How do you justify buying an expensive car?
Posted by Crocodile_Banger@reddit | Autos | View on Reddit | 96 comments
Don’t get me wrong. This is not a car hate rant. I do love awesome cars. I even work at a car dealership and used to work as a mechanic. But…….my car is a 10.000$ Mazda 3. I don’t have a family, I don’t tow or haul or anything and my daily commute is around half an hour. For me this car has all the stuff that makes driving easier (A/C, heated seats, apple CarPlay etc.), it’s fairly new so it doesn’t require too much maintenance and it has good gas mileage. Although I do see why a 50.000$+ car is awesome and everything I just can’t find a reason to justify buying that. Yes, every Hobby costs a lot of money usually but THAT much? How does it improve your lives by that much that you spend this amount of money? At the end of the day you use to get some groceries and get to work most of the time. Heck, even if you have to get that big load of firewood home once a year and that new closet from ikea it would be so much cheaper to just rent a big car for a week. Am I missing something?
Stickkwithit@reddit
Im in this boat right now. Bought a brand new 2015 Prius for my dad for his long commute in California and took good 2005 ford escape. He transferred and his daily commute reduced from 200 miles daily to 20! So he ended up keeping the escape and I kept the Prius. 10 years later I still have the Prius and has been very reliable getting me too and from work. I’m ready to get a car I want and that I can afford with reasonable financing. Internally feels weird because I’ve known nothing but being frugal with the Prius so to splurge on myself on an expensive car I think is naturally conditioned. Financially yes I could still probably drive the Prius for another 5-10 years, and invest the money, but at the same time I just paid off the remaining debt I have, minus my house, and want to enjoy myself a bit, so I’m going to go for it and buy a 2025 Land Cruiser.
RunninOnMT@reddit
I’m getting older, I could do it in a financially responsible way, I have a personality where i tend to not go overboard on buying a bunch of shit I could afford so I knew I wasnt going to make a habit out of it.
On the other side of things, I felt that the car I wanted and bought (M2 comp) was a pretty rare thing: a car where environmental regulations forced a company to make a more exciting product than they otherwise would’ve. Basically it felt special and like I’d regret it later if I didn’t do it.
Hayir19@reddit
It would be great if they told Mazda you can’t sell the Miata without larger engine lol
danny_ish@reddit
The same reason people justify expensive office chairs, sofas, shoes, etc.
I spend my time like this- Bed At my work desk at my pc/gaming desk Driving/in my car On my couch In my garage working on stuff Outside on my bicycle Walking the dog
So all of those things are as luxurious as I could afford
Nikkihurtbadfrfr@reddit
I appreciate this logic. Spend on what matters to you. Only you know!
TheChronicNomad@reddit
I’m not a smart man. But I know what love is.
Nikkihurtbadfrfr@reddit
LOL
rudbri93@reddit
Yes youre missing other's perspectives. I like to enjoy driving to work, make the trip to go get groceries entertaining. Its the same as spending on anything else. want vs can. See you want ac, heated seats, carplay, but I barely care about ac and definitely not about the rest. If you cant justify it, and what you have is making you happy, then id say youre doing just fine.
RunninOnMT@reddit
Yup. Add it up, you spend years behind the wheel of your car.
You can spend that time in something you love or you can spend that time in something you could care less about. Some cars are literally designed to entertain. You could be doing a JOB with a toy and still get the job done.
Imagine if you could just play video games all day instead of staring at an excel spreadsheet at work and it still somehow got your work done.
Nikkihurtbadfrfr@reddit
I like this analogy LOL
Walkop@reddit
Years? Maybe if you're commuting an hour a day every day. Tons of people don't commute much.
RunninOnMT@reddit
An hour a day would take about 24 years to hit a year of driving. So when you are 40 and then 2 years at 64. I think…I’m not great at math, but I think that adds up.
Anyway, the point is really that if you spend a lot of time doing something, might as well enjoy it as much as possible. Doesn’t have to be cars.
Walkop@reddit
Yeah, that's why I said if you're commuting an hour a day. But overall I agree, I don't think I said otherwise, but I'm just saying there are definitely other, MUCH more cost effective ways to improve your quality of life. If you're making 60k a year, a car that's worth your annual salary isn't even remotely what you should be considering.
