Article about young people buying fewer cars, and marketing executives trying to figure out why (truck, bike)

[Stonepa]

Here in Seattle if you work in the city (city of, not necessarily the rest of King County) and live in the city or suburbs it makes a lot more sense than not to take public transportation, walk, or ride your bike. Millennials seem to make it a point to live in the city as they want access to cheap and relatively convenient public transportation without the pain, cost, and responsibility of owning a car. For those unlucky enough to drive in, the commute can be brutal (walking or biking is a lot faster than rush hour driving in most areas of downtown, especially when Alaska Way goes bye bye), parking is getting harder and harder to find with all the parking lots being replaced with skyscrapers, and the possible congestion charge. I don't know anyone younger than 30 working for me that cares one iota about owning a car. If they need one, they walk outside and get an Uber, Lyft, or a car share by ReachNow, ZipCar, or Car2Go.

I see the same thing in Toronto, Vancouver, NYC, Chicago, London, Boston, LA, SF, etc. This is a huge change from just a decade or two ago, and reflects the rapid maturity of public transport, proliferation of bike lanes, car sharing etc as well as the ever rising college and personal debt, rising costs for car ownership, wage stagnation, lack of job opportunities for young people, and so on. I don't see this changing, even when people get older and start families. They may buy one car for the entire family, but just as many may stick with ride sharing or car shares.

The lure of the crowded road just doesn't appeal the way it used to, at least for those living in urban or suburban areas. Sure, if you live in Montana or some other rural spot you live in a different situation. But your population is shrinking as more and more people more to urban and suburban areas. Which will make it very hard for the traditional car sales model to continue to work.

[Homi]

Originally Posted by sailordave

This could be good and bad. Styling entry level Chevrolet's to appeal to young buyers is fine as long as they don't completely turn off an older customer on a tight budget looking to purchase a new vehicle. Such styling could turn into a "love it or hate it" style. The article also raises the hairs on the back of my neck by bringing up "Jersey Shore" and that teen mom show.

Are either of those idiot productions still on TV?

[easy62]

Originally Posted by Homi

Are either of those idiot productions still on TV?

I know one of those jersey shores character is in prison.

Jersey Shore star Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino has been sentenced to eight months in prison for tax evasion

[Ziggy100]

Originally Posted by Stonepa

Here in Seattle if you work in the city (city of, not necessarily the rest of King County) and live in the city or suburbs it makes a lot more sense than not to take public transportation, walk, or ride your bike. Millennials seem to make it a point to live in the city as they want access to cheap and relatively convenient public transportation without the pain, cost, and responsibility of owning a car. For those unlucky enough to drive in, the commute can be brutal (walking or biking is a lot faster than rush hour driving in most areas of downtown, especially when Alaska Way goes bye bye), parking is getting harder and harder to find with all the parking lots being replaced with skyscrapers, and the possible congestion charge. I don't know anyone younger than 30 working for me that cares one iota about owning a car. If they need one, they walk outside and get an Uber, Lyft, or a car share by ReachNow, ZipCar, or Car2Go.

I see the same thing in Toronto, Vancouver, NYC, Chicago, London, Boston, LA, SF, etc. This is a huge change from just a decade or two ago, and reflects the rapid maturity of public transport, proliferation of bike lanes, car sharing etc as well as the ever rising college and personal debt, rising costs for car ownership, wage stagnation, lack of job opportunities for young people, and so on. I don't see this changing, even when people get older and start families. They may buy one car for the entire family, but just as many may stick with ride sharing or car shares.

The lure of the crowded road just doesn't appeal the way it used to, at least for those living in urban or suburban areas. Sure, if you live in Montana or some other rural spot you live in a different situation. But your population is shrinking as more and more people more to urban and suburban areas. Which will make it very hard for the traditional car sales model to continue to work.

You do know all the American cities you’ve mentioned put together barely make up less than 1% the country’s population? That’s assuming 100% of their urban cores don’t drive cars. As you well know, Seattles’s traffic isn’t getting any better so somebody’s driving and using those roads. While you might know some kids under 30 who live downtown and don’t own a car, I don’t know any families in Seattle that don’t own a car. They all live in suburbs and drive SUV’s and all that American dream stuff.

[burdell]

Originally Posted by don1945

We grew up in a different time, we LOVED cars and LOVED driving them. A lot of young people today could care less...….cars are not something they are interested in, and they are just as happy to ride with a friend instead of driving themselves.


America's love affair with automobiles is over, or at least coming to an end. Glad I grew up when I did, cars are my life and love.

While I've always loved cars I've also always equated the ability to get in and go where I wanted to with freedom, in my youth, being curious what was out there, got in my car in NJ and drove to California and back, it was GREAT! And I see no way texting and social media could ever replace it.

[easy62]

Originally Posted by Ziggy100

You do know all the American cities you’ve mentioned put together barely make up less than 1% the country’s population? That’s assuming 100% of their urban cores don’t drive cars. As you well know, Seattles’s traffic isn’t getting any better so somebody’s driving and using those roads. While you might know some kids under 30 who live downtown and don’t own a car, I don’t know any families in Seattle that don’t own a car. They all live in suburbs and drive SUV’s and all that American dream stuff.

Also Chicago and NY have always been like that we’re people take public transportation not just people under the age of 30. Look at what year the subways were put into operation, way before Generation Y, Echo Boomers or Millenniums decided to not drive.

[Stonepa]

Originally Posted by Ziggy100

You do know all the American cities you’ve mentioned put together barely make up less than 1% the country’s population? That’s assuming 100% of their urban cores don’t drive cars. As you well know, Seattles’s traffic isn’t getting any better so somebody’s driving and using those roads. While you might know some kids under 30 who live downtown and don’t own a car, I don’t know any families in Seattle that don’t own a car. They all live in suburbs and drive SUV’s and all that American dream stuff.

Do you live in Seattle? Anyway, we were talking about young people.

Also not sure where you get your population figures but they are just plain wrong.

I can't say there is a single thing you and I have ever agreed on.

[Stockyman]

Originally Posted by don1945

We grew up in a different time, we LOVED cars and LOVED driving them. A lot of young people today could care less...….cars are not something they are interested in, and they are just as happy to ride with a friend instead of driving themselves.


America's love affair with automobiles is over, or at least coming to an end. Glad I grew up when I did, cars are my life and love.

Not fair to compare. Much easier to drive in your era. Got my license much later than you and in my city the traffic has grown immensely since I first got my license. I miss driving in the 90's. Couldn't even imagine driving in the 60's. Would have been heaven with all that open space.

[Stockyman]

Not that hard to understand. Lower wages, increased traffic. No wonder the young pass on buying cars.

[southernnaturelover]

I have an 18 year old nephew doesn’t isn’t interested in learning to drive, he still lets his mother drive him around . They live in a rural area with no public transportation and no Uber, so he’s going to forced to learn soon whether he wants to or not.