Why does Shouty Kilmer think used cars are so expensive?

[MetroMPG]

All I have to say is I hope you made up that "Shouty" nickname. That's funny.

[WE3ZS]

Originally Posted by rmay635703

Used cars are cars indeed much more expensive than even 10 years ago (if your trying to buy)

The reason is empty super tankers
The big boats need something to bring back hence
Increasingly massive numbers of used vehicles and junk vehicles get sent overseas where they sell for much higher prices.

This practice ruins the spare parts availability and cost,
Let alone making used cars more scarce than they once were.

It’s almost bad enough there should be a law.

Are you suggesting that oil tankers are backhauling used cars to foreign shores? Do you have any real evidence of this as I don't see how it would even be possible, they have very limited open deck space and their tanks/holds don't have removable loading hatches like some other bulk freighters. How and where would the used car loading happen, it definitely doesn't happen here at our oil refinery or any of the other local lightering or unloading berths for the VLCCs and ULCCs.

[rmay635703]

No

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wsj...pty-1444768094

Though both types of ships struggle with being empty and are the same size

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Seems like the most expensive part of the equation are not the used cars, but the cost to fix all the issues left behind by previous owners

[freebeard]

Originally Posted by WSJ

One of the fastest-growing U.S. exports right now is air.

[Xist]

I just watched this forty-six-minute video by Regular Cars about Cash for Clunkers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZAhq375Wmw

I am not sure what I missed, but some points that I did catch were:
1. It was supposed to stimulate the economy, but since people needed to purchase economical cars, they were also generally cheaper.
2. Specifically, it was supposed to stimulate the U.S. economy, but the top two purchased cars were the Civic and Corolla. Japanese cars were eight of the top ten, with only two being domestic. Of course, I am sure that some Toyotas create more American jobs than certain Chryslers, for example.
3. Virtually every part of a car, even the fluids, can be recycled, but most of these were not.
4. This only benefited people who could purchase new cars. If you relied on used cars, they were more expensive, and so were used parts.
5. Someone commented that hundreds of dealerships called back buyers saying "Your car was ineligible after all. Pay the money you were credited or return the car."

Anything else? I will update!

[freebeard]

They crushed them all, without sorting out the sedan deliveries and convertibles that would appreciate in value.

[redpoint5]

Yes, anyone should have immediately noticed it was a regressive subsidy for those that are more wealthy at the expense of the less wealthy.

As usual, the program was too specifically targeted at certain symptoms of a problem rather than the root of the problem itself, and was therefore plagued by all the problems you listed.

The higher up the chain of authority goes, the less specific their actions should be. The federal government subsidizing new "fuel efficient" vehicle purchases for the wealthy is so far outside the scope of the top level of government that we should have canned anyone that voted for it in the first place. By allowing our politicians to act stupidly and not pay the price for their incompetence and arrogance, we ensure stupid ideas will be put into law in the future.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Xist

This only benefited people who could purchase new cars. If you relied on used cars, they were more expensive, and so were used parts.

It may sound quite strange, but maybe it could make sense to offer a repowering with some newer engine into some "clunkers", in a way similar to what was done in Bolivia with some Toyota Coaster minibuses which were converted from Diesel to CNG with Vortec 4300 engines.

[Xist]

I have watched a number of auto repair tips and tricks videos and it seems like most of them have the same hack tips--most of them have the Shouty trip that I shared some months back about using a scrap of plastic to keep a bolt in a socket. I watched another video like this and the guy kind of made fun of Shouty and Eric the Car Guy. Someone mentioned Shouty in the comments and the poster wrote this:

Scotty is a wrench-monkey, not a mechanic. He just guesses at parts and replaces them until the problem seems fixed. I hate being compared to him. After 50 years you should bve able to diagnose problems, not fire the parts cannon still. Hell, after 5 years you should.
You know you are "coming of age" in car repair when you realize Scotty is a hack. And you reach enlightmentment when you come to the grizzly harsh realization that actually, ETCG is too. I hate to say it but you'll see someday.

He has 159,000 subscribers. Shouty has 2.74m. Eric is partially retired and has 1.36m.

Shouty is more of an entertainer than a mechanic, but I still prefer him and Eric to this other guy.