Attention, Plebs: New Cars Are Becoming Prohibitively Expensive [View all]

[CentralMass]

https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2019/04/attention-plebs-new-cars-are-becoming-prohibitively-expensive/

"Edmunds estimates that the average transaction price of a new vehicles reached $36,495 in December 2018 — a 3 percent increase compared to December of 2016 and a 13 percent increase compared to December of 2012. Taking that knowledge, Road & Track compiled a broader picture of the new-car market and where it might be going."
"It’s not just in our heads, either. Cars have actually gotten more expensive over the past 10 years, and not just by a little bit. Edmunds says that, on average, new cars sold for more than $36,000 in February, up 29 percent from the same month in 2009. Meanwhile, median household income in the U.S. has only risen to around $62,000, an increase of about six percent over the past decade. Even more cringeworthy? Interest rates have also risen in that time period, from an average of five percent to around 6.26 percent. Not only are cars more expensive, but your auto loan will now cost you more money."
"The Detroit News reports that this will ultimately push more customers into the secondhand market. However, those vehicles only represent a comparative bargain, as the average transaction price of a used vehicle rose by a hefty 36 percent between 2009 and 2018."