The $25k car is going extinct? • Hacker News Board

Re: The $25k car is going extinct?

#61

Post by JKCalhoun » Mon, Jun 30, 2025, 1:30 AM UTC

vovavili wrote: post #23

999900000999 wrote: post #8

We don't want affordable Chinese EVs. That's the answer here. They can build cars better, cheaper, faster than we can. Instead Ford wants to sell a 80k SUPER F-250 BIG MANN TRUCK. All for what, you to drive 10 minutes to Walmart, buy groceries and drive back. The best car is the one you don't own. No payments, insurance, parking tickets. Unfortunately most American cities are centered around driving. So much money ,…

I do want cheap Chinese EVs. I can't buy them because of government regulation.

I'd prefer to have cheap U.S. cars ... but I suspect we won't seem them until the threat of cheap Chinese cars becomes a reality.

Re: The $25k car is going extinct?

#62

Post by everdrive » Mon, Jun 30, 2025, 1:32 AM UTC

In 2014 I got a very nice and very basic brand new sedan for about $14k. That's not so long ago, but the car market in the US seems to get worse every year. (cost, newer models are bloated and overly-expensive, etc.) My only advice would be to buy now (ideally something used) since I can only imagine things will be even worse in a few years.

Re: The $25k car is going extinct?

#63

Post by supertrope » Mon, Jun 30, 2025, 1:33 AM UTC

paulryanrogers wrote: post #11

999900000999 wrote: post #8

We don't want affordable Chinese EVs. That's the answer here. They can build cars better, cheaper, faster than we can. Instead Ford wants to sell a 80k SUPER F-250 BIG MANN TRUCK. All for what, you to drive 10 minutes to Walmart, buy groceries and drive back. The best car is the one you don't own. No payments, insurance, parking tickets. Unfortunately most American cities are centered around driving. So much money ,…

Cars are a reflection of ones personality here in the Midwest. Some grow out of it or never subscribe to the mentality. It's certainly cheaper to bicycle, weather and health permitting. Though car driving and ownership are a big cultural phenomenon, especially among men 18-50.

I can hear street racing noises from a highway three miles away! I used to think it was just a few blocks away because I could hear it but I looked at a map. A few people install aftermarket exhausts/noise makers critics call "fart cans." After a recent police crackdown the amount of racing noise at night decreased greatly.

Re: The $25k car is going extinct?

#64

Post by everdrive » Mon, Jun 30, 2025, 1:34 AM UTC

999900000999 wrote: post #8

We don't want affordable Chinese EVs. That's the answer here. They can build cars better, cheaper, faster than we can. Instead Ford wants to sell a 80k SUPER F-250 BIG MANN TRUCK. All for what, you to drive 10 minutes to Walmart, buy groceries and drive back. The best car is the one you don't own. No payments, insurance, parking tickets. Unfortunately most American cities are centered around driving. So much money ,…

Regulations prevent the sale of small, cheap trucks in the US. I'm so sick of "BIG MANN TRUCK" being blamed on ego. The kind small basic of truck you used to be able to buy just doesn't exist any more and it's been regulated out of existence. The Maverick doesn't even stand-in very well for this and Ford can barely keep up with the demand.

Re: The $25k car is going extinct?

#65

Post by notesinthefield » Mon, Jun 30, 2025, 1:36 AM UTC

The closest thing to affordable and comfortable I could find this past year after maintenance costs pilling up on my ‘15 Ford Fiesta (that I got for a staggering $14k post college) was a Honda HRV Sport. Has all the basics, incredible sensing system, lots of space decent gas mileage and drives well at around 28k in Ohio. My partner has an Accord and honestly its a better car. Incredibly good gas mileage, reliable, perfect for an A to B person that doesnt want to worry about their car.

Re: The $25k car is going extinct?

#66

Post by AJ007 » Mon, Jun 30, 2025, 1:37 AM UTC

Glawen wrote: post #24

Aka how to shoot yourself in the foot and hand over the market to Chinese manufacturer. In Europe, only Renault created a low cost brand (Dacia). Once chinese brands become commonplace everywhere, tradional carmakers will have a hard time taking back market share. In Europe they closed or are closing the last HCOL factories, killing any remaining brand loyalty.

Yeah, a better title for the article is how western automakers are going to go extinct. Sure the US might decide to block Chinese cars (apparently the EU isn't), but they can't force the rest of the world to buy $65,000 American built cars when the alternatives are less than 1/3rd of that price.

A larger question is how much the cheap Chinese cars are dependent on a long chain of government subsidies from the mines to the local infrastructure and what happens when China's investment driven growth cycle comes to an end. If the solar panels are any comparison, the Chinese automakers are losing a lot of money despite grandiose subsidies.

Re: The $25k car is going extinct?

#67

Post by darkmarmot » Mon, Jun 30, 2025, 1:38 AM UTC

marssaxman wrote: post #22

clickety_clack wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I make pretty good tech money and I can’t imagine spending that much on a car. It would be cheaper to uber everywhere I went.

Likewise - it's funny to me that $25,000 is cited as an "affordable" price for a car, when that's almost double what I spent on the most expensive car I've ever owned (a Land Rover Discovery II, which was a lovely machine). I cannot imagine what it would feel like to look at a $60,000 price tag and think, "yes, this would be a sensible use of money".

i am still fine in my used 2012 12k prius.

Re: The $25k car is going extinct?

#68

Post by FpUser » Mon, Jun 30, 2025, 1:39 AM UTC

margalabargala wrote: post #51

iancmceachern wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>>"absolutely prat" Why the personal insult? Mods is this ok per HN policy? I use and need it for work, yes big heavy things also need to be done in cities too. I noted this in my original comment. It's very tacky to personally insult a working person for the tools of their trade. You don't like the fact that a plumber needs a plumbing truck? How would a window installer get the windows to the jobsite? How do you bri…

They weren't personally insulting you, they were describing antisocial behavior generally, and reasons why people might be prejudiced against drivers of large trucks. Prior to that comment, you hadn't said anything indicating you personally partook in that antisocial behavior.

>"they were describing antisocial behavior generally"

Well if they're so fucking social, they should start with rich who waste and pollute way way more and buy governments outright.

Re: The $25k car is going extinct?

#69

Post by aprilthird2021 » Mon, Jun 30, 2025, 1:39 AM UTC

denkmoon wrote: post #50

welp, guess my corolla needs to last until I die. I spent about $9k usd (in australia though) on it second hand pre covid and I'm just gobsmacked at the prices of vehciles now even years post covid. I make good coin and I just can't see how non-"enthusiasts" can justify spending so much money on their vehicle. there are houses in my suburb with 3-4 of these expensive, new model cars out front.

If Australia is like the US, all those cars are leases or debt-financed

Re: The $25k car is going extinct?

#70

Post by briandw » Mon, Jun 30, 2025, 1:40 AM UTC

They don't mention the amount of mandatory additions to the car from government regulations. Obviously not the only factor but it's certainly a factor. Cars now have 6 to 8 airbags, backup cameras, more high strength steel, automatic breaking systems etc etc. I love the safety that those all bring, but it's not free.