Bargains: Small Car Prices Slashed As Dealers Get Desperate

Sales of small cars have taken the wildest ride in the auto business this year -- first up, then down -- and the gyrations may not be finished.

Though gas prices tumbled, some automakers are trying to juice sales of fuel-thrifty economy cars by slashing starting prices to less than $10,000.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[chicago25624]

And you wonder why an American made car costs so much

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,472304,00.html

But the unions have made all the concessions they can. They can't give anymore.

More BS that isn't reported here

[ArabsRSemitesPeriod]

For people trashing the Smart Car it passed the safetly tests better than many large cars .....

Research it.

[hortonhearsawho2]

Just as soon as i yank it out form under my truck...

[EinChicago]

Until they figure out a way to include an option to repurchase your dignity, most small cars lik eteh Fit and Versa are doomed to continue plummeting.

[rkimball]

we are in a depression. they can slash car prices in half. that won't bring the consumers back.

[Hoisin]

Wow, more great journalism from ABC. Cars under 10K have been on the market for over 100 years.

[Bitsko]

Melt 'em all down to make prefab housing for the poor and homeless. We have enough pollution already.

[apoyo]

Sell them for what they are worth based on their 3 year, 36,000 mile warranty. They have basically been making disposable cars, complacent in the fact that we would buy or lease a new car every 2 to 3 years.

While the foreign car manufacturers offer up to 10 years and 100,000 mile warranties.

Detroit was asleep at the wheel, literally.

[JeffersonState]

Chevy has a 100,000 mile warranty. Dodge has a lifetime. The imports that have a 100k warranty are from Korea.

Your foriegn bias is killing America.

[TheArtisan]

You should clarify that Dodge does not have a lifetime warranty that covers everything. They only warrant their powertrain in this fashion and there are plenty of caveats to it.

This is a misleading marketing tactic to lure unsuspecting customers.

The Japanese may be offering 3 year 36k warranties, but they can do that with confidence when they know they make a quality product.

[EinChicago]

"While the foreign car manufacturers offer up to 10 years and 100,000 mile warranties"

Hmmm. Try again, dumbo.

Chevy and Chrysler both offer 10 year 100K warranties.

Toyota, Honda and Nissan will maybe give you 3 year 36K.

[chicago25624]

So does this have anything at all to do with the price of an American car?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,472304,00.html

[senorlou]

True, but everybody knows that American cars (I'm not talking about US trucks) don't last very long. I've had 4 gm cars that became undriveable at about 150K miles. That's about 10 years of driving, but if you drive more than that and want a car to last for over 10 years, that's not a great deal. Asian cars are known for their reliability. They last and they don't break down. I used to be buddy - buddy with mechanics until I bought a Toyota. Now I don't have a mechanic anymore.

[TheArtisan]

"Detroit was asleep at the wheel, literally."

Is, was and always will be...

[SammyD]

all my money is going to maintain their golf resort. Guess I'll just skip paying taxes this year and next so I can do my part in stimulating the economy.

[CheshireCat2]

I wouldn't be caught de@d in a Smart Car.

[drkazmd65]

I don't know,... they are kind of cute and would be easy to park.

Don't think they would work as a good choice for my current 100+mile commute/day at interstate speeds though. Would consider switching to one IF I could get a more local job.

But then again,... that would make most of the plug-in hybrids in the pipeline, and some of the start-up electric cars practical choices as well. I'll just stay with my Mazda for the moment,...

[CC1]

They turn into a Dumb Car the minute you get hit in an accident it would seem.

[BOBONDE]

I JUST WENT WITH A RELATIVE ON A CROSS COUNTRY TRIP WITH A 07 AVEO AND IT'S A GREAT CAR TO DRIVE! I CANT THINK OF ONE THING I DONT LIKE ABOUT IT, IT HAS THE FEEL OF A BIGGER CAR AND IT'S QUIET, I THINK I WILL BUY ONE MYSELF!

