I think there are two angles to consider, and they have potential to fight each other.
1. How busy are the local auto mechanics? If they're turning away work, or at least make cars wait in very long lines for service, then jumping in the market is an obviously good idea.
2. Poor people tend to want to keep their cars running far longer. And the poorer they are, the more sense it makes to take the car in for one more repair, rather than junk it and look for a less-well-used one. And yeah, the gap between the haves and the have-nots has been growing wider and wider since about 1975.
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Date: 2010-08-28 07:57 pm (UTC)1. How busy are the local auto mechanics? If they're turning away work, or at least make cars wait in very long lines for service, then jumping in the market is an obviously good idea.
2. Poor people tend to want to keep their cars running far longer. And the poorer they are, the more sense it makes to take the car in for one more repair, rather than junk it and look for a less-well-used one. And yeah, the gap between the haves and the have-nots has been growing wider and wider since about 1975.