Brad, With a lease, you still have to maintain the car and repair it when it goes wrong. I know because I have leased. Although a lease I got in Toronto in the fifties covered maintenance too. But I paid extra - like an insurance premium.
Detroit used to make more money from parts and service than from selling their cars. Then came competition from Japan. Better cars at a cheaper price. However, I bought a VW Rabbit because they gave 24 months "bumper to bumper" repairs. I changed to a Toyota because they provided a 36 month "bumper to bumper" repairs. I figured they couldn't afford 36 months of repairs if the car needed them. The first Toyota Station Wagon I got I liked and kept it for 8 years. Up until then I would buy a new one every 3 years and depreciate it to zero. During the 8 years, I didn't even replace a light bulb. The second one I've had for 7 years, and I have replaced a light bulb. Because of these Japanese cars, Detroit has had to produce good cars. It's called competition. Incidentally, both were station wagons. The one I have seats 7 and has plenty of room for lumber and suchlike. It isn't as high as a SUV but it gets 30 miles to the gallon. Harry ------------------------------------------- Brad wrote: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >[snip] > > SOUNDS GOOD. SORT OF LIKE TAKING OUT A RENTAL CAR. TAKE CARE OF IT OR > > ELSE. > >This is exactly one of the ways I have thought >this could be done: If Generic Motors sells >me a car, then there interest lies in >me going back and paying for repair and in >my needing soon to buy a new one. But >if Generic Motors *leases* me the car, >then their interest is for the car to have no >repairs. Also note that the leasor will >have more of an interest in letting a car >go only to worthy customers than will a seller, >since the leased vehicle comes back to the >leasor bearing deep impressions of the >moral character of the leassee. > >This doesn't sound at all utopian to me. > >\brad mccormick > > > > > How about it, folks: > > > > No rights without responsibilities. > > > > And, my belief: > > > > A thing of beauty is a responsibility forever. > > > > As it is now, ownership is a license to destroy, and > > some persons are rich enough to be able to > > enjoy potlatching (yes, I choose this wor on purpose to > > indict a certain non-white-European-male ethnic custom...), etc. > > > > Private property can perhaps be reconstructed to be > > both socially and individually rewarding. > > > > THEORY TELLS US IT CAN BE DONE, PRACTICE DEMONSTRATES OTHERWISE. > > > > \brad mccormick > > > > -- > > Let your light so shine before men, > > that they may see your good works.... (Matt 5:16) > > > > Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thes 5:21) > > > > <![%THINK;[SGML+APL]]> Brad McCormick, Ed.D. / [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > > Visit my website ==> http://www.users.cloud9.net/~bradmcc/ > >-- > Let your light so shine before men, > that they may see your good works.... (Matt 5:16) > > Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thes 5:21) > ><![%THINK;[SGML+APL]]> Brad McCormick, Ed.D. / [EMAIL PROTECTED] >----------------------------------------------------------------- > Visit my website ==> http://www.users.cloud9.net/~bradmcc/ ****************************** Harry Pollard Henry George School of LA Box 655 Tujunga CA 91042 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tel: (818) 352-4141 Fax: (818) 353-2242 *******************************
