I don't understand the personal economics of California

[CaliforniaMan]

Years ago was doing pretty well and started looking at new BMWs. One ostentatious, blustering relative mentioned to family how impressed he was with me, and that I must be doing very well with my business. He was never impressed before. The thought of impressing this type of person completely turned me off to the BMW. I bought a VW Jetta instead. Needless to say, he was not impressed with this. It was my first car with air conditioning though, I really loved that! Air conditioning, if you have never had it before, can really make one feel wealthy.

 

[marko]

But getting back to the personal economics of California. It's obvious that those luxury cars are leased.

Or maybe they are like so may others who just lease because they want bigger and better right now.

I've actually seen lease advertisements for Jaguar and other brands that make them seem surprisingly affordable. I haven't read the fine print, but I seem to remember some lease on a Jag that was around $459/mo.

Leasing doesn't mean it's cheap. The $459/mo are come-ons. From personal experience, you need to almost double that payment to reach reality in the luxury realm.

Yes, you can lease a Toyota as advertised for $149/mo but once you get up into the higher end models of the Mercedes, Lexus, Bentley world, their advertised "$600 a month" is more like $1100 by the time you put pen to paper.

 

[Andre1969]

I just found one of the Jag leases. It was for a 2015 Jaguar XF 2.0T Premium, MSRP from $50,175. "The Jaguar XF 2.0T Premium fuses contemporary sports car styling with the refined performance and comfort of a luxury sedan".

LEASE FOR $449.00/MONTH
FOR 36 MONTHS*
$4,355 CASH DUE AT SIGNING.

And the associated fine print:
"2015 Jaguar XF 2.0T Premium, 36 month lease, $4,355 due at signing includes $3,111 down, $0 security deposit, $795 acquisition fee and first month's payment, excludes retailer fees, taxes, title and registration fees. Actual rates and payments of closed-end lease may vary. Take new retail delivery from dealer stock by 6/30/15. Lessee responsible for insurance, maintenance, excess wear and excess mileage over 30,000 miles at $0.30/mile. Based on MSRP of $51,170 (includes destination and delivery) with a residual value of $30,190 as of 5/1/15. For well qualified lessees as determined by approved lender. All amounts shown are estimates, retailer sets actual amounts. Residency restrictions apply. Lessee has option to purchase vehicle at lease end at price negotiated with retailer and approved lender at signing. Termination fee may apply."

However, you get into the nicer trim levels, and an XF's base MSRP can go from $51K to $84K. And I'm sure even there, there are some stand-alone options.

My guess is the base Jaguar XF is essentially a modern day Ford Granada. It might look expensive and ritzy at first. But once you experience a little seat time in it you'd wish you had gotten a real luxury car, rather than a Maverick trying to pass off as one!

Oh, and yeah, the $84,000 Jaguar was about $1199 per month.

 

[aja8888]

I just found one of the Jag leases. It was for a 2015 Jaguar XF 2.0T Premium, MSRP from $50,175. "The Jaguar XF 2.0T Premium fuses contemporary sports car styling with the refined performance and comfort of a luxury sedan".

LEASE FOR $449.00/MONTH
FOR 36 MONTHS*
$4,355 CASH DUE AT SIGNING.

And the associated fine print:
"2015 Jaguar XF 2.0T Premium, 36 month lease, $4,355 due at signing includes $3,111 down, $0 security deposit, $795 acquisition fee and first month's payment, excludes retailer fees, taxes, title and registration fees. Actual rates and payments of closed-end lease may vary. Take new retail delivery from dealer stock by 6/30/15. Lessee responsible for insurance, maintenance, excess wear and excess mileage over 30,000 miles at $0.30/mile. Based on MSRP of $51,170 (includes destination and delivery) with a residual value of $30,190 as of 5/1/15. For well qualified lessees as determined by approved lender. All amounts shown are estimates, retailer sets actual amounts. Residency restrictions apply. Lessee has option to purchase vehicle at lease end at price negotiated with retailer and approved lender at signing. Termination fee may apply."

However, you get into the nicer trim levels, and an XF's base MSRP can go from $51K to $84K. And I'm sure even there, there are some stand-alone options.

My guess is the base Jaguar XF is essentially a modern day Ford Granada. It might look expensive and ritzy at first. But once you experience a little seat time in it you'd wish you had gotten a real luxury car, rather than a Maverick trying to pass off as one!

Oh, and yeah, the $84,000 Jaguar was about $1199 per month.

Anybody that leases a car like this needs to roll the $4355 in the lease payment. If you pay it, and the car gets totaled when leaving the lot, you just lost $4355.

 

[Big_Hitter]

rented a bmw 528i xdrive in Denver a few weeks ago; nice ride


Dunno if it's worth $50-60K tho. I like my turbo forester better.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Not everyone with an exotic car is the big hat no cattle type. There are plenty of people in the U.S. with the means to afford exotic cars. If they can afford it why not? You can't take it with you.

