Do any of you choose cars over houses?
Posted by Organic-Huan-15@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 298 comments
If so why?
I’m definitely that person who would pick a nice car + crappy house over a nice house + crappy car, if that was all what the budget would allow.
KenshiHiro@reddit
I feel like due to recent inflation of house prices, it's either shitty car + no house or nice car + no house. It's a no brainer I would choose the latter at this point lol
Butt_bird@reddit
I drove a $3000 beater for 7 years to afford a house. It was worth it. Paying a car note every month for a depreciating asset is just feels like throwing money away.
Paying a mortgage feels good knowing it will be worth more later down the line.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Which brings more joy in your opinion?
Grand_Struggle859@reddit
what would bring me great joy is not being a renter.
rothordwarf@reddit
Knowing I'm not paying off someone else's growth asset.
AngeredReclusivity@reddit
Your primary residence isn't going to bring you money. If you sell it, you have to find somewhere to live. Once you die, your relatives or the state will get that money. This is such a big fallacy I see people project.
Correct-Sail-9642@reddit
It doesn't make you money until you sell it sure, but it SAVES you money because mortgage is way less then paying fucking rent on even half the sqft of living space you get from owning a home. Nobody says you gotta live in that house until you die. Start small and learn skills while upgrading your home. As real estate values climb your upgrades make it exponential. Equity is alot more satisfying then knowing every dime you pay for rent goes toward the landlords equity. Basically off somebody elses home and having nothing to show for it. Mortgage is far less then rent. My entire ranch on acreage with a view and no neighbors costs HALF what my single bdrm apt was 9yrs ago..I imagine its now getting closer to 1/3 what I would be paying in rent for that same apt, and I dont have some asshole above me throwing weights on the floor like hes training for worlds strongest man & beating his three different babies mamas one after the other every night. Certainly dont have people keying my car in my own reserved parking spot, or doing my laundry in my patio closet. I cant imagine what renting a house in the city is like now, probably 4-5x what I pay to own a house.
AngeredReclusivity@reddit
You're ignoring upkeep just like everyone else on Reddit. But ok.
OkSurround6524@reddit
Renting an apartment will bring you 0 money. Owning a house does. You can always sell and downsize or sell and rent. You get nothing when you move out of a rental, and rents continue to go up.
AngeredReclusivity@reddit
You're operating under the assumption that your neighborhood does not change. You cannot predict that. The neighborhood I live in used to be middle class, now it's not.
OkSurround6524@reddit
You will still absolutely get a better return on a house than you will on vehicles. My neighborhood has been upper middle class homes since it was built in the 70s. The cheapest houses are well over $1M. If this becomes a poor neighbourhood, which I highly doubt, it’ll still hold value better than cars.
UncleBensRacistRice@reddit
Thats because it is throwing money away
SamoaDisDik@reddit
And this is how the middle and lower classes will always stay in their respective bracket
Grand_Struggle859@reddit
self sabotaging wealth building
Due-Earth5048@reddit
brookegoldin17
PinkGloryBrony22@reddit
I would live in a very nice luxury mansion, but just drive a normal, reliable and understated car like a Toyota or Lexus. Cars depreciate in value more than houses, and ultra-expensive luxury cars are a big pain in the butt to maintain. So I can just live a good life, but not have such expensive clothes or accessories that are designer big name brands like Gucci, Luis Vuitton, Dior or Rolex, since those are a significant waste of money as well. The truly wealthy don’t waste money on such luxury necessities, it’s mostly THE MIDDLE CLASS.
Laz3r_C@reddit
At that point just live in an apartment. I choose house over car because you live in a house, to raise kids and a family you need a home. Cars can come and go.
solbrothers@reddit
This. They will not stop making new cars, phones, shoes, etc but they aren’t making any more earth.
cashinyourface@reddit
I mean, if you look at how much earth we have taken up, there is a LOT more earth.
ReactionCompetitive6@reddit
Well if you’re counting every square inch of Earth and leaving nothing for food growth then yeah I guess so
cashinyourface@reddit
You know how many miles of land are just forests? There are trillions of acres that people aren't currently living on. The guy above this comment implied that land was very limited when, in reality, we are extremely far from earth's carrying capacity.
B5_S4@reddit
Every volcanic island and most of the new construction around the coast in the UAE strongly disagree lol
solbrothers@reddit
I’m just saying. By all the fucking Jordans you want but real estate is king. Clearly the Reddit scientists have broken up line of text that I wrote.
toxicatedscientist@reddit
Depends on if you count tunnels, bonus points for cliffside
noob168@reddit
Yeah, I'll just recreate sth you see at Mesa Verde National Park
toxicatedscientist@reddit
You can't, but the proverbial "they" can
DetectiveNarrow@reddit
Can’t work in your cars In an apartment tho
ExcellentCalendar75@reddit
Can’t drive your house to work either.
ReactionCompetitive6@reddit
Oh was the title of this article nicer home and no car vs car and not nice home?
Musician-Able@reddit
Sure you can
professionalcart@reddit
U can it’s just difficult. Just did oil change and brakes on my brothers fusion
DetectiveNarrow@reddit
Some complexes like dead ass forbid it, some are more strick than others. Haven’t been in my townhome long enough to know how much they care personally lol
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
I wish cars could stay forever 😭
DigitalJEM@reddit
A cars lifespan is directly porportional to how much money is spent on it's upkeep. Same with houses.
BridgeZealousideal20@reddit
Same dude, same..
infiniteawareness420@reddit
Houses come with more storage than apartments. Secure storage.
Plus when you sell a house you tend to make a lot of money. When you leave an apartment you tend to not get your deposit back.
ChingyBingyBongyBong@reddit
Who cares about kids and a family? Racecar go brrr
HundrEX@reddit
You can live in your Porsche but you can’t drive your house so idk man.
Correct-Sail-9642@reddit
Bro I lived in a 944, I will say its not for the feint of heart. Pretty sure I'll need a hip replacement 20yrs ahead of schedule. But if you gotta pick a Porsche to sleep in, its either a Cayenne with seats out or a 944/951. fold them seats down and you have yourself a fullish bed. But you gotta tint the back glass to 5% reflective or you will wake up feeling like a rotisserie if you're not out by sunrise.
Muted_Pear5381@reddit
Also a house won't lose half its value after five years.
Correct-Sail-9642@reddit
Ive never had a car loan myself. always bought 15yr old used vehicles with cash. Sure I have friends with brand new trucks and they lived in rental houses with lots of credit debt. At a distance they appear to be doing quite well, nice enough looking home and ne8w vehicles, maybe some toys too. But on paper they are pissing away money on ever increasing rent prices in cities where their commute is like 30 redlights and tons of smog. Me? I saved my $$ and bought a 3bdrm house on 3.5acres with a view up in the mountains where there is fresh air, privacy, and freedom to walk around butt naked on my own shooting range, and did that all all on a $14-$16/hr job. They say fuck that its too far of a commute they wont drive 50 miles to work. Well, my commute is 50mins and I never get stuck in traffic, wide open highways and nice views the whole way. Meanwhile they spend that much or longer sitting in traffic sucking in smog, then go home where the houses are close you can hear your neighbors farts. Then they complain they cant afford to buy a house they are priced out of the market. Dunno bout yall, but living xx miles from work for convenience keeping me from owning a home doesn't sound so convenient. Whats convenient is having the freedom to leave my car unlocked and being able to do whatever I want and pay a mortgage thats less then a single bedroom apartment in the city, while my investment has doubled in value in 5yrs instead of wasted on rent. The money doesnt disappear it grows this way. Do I want a newer vehicle and some toys? Fuck yeah, I wish I hadnt sold my Porsches & some nice SeaDoos sound super fun for sure. But owning my own ranch in my 20s on a sub 40k salary seemed like a much better use of my hard earned dollars personally. Not trying to flex either, its not everyones vision I get that, just sharing my 2 cents on owning a home or having nice cars. No brainer in my opinion. I do wish I had a nice car though, working on my trucks gets old af Ill admit, but I have learned alot of skills I wouldnt have if I wasn't doing things myself. Have never called a contractor and only brought my car to a shop once. Nice cars are for older folks and those who make lots of money imo.