RunninOnMT@reddit
I think that's fair. It all depends on how much you like cars. Believe me, i'm not telling my family members to sell their camrys and make due with a FRS. But if you LOVE cars...
ButtDonaldsHappyMeal@reddit
Saw your flair and had to reply agreeing with your take. After decades of wishing and saving I finally bought an e30 m3, which has been my dream car since I was a kid.
It’s loud, a project, was too expensive, not crazy fast by modern standards, and it goes unnoticed by most people, but it has absolutely brightened my life. I look forward to driving it every single time, which wasn’t the case with more comfortable modern cars.
It’s, of course, not important in the same way that family and friends are, but as long as you aren’t getting your priorities out of order, “expensive” cars can be a joy.
rudbri93@reddit
And thats why I went the engine swap route. E30 M3s are incredibly expensive, and Im kind of a big fan of power. So I decided to bring power to the chassis I already had.
ButtDonaldsHappyMeal@reddit
Agreed. M3s are stupid overpriced, especially when compared to the performance you can get out of a standard e30 with mods. I could only afford mine because it was a former track car in an aftermarket color nobody wanted (adding to the how much did you pay for that again??” comments).
LS3 sounds like an absolute blast. I bet you get some looks on highway pulls
randomFrenchDeadbeat@reddit
big turbos 2jz fit in e30 too. Tried one, fully caged. It was ... interesting. The only time i looked through the windshield to see where I was going was when it was building boost. That thing was always sideways XD
rudbri93@reddit
Its pretty stout, sadly im laid up from surgery but once i can walk again I can properly break in the clutch and then im spending as much of this summer in that seat as possible.
DoughnutBig907@reddit
If you have to justify buying something you want.....you probably shouldn't buy anything at all.
Easy mindset to have.
Jon99007@reddit
I just love investing so I push most of my money towards maxing out my 457b, IRAs, and then a brokerage account.
ProudKafir2024@reddit
At the end of the day it's just another fancy thing which many humans fantasise about and since some of them have reached a financial level of affording it they use it to satisfy that fantasy and for some their ego. However in terms of economics it makes no sense. A $100k doesn't have wings or teleporting ability to take you from point A to point B. Many people will justify safety which frankly is just another excuse.
beehappy32@reddit
This is something I am struggling with now. For the first time in my life I could afford a nice new car. And I love cool cars. But I don't know if I should just because I could. I have a Honda Accord that works perfectly fine, and I don't actually even drive that much, I work from home. There are a ton of awesome 60k - 80k cars that I am in love with, but there's no practical reason that I need anything other than my old Honda. Every time I think about buying a new car I get very excited, but then I grapple with does it make sense to wipe out a big portion of my savings just to have something cool and shiny, that I would mostly use just for small errands around town?
klajoi@reddit
I almost wondered if I wrote this! I’ve had my 05 Honda Accord for 17 years, and it only has 136k miles so it still has a lot of life left. I too work from home and drive maybe 5k miles a year. But…I’m ready for a new car and since I’ve worked so hard, I want a really nice car that fits where I am in life now and can meet various needs. The ones I’m looking at are upwards of $85k, and my rational brain has been battling my “you deserve it, and can afford it” brain. I have no kids, have a retirement fund, savings, and investments. Been on the fence for a while, because I know technically I can just keep riding in the Honda.
beehappy32@reddit
Ha, ya same, no kids, years of work and I have the savings. Feel I deserve it. But for me when I get close to pulling the trigger, I just think right now I’m paying basically nothing, just a little insurance bill. But if I get a new fancy car I’m now paying a ton of money and much higher insurance and maintenance bills. And where did that really get me, when I drive across town I’m sitting in nicer material seats, looking at a digital display, and have more power that I don’t really need, I can easily break the speed limit already with my Accord. My brain just won’t let me justify it. And I see so many people who make the same or less than me who buy fancy new cars without thinking twice about it.
