How many of you are...

[JLTD]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby
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Another example: I'd rather have a base Camry for ~$25K rather than a more well equipped Corolla for the same money. Same goes for the Civic vs Accord or Sentra vs Altima, Cruze vs Malibu etc.


If you're willing to have a base Camry, then a base Corolla will save you $$ since the trim level (from this example) doesn't mean much.

 

[MCompact]

For decades people have been telling me that as I got older I would eventually want a big cushy sedan. I'm 61 and my daily driver is one of the smallest BMWs I've owned- and definitely the fastest.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
For decades people have been telling me that as I got older I would eventually want a big cushy sedan. I'm 61


Maybe you're not old yet? Maybe somehow you're beating aging.

I tell people I'm getting tired of going through the aging process, it's getting old.

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted By: JLTD
Originally Posted By: Char Baby
.

Another example: I'd rather have a base Camry for ~$25K rather than a more well equipped Corolla for the same money. Same goes for the Civic vs Accord or Sentra vs Altima, Cruze vs Malibu etc.


If you're willing to have a base Camry, then a base Corolla will save you $$ since the trim level (from this example) doesn't mean much.



That is just an example!
The base Camry(even the last generation) is still a much, much nicer car than the Corolla. And both can be had for similar money depending on options. I'd rather have the better car with less stuff as I said before. And yes, it depends on how one wants to manipulate the dollars.

Actually it's the Nissan Altima, Hyundai Sonata(in my area) that can be had for less(after negotiation and incentives) over the Sentra & Elantra and several GM models. Maybe not Honda or Toyota as much but still not far off.

 

[double vanos]

Good post! Gave up a 2700 sqft house in Houston for a 1200 in Az. Sparse population, House is easy to maintain ( there’s so much less of it), cleaning 1200 vs 2700 is a no brainer. Wife laments occasionally about that large house and 3 car garage, but the vehicles she drives never fit in it. Crazy.
On to the cars; my ‘11 EB F150 is nearing 8 yrs old with 117k miles on it. At 10 yrs and 150k I’ll get something else, but what? At 66 yrs I’m not crazy about something that needs a lot of looking after ( BMWs come to mind) and I want it small enough for me to still enjoy washing it. Probably still be a truck, but smaller. Probably be a regular cab, 6.5 WB F150 with a 2.7 - much less to wash and easy oil filter location.

The stuff I buy is based on my declining ability to mess with it. It’s not that I’m not able, I just have better things to do with my time.

 

[wander2039]

My grandpa was in his 80's and still bought a new Prius every year just because he could. He past away last week before he could a all electric version. They typically had two and traded in the oldest so overall didn't spend much for a new one! That's just what he wanted to do and everything was paid for. Not sure what grandma will do now but she has a brand new 17 in the garage. Myself I wouldn't want to mess with it, I'm about to get a fifth vehicle and shouldn't need any others for 10+ years.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Psychologist Martin E. Seligman says there are two seasons in life. A season of expansion and a season of contraction. As we grow older, we stop "salivating at the old stimuli" and are defined not by the outside world but by "certain realities" learned during the first season. Acquiring "things" becomes less important and we find many of the things we thought so important when we were young were not important at all. For me, just keeping it between the lines and the wheels from coming of is the challenge. For those of you whoes eyes haven't caged, maybe you are also sensing the age of contraction.

 

[Nyogtha]

Myself, I found myself transitioning from what I described as my Age of Knowledge to my Age of Wisdom as I entered my 40's. Having supplied the lions share of m9nies for raising my nieces & nephews due to my sibl8ngs' choices, the quest for steady and increasing income to have a secure retirement as well as support 2 families I was not a parent in didn't really slack off until maybe 10 years ago. Since my health forced the issue of my retirement 5 years ago though financial worries are very low on my list of concerns so it all worked out OK. I have the freedom of time and thought to pursue other channels of giving.

This site is one avenue of both giving and continuing to learn and grow for me, which one member (not a mod of course but clearly a mod powers wannabe) who posted that my participation on BITOG was a shameful use of my remaining life in his opinion and suggested I shouldn't be posting here. I certainly fel zero shame in my membership and participation here.

My (younger) wife however has always been and continues to be highly focused on material things and wealth accumulation. She does show a few signs of cracks in that motivation now in her 40's but not many.

 

[jeepman3071]

I wouldn't say argument, but I usually know what I want and am willing to search/wait until I find it.

With cars for example, I will look for the vehicle and options I want. Once I find what I'm looking for I usually hang onto them for a while though. I find I research everything now.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
I'm looking at a used Maserati quattroporte 2008 47K miles. Ferrari engine ZF 6 speed trans. New $108,000.00

now $19,900 - excellent condition. Supposedly very reliable. HA

I am looking though.

