No Deals on Used Cars in the DC area Despite Trump’s Federal Job Cuts in DC

[Anonymous]

1. Feds aren't buying BMWs, even used, on the whole. There are other people who don't work for the federal government living in the DC metro.

2. Since the prices of new cars have gone up, people are shopping for more used cars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’ve been shopping for a used car in the $40K–$50K range over the past month, expecting some deals given all the talk of Trump’s federal workforce cuts and economic uncertainty in DC. But surprisingly, dealers aren’t budging on prices for used BMWs, Audis, or Volvos—no discounts, no negotiation.

Even with high interest rates and supposed job fears, used car prices seem unaffected. In fact, someone even bought one of the used BMWs we were looking at for full sticker price before we could act.

At the same time, I haven’t noticed a surge in used car listings from private sellers on Autotrader or Facebook Marketplace. Maybe cars in this $40K–$50K range are just holding steady, or maybe wealthier buyers are trying to lower their costs by shopping in this price bracket instead of buying new.

Are others seeing the same? Is the fear overblown, or is the used car market just immune to it?

The used car market is a national market. Dealer, cars.com, carmax, etc show cars from across the country. You can pay shipping or fly out and drive back if it is cheaper for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many job cuts do you think there will be? Not many so far, and I doubt there will be enough to make a dent in the used car market.

75% of the Feds and contractors will be gone by the end of the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many job cuts do you think there will be? Not many so far, and I doubt there will be enough to make a dent in the used car market.

75% of the Feds and contractors will be gone by the end of the year.

If this is true, it means more people will be buying used cars rather than new cars.

If OP thinks most feds are buying used BMWs, I want to have what they are smoking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many job cuts do you think there will be? Not many so far, and I doubt there will be enough to make a dent in the used car market.

75% of the Feds and contractors will be gone by the end of the year.

Nope.

[Anonymous]

The tariff threats have also encouraged some people to buy cars now earlier than they otherwise would plan to do so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The tariff threats have also encouraged some people to buy cars now earlier than they otherwise would plan to do so.

We are in that boat right now. I would have waited to buy a new car, but now we feel like we are being forced to go ahead and get one.

We drive out cars into the ground, so if OP wants to buy my 25 year old Toyota my fed dh uses to commute to work, I have a deal for them!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many job cuts do you think there will be? Not many so far, and I doubt there will be enough to make a dent in the used car market.

75% of the Feds and contractors will be gone by the end of the year.

If this is true, it means more people will be buying used cars rather than new cars.

If OP thinks most feds are buying used BMWs, I want to have what they are smoking.

Really? How do you figure that? You think people with no job are going to buy a car or are they just going to make do with what they have?