AA5B

joined 2 years ago
[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 1 points 9 hours ago

Yet Chinese cars that meet US standards are quite a bit more than that. Where such vehicles are sold in developed markets, they are more like €30-40k

By “legacy manufacturers” I mean those who are stuck on internal combustion engines, and focusing on large trucks and luxury trims.

Average new car price in the US has greatly outpaced inflation and is currently almost $50k, closing in on a full year gross average income. Most people can’t afford that. For that rice you get old technology engine, old technology transmission, same features we’ve had for years.

Yet a replacement for my Subaru is much cheaper, only a little over what I paid nine years ago. It has safety features, electronics, and transmission more innovative than us made cars costing twice as much. Many more people can afford this vehicle, and it’s similar in price to what Chinese cars are selling for in Europe.

We don’t need to compete with $4k cars. We need to compete with cars affordable on average salaries, with new features and unique capabilities.

While the transition to electric vehicles has been politicized, it’s coming and it’s inexorable. “Legacy manufacturers” are those avoiding that change

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 1 points 16 hours ago (2 children)

You’d have an argument if legacy manufacturers were trying. We could talk about support if they were willing. They don’t want it. They’ve already given up

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 1 points 16 hours ago

I’m not convinced it’s lack of sales. Trucks are the most profitable to manufacture but sales vary by region and some parts of the country are much more interested in smaller cars, but they ceded that market to Japanese manufacturers

It’s not they they can’t make them or that the sales aren’t there but that trucks are the easy route. They’re more profitable per unit and easier sell in some areas.

Part of this is also sleazy dealerships. Trucks have by far the biggest incentives so sleazy dealerships can get people excited about the “deal” they get over list price

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 2 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago)

Protecting Detroit from competition would’ve just saddled US consumers with decades more of crappy, overpriced, low quality, cars.

And it did. Japanese companies maintained a solid portion of the market in the US, a notable lead in quality, and many consumers no longer willing to waste money on crappy overpriced low quality cars from American companies. American cars were forced to get better and they’re better off for it, but they resisted the entire time, just like today.

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 2 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

American car companies are focusing on their highest profit center, massive trucks. Milking that market for the short term.

….. regardless of their long term survival. It seems extremely short sighted.

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 4 points 16 hours ago

Plus people usually bring it up in a stupid way. Yes they did. Yes we do that too (for all the “we” on the internet). Some amount of that is entirely normal on the global market.

The real problem is US conservatives who understand car manufacturing is a strategic industry but do not want to give that guidance to aid the transition to new technology, US politicians who can’t cooperate on a coherent long term industrial policy, US politicians who can’t look beyond short term profits for their corporate owners, or outrage headlines for their constituents. There’s nothing magical about Chinese companies taking over the industry, nothing hidden, just politicians establishing a strategy and sticking with it long enough to benefit

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 4 points 16 hours ago

Targeted tariffs and protectionism can help a situation like this, combined with subsidies like the ones Trump cancelled, to give legacy manufacturers a temporary respite to retool and innovate. However backtracking on your transition, reverting to the tried and true short term profits is just hiding your head in the sand. GM will find itself increasingly marginalized and more years behind. You can’t hide behind trumps skirt forever

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 2 points 16 hours ago

NJ is fun to tease.

  • its shape seems perfect for the highway
  • its an ugly part of nyc
  • an ugly part of Philadelphia
  • and Atlantic City went way downhill (admittedly haven’t been there since Trump was bankrupting casinos)

But actually yes. One of my buddies from college was from a very nice part of NJ, exactly like you describe. Well worth visiting and really shows off what a great place NJ can be

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

The problem is the world is transitioning to EVs, and burying your head in the sand won’t change that. Legacy manufacturers could be trying to find their place in the new world while they can, or they can stick with technology of the past, let someone else come to dominate the new technologies, and be left with a ever shrinking market until they disappear

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Yep, it’s a great highway

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

If they tried to send me to my country of ancestry, it no longer exists

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

As others say, ID has always been issued by states and is usually a drivers license, but also

  • until recently there was not standard security, so IDs that are not “Real ID” compliant have different standards
  • some states explicitly do not ask about immigration status. It’s better to have all drivers licensed and insured than for immigrants to drive unlicensed and uninsured
 

Can anyone point anywhere (except Reddit or Facebook) with up to date info about Market Basket? What are the employees doing?

