Most spent on cars?

[RE2Boys]

We seem to have a poll for a lot of things so I thought I'd try one that I haven't seen before. Last night, I was talking with a local doctor who is trying to decide whether to buy out his lease or lease something different. He said he doesn't put many miles on but also finds it an annoyance to have fill up with gas. He now drives a Ford Expedition.

Got me to thinking regarding why he leases (suspect convenience and safety coupled with his vehicles are always under warranty, a point he mentioned) and the fact that I purchase and have older vehicles at this time. It occurred to me that I suspect I am an extreme outlier as I've never paid over $20,000 for a vehicle. Now to find out, among the ER crowd, how extreme an outlier I am, hence the poll.

Let's not count RVs, collectible, special purpose, hobby vehicles....just general daily drivers.

Edit to add: And it's not that I couldn't afford to spend more, just can't justify spending more for basically an appliance that serves a function. As long as the vehicle meets safety , reliability, utility and comfort criteria...that's what I buy. However, I fully expect to break $20K in next year or two for a replacement vehicle.

 

[Walt34]

The most I ever spent was a bit over $30k on a 2003 full-size GMC 4WD pickup, bought new and special ordered since I knew I'd have it for a long time. There was some special deal going on at the time that cut the price a few thousand. The fiberglass cap over the bed was another thousand.

Although occasionally convenient to own, it's probably the last pickup truck I'll buy. I just don't haul that much anymore and the only time I've ever towed anything was U-Haul trailers a couple of times helping relatives move. Basically I planned to haul large R/C airplanes in it. It was very nice to have when we were clearing out FIL's house!

 

[aaronc879]

I was young and stupid(24) and paid just over $30K for a new top model Subaru Forester in 2004 right after I got a 16% raise. It was only .9% interest and I paid it off in less than 3 years and I still own it 11.5 years later and plan to keep it another 10 or so. I really like the vehicle but I could've gotten the non-turbo, non-heated leather seat version and saved $10K. I also wouldn't have had to use premium fuel all of these years if I had gotten the non-turbo version which would've saved me over $1000. With my very low spending, the $11K I would've saved would be enough for me to live on for almost an entire year not counting taxes.

 

[rodi]

Prior to my current car the most I'd spent was under 20k. But 10.5 years ago I got a bee in my bonnet about getting the highlander hybrid (when it first came out). It was over $30k. Not the best fiscal decision in my life but the car has worked well for our family and I'm amortizing the expense by driving it forever.

(And no, erd50, I do not want to discuss the ins/outs of hybrid autos and whether they are green.)

I don't see myself spending that much again.

 

[splitwdw]

Ford F150 Platinum little over 50,000.

 

[jjquantz]

The most we've spent is $16,000 on our current 2010 Hyundai Touring wagon.

 

[target2019]

22k for 2002 4 cylinder Toyota Highlander. Drove it for 12 years or so. Best car I ever owned.

 

[Bamaman]

2003 Ford F250 Lariat crew cab 7.3 diesel is 13 years old and has less than 130K miles. At this rate, I'll be 97 years old before the engine wears out. We tow a 5th wheel trailer. It cost $32K new (A Plan), and is still worth serious $--in high demand.

2008 Lexus IS250--$32K new. I'm fortunate to have a sister that owns a large city Lexus dealership and I buy at cost. It's never seen the shop--except brakes & tires.

 

[2017ish]

I voted for the family, not for my daily driver (splurged on a new Fit at age 52, for 16K)

Family minivan in 92, the nanny's daily driver, was 22-24K, I believe, which is our highest, even without adjusting for inflation. (And well worth it--after I was SAHD, we kept driving it--360,000 miles before it croaked.)

 

[calmloki]

Most I ever spent was a couple months ago on a replacement BMW wagon. $12k. That is three times the most I spent on purchase prior to that time, when I splurged on the purchase of the prior BMW wagon, which did need about $3k in repairs pretty darn fast.

 

[Lisa99]

I voted before I read the rules of the poll.

We paid $64,000 for a new 2015 GMC Sierra Denali dually diesel to pull our 40 ft fifth wheel.

Starting in January we'll be on the road about 7 out of 12 months, so while it isn't a 'daily driver' it will be on the road a lot.

First new vehicle we've bought in ~20 years but they hold their value so well that even a two year old similar model was only about $10,000 less than new so we bought new to get the full warranty.

 

[stepford]

For most of my life I'd been extremely frugal about buying cars. The most I'd spent was $11K for a 3 year old 4WD truck (which lasted me another 20+ years).

Then about 10 years ago I had a brief flirtation with success at work: a couple of promotions and raises - found myself running my own program and hanging with the executive types. Foolishly I let this get to my head a bit and bought a new BMW to go with my august position (though I consoled my frugal inner self by getting a killer deal - paying about $30K out the door on an MSRP of $50K).

Anyway, success was fleeting. Soon enough I was back to blissful isolation in my office and lab - but the BMW remains (as I reminder that I'll never buy new again).

 

[6miths]

I mis-voted. We spent 43k on a new Toyota Sienna in 2003 but I failed to account for the Canadian dollar... at that time it would have been 31k in USD! Ouch! Although, thankfully I was being paid in USD at the time.

 

[Gumby]

Our two current daily drivers are the most expensive vehicles we've ever purchased. 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid $22,003; 2011 MINI Cooper S $27,667 (Yes, I looked in my filing cabinet for the purchase docs)

 

[CRLLS]

The most have paid for a new car is between $20k and $21k. Did so on my last 3 new cars. 1999 Buick Century, 2002 PT Ccruiser and 2012 Hyundai Elantra. Got 12-13 year out of the Century and PT before replacing them. Have had the elantra now almost 4 years so far.


On a different note, the least I have paid for a new car was $2650 for a fully optioned '73 Ford Pinto hatchback.

 

[devans0]

Until my last car, it was around $3500. I wanted a newer car, and spent $15000. That was 9 years ago.

 

[Car-Guy]

Just a little over 72k w/TTL recently for my last new daily driver. Actually, I never spent that much before for a single vehicle, even for a collectible.

Things sure have changed. I remember my first vehicle cost me $600. Of course that was back in ~1967 and it was for a five year old car with 70,000 miles on it, no AC, no power steering/brakes. I think it had a AM radio that still worked. Heck, each one of my tires cost that much on this new one.

 

[Hermit]

$36K for my daily driver. But it is also a "special purpose, hobby vehicle"

It is a 4-door Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. It is designed to go on extreme off-road trails. I have been places where most folks wouldn't dream of going. I usually go with an off-road club and have a great time.

 

[panacea]

Spent $25k on our last new car 10 years ago. Considering new Toyota Highlander Ltd but I'm struggling with the $40k price tag. They have sure changed a lot they first came out!

 

[FIREd]

We paid $24k for a new Mazda Miata back in 2010. It was the most we ever spent on a car. I can't imagine spending much more than that.

 

[Ronstar]

$44k for a corvette in 2001. Daily driver, but only from April 1 through December 1.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[aja8888]

$27 K for a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport for DW.

 

[Ginny]

We just bought a Harley Trike. So much fun for my DH and I!

 

[Texas Proud]

One of the funny things is that I have spent under $20K for most of my vehicles, but have bought two for over $30K....

So I have never bought one in the $20K range...

 

[Lucantes]

$35K on a new GMC Yukon in 2002.
Will be replaced upon retirement in 2017 with a new vehicle which I expect to cost somewhere between 2x's to 3x's this amount (way beyond historical inflation I think?).