Car Talk 5: The Juice is Loose!

[max225]

https://news.yahoo.com/gm-raises-foreca ... 46595.html


So… this is interesting news

[ChrisoftheNorth]

I want a new BRZ...it's on the short list of new vehicles that I find desirable.

Problem is, I don't think it's something the wife is into unless I can replace the CT with an SUV of some sort that she likes. Which....isn't a bad idea....

is dead. Long live

It's one thing to talk about it, another to do it. I think my days are behind me, just kind of fun to scheme about since scheming is free.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

https://news.yahoo.com/gm-raises-foreca ... 46595.html


So… this is interesting news

Kind of...it's pretty simple. GM expected sales to fall off a cliff because of limited supply. New car demand continues to be insane and people just buy whatever is available...regardless of features or models. So GM just cranked out what they can with the given limitations prioritizing what's most profitable and it's all selling better than they expected. In fact, profitability is probably higher because features are being stripped out, and people are buying them at MSRP regardless. So cheaper vehicles and less incentives to move them.

[max225]

https://news.yahoo.com/gm-raises-foreca ... 46595.html


So… this is interesting news

Kind of...it's pretty simple. GM expected sales to fall off a cliff because of limited supply. New car demand continues to be insane and people just buy whatever is available...regardless of features or models. So GM just cranked out what they can with the given limitations prioritizing what's most profitable and it's all selling better than they expected. In fact, profitability is probably higher because features are being stripped out, and people are buying them at MSRP regardless. So cheaper vehicles and less incentives to move them.

There are some interesting tidbits about the burned down supplier operating at nearly full capacity now and full capacity by mid June. And a few other things that state the shortage is not as “bad” as feared.

Without going into details and because I’m also in this field we have near identical scenarios. The risk has been reduced by nearly 100%.

Which leads me to believe that the higher ups In Asia colluded on this whole ordeal to raise prices.

[Apex]

It's basically a BRZ at that point.

I want a new BRZ...it's on the short list of new vehicles that I find desirable.

Problem is, I don't think it's something the wife is into unless I can replace the CT with an SUV of some sort that she likes. Which....isn't a bad idea....

Cayenne + BRZ. #winning

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Kind of...it's pretty simple. GM expected sales to fall off a cliff because of limited supply. New car demand continues to be insane and people just buy whatever is available...regardless of features or models. So GM just cranked out what they can with the given limitations prioritizing what's most profitable and it's all selling better than they expected. In fact, profitability is probably higher because features are being stripped out, and people are buying them at MSRP regardless. So cheaper vehicles and less incentives to move them.

There are some interesting tidbits about the burned down supplier operating at nearly full capacity now and full capacity by mid June. And a few other things that state the shortage is not as “bad” as feared.

Without going into details and because I’m also in this field we have near identical scenarios. The risk has been reduced by nearly 100%.

Which leads me to believe that the higher ups In Asia colluded on this whole ordeal to raise prices.

A March 19 fire at a Japanese factory that makes automotive chips made the problem worse. The shortage has forced production cuts, crimping the supply of new vehicles just as demand recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, causing shortages and raising new vehicle prices. Used vehicle prices have hit record levels.

Renesas, the company hit by the fire, said production is now back to 88% of what it was before the blaze.

It took them 15 months to get to 88% capacity...I'm not sure there's much collusion going on. This has been an "issue" since last year, so we've been dealing with it in one way or another for 6+mos now. The article mirrors my personal experience working in this industry, "re engineering" just means cutting features that use chips to continue producing vehicles that will sell no matter what. Adjust forecasts to make those feature deletions a bit more permanent and suddenly the issue isn't as bad because there's an overall reduced demand for chips.

The challenge will be when product demand starts to wane and the deleted features need to come back. It could create downstream supply chain disruptions for a while because supply chain forecast systems are shockingly short sighted. There's a clearing, but we're hardly out of the woods yet.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

I want a new BRZ...it's on the short list of new vehicles that I find desirable.

Problem is, I don't think it's something the wife is into unless I can replace the CT with an SUV of some sort that she likes. Which....isn't a bad idea....

Cayenne + BRZ. #winning

I'd prefer a WK Trailhawk 5.7 and BRZ, but pretty close.

[Apex]

Cayenne + BRZ. #winning

I'd prefer a WK Trailhawk 5.7 and BRZ, but pretty close.

A Trailhawk WK2 would soak up these highway miles way nicer than the JT.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

I'd prefer a WK Trailhawk 5.7 and BRZ, but pretty close.

A Trailhawk WK2 would soak up these highway miles way nicer than the JT.

Yea, I think this is our perfect solution. Wife just thinks the WK2 feels too bland and old. She's not WRONG, but I still think it's our best option.

[Apex]

A Trailhawk WK2 would soak up these highway miles way nicer than the JT.