Affectionate_Cloud86@reddit
You can’t usually pilot your house into say, a house either.
league_starter@reddit
Yeah, definitely house comes first. Then you can use that to finance a car.
But many are priced out of ever being homeowners. So, cars it is
allthevinyl@reddit
Basically where I'm at. Have given up on the idea of my dream home so instead it's dream car 🙋♂️
claymcg90@reddit
Jokes on you, I live in my car
RadicalSnowdude@reddit
i used to care about having a nice car but i'm at the point right now where I would rather have a civic in the driveway of a nice house rather than an M3 and renting a shitty apartment or living with my parents.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
I consider a new civic to be a nice car, what do you think?
RadicalSnowdude@reddit
It’s bo e but relatively speaking it’s not M3 nice. But even still now i’d rather have a used civic and a nice house.
Signal_RR@reddit
House, because of the garage so I can keep my fun stuff secured and be able to do work within. Currently in a town house, but my dream next house would be an old single level with a basement den(rambler) with either an attached or detached multi car garage or have the option to extend the existing garage.
Soundbyte_79@reddit
My house is only necessary to me cuz it’s where I work on my car.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Fair enough lol
Wheelman_23@reddit
10/10 I would choose a nice house over a nice car. However, I wouldn't choose an "unsafe" car over a crappy house.
Joebuddy117@reddit
I can tell you half the people in the apartment complex down the street driving brand new trucks definitely chose their truck over saving for a house.
pm-me-racecars@reddit
I've basically given up on owning a house. My local sub calls me selfish and a dreamer for having things like "Either on a quiet enough street I can turn wrenches on the side of the road, or some form of off-street parking," in my must haves, I'm not going to own a house as long as I live here.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
I might but only out of necessity possibly, with me it’s cars over houses for sure. I just don’t care about houses, I see them as just tools.
Correct-Sail-9642@reddit
What kinda cars you into? Ive been looking to get into something fast af lately. Ive been out of the car game for so long. I was into Porsches and deisel trucks. Most practical fun car I owned was a GTI VR6 and it only cost me $2k and got 36mpg avg WOT 90% of the time. Wasn't the nicest or fastest car I owned but perhaps the one I wish I still had today. But Ive been looking for something with some major HP, 2door, turbos are fun. But I also value handling. I liked the BRZ I borrowed for a while, handled like a dream, but found it to be rather underpowered. Friend tried talking me into a V8 Lexus but the 4door part sorta turned me off. Did have some appeal though, looked good and hauled ass decent enough. Whats a decently fast, semi practical but awesome driver that can be found used for 20k or less? 2013+
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
The latest civic haha
Correct-Sail-9642@reddit
The new Civic is pretty nice, I like the newer Hondas. Bit out of my budget though I bet. I had a 90s Acura Legend 6spd. Was pretty fast but prolly handled like shit compared to modern Hondas. I almost bought a 2009 Boxter S all murdered out in gloss black everything. Was immaculate, guy had 3 Porsches and had to make room for his new GT3 next to his matching GT2s. it was so clean the guy made me take my shoes off to go in his garage, had new Crocs I had to wear to test drive it. I made him cringe when I rolled the window down, no too dusty he said. He had a 4car garage with special lights just for detailing it. Was fairly fast in terms of Boxters but mostly it was just a perfectly kept car with tasteful mods & wheels that cost more then my current vehicle. I told him id return the next day to purchase it as I needed someone to drive my shitbox home for me. He was insulted and said no my new Porsche arrives in the morning sorry. Im like well just put your old porsche out front I wont mind. No it will be sold tonight to someone who is serious about buying. Like wtf dude it was an 18k Boxster not a supercar, sorry I dont have a transporter on call to pick it up for me lol. Like shit I could have abandoned my truck down the street and driven it home but he didnt like me I guess. I dont think he had much of a life beyond ballin out on his Porsches. Ive owned like 5 myself but they was poor mans Porsches, which technically so was the Boxter S. It was just cherry af is all
AngeredReclusivity@reddit
Same. It's way too expensive, and if shit breaks, it's at minimum thousands of dollars to fix stuff. A new roof is crazy expensive. Same with appliances, etc.
AsleepDetail@reddit
Negative, I only buy used cars so that I can put money into rentals/reits. Putting money in to a car over properties or investments in real estate is a terrible idea. Cars a depreciating liabilities, the absolutely worst place to put money.
Astandsforataxia69@reddit
You should never buy a car with the idea of making money unless you can afford to get an SLR/CLK GTR you will never get that money back.
Besides, if we are being honest, a 20 year old car is going to be safe, reliable and have most of the things you need(automatic ac, cruise control, electric seats, automatic transmission, air bags, etc).
A beater might be a 2006 w211 e320, that car is going to be reliable enough and not difficult to live with.
Correct-Sail-9642@reddit
You had me until you said e320. Money pit if you dont luck out on a nice one. If you gonna drive a beater at least get one you can trust your average shop to work on. Perhaps you know some things about them many dont, but an old Benz is the last thing I'd count on to be reliable. If practical is the name of the game a Toyota or even a cheap Ford is going to be a better investment, imo. At least your neighborhood shadetree mechanic has all the tools and experience to make significant repairs as they age. Even the hood rats have moved past the e320 it seems. though if you find a well maintained one that was driven modestly then I have seen them last into high mileage. Just alot of them look decent then 6 months later they are spotted on some shady used car lot waiting for their next victim
scoobydoobiedoodoo@reddit
Where can you work on your nice car if you don’t have a decent house with tools and a garage? I think I’d rather have a nice house and wait for it to increase equity and then buy a nice car. (Not the best choice but moneys gotta come from somewhere :) )
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
The dealer of course
Correct-Sail-9642@reddit
The dealer? ah fuck mate, that's the last place I'd bring my car unless it was a warranty issue or service intervals. But if its like new new I guess thats a good call. Do you mod your car or go for just finding one that suits your tastes from factory?
Neon570@reddit
Would rather be house rich and car poor.
I spend WAY more time in my house then in my vehicles
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Other than my room I’d say I spend more time in my car
Neon570@reddit
Sleep in it? Wash your balls in it? Do laundry in it?
You sound like a highschool kid with a flat black hood on a clapped out civic.
P
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
I don’t mod cars, I just like to see them advance.
