Trump's Tariffs Are Already Straining This Oklahoma Used Car Business

Antonio Austin's used car dealership in Lawton, Oklahoma, faces severe challenges due to the impact of President Trump's auto tariffs. His inventory and sales are at an all-time low, with issues arising from vehicles, particularly a persistently problematic 2012 Dodge Avenger. Customers like Tailor Phillips, who rely on affordable, used vehicles, face dire situations as repairs become costly and their credit situations limit options. The struggle of fulfilling commute needs highlights the financial stress endemic among low-income families reliant on affordable transportation.

“My sales pitch is to get you from point A to point B,” he said. Most of his customers paid their loans in biweekly installments, delivering him envelopes of cash to avoid the $5 credit card processing fee.”

“He had sold the 2012 Dodge Avenger almost a year earlier for a down payment of $1,000, but lately it kept reappearing at his used car dealership with problems that were becoming more complicated and expensive to fix.”

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