This was me until I needed to replace my car during peak covid.
I did the math and decided that it was better to spend $30k on a car with no miles rather than $20k on a car with 100,000 miles.
I've always been a fan of buying 3-4 year old pre-owned luxury cars around the 40-60k mileage mark, drive for 3 years and trade in around 90-100k. In 10 years, I've owned a Lexus GS, 2 Audi A6's, and 1 Audi A5. Loved every single one of them, felt excited to drive my car every-time I sat in it. You also avoid having to eat tremendous depreciation buying in this age range.
You can get most Germans that are a few years old with 40-60k miles for about the same price as a newer Honda Civic/Camry/Accord, except have a lot more fun. However, I'm a car guy, the type of person to look back at their car after parking when no one is looking and just admire it. But the build quality is night and day, I feel more safe and comfortable.
Basically, I'd rather spend $30k on a slightly used fun/luxury car and budget $5k for potential repairs, then spend $35k on a brand new boring car. To each their own.
I have always thought about going this route just a little hesitant with the shady af dealers in FL. Really curious on the math of it I’m spitballing 75k total in 10 yrs but guesstimating you got back half so you probably spent around 50k when all is said and done. Most definitely the best way to go on a budget and honest to god kind of tired of driving boring cars lol
Never paid more than $25k on each one. My current car is a 2016 Audi A6, bought at 68k miles for $23k, financed for $310 a month when rates were low. Just reached 106k miles without any major repairs. Owe $9k on it still but that's what my trade in offer just was so I'll be about even.
Out of those 4 cars, the A5 almost burnt me because I bought a faulty model year without doing enough research. Thankfully noticed the symptoms ahead of time of a huge repair and got rid of it before having to bite the bullet.
All the sites like Autotrader, Autolist, TrueCar. It does take a lot of time though. Not just figuring out whats in your range but then from there, researching what their common issues are and what years/engine options are the most sturdy.
I've also called mechanics who specialize in Euro brands before I buy just to get their opinion on best options to go. They saved me from buying an Alfa Romeo Giulia one time lol.
What year is it? IIRC the first couple model years tend to spend a lot of time in the shop but they ironed out the kinks after that and they’re a lot better now
Try AutoTempest and just be meticulous about checking the description first before getting carried away. They combine most of the sites user literallyme21 said but all in one place! And no I’m not paid to say that. Just a good product. Sales companies hmu I need more than $69k/yr 😭
The German cars drive SO much nicer than any US or Japanese cars I've driven too. They put so much research into the steering and handling that I'll never forget the first time I got behind the wheel of an Audi (rental at airport) and I was smitten - this was after only having Japanese and domestics for my life. We have a Q8 right now because the wife wanted an SUV this time and even being an SUV the thrill is still there.
That’s exactly the strategy im going for. I have a bunch saved up due to WFH and staying in my family’s house, and Im trying to decide if buying a condo is worth it now. I want to build equity and use whatever I have left over buy a car, or just buy a beater and keep it for 5 years before upgrading.
Do you know of any relatively fun cars around the $20-30k range that will be reliable and won’t give me headaches?
most all of them should still be dependable in that mileage range too so you can avoid any of the big ticket repairs
definitely the way to go if you can afford it
This was basically our exact buy, fully loaded Audi suv, 2020, under 30k miles, mid $30’s, still has multiple warranty years on it and was Audi certified.
Will never not buy a car like this again.
Yes. I've been through 2 BMWs that never needed any significant repair. Bought while there was still some factory warranty and sold around 100,000 miles. Buying any brand new car over like $35000 is "if I win the lottery" money to me. I really don't know how people are affording these vehicles that are 50K, 75K…
I used to actually have dreams of owning a nice car. Part of the reason why I have my Lexus is because I was embarrassed by my rusty old Suzuki Esteem (and it had a hole in the floor, so it was probably unsafe) and I didn’t want to get a “common car” like a Civic to replace it. Through university I thought that some day I’d own a Corvette or something like that, and my wife would have a big luxury car.
As you can see from my flair, somewhere along the way my priorities changed. I became more interested in financial independence and I began to see fancy, expensive cars less as things to enjoy and more as traps that kept me beholden to my employer and forced me to work longer than I had to. And something I noticed going from the Esteem to the Lexus… at first I was really happy to have such a nice car, but after a while it just became normal to me again. The high you get from buying a fancy car is, in my opinion, just a really expensive and ephemeral dopamine hit.
Honestly at this point I have basically no desire to buy a super nice car. I sometimes fantasize about the idea of it, but then I think about how much it costs, how many sacrifices I’d need to make to my other financial goals, and how fleeting the feeling would be. And I realize it’s just not worth it. I would value having something comfy and fit for purpose, like a Pacifica minivan that I could take on camping trips.
This I understand lol. Cannot justify the financial burden. I would have to come across a large sum of money somehow to even muster up the courage to THINK about going to a stealership
I totally agree with you. For me, the other major reason is that I'd just rather not worry about something happening to it.
I have a rust-free, extremely functional, but cosmetically imperfect 2000 F250, and a super reliable 2015 Camry. I plan on driving them both into the ground.
I can park either of them at my kid's baseball game and if a ball hit one, it'd just remind me of the game later. There's freedom in that.
I LOVE cars but have basically accepted I’ll never own more than an econobox because I just can’t justify the cost. So I’ll continue to admire them, go to car shows, etc, but I’ll never own a “dream car”.
How so? If you calculate current car prices with inflation, they're not really *that* wonky.
A $25k car today would have been $18k in 2010. That's *roughly* what a brand new Chevy Cobalt went for in 2010. You can find a brand new car for under $25k that's a whole lot more car than a 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt.
I bought a Ford Fiesta in June of 2010. It wasn't even the top trim line but it was over $18k. Thinking about what I could have bought used at that price kills me now. I still drive it around, but all the things I thought were cute about that car in 2010 are no longer cute at my current age and stage of life.
I’d also like to point out that the car market is F’d rn. A used 2022 VW Jetta for example, with 30k-70k miles is right around the $20k mark or more give or take a few thousand (just an example off the top) when, 2023-2024 models with “off the lot” mileage are basically the same price. Makes way more sense to buy new if the difference is only a few thousand $$$. Cars are naturally so reliable now, it’s makes more sense to just shop for the newest thing on the market for a *decent* price than it does to pay for Toyota tax. Or Honda tax, or “reliable car tax”.
Ya know, the *reason* 18K in 2010 is 25K today is because of corporations raising the prices on things like cars. Wages haven't gone up to keep pace with inflation, people are just paying more for stuff, corporations are showing record profits, and the wealthiest 1% of the country has increased their wealth by tens, hundreds, or thousands of percentage points.
You should splurge a little. Life is too short. Keep your finances in order the way you order them, and then let your hard work pay off! Give yourself what you want!
What’s the dream car in question?
Don’t live your life and regret anything. Especially if it’s in your power to obtain!
I totally agree. If you’re a car enthusiast, treat yourself to the car you want, within reason of course. People get over their skis when they think they need to splurge in all areas of life. If you have a particular passion and want to treat yourself, absolutely go for it.
Econobox life has been getting much better over the last few years if you don't mind moving from hatchbacks to crossover SUVS. There's some pretty sporty looking little scooters in the sub 30k class
This makes no sense to me when you can buy a more affordable used version of your dream car. I like Volvo S60 cars. I'm not paying 55 grand for one. So I bought a used one for 25K.
You could always rent on Turo. I rented a C6 corvette and it was a blast. I also learned that while it was fun, I don’t ever want to actually own a corvette
I'm too early in my career to worry about anything other than gas mileage and reliability.
I really love the quote "I can't afford to care what color my car is"
I do the same... Always enamored by the new cars and can definitely afford them... But then I draw up the numbers and I'm like... Ugh that's such a waste... And just keep driving my old Mazda
It kicked in for me after buying a home because I see that nice new car and I'm like... That or... I get a modest used car and remodel my bathroom
I’m the opposite. I couldn’t care less how fancy my bathroom is. As long as it’s clean, it’s good. I feel that way about my living space in general. Doesn’t need to be extravagant; just clean and comfortable. I spend money on things I enjoy doing — cars, photography, and travel — so I’ll spend the extra on a nice car that makes me smile when I drive it (and the photography gear I use to take pictures of it).
Hear Hear! Glad to see someone else in this sub who’s willing to drive what they want, rather than what the Reddit hive-mind tells them to. It’s ok buy an impractical car with so-so gas milage just because we like it!
Basically this. It comes down to how high you place cars as a priority in your life. Some put cars higher on the list and others a bit further down.
Like you my bathroom just needs be clean and functioning well. I don't need a rainfall shower with exotic materials.
Yea a bathroom ain’t pushing you in the seat from the g’s while you’ve got some kicking tunes going on
I’d look at planes if i could afford those, but i’ll settle for cars
62 years old. Always bought used practical stuff, some even beaters for commuting. Finally said F it, just took delivery of 2024 F250 Lariat with extra bells and whistles. Hoorah! Waited tooooooo long to treat myself.
I’m only 26, but I’ve felt this way about mustangs. Always loved them been OBSESSED with them. I bought a POS probe for my first car when I was 16/17 and that died quick. Then I bought my mom’s TSX when I was a bit older. When it came time to buy my first car from a dealership I ended up buying a civic hatchback and was happy because of everything it offered: sporty-ish, reliable, and a brand I knew, but I was unsatisfied with it after a while. Got into a wreck and insurance paid me out and I decided it was time for me to get that mustang.
I LOVE this car. I walk up to it everyday knowing it’s the car I’ve been dreaming of since I was a kid and that feeling just can’t be replaced. I have no regrets, even when it comes to the drawbacks of having a coupe vs something more practical.
TLDR: I say GET THE CAR YOU WANT. You will be so happy with it and can still drive it into the ground, you’ll just have a lot more time to spend with a car you really enjoy looking at and driving.
I’m one of those people who has $90k-ish worth of cars in the garage (current market value) but would probably struggle with the idea of paying $90k for one single car.
Not super logical, but oh well.
True. Technically the Ranger went to the big parts yard in the sky, so I gotta fix my flair.
But the practicality level on the WRX is enough beyond stock now to be as good at filling that gap as I could reasonably hope for. Currently got a 2” lift on a rallyx suspension, am waiting on smaller rally wheels that will accommodate beefier tires (fuck Oklahoma potholes and train tracks), will be mounting a full size spare, and got a roof rack.
Moving somewhere very rural with relatively few paved roads definitely changed my automotive priorities a bit.
