[Troll] Better question. Who has a 4G TL that's paid for? [/Troll]

 

i am 43 today, been driving a tl for the last 7 years....

if i was in my 20's i would be driving something with 2 doors....

 

Agreed. I originally wanted to get a 2011 Honda Accord Coupe. But this girl I've been friends been for the past few years doesn't like 2-door cars (she has this thing about the safety of the back passengers in the event of an accident). So I put that into account when I was deciding on what to buy. I'm glad I bought the TL though! (and yes I like her)

 

Luckily I left college debt free and can afford to mod my car by ignoring my wife's "let's go to Europe, grand canyon, Dominican Republic", etc nags haha.

 

Ha! That is a good question - I'm close due to a great trade-in, only had to finance 18K, paying extra each month trying to get it done in under 2 years - the .9% financing when I bought it was a great deal

 

Heh - that is always a great question. I always tell people to not assume someone has a lot of money because they drive a nice car. Often the case is that they don't have a lot of money (or they spend a lot of it).






<------ My age - and I paid off my car last year - been nice not having a car payment - first time since I had my 1st car @ 16.

 

That's an unfair question also. I can pay cash for a Bentley, but it would have a ramification. A lot of people lease or finance for various reasons that belie their net worth. A lease or finance rate under 2% is attractive,the bank is almost giving me money. It just doesn't pay to layout cash with low interest rates.

 

Suze Orman would be very proud of those of us who have paid of our cars!

 

Im 36 this month and got 1.9% financing from acura for 60 months. Even tho I wont be saving much - i still hope to be able to pay more each month then the minimum payment.

 

Great question!

I'm 29 and could pay off my 2010 SH-AWD today but being a responsible homeowner means keeping extra cash on hand. Plus those pesky student loans get the extra money.

I'm surprised that the age range of TL owners is so broad!

 

I'm paying for the car myself and I'm 23. I owe my parents money for school, approximately 100k and I pay $700 a month to help. I still live at home and I'm not in a hurry to move out. I got a job before I graduated and was working fsince August 2011. I saved up a sizable amount from August to March in 8 months $(15k) and paid off half of my $28k 09 tl sh-
awd. I make enough to pay it off fully before end of this year.

I have a girlfriend as well so you all know what that means! After getting the car, I feel very out of place. I seldom see early 20's driving a somewhat pricey family sports sedan. Should have put my money into an index fund or purchased a cheaper car. Such as tsx or something <15k that I was hoping for

 

I'm 37. Married with two kids. Since our other car is a minivan (Odyssey of course), this is our fun car, while still being practical enough to tote the family around every now and then.

 

My family runs a wedding video/ Photography company. I am a DJ. I take out money for school and car payments every month from the DJ income. the rest goes to my parents. I cuurently owe >10k on my car.

If youre curious http://www.facebook.com/DJTanveerSF

 

That's the very I took financing on my car.

 

street pharmacist here..

 

 

Seriously??

 

how else do you think i paid for the car at my age? you think i work? well technically i do "work" but its like 10 mins of work everytime and i take breaks whenever i want.

 

I didn't know you can make THAT much. I know someone who paid for a Honda accord coupe v6. From being a street pharmacist. How can I apply :/

 

I have a 25 year old coworker who went from a 2008 BMW 328xi (or is it ix) to a 2012 Audi A4 with an S-Line package...

dude went to respiratory therapy school straight outta high school and lives with his parents (he's Indian).

dude is doing it the right way!! maybe I shouldn't have left home so quickly....LOL

 

living with his parents really....

48 Her 2010 SHAWD MN6 is paid off

 

LMAO! If only I lived closer to you

Though I must say, posting on an internet forum that you make your dough by dealing isn't the smartest thing to do

 

39 - Second TL. My 2012 SH-AWD Tech TL was purchased May of 2011. Love my car. My first was a 2005.

 

dealing what??

 

Cards, of course...

 

im 22 years old, and just purchased a 2012 tl tech package.