Salt_Shoe2940@reddit
Splurging is actually healthy for your mind and soul. It's when material things take the place of other real things that it becomes a problem. So long as oyur identity and personality aren't tied to what you own, you're good.
randomFrenchDeadbeat@reddit
My justification is "because I can and I want" . Not sure you need any other, really
Unlucky-Store2274@reddit
Well because you could save lots of money on a less expensive car that can also travel from place A to place B and that is just as confortable. At least, that's how I see it.
bloodstainedphilos@reddit
Not everyone sees it that way?
Unlucky-Store2274@reddit
I am well aware. But that's how I see it. No need to get angry, my friend.
Hrmerder@reddit
If you can afford it then great, but for me, I see a problem with too many people who clearly cannot afford it..... And I have proof. Go look at repo trends for the past year.
bloodstainedphilos@reddit
But it’s not your business if they can afford it or not.
Hrmerder@reddit
It is if it directly affects prices available to me.
bloodstainedphilos@reddit
Stop pocket watching other people.
Hrmerder@reddit
Stop finding year old shitposts to bring back up.
axle-dasam@reddit
Please let them keep going, a branded title from a repo slightly lowers the price for the enthusiasts
Hrmerder@reddit
Valid.
helios2702@reddit
to some people 10k is so muhc money they could never buy that car
to some people 50k is nothing
Unlucky-Store2274@reddit
Yeah but to 99% of the population.10k is quite a bit of money let alone 50k
out-of-date-squid@reddit
i like it. there you go
Unlucky-Store2274@reddit
Why do you like it more than a 20k honda civic?
No_Golf_452@reddit
People will think less/more of you based on the car you drive. No one will say it, but its a reflection of how well youre doing in your career, just like your living situation. I also spend a large portion of my life in it, and want to enjoy that vs driving an econobox
MrTresto@reddit
I dunno, most people seem to totally not care about what car you drive to be honest. Unless maybe someone who wants to sell you something really expensive? In which case you're better off looking poor? Do it for you. At least in my experience. I didn't get so much difference in my life with a BMW vs a Honda (except that I enjoy driving the BMW more). If anything I think I prefer going under the radar and wish that the Honda drove like the BMW. It was alright, but the chassis, powertrain, handling, are not in the same league (or the interior/materials too)
No_Golf_452@reddit
Oh yeah, #1 is to get a car you love, I'm just saying people will judge you by your car to some degree, even if they don't say anything or it's subconscious. You don't have to give a shit they do though
gobabel@reddit
You forgot to mention how often the ones with the best cars are actually broke and struggling to pay those cars🤣
Wonderful-Bowler5563@reddit
If you wanna have a convenient excuse: It is an investment and it will grow in value over the next years.
Own_Advantage9182@reddit
Only way to justify spending this much money is if you could truly afford it. Thats where it gets tricky, just because the banks approve it and you have the cashflow to be able to make those payments doesn’t mean you can afford it. This is where the %10 rule should come into play. So you should spend no more than %10 of your annual income on transportation that is if you ever want to have financial freedom and invest that money in good ways. Most of the commenters go by live for today and tomorrow isnt promised which is also another valid point but life is actually not that short and building wealth could also be super fun. I know all this bc i was a banker for 8 years and i seen how broke everyone is because of these purchases. I have also read intelligent investor by Graham Bell(Warren Buffets Mentor). Hope this clarifies your question.
gobabel@reddit
Best comment ever
sardinosaurus@reddit
Some people like driving and don’t want to drive boring cars.
gobabel@reddit
Exactly, for me is the same, an appliance.
GrizzlyGiant9601@reddit
I want a Dodge Hellcat so bad I almost drool when I see one. While I don't think in reality it's actually worth the 90K required to get one directly from the company or the heavy taxes that comes with it, I do see that people will buy these things regardless which allows for the same car companies to grossly overcharge and under deliver on actually making you one with the car,l and comfortable with your purchase. They should not be taking you more out of the fun experience of driving.
ChuckGoodi@reddit
LIFES TOO SHORT TO DRIVE BORING CARS!
judgemeordont@reddit
Does there need to be any justification beyond "I like it, I want it, so I bought it"?
Quegyboe@reddit
I use this same justification on computer parts purchases. More than I need but why not?