Yea, I think this is our perfect solution. Wife just thinks the WK2 feels too bland and old. She's not WRONG, but I still think it's our best option.

Neither of you are wrong.

[D Griff]

I would really recommend driving the MT and auto back to back. The car is a lot snappier and more responsive with the auto.

Yea, this doesn't surprise me, but driving them back to back in Meatchicken will probably be impossible.

I'll likely just Cuck on a Crosstrek or something because that's what the wife wants.

Cuck lyyyffeeeeee.

I don't really understand the Crosstrek obsession.

[max225]

CuckTrek? Too close to CuckTuck though...
CruckTrek ??

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Yea, this doesn't surprise me, but driving them back to back in Meatchicken will probably be impossible.

I'll likely just Cuck on a Crosstrek or something because that's what the wife wants.

Cuck lyyyffeeeeee.

I don't really understand the Crosstrek obsession.

I do, actually. We want something on the smaller side that has a bit more ground clearance and AWD for the feet of snow we're supposed to get at a time up here. I like the Crosstrek overall, I just find it to be too boring and common. Crosstrek and Outback are like the official vehicles of northern MI (other than Wranglers), which is why I'd like something a bit more unique/interesting. If Subaru made a WRX Crosstrek I'd go buy one tomorrow .

[ChrisoftheNorth]

CuckTrek? Too close to CuckTuck though...
CruckTrek ??

CuckTruck isn't long for this world, so that might be OK. I can't wait for that thing to go back.

[CaleDeRoo]

Cuck lyyyffeeeeee.

I don't really understand the Crosstrek obsession.

I do, actually. We want something on the smaller side that has a bit more ground clearance and AWD for the feet of snow we're supposed to get at a time up here. I like the Crosstrek overall, I just find it to be too boring and common. Crosstrek and Outback are like the official vehicles of northern MI (other than Wranglers), which is why I'd like something a bit more unique/interesting. If Subaru made a WRX Crosstrek I'd go buy one tomorrow .

Mazda basically makes a WRX Crosstrek. The CX30 TurBRO. Auto only though

[max225]

You can only get the on the 2.slow CrossTranny. Which honestly sounds awful. The smaller engine is just too small.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Yea, I think this is our perfect solution. Wife just thinks the WK2 feels too bland and old. She's not WRONG, but I still think it's our best option.

Man, the WK2 is the perfect vehicle to fly under the radar with. And it's comfy AF.

Also, it tows great.

Yea, it's pretty much exactly what we want. Should tow the boat decently well with the 5.7.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

You can only get the on the 2.slow CrossTranny. Which honestly sounds awful. The smaller engine is just too small.

Yea, that's a for sure. Even the NA 2.4 is

[ChrisoftheNorth]

I do, actually. We want something on the smaller side that has a bit more ground clearance and AWD for the feet of snow we're supposed to get at a time up here. I like the Crosstrek overall, I just find it to be too boring and common. Crosstrek and Outback are like the official vehicles of northern MI (other than Wranglers), which is why I'd like something a bit more unique/interesting. If Subaru made a WRX Crosstrek I'd go buy one tomorrow .

Mazda basically makes a WRX Crosstrek. The CX30 TurBRO. Auto only though

I'd like but we should probably look at one of those, actually. Good call.

[D Griff]

Cuck lyyyffeeeeee.

I don't really understand the Crosstrek obsession.

I do, actually. We want something on the smaller side that has a bit more ground clearance and AWD for the feet of snow we're supposed to get at a time up here. I like the Crosstrek overall, I just find it to be too boring and common. Crosstrek and Outback are like the official vehicles of northern MI (other than Wranglers), which is why I'd like something a bit more unique/interesting. If Subaru made a WRX Crosstrek I'd go buy one tomorrow .

I thought about that many times on our cross country trip. Like, sure, we did actually go off road numerous times, but it was nothing a CuckTrek couldn't handle. That would've handled the trip much more efficiently than the Beep Beep... but at the cost of just being total cucks.

CuckTrek is in 2021 what a Camry was in 1998 and a CR-V in 2011. While it's , it seems like a far way to fall to from some of the cars you and Infamous have owned.

[D Griff]

I'd like but we should probably look at one of those, actually. Good call.

Actually, the CX30 TurBRO would be

Might just be exactly the spice of life the wife wants.

Seems less depressing than a CuckTrek for sure.

[troyguitar]

Rav4 Plug-in hybrid makes 300 hp.

[D Griff]

Rav4 Plug-in hybrid makes 300 hp.

I think they're but they seem to be really good vehicles at least.

[max225]

Rav4 Plug-in hybrid makes 300 hp.

I think they're but they seem to be really good vehicles at least.

Up until you use the tailgate

[troyguitar]

I think they're but they seem to be really good vehicles at least.

Up until you use the tailgate