They are competing instead for a shrunken supply of used autos, especially smaller, less expensive ones that consume less fuel.
She had been leasing a Toyota Tacoma pickup she acquired as new four years ago and had been using for her custom drapery business.
For just under $400 a month for six years, she said, she has a vehicle that’s easier to drive than her old pickup yet spacious enough to carry a 6-foot ladder for her business.
“I can’t imagine a situation in which we’ve had so many people willing to spend so much money,” Drury said.
Left largely out of that pool, buyers of more modest means have been vying for the most fuel-efficient used vehicles — and forcing up their prices.