Last time around customers successfully supported the walkout, to all of our benefit, but are they walking? Is there anything organized this time?

19
submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by AA5B@lemmy.world to c/castiron@lemmy.world
 

Was just browsing Lodge cast iron, wondering if there are some pieces I should splurge on. Are there non-standard pieces people actually use? Normally it’s just me for dinner but my two teens are back summers

I have the three standard skillets that I use frequently, with lids I use occasionally. I got the small Dutch oven thinking it would be good for beans, veggies, maybe a small bread loaf, but have to admit I’ve never used it.

What about

  • the minis, like 5” or 6.5” - do you actually do like individual apple crisp or anything? Which size is actually useful? How many?
  • tall frying pan - I’ve been afraid to try frying, but is this significantly safer than the regular skillet, for fish or something? Or should I just stick to the air fryer? Do people use this?
  • does anyone like the baking pan or cookie sheet? Do you use it enough to be worthwhile?
 

So many toddler toys and sporting goods on the curb in front of our house! Got my now college age kid to help.

We put up a huge “free” sign, and at least some things found a new home. Three bicycles, two portable soccer nets, and a pair of roller blades definitely gone but there’s just so much stuff that I really couldn’t say what’s no longer there

I’m disappointed the snow blower didn’t go. Yeah it’s older and needs service but it’s a nice two stage, self-propelled, auto-start model where bringing it back to life would be a fraction of the cost of buying something like that

 

I find this a bit weird, but I just fell asleep on the sofa while watching YouTube. The weird part was I had a very vivid dream that I was watching an entirely different YouTube video

 

This morning I made pancakes for my little one (ok, he’s a high school senior, and it was an egg, cantaloupe and some pancakes). His favorite is chocolate chip: I can do that!

As I was making them I realized I didn’t have enough chocolate chips. But I could still be the hero, I had mini-chips to make energy bites!

I don’t know if this counts as science, but I discovered the minis sink right to the bottom while full sized are easier to keep in suspension. The minis made it a lot harder to give each a consistent chocolate taste

 

The last several months, I’ve started watching YouTube.

I tried looking at what I’ve been watching:

  • lawn mowing
  • drain clearing
  • dog grooming
 

For those of us still impatiently waiting, what is your experience so far with “Home Assistant Voice Preview Edition”?

—- I ordered just 2 hours in but the vendor I used sold out in 21 minutes. I just found out I also missed the restock, so hopefully some time next month.

 
49
Waffles for the win (lemmy.world)
submitted 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) by AA5B@lemmy.world to c/dull_mens_club@lemmy.world
 

Slept in and made waffles for my kids …. I got too damn excited making Liege Waffles for the first time. The kids loved them but it’s a lot of work, even more cleanup, and molten sugar hurts like the dickens

42
Huge Costco trip (lemmy.world)
submitted 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) by AA5B@lemmy.world to c/dull_mens_club@lemmy.world
 

I haven’t been in about three months so I started running out of stuff. It almost got exciting, going while hungry and without a Christmas list. I should not have done that

And still no effing tissue boxes

 

The pop up reminder has been on my thermostat since October.

However the furnace couldn’t hold temperature and started short cycling so I had to. Unfortunately that doesn’t seem to be the problem so I may need to call a guy (it’s always to replace the control board but I have yet to find a way to confirm that before spending $400 to do it myself)

44
Did not sleep in (lemmy.world)
submitted 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) by AA5B@lemmy.world to c/dull_mens_club@lemmy.world
 

Already failed my first goal for taking today off, by forgetting to turn off my alarm clock.

So my grand plan for using one of my precious days off is (drum roll, please) ….. taking my kid to a routine appointment that for some reason had to be in the middle of the day

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