 

[kcowan]

We just had 10 friends over for dinner on our patio (3300 sq.ft. penthouse, of which 1350 is outdoors). Everybody raved about the place and the views even though they have been here before. Sometimes it is worth blowing the wad on something you will enjoy.

We enjoy our 2 homes and our travel. We travel on points but don't go cheap on accommodations. But we do go cheap on cars and shop for bargains on clothes. Our house wine is Frontera Cabernet NOB and Finca Malbec SOB. We like finer wines once in a while but not regularly. I have a Timex watch and an HP laptop (although everything else is Apple).

I know many who love their cars. A friend just left for Seattle and he drives a BMW 740 and his wife a classic Jaguar S type, but we understand each other! It does not affect our relationship.

 

[Danmar]

Sometimes it is worth blowing the wad on something you will enjoy.

We enjoy our 2 homes and our travel. We travel on points but don't go cheap on accommodations. But we do go cheap on cars and shop for bargains on clothes. Our house wine is Frontera Cabernet NOB and Finca Malbec SOB. We like finer wines once in a while but not regularly. I have a Timex watch and an HP laptop (although everything else is Apple).

I know many who love their cars. A friend just left for Seattle and he drives a BMW 740 and his wife a classic Jaguar S type, but we understand each other! It does not affect our relationship.

Exactly, that's the point. You can spend your money on whatever you want. As long as you don't spend more than you can afford, why should anyone care? Even then?
It's hard for some people to imagine that others might have a different idea of optimal spending then they do.

 

[Walt34]

Air conditioning, if you have never had it before, can really make one feel wealthy.

That's the way I felt about my then-new '85 Chevy pickup when I got that. DW-to-be liked it too since her car didn't have A/C either.

...you gotta know your priorities especially when single in the mid 20s lol

Just yesterday I heard a low rumble out on the street - looked out and there was a Corvette idling at the curb of a neighbor's. With a pizza delivery sign on the roof. Okay, it wasn't a new one but there have got to be cheaper pizza delivery vehicles to drive than that.

 

[Danmar]

Years ago was doing pretty well and started looking at new BMWs. One ostentatious, blustering relative mentioned to family how impressed he was with me, and that I must be doing very well with my business. He was never impressed before. The thought of impressing this type of person completely turned me off to the BMW. I bought a VW Jetta instead. Needless to say, he was not impressed with this. It was my first car with air conditioning though, I really loved that! Air conditioning, if you have never had it before, can really make one feel wealthy.

Interesting story, but I think it says more about your uncle than the BMW. To think that you can size up the essence of someone by the car he drives is ridiculous. I've driven beaters and I've driven BMW's, still the same old me.

 

[Andre1969]

That's the way I felt about my then-new '85 Chevy pickup when I got that. DW-to-be liked it too since her car didn't have A/C either.

Cool...my Granddad's last truck was an '85 C10 Silverado. It was downright luxurious for the time...a/c, sliding rear window, power windows, locks, upgraded interior, nice sound system (but no tape deck), cruise, tilt wheel, 15x8 Rally wheels, etc. Here's an old pic of it, when Granddad tried doing a test-fit of a truck camper we had...

This truck was supposed to replace a '76 GMC 3/4 ton crew cab, but Granddad didn't like the way the new truck handled with the camper, so he kept the '76 around a couple more years, until they finally gave up camping and started doing their vacations by way of Buick and motel room, rather than roughing it.

I still have Granddad's '85, but after all these years, it's not quite as pretty.

 

[Walt34]

Cool...my Granddad's last truck was an '85 C10 Silverado. It was downright luxurious for the time...a/c, sliding rear window, power windows, locks, upgraded interior, nice sound system (but no tape deck), cruise, tilt wheel, 15x8 Rally wheels, etc. Here's an old pic of it, when Granddad tried doing a test-fit of a truck camper we had...

Yup, that was mine, only mine was blue. I was dead set on getting A/C in it and the A/C alone was $700. But an option package that included the A/C was $400, and included the tilt wheel, power door locks, power windows and some extra interior lights. Pure luxury living where I came from. Also did have the sliding rear window that I never used. Mine did have a tape deck so that was nice. I kept that truck for 18 years until parts availability started to become an issue. So my "retirement present" was a new 2003 GMC pickup that I'll keep as long or longer.

 

[hnzw_rui]

Different strokes for sure. Several posters have espoused the view that socal is heaven. Not for me. I hope the people who live there do enjoy it so that they stay there forever.

It's not heaven but at least so far, it doesn't feel like hell. Mind, part of that is because I live just 5 miles from work. If I had to drive even 30 miles a day to work, it'll probably feel like hell. Still, SoCal traffic ain't got nothing on traffic in Manila.

 

[explanade]

My flight at LAX landed at 2:30 PM Monday afternoon.

Looked some there was some big freeway East or Southeast of LAX and I saw one side where cars weren't moving.

