It started out innocently enough as a conversation about Christmas gifts. “People my age value experiences over material things,” my 21-year-old told me.
I assumed he was just politely asking for cash and didn’t think much of it.
Then, during a recent meeting with Ward’s editors, Ford sales analyst George Pipas used almost exactly the same words to explain the entire Millennial generation, people born between the late 1970s and late 1990s, feel the same way my son does.
In other words, the children of Baby Boomers do not aspire to vehicle ownership like we did.
Instead of daydreaming about buying a Ford Expedition they can use for camping trips with friends and family, many Millenials may want to rent the big SUV for just the camping trip, Pipas explained. The vehicle is just another element of the experience, not the foundation for it.
The next weekend they might rent a canoe.
That sent a chill down my spine.
2008 Detroit Auto Show Photo Gallery
2008 San Diego Auto Show Photo Gallery
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