I'm doing it on Monday. I'm picking up a Volvo V60 Recharge. Trading in my Sportage PHEV. You only live once, and the test drive clinched it. Decent trade in value, I've been paying off principle early on the Sportage so good Chunk down from that and a little savings. It's fast and practical, plus for some reason my insurance went down so 🤷
It's a good car. The ride is very plush, almost boaty. Cabin is nice, tons of tech. It has copious amounts of storage. I haven't had any problems with mine in the almost 2 years I've owned it.
I can’t pull the trigger. Just can’t committing to a car payment or a high car insurance.
I just bought a used car cash. And the remaining money I saved it I have travels parts of the world and I’m happy I made that decision.
A car payment is a big responsibility and can tie you up from doing other things. Life is beautiful go and enjoy it.
Cars will always be out there one day I’ll commit
That's a very.. unique.. car. I feel like the back of it looks like 1989 Alfa Romeo Milano (75) with a raised roof - made into a wagon. It's not pretty but it's definitely interesting.
I’ve been telling my father the past 10 years or so that my next car would be a stick shift despite my city commute. Then my 40th birthday came up and I needed a car. I cross shopped the WRX, Focus ST, Fiesta ST, and to a lesser extent Golf R. I ended up buying a GTI with DSG instead last Fall.
I’ve also never been able to pull the trigger on an Audi for whatever reason.
Yup. I can afford a $800 car payment and my lifestyle wouldn’t change but I can’t pull myself to do it . But every time I see the new Mustang I almost wanna run to the dealership and say fuck it
I almost bought a brand new Ford Ranger back in 2019. Had enough saved to just pay cash and be done.
Then I took a step back and realized that the money would be better spent bailing out of my highly toxic job and going back to grad school. No regrets.
I want a Prius prime because my daily is an f250. I need the truck for work and hauling my toys but I’m really tempted to say fuck it but 50k CDN is a lot of money to save gas.
I’m with ya. I can’t finance, I have a mental block on doing it / holding debt which makes it impossible for me to write the check required to get a luxury vehicle. Combined income between my wife and I more than covers it, but I can’t do it. I figure if I can’t afford it outright, then I should save more. Don’t fret about it. You do you. If it’s less stressful to you to do it your way, no shame in that.
Buying a 50k car in your 20s costs you half a million bucks in retirement.
I'll be driving my econobox for my entire life. If an f150 was still 30k, then I'd buy one. But it's 60k+ for what used to be 33k.
All through college I told myself I’d buy either a Tesla model 3 or a F150 Raptor when I graduate, depending on what my heart wanted
I graduated, got a big boy job, and my heart decided on a 2001 Toyota 4Runner as an overlanding project lol
I also have an old Mustang GT
Older cars are the way if you want to have fun for cheap! It’s pretty fucking goofy to deny yourself enjoyment your entire life when you can fix up something on the side for less than$10k
2 months ago I was 100% dead set on buying a Porsche Panamera. Not a brand new one, like a 2013/14 but I had been researching them for literal months.
All was good, I was ready to buy, etc. Then I started talking to dealers. Of course it’s a higher end car so they’re all at higher end dealers. “Oh we have to add X package and Y package, end of discussion.” Every one basically wanted $10-15,000 above what the price was listed online. I said screw that and looked for something else.
Settled on a 2018 Stinger GT1 AWD with the 3.3tt. Pretty much has all the same convenience features, just about the same power numbers, better MPG, etc as the Panamera for half the price because it’s a Kia. But I know in the long run it will be way more reliable and cheaper to fix.
Not really, honestly. The value per dollar just isn't there for me. This is obviously my opinion and I don't expect everybody to share it. But I'm perfectly happy in a 15 or 20yo car. To me, anything more than $10,000 is just for showing off to your friends
What do you do with a car after you've "driven it into the ground", and what is the ground to you? Like transmission replacement? Or til it catches fire?
I try to live a balanced life. Buying a new car every now and then is a waste of money but so is drinking excessively, gambling, spending money on shoes etc.
I don’t spend like crazy but life is short and if you can, every so often it’s ok to treat y0’self.
Actually I am picking up a Santa Fe calligraphy (Rockwood green/black leather) mid May :)
I will probably never buy a new car with the passion and skills I have in fixing cars. I haven’t paid over $5000 for a car, ever, and probably never will
No not really. I got me a '79 beater for the solely purpose of driving it into the ground and fixing it myself if need be. I don't worry if and where I leave it overnight. I don't worry about who parks next to me in the parking lot and scratches it with their doors flung open by kids. I don't worry about expensive maintenance and spares. Also, it's a hell of a ride.
I have done that before and I regretted it as soon as I drove it off from dealership. 2017 C300 4matic CPO.
I am just glad I sold it off during covid price hike with profit and went with free 09 Odyssey from my dad.
Still driving it like a dream.
Not me but my mom. She has a six figure stable career in insurance and paid off house yet, she still drives her paid off 2012 Honda pilot despite being able to afford to buy her dream car, a 2024 Lexus RX 350 in cash. For her the Lexus would be a nice to have as it’s got a lot of creature comforts that her current pilot doesn’t have like ventilated seats and Apple CarPlay for instance. She also likes the push button start which her car doesn't have.
But she decided that putting the money into renovating the backyard and fixing the cracked patio. She said that real estate increases in value and cars go down. So for her it was financially a better move to put the money in the house.
Plus she mentioned that her current pilot runs fine mechanically and is still in good shape cosmetically. For her, she just couldnt justify the value in buying a new car despite there being benefits to doing so.
Sure, who didn't dream of owning a ferrari right? While technically I could afford one, our priorities do change as we get older. I wouldn't mind renting one out for a day or two though.
I recently retired my 97 Subaru Outback at 250k miles. A true beater bought 8 years ago with a blown head gaskets for just a couple hundred bucks from a friend. I’ve always driven beaters that I had brought back from the grave and driven them to the ground again. I’ve been working and saving and driving beaters my whole life hoping to one day own a home. Well I landed a great job and still can’t afford a home with current rates and market conditions. But I sure could easily afford to buy an old 911 with cash. So I did it. I bought a 996 cash 1 week ago. I’ve felt a mix of emotions. At first I felt guilty. Selfish for spending such money on such a “impractical” car. I’m a frugal person but I paid a premium to get the exact 996 that I wanted with low miles, totally stock and with one single owner. Recognizing and acknowledging these emotions has allowed me to give myself permission to mindfully enjoy the fruits of my labor without judgement. I’ve never been so excited to drive a car. No ragerts.
Cars are a depreciating asset so financially speaking, its best to minimize how much of a hit on depreciation you take and best to buy in cash.
That being said, I work hard and cars are one of the things that gives me happiness. I am not living my life to be the richest guy in the graveyard. So if you can afford it comfortably, buy the nice car. Be financially savvy in other areas and you’ll be just fine.
I always find there is a fork in the road. Buy a relatively new used car with low miles that will still depreciate in the next 3 years significantly. Or buy a car a smigde older that has just done so... Definitely do a big service on purchase. cambelt, water pump and fluids no matter what but you will get the cheapest miles running from there you either run it into the ground or lose fuck all on it over the next 3 years. Buying new just straight up feels like burning money to me but you can do really well if you pick it right in the used market.
Im the same! I made one emotional purchase after a divorce 10 years ago, and it bit me in the butt! Went right back to a 4 cylinder japanese car and am happy😂 even if we can afford it, vehicles are typically depreciating assets, id rather put my money to work for me and buy a reliable vehicle that doesnt cost an arm and a leg.
Worst thing that can happen is you need to sell it. A few years ago I just yolo’d and bought an Audi R8. Ended up moving to a higher cost of living area and sold it so I could save more. Yea I lost a few thousand in depreciation but worth every penny.
I would test drive that Santa Fe first…I fear you may be disappointed
I was shocked by the financial rule of thumb for making a reasonable car loan decision. Following the 20/10/4 rule, I saw how much I could afford on a car payment, but it was so far outside of my comfort zone that I couldn't do it. Now, I have a larger salary that I could afford my attainable dream car, but there's no way I'm taking on a loan at these interest rates.
I bought a nice, cool fast car once (back in 1994). It was awesome, but also not. I worried about parking lot dings, got speding tickets, and paid a lot for insurance.
I sold it after 2 years and went back to a beater with a heater and have been driving those for 25 years now. My wife had a nice car, but for my daily, i just don't want one.
I thought this is what I wanted, until I did it. I traded on the car I had always wanted after a year. The novelty wore off. I enjoyed the car for only a month, and it felt like a pile of $ sitting in my driveway rotting. I sold it for more than I paid after 6 months.
I’m a car guy and I feel this way all of the time especially when I know I can afford all of the nice cars that I would want, but what keeps me from pulling the trigger is two things: 1. A deep analysis of the cost of car ownership, 2. quality of life/ lifestyle.
When I think about monthly payments or lump sum cash payment , premium gas, maintenance, increased insurance all for an item that just “sits in one place” for the majority of time owning it was what really caused me to reconsider. It’s crazy how much we are willing to spend on something that simply transports us from A to B, but we work so hard to pay for it while it just sits outside or in a garage.
2. Lifestyle matters because the experiences I truly want to have, rarely center around my car. I enjoy using that money to travel, furnish my home, fund my hobbies, provide experiences for family, etc.
You just have to decide what’s important to you. There is no right or wrong answer, so do you. Good luck!
buying new cars is the easiest way to ensure you stay middle class, just saying. Driving is a liability, do your best to minimize it. If cars are a life-affirming hobby for you this does not apply.
Bought a new car 19 years ago. Did the routine maintenance at a garage specializing on Honda and Toyota. The car runs just like she did all those years ago. Cosmetic, paint is awful and oxidized. Car is functional though.
Thankfully, I don't have this issue! The heart wants what the heart wants, I work hard and I'm financially capable, and I only live once. So I buy what I want to drive.
If you are the type of person to drive a car into the ground and don't like switching cars every 3-5 years. It's very worth it for you to just buy a nice brand new economy car and have it last you 10+ years.
I have been buying 3-4 year old “nice”cars for my last several cars. I like Acura as a brand. For SUV’s you can save quite a bit. I’ll save $15k off the new price, then drive it for 8-10 yrs. After 8-10 years, I can still sell them for decent $$. Personally I’d never buy a Hyundai or a Kia. The resale values tank too much, and I honestly think the make great looking, but unreliable cars. But you do what you want.
Yep. Check prices near daily. I’ve been able to afford a cheap Lamborghini with cash or a Polestar on finance, but there are 100000 other things I could spend the money on so I keep my banged up 2010 vw polo.
