Fun With Finances 1

A major Japanese exporter of automobiles (cars)* is promoting what must still be in the wake of the 2007 financial crisis (sic) that a discount of up to $8500 on the purchase of one of their new vehicles. Now for the youth of today that must seem to be a great bargain. “Yo, dude, way too cool on the priceola man!” But for the ancient set, those with enough brain cells to left to rattle together to make a noise in their heads this fabulous 'offer' must be making them shake their heads (increasing their inner brain noise). Thirty years ago, before their daring name change, you could buy almost three of the same manufacturers cars for that same money. (apologies for the italics but they do look cool don't they?) It must be remembered that this is only the 'savings' on said car purchase, you still gotta pay more for the damn thing. Discovering the cost to drive it away is far too frightening to delve into.

Now, what does this car today have that the cars of thirty years ago warrants such an outlandish outlay of cash? A car today has wheels and tires and gears and windows and radios and seats and floors and doors. But did cars not always have these features?

Perhaps the components of the car in question are now made of precious metals. Gold, after all is far more expensive today than it ever deserved to be. Surely they cannot be using old fashioned, cheap steel and aluminum. Perhaps the seats are now covered in vellum (now that would be expensive and very illegal as well). Are the windows lead crystal? Hasn't lead crystal been removed from the market do to its poisonous tendencies?

Surely there is a reason that a person desiring to drive a car should pay such a crippling cost. Do you think that the selling company will make an effort to explain? Or do they think that you should blithely pay what they demand without questioning why. Good question.

Of course this assault upon the wallets and life savings of today's consumers is only highlighted when it is pointed out that Henry Ford's (you remember him, he was the only non-German to be awarded the Iron Cross by Hitler) first assembly line car, the Model T, was priced at $500 delivered.

* if the manufacturer desires to be named it can be easily done for a fee