Correct-Sail-9642@reddit
Have they advanced enough to wash your balls without contaminating your laundry?
filbruce@reddit
I just bought an MB Sprinter, so it's a crappy car-house.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
What year?
filbruce@reddit
2003 t1n
Spiritual-Belt@reddit
I would to an extent. A house to me is just a tool. As long as it has a kitchen and a bathroom I can work with it. The thing is choosing cars means a house with a garage to work on and store cars and enough land that my neighbors won’t complain about junk cars in the back yard. So the answer is crappy house crappy cars expensive garage
Correct-Sail-9642@reddit
Or go further out from the shitty. I live in a nice house on lots of land I cant see a single neighbor from anywhere on my property, can pile up as many cars and parts as I want, doesnt even crowd the shooting range. Pump my own water from my well, get my electricity from the sun, the chooks raise themselves, hunt turkey, deer, and occasional longpig that takes a wrong turn down my road. Working on that longpig recipe still though, key is garlic, lime and tenderizer. Garage is my shop, built enclosed carports for my cars, tiny house gets rented to a woman on a ssi budget, she makes a mean bakemac and tends the garden. Only thing missing is, well, it gets sorta quiet here. A man could go crazy finding a woman that wont break your heart out here. Tiny house lady aint it, shes great dont get me wrong, but she lives in her tiny house on her own for a reason. And it is hard to adjust to the 26hr days here, ''we's on mountain time now" is a funny concept
Traditional-Neck7778@reddit
OK, so my dream.house is a 6 car garage and 750 sq foot house. We have a 2 car garage and 3 car driveway and we have 2 old chevy trucks, a corvette, 1 newer truck, 1 commuter car, 2 Hondas a bmw and a minivan. We need a car lot, but having a house with a nice bathroom and kitchen is important too.
Dear-Shape-6444@reddit
Looks like you need a shop house or barndominium. 3 bays with one extra large for that future RV.
muscle_car_fan34@reddit
I was the same way. I feel fortunate to have a house but I bought less house than I could afford and now I regret it. I’d still have my sports car so I should have spent a little more to get a little more land
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Yeah to me a house is solely a tool, cars however are the best toys, but also a tool yes.
illegitimate_Raccoon@reddit
A house is a tool if it has a garage...
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
That adds a lot to them, true
Talentless67@reddit
A guy a used to know lived in a semi detached house, nothing special, original kitchen old gas fire old carpets etc. Clean, just outdated, in his garage which was spotless was a DB4.
idioscosmos@reddit
Well I have a crappy house and a crappy car so step up your game bro
thingk89@reddit
Possibly an uncommon situation but my car addiction got me into my first home purchase. I bought and sold cars constantly that needed a small amount of work (sometimes a lot) I got my dream car (M3) and my down payment for my first house that way. I bought and sold every 3-6 months for years drove the cars in between that time and averaged about $1500-2000 profit per car but there were a few that were maybe closer to $4k. You just have to be logical with your purchases and have cash in hand at all times.
E8282@reddit
Looking through here for all the MTL people.
ConceptOther5327@reddit
I would prioritize a car over a house in some cases. Used car vs new or expensive car and renting vs owning the house are big factors. Whether or not to prioritize a car over a house depends on if the car is a necessity, convenience, or luxury for you. A car is an item but home ownership is an investment. IMO investing should take priority over a brand new or expensive car but it doesn’t have to be real estate.
Where I live, having a good car should take priority over owning a home. Not a new or fancy car but one that’s highly dependable. Sorry, this part is long. I was a property manager, briefly sold used cars, and do homeless outreach so I’ve got some strong opinions on this.
Living in an area with no public transportation, owning a car is the first step towards owning a house. You’ll never be able to afford to buy a home if you can’t get/keep a good paying job. There’s a limited number of jobs you can do exclusively from home. Generally you need a car to get to work. If yours is always breaking down or whoever you’re relying on for rides makes you late, you won’t have that job very long.
If you can’t make ends meet and your choices are to make your car payment or pay your rent, the car payment is more important. It takes longer for you to get evicted than it does to repo your car. Landlords generally just want you gone and once you’re out may not even try to collect the back rent. Car financers will take the car back, then garnish future wages until you’ve finished paying off the car you no longer have. It’s much easier to live on the street in a car than a tent or a box.
If it’s car payment or mortgage, then obviously pay the mortgage but really… you probably should’ve sold one of them before getting to that point.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
If argue that money is more of a tool anyways, but everyone has a different definition of what brings happiness or satisfaction.
ConceptOther5327@reddit
Agree, money is a tool. The bigger the project you’re trying to accomplish the more tools you’ll probably need. There are different levels of financial comfort for different lifestyles. Choosing a car over a house is not necessarily always irresponsible.
MeatWhereBrainGoes@reddit
Not me. I love my cars, but I must have a comfortable house.
ThePrinceofCrowngard@reddit
Why not both?
In all seriousness, I’ve owned some nice homes and average cars and at that point in my life it was great.
But times change. I got tired of maintaining a big house so I moved to a high rise. This allowed me to free up some cash flow and got a nicer car.
But now, I kind of want a house again so am thinking about getting rid of the car.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Not everyone has the budget to allow both is the thing.
Antique-Year-3223@reddit
Reliable transportation is good even if it’s a bus. A safe nice home is a great thing even if it a rental. Be able to get to work if you want to keep your home
Business-Ad-7902@reddit
I’m a simple man. I like cars and boobs.
Soundbyte_79@reddit
My favorite things in life.
allthevinyl@reddit
I mean it depends how into it you are. I rent an apartment and love my weekend car as if I were dating it. Any extra cash goes to gas, parts, racing and the garage rental.
redmini-s@reddit
I drove POS cars for years so that I could have a house…. Most residential properties increase in value over time… cars depreciate in value over time.
Admirable_Addendum99@reddit
My high payment bad credit car loan for new hyundai paid off giving me a high credit score for a house
CipherAC0@reddit
Important to note, there are other ways to build credit and house credit and car credit are different. Ex my Dads credit for home was pretty shit and he’d have a crazy interest for his condo just because he’s never had a home payment. He’s made lots of car payments and has a good and long credit history. Ended up not mattering cuz he got a VA loan but don’t expect buying a car to give you a favorable loan rate.
redmini-s@reddit
Lol…. I guess that’s “Winning”….so, yeah
CAM6913@reddit
Not all cars depreciate. I bought muscle cars decades ago cheap when I had my body shop and sold a couple a decade ago and bought a house a large barn and 300+ acres the two cars I sold I paid less than $1000 each for. Now I have a 200’x 150’ three story barn to store the 28 cars I have left
redmini-s@reddit
There are always exceptions… I have owned a couple of muscle cars and sports cars over the years where I either made a profit after driving them for several years or at least broke even on the initial investment. I’ve done the same with motorcycles and believe it or not, small sailboats. However, the family trucksters I’ve owned and new car purchases….nope! I do my best to tell people not to buy cars thinking they will be worth more down the road…in all likelihood they won’t. Over 45 years of driving POS cars (okay, I kinda stopped driving POS cars about 8years ago)… I did learn some valuable skills … mechanical repair, body repair, welding, electrical/electronics repair… so there is an upside
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Yes but houses are still more expensive almost always, but you do get a lot more for the money with them.
SpaceMarine29@reddit
if you are a car enthusiast and dont break the bank on a cool car, maybe go car. idk. personally i dont plan on any family and my rent is cheap and stays cheap because the landlord is a nice guy. my thought was that i love to drive a 6MT ICE and is that even going to be around in 5 years or so?
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
I want to have kids one day, but I don’t feel ready. Probably in my 40s tbh. Hopefully my income increases, I currently only make 32k a year rn
a2jeeper@reddit
Never ever choose a car over a house. Ever. But if you only make 32k/yr look at moving or increasing that substantially. Money in a car is nice for show, and honestly having a nice car can actually help you make more money. Showing up respectable in a nice (but not too nice, big big mistake made by many, especially where I am near detroit) can make a world of difference. But land is where it is at. But if you are young how do you know where you want to live in a year or ten. Honestly the smartest bet is ok car, bank the rest. Save it for when you need it. Or for a vacation. I always save money for big ticket items. You are going to forget about that stupid 5.0 mustang in a few years. You will never forget a trip to mexico. Or the bahamas. Or the virgin islands. Or england. Or whatever. That is where I would spend it. And trust me these things are way (I mean way!) better to do when you are young and capable.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
I am looking to increase my income, obviously easier said than done though, it will take time
IUsedToMakeMaps@reddit
You are born into life in a housing deficit. It is a need that you HAVE to fill somehow. That could be rent - but owning a home offers a lot of long-term stability. I saved up, bought a house, saved up, bought an s2k, saved up, bought a new house, sold s2k to remodel kitchen. Still happy. Now saving up to buy next "fun" car.
rothordwarf@reddit
Houses have a bigger ticket, but arnt more expensive.
