How did you feel after getting more car than what you need?

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lellololes@reddit

You get used to what you have.

I am a serial car splurger, but I do so within reason, maybe spending 2% more of my income on a car than I should, and I keep cars for about 8 years so I am not in a vicious cycle of swapping every couple of years and eating a big depreciation hit.

While I can say I enjoy the cars I buy, they do not actually materially change my life in a way that justifies the higher price. I value other things more in my life.

I've found a balance wherein I don't chase shiny too much. Seeking a dopamine hit through buying pricey vehicles and chasing that high is very, very expensive.

Other people tell themselves that this new vehicle will allow them to do all sorts of practical things. In reality, at least where I live, if I need to haul some stuff around I can rent a van for a few hours. The money I saved by not owning a bigger, even more expensive vehicle would pay for a lot of rental vans.

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Smykster@reddit

So I just sold our 4Runner. It was a 2018. I wanted a family car but wasn’t ready for a crossover/minivan lifestyle.

It was a mistake. The car was very reliable, looked tough, fun ride height. That’s about where the pros end. And you have ability to off-road.

16mpg. Rough ride. Slow as fuck, terrible handling, shitty highway manners. No more practical than a crossover or large sedan for day to day life. Height of the vehicle makes loading the kids in their car seats a pain.

Never saw non-paved road. Don’t be me.

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Aromatic-Tear9868@reddit

I'm in a similar boat. Very soon I will need to buy a new vehicle. All of my past vehicles have been want vehicles, not need vehicles. I'm debating between a mid-sized truck like a Tacoma, Frontier or Ranger, and something more practical like a RAV4, Forester or something along those lines, which would be fine for 99% of the time.

I feel like paying with cash will naturally make you not buy something stupid, and that's my plan.

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robindawilliams@reddit

The best way to describe it is post-nut clarity. You are going to feel super excited pre-purchase because you think it will feel new and exciting, and fun. It will have all sorts of cool customizations, and you will fantasize about what you could use it for. You are going to feel super excited immediately following the purchase because it IS new and exciting and fun. But every day after, you are going to feel more and more shitty because the reality of the cost hits you (and clings to you for YEARS) while the novelty will wear off a little more every day as your brain normalizes it. A few years later, you will look back and realize everything you have used it for could have been done in something less expensive/smaller, and all you have left is a depreciating asset and a lot of lost savings.

This is a hugely pessimistic/pragmatic view, and most guys CAN successfully justify owning it or at least have an easy time ignoring that part of their brain because it makes them happy. It really comes down to whether you can afford the luxury of your WANT.

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Remy_LaCroix_@reddit (OP)

Well that’s the thing, the proper 4x4 and the rav4 cost basically the same. Rav4 is like $5k less so nothing significant. But I definitely don’t need the truck, I just want it.

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Hythe667@reddit

Exactly, as I read that rant, I was thinking “but none of these trucks/SUVs is that expensive!”

I see this particular case as more about compromises. If it’s going to be your daily, make sure you’re not going to regret having an old off-roader for that. If it’ll be on the highway half the time, it may become tiresome. If it’s just a local runabout with some occasional trails, though, the downsides are fairly limited. Other than crash protection (assuming the RAV4 would be a fair bit newer than the others?)

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Remy_LaCroix_@reddit (OP)

It’s not even a fair bit newer, it’s something like a 2024 rav4 vs a 2022/21 pajero. That’s why I said in the post that I’m strictly talking about the the car being more than I need. Like yeah I do go to the mountains or beaches on un paved roads at least once a month but it’s nothing a rav4 couldn’t tackle.

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Inspirice@reddit

I mean what has been getting you through those paths currently if you're already managing to do so? Already got most all you need if so.

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MySQUEFive@reddit

Buy what you want. You work hard every day. Vehicles are expensive no matter what you buy. You may as well enjoy what you are driving.

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AlanofAdelaide@reddit

' I definitely don’t need the truck, I just want it'. A bit immature but honest at least

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Remy_LaCroix_@reddit (OP)

I probably should rephrase. I’m definitely switching a cars next year and just prefer the pajero over the rav4.

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Conflicted_Batman@reddit

Seconding the second vehicle thought experiment. Having an undramatic daily is a the ideal palette cleanser for a dedicated enthusiast car.

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MeSlaw3@reddit

If cost is not part of the equation for you, why would you regret having a larger vehicle?

Taking money out of it completely - then you should get what you want. I don’t see why you would regret it, unless you’re limited on space in your garage, or are worried about higher maintenance/gas costs later.

If finances are really not part of the equation, than better to have and not need than to need and not have.

I see in one of your comments that there’s a 5k difference - at my current stage of life with a newborn and a large drumset to haul around, I place pretty strong value on the extra space and I’d go for it. As a single man, I would have saved the 5K.

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Remy_LaCroix_@reddit (OP)

Pretty much I go to the mountain, beach and different weekend trips where unpaved roads are guaranteed. An AWD Rav4 would be fine for most if I’m being completely honest, maybe rainy season it might struggle a bit (like my current small suv). No snow where I live.

