As mentioned by one of the other blogs I follow and doing my own research, there is a serious shortage of the chips needed to make the new cars work. In various e-mails (just try to opt-out! I dare you!) and an actual handout yesterday when I got my truck back, they offer 125% of the Blue Book Value (still less than what I owe on my 2-year old truck) because WE NEED YOUR TRUCK!
Which translates to: We need your truck because we can’t get new trucks that work so we can pay you a lot for your truck (which has a working chip) then turn around and sell it for a lot more to the next poor schmuck that needs a truck and doesn’t care that it’s used. Oh, and by the way, you’ll need a new truck so we’ll get our 125% of Blue Book Value plus back when you do that.
So, my question was gonna be: How fuckin’ stupid do I look? But, I already know the answer: About as stupid as everyone else. Except I ain’t falling for it. It (my truck) may not work completely right (yet), but it (a) still works for what I bought it for, (b) has been partially pimped out to have the things attached to it I sometimes need, and (c) has two years of payments on it (leaving only 5 more years until it’s paid off (I should live that long)).
So, No, you can’t have my truck. Not until the Government confiscates it because they can’t find another working truck in this whole country. But y’all get ready to pay more for anything involving a computer chip this summer. I’m betting in 2022 there’ll be a glut of chips and you’ll be able to buy a new computer like you can printers now. Cheap. Then the auto dealers will beg you to buy a new truck because “We have so many vehicles we have no place to park them.” (And upgrade your damned phone at the same time!)
Read where the U.S. Auto industry and UAW Union urged Congress to spend billions to boost semiconductor production to help fill the needs of automakers forced to slash production because of the chip shortages. That “Congress “should prioritize production of the semiconductors necessary to assemble vehicles here in the United States. This will ensure that motor vehicle manufacturers have a fair share (emphasis mine) of chips needed to meet consumer demand.”
In other words: The U.S. Auto Industry and the UAW Union want the Government to bail them out of a situation they hadn’t planned for that’s cutting into their profit margin. Which means the American people giving them money (it’s gotta come from somewhere) then paying too much for a vehicle at the dealer. Sort of like they’d be double dipping into your pockets.
Which already happens, I know. Never understood why the Government gives money to any business. A business should live or die by the law of demand and the ability to produce a product the people want enough to pay for. Even worse the Government gets to pick who survives and who doesn’t by controlling who gets the bucks. And, really, does it ever work? Look at Solaris. And does your subsidy of the Oil Industry really lower the price you pay at the pump? (It should. You’re paying twice for every gallon you buy.)
I think we can bet that: If vehicles aren’t being assembled here in the States, what makes y’all think they’re being assembled anywhere else? If they are, where did they get their chips?
And, honestly, it is sorta Governments fault what with the over-reaction to COVID-19 and forcing workers to stay home “to keep them safe.” How’s that working out for ya? Oh, chip shortages. Food shortages. Common Sense shortages.
But, don’t get me started. These early morning ramblings … WHY do I wake up thinking of stuff like this? And don’t even get me started on fair share shit.
I miss my ’68 Mustang. Prettier than a Vette and you could stand in the damned engine compartment to fix things if you had to. I could fix the timing just by listening while twisting the distributor. It Just Ran. The only chip it had was those tater chips I dropped between the seats at the drive-in. It would shrug off an EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse) and you could start it up and drive over to see what all the fuss was about carrying two kegs in the open trunk.
You know; if you read through this whole thing: Congratulations! You’re day is shot all to Hell. 😛