RC - Ryder

I think we all know that the cost of gasoline/fuel is going to go back up and indeed higher into the range that favors the sale of smaller, more fuel efficient, and greener cars. However reluctently, we the buyers will change our purchasing habits over the long term. Sadly, we seem to be skipping the transition to more diesel and smaller engine availability in mid-sized cars, as has long been the trend in Europe. For instance, there are 4 engines available for the new Honda Accords in Germany, and none of them include a V-6.
What is certain to me, is that if we the car buyers don't make proper choices on our own volition, our government is going to prod us along with an array of tariffs on desirable imports; horsepower and car size taxes like in Japan; increased fuel taxes and surcharges, road use, excess consumption, and annual milage driven taxes; penalizing taxes on drillers, producers, and refiners; fuel price mandates; excess profits taxes; and downright controls on fuel availability, if necessary. While a small but very vocal, influencial, and activist element of our population wants all of this right now, the rest of us will whine, piss and moan, and watch it happen.

RedY2KS2k

Yeah, I'm sure the remaining dealers want to increase their inventory right now, when every business I know of is cutting spending to the bone.

SheDrivesIt

Always been that way here too but without the engine choices. I think Honda's decision to offer a V6 starting next year is a mistake. TSX platform should remain an I4.

Jet sitter

We have a local dealership that lost its Chrysler cars on Thursday and its GM on Friday. They claim that they haven't made any money on car sales for more than 3 years. It sounds that they are lucky that they are out of the car business.

dlq04

We lost our local Chrysler dealer as well.

Filthy Beast

Us too, it was several months ago, they also sold Mazda. They had been
in business for as long as i can remember.

zzziippyyy

Crisis

This administration talks about changing the tax incentives to try to keep jobs here in the USA. Is it posible that we actually see an increase in US manufactured cars over the next four years? Even with incentives, can we compete with Mexico, China et al? It seems like a stretch to me, but stranger things have happened. I suppose the downside would be increased cost of manufacture, both here and over seas.

Jet sitter

GM is going to bring in cars manufactured in China.

zzziippyyy

Almost every manufacturing industry in america has moved overseas over the last 50 years. The auto industry inevitably will end up overseas also.

US labor is just too costly, sadly that is not just any one factions fault it is a combination of a lot of years of mismanagement.