Is it a sin for wanting to own a nice car?

[marko]

.

But if I don't get one now, I would probably never going to get one once I am retired. We only live once, is getting a nice car before retirement a really big sin?

The real sin would be depriving yourself of something you like/want and can afford.

OK so you got a company car instead but the point remains.

 

[Andre1969]

One other point, in favor of getting the nice car, is that if it's something low-slung and sporty, get it while you can still enjoy it! Eventually, as you age, your body isn't going to be quite so cooperative when you try to get in and out of it.

 

[REWahoo]

One other point, in favor of getting the nice car, is that if it's something low-slung and sporty, get it while you can still enjoy it! Eventually, as you age, your body isn't going to be quite so cooperative when you try to get in and out of it.

Comments like this always remind me of this video: New Car vs Old Man

 

[Andre1969]

Comments like this always remind me of this video: New Car vs Old Man

There was a guy at work who had C4 Corvette. I rode in it once, in the late 90's, so I would've been late 20s. Even back then, I had trouble getting in and out of it!

 

[Car-Guy]

One other point, in favor of getting the nice car, is that if it's something low-slung and sporty, get it while you can still enjoy it! Eventually, as you age, your body isn't going to be quite so cooperative when you try to get in and out of it.

Truer words have never been spoken. It's no joke, for many of us. As I have posted on this board before, several times, I drove Corvettes for many years until it got to be nearly impossible to get in and out of them. Fortunately, they started making high performance SUV's and Pickups about 7 or 8 years ago that addressed ingress/egress problems. But now those days are coming to an end. I just bought one of the "last call" (manufactures terminology) ultra high performance Pickups with the understanding this will probably be my last one. I'm going to have to make this one last for the rest of my "2nd childhood".

 

[Andre1969]

Truer words have never been spoken. It's no joke, for many of us. As I have posted on this board before, several times, I drove Corvettes for many years until it got to be nearly impossible to get in and out of them. Fortunately, they started making high performance SUV's and Pickups about 7 or 8 years ago that addressed ingress/egress problems. But now those days are coming to an end. I just bought one of the "last call" (manufactures terminology) ultra high performance Pickups with the understanding this will probably be my last one. I'm going to have to make this one last for the rest of my "2nd childhood".

Did Dodge (sorry, it's always going to be "Dodge" to me; old habits die hard) do a "Last Call" on the Ram, too? I remember the sales lady mentioning the "last call" on the 2023 Charger I bought, and showing me the little plaque under the hood.

 

[Music Lover]

One other point, in favor of getting the nice car, is that if it's something low-slung and sporty, get it while you can still enjoy it! Eventually, as you age, your body isn't going to be quite so cooperative when you try to get in and out of it.

One of the reasons I work out (among many) is that I don't want to be like my dad who needs help getting in and out of a vehicle. The only reason he needs help is because his muscles are too weak...he has no physical infirmity that would prevent strength training.

 

[Car-Guy]

Did Dodge (sorry, it's always going to be "Dodge" to me; old habits die hard) do a "Last Call" on the Ram, too? I remember the sales lady mentioning the "last call" on the 2023 Charger I bought, and showing me the little plaque under the hood.

Yep, this is the last year for the RAM TRX. I've read that production will be limited to only about 4000 units this year making them hard to get and expensive. The 2024 builds started very late and will end very soon. Sadly, the "end of an era".

 

[Andre1969]

Hmm, I thought Chrysler had discontinued the Hemi completely after 2023? But maybe that was just the more mass-market 5.7 version? I guess it could also be one of those things where they finished building out all of the 6.2 Hemis (I think there's still a 6.4 around, too?) before 2023 closed out, and then are just keeping them around to put in newer models?

IIRC, Pontiac did something like that with the 1979 Trans Am. I believe the Pontiac 400 ceased production in 1978, but they still had a few thousand high-output versions that they put in the '79 Trans Am, offered only with a stick. The vast majority of them had an Olds 403/automatic.

