Lifestyle

Used Car Prices on the Rise: What You Need to Know

Published

5 years ago

June 21, 2021

The impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic are wide-ranging. Some are also easy to overlook. Not every effect of the pandemic is as obvious as others.

For example, rental car companies often sell their vehicles after a year or so. This practice plays a critical role in determining the average cost of pre-owned vehicles. Many used cars are actually formerly rental cars.

However, because travel was extremely limited during the pandemic, when rental car companies sold off their vehicles early, they didn’t buy replacements. The low demand for rental cars made buying new vehicles unnecessary at the time.

This has resulted in a shortage of used cars available to buyers. Because rental companies didn’t buy as many replacements as they typically would, they now don’t have as many vehicles to sell to used car dealers and buyers.

This is one of several reasons used car prices are remarkably high right now. The implications of this for car buyers, owners, and sellers are numerous.

For example, if a car owner was considering eventually selling their vehicle and upgrading to a new model, now may be the best time to do so. Used cars are currently scarce, but that won’t always be the case. As their availability returns to normal levels, so will their prices. If a seller waits to sell their vehicle, by the time they do, they may not get nearly as much money for it as they would if they sold sooner rather than later.

It’s also worth noting that the pandemic made manufacturing and designing new vehicles very challenging for several months. This also contributed to the rise in used car prices. With fewer new vehicles available, buyers had to purchase used cars. Increased demand yielded increased cost.

However, new vehicles are beginning to hit the road again as the pandemic winds down. A buyer might thus sell their used car for a good price now in order to upgrade to a new model.

Even someone who doesn’t currently own a vehicle might want to consider these factors if they were planning on buying one in the near future. This is the case if they initially planned on buying a used car to save money.

Typically, buying a pre-owned vehicle instead of a new one is an effective way to limit spending when a buyer is on a tight budget. However, given that used car prices are currently much higher than ordinary, the amount of money a buyer could save is currently somewhat limited. They may simply be better off buying a new car that’s in better condition and boasts more innovative features.

Additionally, while demand for used vehicles may eventually wane, reducing their cost as a result, experts believe that might not necessarily happen soon. Now that vaccines are available and restrictions are being lifted, many people are buying used cars out of a desire to travel. This trend may continue for at least a year. As such, the high demand for used cars is probably going to remain consistent for some time.

Whether someone plans on buying a car, selling a car, or both, they should remember these points when deciding how to proceed. The rise in used car prices may be one of the more overlooked ripple effects of the pandemic. However, for drivers, it could also be one of the more significant.

Lifestyle

From Stanford to the Stage: The Leadership Journey of Tiffany Chang

Published

11 mins ago

March 13, 2026

Michelle Langton

The spotlight has the power to expose, but it also has the power to transform. For Tiffany Chang, stepping into that light, whether in a lab, a boardroom, or on stage, has been about more than recognition. It’s been about showing what leadership can look like when it’s rooted in purpose and representation.

Tiffany Chang is a Stanford University student, entrepreneur, and the first Taiwanese woman to be crowned Miss Asia USA. She has built a career that bridges engineering, cultural advocacy, and public leadership. Her journey is not about following a straight path; it’s about creating her own and opening doors for others along the way.

Tiffany was born and raised in Los Angeles, where her grandmother played a central role in keeping the family connected to Taiwanese culture. At home, cultural pride was celebrated. Outside, she often faced the weight of stereotypes tied to her race and gender. Instead of letting those experiences silence her, she leaned into academics as a way to prove herself. The turning point came in high school. Attending an all-girls school gave her the space to step into leadership for the first time. She began to see her voice as a tool, not a burden, and took on roles that allowed her to advocate for others.

Her first major step into leadership came when she founded Madhatter Knits, a nonprofit that delivers knitted hats to premature babies in hospitals. What began as a small project soon grew into a registered 501(c)(3) with volunteers, donors, and community partnerships. For Tiffany, it was more than charity work; it was an education in responsibility, teamwork, and sustaining a mission that impacts lives.

At Stanford, her work expanded into global dialogue. She helped establish the Taiwan Program at the Asia Pacific Research Center, a project that fosters cultural exchange and international collaboration. She also worked with organizations like the Asia Society and the Girl Scouts, strengthening her belief that leadership is most powerful when it brings people together across cultures and experiences.

Today, Tiffany brings her skills to the fast-moving world of artificial intelligence as Director of Investor Relations and Marketing at Kneron, a leading AI company. The role gives her a front-row seat to how new technologies are built and adopted, and it reinforces her belief that representation in tech leadership matters. At Stanford, her studies in Engineering Management and Human-Centered Design give her the tools to balance innovation with empathy. She believes that the systems shaping the future must be designed with inclusion in mind, and that the best solutions come from teams that reflect the people they serve.

Tiffany’s leadership also took an unexpected form through pageantry. Winning Miss Taiwanese American in 2022 and later Miss Asia USA gave her a new platform to tell her story and celebrate her heritage. Carrying Taiwan’s flag on stage was not just a personal honor; it was a moment of visibility for her community. For Tiffany, pageantry was not about appearances. It was about representation, resilience, and challenging stereotypes about what women in tech or leadership should look like.

Looking back, each step of Tiffany Chang’s journey, from nonprofit work to global programs, from tech leadership to international stages, taught her that leadership is not about fitting into one role. It’s about using every platform available to create impact. Her philosophy is simple: the spaces where you feel unseen are often the ones where change is most needed. Rather than avoiding those spaces, she has made them her focus, turning barriers into opportunities to lead.

As she continues her studies and career, her mission is clear. She wants to design and manage innovative systems that not only advance technology but also create lasting value for people and communities. Her story is a reminder that success doesn’t come from following a script. It comes from embracing identity, facing challenges head-on, and refusing to stay silent in the face of obstacles. Tiffany Chang shows that leadership can be found in classrooms, in boardrooms, and even on a stage, wherever there is an opportunity to inspire change.