Consider a Market for Used Cars

question 89

Essay

Consider a market for used cars. Suppose there are only two kinds of cars: lemons and good cars. A lemon is worth $1,500 both to its current owner and to anyone who buys it. A good car is worth $6,000 to its current and potential owners. Buyers can't tell whether a car is a lemon until after they have bought the car. What do economists call the problem that buyers of used cars face? What kind of cars (lemons, good cars, or both) are traded? Explain and substantiate your answer.

---

Definitions:

Imports

Foreign goods and services purchased by domestic customers.

Domestic Consumers

Individuals or households within a country that purchase goods and services for personal use as opposed to international or business consumers.

Foreign-made

This term describes products that are produced outside of one's home country.

Trade Deficit

A situation in which a country's imports of goods and services exceed its exports, leading to more money flowing out of the country than coming in from foreign markets.