Worst investment on the planet. I have always paid cash and I drive them till the wheels fall off. I sold my 2008 Lexus after realizing what a waste of money it was and bought a 2009 Elantra. I'm just as happy with a $14,000 car as I was with a $40,000 car.
Yep ! Carefully select a car about 8 years old, for about 5k, throw a dime into it for needed maintenance, drive it another 100k + miles. That's the way to go. Unless you are just rolling in dough.
Wife pisses me off always wanting to trade in car ( 07 Honda, bought new ( ugh). I drive a 2000 F-150, bought in 2006, plan on keeping it at least 6 more years. I get Holy Hell if I spend $400 on a brakejob for it, but buying a new 26k car is fine ?
Fuck payments and leases, just buy the vehicle,...5k gets you a decent car. I've had great luck with $300 cars back in the 80's. Perhaps not great if you're a like a doctor or something, but fine if you drive it as just transportation, or take it to construction sites... it doesn't matter if a drunk forklift/ pettibone operator bumps it.
Jose, you owe me a case of beer for hitting my 75 Toyota pickup !
An 8 year old car can look like almost new.