Average buying cost for NEW car is around ...

[JeffKeryk]

Early days as in what year ?

Mid 90's I think.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I'm not so sure about that, I've listened to my buddy talk this way ever since he and his wife got into DR. I'm at the end of my career, less than 11 years to go. I just bought a Chevy Tahoe and last year, one would be darned to keep that first digit from turning into a 9. for 2026 forget it, you want it, it's gonna be high 9's on the way to six figures, it went up $5k.

My buddy said you'd be surprised, DR would tell you that you can afford it, congrats, and you deserve it. I said ha I doubt it, he'd tell me you deserve 20 year old cars lol

I sold a mutual fund to pay for this car. Not the greatest move as day after day is a new all time high. I sold after 2 of them end of June. If a person said good move, you financed 100% and kept the money in the market, you'll be thanking me Oct 3, 2025, I woulda told them what you've said. But it would have been incorrect.

How I get through all the mental gymanstics and semantics of "financial advice" found online and in the office? That car was an outrageous price, a little more than a new M3 (it's a Cheverolet, not a GMC nor a Caddy), but we needed a new car. I tell myself that car is less than 2.5% of your net worth and you're no spring chicken, let the money go.

To use whether or not a person paid cash (I did) as a determining factor of affordability, is not wise. That would mean nearly nobody can afford to have a home. My .02

We all know your home is paid off, you tell us every other day

It took me a long time, to get where I am. No vacations, no nothing. I put every penny into the payments, the market, stock plan, you name it.

My point is, if you have the cash, you have options. I tell people, make the payments to yourself for a few years and then go in with a huge down payment or cash.

If you think paying off my house was easy, you are mistaken. But I now have a sense of security that I never had before.
Financial advice is pretty easy; it's time. And balance... Oh yeah, cars are depreciating assets. Don't put a lot of money into depreciating assets; do put money into appreciating assets. Houses around here are appreciating assets.

I hope you have done well in your personal finance. By the way, IMO DR is wrong is so many ways.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

It took me a long time, to get where I am. No vacations, no nothing. I put every penny into the payments, the market, stock plan, you name it.

My point is, if you have the cash, you have options. I tell people, make the payments to yourself for a few years and then go in with a huge down payment or cash.

If you think paying off my house was easy, you are mistaken. But I now have a sense of security that I never had before.
Financial advice is pretty easy; it's time. And balance... Oh yeah, cars are depreciating assets. Don't put a lot of money into depreciating assets; do put money into appreciating assets. Houses around here are appreciating assets.

I hope you have done well in your personal finance. By the way, IMO DR is wrong is so many ways.

We have been debt free for several years now. It was not easy at all. Wife still works at near 70 because she is still very healthy and wants to.

 

[JeffKeryk]

We have been debt free for several years now. It was not easy at all. Wife still works at near 70 because she is still very healthy and wants to.

Well done. You won the game and will likely die with $$.

 

[odie]

Well done. You won the game and will likely die with $$.

Can't take it with you . I'll leave it to the cats . They bring happiness which is priceless .

 

[John105]

Can't take it with you . I'll leave it to the cats . They bring happiness which is priceless .

Imagine messing with one’s kids like that.

But it’s true. My aunt and uncle in Boston are extreme savers and never really enjoyed anything themselves. Being old fashioned, they live for sons and grandkids. I can say lucky them. I don’t expect one penny from my parents, never have, never will. Again, the older I get, the more I feel it’s about doing what one feels is right and is comfortable with.

Yeah. I wish I never sold the mutual fund and financed 100% of the Tahoe. Not . But those who did? From 7/1/25 to 10/3/25 they have proven to be right.

How much must we win and amass, before we can spend anything at all? I don’t consider a $50k car that much, but $100k, I do.

Another guy called in to DR and he said you should spend $75k on a car, you deserve it. But he wasn’t on board with $250k which the caller was asking permission to spend. Just spend it. Who cares what DR has to say?!