how do you justify buying a NEW car?

[siege]

I agree. Never buy a 15-40 year old car from a dealer. But don't privately buy a recent model year used car from anyone BUT a dealer. They can offer FACTORY extended warrantee, and help you protect your investment. Also, you will get a cut on finance charges, unless you are the 1% that has a sock under your matress with $16,000.00 stashed in it.

true you can get extended warantees and breaks on finance charges, but you will get RAPED on price at a dealer on ANY used car. seriously, I've been lookin at 01's-04's lately and you can pick up a 20k mile GT from a private seller for the same price or less than you can get a 40k mile v6 from a dealer!.

besides, half the crap we do to our cars voids the warranty anyway

 

[SWTSWNG]

I disagree. If someone buys a new car with the intent of selling it after a year or two, what incentive is there for that person to break it in properly? This is an issue common to used Dodge Vipers. The owners buy them new, they start doing smokey burnouts and using full revs right away, they completely ignore the break in procedure and exhibit generally bad habits in taking care of the motor. When they sell the car, everythings cool. 20k miles or so later, the thing uses oil and is loosing compression.

If I buy the thing new, follow the break-in/maintanence schedule and never rev the engine when cold, I'll be able to get a ton of miles out of it and enjoy it too.

My 5.0 doesn't start moving untill the oil pressure is completely up and it never sees more than 1800-2000 rpm before it's completely up to temperature. I've got over 180,000 kms on it, it doesn't use any oil, makes great power and still gets 24-26 mpg on the highway.

You make a good point about cars being abused but you are also talking about worse case senarios. Many people who spend 25 thousand on a car treat it relatively well. That is why I buy 1 or 2 years old for the simple reason that most people do not buy new cars with the intention of selling right away. Many times they are forced to sell for some unforseen reasons and really don't want to get rid of the car. I mean who wants to take that sort of hit? So it's usually not to hard to find a car that is taken care of. Besides you always have the factory warranty!! Now a car that is out of factory warranty or more than 5 years old or so is a bit of a risk. Although, that is where the best deals can be had. I have bought quite a few cars used cars from people and have yet to get burned (knock on wood) . You have to be smart when buying a used car. Never from a dealer. You get ripped off and if its a sports car you know its been whored around by every employee of that dealership.

 

[66Satellite]

I justify it two ways: I want it. I can afford it.

As far as the other cars you mentioned, I wouldn't own any one of them on a bet. The foreign cars you mentioned are all over-priced phallic replacements that cost a small fortune to repair after the warranty runs out and the 'Vette is, well, a 'Vette. If you drive a Mustang, you generally don't care for 'Vettes.

I totally agree with this sentiment. I wouldn't want any of those cars either. Actually, for $25k I'd mostly be tempted to buy a fully restored 69 Road Runner. But the 05 Mustang is the first car in a long time that I would even vaguely consider buying new. I just know I won't be able to justify it--that new car smell won't be able to overcome the smell of my money burning. So I'll probably pick one up in 3-5 years, and as someone else mentioned, by then I'll know exactly what to avoid. One other nice thing about buying a car out of warranty is that you never have to set foot into a dealership.

Great posts everyone.

 

[66Satellite]

I disagree. If someone buys a new car with the intent of selling it after a year or two, what incentive is there for that person to break it in properly? This is an issue common to used Dodge Vipers. The owners buy them new, they start doing smokey burnouts and using full revs right away, they completely ignore the break in procedure and exhibit generally bad habits in taking care of the motor. When they sell the car, everythings cool. 20k miles or so later, the thing uses oil and is loosing compression.

Compare that to Ferrari owners. Most of those guys are old and just tool around the neighborhood. And try to find a used Ferrari with more than 15k miles--it's nearly impossible. There's an incredibly expensive 15k mile tuneup and most Ferrari guys unload their cars before they have to pay for it. Porsche guys (911 guys) seem to put miles on their cars but maintain them well and don't abuse them.

