docboy

Dug about this old thread while googling. I find it interesting, as the psychology behind some of target car consumer can be scary accurate for some, yet dead wrong on others...

Do you fit the 4G TL profile?

Guess I'm on the younger side; I'm 33, household income over $200k. "quality, reliability, durability, competitive pricing, Self-guided, discriminating and technically savvy" are fairly accurate descriptions of my tastes. Guess that's why I haven't owned a BMW or Audi...yet

dave_ramkumar

iTrader: (5)

if i was making 150k a yr i would have a porche gt2 in my drive way

4G Express

lmao

ladiesman217

you are a joker mr. dave ramkumar

neuronbob

Oh, crap, I fit the profile by age and income!

I am unlikely to stretch financially to buy a car, current V notwithstanding, and I prefer my money working for me instead of in a car payment (again, current V notwithstanding, was a once-in-a lifetime opportunity).

Pete2010

:lmao:
At 186k MSRP, i'd think you'd need much more than that!

Hapa DC5

Weren't you going to get a Maserati? https://acurazine.com/forums/money-investing-17/what-should-i-do-756050/

George Knighton

IMHO that gets into the silly zone. It's hard to conceive of paying that much for an automobile, even if I felt that I could afford it.

pokin

"...these customers also feel that prestige is determined more by life experiences than by pure wealth. In other words, experiencing life, rather than just accumulating possessions, is a powerful driver. For this reason they are interested in vehicles that help them enjoy driving to the fullest...."

I fit... not... maybe. Could someone really smart please explain what the statement above means?

BigBunks

Im 21 and not pulling in anywhere near 150k per year haha. but if i was id have a new X5 in the driveway!

docboy

IMHO and my interpretation:

Someone who is not self conscious of name/badge and knows that a good time/good buy is not dictated by socially perceived prestige.

In other words, why buy a $2000 Louis Vutton bag when a $40 Nike bag will serve its purpose

chaiwala

I guess I should be driving a civic. What do all of you guys do for a living? I am a race car mechanic and own my own garage. People who make over $150K, can I do it without college education?

DeathMetal

iTrader: (2)

My wife and I make just about $150K, and in my part of Jersey, doesn't really mean jack sh*t. :wtc: Income means nothing, it's all relative to the cost of living expenses.

George Knighton

LOL.... When you think of it, shouldn't we all?

Kingmeow

Ain't that the truth! In Northern NJ, real estate taxes are typically 3% of the value of the house. So for a $500k house, which is nothing in NJ, you're paying $15k to the town EVERY year! So a $150k household income means "jack sh*t" as DeathMetal said above. You won't be starving but you won't be styling either.

chaiwala, yes you can make $150 w/o going to college. It's a bit more challenging to do it but it's doable.

chaiwala

Yup, cars are an expensive addiction to many and I am no exception. I should be like Conan O'brien and have all the money and still drive a 1993 or whatever Ford Taurus SHO

Litt

I think the acura offers considerably better "value" then bmw, audi, and MB. So are we value shoppers?
I am only 28 and making over $130k. But with two kids and two auto leases, mortgage, and savings, it is suprising how fast it goes.

KES

My personal philosophy is to buy a car for cash and drive it for 8-10 years and not to finance something that depreciates as soon as you drive it off the lot. If you have to finance then don't overbuy. I think you spend your money a lot wiser when you actually write the check versus signing a loan document.

Hapa DC5

It's a good philosophy, but very very hard to follow. I have about 20 payments left on my TL and it's all mine. I got the urge about 3 times to trade it for a MS3, G8 GXP or G35 6MT.

Lately, the only urge I have to get rid of this car payment and start paying myself back. Having just got the Fit, I can't wait to pay this one off as well.

I'm getting sick of working for the banks (in more ways then one).

TheSteel

I am considerably younger than the demographic. While my original look at the 4g styling severely turned me off, they've slowly grown on me.

I just don't think I'll ever be able to accept the lack of performance.

docboy

+1

My philosophy now is that if I have to finance the car with a loan, then I can't afford it. Cash only or no car.

docboy

IMHO, the 2010 TL 6MT has serious numbers to boot.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...take_road_test

Preliminary numbers puts it on par with 335xi, G37, IS, etc... 0-60 at 5.2 sec, 0-100 13.5 sec.... Factor in AWD for curves, twisties, and rain/sleet/snow, and you got a top performer. Unless you are comparing the TL to say a GT-R

Kingmeow

Absolutely! This is my third car and all were bought in this fashion. '88 Acura Integra - 9 years, 145k miles. '97 Nissan Max - 12 years, 270k miles. Now '09 TL SH-AWD. Think I can get the TL to 300k miles???

Pete2010

I normally don't like paying out 40k in cash for a car when interest rates are still so low, I can put that money to work elsewhere and make more than that. So what I traditionally do is pay partial cash and finance the rest. Unless of course I can get 0% financing... that's free money!

But, everyone is different, and the key thing is to only buy what you can afford.

_Helios_

I just don't know.. I mean a new Acura is a much better ride than an old Volvo in countless ways. Not a little better, muuuuuuch better. I have to feel bad for someone who, for whatever reasons, can't allow themselves to indulge a little.

George Knighton

Well. I think it's one thing if you only have to drive a couple of miles to the grocery store twice per week.

It's another issue if, like me, you are driving 120 miles/day and don't have much way out of it.

I'm going to drive a car I can live with, one that has interesting features, NAV, a good sound system, and good performance...and a car that'll get me home if I get caught out in a blizzard. Getting caught in heavy snowfall has already happened to me twice in the 2010 TL 6-6, and I am impressed!

Litt

I lease because as a business owner there are huge tax benefits to leasing. Besides, I can't imagine keeping any car for more then 4 years. Before my current lease is up, I am sure I will by itching to get something faster or with more features.

_Helios_

Back when cars were just cars I could see keeping one for ten years, and I was happy with a Honda that was more than ten years old. But new improvements in gas mileage and creature comforts are happening so rapidly that an older car feels like much more of a worn glove than it used to. Sometime I see an older Acura going by and think about what good cars they still are, but then I remember the long list of features they don't have that I've come to love such as XM, in-dash nav, backup camera, mp3 integration, steering wheel mounted controls, TPMS, and so on.

KES

All true. But if you finance $35K for your new car over 5 years at 2.9% your monthly payments are $625. The guy driving the older Acura after higher repair costs (say $200 a month) is keeping $400 a month in his pocket. High price for mostly technology items. Many of the older cars actually get better mileage due to smaller engines and less horsepower no AWD etc.

HOWEVER - the new car investment from a safety perspective may be worth the $400 a month premium as the new Acuras are far safer with all the new safety bells and whistles.

Charles50

I have a friend that bought a 09 TL AWD and he is in his late 50's and he is a city bus driver and I have no idea what his income is. To make a long story short I am going to buy 1 in the next couple of mo's as my lease will be up on my BMW530i and I am 60 years old.

Kingmeow

Way to go!

HiroY

Everything is definitely relative when it comes to finances, personal situations, personal priorities and whatnot... Being in a DINK situation (Double Income No Kids), I just pretend that I have a child about to enter $40K worth of schooling/tuition...and her name is TracyLynn

Momyc

I'm almost the on "target" , 40-ish , professional , household income with my wife about 150k together , reasenoble mortgage , 2 ados college and university. In Quebec , at least university is cheap..