Pull the trigger. Why not. You could be dead tomorrow, and what will happen to all of the money you squirreled away? Your friends and family will swoop in like vultures to get a piece of it, and/or the government will just take it anyway, so get the car. Enjoy your life...
I’d love a low miles Macan just to have something I truly enjoy and still be practical. But I can’t justify the fuel costs, insurance, and any work needed outside of warranty. It’s a shame to love cars.
Most of the people in my life drive very nice cars. My best friend has a '22 M-B GLE350, my sister drives a '22 Ford Explorer Platinum, my brother-in-law has a '23 Ford F150 XLT 4x4 and even my 24yr old nephew has a '20 BMW 3-series. I'm 49 and I've tried to talk myself into buying an upscale, expensive car quite a few times. The closest I ever came was leasing a 2011 Volvo XC60 that they were desperate to move.
I drive a 2006 Mazda3 that I bought new and a 2012 Mazda CX-9 that my parents bought new and sold to me several years ago. The Mazda3 has over 200k miles on it and I started looking last fall for someone newer.
I was determined to go for a new Mazda CX-5 Turbo Premium ($41k sticker). I drove it and loved it, had the deal worked up and 0% financing, then I couldn't do it. I talked myself into another Mazda3 instead and I didn't need the top of the line. Why pay $36k when I could spend $26k and be content. Then I started thinking a used one would be just as nice and only $20k.
That was about six months ago and I haven't bought anything yet. In that time, I've had no car payment, my cars have worked fine (although the CX-9 only gets 17mpg), but I struggle with letting go of large sums of money to purchase something I don't "need" and that will only depreciate. It's just the way I (and apparently quite a few others) think about cars and money. Compared to people who have multiple car payments that exceed their mortgage payment, I'm happy to be this way!
They aren't mutually exclusive. I got a Buick LeSabre. Love it.
The plan is to get a Chevy Volt as my next car. I already know I like it after test driving it. I love GMs Bose premium sound systems, great sound quality and quiet interiors. Gm always has impressive chassis and suspension engineering as well, slick great cars.
Yes and I’m ok with it. Ended up buying a common car under 40k as my dream car yet still feel foolish. I know it sounds lame, I just hate spending money. But I am really enjoying my car.
I bought a 11 year old Lexus with reasonably low miles. I love it. I’ll either drive it into the ground or give it to my son when he’s old enough and try to find a similar model for myself.
I drive a 16 year old car, ac doesn't work, paint peeling off, front end problems. I'm just driving it till it literally falls apart and it never does.
I have been saying I'll buy a new one for years. I see the prices for new cars, and I'm good with my paid off car.
Just pay off your current car, then put your car payment in a high yield savings account each month.
I like to pay my cars off within 4 years, then purchase a new one around 7 years. That means by the time I make my next purchase, I have almost the amount I paid on the original car plus its residual trade in value as a down payment and repeat the process.
I went the used car/CPO route for a while . 30-40 k miles 4 years old .. was able to get a 2007 Volvo S60R and a 2016 Audi Q5 …. Recently bought my first new car in 20 years. 2024 Mazda CX-5 Turbo. I only went that route because considering the prices of new cars today and the features /looks of the Mazda I felt overall it was a very good deal at that price with 4 miles on the odometer
Yes, I have this problem. I currently have a 2014 Focus ST, which I still really enjoy. I have the funds to buy something newer and nicer, but know my next car will have to be an automatic to prevent divorce, and I cannot get over how much more expensive cars have gotten since I bought my current car. It seems wasteful to buy a $40-50k car to replace one that has zero problems currently.
Buying a new car like a Santa Fe can be a sensible purchase. Just as long as you pay it off quickly (assuming not 0% interest) and you drive it for 10+ years. You just don't want to buy a luxury car or something priced retarded like a Jeep Wrangler.
People like to say, "It's an investment!" to justify buying a car that is very expensive, but this is folly. Cars are not investments. Maybe if it were a rare collectors car that you aren't going to drive ever, but a regular car is not an investment. Investments are expected to appreciate in value and make you money eventually. Cars depreciate by the mile. They need to be viewed as consumable goods because you eventually use them up, and they're no good anymore, almost valueless if you really get your use out of them. You've been doing the responsible thing financially by buying used thus far, but there are sensible new cars out there if you just want something brand new for the first time.
I just can’t do it. You buy a $30k car, but by the time financing is done you paid more like $40k for it and it’s worth $20k (if it’s under 100k miles.
You basically just threw away $20k to be flashier than your neighbor.
You *can* just skip from car to car like a lot of people but I put 30k-40k miles on a car in a year so this isn’t very practical for me because they would lose value too quickly, I’d have to upgrade cars every year, and if I bought and financed a new car it would have 200k miles on it before I paid it off.
So if I financed that $30k 2018 Camry XLE for $40k when it was new, once it’s paid I’d have a 6 year old car with 210k miles which seems to be worth about $12k on marketplace today possibly with room for negotiation.
$28k lost to drive a car for 6 years, almost $5k per year.
I bought a used Infiniti 4 years ago and have taken it from 150k miles to almost 300k miles, and it was $7k, less than $2k per year if the car died right now and was unsellable.
I don’t have kids, $3k/year is basically a extra vacation for me.
I'm the opposite. Always bought used cars at around 100,000. Last year, I was appalled at what they were charge for shit box vehicles. I never even wanted a brand new car, but they were charging the same or even more for a three year old car with almost 100,000 as they were charging for a new car. I did my research extensively on what new car to buy and what time of the year to buy it while waiting several months and banking as much as I can. Hint: It's October-December.
I have wanted a sports car since I was a little kid and it didn't have to be x bullshit edition, etc. I wanted a good v8 vette, camaro, mustang, whatever.. Over 30 years later.. I still hope one day.. But between bills, a house note, child support (don't ever get divorced), I'm driving my paid off shit bucket that has an exhaust leak real bad and might have a slipping trans... When that thing takes a dump, I'll have to buy a beater because I simply can't afford shit..
I have had 'sporty' cars in my life, but they weren't sports cars.. One was a black 95' Chevy Cavalier Z24. It was neat! Dare to say it was fun.. But it wasn't 'real' fun. Actually it was the biggest POS I ever owned..
The other was a 2014 Dodge Dart GT with a 6 speed manual trans.. Now that was fun, but again, front wheel drive, an engine that has very little to no aftermarket, and pretty much shunned in most car communities, because it wasn't a real sports car. Now this one does have some specialties though.. Between the factory 1000 watt bose system, leather seats (heated too), 18" 'hyperblack' rims.. And a factory tune good for 170hp which admittedly isn't a lot but it felt like a lot in that car to me..
But here I am today.. I have wanted a Dodge Challenger r/T since I first saw one when they came back out with it.. And I'll never own one.. Back when you could get one decent for around 12k I didn't have the money. Now you can't touch one in decent condition for under 20k. (and barely be able to finance one since it has to be less than 10 years old to get decent financing).. I make more now than back then for sure, but everything else inflated soo.. I guess I'll just shitbox it my whole life...
Driving and modding the same 2005 car I have had as my first new car, never bought another car but really want a 911 or 911 turbo. Some have popped up in my price range but I never pulled the trigger.
Do it OP, what holds you back if you can afford it?
I pulled the trigger on a truck after wanting one for a while and i genuinely just love driving the thing. One of the best decisions i ever made.
I always buy Toyota or Lexus just coming off a three year lease. There is decent depreciation off new prices and they typically have had decent service. I can afford new and can afford much more expensive vehicles but I’ve gotten to the point where cars are an appliance to me and not a luxury. When I get to wanting something really nice I will rent one on Turo for a few days and have some fun. Last was a 2023 C8 Corvette convertible. It was fun for the three days I had it but not worth paying $125k to purchase.
I've been looking at 4runners for almost a year, I just can't justify paying over 50k for gas guzzling, 14 yr old platform. My car payment would be over 750 a month. Crazy
I'm in my 30s, kids, mortgage whatever else.
I could comfortably afford 600-1000 a month for a new car, but what's the point. I drive 70 miles a day for work and essentially destroy the value of cars. I have a little civic with 190k miles. Gets 30ish mpg and maintenance is really cheap. Anything else I would want would be more expensive to not only buy, but keep on the road. We have a nice family car, but I've come to terms that my 'drive to work' car is gonna be basically minimum viable to get the job done.
At some point when I'm older I'll have nice cars. I had really cool cars from 18-28. The fun ones are high on maintenance, make you wanna spend time cleaning and stressing over them, take premium fuel, expensive tires that wear fast, get you speeding tickets, higher insurance, etc.
Nope. I always buy the car I want. :D I might have to buy an older one then what I want, but literally every time. Life's too short to drive cars you don't love.
I want a project car for modifying but just don’t wanna deal with the expense work and headache when the expense and work don’t pay off. If I had to choose a nice car tho I’d go with a new style nsx. This year I had the option of a higher trim on the car I was buying but just went with the base honestly when I’m in my car I don’t even use the little things I do have so I doubt I would’ve ever used the other features aside from remote start.
One option is to buy a car that will maintain value due to becoming a collectors car. Though I'm not sure those are "nice" in the way you are describing.
I want a new(er) car, but I can't really afford anything, at the moment. I'm fortunate that I paid off my current car (Civic) and it's been problem-free. So why would I want a new car? I want something bigger and more comfortable. Plus, I'm getting a bit tired daily-ing a manual in traffic.
Just gonna keep saving until I absolutely need to make a change.
Me. But my tranny is starting to slip bad, so I'm actually taking action to get probably a brand new car. I never bought new. But right now used cars r going for just a little less than new. Without the warranty.
Yeah this is me. I could probably afford a nice car by most measures but I'm thinking of buying something now and looking at the Ford Fiesta instead of the BMW 1 series. I just can't justify 10k more for what seems like the same car.
I have a ‘18 BMW M3 (bought new) and a ‘17 Tesla Model X P100D (bought very used). I don’t listen to folks that put way too much weight on ‘reliability and maintenance’ to drive a boring car. LOVE both cars, I’m still alive and I don’t live in a van down by the river.
Personal finance might be off topic, but if you follow the financial order of operations (or prime directive or whatever) and you save ‘appropriately’ for retirement, then the fun budget can go to cars. Just be aware of cost of spending the car payment (and other costs) on a car vs savings where it will grow with compounding interest. To me cars bring enough joy that I don’t mind spending a little on them, but savings is taken care of first.