 

[SVTdriver]

My '99 Cobra was driven by a 60 year old grandma . Seriously. I bought it from her, she hadn't driven it in a few months because she had rheumatoid arthritis and just had recent surgery, so she couldn't drive a stick anymore. So it does happen every once in awhile .

About buying a new car -- I don't need a reason, other than "I want it." . Why do we buy *anything* brand new? It's nice to know the entire history of a car, and if you intend to keep it for a good long time, why not buy it brand new.

Dave

Ok so you have the only verifiable 60 year old owned mustang. But how many more do you think there are? I was told my cobra was owned by a 45 year old that babied it. Then I went to the dealer that originally sold it to him. And found out he actually has a racing license and really uses his cars. My friebd bought a 98. They salesman claimed the owner babied it, never burned off the tires. But a 25k it had new rear tires. I bought my cobra used. And while I like it. The next car I buy will be what I want.

 

[RodStang]

My mom is 64 and drives a convertible Corvette. I doubt she has ever had it over 2000 RPM.

My mom rules.

 

[shatner saves]

Compare that to Ferrari owners. Most of those guys are old and just tool around the neighborhood. And try to find a used Ferrari with more than 15k miles--it's nearly impossible. There's an incredibly expensive 15k mile tuneup and most Ferrari guys unload their cars before they have to pay for it. Porsche guys (911 guys) seem to put miles on their cars but maintain them well and don't abuse them.

The 15k mile tuneup on a 360 modena is somwhere in the $8000 to $12000 dollar range. I'm not exactly sure of the number, so it might actually be more. I do know that one of the reasons it's so expensive is that this service includes replacing the timing chain and you have to drop the engine to do it!

I raced with a few people that owned various ferrari's, porsche's, BMW's. Once, I was having a pretty random day at the track (laguna seca) so one of them took me for a joy ride in his 360 to cheer me up. Earlier that year I did a really excellent job of not taking him out when I was running him down and had a brake failure, so maybe he was paying me back for that. All I can say is WOW! We took the back road from the track, down the hill to highway 68. Picture your quintessential twisty, smooth 2 lane northern Cali road and you'll understand. Absolutely amazing. Just a different world from anything I'd been in before or since. In hindsight, it probably wasn't the smartest thing I ever agreed to, as Dave's on track performances were accident prone to say the least. I'm still in one piece so I guess it was OK.

Dave was actually in line to buy a Vette Z06, as I guess he had an empty space in the garage next to his Viper (rich people suck!). He put in his order and waited patiently for it to arrive. Some time goes by, the dealer calls him up to tell him it was there, so he goes there the next day to pick up his car. When he got to the dealership, he found out they sold the car to someone else who offered them $5k more for it. Dave took his deposit and vowed never to set foot in that dealership again. This is a perfectly idiotic move on the part of the dealership as Dave has cubic dollars in the bank. If they had treated the guy with a little respect, he'd be buying new vette's from that place for years. He promptly bought the Ferrari and never looked back.

Not long after getting the Ferrari, he took it to Thunderhill for 2 days of hot lapping. When he got back, he took it into the dealership to have the brake rotors turned and have new brake pads put in. That service cost $2500!

 

[shatner saves]

My mom is 64 and drives a convertible Corvette. I doubt she has ever had it over 2000 RPM.

My mom rules.

Yes... I believe she does.

 

[wardog]

Especially new American cars, which depreciate very rapidly. Right now 99 GTs can be had for less than $10k. And for the price of an 05 GT you could get a well maintained late model Boxster, XK8, Vette, 540i, etc. Is it the ease of financing a new car, the lure or that "new car smell" or having the "latest and greatest" or the warranty or picking your exact color or what? Don't get me wrong, I enjoy seeing what comes out each year, and I'm glad people buy new cars, but I don't really get it.

I can justify new cars. Too many clunker old cars in my family growing up I guess.

