[JavaBatman]

> "Automotive semiconductors will continue to be a limiting constraint on the automotive market through the first half of 2022, but barring any unforeseen shutdowns or semiconductor manufacturing issues, supply should gradually improve through the second half of the year," she said.

Probably a good idea to wait til the end of the year to buy a new car then. The market is simply and truly insane right now. The best price you can get for a used car is now the MSRP of the new version. And the best price you can get for a new car is $5-6k over MSRP. It's just insane. If you're spending $40k on a RAV4 or CRV, you might as well just spend that same $40k and get a Tesla.

[katbyte]

I just got a new car at msrp in Canada so it is possible, a Toyota. However there was no bargaining and was more “call everyone and find the dealer with one coming in soon and grab it”

[RansomStark]

It's interesting that you managed to get a Toyota. Toyota until very late on wasn't affected by the chip shortage [0]. Toyota practically invented lean manufacturing and are the only business that seems to do it right, I guess it's because they didn't need to bring in a bunch of lean consultants, that either miss the nuance or can't effectively communicate that nuance.

Lean manufacturing and JIT are like DRY in software development. Those that are just learning think don't repeat yourself is a rule, "DRY means DRY" whereas experts have learnt that "DRY means DRY except in all of those situations where it is better to repeat yourself".

Toyota knew prior to the pandemic that their chip supply chain was vulnerable, being filled with single points of failure, and they stocked accordingly. But those stocks were only going to last so long, and, thanks in part to the panic buying of the other car manufacturers, Toyota is also facing a shortage.

The above is a really long winded way to say, I'd be interested to know if MSRP Toyota's will remain available in the near term, mostly because I'm in the market for a new car, I'll put the local Toyota dealers at the top of the list.

[0] https://fortune.com/2021/08/02/toyota-cars-chip-shortage-sem...

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/10/business/toyota-productio...

[katbyte]

I know they went up a little over the last couple years, but they (at least tacomas) hold their price really well, and they are generally solid and will last. Driven Toyotas all my life and 100% recommend them. My only advice is to just call all your local dealers and find one with a vehicle already on its way to claim

[newfie_bullet]

Also in Canada. We ordered a new Rav4 back in early October and just got word that it's 'scheduled' to arrive in the middle of April. When we first placed the order it was thought that we'd have it by Christmas/New Years. Definitely major delays and shortages but the MSRP doesn't seem to have been affected (but time will tell when we actually go to sign the paperwork)

[katbyte]

I called about a dozen dealers to find an unclaimed one that was already enroute to the dealer. From what I understand you do not go onto “Toyota’s” list you go onto the dealers list, and they will not send you elsewhere, thou a really good/honest dealer can query what dealers are getting what. Took me about a week to find one, and another week to pickup my Tacoma, however I did have to spend a few hours each way on a ferry. I’ve been told “if you don’t have a vin you don’t have a date” but not sure how true that is.

[taubek]

What has happened with all those cars that weren't sold during 2020 and 2021 due to pandemic? I remember seeing photos of huge parking lots filled with new cars? Did they all get sold in the end?

Here is just one atricle on this topic https://time.com/5830664/cars-cargo-ships/

[Edit]: fixed typo

[function_seven]

My recollection is that only happened during the first month or two of the pandemic. When everyone thought we were surely plunging into a recession or depression. The stock market dropped quite a bit during that same period.

After the initial few months, it all reversed. I don't recall ever seeing any stories like the one you linked past 2020.

[vkou]

> What has happened with all those cars that weren't sold during 2020 and 2021 due to pandemic?

People collectively realized that they don't want to be taking public transit in the middle of a pandemic.

[senectus1]

I know that here in Australia its damned hard to get a car.

5 months ago I placed an order, would have been happy with a 2021 model but they don't have any... so I'm stuck waiting till October THIS YEAR... over a years wait. for one of the most popular cars on the Australian market.

[visarga]

Looks like a similar situation to car sales in Eastern Europe in the 1980s. You had to wait for years to be able to buy a new one, even if it was the popular model of the day. Some people made money by registering to the queue and selling their spot.

[taubek]

Trabant, Wartburg, Moskvitch, Zastava, Lada, Skoda,... I guess all of them had a long waiting lists. I don't know if it was a joke but I've heard that people would leave their spots in last will and testimony to their kids.

[vasac]

Not sure about others but in the '80s nobody waited for Zastava. All over the country foreign cars were "assembled" (Opel, Renault, Citroen, WV Golf...) so while Zastava priduced cheaper cars they weren't the only game in the town and they kinda produced enough to satisfy demand (actually I believe that they would prefered that demand for their cars was even larger). Not sure about 60's and 70's though.

[rosege]

Can you say what you are getting? I got a RAV4 which I ordered in Nov 2020 and collected in late Mar 2021. Not long after the wait list blew out to 8 months.

[BLKNSLVR]

It might be fairly easy to get a second-hand hail-damaged-but-mechanically-fine bargain. The flipside of that is the potential insurance hell invited by that situation.

[jcranberry]

If I remember correctly rental businesses were offloading cars at a crazy rate to survive the pandemic, but then once people were travelling again they needed to buy them back up at a crazy rate.

[hansthehorse]

I was at a honda dealer last friday and they didn't have a single new car on the lot. I person I knew there told me they sold every car in their allotment before it shipped and at a hefty markup. They haven't had an unsold new car hit the lot in months. There were selling used cars for more than they sold for when new. I was on the edge of buying a new Camry in the summer of 2019 and decided to wait one more year. That didn't work out very well.

[Qub3d]

> The market is simply and truly insane right now.

It's ridiculous. I was very fortunate to get a CPO near the end of 2019. Whenever I take it in for service, I get both a text and an in-person request to have my car's value appraised.

They're offering 2-5K over carfax value, no questions asked -- which is currently more than I paid for the car 3 years ago! Frankly, if I lived in a more walkable/bikable area, I might do it.

[martythemaniak]

Tesla's been growing like crazy, but the demand is crazier still. I ordered a Model Y in September. It's currently set to arrive in March, in the mean time the price of a new one has gone up almost 10% since I ordered.

[redisman]

Model Y which is still smaller is $60k right now