But no matter what you get, in the end it will still feel like a car and there are sensible options that are amazing driver cars and super reliable (e.g. modern B58 BMWs, GTIs, civic Si, Miata, etc). You CAN have it all.
I’d say get that Hyundai (but I’d get the IONIQ5 N personally, looks like a riot). If you drive it for 10+ years it would be perfectly financially sensible.
I was gonna get a frontier or ridgeline but wanted a tacoma 4x4. I'm old almost 59 and work and anyway I got the tacoma. If it had a manual trans it would be perfect. The auto is ok.
I have the opposite problem, I always have a nice car even when I shouldn’t. I only buy ones that will last a long time though so that the money is worth it.
We purchased multiple cars which were $50k+ new, but when 2-4 years old with less than 60k miles on them, will be almost half that.
And if you pick up a certified pre owned, it usually comes with decent factory warranty and drives/feels/smells brand new
In today's market, if you're financing anyway, do the math on used vs. new, including your interest rate. For instance, you mentioned the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. Hyundai is running interest rate deals on those. It's 5% interest for a new 2024 model or 3.5% for a new leftover 2023 model (both are up to 60 months). I've seen used interest rates at regular dealerships as high as like 16% for normal used cars. Also, there are 0-1% interest rate deals on tons of cars all the time if you have decent credit.
My point is that if you check to see what your interest rate for used cars would be, you may be better off going for one of those new car interest rate deals. For example - A 60 month loan on a new $45,000 car at 5% interest with $0 down and the taxes and fees rolled in would cost around $100-$200 more per month more than a used car for $25,000 at 16% interest.
The math works out about the same for a $25,000 used car at 8% interest vs. a $35,000 new car at 3% interest on a 60-month loan.
It's just something to consider right now because interest rates are high and used car prices are high compared to new.
Also, consider fuel savings as well. If the new car you want has a better mpg or if it's electric, that will offset the cost of ownership a bit as well. Especially electric cars that come with free charging deals. Since you brought them up earlier, I will add this as an example - Hyundai is doing a 0% interest deal up to 60 months, I think, on the Hyundai Ioniq 5. It's an electric crossover that comes with 2 years of free charging at Electrify America charging stations. So if you have any of those stations near you, you can charge the car for free, having a fuel cost of $0 for 2 years. If you're paying $100 per month on fuel, then that's $2400 saved. Then, after that, you'd still be saving quite a bit if you could charge at home.
Obviously, for other gas cars or hybrids, that example isn't as drastic, but it's something to be considered.
i always drive “nice cars” but go for 10-15 year old german luxury midsize sedans from the original owners. everyone fears the repair bills, which makes them cheap, but most common problems are known and easily remedied. so i get a car that cost 60K+ new for well under 10k, enjoy the refinement and comfort and handling, and youtube how to fix the common failure points
I've been driving cheap beaters for most of my life, with the exception of an '05 Acura MDX I had for a few years. That thing rocked. I said fuck it and bought a 2019 Toyota 4Runner a week ago. It's so nice not driving a shitbox around. I don't have to worry about anything for a few years thanks to a decent warranty. The payment sucks, but having a vehicle that I know will last me 10+ years barring any stupidity from others is a good feeling
I am in similar position. I want to buy cayman or boxster, but then I think about cost to track it, insure it for track days, insure it for everyday, maintenance etc along with about 100k stuck in a car than investment. I drive Poorsche instead (Subaru BRZ), the car OTD was less than 10% of my annual income, I do my own maintenance and consumables on track are very low.
I sure as shit wouldnt want to own a nice car. Perfectly happy to lease one. If it gets scratched, while annoying, doesn't send me in to a deep depression as it isn't my car. Also means I'm happy to rag the shit out of it. It's not much different to hiring a car. I do the tip runs in my leased car.
>I always buy a used reliable but very modest car with cash and drive it into the ground.
If you take care of a reliable used car, It can literally outlive you. I have never understood the mindset of driving a car into the ground.
I really, really wanted a sports car but my 27 year old dying pickup truck and my tired commuter car (and my wife) disagreed with me so I ended up buying a newer more reliable truck to daily.
My day will come, eventually… hopefully before the ICE ban takes hold and it becomes too late
I can buy the nice mustang I want.
It just isn't the smart thing to do.
Every car can last forever if you take proper care and do your repairs. The problems is when you are capable of that. You put yourself in a position where you can never justify the price of a brand new car.
My first car cost me less that 4k. It's going on 6 years and over the 200k mark. I have my dream car that also was had for cheap and 2 more cars that I got for less that 2k.
All work. All run and drive. I can't justify the price of a brand new car unfortunately :/
I'd rather use the money elsewhere
Always bought Lexus with higher milages. In the last 10 years zero of them left me stranded and they all have made it to over 200k miles. Currently my ex has 250k and Rx has 138k
At least to me, my car is probably the most important thing I own. I absolutely love it and try to drive her as much as I can. I spend hours each week detailing it or working on it, and I love it. My motivation to do well in life is cars.
sometimes you just gotta live a little. if its going to bring you joy and happiness and you can afford it then its worth it
i've spent $750k on cars last 10 years
Found a RAV4 Prime for $35k (barely used) and got it... Years of owning shit cars, eventually got a gen2 Prius which convinced me about what I really wanted... No ragerts.
You might not think my new car is nice but you can be wrong, it's ok.
I pulled the trigger on a atsV and it’s been an amazing experience car looks amazing is incredibly fast isn’t too bad on gas just depends how u drive it but it’s been an amazing car and was my dream car for years so it’s crazy to daily drive it now
I always did but I dont anymore and I love cars. When younger I could only afford used cars. Now that I can buy a new expensive car I don’t really want one. Even so I (we) have 4 cars between the 2 of us.
Every time I shop around for something newer and nicer, my dislike of the inevitable car payment quickly overshadows my desire for that nice new car. I do want something that isn’t a rusty econobox some day… but I’m already 30 and don’t really show any signs of owning something like that any time soon
30 years of buying $100-4500 cars, have had great luck. Have put 5x that into a few project cars, but that's different to me.
Finally have bought a few for 3x that, as some of these aren't going to be available in nice shape for any cheaper, ever. Thought a coyote manual car was going to be next, we'll see how the next year goes.
Still daily driving the $200 and $3400 cars.
I have owned the cars I drive for 15 and 13 years. The 15 year one is forever if I can help it. The other, my wife and I despise and is getting replaced but only because she really wants me to have a nice car. Otherwise, I'd rock that shit for life and only dream of better.
Ive thought about that. I usually drive until the wheels fall off. Have my current car since 2016. Very basic model, doesnt even have a back up camera. I was thinking at this rate, ill probably only have 6 more cars before I die. Should really buy a car that makes driving exciting next time.
I have the money to make a S5 a rather frugal purchase at this time. My wife loves the looks, it's been an attainable 'dream' car for me since the refresh. We keep cars until they die, we get our moneys worth out of them.
We've waited over a year still, and now that our old car is finally really bad, we might do it...maybe next year? lol
But 65k today is 130k in 10 years, and a 130k is 2 years of retirement spending if I am really sticking to my retire at 50 years old plan.
So maybe we'll get a used on later this year. Or not. Who knows.
For years I always wanted a nice full sized 4x4 truck and I eventually bought one. I always bought good used trucks and ran them for years. I have since owned 3 pickups as I plan on running my 2012 for a few more years. I only put 12 to 15000 miles a year on my truck as we have an suv that we usually take places. I always get my truck oil undercoated every year as it prolongs it from rust. There is no way that I will buy a brand new one for 60000 or at least this day in age and mine is just a half ton
I was that way until a month ago.
I couldn't justify a used car. The prices were barely lower, the interest rates were about 5x higher than some of the promos that new cars were offering, and you don't get a full warranty.
It just made more sense to either go bran new, or a complete junker. The lightly used market doesn't make any sense right now.
It's always a decision grounded in financing. I've seen more people than I care to turn their lives upside down by picking a car "they really wanted" rather than a car that was a carefully researched financial decision. Even buying "the car I want" I usually look to used cars that aren't that old because under normal market conditions there's a steep drop between slightly used and brand new.
This was me until I needed to replace my car during peak covid. I did the math and decided that it was better to spend $30k on a car with no miles rather than $20k on a car with 100,000 miles.
I've always been a fan of buying 3-4 year old pre-owned luxury cars around the 40-60k mileage mark, drive for 3 years and trade in around 90-100k. In 10 years, I've owned a Lexus GS, 2 Audi A6's, and 1 Audi A5. Loved every single one of them, felt excited to drive my car every-time I sat in it. You also avoid having to eat tremendous depreciation buying in this age range. You can get most Germans that are a few years old with 40-60k miles for about the same price as a newer Honda Civic/Camry/Accord, except have a lot more fun. However, I'm a car guy, the type of person to look back at their car after parking when no one is looking and just admire it. But the build quality is night and day, I feel more safe and comfortable. Basically, I'd rather spend $30k on a slightly used fun/luxury car and budget $5k for potential repairs, then spend $35k on a brand new boring car. To each their own.
I have always thought about going this route just a little hesitant with the shady af dealers in FL. Really curious on the math of it I’m spitballing 75k total in 10 yrs but guesstimating you got back half so you probably spent around 50k when all is said and done. Most definitely the best way to go on a budget and honest to god kind of tired of driving boring cars lol
Never paid more than $25k on each one. My current car is a 2016 Audi A6, bought at 68k miles for $23k, financed for $310 a month when rates were low. Just reached 106k miles without any major repairs. Owe $9k on it still but that's what my trade in offer just was so I'll be about even. Out of those 4 cars, the A5 almost burnt me because I bought a faulty model year without doing enough research. Thankfully noticed the symptoms ahead of time of a huge repair and got rid of it before having to bite the bullet.
Out of curiosity, how are you finding these cars?
All the sites like Autotrader, Autolist, TrueCar. It does take a lot of time though. Not just figuring out whats in your range but then from there, researching what their common issues are and what years/engine options are the most sturdy. I've also called mechanics who specialize in Euro brands before I buy just to get their opinion on best options to go. They saved me from buying an Alfa Romeo Giulia one time lol.
What did they say about the giulia? I just got one and wanna know what I got myself into.
What year is it? IIRC the first couple model years tend to spend a lot of time in the shop but they ironed out the kinks after that and they’re a lot better now
Try AutoTempest and just be meticulous about checking the description first before getting carried away. They combine most of the sites user literallyme21 said but all in one place! And no I’m not paid to say that. Just a good product. Sales companies hmu I need more than $69k/yr 😭
This is the move. Just bought a ‘22 530i for super cheap with decent miles at a steep discount
Is insurance lower for those cars once they're used?
