those of you with expensive cars

[MrsPete]

OT ~ I'm pretty sure that she babysits for the little one and will babysit her little sister when she is born. I recognize her from one of the Gymboree forums that I frequent.

She's buying a new, larger vehicle so she can keep babysitting two kids?

I'd have to do the math on that one. I suspect that increasing the car payment AND paying more at the pump AND paying a larger insurance bill will essentially cancel out the profit from babysitting the kids.

 

[crisi]

no one is offering advice everyone is telling me to buy something i don't want that is just as expensive as what i do want, so how does that answer my question of how do those of you with an expensive car afford it.

if i have to have a higher car payment i will, but im looking to see if there is some out of the box idea's on affording an expensive car without a huge payment that im missing

This is blunt....I make a lot of money. My husband makes more than I do. I don't drive an expensive car (to me, its something to get around in), he does. We save for a few years, pay cash, and buy used.

 

[Swan4Me]

She's buying a new, larger vehicle so she can keep babysitting two kids?

I'd have to do the math on that one. I suspect that increasing the car payment AND paying more at the pump AND paying a larger insurance bill will essentially cancel out the profit from babysitting the kids.

Then Its pure nonsense to go into more debt for such a small retun ( babysitting)

 

[gk90]

I will never buy a brand new vehicle, a few years old will save lots of money.

I would decide on the vehicle that you want to buy, the options, age and mileage and price you can live with and then keep looking for something used that meets your criteria and be prepared to jump on it as soon as you see it.

How we afford expensive cars is to let others buy them new, drive them for a little while and take the major hit in depreciation. Then we come in and own them until they can't get themselves down the driveway anymore. Case in point, my vehicle is a 2004 GMC Yukon XL Denali with ALL the bells and whistles available that year, bought 3 years ago with 70K miles for $17,000 which was less than 1/3 of what it cost the first sucker, I mean buyer, to drive it off the lot brand new. 80K miles later, it's still going strong with only routine maintenance and preemptive starter and alternator replacements about 10K miles ago.

-Astrid

Buying used is a good way to go if you want a more expensive car. The 1st year depreciation is your friend. It may take a couple of months for the right car to come along if you're in a small market but think of it as a wait that could save you several thousand $$

i didn't know the Rav-4 had 3rd row.....i will have to look into that! thanks

The RAV-4 looks good in reviews and pictures so we test-drove one and found out that the 3rd row seat is tiny and cramped, even for a young child. It's not a place you'd want to have kids in every day or even once a week. It should come with some kind of disclaimer like "emergency use only"

 

[ThisIsTheYear]

People constantly think they're new because they look that way (can't understand people letting their cars look like rattle-traps, not waxing, washing vacuuming them, etc)

I completely agree! I don't understand how (some) people spend hundreds of dollars a month on their car and they beat on it, or slap on some bumper stickers. My car is a 2006 and as soon as it gets a ding, I get it fixed. Since having my DS it's not as 'neat' though.

 

[hipchickie]

Also, don't forget that TIRES not awd/ 4wd/ fwd/ rwd will determine how well a auto will do in the snow. If you believe otherwise, please turn your license back into the DMV.

I just can't let this go, it is just SO completely wrong

 

[indimom]

If the two youngest kids are just there for babysitting, I just wouldn't go out while they are there. That's what I've done for the last 16 years. Saves a lot of liability and expense that way.

 

[mrodgers]

I just can't let this go, it is just SO completely wrong

Obviously you have never driven a car with snow tires....

My Honda went better in snow (test drove through 30 plus inches unplowed in work parking lot) than most of the autocrap they call 4WD these days and just as good as my old real 4WD with off-road tires.

 

[fakereadhed]

I don't have an expensive car. I have a cheap car that seats 6, with a 3rd row. Check out the Mazda 5.

I would tell you how much my payments are but you'd be jealous. It is fun to drive, gets good gas mileage, fits my family of 5, and is cheap.

Luxurious and heavy like an SUV it is certainly not. I don't want to afford an expensive car. For me it's getting from A to B, and not worth it.

 

[MyDizneyBoyz]

Considering that it's not illegal to put a child under 12 in the front seat in NYS, you don't "need" a new car. While it's encouraged that children under 12 not sit in the front, if all other seatbelts are in use and the child in question is not using a rear-facing infant seat, then they can sit in the front seat.

