USDX

USDX - the US dollar vs a comprehensive basket of currencies. Down 11% over the last 12 months, down 13% from the start of 2017.

7.6% to 8.2% in one year is huge.

But that’s only on that one index USDX has dropped 11% in the last 12 months, 13% if you go back to the start of Jan 17. Those are HUGE drops in value.

Average union dues are nowhere near $220 per week. It’s actually about $400 per YEAR.

So $200*52-$400 = $10,000 net additional

“There are these things called labor laws in place that have secured work and made Unions nothing but a ponzi scheme”

And good luck getting those laws enforced. Do you have the ability to afford a lawyer to represent you?

“Rising prices for steel, aluminum and other metals are exacerbating issues “ 

Yeah, in case you hadn’t noticed, the US Dollar has lost a LOT of value in the past 12 months. A LOT. That makes anything priced on a global market considerably more expensive for us. We’re just starting to see these costs hit…

““I’d like some gasoline please.” And then they put the fuel nozzle in your car,”

WTF? Do you think we all live in NJ? 

“Amateurs”

-Takata

No - but the concept that your reliability should drop with a v8 or “luxury” status is absurd. The point is that you’re comparing your experienced reliability to that of a brand not known for reliability when what you experience really isn’t that abnormal in the auto industry in general. It’s akin (albeit exaggerated)…

“The GS is ~8 years old, a comparable BMW would have incurred hundreds or thousands in unplanned maintenance by now”

Sure, but you’re not exactly comparing it to the most reliable competition. My loaded 13 year old Ford has cost me $30 in repairs.

$30. 

Exactly what I was thinking - if he still has all three, then sure... but if he traded the 07 or the 08 in for the 11, then clearly no.

The current gen screams Nissan Murano to me.

So say us all.

The grille on the LC looks better than the implementation on that SUV beast, which is just hideous.

But the LC still isn’t attractive in my book - it looks like a trainwreck of three different shapes, as if the guy styling the front barely talked to the guy working the middle or the guy working the back end. It’s like…

All three of those Lexus grills you show are ugly.

Why buy an ugly Buick when you can just buy a Buick?

Your original post didn’t make that claim - you said all-aluminum. It isn’t.

The current steel + aluminum is still mixed material, though - can’t have a truck without either the body or the frame...

The current gen F-150 is mixed material. It isn’t all aluminum, though the body panels are all aluminum...

And why is this so funny?

If you have a balance of trade, you have as much value going one way as you have going the other. What workers are paid is not relevant - you have the equivalent of each country producing to meet its own consumption, but allow for the efficiencies in centralized production.