No work and the ones that remain are paid peanuts. Might as well flip burgers as to work in manufacturing.
Funny everyone notices the price of gas but have you noticed the price of food?
I have 3 teenage boys so maybe I notice it more than  a older/younger couple? Last weekend we had friends over for homemade BBQ burgers. I went to the store and got 2 packs of hamburger meat, 12 buns and a case of flavoured water. It was just over $50!
Gas we can ( with difficulty,) do without but we all have to eat! 
Funny remember the recession in the 80's.... the interest rates went double digits , but this "go around" interest rates are low but they put the screws to us  everyother way. I say it's all rigged!  This "war on the middle class..." were is it gonna end?

[hpe600rt]

i think its cheeper to own a 4k car and fix it then to pay 30k pluss intrest every 4 or 5 years.and yea i think the food has gotten crazzy also wow

[Road_Runner]

We went to a local steak restaurant last night and since the last time we ate there around a month ago, all of the prices increased probably 15-20% and the size of the cut down around 20-25%.  A 16 oz ribeye is now 12 oz, and costs $3-4 more.  That's a hell of an increase when you think about it.  I know their costs have gone up, but who got that size raise this year, or any raise for that matter?  Its a good thing our Federal government has a handle on this and assures us that there is no inflation right now, in fact we should be more concerned about deflation!

Later, Jim

[Moparal]

wow Brad, 4 lbs hamberger, 12 buns and case water here is under 19 bucks here.  Our gas is 3.75 a gal tho. Even with most everything I have is paid for, I feel the crunch. I will not give in to credit anymore.   I love living way out in the country. Farm fresh veggies are cheap, a butcher at our local store, and low land taxes..  The city life is consuming up people and making them slaves to a dollar. 

[hpe600rt]

i sse the same thing at all the fast food places moure cash for smaller and less on food.

[4 speed fish]

That is why gas and food are not included in COLA.  If it was people would be  getting some nice raises.It is all about keeping the middle class in check, the jeep dealer  here in Dublin,Cal charges 130 dollars an hour,that is a days paid for alot of people.

[DAYTONA]

That is why gas and food are not included in COLA.  If it was people would be  getting some nice raises.It is all about keeping the middle class in check, the jeep dealer  here in Dublin,Cal charges 130 dollars an hour,that is a days paid for alot of people.

...I was a wholesale distributor for Coke and Pepsi products until 1988...we purchased can drinks by the truck load  for $6.30 per case...Walmart has them cheaper today by the single case...canned soft drinks haven't increased in 25 years...where you get nailed is $2.00 for a fountain Coke, the profit leader at any restaurant

[brads70]

...I was a wholesale distributor for Coke and Pepsi products until 1988...we purchased can drinks by the truck load  for $6.30 per case...Walmart has them cheaper today by the single case...canned soft drinks haven't increased in 25 years...where you get nailed is $2.00 for a fountain Coke, the profit leader at any restaurant

A case of Coke here (24)  is pushing $10 unless you luck out and find it on sale.

[hpe600rt]

yea and i bet at 130 per houre it takes them 2 hours to fix and they charge 5 hours cause the book says it takes that lone.total bs i dont work for 4 hours and charge my boss for 8 i would be fired and put in jail for fraud thats stealing cash

[DAYTONA]

A case of Coke here (24)  is pushing $10 unless you luck out and find it on sale.

...WOW...they're always on sale here for $5-7 per case of 24...just purchased a bunch a few weeks ago for $5. per case

[brads70]

...WOW...they're always on sale here for $5-7 per case of 24...just purchased a bunch a few weeks ago for $5. per case

Ya crazy huh!
Kraft dinner is darn near $2 a box???