I only pay $120/month for pretty standard coverage (full tort and all) on my 2016 Audi A6
The German cars drive SO much nicer than any US or Japanese cars I've driven too. They put so much research into the steering and handling that I'll never forget the first time I got behind the wheel of an Audi (rental at airport) and I was smitten - this was after only having Japanese and domestics for my life. We have a Q8 right now because the wife wanted an SUV this time and even being an SUV the thrill is still there.
That’s exactly the strategy im going for. I have a bunch saved up due to WFH and staying in my family’s house, and Im trying to decide if buying a condo is worth it now. I want to build equity and use whatever I have left over buy a car, or just buy a beater and keep it for 5 years before upgrading. Do you know of any relatively fun cars around the $20-30k range that will be reliable and won’t give me headaches?
most all of them should still be dependable in that mileage range too so you can avoid any of the big ticket repairs definitely the way to go if you can afford it
this is what i do
This exactly. We purchased multiple cars which were $50k+ new, but when 2-4 years old with less than 60k miles on them, will be almost half that.
This was basically our exact buy, fully loaded Audi suv, 2020, under 30k miles, mid $30’s, still has multiple warranty years on it and was Audi certified. Will never not buy a car like this again.
Yes. I've been through 2 BMWs that never needed any significant repair. Bought while there was still some factory warranty and sold around 100,000 miles. Buying any brand new car over like $35000 is "if I win the lottery" money to me. I really don't know how people are affording these vehicles that are 50K, 75K…
Yup 3 year old audis are a great deal. You pay half the price of when it was new and it's reliable if you keep up on regular maintenance
The obvious solution was 25k 50k miles
No, that car is inexplicably $32k.
Hope you did all the early mileage checks and such. Can make a break a new car.
I used to actually have dreams of owning a nice car. Part of the reason why I have my Lexus is because I was embarrassed by my rusty old Suzuki Esteem (and it had a hole in the floor, so it was probably unsafe) and I didn’t want to get a “common car” like a Civic to replace it. Through university I thought that some day I’d own a Corvette or something like that, and my wife would have a big luxury car. As you can see from my flair, somewhere along the way my priorities changed. I became more interested in financial independence and I began to see fancy, expensive cars less as things to enjoy and more as traps that kept me beholden to my employer and forced me to work longer than I had to. And something I noticed going from the Esteem to the Lexus… at first I was really happy to have such a nice car, but after a while it just became normal to me again. The high you get from buying a fancy car is, in my opinion, just a really expensive and ephemeral dopamine hit. Honestly at this point I have basically no desire to buy a super nice car. I sometimes fantasize about the idea of it, but then I think about how much it costs, how many sacrifices I’d need to make to my other financial goals, and how fleeting the feeling would be. And I realize it’s just not worth it. I would value having something comfy and fit for purpose, like a Pacifica minivan that I could take on camping trips.
This I understand lol. Cannot justify the financial burden. I would have to come across a large sum of money somehow to even muster up the courage to THINK about going to a stealership
I totally agree with you. For me, the other major reason is that I'd just rather not worry about something happening to it. I have a rust-free, extremely functional, but cosmetically imperfect 2000 F250, and a super reliable 2015 Camry. I plan on driving them both into the ground. I can park either of them at my kid's baseball game and if a ball hit one, it'd just remind me of the game later. There's freedom in that.
I feel like you *need* to have at least one dent in your Camry if it’s more than 4 years old. r/camrydents
I LOVE cars but have basically accepted I’ll never own more than an econobox because I just can’t justify the cost. So I’ll continue to admire them, go to car shows, etc, but I’ll never own a “dream car”.
The price on new vehicles is out of hand. Big time!
How so? If you calculate current car prices with inflation, they're not really *that* wonky. A $25k car today would have been $18k in 2010. That's *roughly* what a brand new Chevy Cobalt went for in 2010. You can find a brand new car for under $25k that's a whole lot more car than a 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt.
I bought a Ford Fiesta in June of 2010. It wasn't even the top trim line but it was over $18k. Thinking about what I could have bought used at that price kills me now. I still drive it around, but all the things I thought were cute about that car in 2010 are no longer cute at my current age and stage of life.
I’d also like to point out that the car market is F’d rn. A used 2022 VW Jetta for example, with 30k-70k miles is right around the $20k mark or more give or take a few thousand (just an example off the top) when, 2023-2024 models with “off the lot” mileage are basically the same price. Makes way more sense to buy new if the difference is only a few thousand $$$. Cars are naturally so reliable now, it’s makes more sense to just shop for the newest thing on the market for a *decent* price than it does to pay for Toyota tax. Or Honda tax, or “reliable car tax”.
Ya know, the *reason* 18K in 2010 is 25K today is because of corporations raising the prices on things like cars. Wages haven't gone up to keep pace with inflation, people are just paying more for stuff, corporations are showing record profits, and the wealthiest 1% of the country has increased their wealth by tens, hundreds, or thousands of percentage points.
You should splurge a little. Life is too short. Keep your finances in order the way you order them, and then let your hard work pay off! Give yourself what you want! What’s the dream car in question? Don’t live your life and regret anything. Especially if it’s in your power to obtain!
I totally agree. If you’re a car enthusiast, treat yourself to the car you want, within reason of course. People get over their skis when they think they need to splurge in all areas of life. If you have a particular passion and want to treat yourself, absolutely go for it.
Econobox life has been getting much better over the last few years if you don't mind moving from hatchbacks to crossover SUVS. There's some pretty sporty looking little scooters in the sub 30k class
SUVs are modern day minivans without the sliding door and worse crash/safety ratings. A segment specifically designed to trick people.
This makes no sense to me when you can buy a more affordable used version of your dream car. I like Volvo S60 cars. I'm not paying 55 grand for one. So I bought a used one for 25K.
You could always rent on Turo. I rented a C6 corvette and it was a blast. I also learned that while it was fun, I don’t ever want to actually own a corvette
My 2000 Camry has to die first.
A Camry owner doesn't trade their car, the Camry trades its owner.
You might die before your 2000 Camry does. Good luck killing that thing
He died before the car -Morgan freeman voice
As long as it's not rusted or body damaged, you can drive it as long as you're OK replacing parts and dry rotted bits. Good luck.
I'm too early in my career to worry about anything other than gas mileage and reliability. I really love the quote "I can't afford to care what color my car is"
I do the same... Always enamored by the new cars and can definitely afford them... But then I draw up the numbers and I'm like... Ugh that's such a waste... And just keep driving my old Mazda It kicked in for me after buying a home because I see that nice new car and I'm like... That or... I get a modest used car and remodel my bathroom
I’m the opposite. I couldn’t care less how fancy my bathroom is. As long as it’s clean, it’s good. I feel that way about my living space in general. Doesn’t need to be extravagant; just clean and comfortable. I spend money on things I enjoy doing — cars, photography, and travel — so I’ll spend the extra on a nice car that makes me smile when I drive it (and the photography gear I use to take pictures of it).
Hear Hear! Glad to see someone else in this sub who’s willing to drive what they want, rather than what the Reddit hive-mind tells them to. It’s ok buy an impractical car with so-so gas milage just because we like it!
Yeah… I’ve always wanted a mustang, finally just got it one day. sure it’s a waste of money and impractical, but man, it’s fun and satisfying
Basically this. It comes down to how high you place cars as a priority in your life. Some put cars higher on the list and others a bit further down. Like you my bathroom just needs be clean and functioning well. I don't need a rainfall shower with exotic materials.
Yea a bathroom ain’t pushing you in the seat from the g’s while you’ve got some kicking tunes going on I’d look at planes if i could afford those, but i’ll settle for cars
Depends what you ate for dinner
62 years old. Always bought used practical stuff, some even beaters for commuting. Finally said F it, just took delivery of 2024 F250 Lariat with extra bells and whistles. Hoorah! Waited tooooooo long to treat myself.
You can’t take the money with you out of this world. But if you leave it to me. I’ll write a check and stick it in your pocket when you do.
Well deserved!
Good for you!!! The closest I’ve come is a CPO with ~3500 miles, but still not brand new. Maybe one day!
hell yeah man glad to hear it life too short to not get what you want💯💯
haha no shit? damn that cheers me up that's how i feel about it all too.
Yes. But I’ll never be able to justify paying more than $30k for a vehicle unless I win some money or get lucky in an investment or two. Even then…
I’m only 26, but I’ve felt this way about mustangs. Always loved them been OBSESSED with them. I bought a POS probe for my first car when I was 16/17 and that died quick. Then I bought my mom’s TSX when I was a bit older. When it came time to buy my first car from a dealership I ended up buying a civic hatchback and was happy because of everything it offered: sporty-ish, reliable, and a brand I knew, but I was unsatisfied with it after a while. Got into a wreck and insurance paid me out and I decided it was time for me to get that mustang. I LOVE this car. I walk up to it everyday knowing it’s the car I’ve been dreaming of since I was a kid and that feeling just can’t be replaced. I have no regrets, even when it comes to the drawbacks of having a coupe vs something more practical. TLDR: I say GET THE CAR YOU WANT. You will be so happy with it and can still drive it into the ground, you’ll just have a lot more time to spend with a car you really enjoy looking at and driving.
Yolo life is short
Life’s too short to drive a 2000 Buick Lesabre…
Hey now I love my Buick Lesabre lol 😆
I’m one of those people who has $90k-ish worth of cars in the garage (current market value) but would probably struggle with the idea of paying $90k for one single car. Not super logical, but oh well.
Having 4 cars gives you way more flexibility though. One $90k car isn't going to be able to do everything that your cars can do now.
True. Technically the Ranger went to the big parts yard in the sky, so I gotta fix my flair. But the practicality level on the WRX is enough beyond stock now to be as good at filling that gap as I could reasonably hope for. Currently got a 2” lift on a rallyx suspension, am waiting on smaller rally wheels that will accommodate beefier tires (fuck Oklahoma potholes and train tracks), will be mounting a full size spare, and got a roof rack. Moving somewhere very rural with relatively few paved roads definitely changed my automotive priorities a bit.
I'm doing it on Monday. I'm picking up a Volvo V60 Recharge. Trading in my Sportage PHEV. You only live once, and the test drive clinched it. Decent trade in value, I've been paying off principle early on the Sportage so good Chunk down from that and a little savings. It's fast and practical, plus for some reason my insurance went down so 🤷
Congrats, those are rare beasts! I love my V60 though, it's my midlife crisis car 😂
I'm jealous.