A similar thing happened with Chrysler. The 440 big block was scrapped after 1978, and that ended their dominance in the motorhome market. But, motorhome manufacturers tend to buy up components well in advance, and I think some Travco motorhomes still used the 440 even in 1980, possibly 1981?

Anyway, congrats on the TRX! Sounds like an awesome ride! End of an era, but what a way to go out!

 

[MarieIG]

Congrats on the new company car Mark!

 

[Car-Guy]

Hmm, I thought Chrysler had discontinued the Hemi completely after 2023? But maybe that was just the more mass-market 5.7 version? I guess it could also be one of those things where they finished building out all of the 6.2 Hemis (I think there's still a 6.4 around, too?) before 2023 closed out, and then are just keeping them around to put in newer models?

Vehicles with either the 5.7's or 6.4's (naturally aspirated) V8's are still being made, at least in 2024. RAM TRX's are still being made and built with the 6.2 SC (Hellcat) engine. I think you can still get a Durango with a 6.2 SC too. Since Stellantis has changed their minds in the eleventh hour before, it's unclear at this point what V8's (if any) will be built in 2025.

 

[Andre1969]

Both the 5.7's and 6.4's (naturally aspirated) V8's are still being made, at least in 2024. RAM TRX's are still being made and built with the 6.2 SC (Hellcat) engine. I think you can still get a Durango with a 6.2 SC too. Since Stellantis has changed their minds in the eleventh hour before, it's unclear at this point what V8's (if any) will be built in 2025.

That must have literally been a last minute decision, and perhaps the EPA is just getting caught up with it. I swear I checked their website just a couple days ago, and saw no mention of the 5.7 anywhere, although the 6.2 was still showing up in some applications. But I just went there, and now the 5.7 is suddenly all over the place again. Looks like the Durango is giving you a 5.7, 6.2, and 6.4!

Sometimes the EPA's website is late in updating things. For instance, here we are, well into the 2024 model year, and they don't have an entry for the 2024 F-150. So I wonder if they updated the Hemi statistics just within the past day or two?

I'm a bit shocked that the 2024 equivalent of my truck (RWD, 5.7) is rated 18/23. Mine was rated 14/20, and at the time had the same EPA rating as the 4.7 V8 and the old 3.7 V6. I know they use an 8-speed automatic now, whereas mine is just a 6-speed. And back then, the 3.7 and 4.7 just used a 4-speed.

When they first started using the 8-speed, EPA estimates went up a bit, to 15/21 as I recall. But it almost seems like some kind of miracle (or creative writing) that the current model has a city rating roughly 28% better than mine.

 

[Car-Guy]

That must have literally been a last minute decision

I think the auto strikes late last year probably affected their decisions. Also seems they "may be" slowing down on their EV rollouts which plays into their plans.

I'm a bit shocked that the 2024 equivalent of my truck (RWD, 5.7) is rated 18/23. Mine was rated 14/20, and at the time had the same EPA rating as the 4.7 V8 and the old 3.7 V6. I know they use an 8-speed automatic now, whereas mine is just a 6-speed. And back then, the 3.7 and 4.7 just used a 4-speed.

When they first started using the 8-speed, EPA estimates went up a bit, to 15/21 as I recall. But it almost seems like some kind of miracle (or creative writing) that the current model has a city rating roughly 28% better than mine.

I had a 2023 RAM 4x4 5.7 etorque with a 8 speed and a 3.55 third member that was was getting almost 20mpg on the highway. So 20 mpg in a big truck with a V8 is possible. OTOH, using premium gas, the TRX gets ~13mpg on the highway, if you can keep it under 75mph. Combine a little city driving and that quickly drops to 11. A few fast starts or high speed runs will drop it to ~10.

 

[troutnut1]

Not a sin but maybe a magnet for problems you don’t want from people who will consider you rich and greedy and a great target. Nobody is following me around to rob me in my 2002 Subaru Outback. I’m stealth wealth. But if you think it will bring you joy…