New car

[Sava]

Old as in "not new", and 42K miles in a couple years is high mileage.

Of course he'll get better overall value from his purchase. He'd get even more value out of his purchase if he bought a 1990 Corolla for $300. Is that the only metric one uses?

Value was the metric you seemed to refer to when you said purchasing a rental car was stupid (and I'm paraphrasing, in case you feel the need to get pedantic).

[Sava]

a 1990 Corolla for $300

Around the time I was entering high school, we bought a 1983 Dodge Omni for $300. My dad drove it to the train station for a few years. It became mine when I got my license. Over the life of the car, we probably only spent another $300 in maintenance costs. I drove it for 2 years before I bought my first car. Then my sister drove it for another few years. It eventually died.

The window crank on the driver side never worked properly. I even got stuck unable to roll it back up while going through a car wash one time. It only had a tape player. The speakers sucked. One of them hung from a single screw on the door. The car was rusting. It backfired. It was gold (a horrible color, IMO).

But that car was probably the best car I've ever driven. It was fun. It had character. The costs were negligible.

$300 cars

[Dinner]

If it matters I still hate IDrive.

[Sava]

I don't know what that is.

[Dinner]

and driving a luxury car brand, no matter the brand, just makes you a douche

It's my one austintation. I can afford it and I like it so why shouldn't I drive it? I'm not going whole hog and buying some outrageously expensive specialty car, just a very nice version of a reasonably priced car. Like I said, if I wanted to save every penny and live the totally practical life which my father has then I would buy a Toyota Camry. I drive my car every day, spend a lot of time in it commuting, and I want something slightly a step above. Not outrageously above but something with a bit more power, style, and panache. I worked hard and think I deserve that. What is wrong with that?

[Dinner]

My father did very well for himself. He worked hard, he saved his money, he bought rental houses so that he could make more money, he did a lot of the work himself to save money (or had me do it so that he could save still more money), and I completely respect that. I will likely copy some of that. That said, I don't want to be completely like him and I want to drive a car which I can be proud of and which preforms better then most other cars. I don't see what is wrong with that. He has always driven and while likely keep driving cars which are very middle of the road so he can save the difference for investing. I want a bit more, I earn a bit more, and I can afford a bit more so what is so terribly douche about that?

[Sava]

It's my one austintation. I can afford it and I like it so why shouldn't I drive it? I'm not going whole hog and buying some outrageously expensive specialty car, just a very nice version of a reasonably priced car. Like I said, if I wanted to save every penny and live the totally practical life which my father has then I would buy a Toyota Camry. I drive my car every day, spend a lot of time in it commuting, and I want something slightly a step above. Not outrageously above but something with a bit more power, style, and panache. I worked hard and think I deserve that. What is wrong with that?

There's nothing wrong with it. You should just be aware that it kinda makes you a douche.

If you want to be a douche, be a douche! I don't care.

[Sava]

My father did very well for himself. He worked hard, he saved his money, he bought rental houses so that he could make more money, he did a lot of the work himself to save money (or had me do it so that he could save still more money), and I completely respect that. I will likely copy some of that. That said, I don't want to be completely like him and I want to drive a car which I can be proud of and which preforms better then most other cars. I don't see what is wrong with that. He has always driven and while likely keep driving cars which are very middle of the road so he can save the difference for investing. I want a bit more, I earn a bit more, and I can afford a bit more so what is so terribly douche about that?

We're all very happy for you. Really.

[Dinner]

Look at the OP of this thread.

HC was "very excited" to get a used Accord, then tries to take people down a notch for getting excited to get a sporty luxury car brand new.

It's a textbook defense mechanism against jealousy.

I don't think HC should be bashed for buying the car he did. It's an excellent car, very reliable, and probably a good buy to boot. That said it is not a luxury car, that likely doesn't matter to him as he wasn't looking for a luxury car but it is perfectly fine and sensible as a purchase.

[pchang]

QFT!
[/valuable thread contribution]

Good to see Asher got an incredible deal on his echo chamber.

[Dinner]

Ah. Another one of those "I do what daddy does". I understand your position now.

Asher, don't bash him for taking advantage of his father's experience and bargaining skills. That's actually a good advantage as his father, no doubt, has purchased more cars than he has so it is only a logical position to take advantage of such experience.

[Asher]

You don't grow as a person if you don't experience life yourself. The fact that the Kuci family lets their father do so much for them certainly explains their attitude and aptitude for life.

[Asher]

I don't think HC should be bashed for buying the car he did. It's an excellent car, very reliable, and probably a good buy to boot. That said it is not a luxury car, that likely doesn't matter to him as he wasn't looking for a luxury car but it is perfectly fine and sensible as a purchase.

That's what my reply to him said. Notice the thumbs up, even.

That said, a more sensible purchase would've been a Civic. There's no reason a single college freshman needs a mid-size sedan.

[Dinner]

I don't know what that is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IDrive

[rah]

I got my first car, a 64 olds dynamic 88 for 100 bucks in the early 70's. I negotiated the price on the golf course while I was caddying for a guy that owned about 10 car dealerships. (i waited until he was playing great and feeling good about it.) I was reading the greens well that day and contributed to his good round. One of my better negotiations.