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Why do people waste so much money on cars?


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2013 Jan 25, 12:10am   55,736 views  312 comments

by edvard2   ➕follow (1)   💰tip   ignore  

As someone who lives in the Bay Area, its clear that many people here just love their Bimmers, sports cars, and large luxury SUVs. What's more, it seems many are terribly concerned about having whatever happens to be the newest model.

On each and every day of the week I am surrounded on the freeways by cars that cost 60k,80k, or even 100k+. So much so that many might as well be Camrys and Accords. Oh- another 7 series? Yawn. There's another 50 I'll see on the way home. No, granted these are unquestionably nice cars. But then again, to me its a big waste of money.

I drive two beater Toyotas, one that I've actually had since high school. Both went past 250,000 miles years ago. Neither have any problems. I've always taken good care of them give them a nice wax job every few months, change the oil every 3,000 miles and keep them looking nice. Doesn't matter to me that they're almost 20 years old now. They still run, drive, and look like perfectly fine cars. I make a pretty good income and could quite easily go purchase the luxury car of my choice if I so chose. Its not that I can't afford a 90k car, but more that I'd rather not spend almost 100k on something that's going to depreciate massively as it ages.

If you think about it from a purely financial perspective, let's say that the average luxury car buyer buys the latest-greatest car every 6-7 years. Let's say the average price is around 60k. That equals close to 120k every decade or several million over the course of a lifetime. Had that money been invested in a 401k or stocks, that same person could have literally retired decades sooner.

Lastly, if your car goes 0-60 in 4 seconds and has a top speed of 200MPH, well who cares? The US has speed limits and thus you can't actually really use the car for what it was designed to do. Sort of like buying a blender and only ever being able to use the slowest setting.

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63   edvard2   2013 Jan 25, 4:06am  

Thedaytoday says

LMFAO! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Idiotic statement.

Let's not go down the path of name calling. I asked a fairly simple and straightforward question: How are you saving more money than me when you're actually spending more money than me?

64   bob2356   2013 Jan 25, 4:06am  

Thedaytoday says

Nothing of value is simple. It took me a very long time to get what I wanted. But I was patient and demanding with the dealers and got my way.

NOTHING DOWN, NO INTEREST, MAXIMUM RESIDUAL ON TRADE IN!

And your monthly lease payment is how much?

65   Thedaytoday   2013 Jan 25, 4:08am  

bob2356 says

Thedaytoday says

Nothing of value is simple. It took me a very long time to get what I wanted. But I was patient and demanding with the dealers and got my way.

NOTHING DOWN, NO INTEREST, MAXIMUM RESIDUAL ON TRADE IN!

And your monthly lease payment is how much?

$250 as I said.

I keep every penny of the equity on trade in and carry it over into the new lease.

66   Thedaytoday   2013 Jan 25, 4:09am  

edvard2 says

Let's not go down the path of name calling. I asked a fairly simple and straightforward question: How are you saving more money than me when you're actually spending more money than me?

If you want to converse with me start by answering what I ask you before you ask another and another question! That is the height of rudeness. It pisses me off.

67   Thedaytoday   2013 Jan 25, 4:10am  

Thedaytoday says

How are you saving more money than me when you're actually spending more money than me?

I am not only saving money with zero maintenance and interest free finance which build credit. I profit from the equity! Do you?

The money I spend is building equity every PENNY! I get 100% BACK++++

While your vehicles are worthless and have less and less value. every penny you sink into it you lose like most people.

68   Peter P   2013 Jan 25, 4:10am  

Thedaytoday says

edvard2 says

Sorry, but you cannot gain "equity" on a used car.

LMFAO! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I said new LEASE.

Do you sell or trade in at a price that is higher than your buy out?

Can you describe the process?

69   edvard2   2013 Jan 25, 4:11am  

Thedaytoday says

Did you bother answering my question? Yet you ask another and another of me.

This is a very simple debate tied to ordinary arithmetic. So here's the math. I will fully divulge how much my vehicles cost me.

