A number of articles in today’s paper are illustrating how the economy is turning conventional thinking on its head:
- From the “You Call That An Upgrade” Department: It seems that rental car companies have a problem these days: no one wants to be upgraded to an SUV or Minivan, given their poor gas milage. As such, their fleet mix is off, and it can take them 18 months to adjust it. Further, car companies don’t want to buy the rentals back, so they are having to see them at more of a lost. What may be the result? Expect to see pricing turn on its head: that subcompact may be more expensive to rent than the SUV.
- From the “I’m The Man Who Built The Bridges” Department: Roads. We drive on them every day. We all love that smooth feel of fresh asphalt. That may change. It is turning out that, with the rising cost of oil, concrete is now cheaper than asphalt. It lasts longer too (but takes more effort to lay). As a result, more and more contractors are winning bids with concrete.