Having spent a lot of time in NY and having had this as an issue myself, I know this to be the case. Here is the info from NY:

http://www.dmv.ny.gov/broch/c-1.htm

Now, it's definitely a personal choice and without knowing the ages of the children in question, it all depends on your personal comfort zone. While I don't have an expensive car per se, but I suppose that's a relative term, it does automatically deactivate the front air bag unless the occupant is heavier than a particular weight threshold. If the child is old/large enough to sit in the seat without a booster, I'd allow them to sit up front if all other seat belts are in use.

As far as the best way to obtain a larger "expensive" car, I'd buy used or "certified pre-owned" as the politically correct would say. Let someone else take the first year depreciation hit.

 

[arthuruscg]

I just can't let this go, it is just SO completely wrong

Now if a fwd and the awd/4wd both had snow tires then the awd/4wd wins for acceleration and crash avoidance hands down but will be equal in breaking.
But If the fwd car has snow tires and the awd/4wd is still using the crappy OEM / garbage tires then the FWD car wins.

Tires are the only contact your car has with the road and if they are crappy or not operating with in their designed range, then you are SOL.

 

[sbell111]

no one is offering advice everyone is telling me to buy something i don't want that is just as expensive as what i do want, so how does that answer my question of how do those of you with an expensive car afford it.

if i have to have a higher car payment i will, but im looking to see if there is some out of the box idea's on affording an expensive car without a huge payment that im missing

I'm with you, I hate minivans, also.

As others have mentioned, the magic bullet is to use a mixed approach. Save up some money to use as a down payment. Trade in your current car to further reduce the amount financed. Get a used car. Extend your payback period some.

Obviously you have never driven a car with snow tires....

My Honda went better in snow (test drove through 30 plus inches unplowed in work parking lot) than most of the autocrap they call 4WD these days and just as good as my old real 4WD with off-road tires.

I'm sorry to be so blunt, but you are wrong. The mere fact that you do OK in snow in your little Honda does not mean that snow tires are more important than 4wd or that 4wd isn't mighty useful in the snow. (It should be noted that 'off road' tires might not be best in the snow, or even any time 'on road'). Further, most people aren't going to buy tires just for winter, so 'snow' tires tend to be out for them. They are going to buy a good all season or all terrain tire. Many of which have very good snow/ice ratings.

Finally, I should mention that I have driven my Jeep with 'snow' tires. I didn't prefer them and went back to an all terrain tire. However, my use of them allowed me the opportunity to drive my Jeep with them on it in the snow in both 4wd and 2wd. It was no surprise that 4wd was better. Much better. Having switched back to AT tires, I can tell you that 4wd with AT tires performs much better than 2wd with snow tires.

 

[sbell111]

<deleted duplicate post>

 

[1Jackpot]

I just bought a 2012 Cadillac escalade ESV and purchased it with cash. I have 4 children and a minivan just didn't have enough cargo room for my needs. Plus, the advantages of the AWD was a plus.

I hope you find an affordable option soon!

 

[crisi]

I just bought a 2012 Cadillac escalade ESV and purchased it with cash. I have 4 children and a minivan just didn't have enough cargo room for my needs. Plus, the advantages of the AWD was a plus.

I hope you find an affordable option soon!

So how did you afford it? Above average salary? Inheritance from Grandma? Saved aluminum cans? My favorite, the bathtub meth lab?

(Nice car, my sister drove one for a long time).

 

[Swan4Me]

crisi-read the rest of 1jackpot's posts.....they are really.... .amusing




http://www.disboards.com/search.php?searchid=25908803

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

crisi-read the rest of 1jackpot's posts.....they are really.... .amusing




http://www.disboards.com/search.php?searchid=25908803

I just read some of her posts. All I can say if they are even remotely true what in the H*E* double hockey sticks is she doing reading the budget board.

 

[Swan4Me]

So true!!!

 

[Swimalie]

crisi-read the rest of 1jackpot's posts.....they are really.... .amusing




http://www.disboards.com/search.php?searchid=25908803

Wow, big house, brand new paid for expensive car, a month stay in a suite, flying privately and has a house keeper - all without she or her husband working. I'd love to know her secret

 

[DawnM]

I was thinking maybe she could give OP her older minivan! :good vibes

Dawn

I just read some of her posts. All I can say if they are even remotely true what in the H*E* double hockey sticks is she doing reading the budget board.