ThatAudiGuy92@reddit
Exactly this! Enjoy your life, some people like cars, some people like clothes. If you have the opportunity to enjoy your life, you should
Quegyboe@reddit
Yup. Sometimes you gotta spoil yourself, especially if you have the means.
bakermaker32@reddit
I like cars, can afford them,so I have them. Simple as that, it’s my one extravagance.
Bishlater@reddit
Bought a Lotus from a high end vehicle consignment dealership recently. Definitely agree with their slogan “Life is too short to drive a boring car”. Have definitely enjoyed every second of ownership, not to mention some expensive cars actually go UP in value if they are sought after enough. In my case, I have owned several that paid for themselves or made me money in the end.
mannersmakethdaman@reddit
Correct. Everyone has their splurges. Some - a new phone every year. Others - new kicks. Others - watches. Do I need multiple cars that cost more than most people make in a year? No. Do I finance them? No. Do I take one to Costco and stuff everything in the front trunk despite it being very impractical. Yes. Is it stupid for me to have this many cars? Yes. Do I need them? No. Did I like and want them. Yes.
I am VERY fortunate to be able to afford. But life is not a dress rehearsal. If you have the means - I definitely recommend a splurge or two in your life.
Ok-District1187@reddit
I drive anM8 competition and before that I had an M5, and before that I had an M3…
What’s the point of having money in the bank and not spending it? You can’t take it with you and giving employees money they don’t deserve. It just ruined them anyway unfortunately I’ve tried never works.
Ok-District1187@reddit
It should be noted that I typically raise many times my vehicles worth per year for associated charities and philanthropic causes
suzuka_joe@reddit
Looked at my expenses, my income, my savings, my wife and then begged her to let me buy my Gt4 and here we are
acidwxlf@reddit
Ah very nice, GT4 is my attainable dream car, just need a new house first with more garage space
vVSidewinderVv@reddit
If you have a garage, you're way ahead of me. I at least gotta wait until interest rates go down. A 6-8% APR mortgage is insane. You're paying more in interest than the cost of the house. Aside from that I'd love to have a GT4 or preferably a GT4 RS in my garage. If not that a Z06 C8 Corvette checks all the marks for me too.
Clint_69@reddit
Lol
o0oo00oo0o0ooo@reddit
Some people buy top of the line stereos. Some travel monthly. Others have spectacular homes. Some retire at 45. It's all in what matters to you.
redditissocoolyoyo@reddit
You can't justify it. But damn it you only live once. As long as you're not going homeless. I'm working towards getting my dream car a C8 Vette. Brand new is 65k so it's not too outrageous.
shawn1301@reddit
My most exspensive vehicle was 700cad. Driving for 14 years and have had 4 vehicles. All in repairs tires safety, still under the 10k you referenced. 2/4 had working a/c still
haughtymagus@reddit
You don't, justification is for whether or not to buy a car, not whether or not to buy an expensive one, your finances are the only thing you need for that
Lind420@reddit
If you have to ask this, then you're definetly not a car guy. You dont get it, buy a bike.
Organic-End-9767@reddit
The reality of most of these expensive cars is that the rich buy them cuz they make financial sense. A lot of the expensive cars (like super cars, not regular Mercedes and BMW) hold their value better based on their exclusivity. So they loose less money to depreciation (or even appreciate in some cases) AND get the benefit of just having a nice car too
TartKiwi@reddit
As I get older I've slowly realized that I like things to be a certain way. Utensils, fabrics, sleep schedule, diet, where I choose to call home, the nature of my work and my relationships. Same goes for my cars. It's a very personal thing that pretty much comes down to aesthetics and learning what little idiosyncratic dufferences push my buttons in just the right ways
directrix688@reddit
You only go around the world once.
I’m financially responsible in all ways so I can irresponsible about my cars.
muffmin@reddit
It ain’t the miles per gallon, it’s the smiles per gallon.
xw_gs@reddit
I’m a car enthusiast, I’m definitely not wealthy, I have 3 classic cars. I find something affordable that needs repairs and I fix it myself. It also pays having friends in the automotive field.
Snaz5@reddit
I am permitted one horrendous financial mistake every few years.