[pinkc]

very very fugly car and not comfy

[pinkc]

versa hatchback is sooo much better

[JeffersonState]

You are part of the reason America is suffering.

Its one thing to like your vehicle, quite another to find fault with someone elses OPINION of an American product.

[drkazmd65]

Umm,... the Aveo is assembled in Mexico,....

http://www.redorbit.com/news/business/451734/gm_plans_assembly_plant_in_mexico_factory_to_build_compact/

So much for buying American Made,...

[senorlou]

Since everybody's a whole lot poorer now, and aren't allowed the loans to buy cars they can't afford anymore, small econo cars will most likely be the largest market. Of course, right now, the big 3 have virtually nothing in that field except for the Ford Focus (get's so-so mileage) and the Chevy Aveo - not a very nice car to drive. I've driven both for weeks at a time. The US companies are way, way behind the asians and Germans in this market in the US. The big 3 have great small cars, but they keep them in Europe. If they'd just bring them over here, we'd start buying their cars again, provided we can actually pay for them.

[Stud99]

Nobody wants to drive those little death traps.

[KillTheMessenger]

You mean dying in a rollover accident in an SUV is more comfortable?

[senorlou]

I do. It's far more economical and since some of these cars come with side/ curtain airbags, stability and traction control, they're really the only cars that make sense to buy for most Americans during this financial crisis. It's good practice to buy a car that you can actually afford.

[guajiro]

Nobody? Maybe not you, but there are plenty of people who will buy a 4x4, off-road mini-truck that gets great gas mileage, can carry a ton of weight, won't get stuck anywhere, has AC and other amenities, and sells for half the price of a large truck. These small trucks are great for weekend work, for working around nurseries, farms, golfcourses, for security guards, etc.
http://www.houstonminitrucks.com/
Trouble is, the CAFE standards don't allow them to be driven legally on U.S. roads.

[senorlou]

Those trucks are cool, I checked them out, but we need trucks that won't completely poison our air. Maybe it's because I live in LA. I hope they make mini trucks that pass the standards. Might make them cost an extra few hundred bucks, but we need to breathe.

[Stud99]

Ya. go ahead and invest in that. Let's see haow that works out.

[quiviran]

Could this be a reflection of your driving style? The key to small cars lies in being able to avoid incidents, rather than out-bash another tank. It's easy to do, since you can focus on your driving, and not how you're going to pay for the next tank of gas.

[senorlou]

LOL.

[rue]

Well, you have drunk from the cool aid sold by the auto manufactures' marketing stand. Good grief, take a tour of Europe and wake up.

[TakLoufer]

Do any of the majors make two-seater hatchbacks? There actually is a market for that, Big 3 -- not everybody are heterosexual (or hetero-emulating-for-unknown-reasons gay) baby-making machines. It's like starter homes: virtually impossible to find a new home in Florida that has two bedrooms & one bathroom unless you want to settle for a flat or townhouse. It's like Catholics make all of the building decisions for neighborhoods.

[tx xplant]

Why should a business cater to 1% of the population?

[ADinSC]

I'm single, no offspring. I like having a back seat in my car. Some of us have friends, and we like being able to fit more than one of them in our vehicles. Lots of us single people also carpool. Difficult to do efficiently in a two-seater.

BTW, I recently looked at housing in the Tampa area. Tons of 1- and 2-bedroom houses around there for sale.

[dbdzen]

They will have to discount the whole lot. There's just too many unsold cars sitting in lots and that number will only grow when dealers start going bankrupt in big numbers.

[HutchBev]

Things like this, to me, are the only good things that come out of recessions. Prices sometimes start to mirror reality. It also weeds out a lot of the useless things in life. I've only seen pointless stores going out of business. I like that people are now questioning their needs and wants. I understand people get hurt in the outcome but I guess what I'm saying is it's all a necessary evil.

[senorlou]

I agree. We are all learning a lot, especially about money.

[quiviran]

As someone cleverly reflected: "This is a good time to stop spending money you don't have on things you don't need."

[drkazmd65]

Well put,...