The ever constant rising cost

[MFE]

I've never bought a new car in my life. The only two new cars my dad ever bought were in 1965 to move the family from Toronto to Michigan, and in 1987 when he bought a Mustang GT convertible as a retirement present for himself.

However, IIRC that car was about $18k, fully loaded, and that was 28 years ago. According to inflation calculators, that's the equivalent of $37,000 today. Guess what a 2015 Mustang GT convertible costs? About $37,000. In other words, the car is exactly zero more expensive than it was 28 years ago, only it's 10x better car. Better built, better suspension, better brakes, ABS, stability control, far more safety built into it. We're in a golden age.

 

[Drive XR7]

 

[oldmodman]

We just all have too much stuff.

George Carlin "Stuff"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvgN5gCuLac

 

[SirShaun]

I like getting second hand performance cars. The more fortunate buy them and quickly realize it is too much car, get scared of it a few times, and then sell them for a loss. Discount for me.

 

[truefiveo]

I like getting second hand performance cars. The more fortunate buy them and quickly realize it is too much car, get scared of it a few times, and then sell them for a loss. Discount for me.

Hell yea Shaun, these have been great times for buyers like us.

 

[coposrv]

If I can't write it off I'm not going to buy new. I can understand the cost increase it doesn't however mean I'll pay it.

 

[Blk04L]

Buying used ftw.

Some cases still get the factory warranty(3-36) and save a boat load of money.

I have no motivation to buy new. I don't mind waiting a handful of years to get the car I want at over 20% off the original price.

 

[CobraRed01]

We just all have too much stuff.

George Carlin "Stuff"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvgN5gCuLac

Only Carlin... Love the punchline..."dildos and a book". I can only imagine what he would be ranting about today. His head...or ours...would explode.

 

[terrible one]

I've been out of the car game for 8 years now. I'll probably never buy a new car either. Right now I drive an 8 year old civic and could care less. I've never had a car payment and I plan on keeping it that way.

 

[big reg]

I like getting second hand performance cars. The more fortunate buy them and quickly realize it is too much car, get scared of it a few times, and then sell them for a loss. Discount for me.

Exactly. Let them take the huge depreciation hit the first 2 years.

 

[big reg]

I've never bought a new car in my life. The only two new cars my dad ever bought were in 1965 to move the family from Toronto to Michigan, and in 1987 when he bought a Mustang GT convertible as a retirement present for himself.

However, IIRC that car was about $18k, fully loaded, and that was 28 years ago. According to inflation calculators, that's the equivalent of $37,000 today. Guess what a 2015 Mustang GT convertible costs? About $37,000. In other words, the car is exactly zero more expensive than it was 28 years ago, only it's 10x better car. Better built, better suspension, better brakes, ABS, stability control, far more safety built into it. We're in a golden age.

This man gets it. The ones complaining are usually people who's income has not risen accordingly with inflation. It's like listening to my grandparents years ago telling me about 5 cents for milk and bread.

Blaming the government is the easy way out.

 

[Matts00GT]

This man gets it. The ones complaining are usually people who's income has not risen accordingly with inflation. It's like listening to my grandparents years ago telling me about 5 cents for milk and bread.

Blaming the government is the easy way out.

So...basically everyone?

What he failed to mention is the cost of better technology is much cheaper now than it was 28 years ago as well.

 

[Troponin]

When I bought my 2011 Diesel, I paid around $48k after incentives etc. Now, the window stickers are over $70k and it seems like some of the incentives are going south. Even the gasoline trucks are getting up there. This time, I thought long and hard about what I want. I test drove, researched etc, a half dozen different trucks, because this time, I won't be trading it in for at least an additional 1-2 years to get more equity out of them and so we aren't losing quite as much.

I just can't see myself paying $20k more for a truck than I did just 5 years ago. Yes, I know that they have a ton more tech etc in them, but 20k worth?

 

[CM5878]

Paying upwards of $35k for a new car though is almost unavoidable. Accords are even over $30k these days. As much as I am not a fan of leasing, that might be the best route.

 

[Troponin]

Paying upwards of $35k for a new car though is almost unavoidable. Accords are even over $30k these days. As much as I am not a fan of leasing, that might be the best route.

I convinced my wife to start leasing this year. She doesn't seem to hang on to a vehicle for more than 2 or three years. It was def the right choice for her.

Another great option is to find a vehicle slightly used. Sometimes you can find a demo, or a car that was traded in shortly after it was bought. You can find more and more cars like this the higher you go on the price range.

 

[Kevins89notch]

Honda Civic starts at almost $20,000. That's cray.

A couple years back I wrecked my 98 Civic and looked at getting a brand new leftover 2012 or so. It was like 21K. I was about to do it, but the sales guy just seemed a little rude to me, so I said I would let him know. Luckily the next day a showroom condition 99 Civic popped up on craigslist just down the street from me for 5K. I've rocked that now for 80K miles and lost 3K in value, not 10K like a 2012 would have lost by now.

 

[MG0h3]

I agree with all of the options being so overpriced. My friend paid 40 something for his Brembo 2011.

Best car I ever had was a 1990 Toyota Tercel. Bought it with 400k on the clock for 400 bucks. Ya, the passenger had to roll the window down to get out but I rarely had anyone with me. Drove it two years and sold it for what I paid without putting anything but gas and oil in it.

Now I have over 1100hp in my garage.

Not sure what happened.

http://cars.about.com/od/toppicks/ss/Least-Expensive-Cars.htm

Looks like you can get a brand new car for 12K if you are buying the car for what its meant....transportation.

 

[Blown 89]

The cost of cars doesn't bother me too much given the fact that they are 100 times better than they were even 10 years ago.

People throw their money away in a lot worse ways. Not long ago cell phones, high speed internet, cable TV, and a big screen were luxuries. People seem to think what used to be luxuries people could live without are now necessities. It seems like it's the norm to eat out every single meal, go on multiple vacations a year, join expensive gyms, have all manner of new toys, etc. The amount of absolute junk we own as a nation is staggering and we are no better off for it either. People need to put their money to better use IMO and stop masking their sorrows with their credit cards IMO.

My wife and I live fairly frugally. I'd like to think we don't waste our money on too much stuff and sock away a good amount of money every month.

 

[shurur]

Used cars were the only place where "trickle down" actually worked....not so much these days as less and less are doing well...and buying up used cars as well.

 

[MG0h3]

The cost of cars doesn't bother me too much given the fact that they are 100 times better than they were even 10 years ago.

People throw their money away in a lot worse ways. Not long ago cell phones, high speed internet, cable TV, and a big screen were luxuries. People seem to think what used to be luxuries people could live without are now necessities. It seems like it's the norm to eat out every single meal, go on multiple vacations a year, join expensive gyms, have all manner of new toys, etc. The amount of absolute junk we own as a nation is staggering and we are no better off for it either. People need to put their money to better use IMO and stop masking their sorrows with their credit cards IMO.

My wife and I live fairly frugally. I'd like to think we don't waste our money on too much stuff and sock away a good amount of money every month.

I can attest to how much eating out costs.

My lawyer and I went over my ex wife's bank statements during our divorce last year. Somehow, she was able to spend all $2000 of my daughter's child support/support at Starbucks and eating out. Im not exaggerating. Nothing was for my daughter. After three months of 2k per month, she was negative 400 in the account. This account only had support going into it and ZERO bills were paid from it. That squashed her request for alimony. C word!! Sorry about the rant...sore spot.

My boss has this sheet on his wall that tallies up costs over a normal career span of 35 yrs. Broke it down to a gas station coffee, starbucks, Sbux +bagel, eating out for lunch, etc. It was staggering.