Car payments: $0
Maintenance: Around $100-$200 per car per year ( includes oil changes etc)
Insurance: About $65 per vehicle per month
Gas: They both get around 30 MPG. So about $40 per week ( only drive one to work)

So working that all out comes to approximately $306 dollars per month for all of the items mentioned above, or about $153 per car. So that's my out of pocket expenditures

70   Thedaytoday   2013 Jan 25, 4:12am  

edvard2 says

Thedaytoday says

Did you bother answering my question? Yet you ask another and another of me.

This is a very simple debate tied to ordinary arithmetic. So here's the math. I will fully divulge how much my vehicles cost me.

Car payments: $0

Maintenance: Around $100-$200 per car per year ( includes oil changes etc)

Insurance: About $65 per vehicle per month

Gas: They both get around 30 MPG. So about $40 per week ( only drive one to work)

So working that all out comes to approximately $306 dollars per month for all of the items mentioned above, or about $153 per car. So that's my out of pocket expenditures

Again you refuse to answer my question. How much are your cars worth today? How much have you invested ?

ps nobody here mention gas costs. that is irrelevant.

71   edvard2   2013 Jan 25, 4:12am  

Oh, I see you already mentioned you paid $250 per month lease. Well automatically I can state that is $250 more per month that I am not paying.

72   curious2   2013 Jan 25, 4:13am  

edvard2 says

Car payments: $0

Depreciation is a kind of payment. Back before ZIRP and QE, there used to be opportunity cost too.

73   Thedaytoday   2013 Jan 25, 4:14am  

edvard2 says

Oh, I see you already mentioned you paid $250 per month lease. Well automatically I can state that is $250 more per month that I am not paying.

again you refuse to answer the questions, but continue to ask new ones.

74   anonymous   2013 Jan 25, 4:14am  

I gave up pondering or worrying about why people piss away money on frivolties, a long time ago. I realized that, for the most part, it was because there's plenty of folk that don't understand the value of a dollar, being that they never have to work for it.

One mans loss is another mans gain. I've done quite well over the years with buying used for cash, and reselling within about a year for just as much, or more, than I paid. Its fun to horsetrade, especially when you are good at it.

I don't even understand why people are willing to trade their time for dollars in the first place, when they turn around and waste it on all the shit that fills this planets landfills, and leaving all their lights on and electronic crap plugged in, watching tv paying cable company. If you have a sense of usefulness, this world is filled with things that come on the (dollar) cheap yet have much utility. Whatever floats your boat is right, I enjoy pissing away my extra dollars on travelling and vacationing, but that's just me

75   Thedaytoday   2013 Jan 25, 4:15am  

every penny I put into the lease I GET BACK!

It is also A TAX DEDUCTIBLE! So is the GAS!

my car lease does not devalue, my equity does not devalue.

EDVARD YOUR CARS ARE OVER 15 years old and probably WORTHLESS!

While I trade in and trade up, building equity and value.

I am building value by INVESTING IN MY LEASE!!!!!!!!

Your cars are deprecating and your original investment is now lost regardless of your low maintenance. At some point you will lose 100% of your investment.

76   edvard2   2013 Jan 25, 4:16am  

Thedaytoday says

Again you refuse to answer my question. How much are your cars worth today? How much have you invested ?

The cars are worth maybe $5,000 total for both. But then again seeing as how I haven't had to shell out any money for payments, leases or whatnot, I instead invested that savings into various stocks and 401ks, etc which over time have yielded me anywhere from 5-11% annually. As far as credit, well there are far cheaper ways to obtain good credit. For example, I never actually owned credit cards but did buy a computer in college and took out a loan from the bank. I did the same thing when I bought my car way back in high school.

77   Thedaytoday   2013 Jan 25, 4:17am  

edvard2 says

The cars are worth maybe $5,000 total for both

how much did they cost!!!!! answer the questin

78   Thedaytoday   2013 Jan 25, 4:18am  

edvard2 says

As far as credit, well there are far cheaper ways to obtain good credit.

No we are discussing interest free leases

79   edvard2   2013 Jan 25, 4:18am  

Thedaytoday says

Your cars are deprecating and your original investment is now lost regardless of your low maintenance. At some point you will lose 100% of your investment

They are not and were never "investments". Cars are not investments at all that is unless you are very good at investing in highly desirable classics.

