Local auto dealerships speak on Trump’s tariffs
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- President Trump's car tariffs on all cars and light-duty trucks imported into the U.S. will go into effect at midnight on April 2, 2025.
An executive order was signed last week to impose a 25% tariff on these vehicle imports which could impact car brands and some foreign countries that export their vehicles to the U.S.
The White House has also said a tax on automobile parts imported into the U.S. will be imposed in May.
ABC-7 spoke with the Customer Relations Director at Shamaley Ford, Sasha Martinez who said once those tariffs come into effect is when they will start impacting auto dealerships.
"Most of our vehicles are completely assembled here within the US, we do have some of our vehicles that are assembled outside of the U.S." "Some of them only have parts that are manufactured outside of the U.S., but most of the assembly of the vehicle does stay within the country," director Martinez said.
Local auto dealerships cannot adjust now to those tariffs, they will plan whenever they start seeing that change in prices.
"It would just be best to encourage our customers that are in the market, now would be the best time to buy a car if you are planning to. Because we have a lot of options now, and we just don't know in the future if that might not be the same case," director Matinez added.
