Re: Article about Classic Cars dropping in Value

Posted by Tim Cole On 2021/6/16 19:43:13

Gas prices will keep going up and that is fine with me because it will get the monster trucks and the rude people driving them off the motorways. Meanwhile Detroit has dropped all of its smaller lines with promises of electric nirvana. I haven't seen a recipe for disaster as big since the GM corporate memo on the Vega - "Give us an attractive design that will win accolades, but make sure you use only the cheapest materials to assure atrocious product quality that will alienate customers for decades to come." Not satisfied with meeting expectations they mandated the Chevy Defication (Citation) to get rid of those remaining customers who thought the Vega was a fluke.

But realities are stark. The nation's national debt stands at somewhere around $30 trillion dollars and the fake interest rate central bank has made realistic monetary impossible. One trillion dollars of taxes go uncollected yearly and even if the government raised taxes and reduced spending to balance the budget it would still take 30 years to get the nation onto sound financial footing. Remember when they talked about not creating undue financial burdens on the Nation's grandchildren? People like me never believed that crapola and so don't have any grandchildren.

The behavioral theories go like this: Youth rebellion started in the 1920's in response to the stupidity of World War One. Brand loyalties don't tend to last more than a generation because youth subconciously rejects the actions of their elders who created this mess. And rightly so. Nobody says they shopped at Sears because their parents did. I tell the people who are in love with Junkazon that a good percentage of that cut rate merchandise is likely stolen. Or counterfeit.

I remember the old days when people waxed sentimental about all the honest quality built into those Packards compared to the gimmick ridden stuff for sale new. I beg to differ on some of that especially given a repeating pattern I notice in Packard sales figures namely that a new model would be introduced, sales would soar and then plunge a few years later. That speaks to me as poor customer satisfaction.

Why should youth be interested old cars anyway? To preserve resale values? If preserving history is really that important why demand financial compensation as a requirement to preserve the stuff in the first place? It goes back to what Turnquist said about high prices creating barriers for true enthusiasts. So maybe these cars should be sold cheap to the deserving whomever that may be. Or perhaps the nobel should each mentor a youth and take them to Rabble Beach where they can experience as F. Scott Fitzgerald expressed in The Great Gatsby - People being rich together.

Given how many Packards are being chopped up and turned into junk street rods maybe the stuff should be given a decent burial instead.