Buying a new car - do you think I'm crazy?

[scallon]

New cars are the all time worst ways to spend your money. You lose a ton of money (especially if buying luxury brands) by simply driving it off the lot. Check out what Dave Ramsey has to say about new cars.

http://www.daveramsey.com/article/drive-free/

 

[BorderKelpie]

Since you seem uncomfortable with the idea of a Mercedes, I think it would be best if you and hubby considered other makes of cars. If you constantly feel that the car is too pretentious or whatever bothers you about it, you will never appreciate it. I hate to think that you will end up in another car you don't like.
I myself personally love the idea of driving a Mercedes. I have kidded around for years about someday owning one. It will probably never happen as I live in the river bottoms and my poor Jeep takes quite a beating at times. A Mercerdes doesn't stand a snowball's chance in Texas where I live.

Get something you feel comfortable driving/owning. It's the only way you will like it. Don't worry about what other people think/say.

Best wishes and I hope you find your dream car!

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Get something you feel comfortable driving/owning. It's the only way you will like it. Don't worry about what other people think/say.

I agree 100%.

Other people have brought up some very good points, maint, insurance etc. and that does figure in. I just bought a 2011 Camaro and it is going to be expensive to keep up but when you climb in it all that goes away.

Steve​

 

[Sootsie]

just an idea check out car seat access, fuel economy, service costs, insurance etc and compare side by side to the cars you like, running costs can affect affording repayments and may give you barginning room.

 

[darkmatter]

If you're raising chickens and growing a garden in these economic times, it's not a new car you need, but a utility type tractor for hauling compost and working the garden:

 

[booker81]

Remember if you trade in your vehicle, you're going to get about half of what you would if you sold it outright. Need to consider that when you look at what your loan payoff is

As for what you should get - get thee to your bank. Sit down with the loan advisor, and pull your credit and the current loan. Find out what the payoff is. Find out what a dealership will likely get you.

Find out what the bank will lend you - knowing you may be upside down (they will tell you that figure). From there, you will have a dollar amount, and you can start looking at vehicles. Then you can know what you can afford.

Never buy brand new. Driving off the lot and knowing you just left $10,000 sitting in there is a not good feeling.

I purchased my most recent vehicle from a local small dealer, with a reputation of performing a good check on the vehicles, and selling good used cars. If the cars aren't to their quality, they take them to auction to let someone else sell them. I actually asked my loan advisor who she recommended, it was this dealer. I now drive a 1997 Expedition with 154k miles, and I'm thrilled to death with it. I paid $1200 less than book price for it. I actually work with the person who traded it in, and they already miss it

My loan is only three years, and payments are under $150 a month, plus it's ridiculously cheap to insure for some reason.

Buying a car is a LOT LOT LOT easier when you start looking with a loan already in hand. You know your range, and once you find something, it's just calling your bank, giving them the VIN (they verify it's worth what you are paying on), getting a check from them, getting insurance, and going to the dealer and driving off. No BS, no crazy interest rates, no wondering if you're getting scammed.

 

[wood&feathers]

We all know what we lose in buying a new car, but not everyone is comfortable shopping for used ones. I have helped my parents evaluate 2 used cars that turned out well, and have purchased a used car and a truck myself since 1983. We buy them and drive the wheels off . When you have young children even 30 minutes waiting for AAA beside the road feels like an eternity. As I stated, I have bought only 1 new car in my life, and 225K miles later I am happy with that decision. Today I might not make the same decision - the kids are older and have learned it isn't the end of the world when the unexpected happens.

Things just look different when you have one in a car seat than after you get them trained to watch and learn during a driveway car maintenance day. I also am not blessed with a used car dealer I trust. Have to rely on our own mechanical knowledge and not everyone has that.

 

[mom'sfolly]

We've owned a Mazda, a Ford (made by Kia), three Hondas and a Volkswagen. The only one we would NOT buy again is the Volkswagen. The finishing just isn't as good as the Japanese cars, and the maintenance was very expensive, and few people worked on them. Finding a good garage for the volkswagen took 8 years. When the handle broke on the glove box the only fix was to replace the redesigned glove box with a new $500 one. I suspect the Mercedes would have the same issues, except more money. Every car we've had we've put at least 120,000 miles on, the Mazda had 180,000.

Look at websites that review reliablity, cost of maintenance and other factors. This one is good.

http://www.cars.com/go/advice/Story.jsp?section=top&story=cartalk-cars-we-hate&subject=more

 

[Boyd]

how 'bout you sell off your car outright and pay cash for an older 4 door Blazer s10

My wife has a 97 cavalier she got brand new that year she graduated. Loved it. Even had me rebuild the motor, fix the tranny, replace the clutch, tires brakes even shocks n struts. The body looks like its been rolled a few times, everytime you touch it something rusts off and hits the ground.. but she loves it.. vroom vroom.

It's a 2 door 5 speed.

Now putting the car seat in it she is looking at my 90 Lasabre (she calls a grandma car) with envy. Nuh uh. Not driving my baby blue grammy car.

Or ya'll could go up another size or two and get a big van

 

[Xtina]

Thanks again, guys. I should clarify that we're looking at used cars in both cases. No way I could ever afford a new Mercedes. And I was raised to know the folly of buying new cars; despite that, I still allowed myself to get bitten by that bug twice in my adult life. Never again!