I have no time, few tools, and not much interest in repairing cars. I absolutely hate being stranded. I also have a job where being late could cost the company thousands of dollars.

I have a theory that cars tend to expire at about 100K miles. Not necessarily big things, but even the little things like water pumps, fuel pumps, etc.. can leave you stranded.

With a new car, the warranty is bumper to bumper, at least at first. I guess it really depends on how old the Porsche/Jag/etc is, but I'd be afraid of Porsche / Jag maintenance costs even when nothing goes wrong. If something major goes wrong after the warranty expires, that could cost big time, and the little things like fuel pumps can nickel and dime you to death as well. I've often seen Ferrari 308's in great shape for around $30K and been very tempted, but then I think about the cost of a tune up.

 

[Rootus]

Ok so you have the only verifiable 60 year old owned mustang. But how many more do you think there are?

Not many. Don't get me wrong, I was just gloating about my good luck in finding the one I did.

But a 25k it had new rear tires. I bought my cobra used. And while I like it. The next car I buy will be what I want.

That isn't normal? Doh! My '98 Cobra needed new tires with 25k miles on the clock. Had to wait until after they finished replacing the engine and transmission, since it spun a rod bearing the night I took it home... whoops. I'm thinking that car had a hard life before I bought it. And it didn't exactly get easier after I bought it either...

Dave

 

[SVTdriver]

Exactly.

 

[66Satellite]

The 15k mile tuneup on a 360 modena is somwhere in the $8000 to $12000 dollar range. I'm not exactly sure of the number, so it might actually be more. I do know that one of the reasons it's so expensive is that this service includes replacing the timing chain and you have to drop the engine to do it!

I raced with a few people that owned various ferrari's, porsche's, BMW's. Once, I was having a pretty random day at the track (laguna seca) so one of them took me for a joy ride in his 360 to cheer me up. Earlier that year I did a really excellent job of not taking him out when I was running him down and had a brake failure, so maybe he was paying me back for that. All I can say is WOW! We took the back road from the track, down the hill to highway 68. Picture your quintessential twisty, smooth 2 lane northern Cali road and you'll understand. Absolutely amazing. Just a different world from anything I'd been in before or since. In hindsight, it probably wasn't the smartest thing I ever agreed to, as Dave's on track performances were accident prone to say the least. I'm still in one piece so I guess it was OK.

Dave was actually in line to buy a Vette Z06, as I guess he had an empty space in the garage next to his Viper (rich people suck!). He put in his order and waited patiently for it to arrive. Some time goes by, the dealer calls him up to tell him it was there, so he goes there the next day to pick up his car. When he got to the dealership, he found out they sold the car to someone else who offered them $5k more for it. Dave took his deposit and vowed never to set foot in that dealership again. This is a perfectly idiotic move on the part of the dealership as Dave has cubic dollars in the bank. If they had treated the guy with a little respect, he'd be buying new vette's from that place for years. He promptly bought the Ferrari and never looked back.

Not long after getting the Ferrari, he took it to Thunderhill for 2 days of hot lapping. When he got back, he took it into the dealership to have the brake rotors turned and have new brake pads put in. That service cost $2500!

Cool. I've driven 308s and 328s and can only imagine how nice a 360 would be. Nice cars but crazy money. I had a friend who barely rode his Dukati for the same reason--a tuneup will break the bank. And if I had 360 money I'd probably be scheming on the new Ford GT. Wonder what theh service prices on those will be.

 

[spanky442]

Nothing against Ferrari or anything. I think they are great cars and all, but they are not known for their reliability. There are racecars. How reliable are racecars. There was some rockstar on the radio one day, I think it was Eddy Van Halen, anyway, he claimed the first he bought when he made it was a Ferrari. He drove it everywhere. At 30K miles it was falling apart. Those cars are very high maintainence and cost big $$ to fix. These cars usually have the latest high-tech goodies that require special care and maintaince. Being able to afford one of these machines is one thing, being able to afford to maintain them is another.

