‘A handshake deal with every American’: Ford just rolled out employee pricing for all US buyers amid Trump’s auto tariff shake up — with Chrysler to follow. Is the President’s plan working?

Employee pricing typically means paying below the dealer invoice, potentially saving buyers hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Ford isn’t alone. Stellantis — the parent company of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram — has rolled out a similar offer, expanding employee discounts across most of its new lineup.

Sticker shock ahead — so save where you can

For car buyers, uncertainty is the new normal. While Ford and Stellantis are stepping in with incentives, others — including Audi and Jaguar Land Rover — have paused U.S. shipments in response to new import tariffs.

Industry experts at Cox Automotive warn that prices on new vehicles are likely to rise this year as the effects of Trump’s 25% tariff ripple through the market. The firm estimates that imported vehicles could cost $6,000 more, while U.S.-assembled cars may see a $3,600 increase due to tariffs on automotive parts.

That would be an added burden for consumers at a time when car ownership is already becoming more expensive. According to the American Automobile Association, the total cost of owning and operating a new vehicle in 2024 has climbed to around $12,297 per year — or $1,024.71 per month.

One major recurring expense is car insurance, and many people overpay without realizing it. According to Forbes, the national average cost for full-coverage car insurance in 2024 was $2,149 per year (or $179 per month). However, rates can vary widely depending on your state, driving history and vehicle type.

By using OfficialCarInsurance.com, you can easily compare quotes from multiple insurers, such as Progressive, Allstate and GEICO, to ensure you’re getting the best deal.

In just two minutes, you could find rates as low as $29 per month.

Higher inflation, slower growth — and 1 time-tested safe haven

The tariffs have only just taken effect, but many experts are already sounding the alarm about their impact.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell recently warned that the tariffs could trigger widespread economic fallout, including “higher inflation and slower growth.”

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon echoed the concern, warning that inflation would hit “not only on imported goods but on domestic prices, as input costs rise and demand increases on domestic products.”

Billionaire hedge fund manager Ray Dalio sounded an even more dire note, pointing to stagflation — a toxic mix of high inflation, weak growth and rising unemployment.

“The first order consequences of [tariffs] will be significantly stagflationary in the U.S.,” Dalio wrote on X.

To brace for economic turbulence, Dalio recently emphasized the power of diversification and the role of one time-tested asset.

“People don't have, typically, an adequate amount of gold in their portfolio,” he noted in an interview with CNBC. “When bad times come, gold is a very effective diversifier.”

Gold has long served as a hedge against inflation. It can’t be printed out of thin air like fiat money, and because it’s not tied to any single currency or economy, investors flock to it during periods of economic turmoil or geopolitical uncertainty, driving up its value.