Live data from Hacker News

As Carvana crashes, used car dealers, not buyers, stand to win big

businessinsider.com

121–130 of 229 posts

Re: As Carvana crashes, used car dealers, not buyers, stand to win big

#121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is that like with OpenDoor, asymmetrical information favors the seller. If I know I can get a better deal, I’m not going to use Carvana or OpenDoor. If I know there is something wrong with my car/house I’m going with Carvana/OpenDoor.

aka "Lemon markets theory" by George Akerlof, which won Nobel Prize in Economics in 2001 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Market_for_Lemons

Thanks for the citation.

I listen to a lot of economic podcasts and subscribe to Ben Thompson’s Stratechery newsletter/podcast. I couldn’t remember where the theory came from.

Re: As Carvana crashes, used car dealers, not buyers, stand to win big

#122
post #111
post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve heard that before, and always wondered: how dealership owners are able to buy so much power in state capitals?

The GM streetcar conspiracy basically gave dealerships to already politically connected individuals in return for killing off streetcars - the payoff being that the busses that replaced (poorly, hence encouraging private car ownership) would be bought via the dealerships. Car dealership owners are often car dealership owners because of adjacency to power, not the reverse.

that explains all the sleazy sales practices coming from stealerships.

regulatory capture + dishonest sleazy sales practices = happy middleman, but suffering consumer and car manufacturer

Re: As Carvana crashes, used car dealers, not buyers, stand to win big

#123
post #104
post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most Tacomas seem to sell with a 5’ bed these days, but otherwise yes, trucks are larger than ever. Personally, I found it easier to move 2x4s or anything longer than approx. 5 feet (fishing poles) in my Prius because the Tacoma I had, had such a short bed. Otherwise I was sticking crap through the Tacoma window which was super jank. Oh the irony.

I had an access cab w/ the standard bed (6'). Ended up putting long things in the bed, then up over the cab, then strapped down. IMHO, with a Taco, you really need to pick an option. Option 1: I carry people more than things, in the city. Double cab + 5ft bed (aka the common one) Option 2: I carry things more than people, in the city. Access cab + 6ft bed Option 3: I carry things and people, and am willing to access…

I’m going to go with minivan and a trailer hitch most likely as that hits so many sweet spots (and with the seats down or out you can get a sheet of plywood in some).

Re: As Carvana crashes, used car dealers, not buyers, stand to win big

#124

When I went to buy my car from Carvana, the guy that helped me said that the cost of used cars was incredible. People were buying cars, then trading them in a month or two later for a profit . He suggested I come back in a month or two to do the same to get a newer model. I'm not sure what the folks at Carvana were thinking, but it seems like even with a wild used car market and high inflation, this shouldn't reasona…

What's funny is seeing the correction in action on cars.com / autotrader.com. You can see the price history, and dealers even just 6 months ago were asking outrageous prices and have since slashed their asking prices because they can't move the things, because new cars are cheaper or not much more expensive, have a warranty, and better financing.

That’s what kills these things - they think it’ll never change and start acting accordingly.

And of course it turns out that car companies are actually going to keep making cars.

Re: As Carvana crashes, used car dealers, not buyers, stand to win big

#125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, bankruptcy basically does not let anyone off the hook who owes the bankrupt company or person a debt. But collection is overseen by a court which definitely can mean that efforts to collect debt owed to the bankrupt party can intensify and are unlikely to end until money is collected.

Over a decade ago, when I first left home, I bought a bunch of home appliances on finance. They never collected any payments, and a few years later, they went bankrupt. Nobody ever came after me and nothing ever appeared on my credit report. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen.

Did they restructure or liquidate?

Re: As Carvana crashes, used car dealers, not buyers, stand to win big

#126
post #13

But buying a car from a dealer remains horrible

I've bought a few cars from dealers in recent years and honestly the experience was ok to fine. In every case I knew which vehicle I wanted to buy before contacting the dealer, so perhaps that makes a difference. Through the whole process where they try to make you buy warranties and so on, I just say "I feel lucky", and chuckle a bit. If they ask about another warranty, I repeat "I feel really lucky", again jovially…

Dealers can be pretty decent if you know a good one and just say no.

Or ask why they offer a warranty if the car’s so good. The answers are always amusing.

Re: As Carvana crashes, used car dealers, not buyers, stand to win big

#127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of people want a pickup but don't need a full size truck. Tacoma fills this niche - probably more people that have big pickups would have all their needs met with a tacoma sized one. Though it feels like all trucks have scaled up massively over the past 20 years and a 2020 tacoma is probably as big as a 2000 F150.

I have an old (2006) taco at the moment and have had it over a decade now. It's been perfect. I don't want a larger tundra, I have no need for it. In fact I wish Toyota made a smaller truck. I still need all 4 doors and 5 seats but less width and less length. Perhaps the width of a rav 4, and a even shorter 4ft bed (instead of 5 on taco and 6 on tundra). Essentially like the very old 1990s Ford rangers were, but made…

I wonder how the Fiat Strada would do in the US.

Re: As Carvana crashes, used car dealers, not buyers, stand to win big

#128
post #56
post #54

Carvana bought my car mid-pandemic without opening the trunk. That trunk definitely had a few surprises for them, or the new buyer... What a business model.

> without opening the trunk. That drunk I'm intrigued...

Movies have told me it’s always a dead hooker.

Re: As Carvana crashes, used car dealers, not buyers, stand to win big

#129
post #27
post #25

I'm not surprised. I've heard multiple stories from multiple people about Carvana just forgot to collect money from them. They bought a used car, the car showed up, and Carvana just never took the money from them beyond the deposit. This is not only bad for Carvana and their cash flow, but bad for the buyer too, who just has to keep the money sitting there forever in case Carvana fixes the glitch and tries to transfe…

I'd expect debt instruments to be sold to debtors. Don't count on this.

Likely. Running extended collections operations across highly dispersed (low density) population is extremely expensive.

Re: As Carvana crashes, used car dealers, not buyers, stand to win big

#130

Bummer, buying from a dealer always feels bad. Would be great if a company could figure out a digital off the shelf shopping experience. The last car buying experience I had the brick and mortar dealerships listed so many bait cars that online shopping was scammy/pointless.

Go through car buying services then report the dealership to the car buying service when you encounter a bait cars and scams.
Post reply on HN