New car prices are out of control

[eldorado99]

Also, if you honestly think doctors give a damn about your car, you're delusional. It's telling that you say "If you ever have to meet admins or docs." In other words you never have. You're a small fry. I rub elbows with CxOs all the time, and have yet to have one turn their nose up at me because I drive a 97 Lincoln. It simply doesn't matter, except in your head.

Town Car or Continental?

 

[Smoblikat]

Coulda had an audi/BMW/mercedes.................got a 2001 hyundai

 

[iamwiz82]

I love cars and I love driving, so I buy cars that I will enjoy, even if they are expensive. Hell there are three in the household of two people right now.

 

[Capt Caveman]

That's not a very well thought out thing to say.

I drive a 2002 that has a good running engine but is otherwise in decline and the value of the car makes the fixes to get stuff working not worth it. The cd-player doesn't work, the heat doesn't work, has terrible sound isolation so it picks up lots of road noise, the dashboard rattles when you get going fast enough, and the seat/steering wheel only have a handful of adjustments. I used to commute 1+ hour each way to work, had a rental just before I moved. It was a newer car, not a luxury car, just new and it made a tremendous difference to the commute. Less road noise alone was awesome.

I don't know if a new luxury car would be a lot more of an improvement over a new commuter sedan but a new car absolutely makes a difference in a long commute.

As for the car making the person not a single person has mentioned buying a new luxury car solely for how others will perceive them. The vast majority of people buying nicer cars do so because they like driving them or like the options not because they care what others think.

Luxury cars, unlike say expensive AV cables, actually do offer more for the money. It may only be incrementally more but it is more.

When I used to drive my father's Honda CRV, it used to drive me crazy how loud and bumpy of a ride it had. I remember driving my parents to a wedding in my old Infiniti and he couldn't believe how quiet and smooth of a ride it was.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

That's not a very well thought out thing to say.

I drive a 2002 that has a good running engine but is otherwise in decline and the value of the car makes the fixes to get stuff working not worth it. The cd-player doesn't work, the heat doesn't work, has terrible sound isolation so it picks up lots of road noise, the dashboard rattles when you get going fast enough, and the seat/steering wheel only have a handful of adjustments. I used to commute 1+ hour each way to work, had a rental just before I moved. It was a newer car, not a luxury car, just new and it made a tremendous difference to the commute. Less road noise alone was awesome.

I don't know if a new luxury car would be a lot more of an improvement over a new commuter sedan but a new car absolutely makes a difference in a long commute.

As for the car making the person not a single person has mentioned buying a new luxury car solely for how others will perceive them. The vast majority of people buying nicer cars do so because they like driving them or like the options not because they care what others think.

Luxury cars, unlike say expensive AV cables, actually do offer more for the money. It may only be incrementally more but it is more.

Just for kicks run some numbers. Take a ballpark estimate of what it would cost you to repair/maintain your current vehicle and drive it over the next few years vs buying a new vehicle and compare the two. I imagine getting your vehicle fixed and a new CD player would be less than the tax, title, license you'd pay on a new one. Also factor in that you lost a few k soon as you drive it off the lot. It's really no contest numbers wise. It just matters what's important to you.

 

[Slew Foot]

I'd rather be taken seriously if I ever have to meet with any Docs or admins and not show up in some hoopty.

As CEO of a medical group I can say for sure that I give all of two shits about what any of the doctors drive. In fact, I'd be questioning the guy who drives fancy cars as all of the ones I know that do, are getting busted for insurance fraud.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-...ffer-as-money-overwhelms-optimal-therapy.html

http://www.mercurynews.com/health/ci_20885246/south-bay-surgery-clinic-firm-sued-39-million


Sure one of my partners may drive a 2004 escort, but he's reliable and does a decent job, I have no qualms about paying him 450k.

 

[LegendKiller]

As CEO of a medical group I can say for sure that I give all of two shits about what any of the doctors drive. In fact, I'd be questioning the guy who drives fancy cars as all of the ones I know that do, are getting busted for insurance fraud.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-...ffer-as-money-overwhelms-optimal-therapy.html

http://www.mercurynews.com/health/ci_20885246/south-bay-surgery-clinic-firm-sued-39-million


Sure one of my partners may drive a 2004 escort, but he's reliable and does a decent job, I have no qualms about paying him 450k.

This.

The whole "expensive cars are a status symbol for work" is a joke.

Personally, I'd far rather go to work and say I drive a Honda than say I drive a 5 series.

 

[purbeast0]

If you want to say it's about how horrible a ride is with older cars and how much better a newer one will be, sure. Expensive cars are status symbols, nothing more. I prefer to say "I don't waste money and invest wisely". That's what most of my coworkers' cars say.