80   EBGuy   2013 Jan 25, 4:18am  

Thanks you Jeff Bezos for starting this thread.
Has anyone been tempted by the 2013 Nissan Leaf? With the price cuts and tax credits it's sub $19k.
Thedaytoday makes a good point: you can't put a price on new car smell.

81   edvard2   2013 Jan 25, 4:20am  

Thedaytoday says

how much did they cost!!!!! answer the questin

Sure, and no need to use 10,000 exclamation points. One was $11,000 and the other around $10,000. So $21,000 total. Spread out over around 20 years, that works out to roughly $1,000 a year, or $83.3333 per month. As you can see, no matter how you cut it the math works out heavily in my method.

82   Waitingtobuy   2013 Jan 25, 4:21am  

Thedaytoday says

bob2356 says

Thedaytoday says

Nothing of value is simple. It took me a very long time to get what I wanted. But I was patient and demanding with the dealers and got my way.

NOTHING DOWN, NO INTEREST, MAXIMUM RESIDUAL ON TRADE IN!

And your monthly lease payment is how much?

$250 as I said.

I keep every penny of the equity on trade in and carry it over into the new lease.

How are you making equity off a lease? I lease...it is renting the car. The only way you can profit is if you agree to purchase from the leasing company for the residual, mark it up to retail, and sell to someone else, which I have done several times. Otherwise, you turn in the car.

As for the no maintenance costs, I have been leasing for 20+ years. There are a few brands out there that do this, but most don't. You are responsible for oil changes, tires, brakes, etc. Same with not getting a loaner unless it is major. And dont tell me Subaru does. I am looking at a 2014 Outback now and they never mentioned this to me.

83   Thedaytoday   2013 Jan 25, 4:21am  

For every penny I invest the government deducts it off my tax bill

For every penny I invest I retain at the end of the lease!!!!

after 4, 3yr leases the car is mine, brand new, zero finance, 100% deducted.

FREE FREE FREE!!!!

12 years I retain 100% value

You edvard have lost over 95% value like everyone else.Congrats.

and you get to drive a 15 years car. how nice.

so come 2017/2020 my car will be new, I would retain 100% of what I have invested and your cars will be CRUSHED!

84   edvard2   2013 Jan 25, 4:21am  

EBGuy says

Thedaytoday makes a good point: you can't put a price on new car smell.

Yeah.... nuttin' like the lovely smell of out-gassing plastics and chemicals.

85   Waitingtobuy   2013 Jan 25, 4:22am  

EBGuy says

Thanks you Jeff Bezos for starting this thread.

Has anyone been tempted by the 2013 Nissan Leaf? With the price cuts and tax credits it's sub $19k.

Thedaytoday makes a good point: you can't put a price on new car smell.

Im tempted to lease a new Volt. Under $300/month with $2500 down. That for a $40K car with no gas cost.

86   edvard2   2013 Jan 25, 4:23am  

Thedaytoday says

For every penny I invest the government deducts it off my tax bill

For every penny I invest I retain at the end of the lease!!!!

after 4, 3yr leases the car is mine, brand new, zero finance, 100% deducted.

FREE FREE FREE!!!!

12 years I retain 100% value

You edvard have lost over 95% value like everyone else.Congrats.

You are still making payments that I am not. I'm not sure how to make this any more simple than that. But if leasing makes you pleased, then go for it. If everyone was like me the car makers would have gone under a long time ago.

87   Thedaytoday   2013 Jan 25, 4:23am  

Waitingtobuy says

EBGuy says

Thanks you Jeff Bezos for starting this thread.

Has anyone been tempted by the 2013 Nissan Leaf? With the price cuts and tax credits it's sub $19k.

Thedaytoday makes a good point: you can't put a price on new car smell.

Im tempted to lease a new Volt. Under $300/month with $2500 down. That for a $40K car with no gas cost.

That's probably a terrible idea.

Do the math, ask the dealer the residual. The volt will not help you maintain value. I would go look at the highest residual car to lease. It is a SUBARU! This is true. You get more, lower borrowing costs and higher trade ins.

