Of the 27 cars I've owned since 1952, seven have been new models. My first new car was a 1963 Chevrolet Hardtop, white with red interior and a V8 engine. I loved it! It was my 14th car, and I bought it after my discharge from the US Army in 1962, to establish Credit in the civilian world by buying it on a 2-year contract instead of paying cash. After one year of making Car Payments, I paid it off, promising myself never to buy a car on time again, because it felt so unnatural! Since then, I have purchased 6 new cars, using Cash instead of stupid Monthly Payments! Hal
We bought a new 2002 Ford Explorer In 2001. Traded in my old F150 and financed the balance at 0% interest. My stupid cash in the bank was earning much more than 0%.
I have you financially beat! I use Uber or Lyft and only rent a car if I wish to make a longer trip. No monthly payments, no insurance payments, no upkeep payments and I don't even have to get the oil changed.
I have 2 4x4 trucks here I am very bad when it comes to buying a vehicle, I make an offer and do not budge from it.
This is what my dad does. He makes his offer, then writes down his phone number and leaves. They always call. Car salesmen are always hungry.
I'm like you @Tex Dennis . I pay only what I want to pay and if they don't want to accept it , then that's their loss. I've only ever had one saleroom reject my offer. I pay cash for my cars!!..only once did I buy a car on HP...never again, those payments seemed to last a lifetime.
I haven't bought a new car since the 2002 Ford Explorer. We still had it until last year. During that time I bought a 2000 Ford Ranger and a 2009 Ford Expedition. I paid cash for both.
What I have said on the last 2 pickups was this after doing my homework as to costs: Charge me what you wish! As long as the 1st number is a 2 and 5 digits total out the door. Both were $29,999. I start at 88% of MSRP out the door with all added to it. Look for vet discounts, 1st responder discounts and more if finance with them was $500 more paid it off in 3 payments but got the $500 off. I have no mercy on what I say when buying, darn sure not bashful there.
No Bess My RAM is only 3 years old but 55000 miles! If I did it would be another 4x4 RAM, good truck. Illegals hit me tries to run but another got the plate numbers for me and of course had no insurance I was not ready to repurchase but had to, things like this can sure give one an attitude to some.
I don't think I'll ever buy another new car again, but I have had three new ones: a Datsun-Nissan pickup truck, a Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck, and a Chrysler PT Cruiser. The major benefit of buying a new car is that you're not buying someone else's problems. If you treat it well from the beginning, it will likely last you a long while. The major negative, of course, is that, for most of us, it means years of payments.
I have been quite satisfied with buying used vehicles all except two were purchased at the dealership where I worked part-time for 7 years. The dealership sold new and used vehicles and had a dynamic crew in their service department. It was there that I decided I wouldn't buy a new vehicle.
NO! My 2012 Mazda 3 has only 25,000 miles on it, and I drive fewer and fewer miles every year....lately, less than 1200 miles per year. This may be my last car! Hal
Just bought a new car last year my wife wanted a smaller easier to drive car. Since 1980 when we bought a used car for cash we've had a plan in place to buy new. That purchase lasted for 9 years befor nickle diming us. During that time we pretended we were making payments @ $200.00 a month. With that $200.00 we bought a dividend paying stock. Like most stocks the price went up & down but overall went up. We went car shopping got our best deal then sold enough stock to pay cash for the balance. Continued with that same plan even now. The difference is we can stop now and let the accumulated stock shares pay for any future new car "want". But it's been "the plan" for so long that watching that stock build & build it's hard to get away from. I doubt we'll live long enough to need another car so the accumulated stock makes for a nice way to pay for any unexpected emergency or as an addition to what our sons inherit.