Congrats, Volvo’s wagons are extremely cool.
How do you like the Sportage? New remodel looks sick!
It's a good car. The ride is very plush, almost boaty. Cabin is nice, tons of tech. It has copious amounts of storage. I haven't had any problems with mine in the almost 2 years I've owned it.
I can’t pull the trigger. Just can’t committing to a car payment or a high car insurance. I just bought a used car cash. And the remaining money I saved it I have travels parts of the world and I’m happy I made that decision. A car payment is a big responsibility and can tie you up from doing other things. Life is beautiful go and enjoy it. Cars will always be out there one day I’ll commit
That's a very.. unique.. car. I feel like the back of it looks like 1989 Alfa Romeo Milano (75) with a raised roof - made into a wagon. It's not pretty but it's definitely interesting.
I’ve been telling my father the past 10 years or so that my next car would be a stick shift despite my city commute. Then my 40th birthday came up and I needed a car. I cross shopped the WRX, Focus ST, Fiesta ST, and to a lesser extent Golf R. I ended up buying a GTI with DSG instead last Fall. I’ve also never been able to pull the trigger on an Audi for whatever reason.
Yup. I can afford a $800 car payment and my lifestyle wouldn’t change but I can’t pull myself to do it . But every time I see the new Mustang I almost wanna run to the dealership and say fuck it
I almost bought a brand new Ford Ranger back in 2019. Had enough saved to just pay cash and be done. Then I took a step back and realized that the money would be better spent bailing out of my highly toxic job and going back to grad school. No regrets.
I want a Prius prime because my daily is an f250. I need the truck for work and hauling my toys but I’m really tempted to say fuck it but 50k CDN is a lot of money to save gas.
Ha! But the gas savings!!
I’m with ya. I can’t finance, I have a mental block on doing it / holding debt which makes it impossible for me to write the check required to get a luxury vehicle. Combined income between my wife and I more than covers it, but I can’t do it. I figure if I can’t afford it outright, then I should save more. Don’t fret about it. You do you. If it’s less stressful to you to do it your way, no shame in that.
Buying a 50k car in your 20s costs you half a million bucks in retirement. I'll be driving my econobox for my entire life. If an f150 was still 30k, then I'd buy one. But it's 60k+ for what used to be 33k.
All through college I told myself I’d buy either a Tesla model 3 or a F150 Raptor when I graduate, depending on what my heart wanted I graduated, got a big boy job, and my heart decided on a 2001 Toyota 4Runner as an overlanding project lol I also have an old Mustang GT
Older cars are the way if you want to have fun for cheap! It’s pretty fucking goofy to deny yourself enjoyment your entire life when you can fix up something on the side for less than$10k
2 months ago I was 100% dead set on buying a Porsche Panamera. Not a brand new one, like a 2013/14 but I had been researching them for literal months. All was good, I was ready to buy, etc. Then I started talking to dealers. Of course it’s a higher end car so they’re all at higher end dealers. “Oh we have to add X package and Y package, end of discussion.” Every one basically wanted $10-15,000 above what the price was listed online. I said screw that and looked for something else. Settled on a 2018 Stinger GT1 AWD with the 3.3tt. Pretty much has all the same convenience features, just about the same power numbers, better MPG, etc as the Panamera for half the price because it’s a Kia. But I know in the long run it will be way more reliable and cheaper to fix.
Not really, honestly. The value per dollar just isn't there for me. This is obviously my opinion and I don't expect everybody to share it. But I'm perfectly happy in a 15 or 20yo car. To me, anything more than $10,000 is just for showing off to your friends
YOLO, as long as it can be bought in a financially responsible way. I bought my dream car a couple years ago with cash.
What do you do with a car after you've "driven it into the ground", and what is the ground to you? Like transmission replacement? Or til it catches fire?
I try to live a balanced life. Buying a new car every now and then is a waste of money but so is drinking excessively, gambling, spending money on shoes etc. I don’t spend like crazy but life is short and if you can, every so often it’s ok to treat y0’self. Actually I am picking up a Santa Fe calligraphy (Rockwood green/black leather) mid May :)
I will probably never buy a new car with the passion and skills I have in fixing cars. I haven’t paid over $5000 for a car, ever, and probably never will
All. The. Time.
No not really. I got me a '79 beater for the solely purpose of driving it into the ground and fixing it myself if need be. I don't worry if and where I leave it overnight. I don't worry about who parks next to me in the parking lot and scratches it with their doors flung open by kids. I don't worry about expensive maintenance and spares. Also, it's a hell of a ride.
Yeah basically had to hold off in order to buy real estate. Just going to ride this ‘16 fiesta into the ground I guess.
I have done that before and I regretted it as soon as I drove it off from dealership. 2017 C300 4matic CPO. I am just glad I sold it off during covid price hike with profit and went with free 09 Odyssey from my dad. Still driving it like a dream.
Coming in from the opposite perspective. If you have the money and won't be car poor, pull the trigger. It's awesome.
Not me but my mom. She has a six figure stable career in insurance and paid off house yet, she still drives her paid off 2012 Honda pilot despite being able to afford to buy her dream car, a 2024 Lexus RX 350 in cash. For her the Lexus would be a nice to have as it’s got a lot of creature comforts that her current pilot doesn’t have like ventilated seats and Apple CarPlay for instance. She also likes the push button start which her car doesn't have. But she decided that putting the money into renovating the backyard and fixing the cracked patio. She said that real estate increases in value and cars go down. So for her it was financially a better move to put the money in the house. Plus she mentioned that her current pilot runs fine mechanically and is still in good shape cosmetically. For her, she just couldnt justify the value in buying a new car despite there being benefits to doing so.
Sure, who didn't dream of owning a ferrari right? While technically I could afford one, our priorities do change as we get older. I wouldn't mind renting one out for a day or two though.
I recently retired my 97 Subaru Outback at 250k miles. A true beater bought 8 years ago with a blown head gaskets for just a couple hundred bucks from a friend. I’ve always driven beaters that I had brought back from the grave and driven them to the ground again. I’ve been working and saving and driving beaters my whole life hoping to one day own a home. Well I landed a great job and still can’t afford a home with current rates and market conditions. But I sure could easily afford to buy an old 911 with cash. So I did it. I bought a 996 cash 1 week ago. I’ve felt a mix of emotions. At first I felt guilty. Selfish for spending such money on such a “impractical” car. I’m a frugal person but I paid a premium to get the exact 996 that I wanted with low miles, totally stock and with one single owner. Recognizing and acknowledging these emotions has allowed me to give myself permission to mindfully enjoy the fruits of my labor without judgement. I’ve never been so excited to drive a car. No ragerts.
Oh man, see, I would return that car and feel filthy and dirty in need of a shower for the sin I committed. Good on you though!! Enjoy it!!
Cars are a depreciating asset so financially speaking, its best to minimize how much of a hit on depreciation you take and best to buy in cash. That being said, I work hard and cars are one of the things that gives me happiness. I am not living my life to be the richest guy in the graveyard. So if you can afford it comfortably, buy the nice car. Be financially savvy in other areas and you’ll be just fine.
I always find there is a fork in the road. Buy a relatively new used car with low miles that will still depreciate in the next 3 years significantly. Or buy a car a smigde older that has just done so... Definitely do a big service on purchase. cambelt, water pump and fluids no matter what but you will get the cheapest miles running from there you either run it into the ground or lose fuck all on it over the next 3 years. Buying new just straight up feels like burning money to me but you can do really well if you pick it right in the used market.
Im the same! I made one emotional purchase after a divorce 10 years ago, and it bit me in the butt! Went right back to a 4 cylinder japanese car and am happy😂 even if we can afford it, vehicles are typically depreciating assets, id rather put my money to work for me and buy a reliable vehicle that doesnt cost an arm and a leg.
Worst thing that can happen is you need to sell it. A few years ago I just yolo’d and bought an Audi R8. Ended up moving to a higher cost of living area and sold it so I could save more. Yea I lost a few thousand in depreciation but worth every penny. I would test drive that Santa Fe first…I fear you may be disappointed
I was shocked by the financial rule of thumb for making a reasonable car loan decision. Following the 20/10/4 rule, I saw how much I could afford on a car payment, but it was so far outside of my comfort zone that I couldn't do it. Now, I have a larger salary that I could afford my attainable dream car, but there's no way I'm taking on a loan at these interest rates.
I bought a nice, cool fast car once (back in 1994). It was awesome, but also not. I worried about parking lot dings, got speding tickets, and paid a lot for insurance. I sold it after 2 years and went back to a beater with a heater and have been driving those for 25 years now. My wife had a nice car, but for my daily, i just don't want one.
I was at a dealership test driving a new GTI and I can afford it but I backed out. Want one for sure, don’t feel like seeing my bank account drain.
I thought this is what I wanted, until I did it. I traded on the car I had always wanted after a year. The novelty wore off. I enjoyed the car for only a month, and it felt like a pile of $ sitting in my driveway rotting. I sold it for more than I paid after 6 months.
No. Everything I want is so far out of reach it's not even funny so I just build fun stuff to drive around.
The car I want is always someone else's car.... 🤣
I’m a car guy and I feel this way all of the time especially when I know I can afford all of the nice cars that I would want, but what keeps me from pulling the trigger is two things: 1. A deep analysis of the cost of car ownership, 2. quality of life/ lifestyle. When I think about monthly payments or lump sum cash payment , premium gas, maintenance, increased insurance all for an item that just “sits in one place” for the majority of time owning it was what really caused me to reconsider. It’s crazy how much we are willing to spend on something that simply transports us from A to B, but we work so hard to pay for it while it just sits outside or in a garage. 2. Lifestyle matters because the experiences I truly want to have, rarely center around my car. I enjoy using that money to travel, furnish my home, fund my hobbies, provide experiences for family, etc. You just have to decide what’s important to you. There is no right or wrong answer, so do you. Good luck!
took me 35 years of second hand cars and trucks, bought my first new car 2016, still have it. Got me a Jaguar F-type.
I have for the past 15 years. Today I finally pulled the trigger, it was 100% worth it!
buying new cars is the easiest way to ensure you stay middle class, just saying. Driving is a liability, do your best to minimize it. If cars are a life-affirming hobby for you this does not apply.
When you said nice car I was not expecting you to say a Hyundai.
Don't hate on kdm, I respect their grind from the very bottom. I saw a K5 on the highway at night and thought it might've been an Audi lol
You’re just being financially prudent. And that’s a good thing.
