Better Buy Your New Rig Before the Tariffs Kick In 🤑

[Ozarker]

We don't have enough people to do the manufacturing jobs we currently have. I fully take blame for being part of the problem. We're in our early 40s and have zero kids.

I have to disagree, we have enough people, some are too lazy, some aren't well educated and most lack skills training, the rest are nut jobs.
You can always adopt some.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Nobody really makes anything I would really run out and buy if I did have the money to go buy a new one.

The catch22 is... a lot of the replacement parts for my old junk are not made in the US either.

 

[Gravelette]

$2.53/gal today here in TN. Google says that's about 31 cents in 1970 money.

 

[Ozarker]

$2.53/gal today here in TN. Google says that's about 31 cents in 1970 money.

Yep, hamburgers were 15 cents, fries a dime, small coke a nickel, loaf of bread on sale was a dime and once I got gas for a quarter a gallon. Draft beer at happy hour was a quarter and my rent was $65.00 a month.

Take home pay was about $60.00 a week, so the good ole days weren't as good as most think.

 

[2025 deleted member]

^ and you might recall the time when we were hearing "made in U.S.A." as Americans paid a premium over competitive prices.

Tariffs add to inflation, as your car price goes up you'll see complimentary product prices go up as well. Complimentary items for a truck would be things like floor mats, fog lights, seat covers, etc.

All this tariff talk might be nothing more than scare tactics to negotiate better trading terms. Trump opened the floor on Wall Street this morning and when asked Trump was giving a more measured response saying he would ensure our trading partners would be more fair dealing. Like-keep your eye on my right hand, watch it carefully, (while my left hand steels the candy from the baby).

I agree, if you can afford to, buy what you need or want now and buckle up.

Buckle up? We’ve had 4 years of runaway inflation and now you sound the alarm. It’ll all work out fine.

 

[Gravelette]

The COVID inflation has been over for awhile now.

 

[2025 deleted member]

The COVID inflation has been over for awhile now. View attachment 863561

So it’s almost double what it was pre Covid and if you are being honest and really explaining how inflation works it’s all stacked on top of the previous highs the past few years. Not to mention what’s not even counted in inflation numbers. This out of touch mentality is what caused the change we see coming soon.

 

[Ozarker]

PJane, where did you get your Economics Degree- ?
We have had the best economy in the world the past 4 years and we have had much worse periods of inflation than we have had recently, remember the 70's?

 

[Gravelette]

Jane, my point was that current 2-3% inflation isn't "runaway" but some stupid policy could change that in a hurry. Hopefully better minds will prevail.

 

[2025 deleted member]

PJane, where did you get your Economics Degree- ?
We have had the best economy in the world the past 4 years and we have had much worse periods of inflation than we have had recently, remember the 70's?

I wasn’t here in the 70s…

 

[vintageracer]

Re-Elect Jimmy Carter!

 

[AbleGuy]

One might also take a look at this chart while agonizing about the actual COL:



And inflation isn’t always that bad for everyone…it might depend on which side of the price/income curve you’re on.

If your big dollar items are paid for (house, car, etc.) and you stay out of debt, and don’t waste your money on buying crap you don’t need inflation (higher interest rates) can work in your favor.

In the early 90’s, we were able to quit our jobs and enjoy 3 years adventuring around the more remote parts of the NW, Western Canada, the Yukon and Alaska, living quite happily on CD’s paying out an @8% income.

Too many people blame ‘the government’ too often for their own bad personal spending habits and their own bad fiscal management. For many, that willingness to embrace victimization seems way easier than taking full responsibility for their own laziness, lack of accountability and/or ignorance in personal decision making.

So, there is that…

 

[Ozarker]

^ true

I'd be better off if inflation was running at 5 or 6%.

I don't expect to buy any durable goods in the next 5 years, in fact, I'm getting rid of toys. As most here know, I'm on the down hill slide, so my "market basket" of inflationary items is limited, basically food and beer with entertainment.

Not long ago 3% inflation was the target feeding GDP and unemployment was 4-6%, today things are much better, lowest unemployment in 50 years, record market highs, so, hearing people complain with the noise from political assassins is par for the course. If you're having a bad financial time in this economy you're problem is related to your production, not the economy.

School shooter was a 15 year old girl!

German government falls!

Russian General assassinated!

Drones being UFO's!

Lots of things going on today......

 

[AbleGuy]

some additions:

Teen female shooter was a Christian ?

German government falls

French government falls

Canada’s Trudeau government is collapsing

Drones supposedly turn out to just be normal airplanes

2nd Russian weapons development military leader killed

Dow on track for its longest losing streak since the 1970s!

Bitcoin Price Sets All-Time High

High rise buildings in Miami are sinking

What the heck is going on here?



(Ummmm….What else? Feel free to chime in )

 

[TwinStick]

Planes and helicopters seem to be less safe than they used to be. People seem to not do things that they used to do well.

I have never had a truck with more issues than our 2023 ZR2 Colorado. Dealer/s seem much less willing to admit/fix problems with their products.

It seems like humans are de evolving. Since we took delivery, I have heard the phrase "get used to it because that's your new normal " said to me more times than I care to admit and I have also heard that same phrase said to others every single time I have been to our 3 dealers.