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GasBuddy News Article

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Reversal: Now high gas prices drive car sales boom

USA Today -- High gas prices used to hold down new car sales. Now it's fueling them.

So says Automotive News, which points to March's buoyant sales -- 1.4 million vehicles, up 13% compared to the same month last year -- and says much of the activity involved buyers trading in old, inefficient autos for new gas-saving models.

"Fuel economy was the name of the game in March [and] the first quarter," Ken Czubay, Ford's U.S. sales chief tells the News. "Dealers across the country told us that higher fuel prices played a larger role in customers' choices."

Gas prices continue to rise and there's a good chance they may top $4 a gallon nationally this week.

A little comparison with the last gas-price runup: In May, 2008, cars saw sales rise 2% while gas-gulping pickup trucks and SUVs fell 25%.


Read the Full Article

Submitted Apr 09, 2012 By: BurntOrange
Category: Daily News Article Discussions > Topics Add to favorite topics  
Author Topic: Reversal: Now high gas prices drive car sales boom Post a Reply Back to Topics
REPLIES (newest first)
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rjhenn
Champion Author Des Moines

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Message Posted: Apr 10, 2012 11:50:32 AM

Sparky, there's a whole section of the forum, Just For Fun, where you can make meaningless posts for points.
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sparky808
Champion Author Honolulu

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Message Posted: Apr 10, 2012 11:29:40 AM

Thank you for posting.
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A2J
Champion Author Richmond

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Message Posted: Apr 10, 2012 7:51:40 AM

hmmm
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robaloma
Champion Author Houston

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Message Posted: Apr 10, 2012 7:12:04 AM

If you can't afford a tank of gas, how can you afford a new car?
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SparkieMi
Champion Author Kalamazoo

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:41:43 PM

No surprise....
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ExplorerWA
Champion Author Washington

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:30:05 PM

I don't believe it.
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johnd900
Veteran Author Massachusetts

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:28:25 PM

Conspiracy theory :)
The car companies get the oil companies to keep the prices high so that the masses will buy new more fuel efficient cars.
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GasFreeLeaf
Champion Author Orange County

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:25:07 PM

It is good to see some motion in the economy.
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jkpsr
Champion Author New Jersey

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:22:49 PM

And all this time the Big Three opposed tighter mileage standards!
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rawdog1313
Champion Author Lexington

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:20:22 PM

Don't believe it.........
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Bigwaynef
Champion Author South Carolina

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:17:16 PM

Sweet, so I guess I can buy a new car every 6 months hell maybe gas will go even higher...dreamns...
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gd83goldwinger
Champion Author South Bend

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:17:04 PM

It's not pushing me to a new car.
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KrsnaDragon
Champion Author Montreal

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:16:11 PM

At last, people are beginning to acknowledge the end of oil, lol.
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umitb
Champion Author Indianapolis

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:14:15 PM

ok
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btex49
Champion Author Austin

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:14:12 PM

Prices for used trucks is too high. I bought a pick up from my brother-in-law's lot two or three years ago. It was totaled in a wreck when I was struck form behind while sitting at a light. The insurance company has offered me more than what I paid for it and now my brother-in-law is saying my truck is worth even more than the insurance company if offering.
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Blue_Cruzer
Champion Author Lexington

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:13:50 PM

Can't win either way, high gas prices or overpriced new vehicles.
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Dsin44
Champion Author Abbotsford

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:12:50 PM

can not afford a new car or the payment... need a higher paying job.
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jem069
Champion Author Detroit

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:12:00 PM

ok
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chuckwthompson
Champion Author Charlotte

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:11:13 PM

0% financing is packed into the price. There is NO free lunch!
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herndonks
Champion Author Baltimore

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:11:10 PM

Ok
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yakstar
Champion Author Montreal

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:11:07 PM

sweet b jesus!
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tedjm1
Champion Author New York

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:10:43 PM

Hard decision to buy nowadays. All prices & associated costs are going higher.
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vegboy
All-Star Author Massachusetts

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Joined:Feb 2012
Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:09:58 PM

good for economy. but it dont make financial sense to me, it will take years to recoup the cost savings, i'll stick with my car and bank my $.
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heartbroken2010
Champion Author Ottawa

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:09:30 PM

only because they have to offer " 0% Financing " , that is of course if you have a job.
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rtw777
Champion Author Florida

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:09:20 PM

Doesn't make sense.
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cmsense
Champion Author Columbus

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:08:26 PM

Fuel efficient vehicles are here to stay.
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MattieDale
Sophomore Author Cincinnati

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:08:14 PM

That's alright. I got a Yamaha motorcycle.
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regout
Champion Author Quebec

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:06:46 PM

Really is it true?
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mcmonsta
Champion Author Honolulu

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:05:55 PM

how odd that we cannot buy what we want because of what we have to pay just to run it
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joel27nc
Champion Author Raleigh

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:05:33 PM

Really, now....not 2 years ago....really
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Z06KY
Champion Author Louisville

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:05:14 PM

It has happen before!
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Colts13
Champion Author Indiana

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:04:49 PM

Ok.
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Mnbncounter
Champion Author San Jose

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:04:21 PM

Time to get rid of those POS SUVs.
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TheBusStopsHere
Champion Author Oklahoma

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:03:27 PM

I'm driving my well-used car into the ground...can't afford a new one!
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69Bonne
Champion Author Gary

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 10:00:48 PM

Yeah, well there are more fuel efficient cars these days.
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bvrbill
Champion Author Eugene

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 9:59:35 PM

It's good to have a more fuel efficient vehicle. I can't afford one.
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alterman156
Champion Author New York

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 9:58:44 PM

Those new car sales are probably for fuel efficient cars.
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DandyDapple
All-Star Author North Dakota

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 9:57:21 PM

OMG 2012
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mdskier
Champion Author Maryland

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 9:52:58 PM

Maybe people will now come to their senses and dump/sell
their oversized gas guzzling SUV's for small economical
to drive cars.

OTOH, they never learn.
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Tucker1961
Champion Author Seattle

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 9:51:43 PM

good for auto workers
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USCCRN
Sophomore Author Long Island

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 9:50:27 PM

Only people with lots of money can afford to buy a new car because, new car dealerships are selling them dirt cheap to make up for their losses during the past fews years in this turbulent and horrible economy.
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jessek
Champion Author Detroit

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 9:50:21 PM

Good for them.
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Holly123
Champion Author Charlotte

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 9:49:32 PM

I guess there are some who are buying new cars for that reason. Not me. The gas is cheaper than a new car payment.
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aggietim
Champion Author Fort Worth

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 9:49:14 PM

who can afford a new car
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regout
Champion Author Quebec

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 9:49:10 PM

Yes.........
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jason98122
Champion Author Seattle

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 9:47:12 PM

I am glad there are more choices than there was in 2008 when gas prices spiked. Hope there are more choices moving forward in the future.
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carman11
Champion Author North Carolina

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 9:45:14 PM

OK
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flghtmedic
All-Star Author Pensacola

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 9:45:12 PM

Ok
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rayla36
Sophomore Author Columbus

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 9:41:45 PM

I actually like my car dealer and he says he's seeing an increase in sales.
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LaVonneK
Champion Author Iowa

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Message Posted: Apr 9, 2012 9:41:35 PM

Good for them.
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