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MeSlaw3@reddit

Dang now you sound like you want the RAV

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Any_Honeydew9812@reddit

i didnt need a 300 horsewpower full size sedan.. but i was some happy to have it!

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brokensharts@reddit

I feel great with my dodge 3500 that tows 25k for my 6k trailer

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MeSlaw3@reddit

All day baby. Better to have and not need.

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Playful-Park4095@reddit

Buy what you really want and save yourself money and aggravation in the long term. Both my car and truck are "more than I need", but I have zero regrets. Settle and you'll end up flipping cars continuously if you're an enthusiast. If a car is just an appliance to you, you wouldn't be asking...

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Remy_LaCroix_@reddit (OP)

I think that’s where I’m at now, my current car I got about 2.5 years ago, and it was definitely something that I settled on and I am really ready to sell since it’s just not comfortable.

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MeSlaw3@reddit

Don’t settle, be happy! Within your comfy and safe budget.

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W2WageSlave@reddit

The cars that had payments? I felt dumb for overbuying early in my life.

The cars I wrote a check for? Never regretted them for a single moment.

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MeSlaw3@reddit

🙌🏼

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Tranter156@reddit

I did that a couple of times by spending money on Audi all wheel drive vehicles after I was promoted to management. In hindsight the extra 50k would be useful in my retirement savings but I did love those cars.

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cptchnk@reddit

I know a few people that have regretted buying truck based SUVs because the fuel economy isn’t great and many of them didn’t actually need as something as robust as a truck to begin with. So that’s something to strongly consider. You can get vehicles with AWD that are not proper trucks that get better economy and still have most of the utility. Truck based SUVs are typically better for towing. If you don’t see yourself doing a lot of that, you‘ll save money and get more car-like handling with a crossover like a RAV4.

Also be realistic about how much you really need true 4WD. Do you do a lot of stuff off road? If it’s just weather concerns, most modern AWD systems offered on crossovers work just fine for that.

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x_shaolong_x@reddit

Good, you just spend more on operational costs. But there will be a time when you do in your overcapable vehicle something that can't be done in a normal one and that feeling is "it's worth paying all that extra", be it money on fuel or whatever that extra is. If you don't like it just sell it sooner

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Upstairs-Result7401@reddit

It honestly goes both ways depending on you.

I had a 73 C20 that I modified the suspension to be long travel. It was fun, and it did everything I needed off road with a good posi in the back.

Got a wild hair and converted it to a pretty well set up K20 or 4x4. Hated it. It worked amazingly well for a stock appearing truck off-road with a set of great AT tires.

Then I had a 2018 Silverado 1500 4.3 crew cab V6 short short bed. Really wished I had gone to the longer bed.

The 2018 got T-boned, and I got a used 2wd 2500 Ram crew cab long bed with the 5.7 Hemi. That was traded in because it couldn't tow enough for the OG buyer. I really wish I had put a camper shell on it when I had the money for it. Due to losing my job because of knee surgeries, I had to sell it, but looking back. I could have kept it easily enough, but I didn't know where I would have landed job wise.

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NecessaryEmployer488@reddit

So my wife and I decided on a 4x4 and got a 2023 Tacoma. My car was giving me problems and was too expensive ( I thought to fix ). My car was a Ford Focus. After 3 months fixed it for $1100. Now I have a Tacoma, and the Ford Focus still. Still drive the Ford more often due to ease of park and gas mileage but use the Tacoma as my project vehicle to make it what I want.

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RandomGuyDroppingIn@reddit

I recently was daily driving a Ford Fiesta hatchback. It was hauling around a family of four just fine. It was my daily since 2011. Earlier this year I bought a Subaru Forester Hybrid. AWD, modern info-tainment, and it's Limited trim so near fully loaded. It legitimately felt like going from the stone age to space age.

I like all the extra and modern stuff, but if anything I find myself treating it much more carefully than I did my Fiesta. For one it's absolutely the largest vehicle I've ever owned in my \~30 years of driving (I really despise large vehicles) and knowing it's weight and such I find myself taking corners and entries into parking lot and similar slower to alleviate tire and suspension wear. I do like I have a lot more storage. I managed to do some pretty crazy stuff with the Fiesta such as shove an entire 6ft door and frame into the car with me in it. Now I can haul around a lot more stuff when I need to.

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often_awkward@reddit

I have a Tahoe with the two speed transfer case and the heavy duty trailering package and I've towed heavy things on three round trips in 85,000 miles. I'm sure much less car could do for me but we go on a lot of road trips and they are primarily to ski resorts so the proper four-wheel drive comes in handy.

So really I've had more car than I need for going on 5 years but I still feel great about it because I love driving the thing.

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ScaryfatkidGT@reddit

Rent one for a week…

Are you planning on offroading?