 

Paid mine with cash back in 2009, new off the lot. If I had do it over again, I would have waited and bought a CPO vehicle.

 

True, I can see where you are coming from. But in general paying cash for a vehicle MIGHT suggest one is savvy enough and not willing to shoot themselves in the foot to drive a depreciating asset.

Many cases my friends with their own businesses lease vehicles through their corporation, which IMHO is the way to go if you can do it due to spending pretax income.

Then their are cases where those making $15-20/hr, working 6 days a week, and are financing $40k+ vehicles. Without knowing their situation, probably not a good way to go about it. IMHO.

 

Funny, I'm wishing I bought new and not a CPO

 

Thanks to all for your input and I am happy that as a newcomer to the forum, I could help contribute a question that would generate some fun discourse. It looks like we have branched off into a number of intriguing discussion topics.

Well, I will update you on my friendly debate with my wife. She wins! Actually, for fear of my food tasting a little funny, I have allowed her to think she won!

I am glad to see the wide range of ages that enjoy the same car I do. I’m sure as I continue to engage in this forum, I will learn something from each one of you! That’s what life is about, right?

I am also pleasantly surprised and proud of our younger members that have been able to make a purchase at this price point. Like many others here, no way I would have been able to afford a purchase of this level in my 20’s. Bravo to you!

To answer some of the other questions posted as part of this thread, no I did not pay cash for my car. But, at .9% interest rate, I have taken the money and locked it up in my investment portfolio at a higher return. I do not believe I am a savvy investor, and it shows because I do not lease vs. buying or buying new vs. a pre-owned depreciating asset. It’s a personal weakness I have about owning a brand new consumable object that I enjoy as part of my life. Reinvesting the money helps me reduce the sting of the depreciation we all feel with car ownership.

I feel I am one of the fortunate ones who can afford to drive most anything I would like, but value having the house and pool paid for, my 11 year old’s college already paid for, and a nice nest egg that if the government can keep their hands off, will allow me to be the retired 50 something man driving the big RV cross-country pulling an Acura something from behind!

Thanks for the warm welcome to the forum and I look forward to contributing when time allows.

Dan

 

I'm in the "bought a CPO and loving it" group. I got a car with 9k miles for about $8-9k less than it was brand new. Plus, the warranty is actually longer than it would've been brand new (mileage wise) since it had 12k additional, and I will definitely reach the mileage limit before the date.

I also got 3% financing through my credit union so my rates not much more than it would've been had I bought brand new.

 

that 2% financing comes with full coverage insurance payments.

Liability only vs full coverage, calculate that into your effective apr. ;p

 

Don't know what you are saying. Lease, finance or pay cash outright, my insurance is basically the same. Due to business reasons I leased, but I could have financed for 1.9% or .9%.

I can't remember the m/f for the lease but I got a screaming deal, when I worked out the numbers.

 

with lease and finance, the finance companies require full coverage insurance for the car to cover their collateral on the loan.

If you have title, you can insure just for liability, saving money.

 

32 yrs after owning my initial Honda Accord for for 10 years.

 

On a corollary note, the 2012 Lexus GS was meant to target the 45-55 age bracket, but I have a buddy who purchased one, not leased.

I think you need to consider the audience since most of the folk on this board either LOVE cars and are willing to sacrifice for it, or given the type of car, come from well to do backgrounds in my opinion.

 

Just turned 20 a couple of months ago.

 

Why would you run the risk of only having liability coverage on a 40k car? Actually forget the car's value but why would you only have the state requirement? I'm only 25 and see the need for 100/300.

Even if you live in the sticks there's always trees falling, deer crossing streets, bird bath size potholes, etc that can all cause you to get a very expensive accident repair bill. Or god forbid you seriously hurt/kill someone, they might go after you personally regardless, but with the [/I]right[/I] coverage your bank pennies/house will be protected. Or even worse someone hits you with no insurance...

 

Oh like that. With car insurance I don't save money, I have high coverage and low deductibles.

 

If you can afford to self insure, you should. I never argued anywhere for low limits on liability.