"RG" wrote in message
.. .


Now you're dancing. Humor me. What could consumers do to reduce the need
to manufacture so many vehicles?

Drive them less, maintain them better. In other words, make them last
longer.


How about changing what they buy, and HOW they buy? Perhaps leasing should
be on the hit list, at least for non-business customers. That almost
guarantees that someone won't hang onto a car very long. Some cars are still
babies when they're two years old, so selling them used is easy. Others are
known to be middle aged at 2 years, and you can see them lined up at any
dealership, collecting dust. That's wasteful.

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"RG" wrote in message
.. .


Now you're dancing. Humor me. What could consumers do to reduce the need
to manufacture so many vehicles?

Drive them less, maintain them better. In other words, make them last
longer.


How about changing what they buy, and HOW they buy? Perhaps leasing
should be on the hit list, at least for non-business customers. That
almost guarantees that someone won't hang onto a car very long. Some cars
are still babies when they're two years old, so selling them used is easy.
Others are known to be middle aged at 2 years, and you can see them lined
up at any dealership, collecting dust. That's wasteful.


But aren't the people buying used cars reducing the amount of new cars to be
manufactured?

(this is fun)

RCE

"RCE" wrote in message
...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"RG" wrote in message
.. .


Now you're dancing. Humor me. What could consumers do to reduce the
need to manufacture so many vehicles?

Drive them less, maintain them better. In other words, make them last
longer.


How about changing what they buy, and HOW they buy? Perhaps leasing
should be on the hit list, at least for non-business customers. That
almost guarantees that someone won't hang onto a car very long. Some cars
are still babies when they're two years old, so selling them used is
easy. Others are known to be middle aged at 2 years, and you can see them
lined up at any dealership, collecting dust. That's wasteful.


But aren't the people buying used cars reducing the amount of new cars to
be manufactured?

(this is fun)

RCE


It *should* reduce waste, assuming the manufacturers don't keep pumping out
so many new ones that they also sit on the lots for a year at a time.
Unfortunately, they do.

It *should* reduce waste, assuming the manufacturers don't keep pumping
out so many new ones that they also sit on the lots for a year at a time.
Unfortunately, they do.

Not for long. Apparently you haven't been paying attention to what's going
on in Detroit these days. Excess capacity is being sold off and shut down
as quickly as possible. It would be happening much, much faster if not for
the formidable obstacle of the UAW. But it is happening. The survival of
the domestic auto industry depends on it.

You really need to develop at least a modicum of faith in free markets. It
is not a false religion.

"RG" wrote in message
. ..

It *should* reduce waste, assuming the manufacturers don't keep pumping
out so many new ones that they also sit on the lots for a year at a time.
Unfortunately, they do.

Not for long. Apparently you haven't been paying attention to what's
going on in Detroit these days. Excess capacity is being sold off and
shut down as quickly as possible. It would be happening much, much faster
if not for the formidable obstacle of the UAW. But it is happening. The
survival of the domestic auto industry depends on it.

You really need to develop at least a modicum of faith in free markets.
It is not a false religion.



I'm paying very close attention, and I see the process at work. However,
this will not completely change those who don't understand the difference
between having the right to buy anything they want, and the concept of
whether their decisions are good ones for the country as a whole.

I'm paying very close attention, and I see the process at work. However,
this will not completely change those who don't understand the difference
between having the right to buy anything they want, and the concept of
whether their decisions are good ones for the country as a whole.

Your faith and hope is misplaced, grasshopper. If you expect the collective
Joe Lunchbucket to change their buying habits based upon a rising social
consciousness, be prepared to die old still waiting. Please secure at least
one of your feet to the ground. LBJ once said that if you want to get a
hound dog's attention, you grab him by his ears. If you want to get a
modern American's attention, go for their wallet.

"RG" wrote in message
...



I'm paying very close attention, and I see the process at work. However,
this will not completely change those who don't understand the difference
between having the right to buy anything they want, and the concept of
whether their decisions are good ones for the country as a whole.

Your faith and hope is misplaced, grasshopper. If you expect the
collective Joe Lunchbucket to change their buying habits based upon a
rising social consciousness, be prepared to die old still waiting. Please
secure at least one of your feet to the ground. LBJ once said that if you
want to get a hound dog's attention, you grab him by his ears. If you
want to get a modern American's attention, go for their wallet.


Unfortunately, you're right.

How about changing what they buy, and HOW they buy? Perhaps leasing
should be on the hit list, at least for non-business customers. That
almost guarantees that someone won't hang onto a car very long. Some cars
are still babies when they're two years old, so selling them used is easy.
Others are known to be middle aged at 2 years, and you can see them lined
up at any dealership, collecting dust. That's wasteful.

The changing of what they buy is happening right now, this very minute.
Trust me, dealerships across the nation will be having brisk business this
week from people trading in high fuel consuming vehicles for more economical
ones. The motivator? None other than high fuel prices. The machinery of a
free market system in perfect motion.

Leasing has provisions to deal with the issue as well. Leasing companies
right now are no doubt lowering the expected residual factors on high fuel
consumption cars and trucks. This will increase the monthly payments to new
lessees, thereby reducing demand. As a side note, the car that I owned the
longest of any was a car that I originally leased and then bought at the end
of the lease term. Total of seven years, which is a very long time for me.

"RG" wrote in message
. ..

How about changing what they buy, and HOW they buy? Perhaps leasing
should be on the hit list, at least for non-business customers. That
almost guarantees that someone won't hang onto a car very long. Some cars
are still babies when they're two years old, so selling them used is
easy. Others are known to be middle aged at 2 years, and you can see them
lined up at any dealership, collecting dust. That's wasteful.

The changing of what they buy is happening right now, this very minute.
Trust me, dealerships across the nation will be having brisk business this
week from people trading in high fuel consuming vehicles for more
economical ones. The motivator? None other than high fuel prices. The
machinery of a free market system in perfect motion.

Yep. My brother in law sells new cars....Fords. He is selling Focus's and
Fusion's like crazy while the pickup trucks and SUV's on the lot collect
dust.

"RG" wrote in message
. ..

How about changing what they buy, and HOW they buy? Perhaps leasing
should be on the hit list, at least for non-business customers. That
almost guarantees that someone won't hang onto a car very long. Some cars
are still babies when they're two years old, so selling them used is
easy. Others are known to be middle aged at 2 years, and you can see them
lined up at any dealership, collecting dust. That's wasteful.

The changing of what they buy is happening right now, this very minute.
Trust me, dealerships across the nation will be having brisk business this
week from people trading in high fuel consuming vehicles for more
economical ones. The motivator? None other than high fuel prices. The
machinery of a free market system in perfect motion.

Leasing has provisions to deal with the issue as well. Leasing companies
right now are no doubt lowering the expected residual factors on high fuel
consumption cars and trucks. This will increase the monthly payments to
new lessees, thereby reducing demand. As a side note, the car that I
owned the longest of any was a car that I originally leased and then
bought at the end of the lease term. Total of seven years, which is a
very long time for me.


Good!