Yeah, it's jealousy. ROFL. You have absolutely no clue who I am or what I do and you obviously don't get the small hints, like my post above re: Ally.

yet here you are telling people what is a waste of money and what isn't. ironic.

how about those that can afford a nice car, AND invest wisely?

what the hell is the point of having money if all you are going to do is save and not spend it? seems a lot of atot seems to have a problem with actually enjoying money. all most of them want to do is just save it and never spend it. and it is very possible to do both.

 

[BUTCH1]

OP sold nice truck (paid off) to buy a beater but in the end he beat himself because he wound up eating the depreciation which is highest in the car's early years..

 

[lxskllr]

OP sold nice truck (paid off) to buy a beater but in the end he beat himself because he wound up eating the depreciation which is highest in the car's early years..

Details matter. If his "new" truck was loaded, he could have come out ahead by buying a stripped beater.

I like as few "features" as possible in my cars. I paid twice as much as I would have liked for my Jeep because I wanted a 4 door with a standard shift. To get that combo, I also got other crap I didn't want, and it was in better physical appearance than I would have otherwise bought. I'm still not sure I made the right decision, but I can't really complain about the purchase.

 

[iamwiz82]

This.

The whole "expensive cars are a status symbol for work" is a joke.

Personally, I'd far rather go to work and say I drive a Honda than say I drive a 5 series.

I think the same way about a house. Why do you need a 3,000 square foot house for a small family? Why do you need a McMansion built with 1/4" plywood and economy grade studs?

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

OP sold nice truck (paid off) to buy a beater but in the end he beat himself because he wound up eating the depreciation which is highest in the car's early years..

I got out cheap. Sorry you're on the slavery/debt treadmill. Cars and truck paid for here son. Just bought a trailer hitch to haul my paid off trailer around. Might put in a aftermarket radio or not. Might decide to take off a few months of spending any money on my vehicles. Sure feels nice to have that option. Oh what was that sound? Car payment was just debit out of your account. Brand X car company says thanks sucker.

 

[ponyo]

Details matter. If his "new" truck was loaded, he could have come out ahead by buying a stripped beater.

I like as few "features" as possible in my cars. I paid twice as much as I would have liked for my Jeep because I wanted a 4 door with a standard shift. To get that combo, I also got other crap I didn't want, and it was in better physical appearance than I would have otherwise bought. I'm still not sure I made the right decision, but I can't really complain about the purchase.

You have it backwards. You generally want to buy the least option stripped model when buying a new car and the most fully optioned model when buying an used car. Options on a new car can add additional 50%+ to the base price of a car. On an used car, those same options might get you 5% increase in the price.

All my current vehicles are pretty bare optioned. But I bought new and the only option I cared about was the type of engine. But when I was younger, I preferred full optioned cars and paid for it.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Details matter. If his "new" truck was loaded, he could have come out ahead by buying a stripped beater.

I like as few "features" as possible in my cars. I paid twice as much as I would have liked for my Jeep because I wanted a 4 door with a standard shift. To get that combo, I also got other crap I didn't want, and it was in better physical appearance than I would have otherwise bought. I'm still not sure I made the right decision, but I can't really complain about the purchase.

Exactly. I went from a top of the line fully loaded f150 with heated/cooled leather, sync, four door, power everything, v8, etc.. to a stripped down 10 year old Silverado with no carpet, manual doors/locks, v6. Truck has taken me to work everyday just the same. Bought a trailer hitch to pull my trailer which it still has enough power to do that. I consider repairs/maintenance just part of the cost of owning an older vehicle and even with that considered it is still way cheaper to own and drive. Also insurance is cheaper.

 

[lxskllr]

You have it backwards. You generally want to buy the least option stripped model when buying a new car and the most fully optioned model when buying an used car. Options on a new car can add additional 50%+ to the base price of a car. On an used car, those same options might get you 5% increase in the price.

All my current vehicles are pretty bare optioned. But I bought new and the only option I care about is the type of engine. But when I was younger, I preferred full optioned cars and paid for it.

Any increase is too much if you don't want the features. Trucks can rival luxury cars in options. Some time in the 90s they stopped being workhorses, and became status symbols. Trading a status symbol for a workhorse can net you a lot of extra cash.

 

[Slew Foot]

I think the same way about a house. Why do you need a 3,000 square foot house for a small family? Why do you need a McMansion built with 1/4" plywood and economy grade studs?

Houses appreciate (at least in good areas) cars dont.

