Who can even afford a new car anyways. Big auto is so deluded and none of them will make a budget everyman car any more. I don't need your patented this or that and ultra spytech computer and head unit. Just basic time proven engine design and entry level for everything else. And an electric version with the same design principles. But obviously it's not proprietary and anti right to repair enough for corporate bigwigs.
Chevy TRAX, Ford Maverick, Honda Accord Hybrid, Corolla Hybrid are all $23k or less brand new.
They're pretty much entry level interiors and ~10-second 0-to-60 engines (rather slow), and are also quite popular. Weird of Ford to make their entry-level model a truck but they're just taking advantage of their pro-Truck reputation. Its really Ford's entry level car.
It seems like that's not even true anymore. The Maverick starts at 25k now, the Corolla hybrid is 26k, and the Accord hybrid is 27-28k. This is saddening to me.
non sequitur
Thanks for the perspective in the comments! Been though a few wrecked bridges in Florida. It's a far, far, far bigger deal than most think.
Regardless of how long it could take, I honestly see so many old models just sitting on dealer lots. People arent buying new cars like they used to. This economy simply won't allow it.
I work for the auto industry, and this isn't true unfortunately.
I am a tech at a dealer and they laid off like half of us and 2/3 of the sales lot is a wasteland, while the last 3rd is still 2022 models. Driving around the autocenter in my area in South California, none of the lots are full like they were in 2019.
https://www.coxautoinc.com/market-insights/new-vehicle-inventory-january-2024/
Toyota in Feb 2024 had only 36-days-of-supply. But multiple car companies had so much supply that it bleeds off of the graph (over 160 days of supply for Lincoln, Chrysler, and Dodge).
Japanese cars (or at least: Toyota, Honda, Lexus, and Mazda) are still selling like hotcakes. But American Luxury cars are doing very poorly right now.
The pandemic really put a freeze on car sales, however that just means that everyone who would have bought a car then, and have been putting it off due to the chip shortage and inflation are soon going to find themselves in situations where they will need to replace their cars.
I currently have a 12 year old car and a 10 year old car, and both are very quickly showing their ages to the point where I don't feel confident taking either on a long drive. As much as I love not having a car payment, I have a feeling within the next year or so I'll be buying a new one and I doubt I'm the only one in this position.
Aren't these ships so slow to turn and stop, that most entries into ports and narrows require tugboats? With such valuable cargo as well, wouldn't insurance companies also?
The Key Bridge was located on a rather wide mouth.
This wasn't a crash at the "narrow" part of the port, but near the mouth of the river that feeds everything. It also means that the other 17ish ports inside of Baltimore are all cut off because of this bridge collapse is blocking the entire damn river.
Can't speak to tugs, but most (all?) major ports require a local to pilot the final bit. That was the case here.
"A maritime pilot, marine pilot, harbor pilot, port pilot, ship pilot, or simply pilot, is a mariner who has specific knowledge of an often dangerous or congested waterway, such as harbors or river mouths. Maritime pilots know local details such as depth, currents, and hazards. They board and temporarily join the crew to safely guide the ship's passage, so they must also have expertise in handling ships of all types and sizes. Obtaining the title "maritime pilot" requires being licensed or authorized by a recognized pilotage authority."
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