What's the most you've paid or would pay for a car?

[feh]

1. 22K
2. 20K

I'm 43 and I've never bought a used car, but I think our next one will be. We currently own new cars number 3 and 4 (we've been married 20 years). While buying new isn't the frugal approach to vehicle purchases, it hasn't been a big money loser for us, because we always keep them 10+ years and drive them into the ground.

[boosami]

60k new a couple years ago. I'm not buying another for some time, but I'll probably expect to spend about the same (in equivalent future dollars) for the next one.

[Goldy1]

I am not sure of exact numbers but I bought a NEW SAturn in 2000. MY husband bought a new Monte Carlo in 2003. He still drives the Monte today. I traded int he SAturn a year ago for a one year old SAturn this time.
All the financial books I read state go used so I listened.

Most I would pay? It' depends, but I would say in the upper teens, but would prefer lower.

I recently heard of a story where an auto worker got a 25K voucher to buy a new car as part of a buy out and was refused financing for an additional 5K to buy a car. (the topic of conversation was tight credit) I found it too bad the person could not find a car for 25K. Cars cost a lot.

[gamecock43]

In October 07 I bought a brand new 4 door Jeep wrangler with a lifetime warranty for $21,000. I paid cash and I love it. I hope to have it for 10 plus years. If I bought it today I might have been able to save 1 or 2k, but I didn't buy it today and I still think I got a great deal.

[disneysteve]

I recently heard of a story where an auto worker got a 25K voucher to buy a new car as part of a buy out and was refused financing for an additional 5K to buy a car. (the topic of conversation was tight credit) I found it too bad the person could not find a car for 25K. Cars cost a lot.

It isn't that he couldn't find a car for 25K. It is that he was greedy and wouldn't buy a car for 25K. There are plenty of cars that sell for under 25K. The cheapest new cars today start at less than 10K. With 25K to spend, he had loads of choices (depending on what brands he was allowed to pick from).

Cars can cost a lot but they don't need to cost a lot.

[Mistee]

Most I have ever paid for a car was $15K. It was a Buick Century Custom, 4 dr and I loved that car!

My next car will be a Buick LeSabre and whatever it costs will be the most I will pay for a new car!!!

[GREENBACK]

At this point in my life I could buy an expensive vehicle with cash. I don't see any point in spending lots of money for a depreciating item. I'm not out to impress anyone. I do mostly buy large 4wd drive vehicles but it's because I use them for the way they were designed. I would never buy a Surburban to take my kids to soccer practice or to go to the grocery store but I know too many that do this

[rizzmo]

15k for a Chevy Aveo, put 4k down, paid off in 1 year.

[maat55]

I paid 14k for my truck 4 years ago. I would not do that again. I will only pay cash and will attemp to walk away with golf money. I expect to only pay no more than 14k 4 years from now, including taxes.

We will be paying cash for my wife's next car in about 1.5 years. It will be around 14k after selling her existing car. We will be able to buy her next car before we sell the existing, using our EF as a time buffer.

[StressLess]

I don't think we've ever paid over $10,000. The last one was a used 1998 Dodge for $6000, before that it was a new 1992 Plymouth and I can't even remember the price.

I'm aiming to have $10,000 saved by DH's birthday in August, when he'll be shopping for a PT Cruiser to replace the Plymouth. With everything so crazy in the car business, and new stimulus bills being passed all the time, I don't what I expect to spend when the time comes. If Chrysler is still among the living, and we can get a good deal plus tax incentives, we might spring for a new one and finance the overage.

But as a general rule, I'd like to keep with what I read in a Dave Ramsey book--whatever 25% of your yearly income is, don't let the value of your vehicles exceed that. Our income is the highest it's ever been, but 25% of it split between two cars doesn't get you that much, especially if you want a brand new one.

[tripods68]

2003 Nissan Murano paid $31,400 for it- We traded this car when we had our second child for an Honda Odyssey 06 (with Nav/DVD) paid $32,500 ($300 above Invoice). We plan to pay this car off by October of this year. We can't wait to have any more car payment.

[ezme]

The most i have paid for a car is £1k, but then again i am a student. If i ever manage to get a nice well paid job then up to £50k will do me . It would have to be a hybrid, hydrogen, or whatever they have in 5-10 years time

[Fizgig]

I paid $26k for a new Mini Cooper S in 2007. Paid it off in 17 months and I can't imagine spending more than $25-30k.

It was a completely out of character extravagance and I feel NO regret whatsoever! I needed to buy a car because my previous one was totalled in a hit and run accident (they ran, not me!), and I had been pining for a Mini for five years. Sometimes things CAN make you happy and that silly little car puts a grin on my face every time I open the door.

In theory I believe in buying used, but the Minis just don't depreciate so there wasn't an advantage to buying used in this case.

Edit: Before that I had a '97 Mustang purchased in 2001 for $6800, and a 1983 Buick Skyhawk wagon purchased in 1996 for $1300.

[wnlbutterfly]

I have been married 25 yrs, the most we have paid for a car was $4k, that was my daughters 2001 Sunfire. Of course we buy used. We are thinking about stepping up and buying something a little newer (not new, but newer than we have been getting) and thinking the range of $8k-$12k at the most.

I keep hoping that maybe they will pass the "cash for clunkers" so we could trade in one of these, but they are running and get us where we need to go.

BTW, DH has a Buick Century, fully loaded, and we paid $3k for it. Actually good on gas mileage and rides very nice.

[disneysteve]

I keep hoping that maybe they will pass the "cash for clunkers" so we could trade in one of these, but they are running and get us where we need to go.

If they come up with a deal that lets me trade in my old car (1998) for something newer but not brand new, I'd probably consider it. It sounds like they're just pushing new car purchases, though.