2023 Toyota Prius - WOW!

[redpoint5]

I had never considered buying new until the recent supply chain inflation... in 2020 a 3 year old Bolt could be found for around $14k, but now the price is so close to the cost of a new one, you might as well buy new.

[hayden55]

there's some fun studies on inflation that i would love to post. lol
long story short increases in money supply typically result in inflation of general prices at a 1:1 rate. Not also accounted is the decreased lending standards on automobiles, and the fact that we shut down production for a while.
It will be interesting to see the pricing on the new prius. i hear Ford/GM and all of the top economists are freaking out now about what to do with all the trucks that they built with out chips for the last two years now that we apparently have a "glut of chips". What model year will they be sold as? Will they actually offer them for sale as they fix them or will they hold them for their new order only model they want to try? It will be interesting as they can't blame a chip shortage anymore. But there is still unrest in the world's workshop (Asia) holding prices up. Hopefully Toyota will be able to just sell at msrp like normal, but i have little faith in my local man... i mean dealer.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by hayden55

It will be interesting to see the pricing on the new prius. i hear Ford/GM and all of the top economists are freaking out now about what to do with all the trucks that they built with out chips for the last two years now that we apparently have a "glut of chips".

There isn't a glut of automotive chips - there is still a shortage. I was recently in a meeting on the topic of how we will deal with the chip shortage that will extend through at least 3Q2023.

Originally Posted by hayden55

What model year will they be sold as? Will they actually offer them for sale as they fix them or will they hold them for their new order only model they want to try?

That is a marketing question. Legally the model year can vary 2 years from the production date.

Originally Posted by hayden55

It will be interesting as they can't blame a chip shortage anymore. But there is still unrest in the world's workshop (Asia) holding prices up.

There is unrest in the world and there are still COVID lockdown that shut down factories and ports for weeks or months. This is the key problem and it extends beyond just chips. All sorts of parts are in short supply and we are continually having to adjust build schedules based on part availability. In the last 2 years we have become a lot better at partially building vehicles on the assembly line and then finishing them offline as parts become available

There is also a severe shortage of parts for assembly equipment. Basic things like HMIs, pumps, and motors have 9 to 12 month lead times now. I'm still waiting on a vacuum pump I ordered in January 2022. The new promised delivery date is February 2023.

I'd say some in the industry are quietly hoping for a real recession that will reduce demand for long enough for production to catch up with demand. Not knowing if you are going to get parts, expediting parts, finishing vehicles in parking lots put a lot of stress on employees and kills the bottom line. People are just getting burned out. The industry has helped margins some by prioritizing vehicles and trims with higher profit margins but it is still a huge effort for slim margins.

[hayden55]

I agree with you there on that. Good to hear that from you to clear it up. It has been tough to order stuff this year for sure I've noticed that as well. Especially oem supplied parts.
Honestly at this point im ready for the recession. It'll be here soon.

[redpoint5]

I've got parts backordered like hard drives.

Supposedly we broke new sales records this Christmas, but fewer things were purchased. Spend more, get less.

[Isaac Zachary]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Spend more, get less.

That's inflation.

Wait until you see McDonald's $5 menu!

Yet the Chevy Bolt is cheaper every year.

If only wages would keep up with prices. When I finally made it up to $20 an hour, double what I started out at, then everyone started paying a starting salary at $20 an hour. So now what? Technically I'm back at a starting salary.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Isaac Zachary

That's inflation.

Wait until you see McDonald's $5 menu!

Yet the Chevy Bolt is cheaper every year.

If only wages would keep up with prices. When I finally made it up to $20 an hour, double what I started out at, then everyone started paying a starting salary at $20 an hour. So now what? Technically I'm back at a starting salary.

Yeah, McDonalds is no longer the value it used to be. I've been doing BOGO footlongs at Subway more frequently now, which still isn't very often.

The Bolt is more expensive than ever now. Back in 2020, you could pick one up for ~$23k brand new.

My dad suffered the same fate. Started at Safeway at a decent wage, and it never went anywhere.

Entry level jobs are always entry level. Just because people now have a useless degree doesn't mean the entry level job has changed any.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Model T and the VW Beetle scoff at your lack of faith.

Doesn't need to go that extreme. I'm sure you would be as amazed as I was when I spotted a '94 Chevrolet Corsa, seemingly all-stock, and with the logo of a defunct Chevrolet dealer a few blocks away which BTW was the place where my paternal grandfather bought the last 2 cars he owned, both Corsas being a '97 hatchback and a '01 sedan.

[Nathan jones]

They just recycled the iron, glass and pvc from a gen 2 to sell you it again. It's different from say houses, cars are an integral part of western and now eastern economies

..regarding '2023 prius wow'

[hayden55]

Originally Posted by Nathan jones

They just recycled the iron, glass and pvc from a gen 2 to sell you it again. It's different from say houses, cars are an integral part of western and now eastern economies

..regarding '2023 prius wow'

Thats why the european manufacturers have always quoted extremely long oil change intervals. The maintenance cost over time wins in advertising, its marketed as green, and it props up sales of their new cars as the cars won't last as long after the warranty period is up.
Thats why they say anything can be made to last forever if you take care of it, because its more or less true on vehicles. Swap a bmw that is known for rod bearing failures before 100k to 1997 Toyota maintenance scheduling and it'll do 200k+.
This is also why other manufacturers have started to increase their maintenance intervals as well including Toyota.