A volt is a toy. Never by a first generation car. Never!

88   Thedaytoday   2013 Jan 25, 4:27am  

edvard2 says

Thedaytoday says

For every penny I invest the government deducts it off my tax bill

For every penny I invest I retain at the end of the lease!!!!

after 4, 3yr leases the car is mine, brand new, zero finance, 100% deducted.

FREE FREE FREE!!!!

12 years I retain 100% value

You edvard have lost over 95% value like everyone else.Congrats.

You are still making payments that I am not. I'm not sure how to make this any more simple than that. But if leasing makes you pleased, then go for it. If everyone was like me the car makers would have gone under a long time ago.

I make payments yes, congrats on figuring out how a lease works. Continue to ignore what I am saying. Every payment I make builds equity until I own in the car FREE!

In 10 years your toyotas will be 25 years old , how nice for you. While I continue to drive a brand new car year after year with no maintenance costs.

My 25k-27k will still be in my pocket and your will be at the DUMP!

89   EBGuy   2013 Jan 25, 4:29am  

edvard2 said: Yeah.... nuttin' like the lovely smell of out-gassing plastics and chemicals.
You can tell it hasn't affected his mental faculties.
I wonder is this type of thing is genetic? My dad bought his first brand new car when he was over seventy and I'll probably go down that path as well. It's so hard to buy new when you've got folks willing to take the initial depreciation hit.

90   Thedaytoday   2013 Jan 25, 4:30am  

IDDQD says

Thedaytoday says

Cars have become more expensive to run, maintain and hence people hold onto their car longer. Newer cars cost more and more to maintain by deisgn.

What costly maintenance are you talking about? Oil change intervals on current (post-2000) cars are much longer at 7.5K-30K vs 3-5K 20 years ago.

Spark plugs? First change at 100K+ in most newer cars.

Timing belt? 90-105K.

Timing chain? Good for the life of the car.

Air filter - 30-60K.

Auto trans fluid - lifetime (if you don't tow). Differential oil (if separate from transmission) - 60K.

Coolant - first change at 60-90K.

And so on and so forth. Basically you can drive new car off the lot and don't have any scheduled maintenance except oil changes until 30Kmiles. Or no maintenance at all if the car is Porsche with their 30K oil change intervals. ;)

Your point please?

Are you really saying cars have no maintenance costs? You must be in real estate. You also seem to be dismissing the fact I have no out of pocket expense year over year for my car.

The gas and payments are deductible and the payments build equity which I keep.

My car is an INVESTMENT is yours?

91   Thedaytoday   2013 Jan 25, 4:33am  

EBGuy says

you've got folks willing to take the initial depreciation hit.

Go talk to a Subaru dealer. I drive the highest residual vehicle in the market today. Lower finance costs and very high trade-in.

You will not lose if you negotiate a deal, SIMPLE.

Don't ever pay sticker.

92   edvard2   2013 Jan 25, 4:34am  

Thedaytoday says

I make payments yes, congrats on figuring out how a lease works. Continue to ignore what I am saying. Every payment I make builds equity until I own in the car FREE!

In 10 years your toyotas will be 25 years old , how nice for you. While I continue to drive a brand new car year after year with no maintenance costs.

The angle that you are coming from is "if" I too were to buy a new car and continue to want to always have a new car. That is not the case with me. I simply bought and held onto them with the key notion of not having to pay for them anymore. That's the difference here: I don't see having a new car on a lease as a financial advantage because having a new car also means payments and out of pocket expenses that I do not have. Thus the value of my cars are irrelevant: The value they represent is the money I've saved not having any car payments.

93   Thedaytoday   2013 Jan 25, 4:35am  

edvard2 says

I've saved not having any car payments.

No you have not. You have lost 100% of your investment.

Edvard, Again for the third of fourth time how much did your $2500 car cost you 15 years ago, i bet over $35K.

You lost $32.5K over 15 years. Well done.

So you have two toyota trucks 15 years old you paid $60k + and now they are worthless!

Well Done. Your a smart investor.