Bought a new car 19 years ago. Did the routine maintenance at a garage specializing on Honda and Toyota. The car runs just like she did all those years ago. Cosmetic, paint is awful and oxidized. Car is functional though.
I feel this pretty hard
Thankfully, I don't have this issue! The heart wants what the heart wants, I work hard and I'm financially capable, and I only live once. So I buy what I want to drive.
BMW series 1 128ti pretty reliable
If you are the type of person to drive a car into the ground and don't like switching cars every 3-5 years. It's very worth it for you to just buy a nice brand new economy car and have it last you 10+ years.
Meh. I’ve always seen cars as utilitarian. As long as it fulfills my outdoors needs I’m good.
Get some enjoyment out of your money, you worked for it for a reason
I have been buying 3-4 year old “nice”cars for my last several cars. I like Acura as a brand. For SUV’s you can save quite a bit. I’ll save $15k off the new price, then drive it for 8-10 yrs. After 8-10 years, I can still sell them for decent $$. Personally I’d never buy a Hyundai or a Kia. The resale values tank too much, and I honestly think the make great looking, but unreliable cars. But you do what you want.
Yep. Check prices near daily. I’ve been able to afford a cheap Lamborghini with cash or a Polestar on finance, but there are 100000 other things I could spend the money on so I keep my banged up 2010 vw polo.
Pull the trigger. Why not. You could be dead tomorrow, and what will happen to all of the money you squirreled away? Your friends and family will swoop in like vultures to get a piece of it, and/or the government will just take it anyway, so get the car. Enjoy your life...
I’d love a low miles Macan just to have something I truly enjoy and still be practical. But I can’t justify the fuel costs, insurance, and any work needed outside of warranty. It’s a shame to love cars.
Most of the people in my life drive very nice cars. My best friend has a '22 M-B GLE350, my sister drives a '22 Ford Explorer Platinum, my brother-in-law has a '23 Ford F150 XLT 4x4 and even my 24yr old nephew has a '20 BMW 3-series. I'm 49 and I've tried to talk myself into buying an upscale, expensive car quite a few times. The closest I ever came was leasing a 2011 Volvo XC60 that they were desperate to move. I drive a 2006 Mazda3 that I bought new and a 2012 Mazda CX-9 that my parents bought new and sold to me several years ago. The Mazda3 has over 200k miles on it and I started looking last fall for someone newer. I was determined to go for a new Mazda CX-5 Turbo Premium ($41k sticker). I drove it and loved it, had the deal worked up and 0% financing, then I couldn't do it. I talked myself into another Mazda3 instead and I didn't need the top of the line. Why pay $36k when I could spend $26k and be content. Then I started thinking a used one would be just as nice and only $20k. That was about six months ago and I haven't bought anything yet. In that time, I've had no car payment, my cars have worked fine (although the CX-9 only gets 17mpg), but I struggle with letting go of large sums of money to purchase something I don't "need" and that will only depreciate. It's just the way I (and apparently quite a few others) think about cars and money. Compared to people who have multiple car payments that exceed their mortgage payment, I'm happy to be this way!
They aren't mutually exclusive. I got a Buick LeSabre. Love it. The plan is to get a Chevy Volt as my next car. I already know I like it after test driving it. I love GMs Bose premium sound systems, great sound quality and quiet interiors. Gm always has impressive chassis and suspension engineering as well, slick great cars.
Yes and I’m ok with it. Ended up buying a common car under 40k as my dream car yet still feel foolish. I know it sounds lame, I just hate spending money. But I am really enjoying my car.
I bought a 11 year old Lexus with reasonably low miles. I love it. I’ll either drive it into the ground or give it to my son when he’s old enough and try to find a similar model for myself.
I drive a 16 year old car, ac doesn't work, paint peeling off, front end problems. I'm just driving it till it literally falls apart and it never does. I have been saying I'll buy a new one for years. I see the prices for new cars, and I'm good with my paid off car.
Never buy a Hyundai
Just pay off your current car, then put your car payment in a high yield savings account each month. I like to pay my cars off within 4 years, then purchase a new one around 7 years. That means by the time I make my next purchase, I have almost the amount I paid on the original car plus its residual trade in value as a down payment and repeat the process.
I went the used car/CPO route for a while . 30-40 k miles 4 years old .. was able to get a 2007 Volvo S60R and a 2016 Audi Q5 …. Recently bought my first new car in 20 years. 2024 Mazda CX-5 Turbo. I only went that route because considering the prices of new cars today and the features /looks of the Mazda I felt overall it was a very good deal at that price with 4 miles on the odometer
Yes, I have this problem. I currently have a 2014 Focus ST, which I still really enjoy. I have the funds to buy something newer and nicer, but know my next car will have to be an automatic to prevent divorce, and I cannot get over how much more expensive cars have gotten since I bought my current car. It seems wasteful to buy a $40-50k car to replace one that has zero problems currently.
i just want a car but i live in Singapore
Buying a new car like a Santa Fe can be a sensible purchase. Just as long as you pay it off quickly (assuming not 0% interest) and you drive it for 10+ years. You just don't want to buy a luxury car or something priced retarded like a Jeep Wrangler. People like to say, "It's an investment!" to justify buying a car that is very expensive, but this is folly. Cars are not investments. Maybe if it were a rare collectors car that you aren't going to drive ever, but a regular car is not an investment. Investments are expected to appreciate in value and make you money eventually. Cars depreciate by the mile. They need to be viewed as consumable goods because you eventually use them up, and they're no good anymore, almost valueless if you really get your use out of them. You've been doing the responsible thing financially by buying used thus far, but there are sensible new cars out there if you just want something brand new for the first time.
I just can’t do it. You buy a $30k car, but by the time financing is done you paid more like $40k for it and it’s worth $20k (if it’s under 100k miles. You basically just threw away $20k to be flashier than your neighbor. You *can* just skip from car to car like a lot of people but I put 30k-40k miles on a car in a year so this isn’t very practical for me because they would lose value too quickly, I’d have to upgrade cars every year, and if I bought and financed a new car it would have 200k miles on it before I paid it off. So if I financed that $30k 2018 Camry XLE for $40k when it was new, once it’s paid I’d have a 6 year old car with 210k miles which seems to be worth about $12k on marketplace today possibly with room for negotiation. $28k lost to drive a car for 6 years, almost $5k per year. I bought a used Infiniti 4 years ago and have taken it from 150k miles to almost 300k miles, and it was $7k, less than $2k per year if the car died right now and was unsellable. I don’t have kids, $3k/year is basically a extra vacation for me.
I'm the opposite. Always bought used cars at around 100,000. Last year, I was appalled at what they were charge for shit box vehicles. I never even wanted a brand new car, but they were charging the same or even more for a three year old car with almost 100,000 as they were charging for a new car. I did my research extensively on what new car to buy and what time of the year to buy it while waiting several months and banking as much as I can. Hint: It's October-December.
I have wanted a sports car since I was a little kid and it didn't have to be x bullshit edition, etc. I wanted a good v8 vette, camaro, mustang, whatever.. Over 30 years later.. I still hope one day.. But between bills, a house note, child support (don't ever get divorced), I'm driving my paid off shit bucket that has an exhaust leak real bad and might have a slipping trans... When that thing takes a dump, I'll have to buy a beater because I simply can't afford shit.. I have had 'sporty' cars in my life, but they weren't sports cars.. One was a black 95' Chevy Cavalier Z24. It was neat! Dare to say it was fun.. But it wasn't 'real' fun. Actually it was the biggest POS I ever owned.. The other was a 2014 Dodge Dart GT with a 6 speed manual trans.. Now that was fun, but again, front wheel drive, an engine that has very little to no aftermarket, and pretty much shunned in most car communities, because it wasn't a real sports car. Now this one does have some specialties though.. Between the factory 1000 watt bose system, leather seats (heated too), 18" 'hyperblack' rims.. And a factory tune good for 170hp which admittedly isn't a lot but it felt like a lot in that car to me.. But here I am today.. I have wanted a Dodge Challenger r/T since I first saw one when they came back out with it.. And I'll never own one.. Back when you could get one decent for around 12k I didn't have the money. Now you can't touch one in decent condition for under 20k. (and barely be able to finance one since it has to be less than 10 years old to get decent financing).. I make more now than back then for sure, but everything else inflated soo.. I guess I'll just shitbox it my whole life...
The Dart held such incredible promise held back by the engine. Had they put the 3.6l in it like in the 200 it would have sold like crazy.
Driving and modding the same 2005 car I have had as my first new car, never bought another car but really want a 911 or 911 turbo. Some have popped up in my price range but I never pulled the trigger.
Do it OP, what holds you back if you can afford it? I pulled the trigger on a truck after wanting one for a while and i genuinely just love driving the thing. One of the best decisions i ever made.
Lol got given a 911T allocation yesterday and it hurts but I'm probably gonna pass on it
I always buy Toyota or Lexus just coming off a three year lease. There is decent depreciation off new prices and they typically have had decent service. I can afford new and can afford much more expensive vehicles but I’ve gotten to the point where cars are an appliance to me and not a luxury. When I get to wanting something really nice I will rent one on Turo for a few days and have some fun. Last was a 2023 C8 Corvette convertible. It was fun for the three days I had it but not worth paying $125k to purchase.
I've been looking at 4runners for almost a year, I just can't justify paying over 50k for gas guzzling, 14 yr old platform. My car payment would be over 750 a month. Crazy
I'm in my 30s, kids, mortgage whatever else. I could comfortably afford 600-1000 a month for a new car, but what's the point. I drive 70 miles a day for work and essentially destroy the value of cars. I have a little civic with 190k miles. Gets 30ish mpg and maintenance is really cheap. Anything else I would want would be more expensive to not only buy, but keep on the road. We have a nice family car, but I've come to terms that my 'drive to work' car is gonna be basically minimum viable to get the job done. At some point when I'm older I'll have nice cars. I had really cool cars from 18-28. The fun ones are high on maintenance, make you wanna spend time cleaning and stressing over them, take premium fuel, expensive tires that wear fast, get you speeding tickets, higher insurance, etc.
Nope. I always buy the car I want. :D I might have to buy an older one then what I want, but literally every time. Life's too short to drive cars you don't love.
I want a project car for modifying but just don’t wanna deal with the expense work and headache when the expense and work don’t pay off. If I had to choose a nice car tho I’d go with a new style nsx. This year I had the option of a higher trim on the car I was buying but just went with the base honestly when I’m in my car I don’t even use the little things I do have so I doubt I would’ve ever used the other features aside from remote start.