For example. A 45k loan at 5.5% is going to hit you for about 725 a month over 6 yrs (avg car loan)
In the same year a 170k home loan at 3.5% over 30 yrs is going to hit you for about 650 for a 30yr.
In 7 yrs that house doubles in value. The car is worth about 25%.
Traditional-Neck7778@reddit
The think is that houses are expensive but so is rent. When my daughter bought her house her mortgage was 2200 and she was though she had messed up because she could rent for 1900 a month. Now , a comparable house is renting for close to 2800 and her payment hasn't changed. Eventually, when she is old like me, she will only have to pay taxes and insurance. Renters will always have to pay at the market rate. It is a way better deal to buy even if you don't ever cash in on the funds
CipherAC0@reddit
Too many people my age just want a luxury car because they can “afford” it. Then they get locked into a predatory loan, crazy interest, always needs maintenance, lots of miles etc etc but at least they drive a Mercedes. They want the quick luxury of a car instead of saving and planning for the future that buying a house needs (in CA at least). They complain about their living situation and want to move out of their parents but drive an old bmw that needs all sorts of work. Cars are expensive and even $50k is a lot to spend on a car, and they’re not getting any cheaper new and used. I see people in the crappy apartment complex with nice-r cars and I can’t help but think that 1500 payment could be an extra 1000 towards at least a nicer apartment or savings. And $500 is still enough for a nice car. IMO if they’re truly happy with where they’re at and what they drive then that’s fine. More annoying when they complain about how they have to money and it’s all going towards a rapidly depreciating dodge.
singinalex52@reddit
Crappy car, crappy house, only buy assets
AggravatingMath717@reddit
Live in a 1,400 sq ft house, yes cars over houses… also for me location of said house over everything else to have the shortest commute to work possible…..fewer miles on said cars
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
I drive the shit out of my cars, it’s hard not to lmao
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
I drive the shit out of my cars, it’s hard not to lmao
aobie4233@reddit
I could live in a much nicer house if it weren’t for cars, but I honestly could care less about a house. I go there to eat, sleep, and watch a little tv while I’m eating. Houses bring me no other joy than not having to live outside in the snow during the winter. Cars on the other hand are all I think about all day long, and I love everything about them.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Same, at this point I’d think I’d rather invest less in retirement and more on cars.
OkSurround6524@reddit
There is 0 dignity in being too old to work and poor. Be careful.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
I try my best, it isn’t that easy when one is stupid like I am lol
6BigAl9@reddit
There’s a very high chance you will regret putting money into cars instead of retirement, and that sounds like a terrible position to be in once you get to that stage in your life.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Are u older?
6BigAl9@reddit
No, but go spend some time in the personal finance subs to see how depressing some of the posts from older people who didn’t save anything are.
I love cars and motorcycles and spend some money on them, but not at the expense of family, home, and retirement savings. To each their own but that just seems really short sighted to me.
MeowMeowiez@reddit
not investing in your future for momentary fun seems kind of dumb but okay
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
I am just less, life’s too short to be bored all the time
janelgreo@reddit
Life's short, if the man has enough money to choose cars > a house, he can do so. Not everyone needs a big/nice house and not everyone needs a nice car. Everyone has different priorities and this man just wants the basics of a house so he can enjoy his life with his cars. Life's too short to follow what the world wants you to do... you do you and be happy.
Clint_69@reddit
Same man!!!
dustindh10@reddit
Same. House is just for a place to keep my car safe and hold my tools.
OkSurround6524@reddit
No. A house appreciates in value while a car does the opposite. I’d drive a complete POS if it was the only way to afford a decent house in a nice area.
Nobody builds wealth through car purchases.
captainslowww@reddit
It’s not so much that I “choose” a nice car over home ownership, but rather that one of those things is an option for me while the other is not. No amount of driving a shitty car will enable me to reasonably swing the $400k starting price tag on a one-bedroom condo in my area.
AngeredReclusivity@reddit
People in the comments seem to ignore that houses require continuous upkeep. You're not going to make 100s of thousands of dollars off your primary house (IF you ever sell it). I'd argue most people can't actually afford a house. If you don't have $10s of thousands in savings for something going wrong, you can't afford the house. Being house poor is just popular because "At least I have a house".
I'd rather have a nice car and a crappy house. I won't ever get married, have no friends, no kids, etc. I'll be the only one in the house. As long as it's not crumbling, has a pest problem, etc. then it's whatever. The housing market is fucked anyway so no sense in even thinking about getting a house. I'll never afford one on my salary.
rayew21@reddit
my house is a tool to store my car. my family a tool for my ego in admiration over my car. my friends a tool to reduce maintenance costs for the car. my job a tool to take care of my car. and the food i consume a tool to make sure someone is there for my car. if my car has no oil, then i am dead
biggirlsause@reddit
I mean you can have a nice house that isn’t insanely expensive, it would be smaller, but if you don’t need much space then it’s a non issue. So I’d say smaller house and sports car.
E90BarberaRed6spdN52@reddit
When single yes car over house. Once married with kid(s) on the way the priorities flip. You sell (or I did) my 62 Impala Sport Coupe and buy a Dodge Mini van. Sold the motorcycle too. Then you move to a house on a quiet street with 3 or more bedrooms and take on a mortgage.
If you can find a fixer upper house and are handy that is the way to go. I wass lucky there and spent more time and swaet equity than cash over the first 2-3 years repairing and uodating things.
Put on my own roof when it was needed so I could save money to buy my next car. Then about 5 years later I found a 72 Dodge Challenger with low miles and was back in the saddle again. So the trade off is temporary.
3xot1cBag3L@reddit
Sorta
I could have moved out but I live home and have a nice car instead
Id rather spend the money (still way less) on car note over land lord
dundundun411@reddit
That is ghetto/trailer park mentality. I'll never understand stupid people who would rather have a luxury vehicle and live in a shithole neighborhood than the other way around.....plain stupidity!!
advamputee@reddit
Given the two options, I guess I'd go with "nice car + crappy house".
I've always liked having a newer / reliable daily plus a fun toy (fun car or motorcycle). Spent my 20's renting and spending money on cars / bikes / projects instead of saving for a house.
Sold my toys and got a Prius for a few years for a daily (super low operating costs), saved and bought a cheap duplex. I live in one side and rent the other, which covers the mortgage -- I just have to cover utilities and maintenance.
Traded the Prius for a 4Runner and bought another motorcycle. Eventually want something like a Miata or older MR2, but now I've got house projects to save for.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Do you regret spending money on cars when you were younger? Or no?
advamputee@reddit
Yes and no -- I passed up on a lot of homes I could've afforded that have skyrocketed in value, whereas every car I've owned has depreciated in value (though I've usually broken even or sold at a slight loss). So I definitely could've been wiser with my money and set myself up better for future success.
That said, we only get one lifetime (and we're not guaranteed a long one) so you might as well enjoy it while it lasts.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
If making poor financial decision makes one that much happier and they are aware of the consequences, then I’d say go for it, life’s too short lol
HugsNotDrugs_@reddit
I've discovered I don't need an expensive car to enjoy driving.
