When you compare cost of ownership of automobiles you also have to factor in the "cost of money." If you finance it you have the interest cost of the loan. If you buy it outright you have the loss of the interest on the money or what you could have made on the money if you invested it elsewhere.

So, if you buy a used luxury car for $10,000 or a new whatever for $20,000, your cost of money is twice as much for the new whatever. Also, sales tax on the new whatever will be twice that of a $10,000 used luxury car.

So after you buy that new $20,000 car and after the new car warranty runs out after 3 years/36,000 miles you pay for repairs. These cars are also getting more complicated and are having their problems. Jump onto some discussion groups for Honda Accord's and Toyota Camry's and you will find they are also not as bulletproof as they once were. Again, this is probably due to these cars also not being as "basic" as they once were.