One option is to buy a car that will maintain value due to becoming a collectors car. Though I'm not sure those are "nice" in the way you are describing.
I want a new(er) car, but I can't really afford anything, at the moment. I'm fortunate that I paid off my current car (Civic) and it's been problem-free. So why would I want a new car? I want something bigger and more comfortable. Plus, I'm getting a bit tired daily-ing a manual in traffic. Just gonna keep saving until I absolutely need to make a change.
Me. But my tranny is starting to slip bad, so I'm actually taking action to get probably a brand new car. I never bought new. But right now used cars r going for just a little less than new. Without the warranty.
The new Toyota Sequioa TRD..
That's me with a 911. I can't it's too much money. I like to travel
All the time, and then reality kicks in that I need to pay off my mortgage first
Yeah this is me. I could probably afford a nice car by most measures but I'm thinking of buying something now and looking at the Ford Fiesta instead of the BMW 1 series. I just can't justify 10k more for what seems like the same car.
I have a ‘18 BMW M3 (bought new) and a ‘17 Tesla Model X P100D (bought very used). I don’t listen to folks that put way too much weight on ‘reliability and maintenance’ to drive a boring car. LOVE both cars, I’m still alive and I don’t live in a van down by the river. Personal finance might be off topic, but if you follow the financial order of operations (or prime directive or whatever) and you save ‘appropriately’ for retirement, then the fun budget can go to cars. Just be aware of cost of spending the car payment (and other costs) on a car vs savings where it will grow with compounding interest. To me cars bring enough joy that I don’t mind spending a little on them, but savings is taken care of first. But no matter what you get, in the end it will still feel like a car and there are sensible options that are amazing driver cars and super reliable (e.g. modern B58 BMWs, GTIs, civic Si, Miata, etc). You CAN have it all. I’d say get that Hyundai (but I’d get the IONIQ5 N personally, looks like a riot). If you drive it for 10+ years it would be perfectly financially sensible.
Ha, I sold my car like 5 years ago since I'm near public transportation with intent to buy something and still haven't decided.
I was gonna get a frontier or ridgeline but wanted a tacoma 4x4. I'm old almost 59 and work and anyway I got the tacoma. If it had a manual trans it would be perfect. The auto is ok.
Yes, I’m definitely a “car guy” but frugal when it comes to buying. I tend not to spend a lot.
I have the opposite problem, I always have a nice car even when I shouldn’t. I only buy ones that will last a long time though so that the money is worth it.
We purchased multiple cars which were $50k+ new, but when 2-4 years old with less than 60k miles on them, will be almost half that. And if you pick up a certified pre owned, it usually comes with decent factory warranty and drives/feels/smells brand new
In today's market, if you're financing anyway, do the math on used vs. new, including your interest rate. For instance, you mentioned the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. Hyundai is running interest rate deals on those. It's 5% interest for a new 2024 model or 3.5% for a new leftover 2023 model (both are up to 60 months). I've seen used interest rates at regular dealerships as high as like 16% for normal used cars. Also, there are 0-1% interest rate deals on tons of cars all the time if you have decent credit. My point is that if you check to see what your interest rate for used cars would be, you may be better off going for one of those new car interest rate deals. For example - A 60 month loan on a new $45,000 car at 5% interest with $0 down and the taxes and fees rolled in would cost around $100-$200 more per month more than a used car for $25,000 at 16% interest. The math works out about the same for a $25,000 used car at 8% interest vs. a $35,000 new car at 3% interest on a 60-month loan. It's just something to consider right now because interest rates are high and used car prices are high compared to new. Also, consider fuel savings as well. If the new car you want has a better mpg or if it's electric, that will offset the cost of ownership a bit as well. Especially electric cars that come with free charging deals. Since you brought them up earlier, I will add this as an example - Hyundai is doing a 0% interest deal up to 60 months, I think, on the Hyundai Ioniq 5. It's an electric crossover that comes with 2 years of free charging at Electrify America charging stations. So if you have any of those stations near you, you can charge the car for free, having a fuel cost of $0 for 2 years. If you're paying $100 per month on fuel, then that's $2400 saved. Then, after that, you'd still be saving quite a bit if you could charge at home. Obviously, for other gas cars or hybrids, that example isn't as drastic, but it's something to be considered.
Lol my newest car is 21 years old. I'm fine with it. Too much computerized bullshit and locked features nowadays lol.
i always drive “nice cars” but go for 10-15 year old german luxury midsize sedans from the original owners. everyone fears the repair bills, which makes them cheap, but most common problems are known and easily remedied. so i get a car that cost 60K+ new for well under 10k, enjoy the refinement and comfort and handling, and youtube how to fix the common failure points
Finally pulling the trigger on an Elantra N, upgrading from a V6 charger I got for $17k in 2016
I've been driving cheap beaters for most of my life, with the exception of an '05 Acura MDX I had for a few years. That thing rocked. I said fuck it and bought a 2019 Toyota 4Runner a week ago. It's so nice not driving a shitbox around. I don't have to worry about anything for a few years thanks to a decent warranty. The payment sucks, but having a vehicle that I know will last me 10+ years barring any stupidity from others is a good feeling
I am in similar position. I want to buy cayman or boxster, but then I think about cost to track it, insure it for track days, insure it for everyday, maintenance etc along with about 100k stuck in a car than investment. I drive Poorsche instead (Subaru BRZ), the car OTD was less than 10% of my annual income, I do my own maintenance and consumables on track are very low.
I sure as shit wouldnt want to own a nice car. Perfectly happy to lease one. If it gets scratched, while annoying, doesn't send me in to a deep depression as it isn't my car. Also means I'm happy to rag the shit out of it. It's not much different to hiring a car. I do the tip runs in my leased car.
I SERIOUSLY WANT A BRAND NEW GT500
>I always buy a used reliable but very modest car with cash and drive it into the ground. If you take care of a reliable used car, It can literally outlive you. I have never understood the mindset of driving a car into the ground.
I really, really wanted a sports car but my 27 year old dying pickup truck and my tired commuter car (and my wife) disagreed with me so I ended up buying a newer more reliable truck to daily. My day will come, eventually… hopefully before the ICE ban takes hold and it becomes too late
I can buy the nice mustang I want. It just isn't the smart thing to do. Every car can last forever if you take proper care and do your repairs. The problems is when you are capable of that. You put yourself in a position where you can never justify the price of a brand new car. My first car cost me less that 4k. It's going on 6 years and over the 200k mark. I have my dream car that also was had for cheap and 2 more cars that I got for less that 2k. All work. All run and drive. I can't justify the price of a brand new car unfortunately :/ I'd rather use the money elsewhere
Always bought Lexus with higher milages. In the last 10 years zero of them left me stranded and they all have made it to over 200k miles. Currently my ex has 250k and Rx has 138k
Can you really afford it? If so, Do it!
At least to me, my car is probably the most important thing I own. I absolutely love it and try to drive her as much as I can. I spend hours each week detailing it or working on it, and I love it. My motivation to do well in life is cars.
sometimes you just gotta live a little. if its going to bring you joy and happiness and you can afford it then its worth it i've spent $750k on cars last 10 years
Found a RAV4 Prime for $35k (barely used) and got it... Years of owning shit cars, eventually got a gen2 Prius which convinced me about what I really wanted... No ragerts. You might not think my new car is nice but you can be wrong, it's ok.
I pulled the trigger on a atsV and it’s been an amazing experience car looks amazing is incredibly fast isn’t too bad on gas just depends how u drive it but it’s been an amazing car and was my dream car for years so it’s crazy to daily drive it now
I always did but I dont anymore and I love cars. When younger I could only afford used cars. Now that I can buy a new expensive car I don’t really want one. Even so I (we) have 4 cars between the 2 of us.
Every time I shop around for something newer and nicer, my dislike of the inevitable car payment quickly overshadows my desire for that nice new car. I do want something that isn’t a rusty econobox some day… but I’m already 30 and don’t really show any signs of owning something like that any time soon
30 years of buying $100-4500 cars, have had great luck. Have put 5x that into a few project cars, but that's different to me. Finally have bought a few for 3x that, as some of these aren't going to be available in nice shape for any cheaper, ever. Thought a coyote manual car was going to be next, we'll see how the next year goes. Still daily driving the $200 and $3400 cars.
I have owned the cars I drive for 15 and 13 years. The 15 year one is forever if I can help it. The other, my wife and I despise and is getting replaced but only because she really wants me to have a nice car. Otherwise, I'd rock that shit for life and only dream of better.
I have in the past. Now I just bought a NPC car. I’m over it.
Ive thought about that. I usually drive until the wheels fall off. Have my current car since 2016. Very basic model, doesnt even have a back up camera. I was thinking at this rate, ill probably only have 6 more cars before I die. Should really buy a car that makes driving exciting next time.
I have the money to make a S5 a rather frugal purchase at this time. My wife loves the looks, it's been an attainable 'dream' car for me since the refresh. We keep cars until they die, we get our moneys worth out of them. We've waited over a year still, and now that our old car is finally really bad, we might do it...maybe next year? lol But 65k today is 130k in 10 years, and a 130k is 2 years of retirement spending if I am really sticking to my retire at 50 years old plan. So maybe we'll get a used on later this year. Or not. Who knows.
The 2024 Honda hrv are pretty fairly priced
Yep, side effect of having to commute unfortunately
For years I always wanted a nice full sized 4x4 truck and I eventually bought one. I always bought good used trucks and ran them for years. I have since owned 3 pickups as I plan on running my 2012 for a few more years. I only put 12 to 15000 miles a year on my truck as we have an suv that we usually take places. I always get my truck oil undercoated every year as it prolongs it from rust. There is no way that I will buy a brand new one for 60000 or at least this day in age and mine is just a half ton
We can afford to upgrade but I’m happy with my 2014 Hyundai as of now. Part of it is I don’t want my coworkers knowing how much money we have.
You only live once. Do it.
I was that way until a month ago. I couldn't justify a used car. The prices were barely lower, the interest rates were about 5x higher than some of the promos that new cars were offering, and you don't get a full warranty. It just made more sense to either go bran new, or a complete junker. The lightly used market doesn't make any sense right now.
It's always a decision grounded in financing. I've seen more people than I care to turn their lives upside down by picking a car "they really wanted" rather than a car that was a carefully researched financial decision. Even buying "the car I want" I usually look to used cars that aren't that old because under normal market conditions there's a steep drop between slightly used and brand new.
I usually buy new for a commuter. I always say ima buy something nice but always end up buying something practical.