Presently driving a 2013 MazdaSpeed3 and it's cheap, extremely fun, moddable and all that.
BarnTart@reddit
Got a house 6 years ago fully paid off, now I got 6 regular cars in my driveway. Focusing on a fleet of personal cars vs. investing in another property.
Apprehensive-Art1083@reddit
I own my cars outright but mortgage my house so I went for the house with the smaller monthly payment I was offered a mortgage up to 300k and went for a house at 120k it'll be paid off by the time I'm 50 but it meets all of my needs and most of my wants.
JustACouple1234@reddit
I choose properties, generate then passive income then use that money to buy my car.
marshmap@reddit
I can live in a car but I can’t drive a house, also I drive 50k miles a year for work so I better enjoy the car I’m in
Do-it-with-Adam@reddit
Same same. I spend too much time in my car due to work and commute to not enjoy it.
ExcellentCalendar75@reddit
Likewise. I spend more time in a vehicle than I do in a house
seemefly1@reddit
I have a crappy house and fleet of crappy cars because my house was cheap enough to pay off easily. I'd upgrade to a better house if I could, but to busy dealing with the fleet of cars lol
WillDupage@reddit
I had a crappy house for 17 years and along the way got nice cars. Paid off Chateau La Merde in 15 years, sold it and moved to a nicer house in a nicer neighborhood with a nice car. (And the new house has a nice low payment due to putting 65% down)
Inevitable_Rabbit_67@reddit
Rather have my 3/2 home and my crappy 15 renegade than having a crappy home and a 24 land rover that will lose half its value in 5 years.
thisdckaintFREEEE@reddit
It would depend on a lot of variables here, but to an extent I would. I wouldn't want to live in a total shit hole, but if we're talking Plain Jane house that fills my needs and nice car vs Plain Jane car that fills my needs and nice house I would pick the car.
A drive in a car I love does a lot for me when I'm down, and starting/ending each day with a drive to and from work in a car I love really does a lot for me as well to just maintain a good mood. Good start to the day, something to look forward to each day, and a good end to the day.
A nice house over an ok house can do similar I suppose, but for me personally it just doesn't do as much.
One caveat I'll add though is that for the car it doesn't take something stupid expensive to bring me that happiness so fortunately I don't think it'd really hold me back from getting to the nice house. I absolutely love both my 2014 Lincoln MKZ hybrid and my 2003 Mustang GT convertible in different ways, I don't need a brand new Porsche or something to get that happiness from my car.
So like I said, lots of variables and there are different levels where my answer changes. If we're talking one is just ok while one is nice, I would take the nice car. If one is absolute shit while the other is nice, I think I'd take the nice house. If one is really over the top extravagant while the other is just something nice that I personally love, I think I'd take the extravagant house.
sd_slate@reddit
Cars depreciate so it's a good way to stay poor.
Too much house can result in being house poor too, so buy an ok house within your budget and then save. Besides tinkering with beaters is more fun anyway.
UncleBensRacistRice@reddit
i love cars, but im not stupid enough to make a financial decision that dumb
glassestinklin@reddit
Assuming we're owning both, any financial advisor will instantly say you're insane for prioritizing a rapidly depreciating asset (car) over a slowing appreciating asset (home). Now if you're renting and can still hit your savings goals, get that hot car!
meateatingherbivore@reddit
No I don't like teslas lol
Millkstake@reddit
My car is usually newer and nicer than my house.
Why? Mostly because my house is 'good enough' and I don't care to spend a bunch remodelling.
IM_The_Liquor@reddit
Well, I mean… I would rather have a more modest house with perhaps some more expensive vehicles (not flashy. But trucks can get up there in price). That being said, I buy vehicles to use as a tool or appliance. You shell out. You use it. It gets old and breaks. You fix it until you’re tired of fixing it, then you buy a new one.
A house, on the other hand, I see as a lifetime investment. You buy it. You live in it. You maintain it. Then, one day when the kids grow up and you cash in your pension, you sell it and use your fancy truck and camper and go live like a Gypsy until you either die or your children have you committed to a nursing home…
Legitimate_Dare6684@reddit
In my area I see it all the time. Dilapidated trailer with tarps on the roof and a Challenger in the driveway.
Cortes2121@reddit
Depends if you have kids or not. No kids you can put up with anything really. With kids you have to worry about schools, safety, time away for work. Lots of deadbeat dads and single guys with badass cars who live in the hood. Also plenty of suburban dudes with beaters.
Tryptamineer@reddit
Because one of them will cost me $3600/mo and one of them costs me $172/mo
komrobert@reddit
Hm, sort of? I guess it depends on how you define nice and crappy. I’m not buying $100K+ brand new cars that depreciate a lot, but I also definitely sacrifice some of the housing budget to drive the cars I drive, and it’s worth it for me.
My cars are currently just under 50% of my gross income so I’d say it’s not the worst ratio but I could def downgrade to a reliable beater making up 10-15%
somerandomguyanon@reddit
I’m a landlord and I can tell you definitively that there are people who choose cars over houses. The unfortunate part is they don’t realize they are doing it. I have one current tenant who has $2000 in loans every month and struggles to make his $1100 rent payment making well over six figures in a low cost-of-living area.
PrecisionGuessWerk@reddit
No. I bought a house while driving a 2k beater before I bought any fun cars.
Have you ever priced out how much it would cost to rent a garage / garage space as well as an apartment vs the cost of a mortgage?
If you want a space to work on your projects, you generally need to buy a house. some landlords/rentals may allow you use of a garagethough.
BusinessBear53@reddit
No. Basically a car is a depreciating asset. You're losing money just by owning it.
A home should be increase in value over time. It will also give you a place to live which is nice. A crappy house could also be a money pit and potentially unsafe. It's an investment so you shouldn't just buy a run down place.
skidplate09@reddit
I would definitely prioritize a house over a car. If you own a house the monthly cost doesn't increase at the rate that rent does. You can rent rooms if you choose. You can set up your garage space to suit your needs as a car person.
Reasonable-Total-628@reddit
nah, dont care for box with wheels
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Not all cars are basic & ugly looking
Reasonable-Total-628@reddit
they add nothing to me, still stuck in highway anyways regardles of car.
nice house on ghe other hand..
BigDsLittleD@reddit
"You can't drag race in house, but you can sleep in a car" - my mate Dan.
Wise words.
ThePartyLeader@reddit
easy question. my crappy house is affordable, appreciates in value, and most importantly fixable in small bites while still functioning in its purpose.
That being said my cars are crappy also lol
digicalist@reddit
House is important if you wrench on your car you’re gonna need a garage. Most apartments don’t have garages and the ones that do (like mine) only have one outlet.
janelgreo@reddit
Dang, I have an apartment garage but no outlet, lucky.
yes-rico-kaboom@reddit
That’s just stupid lol. You choose a depreciating asset over an appreciating one because why?
