Car prices have risen much faster than inflation

[isaac]

You can thank Uncle Sam for the outrageous price tag on a new vehicle. I work for Toyota Manufacturing. The past 5 years have been CRAZY as far as overhaul after overhaul after overhaul of our Drivetrain assembly lines. Every time we meet the EPA goal, they raise the bar. I honestly don't know how we even turn a profit with all the R&D and Engineers they've added to the payroll. I had to work 32 days in a row last year building ahead parts so we can keep running while they replace machines that aren't even old yet, they just can't keep up with all the new technology coming out so rapidly.

I'm getting physically exhausted by it. It use to be a good job. Now because of the down-time sustained from the constant revamping of the lines every year, we're all forced to work insane amounts of overtime to play catch-up.