Originally Posted by
Gresp15C
I drive Toyota's too. And I completely agree with you. What I meant by "easier" was that it's psychologically easier for some people, not that it makes financial sense. Of course, a lot of people just enjoy driving a new car too.
Right now the two family cars are about 10 and 14 years old. They both replaced cars that we completely drove into the ground. One car needed a new clutch, brakes, heater core, and had a few other things wrong with it. The other was a Saturn, and its engine disintegrated at about 60k miles.
We don't make car payments at all -- we just pay cash when it's time for a new car.
I finally paid cash last year after buying a string of new cars (apartment living and no time to deal with clunkers). After doing about 20 hours of work on it I felt like I accomplished something (tires, struts, timing belt). Felt good, almost like being a teen again.