Make sure you have another $19,900 set aside for repairs.

I was haunting the Maserati forum. Appear they (owners) claim its more reliable than a Honda Accord.

I know better than that.

I decided its the Wrong chassis for that engine. Would be nice in a kit car or A/C Cobra. Around 3 grand used. F/M V8 sport a Flat Crank, tube headers - and thus the sound

 

[DweezilAZ]

I would take the smaller less optioned car every time. It's not something I can shake. Part of my grandparent's and parent's Depression Era DNA living on, I guess.

There's simply no way I can justify more bulk, size, less maneuverability and weight for a marginal upgrade in comfort. I just can't up-sell myself. That's me. No dis to those that find their own reasons for choosing something else more compelling than mine.

As time has gone on, the last 10 years have seen fewer and fewer new cars I'd actually want to own. And almost none I could be persuaded to drop a chunk of cash on or go into debt for.

I just want an honest car, not gimmicks or the latest fad tech or faux "upscale" pretensions.

More interesting to me is an old 80s car I first owned in the 90s that came back to me via my brother just recently. I have had more fun with it than any new car I could have purchased. I love the smells, the yester-tech engine, the lack of "connectedness".

And there's no debt involved. Having zero credit card, car or mortgage debt has been liberating and I'll keep it that way. Somehow that's more satisfying than facing the buyer's remorse that would come after the thrill and the smell of a new car had worn off.

 

[Olas]

I like to get the most for my money whilst spending the least possible. I don't take credit and I always pay cash so the option I take is the used car market, low mileage good condition & less desirable are some of the keys to getting a reliable cheap useable car.

Reasons are depreciation on cars in the UK being horrendous, upto 70% in the first year makes those monthly payments and interest on the loan awfully hard to swallow.
Being capable of maintenance/repairs saves a fortune but not having special tools or diagnostic capabilities for later stuff limits me to working on slightly older cars
It nice to see the bank balance growing rathering hovering around a given range

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: Olas
I like to get the most for my money whilst spending the least possible. I don't take credit and I always pay cash so the option I take is the used car market, low mileage good condition & less desirable are some of the keys to getting a reliable cheap useable car.


Believe it or not, that was part of the reason I got a Mercedes E-class. Tremendous depreciation, lots of nice options and everyone is afraid of all the repair bills so not a lot of demand. Spent less time fixing it over the last 3 years than I did the Taurus that it replaced. Paid less than the price of a new Corolla for a 6 year old E class that's about 10 years old now. All the options still work. There's some pretty amazing cheap diagnostic equipment out there, Autel Diaglink is about $110 and will scan one car line including all MB specific codes. Or you can get the Autel MD802 which scans all models for $230. I'm tempted to get an S class, but I'd want a 2014+ and those haven't really dropped down in price yet, when they're under 30k, I'll be tempted, but probably won't do it, not that big a fan of the size, but they had a lot bigger selection of fancy options. Basically you have to do your research, certain years were better than others.

 

[CharBaby]

Thank you all!
It's nice to hear everyone's opinions and reasons for what they'd choose in a vehicle(larger/smaller, options/not) and I hope this thread continues. In regards to vehicles, there are still several reasons that I'd choose the larger vehicle(with less content) over the smaller car, which I have not yet discussed. Some of these reasons come with experience and other reasons are what I know and/or believe.

Keep it going!

CB

 

[andyd]

We're both on SS. After 20+ yrs of maintaining aging BMWs, I no longer have the stamina to give them the level of care they need for DD status. So we blew the budget on a pair of '16 Camry 4 bangers. Soulless, transportation appliances, but they don't need much fixing

 

[lovcom]

Middle age, and elderly age people are more rational than younger buyers.

However, middle/elderly can also show irrationality too.

For example, if a middle/elder wants and needs a small car for better gas mileage, to save $, then will opt for a base Camry than a nicely appointed Corolla. This is irrational thinking because they equate more room, bigger with better. But its not, not for saving $, not for saving gas, and not for saving on insurance money.

I did the numbers. I'm age 58.

Also middle/elderly aged tend to be more brand-loyal. This is huge mistake because brands rise and fall in regards to dependability, durability, and value. My father was a "Chrysler man". This fact didn't stop him from buying several Chrysler products and reaping the problems like low standing in ConsumerReports, low resale value, higher gas consumption, and Chrysler usually make the least reliable cars sold in America.

This is what happens when one buys with their "feelings" instead of their brain.