[quote=AN][quote=kev374]
it’s not a linear scale that way. It’s needs vs wants. The first $15-20k of car may be a *need*, you need decent transport for work etc. But the other $40k is then fluff that can be afforded only if you have all your other more important financial priorities set…savings, retirement, emergency fund, kids college, home paid off, investments etc. etc.[/quote]
You don’t NEED a $15k-$20k car. You can get a decent used civic that runs well for $3k-$4k. So, a $20k car is a luxury. You don’t ever need to buy a new car.[/quote]
I could be wrong, but I thought he was quoting new prices. Like a civic new is about a 20k car, and if you bought it used and only paid 5 then it would be a USED 20k car you got for 5k. It is the NEW 60k car, 30k used, that he is calling a luxery that you need that kinda income for. But again I could be wrong. That is just how I read it.
I dont necessarly agree, it depends on your priorities. If you dont travel, you could use that money on car payments. If you live in middle class neighborhoods instead of trying to move up to the big time, if you dont really like eating/going out, if you dont buy alot of stuff and live minimally… cut any of these and the ability to really afford a luxery car goes up alot. The problem is that we in the USA want our luxery AND everything else too. We have learned to assign high priorities to anything that improves our lives now, not matter how fleeting; and low priorities to things that improve our lives in the long run but take time to accumulate. This is the fundamental flaw we refuse to face as a nation.