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
One is fun the other is boring
yes-rico-kaboom@reddit
Just rent a fun car. Cars are a utility for travel in 99% of cases
mvtteeoo@reddit
Go ask that question in the Balkans 😂😂
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Why so?
mvtteeoo@reddit
People in the Balkans especially albanians and serbians are known (as a joke, but imo it's real) for putting all their money in their car first and the rest comes after.
olediver2@reddit
You are worried as to how you appear to others. The nice car will be worth almost nothing in a coup,e of years while the nice house will be worth much more. If you care about looking good for a few years and being poor, buy the car.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Ok It’s easier to show off a car
nobodyshome122@reddit
Most people can’t afford a house but have just enough money to buy a nice car and just say fuck it 😂. They’re also known as dumbasses.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Like me 🤪✌️
No rly tho I am dumb and stupid that’s why I flunked higher education and work minimum wage (although where I live minimum wage is higher than average)
FluffiestF0x@reddit
Not a chance
Nkahootz@reddit
I’d rather invest my dollars into something that will appreciate in value. My bones are getting old, I like for my money to make money.
efnord@reddit
https://www.theonion.com/report-89-percent-of-citizens-still-believe-in-the-ame-1819565233
GhoastTypist@reddit
My former supervisor once told me, you can sleep in a car but you can't drive a house.
captain_sta11@reddit
No. But I have chosen my car over multiple comforts. Eating cheaper meals. Not going out as much. Less trips. Stuff that if I had a cheaper car, I’d do but doesn’t really bother me not to do. I’d rather have a fun car I enjoy. I ate chicken, rice and broccoli for nearly every meal in college and the first years out of college and didn’t take weekend trips growing up so it’s not much of a change. I did put off buying the car I wanted for a few years while we were looking for a house.
afishieanado@reddit
Houses appreciate. Very few cars do
Golfandrun@reddit
A house appreciates. A car depreciates. Do you think with your head or your ego? Until you have your financial legs firmly under you, a car should be nothing more than transportation.
SamuelMaleJackson@reddit
I have a family, so house is #1.
kamikazekenny420@reddit
Can't afford a house (in this housing market) so until it crashes, I blow my money on cars. Don't have kids to raise, so I blow their would be college fund on cars.
Hell I've even tried to buy a crappy house, used to work for a general contractor, still have plenty of connections in the industry to help me out, still got outbid by A LOT.
mesovortex888@reddit
House over car.
If the house value goes up enough you can buy yourself a car.
xKosh@reddit
I resonate with something a comedian said years ago (don't remember who or when or what exactly they said), which essentially was that they'd rather drive a girl they met to a house in a civic vs a shitty apartment in a bmw
GOOSEBOY78@reddit
rather have nice house crappy car as i can make my crappy cars less crappy.
yourbestsenpai@reddit
Well, I'm 23 and I can't afford one, so yes.
Could I be saving for one? Perhaps, but I'd prefer to have the 3 cars I own right now lol
IRMacGuyver@reddit
Jokes on you. I have a crappy house and two crappy cars.
Thelakesman@reddit
House first. So you have a base to store your car
rebirth112@reddit
I live in vancouver man. Literally nobody around me is affording houses unless they have rich parents, which in any case, also lets them have the car.
MikeyOTB@reddit
I got my trailer for $13,000 in 2018 My Corolla is worth $20,000
Not really my choice but technically my car is “worth” more than my mortgage
RedneckChinadian@reddit
all day long nice house and crappy car and never the other way around. Why? b/c a car in 99% of the time they're a depreciating asset that can be stolen, crashed, ruined from a dumb mechanic and be beaten and dented in a parking lot. A house on the other hand has long term tangible value and generally appreciates and is something that be changed, renovated, rented out to generate income and most importantly provide you with a roof over your head and a place where YOU have control over what happens to it.
Buy a nice house first then the nice cars come in time.
TacitRonin20@reddit
Absolutely not. I'm a c4 Corvette lover, so my dream cars are pretty cheap. But also, I can do pretty much whatever I want to a car when given a good garage. It's hard to do even basic things with a shitty garage. I don't need a house, but I do need a place for a lift
cajunman1981@reddit
Both. If you shop around for homes you can get them cheap. Some homes could be shitty put money into it as you can bring it to market value then you have a 250,000.00 home are 150,000.00 home whichever neighborhood you want to live in. Foreclosed homes the way to go. I bought my home 2200 square ft home for 56,000.00. Market value home is 165,000.00 20 year mortgage 417.00 a month. Bought my home 8 years ago 3 more years it will be paid off.
PowerPopped@reddit
My potential house had to have a two car garage. The house we bought has a two car garage. Because I prioritize the cars over the house. But the house is fucking great too.
sweetrobna@reddit
A fun car doesn't have to be so expensive it prevents you from buying a home. All of these are under $20k. 350z, miata*, brz/86/frs, mustang, vw gti, genesis, focus st, audi tt, 3 series, civic si, mazdaspeed3, lexus is, imprezza. Crown vic, miata again, imprezza, fiat 500 are under $10k.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
I could pay for a house but it means kissing retirement goodbye
sweetrobna@reddit
Retirement should be separate. Look at the cost of renting vs owning. In most places if you plan to be there long term, like 6+ years owning comes out ahead financially. If you are moving within 4 years, renting is cheaper overall.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Here’s the plot twist, I don’t pay for housing because I live with my parents
sweetrobna@reddit
That can be great as long as you can make it work. Just make sure you save up for eventually getting your own place one way or another. When I first joined the military there were a lot of guys that had half their paycheck going to a new mustang, challenger, maxima, titan and were basically broke after 4 years.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Was half their paycheck just the payment or all total costs?
sweetrobna@reddit
Just the payment, some had 15% interest rates. And of course they overpaid for the car so they couldn't just sell it without putting some more cash in.
But if they don't have any other bills in theory they should be able to pay it down quick. After the first deployment it could be paid off.
Elk_Man@reddit
Cars are a hobby I'm passionate about, but a house is home. It's sanctuary from the outside world, a place to raise a family, an investment in my future, and stability. Owning a home also eventually let me have the bandwidth to buy my project car and have a place to store and work on it. Now I'm working on building my garage out to be a lot nicer. Cars might be more exciting than houses, but a comfortable home is a bigger quality of life improvement than a cool car.
ForgottenCaveRaider@reddit
Why not both? I'm currently living in my van!
swissarmychainsaw@reddit
Most of the US has more money in the driveway than in the house.
EmploymentNegative59@reddit
I think a BUNCH of people actively show you that they'd prefer cars over houses.
I'll take a Civic in front of my mansion than a Rolls Royce in front of my shit hole.
RepeatUntilTheEnd@reddit
18 in Life's Little Instruction Book was "Drive inexpensive cars, but own the best house you can afford."
I've been a car lover my entire life, but I also know the time value of money. I busted my ass to pay off my first car early (2000 Civic Coupe 5 speed), and when that got totaled I bought what felt like a nice upgrade (2010 TL AWD), but they were both reasonable purchases.
I made enough money from my first house to upgrade to a bigger one, then house prices shot up during COVID. Combined with the lowest interest rate in history, I'm sitting real pretty.
I've decided recently that I'm going to buy a new 911 when my youngest turns six because they won't need a car seat.
Impressive-Crab2251@reddit
Car depreciate whereas houses appreciate.
Revolutionary-Fan235@reddit
I had no car when I bought my first house. Having no car motivated me to buy a home in a walkable neighborhood. I was able to have no car for six years. By then, I could afford a very nice car.
noob168@reddit
crappy houses in my area aren't affordable either. sooo...
Admirable_Addendum99@reddit
If I didn't work from home I would say car first so you can get to your job. I do not want to be house poor.
DhacElpral@reddit
One of these items depreciates.
XCheese8ManX@reddit
I deliver packages to a trailer park that one guy has a Chevelle, 2010ish Camaro, and a classic caddie. All uncovered open to the elements.
Hope that answers your question.
mrkillfreak999@reddit
Of course I will choose a house everytime. Any house can appreciate in value depending on the neighborhood. Not all cars appreciate and if they do you have keep it garaged for the entire lifetime of the vehicle which I'm heavily against. Plus I drive my cars fast and abuse them but also take care of them so new cars for me is a huge no. I drive cars to drive them till the wheels fall off not for keeping them in the garage
Fit-Indication3662@reddit
So dumb
Skensis@reddit
For a fraction of a down payment I can get a nice car in my neck of the woods.