 

[iamwiz82]

Houses appreciate (at least in good areas) cars dont.

Errr... did you see the housing market over the past 8 years?

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Errr... did you see the housing market over the past 8 years?

Im in my house a minimum of 8 hours a day. I'll splurge a little there.

 

[Slew Foot]

Errr... did you see the housing market over the past 8 years?

My house went up

Bay Area wins again suckers!

 

[iamwiz82]

My house went up

Bay Area wins again suckers!

It's the price I paid to not have to live in California. I gladly paid :biggrin:

 

[IronWing]

Im in my house a minimum of 8 hours a day. I'll splurge a little there.

This is the exact reason some folks are happy living in trailers and driving expensive cars. That is where they spend their waking hours, driving. To them home is for sleeping or watching TV.

 

[LegendKiller]

yet here you are telling people what is a waste of money and what isn't. ironic.

how about those that can afford a nice car, AND invest wisely?

what the hell is the point of having money if all you are going to do is save and not spend it? seems a lot of atot seems to have a problem with actually enjoying money. all most of them want to do is just save it and never spend it. and it is very possible to do both.

That's because anybody intelligent and self-confident enough know that they are a waste of money. Hell, one of the PMs that I work with, who makes more than you likely ever will, drove a 15 year old Camry until last year. Do you think he cared about what people thought of that? Even then he only got an S4.

They also know of the Tragedy of the Commons and adjust accordingly. The sad part about humanity in general is the resources we waste merely because we can.

The point of saving money and not wasting it on a car that provides no incremental value nor investment? Retire earlier? Pass money on to your kids so they don't have to pay for their education? Have enough to pass it on to theirs so they are taken care of also?

Above all, money is an option that you buy with time. That option can get you many things. You are trading time for money, your life for money. Do you think it is an efficient allocation of money (time) to buy a car or buy more time for yourself in retirement? Would you rather have time, or a car? It limits your options.

Delayed gratification and less emphasis on self importance is the key here. Obviously you don't have the key.

 

[iamwiz82]

That's because anybody intelligent and self-confident enough know that they are a waste of money. Hell, one of the PMs that I work with, who makes more than you likely ever will, drove a 15 year old Camry until last year. Do you think he cared about what people thought of that? Even then he only got an S4.

They also know of the Tragedy of the Commons and adjust accordingly. The sad part about humanity in general is the resources we waste merely because we can.

The point of saving money and not wasting it on a car that provides no incremental value nor investment? Retire earlier? Pass money on to your kids so they don't have to pay for their education? Have enough to pass it on to theirs so they are taken care of also?

Above all, money is an option that you buy with time. That option can get you many things. You are trading time for money, your life for money. Do you think it is an efficient allocation of money (time) to buy a car or buy more time for yourself in retirement? Would you rather have time, or a car? It limits your options.

Delayed gratification and less emphasis on self importance is the key here. Obviously you don't have the key.

Do you not go on vacation? Do you not spend anything on enjoyment? Is your computer a 10 year old eMachines? To me it sounds like you aren't working to retire, you are working to make the value of your bank account grow. Life can be enjoyed before 55.

 

[Capt Caveman]

That's because anybody intelligent and self-confident enough know that they are a waste of money. Hell, one of the PMs that I work with, who makes more than you likely ever will, drove a 15 year old Camry until last year. Do you think he cared about what people thought of that? Even then he only got an S4.

They also know of the Tragedy of the Commons and adjust accordingly. The sad part about humanity in general is the resources we waste merely because we can.

The point of saving money and not wasting it on a car that provides no incremental value nor investment? Retire earlier? Pass money on to your kids so they don't have to pay for their education? Have enough to pass it on to theirs so they are taken care of also?

Above all, money is an option that you buy with time. That option can get you many things. You are trading time for money, your life for money. Do you think it is an efficient allocation of money (time) to buy a car or buy more time for yourself in retirement? Would you rather have time, or a car? It limits your options.

Delayed gratification and less emphasis on self importance is the key here. Obviously you don't have the key.

:biggrin:

 

[DrPizza]

Do you not go on vacation? Do you not spend anything on enjoyment? Is your computer a 10 year old eMachines? To me it sounds like you aren't working to retire, you are working to make the value of your bank account grow. Life can be enjoyed before 55.

So, let's spend our discretionary income on a car, right?

If you ask some people, "list the top 50 most things that are most enjoyable in life," I personally find it pathetic if "driving my car to work" is put on that list. But, to each their own. It's just my opinion, and everyone has their own opinion, that if "driving my car" registers on your list of enjoyable experiences, you're doing that whole life thing wrong.