NYankee1927@reddit
Why did you bother spending that much money on a car if that’s what you’re looking for? You could have gotten the same utility out of a car half that. There is your answer at why some people spend more on cars
tritonx@reddit
You will get it once you try a german car.
Cleets11@reddit
I’m rich
WAusJackBauer@reddit
Yeah I think it's a bit crazy when people spend so much on a car. I live in Australia and there's a weird culture of every day people making efforts to have a nice, expensive car, even if they have to get a massive loan.
I really don't understand it. Especially because from what I observe, a lot of people don't even use the power of the expensive car they have. It's just bragging rights.
Like I've seen countless Telsa drivers who drive it like any other car. Half of a Tesla's appeal is its crazy take off speed.
Another reason I don't get it is because you can have a car accident at any time. My brother had a BMW Z4 and it was his baby, he did so much work on it.
Then bam, had a car accident because of the rain and it was written off.
KushFlip420@reddit
“I like it” = will spend more money than I have
Your_Hero@reddit
Different people, different priorities. I don't have my expensive goal lar yet, but I've had it in mind for years. Every little detail and mod planned out. I don't spend crazy money, but for this one thing I've wanted, I will when I can.
femshady@reddit
If you use something often and derive pleasure from it, buy the top of the line. About 90% of the things you buy don’t meet those criteria.
frozengoodness@reddit
For me it was when I bought a Honda civic, dumped like 8k in performance mods on it, was dead even with a v8 bmw… so I took all the parts off, sold the Honda, bought a bmw v8 and haven’t looked back since lol
littleredhoodlum@reddit
I have ways of justifying spending money on cars.
I am a machinist and fabricator. I can build a car from a pile of tubing. I've built a fully furnished shop by now.
Over the years I've bought clapped out S14's built cages swapped engines, sold it and bought something a little nicer and so on and so forth.
I currently have a drag car that I've had an offer of $100k for and am seriously considering.
Honestly don't know what is next if I sell it. I have no desire to have anything exotic. I've pretty much lost interest in drag racing as it's exponentially expensive to go faster.
I'm thinking it's time to build something Ariel/Lotus style track car.
Clint_69@reddit
Some people car more about certain things (clothes, shoes, vacations, cars, houses) than others cause it brings them happiness and joy. If this is the case, people typically prioritize and sacrifice in order to get what they want. Think of people who spend a lot of money on cars as car enthusiasts that get a lot of happiness and excitement/thrills from driving cars. Cheap economy cars like a civic or corolla are a lot less likely to provide excitement than a bmw M/audi RS/benz Amg etc and obv those cost a lot more.
POSVETT@reddit
There is a difference between want and need.
Your reasoning is based on practicality and sensibility of the utility of a car strictly as a means of transportation.
Not my cars. They're acquired for the pleasure of driving (I used to compete in autocross too). Their main purpose is not for transportation. Add insatiable greed to create a mindset of "there is no such thing as too many Corvettes" which leads to "how I can acquire and keep as many Corvettes within the means".
If you're happy with your car situation, stay there.
Clint_69@reddit
This
Longlang@reddit
I’ve always liked German cars. They tend to be a little on the pricy side, but I love the build quality, the handling, the looks and the performance. I work hard and can afford it. To me it’s worth the extra $ because I get so much more pleasure driving my Audi than I did with my Honda.
unpolire@reddit
Quality works out being inexpensive over time. Cars, luggage, watches knives, shoes, it all proves true.
Denny__Crane1@reddit
For me it comes down to two things.
K-88@reddit
By having investments that pay for it.
bakermaker32@reddit
Did it for me.
TheeCarlWinslow@reddit
I have two cars. One for my daily driving (Civic) and one for fun driving (Mustang GT). I bought both brand new just a few years ago and combined they cost less then what some people spend on massive trucks and luxury SUVs.
slipangle69420@reddit
If you really like cars you make sacrifices in other areas of your life to afford/justify it. As much of a meme as it may be it’s about smiles per miles. Do you drive everyday? Do you drive for pleasure? Would a 50k car make you happy every single time you got in it?
New-Examination4678@reddit
Some business owners are able to purchase a car and write off the depreciation