Would hate to see how bad rush hour is.

 

[RockyMtn]

My flight at LAX landed at 2:30 PM Monday afternoon.

Looked some there was some big freeway East or Southeast of LAX and I saw one side where cars weren't moving.

Would hate to see how bad rush hour is.

That would probably be the 405 and it is like that quite a bit of the day!

 

[NW-Bound]

I had a 3yo BMW convertible that I bought from the dealer with dealer warranty and 39 month lease. When I retired, I sold it after a year because it was not getting used much.

Four years later when we had acquired our second home, we bought a 3yo high mileage Escape (50k miles), and now, 5 years later, it has another 4000 miles added. Granted we only use it 5 months. Turning high mileage vehicles into low mileage...

My wife's 2003 SUV still has only 25K miles on its odometer. We bought it spanking new. She retired in 2006, then likes to drive another car (the toad for the RV) we have which is smaller and more maneuverable. That SUV has been sitting in the garage, hooked up to a battery maintainer. The other day, I decided to use it to make a short trip to exercise it, and a tire blew up only 5 miles from home. Tire dry rot! And that's the 2nd tire that failed that way.

So, back into the garage it went, after that tire got replaced. I definitely will replace the remaining 2 original tires before the SUV gets driven more, but do not know when the other 2 cars will croak.

My wife wanted to sell it, but I told her we would not get much for that practically still new car, so should keep it for when we need it. Here, car license fees are based on value, so a 12-year old car like it costs me peanuts each year for the plate.

 

[Mango1956]

Cool...my Granddad's last truck was an '85 C10 Silverado. It was downright luxurious for the time...a/c, sliding rear window, power windows, locks, upgraded interior, nice sound system (but no tape deck), cruise, tilt wheel, 15x8 Rally wheels, etc. Here's an old pic of it, when Granddad tried doing a test-fit of a truck camper we had...

This truck was supposed to replace a '76 GMC 3/4 ton crew cab, but Granddad didn't like the way the new truck handled with the camper, so he kept the '76 around a couple more years, until they finally gave up camping and started doing their vacations by way of Buick and motel room, rather than roughing it.

I still have Granddad's '85, but after all these years, it's not quite as pretty.

I thought this pic of my dad with his truck and camper was remarkably similar to yours! Can you or anyone tell me the year and model of the truck in my pic?

 

[REWahoo]

My wife's 2003 SUV still has only 25K miles on its odometer. We bought it spanking new. She retired in 2006, then likes to drive another car (the toad for the RV) we have which is smaller and more maneuverable. That SUV has been sitting in the garage, hooked up to a battery maintainer. The other day, I decided to use it to make a short trip to exercise it, and a tire blew up only 5 miles from home. Tire dry rot! And that's the 2nd tire that failed that way.

12 year old tires in the SW US are ripe for a blowout. Six or seven years is as far as I will push it, but we put a lot of miles on our vehicles so I usually wear them out before they age out.

 

[aja8888]

I thought this pic of my dad with his truck and camper was remarkably similar to yours! Can you or anyone tell me the year and model of the truck in my pic?

Late 70's Chevy Cheyenne 2500?

 

[38Chevy454]

I thought this pic of my dad with his truck and camper was remarkably similar to yours! Can you or anyone tell me the year and model of the truck in my pic?

Can't see enough detail to say year for sure, but that style is 73-87.

 

[NW-Bound]

12 year old tires in the SW US are ripe for a blowout. Six or seven years is as far as I will push it, but we put a lot of miles on our vehicles so I usually wear them out before they age out.

I should know that, but the car looking so new and shiny sitting in the garage for most of its life made me forget the tires were rotten. It was only when the tires blew out that I remembered that they were 13 year old!

Its big tires are expensive at near $200 a piece at Costco, and I can't afford to have them dry rot again, so will buy when I am ready to drive it more.

 

[Mango1956]

Late 70's Chevy Cheyenne 2500?

My sister might know. Thanks for this suggestion. I'll hit her up and see if it jogs her memory. We sure had fun camping as kids. I remember riding in the cabover section looking out the window and getting excited about arriving at the campground. Life was simpler then!

 

[REWahoo]

I should know that, but the car looking so new and shiny sitting in the garage for most of its life made me forget the tires were rotten. It was only when the tires blew out that I remembered that they were 13 year old!

Its big tires are expensive at near $200 a piece at Costco, and I can't afford to have them dry rot again, so will buy when I am ready to drive it more.

+1

 

[Lakewood90712]

That would probably be the 405 and it is like that quite a bit of the day!

Might be the 105 "Century" freeway. starts at lax, only goes about 20 miles inland, but seems like a Century to travel only that far during the commute. ( the one that crosses the 405 , and goes past the " Flying Saucer " courthouse building.

 

[explanade]

Speaking of tires, I need to replace mine.

Was going to order from Tirerack.com.

anyone ever order from them and have them installed at a local shop?