 

[RandyB]

I agree...

It's pretty easy for me to justify a new car.

Many people nickle and dime themselfs to death, spending a $5 here, $10 there, $20 over here. I see people who always have to have the latest gaget. Some people I know seem to change cell phones, PDA's, computers, TV's, etc. more freqently than I change the oil in my cars.

Other people I know will go and hire a painter for $1,000 to paint a room in their house. I spend $75 on paint & materials and do it myself.

So I'm dirt cheap when it comes to wasting money here and there on the little things. I save up my nickels and dimes and then every few years I blow it all in one shot on a new car.

I'm exactly the same. I have no cell phone, no cable TV, no PDA, and I buy a computer only about once every 5 or 6 years. But when it comes to cars, I have to get what I want, and it has to be new. I see the argument for not buying new because it is really a waste of money with so many quality used cars available today, but I'm too picky and particular. The way I beat this is by keeping the car long after it's paid for. I have a '98 Cobra currently that I have had for over 6 years, and just recently bought an '03 BMW 330i 6-speed for the daily commute. My next car will likely be an '08 SVT Mustang. I make myself wait for at least 5 years(while I research the next car). That way I know for sure what I want by the time I'm ready financially.

It's all about what's important to you.

"Give me the luxuries in life, and I'll gladly do without the necessities."

 

[TrueBlueCajun]

I don't have to justify anything. If I want a new car and have the funds to acquire it, I get it. I guess having the funds would be a justification, but I don't have to get permission to purchase/lease one.

 

[VOORHEES]

For me, there is nothing like a brand new car. I have always owned used vehicles up to my 1999 GT. Now, we bought my wife a new MPV van. Plan on keeping it til its time for a replacement. I currently have only 51,000 miles on my GT and have plans to keep it original and IF I have to, sell it for a '08 or '09 Cobra or whatever the big dog is then. I hope I can keep it.
Now, I wouldn't buy a new "work" truck, or sedan. Just the Mustang.
-Jason

 

[351CJ]

The question I have is how do you justify spending any $$ on modifying your car. ?

Virtually any $$ you spend on modifications is worth ZERO the day you fork your money over. Then once you install your aftermarket parts the value of your car usually goes down making it a double loss.

 

[SVTdriver]

How do I justify modding my car. Simple. You only live once. Enjoy life not spending every moment worrying about money.
You also have to enjoy driving your car. Have a passion for it. Not just see it as transportation. The people that have a real passion for performance cars mod them. The people people that see them as transportation don't. I'm not trying to bash you or anything like that. BUt it doesn't seem like you have a real passion for mustangs.

 

[66Satellite]

The question I have is how do you justify spending any $$ on modifying your car. ?

Virtually any $$ you spend on modifications is worth ZERO the day you fork your money over. Then once you install your aftermarket parts the value of your car usually goes down making it a double loss.

I can understand spending some money to make your car handle better or go faster, but I don't get the body kits and fart pipes. Better to keep a totally factory/sleeper appearance.

 

[shatner saves]

Nothing against Ferrari or anything. I think they are great cars and all, but they are not known for their reliability. There are racecars. How reliable are racecars. There was some rockstar on the radio one day, I think it was Eddy Van Halen, anyway, he claimed the first he bought when he made it was a Ferrari. He drove it everywhere. At 30K miles it was falling apart. Those cars are very high maintainence and cost big $$ to fix. These cars usually have the latest high-tech goodies that require special care and maintaince. Being able to afford one of these machines is one thing, being able to afford to maintain them is another.

If Eddie Van Halen bought that car when he first "made it", that would have been back in the late 70's/early 80's. Like american cars, italian cars of that era weren't exactly known or their build quality. As for maintanence costs, I'm sure they are in line with your average, everyday, run-of-the-mill $200,000 sports car.