I’m a bit mind f*cked right now. I’m about seven months from the end of my Q50 Silver Sport lease. There is not much to like about this car, except - I got it tuned and it is a blast to drive.
I may have mentioned in another post that my previous cars were a tuned 2014 SHO, tuned 2011 ecoboost F150, tuned and modded 2008 Mustang GT… there is certainly a common theme here.
As much as I have loved driving and tuning these cars, I’m looking at my per month cost and just want to vomit. $150 a month for insurance and $540 a month in payments (we roll everything in including taxes) and that was with some sizable negative equipment from the SHO lease.
So I’m spending nearly $700 a month… I know a lot of people spend much more but I’m just wondering if this is worth it any longer. Has anyone evaluated what they are spending and then rolled it back? What did you drive and then what did you go to after that fun ride?
I’m not looking for an analysis on how bad of a deal i must have mad on the Q or whatever, just looking for people’s opinion on moving from fast and fun to something more mundane I guess. We got my wife and my mother in law Jeep Cherokees (Limited) last fall and its a really great vehicle to drive. I think that is what has spawned all of this considering they run us about $350 a month including insurance.
you can move to a bike and walk friendly city and save a crap ton of money in health benefits, in addition to your car bill, but I don’t think such city exists in the US .
Solid input. I live about 15 miles from work. I spend a lot of time looking at a stop light. A lot of that and some time spent driving my wife’s Jeep when she’s been out of town has me really racking my brain.
Just get a sweet bmw for $300/mo next time around and cost average it out. That should make you feel a little better. Can’t change the past but at least you have this website as a future resource!
Starting to feel the same way. Had a baby recently, and it’s becoming harder to justify the $800+ a month I spend on my car. Some days I feel like it’s best to go buy a used Corolla and not deal with a payment for 8 years. Then I see a car I’ve been eyeing on the road and start to crave another fun ride.
I’ll probably end up getting something fun again. Saving every penny just doesn’t make for an enjoyable life
I feel like the goal of many folks here is to get the best car possible for the lowest cost possible.
You have no idea how many people I have to show the “door” because they saw someone got a 5 series in June for 25% off before incentives then stacked graduate, usaa, OL, loyalty, lease cash and tax credit for a payment lower than your average Altima and they want the same today.
Oh I get the idea that some unicorn deals pop up and get heads turned. Simply due to the sheer volume of deals that happen, there will be outliers that defy what most people can get.
You’re right though, get the best car you can for the payment you are willing to make. I’m ideally looking at the 300-400 dollar range for my payment. With the amazing deals the brokers post and people share, that should be possible. But, it is kind of funny, there are almost TOO many good deals because that makes it harder to narrow down the list.
A 529 plan would be a much better investment then a car…tax advantageous as well. With the deals out here now you can still drive a decent German car and fully fund your kids education simultaneously, for the same payment you have now.
Yes, great call out. I’m already making significant contributions to it. I’m in a fortunate position where I make a very nice income and can max a 401k, make contributions to a 529, etc. At this stage, it’s more about opportunity costs from spending $12k+ on cars a year. Opportunity costs could be investment income, new business opportunities, etc.
I lurk a lot on these forums, but am not seeing outrageous deals that are repeatable. If I want to stay in a class of car with a 0 - 60 of less than 5 seconds, it feels like I’m forced to spend ~$550+/month in payment + $150 for insurance + fuel costs + maintenance. Let me know if I’m mistaken.
Where do you live that your insurance is that high? I pay $200/mo for a 328d, stelvio, tundra sport, and a sc430. Maybe look into an insurance broker and see if you can get that monthly cost down a bit.
If you’re already maxing out your tax deductible savings plans, then treating yourself to something you enjoy is a good investment in mental health. There’s much more expensive hobbies then leasing your mode of transportation. Sounds like you’re doing just fine.
Get a quote from warrens company. Maybe he offers an Omaha discount. I use Erie for my cars. They’ve been great, I do get quotes from other companies every 6 months to try and save on my insurance products though
I’m in the SF Bay Area (CA). I have a leased C43 and own a GLA45. I think we pay $229/month, so you’re right that car insurance is likely lower. Maybe ~$100/month?
