Quote:
Originally Posted by TheDon
How do you justify this? I'm curious since I'm now in a job where I can conceivably afford a car payment but my mindset of never wanting a car payment is strong. I'm not really enjoying the MINI as much as I had thought I would and kind of want something else. I drive 32 miles each way to work so I really want to get a TDI, I've wanted one for as long as I have been into diesels.
I would it buy brand new, new car depreciation is for suckers. But would buy certified used from a dealership or even carmax and get a warranty through them. I'm just curious, I won't be buying any time soon since the wedding is coming up and etc.
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Outside of your first home, it's never a good idea to buy something that you cannot pay cash for. But if you do, pay it off in a matter of months with your income cash flow - even if you buy a new one with the BS 0.9% or somesuch financing. Debt==risk, and debt on cars is especially risky to have around. Your best move is liquidating that college loan balance before making any newer car move. I'd just drive what I had for the interim.
When I started buying cars they were making such cr@p, you had to buy them new to expect any dependability out of them. Today, that's all changed. Near new, and slightly used cars are very dependable, and a much better financial play than new. So, you don't have to buy new to expect to get to work dependably.
I'm out on ever buying new again. I love owning and driving my 8-year old used CDI, and it's dependable enough to suit my needs, as well as being bought for a fraction of what the new buyer paid for it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by spdrun
Bought my car at 213,000 miles. There are now 258,000 on the clock, 3.5 years later. It's never left me stranded, and I routinely drive it on 500 mile trips -- wouldn't hesitate AT ALL to drive it across the US tomorrow.
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I hope you don't believe that just because your 30 something year old car, with 258,000 miles on it, that has never stranded you, is reason to believe that it won't strand you while driving it across the US tomorrow.
I've been stranded by cars and trucks far newer, with far less miles on them than your car, while driving cross country.