Best-Cycle231@reddit
I frequently try to convince my wife that we should sell our house so I can get a GT3. One day she’ll go for it.
timothythefirst@reddit
I mean I have a kind of nice car and a kind of shitty house but it’s not like something I set out to do on purpose.
Bought a car at the beginning of last summer. Started a new job in a different city at the end of the summer. Bought a house closer to my job. Houses here are really cheap. And I’m a single guy so I don’t really care about having a big house in a good school district.
Maleficent_Radish798@reddit
I got both. Got lucky, saved up and bought at the right time.
2k sq/ft house built in 94' on 3 acres in CT valley. Sub 3% interest, sub $200k.
2010 C6 Grand Sport built motor. Sub $30k
Just worked out.
Also have a 2007 Trailblazer SS for a daily. Wife has a 2016 Silverado.
Just turned 30
dbolburgers@reddit
I used to be that guy with a nice car and mediocre apartment. Got married + kids...living a newly remodeled home but driving a 20 year old car lol. "No Ragrets".
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
I’ll delay marriage and being a parent due to that, I want my freedom
Alarming-Audience839@reddit
Don't give a fuck about a house ngl. I'm either on the computer, or driving.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Same, and I’m in the room 95% of the time in my house which is a dinky little space lol
Kahless_2K@reddit
No. Paid off house will help you retire. Paid off car, not so much. Unless it's a van down by the river.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
When do u want to retire?
Raiders2112@reddit
Having a crappy house usually means living in a crappy neighborhood where your nice car either gets vandalized, broken into, or stolen. Hard pass.
A nice home in a decent neighborhood with two older paid off cars is a much wiser investment. I really don't give a shit what others think about the vehicles I use to get from point A to point B. I'm not out to impress anyone. Also, I don't live in my vehicles.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Do you think a new civic is a status symbol?
rothordwarf@reddit
No, its the most basic car in the world.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
It me It’s better than a lambo haha
TechInTheCloud@reddit
You could also try a crappy house in a good neighborhood. That’s what my wife and I did. We got the great schools, low crime, good location etc at a less than the average tax bill in town. Sure most folks got a nicer home than we do but I couldn’t care less.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
I meant a more basic modest house, yeah for sure safety is number 1 with me, at that point I’d live in the car in a safe area lol
01101011000110@reddit
One day you will pick the hydrangeas and rain gutter guards over coil overs and a cat back and that’s OK. You don’t waste much time or money cursing at the engine bay looking for that stupid bolt. Your wife loves it.
Unfair-Language7952@reddit
Houses appreciate in value, cars don’t. There are a few exceptions with a few exotic cars but mostly no.
House bought in 1995 for $250,000 now worth $1 million. Car bought in 1995 for $25,000 now worth $250.
outline8668@reddit
I bought a cheaper house than I can afford because I think making payments is stupid. The low mortgage payments and not being stupid enough to borrow money for depreciating assets like cars means I have money left over per month for toys.
Objective_Ocelot8883@reddit
Yep. Nice car , crappy house.
Main reason is you can go enjoy the world with a nice car. The crappy home can be made your own in a special way.
I’ve noticed I spend more time away from home than I do in it. So it’s kind of a waste getting a nice beautiful home while I’m young and able to explore the wonders of my country in my “nice car or cars”.
TheFlaEd@reddit
No. I need a place to live. I don't need to impress anyone.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Impress yourself that is 😁
rothordwarf@reddit
I bought the house before the sports car.
Houses improve your worth over time. Cars decrease it.
Do you want to be stable, or drive a nice car?
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Happy and have a life
Yetkha@reddit
You can drive your car to show off others, but you have to invite them over to your house to show off.
You can sleep in the car, but you can't drive your house to somewhere.
You can be a resident of ANY state driving the same car but you cannot be living in the same house to be in another state.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
It’s a toy not a Rolex
bigcee42@reddit
I'm a single dude and where I live you can't buy a decent house under a million dollars.
So I gave up on houses but roll with multiple cars.
Expensive-Ad-4451@reddit
Yup. Though I do have a pretty big house w large garage already
haikusbot@reddit
Yup. Though I do have
A pretty big house w large
Garage already
- Expensive-Ad-4451
^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^Learn more about me.
^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
Neuron-Huskie@reddit
I see countless people at my apartment complex ($1550 for a 1bd) with $60,000+ cars, never really made sense to me but it’s their life
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
It’s all about the budget imo
Neuron-Huskie@reddit
Most of the people I see driving them tend to look older than me (I’m early 30s), so I usually assume a house just isn’t tangible with their income, or are single and don’t have a need for an entire house and they’re comfortable where they’re at
airmanmao@reddit
As if I can even afford a house.
Square_Net_7271@reddit
I love in a house that Zillow says is worth $3.8 million. I bought it for $625,000 in 1989. I have never paid more than $50,000 for a car. So I'd always take the house.
Lower_Kick268@reddit
Yeah I’d take the house any day. A lot easier to save up to afford a nice car than a nice house, get the house and wait to own a nice car
Physical_Touch_Me@reddit
I don't have a house but I sure as shit have A BUNCH of shitty cars and trucks! I would love a garage, though. That's on the list.
Channel-Separate@reddit
Not a crappy home but a home well within my means allows me the toys I really want
-McSlizzy-@reddit
I always go for the best bang for my buck. My house is decent and I have an 07 C6 with 42k that I paid $21.5k for. Try and keep most of the funds in the bank or market. I also have a revolving collection of $6k motorcycles. Just sold my 2018 Wr250r, have an 04 Vmax as well. Want to sell the Vmax now and get a Triumph Rocket iii, they’re around $5500. None of the items seem to lose value, just keep trading around. Insurance is cheap too. What else do you need.
Darkstrike121@reddit
To a degree yeah. But turns out you need somewhere safe to put your nice car and ideally you have a family that doesn't want to live in the slums while you drive around your Bugatti
aburena2@reddit
For 25 years I never had a new car. Chose to provide a home and new reliable vehicles for my wife and kids. After I retired then I bought myself a new vehicle. Plus, a home builds equity. A car does not.
Its_Rare@reddit
Who can afford these home prices in 2024?
reditor75@reddit
Can’t, you need a garage for it 😁
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Garages are awesome! But for me they aren’t a necessity, just a much appreciated luxury.
TechInTheCloud@reddit
We lived in our house for 7 years before I cleaned out the garage enough to put my car in there. It’s a small detached garage nothing special. When you own the home it’s easy for the garage to get filled up with lawn mower, snow blower etc. I did have a crusty old Lexus for the first 5 years (how we afforded the house, had a daughter etc,) so I didn’t care too much about it. The garage is 2 bays but really small, I don’t know if it was built to fit a model T or what. (House was built in 1922).
I cleaned it out rearranged so the car fits. I got a nice car now and I like to keep my car clean, was getting frustrated at the upkeep.
Changed my life man, I barely gotta wash it compared to parking outside. A buddy helped me install some shop lights. I can work on the car and see what I’m doing, no matter the weather outside. If I want to stop for the day in the middle of a task, just close the door and come back in the morning.
Having the house can improve a car guy’s life.
stoner_222@reddit
Home over car. I’m willing to sacrifice what I drive to have a decent place over my head.
SaltyPipe5466@reddit
I mean there's no equity or return on investment with the vaaaaast majority of cars and trucks so that's a big one
MissDryCunt@reddit
That's what you see in dumpy trailer parks, a literal shanty and outside is a Hell Cat 😂
Just_Schedule_8189@reddit
Half of america i would guess. Im turning my life around. Done buying cars and trying to get a house.
