Chinese investors buy $6.1 Billion worth Of U.S. homes in past 12 months

[hal2kilo]

I will drive any car I have until it's on fire and in a ditch. I will then rip the VIN number off and run away.
I just don't even "want" a brand new car. And I sure as shit do not want to dole out $500+ per month for a "cheap" used car. Just a colossal waste of money in my opinion.

Everything on the newer cars cost a fortune to fix or replace.

 

[Homerboy]

Over the past few years, I've certainly grown more to understanding how you feel here, and agreeing with a lot of it. The idea of being tired of assuming the role of "the good little consumer" that happily takes out a loan or lease to keep the auto manufacturers happy. Ultimately, I'm tired of having car payments. My main thing about a car is that it needs to get me from A to B while being reliable. Although, the one caveat is that I like music while I drive, and it's nice for the car to be able to keep up with modern technology in regard to how we interact with music. ...or I could be that guy with the tape adapter that hooks up to their iPod. Anyway, the awkward part is that my older cars were still built in such a way that you could just replace the (double-DIN) radio with something new without losing features, but these days, the infotainment system is mixed with some controls to where the infotainment system might also provide things like the seat heater, etc. So, it's more like I've made it harder on myself to upgrade without upgrading the entire car.

yeah so do I.
They make little BT adaptors that plug into your cigarette lighter. Then tune your radio to 87.7FM (or whatever) and stream music from your phone to the BT adaptor
Sound isn't perfect, but I'm driving in a car - it doesn't have to be. Works like a charm and I use it constantly.

 

[sportage]

It's waaayyyy past time (like years) foreign ownership of real property in the US was restricted. Many other countries have been doing this for a while.

This is what gets me about our politicians. For generations it would seem the goal was to bring America to its knees. You'd think those in power would make laws and regulations to protect America and Americans, but no.
Look at any house built in the 50's, one car garage, single family home. Dad worked and mom stayed at home caring for the kids and the home. And in the Summer, that family could afford a nice family vacation. All on dads one salary.

Then.... suddenly, dad needed two jobs or something part-time to make ends meet. And family vacations were out.
Then.... it got worse when mom had to get a job too, just to make ends meet. That was when women realized how unfair they were treated in the workplace and the women lib movement was born. Regardless, mom needed that income to keep the family afloat.

And as time rolled on, incomes from both mom and dad were not enough. The middle class family kept losing ground, and losing ground, and losing ground. New homes were built with a two car garage because the family needed two cars, one for mom and one for dad.
And because mom was at work, unable to cook those nice wholesome family meals, families suffered. And kids found themselves home alone and thus began the birth of the juvenile delinquent. Children lacking of parental supervision. Mom was at work and simply too tired to deal with the kid.
Say hello to the new babysitter, McDonalds and Xbox.

It would seem American society was going to hell.
And again, it all goes back to our politicians and political leadership. It was like they planned all of this from the beginning. To make life as difficult as they could for the American middle class. To do nothing to protect America from internal chaos and outside influence.

And here we are again, homes being bought up by ""investors"" thus causing further American chaos for the middle class.... if we still have a middle class?
Would-be homeowners are forced into renters. Home ownership is threatened. And our politicians? Missing in action. The sad thing is... it no longer matters who or what political party is in charge, the demise of the middle class continues regardless of which party is in control.
It's like some dirty little plan, an ongoing plot by our politicians to destroy from within.

 

[dainthomas]

Over the past few years, I've certainly grown more to understanding how you feel here, and agreeing with a lot of it. The idea of being tired of assuming the role of "the good little consumer" that happily takes out a loan or lease to keep the auto manufacturers happy. Ultimately, I'm tired of having car payments. My main thing about a car is that it needs to get me from A to B while being reliable. Although, the one caveat is that I like music while I drive, and it's nice for the car to be able to keep up with modern technology in regard to how we interact with music. ...or I could be that guy with the tape adapter that hooks up to their iPod. Anyway, the awkward part is that my older cars were still built in such a way that you could just replace the (double-DIN) radio with something new without losing features, but these days, the infotainment system is mixed with some controls to where the infotainment system might also provide things like the seat heater, etc. So, it's more like I've made it harder on myself to upgrade without upgrading the entire car.

I'm lucky to have bought my truck before the big screen infotainment systems were included in all of them (2008). Then my brother who manages a stereo store hooked me up with a nice Kenwood with wireless android auto.

Oh, and my truck just hit 220k.

 

[Captante]

Everything on the newer cars cost a fortune to fix or replace.

Feel free to make fun of my basic little Honda.

It's been nearly 2 years since I made a car-payment and my last complete brake job was a little over $200 total.

 

[sdifox]

Lol most of those are corrupt Chinese officials and their family shifting assets offshore. Nothing to see.

 

[hal2kilo]

Feel free to make fun of my basic little Honda.

It's been nearly 2 years since I made a car-payment and my last complete brake job was a little over $200 total.

Next car going back to basics, with as little electronics as possible. Yea, a joke. I made my living in electronics.

 

[thilanliyan]

I read on driving.ca on their long term review of the Audi e-Tron GT, that due to a dead 12v battery they had to tow to the dealership because you need a special tool to open the frunk to get to it...just to jump start it. That is colossally stupid. I will never buy a car that needs a tow to the dealership just to boost a dead 12v battery.

 

[pete6032]

This can’t be right, I heard from a reliable source Americans are flush with stimulus cash

The poors are so rich it's ruining the economy.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Over the past few years, I've certainly grown more to understanding how you feel here, and agreeing with a lot of it. The idea of being tired of assuming the role of "the good little consumer" that happily takes out a loan or lease to keep the auto manufacturers happy. Ultimately, I'm tired of having car payments. My main thing about a car is that it needs to get me from A to B while being reliable. Although, the one caveat is that I like music while I drive, and it's nice for the car to be able to keep up with modern technology in regard to how we interact with music. ...or I could be that guy with the tape adapter that hooks up to their iPod. Anyway, the awkward part is that my older cars were still built in such a way that you could just replace the (double-DIN) radio with something new without losing features, but these days, the infotainment system is mixed with some controls to where the infotainment system might also provide things like the seat heater, etc. So, it's more like I've made it harder on myself to upgrade without upgrading the entire car.

I just hate cars period and hate that for most a car is necessary just for the right to work in America since America could give two fucks about its citizens and won't build any decent public transportation to make our lives better. Ugh if I ever have to go work in an office again, thank you COVID for normalizing work from home.