God I fucking hate stealerships. If car dealer cartels in the US as a concept die as a result of this era of idiocy we’re in, that’s a pretty great silver lining.
Such a weird, American-only practice, like with American health insurance. The whole country is a scam, jeez.
It really is
Um, only having been tourist to the US, how does it work?
Edit: the car dealership. What’s different to e.g. Europe (the referenced American only practice)
That’s the neat part, it doesn’t!
Want wasn’t it regean that made it a law you couldn’t buy directly from the manufacturer because he was buddies with people who owned major dealerships. And it just stuck since then.
He also imposed an import tax on motorcycles because Harley Davidson was deathly afraid that riders would rush out to purchase a Japanese bike that didn’t drip oil everywhere and reliably starts when you press the button.
Things like that and tariffs are absolutely useful tools for trade issues: TARGETED, TEMPORARY tools. There would have been nothing wrong with temporary protection for Harley Davidson if it were temporary, if there was a deadline where they have to start competing again.
Regulations were put in place to prevent manufacturers from opening their own stores right next to the dealers they worked with. Dealers assume some risk when they take on inventory. Apparently it’s not like a bookstore where any unsold copies just go back to the publisher. It’s still a flimsy justification though and enshrined these middlemen who then enshittified everything. Worse, in some cases manufacturers are entirely prevented from selling direct, even if they don’t work with dealerships. It’s too much.
American free market advocates when the market is free:
Removed by mod
Don’t forget their political aspirations!!
Car Dealers Recipients • OpenSecrets https://share.google/4nIu8I09iOKCgt4wH
Boo mods
Yeah, they’re part of the problem.
We need new instances with better moderation.
Make one, or just try some of the many existing ones. That’s the beauty of federation.
Do you write for a living? You should write for a living. 👌
“It’s bad for consumers” is one of those phrases that’s been misused so often I’m amazed these cunts still try to use it with a straight face. It’s like “I’m not racist, but” in terms of phrases that are widely understood to mean their direct opposite.
They’ll stop using it when people stop falling for it.
I’m not sure anyone actually does fall for it per se; it’s one of those lies that literally everyone knows is a lie, but CEOs and corrupt politicians need it to be true in order to justify what they want to do next so they have to go through the process of saying it first.
You must have the pleasure of not knowing those people, then. A lot of people genuinely still believe in trickle-down economics and the like.
They are collectively known as “Fucking Stupid”
When all you want to do is sell vastly more expensive but quality poor versions of last century’s product, you should be afraid. American automakers have had the government prop up their manufacturing for decades leaving the rest of the world open to create this century’s products.
Oh man…I am American but I yearn for the day when I can buy a pickup with a full bed the size of a Daewoo Lanos
This might be the best thing to happen to Americans in a long time and it’s the result of shitty anti consumer US policy 😂 at long last I might be able to buy a Toyota helix
I would prefer the Toyota HiAce or Crown Comfort.
How many US car manufacturer CEOs endorsed Trump? I’m betting a lot.
Living in the Detroit media market I didn’t hear off any of them endorsing Trump. Usually they give lots of money to both sides so they can get favours regardless of who wins. Endorsements are more likely to cost them money from opponents than any that’s gained from supporters or favours they couldn’t get otherwise.
GOOD
good
Would you like a buggy whip with your gas guzzler, Sir?
“It’s bad for our industry, it’s bad for our country, it’s bad for consumers.”
I think they (accidentally, of course) left out the people that it’s worst for.
Once these guys are gone, where are the Better Business Bureaus gonna find smarmy guys in suits?
They missed the EV push in the 90’ by GM, in the 2010’ by Tesla and now once again. They would never change without market pressure.
Ah, the “American dream”. Competition. Sadly only if it is competition not just lobbying power.
Good.
FAFO.
