<story><title>You gotta be rich to own a cheap car</title><url>http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2015/02/no-fixed-abode-gotta-rich-cheap-car/</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>geebee</author><text>I&amp;#x27;m twice bitten, once shy on used cars.&lt;p&gt;I know plenty of people who are reasonably frugal who still go for the new car, though  I think they view it as more of a slightly risk-averse heuristic than an optimal decision.  I think most of them recognize that with planning, effort, and a bit (but not a ton) of luck, they probably would do better used.&lt;p&gt;The risk averse heuristic goes like this: identify a car with a reputation for value, purchase under a buyer&amp;#x27;s plan, take very good care of itfor the useful life of the car.  These aren&amp;#x27;t the people who show up in a shiny new car every few years - they often keep the car for 15 years or more.&lt;p&gt;Like I said, it&amp;#x27;s a bit risk and effort averse, since with a lot of research, careful evaluation (including a mechanic inspection), and a bit of luck (more the absence of bad luck), you can definitely beat the above strategy by going used.  It&amp;#x27;s a lot of effort, though.  Personally, I did all the things you&amp;#x27;re supposed to do, and still ended up with lots of $$ repair bills, so I&amp;#x27;m no longer interested in used cars.  I understand that I got unlucky, but I&amp;#x27;m just done.&lt;p&gt;I suppose I&amp;#x27;m also particularly convinced by the argument that people generally don&amp;#x27;t sell good used cars, since I&amp;#x27;m one of those people who hangs onto a car until it costs me more to own it than replace it.</text></comment>
<story><title>You gotta be rich to own a cheap car</title><url>http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2015/02/no-fixed-abode-gotta-rich-cheap-car/</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>andkon</author><text>There&amp;#x27;s a reason that I have always loved reading TTAC and will always continue to read it. These guys are thoughtful and interesting to a degree that is only rivalled by how insular and myopic most car people are. They taught teenaged me a lot of lessons about critical thinking by laying it on top of one of my favourite topics - cars.&lt;p&gt;Enough of a love letter - I agree with the point. There&amp;#x27;s a similar thing that happens with house owners: owning a whole bunch of tools and being able to fix your own stuff is a privilege that middle class people enjoy, but poor people do not. You have to pay for the ability to plan for contingencies, and if you can barely afford to pay for your living expenses, you definitely can&amp;#x27;t afford to pay for the $50 battery charger, or the $30 socket set, or the time and energy required to learn all this stuff in the first place and put it into action when you need it done.</text></comment>