Mysterious_Ad_1085@reddit
Nah- prefer an average car and a sweet house.
I see all lot MB and BMWs parked in driveways where the cost of the car is probably 70 - 120 % of the home's value.
muscle_car_fan34@reddit
With the way house prices are now, I feel a lot of folks have been priced out of ever owning one and I don’t think inventory will ever get corrected. It’s literally illegal due to zoning laws to build starter size homes. I now tell my friends if you truly don’t think you’ll ever own a house, just go buy that sports car instead of saving and hoping one day homes will become affordable again.
Also property taxes and insurance go up every year. I understand rent does too and rent is probably more than twice what property taxes and insurance are but you NEVER have to worry about paying for issues in an apartment. Home repairs are EXPENSIVE. Instead of having to pay for them every few years you can just continue to invest and make sure you’ll be able to cover your rent in retirement. Car repairs (even engine problems) are a joke compared to the cost of needing say a new roof.
Now if you think you even have a remote shot at owning a house, then don’t buy the car. I know I just pointed out reasons not to buy a home, but it mainly has to do with affordability. If you can afford it then buy it over a car. I can have fun in a 6k car if I wasn’t fortunate enough to have a home and nice sports car. Living in a home does best living in an apartment
voidedwarantee@reddit
This probably isn't the angle you were going for with this post, but it's the direction I'm going anyway. Since working in the construction industry, I've decided that all I need from a house is these features in descending importance: GARAGE, structural integrity, good roof, no leaks, wiring in good condition, dishwasher, acceptable location, smol backyard. If a house has all those things, it's a nice house to me.
A lot of mechanics will advise people to buy simple cars because there's less to break on them and are therefore more reliable, cheaper to maintain, cheaper to repair. It's the same with houses. Another similarity is the fact that you're buying a USED house, unless you're buying a new build. So you have similar issues like when buying a used car. We aren't taught to think of houses that way, but you'll be surprised how many houses have pretty obvious structural and roof issues while being priced in the millions. Most buyers don't inspect the plumbing, roof, attic, or the electrical panels either, so they buy these places while being oblivious to all the things that just barely work. New houses aren't immune either. I've seen structural damage in brand new houses. I prefer to avoid those kinds of problems in general, but especially from my house.
If other housing formats came with a garage where you can actually do major repairs, I probably wouldn't even buy a house. So yeah, all I need is a house that functions and has a garage. That way, more time and money can be spent on cars/life.
Poil336@reddit
I have way more fun playing with my cars. I meet people through them, I enjoy driving them, they're my biggest hobby and what I'm most passionate about. Comparatively, the only time I have guests in my home are when my parents stop by on my birthday. I'm at home and awake 3 hours a day. I hate the upkeep on it and get no pride from it whatsoever. It's just the place where all my stuff is
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Ik a house is such a responsibility, that’s why I may live in a rented house if I have to tbh
Poil336@reddit
I've thought about it, but I also have 5 cars at the moment, and 3 animals. I really enjoy having my own garage. It's not much, but I've built some cool stuff out there. I wouldn't want to pay rental prices on a house; I'd go back to a cheap, tiny apartment, but there's no way I'm walking away from a pre-covid mortgage right now
Nomad_Industries@reddit
Funny thing about cars... when you don't have a decent place to park them and work on them, they get a lot less fun.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Yeah it’s about how you bond with them that makes it
btkats@reddit
A house goes up in value and a car is a luxury item that you still can enjoy but with surplus.
ragingduck@reddit
No. I spend more time at home than in the car.
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
For me cars are all I think about 24/7 for pretty much well over a decade, on the other hand I feel nothing towards houses.
ragingduck@reddit
I think of cars all the time. I have several and I track one of them. However, I enjoy them more with my own 3 car garage to store and work on them.
JayIsNotReal@reddit
Depends on the car. I am not choosing a Lamborghini to live in a trap house, but I would pick a Toyota to live in a mansion.
sgdulac@reddit
Cars are a horrible investment unless it's a classic or something like that so I chose a house every time. In fact I just got a new car and I just got a vw jetta. I could afford more but I try to buy only what I need not what I want as far as cars go. But sometimes cars make people happy and I see nothing wrong with that, it's just not my thing. I live where it snows and salt on the road can do a number on a car so why pay more?
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
Cars always put a smile to my face :)
As I say they are the best toy
Traditional-Neck7778@reddit
A house increases in value, a car decreases in value. My house is an investment. I paid 100k and now work 750k. Cars I have bought many, most have sold for less than what I paid for them. There are exceptions, like when we buy cars with blown engines or transmissions, those we sell for more because we fix them. I like having a decent car but honestly, they are so expensive and are almost worthless in 10 years. Last vehicle I bought was 3500, not running, my bf spent about 1k on part and now we have a 19k car. I don't like losing money
archlich@reddit
A garage is the best investment to make a shitty car into a better car.
Expensive_Candle5644@reddit
I’ve always had cars that were in line with my house. Meaning when I had a smaller house when I was younger I was in my less expensive turbo import phase. Now that I have a bigger home in a great school district for my kids and a larger garage i have a couple cars, a lift, etc..
Always live within your means.
blubrydrkchogrnt_3@reddit
What's the point of really nice car if you don't have a garage? Then you have to worry about stealing or messing with it cuz it's parked on the street and risk gettinf harssed or being uncomfortable when u work on it. Also the paint might get messed up cuznif the sun and elements, more car washes etc
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
I mean I drive so much there isn’t much of a point in preserving them that much lol, but I do try my best to keep them out of the sun when possible.
MidnightOk7977@reddit
absolutely love my everyday 04 CTS and the project on rollers. However, that 65k house i fixed up could pay for itself and another 110k in cars after 6 years. So I’m a car guy, but I strongly appreciate equity
Organic-Huan-15@reddit (OP)
For me money buys happiness but only if I have enough of it
Appropriate-Force180@reddit
You can always sleep in your car, but you can't drive your house to work...
All kidding aside, it is way more responsible to purchase a home than a car. In most cases, the house is an appreciating asset, and the car is a depreciating one.
And the more you use the car (more miles), the more the value decreases...
The smart, grown up thing to do is buy a house, invest in your retirement before getting into car stuff.
That being said... in my 20s once I started making a little money, I sunk way too much $$ in modifying my GTI
lol_camis@reddit
I don't really know how to answer that question. I'm a car enthusiast, but my enthusiast car isn't a terribly expensive one.
I'm definitely not a house enthusiast. But it's the most expensive thing I own by many many factors.
I'd choose house over expensive car but I don't think I'd choose house over having a car at all
Whiskeypants17@reddit
They go hand in hand. If you want lots of project cars you need space and a place to work on them. If you just want to buy a new Porsche then sure just get any old condo in town, but if you are wrenching on wrecks you need a shop, and the cheapest way to get a shop is when it is attached to a house.
zealousreader@reddit
I chose a car over public transportation. I can't afford it and have no business owning a car.
StudentSlow2633@reddit
Good question. In general, I buy both crappy houses and crappy cars. The crappy houses make me lots of money when I fix them up. The crappy cars, not so much. But both are fun learning experiences. I like making things better than I found them
DanR5224@reddit
Used cars don't magically triple in price, so I'm not throwing money into the housing racket until it settles down.
Tractorguy69@reddit
My wife would say I do, I emphatically say I don’t because I’m married. If she thinks this one is too much and too expensive she’d be shocked if she saw my MCU alternate universe