What's the most you've paid or would pay for a car?

[Pitman]

1. What is the most you have ever paid for a car?

I've only had one vehicle, my current one, I paid $12.5K. I put half down, and paid off the car in two years.


2. In current dollars, what is the most you think you would ever pay for a car?

I'm about a couple days away from purchasing a "new" used vehicle, the price I'm looking at is around $24K, but I'm negotiating the price. The car I really want is the 08 BMW M3, but I simply can't afford one right now.

[wnlbutterfly]

Cash for Clunkers

I have read different versions, all different amounts of vouchers and different requirements. One was "new" used cars, just had to met the standards they are setting.

Oddly though, the older the clunker, the less the rebate, you would think the older cars would be worse as far as emissions, but guess not.

If it is only new cars, then we won't use it either. But there will be plenty that will.

[disneysteve]

Oddly though, the older the clunker, the less the rebate, you would think the older cars would be worse as far as emissions, but guess not.

I guess they figure that the older the car, the more likely that the owner was going to replace it soon anyway and the less need to incentivize them to do so.

[Seeker]

The most we have paid for a single car is just under 30k including interest and payments over 3 years (for my now 10 year old CR-V), though DH's 2007 Civic has come pretty close to the same. But both are paid for.

With our combined 120k/year income, 30k would make D.Ramsey happy since it just reaches his 25% max limit.

I wouldn't want to go any amount over $30k in current dollars, because it is a depreciating item that the only real critria to be met for me is that when I need it, it works, and it gets me there relatively safely.

I don't expect to be replacing my auto in the next five years, but should we need to, we should be able to buy outright.

[sandrark]

The most we have paid for a single car is just under 30k including interest and payments over 3 years (for my now 10 year old CR-V), though DH's 2007 Civic has come pretty close to the same. But both are paid for.

With our combined 120k/year income, 30k would make D.Ramsey happy since it just reaches his 25% max limit.

Not entirely true. DR says that the total of ALL your motorized vehicles (cars, motorcycles, boats, jetskis, etc.) should not total more than 25% of your income.

We're outside that guideline too.

To answer the OP's questions:

What's the most you've spent on a car? That would be the $31K I paid for my 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser in 2006.

Prior to that, a Subaru Legacy wagon, which cost $18.2K in 1997.
Prior to that, a Saturn SW2 wagon, which cost $15.2K in 1993.
Prior to that, a Nissan Stanza hatchback, $3K in 1990.
First car: 1982 Chevy Chevette, which cost $1500 in 1986.

What's the most that you would pay for a car, in today's dollars? Well, I'm considering a Lexus RX350, which will run ~ $42K, so I guess that's my answer. I'm struggling with it.

Sandi

[Caoineag]

I am definitely an outlier on this one.

1. We paid $1300 December 2008 for a 96 Subaru. Before that, we received a car for free from my husbands parents. (For the longest time, my family never paid more than 3k for a car so I come by my cheapness in this area naturally).

2. Not really sure. I definitely wouldn't pay over 30k. That is just too much money that could be spent elsewhere. But I think a newish car might be nice for the next one so that we can keep it longer. We will see.

Can you tell I am not a car person?

[quizbiz]

7000 is the most because it was/is the only car i own/ed

[cschin4]

I bought a new Toyota Sienna Minivan in 2005 and paid cash about $25 K. It has leather heated seats, etc. We paid about that or a little more as well for a new O5 4Runner but financed that at the low % because I couldn't stand to write another check like that. We plan to keep these cars at least 5 more years and will not trade them in. When our kids hit college age, we plan to give them the cars and then we will go get something else.

[davrobins]

Depends on the car though, id go with about $20K