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RJsRX7@reddit

Not exactly the case you're meaning, but I've wound up with a few vehicles that are way too much for what I paid, and they ruined the propositions of anything more normal.

In 2015, I bought a 2003 Infiniti M45 that was a trade in via the service department; this meant both I knew what it needed and that it was relatively inexpensive. For the price of an equivalently aged "normal people" car, I got into a 340hp V8 RWD sedan with heated and cooled leather and a pretty damn good sound system. It absolutely ruined my perspective on what constitutes a normal car, even if it likes to drink a fairly serious amount of good (read: expensive) fuel. Now I have a 23 year old 200k mile vehicle that I can't replace for less than approximately 20 times what I paid for it, at least on the new market.

Similarly, in your case, you can probably get into a Pajero or Montero Sport for less money than an AWD RAV4 by enough to offset what you'll lose to fuel costs.

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Longjumping-Tie2950@reddit

About 1 year and 4 months later, I feel great and still smile every time I'm behind the wheel or even just look at it.

I needed a used vehicle with good cargo space and wasn't low to the ground, because those were my two main obstacles with my previous vehicle. Oh, and it had to be reliable and easy to work on.

That is an incredibly wide net of vehicles that can meet those requirements. As a single person, I was open to the idea of folding seats down to improve my cargo space, which only made the net even wider than it already was.

I could've gotten away with a Honda CRV or a Rav4, hell, even a Fit would've been adequate.

I somehow found myself toying with the idea of purchasing my dream vehicle, a Gen 1 Ford F-150 Raptor. Incredibly overkill for my requirements. Even a full-size regular F-150 was already overkill for me.

After researching the common issues, reliability, serviceability, and the market, I pulled the trigger on a well-maintained example with a price that was really tempting, made even more tempting after my lowball offer was accepted.

I don't need the off-road capabilities of my Raptor, I don't need a truck, and I really think I could've gotten away with a CRV still. I love it. I keep tools hidden and protected on the inside, and I can throw in tires, wheels, and any oversize items I find for a good deal for myself or to flip in the bed. I love the sound. I love the aggressive looks. I love being able to floor it in crappy roads. There are a few things to look out for, and I've had to fix them myself or just do it out of precaution, but otherwise, these things will keep going and going. My Sync 3 upgrade modernized the infotainment system to something that is usable in 2025. These aren't luxuries in today's world, but having a backup camera, heated and cooled leather seats, dual climate control, a responsive reliable infotainement system, it feels like luxury to me.

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DenseAssumption8987@reddit

My HZJ75 is slow, expensive to operate, and hard to find parts for in the USA, but it feels like I'm getting away with something every time I drive it.

I wouldn't trade that feeling for anything.

Buy the ridiculous car of your choice if you can afford it. We'll all be dead in a few decades, anyway. Enjoy your life while you can.

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seighton@reddit

I do that often but the way to control it is to leverage the value of that car for an extended period of time, similar to putting money in a 401k. I.e. I bought a 2015 Chevrolet SS Sedan in 2015, at the time it was the most expensive car I ever bought. I was raised buying the bare minimum and drive it to the ground. The SS gets 12 mpg, premium fuel, didn’t need 415hp but I committed to owning it for a long time making depreciation irrelevant. Mission accomplished, still have it and just bought a Silverado EV I probably don’t need but will probably own in 2035 and beyond. Depreciation becomes irrelevant, save money avoiding car pmts in the future etc. just don’t buy or lease every few years and leverage the asset for a longer period

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agreeable_mastadon20@reddit

Did I need a 4wd, 3 litre turbo? No. But it’s sure fun to drive

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d0ugfirtree@reddit

Life is too short to drive something you don't like. Don't ruin your finances of course but it's OK to get something better than the bare minimum product that does the job.

In my experience every time I've had a "sensible" car I resented it ,and eventually sold it to get what I originally wanted in the end. Would've saved a lot more money by just getting what I wanted in the first place.

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WookieeWarlock@reddit

We’ve owned a gx470, Jeep rubicon, and 2024 rav4

I’m similar about wanting a proper awd/4x4 truck but if 95% of your driving is on pavement, the rav4 makes so much sense. We love our rav4 and will keep it forever. That being said, our next 2nd car will be a gx460

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Klutzy_Concept_1324@reddit

Consider ground clearance, power, fuel economy and things like whether lifts are available and what tires will fit. You mention Rav4, is it enough ground clearance, can you comfortably off-road it, are you going to care if it gets scratched up. A vehicle like this maybe you can mod it and put an aggressive tire on it. No answer to your question from me unfortunately, i have an old 2wd truck and can hardly get myself to spend on large aggressive tires, because i can still go through quite a lot with what i have

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rudbri93@reddit

When I was doing some mild offroading/camping I got a yukon and lifted it. My friends had broncos, jeeps, and an amigo, so I could have done it with a smaller vehicle. But it was super handy for sleeping in and moving shit. thirsty old bitch but im glad i had it.