94   edvard2   2013 Jan 25, 4:37am  

IDDQD says

What costly maintenance are you talking about? Oil change intervals on current (post-2000) cars are much longer at 7.5K-30K vs 3-5K 20 years ago.

Exactly. I intentionally bought cars that have timing chains for that very reason. Ive done the belt change on my Brother's car and it is a ROYAL PAIN.

A lot of the fluids in cars these days will last a very long time. I recall my mom, who was always really bad at remembering to do any maintenance, had me change the coolant on her Camry at 200,000 miles. Surprisingly the coolant was clear and clean. Back in the day that would have been rusty mud.

95   edvard2   2013 Jan 25, 4:38am  

Thedaytoday says

No you have not. You have lost 100% of your investment.

Again for the third of fourth time how much did your $2500 car cost you, i bet over $35K.

You lost $32.5K over 15 years. Well done.

I give up. This is a very simple mathematic comparison. If you cant see that I have clearly saved a lot more money than anyone with any car payment then I suppose nothing can be done to remedy that situation. Oh well.

96   Thedaytoday   2013 Jan 25, 4:39am  

edvard2 says

I give up. This is a very simple mathematic comparison.

you still refuse to answer the question. .

how much did your cars cost 60k?

97   Thedaytoday   2013 Jan 25, 4:40am  

edvard2 says

I give up. This is a very simple mathematic comparison. If you cant see that I have clearly saved a lot more money than anyone with any car payment then I suppose nothing can be done to remedy that situation. Oh well.

You clearly have lost more money. Clearly.

Every cent you invested, all 60k in two 15 year old Toyota's you have lost, CORRECT?

98   Thedaytoday   2013 Jan 25, 4:41am  

IDDQD says

edvard2 says

You are still making payments that I am not.

Aren't we forgetting couple more things here? First: new leased car must have collision and comprehensive. For paid-off car you can afford to replace from savings - liability only. Then there are taxes: sales tax every time one leased car is replaced by the next and higher registration fees on newer car. Taxes might not be an issue in some free states, but in our beloved PRK it sure is.

insurance is $80 a month

I only have max coverage.

99   edvard2   2013 Jan 25, 4:41am  

Thedaytoday says

you still refuse to answer the question. .

how much did your cars cost 60k?

You clearly didn't read my response above. These are both cheap econocars. Combined they were $21,000 new and spread over the course of 20 years that equals $83 per month for BOTH cars. Like I said, the savings equation is very grossly in my favor. If that is not something you agree with then so be it. I do not really care.

100   Thedaytoday   2013 Jan 25, 4:42am  

edvard2 says

Thedaytoday says

you still refuse to answer the question. .

how much did your cars cost 60k?

You clearly didn't read my response above. These are both cheap econocars. Combined they were $21,000 new and spread over the course of 20 years that equals $83 per month for BOTH cars. Like I said, the savings equation is very grossly in my favor. If that is not something you agree with then so be it. I do not really care.

Yes spread your loss over 20 years, i'm sure it looks better.

Your cars are not worth $2500 today.

You have admittedly now lost over $18000 over 20yrs. Well done.

Exactly the point of this thread:

Why do people waste so much money on cars!

Also, I would never ever drive a car that old. NEVER!

101   edvard2   2013 Jan 25, 4:47am  

Thedaytoday says

Yes spread your loss over 20 years, i'm sure it looks better.

Your cars are not worth $2500 today.

You have admittedly now lost over $18000 over 20yrs. Well done.

Exactly the point of this thread:

Why do people waste so much money on cars!

No.... I did not "lose" any money. I still own the cars.

Let's step back for a moment and make this even more simple.

So let's imagine that I have $100 in my pocket. Still with me? Good.

Now let's say that someone else also has $100 in their pocket.

I have to pay someone $2 per month. The other person has to pay $10 a month.

Who in the end is spending more money?

102   Thedaytoday   2013 Jan 25, 4:48am  

edvard2 says

No.... I did not "lose" any money. I still own the cars.

You own something with 95% less value like the majority of cash buyers.

and at some point those cars will be in the ground netting you a 100% loss.

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