mountainsoft
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Cost is a big reason for us. While we have enough income to retire early and live comfortably, throwing $15K, 20K, or more on a vehicle that's just transportation doesn't make sense. Could we afford a pricier vehicle, yeah, probably. But why stretch our finances more than we need to. I would rather spend less on a vehicle and use that money on memorable experiences.Why not pay a little more than you might want to in order to get the latest and greatest safety technology that can only be found in new(ish) cars?
As for the latest and greatest, sure, newer cars are going to have more bells and whistles. But a 10 year old car was latest and greatest when it was released. I don't need the latest iPhone to get by (no iphone at all for that matter). Same with a car. If it gets me from point A to point B reliably, with decent fuel economy, can carry what we need to, and is decently safe, that's all I ask.