You can blame the auto unions for the exuberent amounts of money it takes to buy a working man's hot rod these days. In Canada these working stiffs at these auto plants are making well in the excess of high 20's to low 30's for running an air ratchet where guys like myself make less and I'm the guy that builds the lines and robots that they use to make the production auto's that roll off their lines. Go figure. Who said life is fair. Along with the dick's at the fuel companies and the government that tacks on the tax on fuel, you can't win.