I buy cars that are 3-4 years old but still have a few miles left on the warranty so I can get them fixed if there is a major issue. I pay cash then drive them until they fall apart.
Yep! I'm currently driving a Ford p/u that I bought for $1000. I was going to keep it long enough to find something a little nicer but it just won't die! I finally put new tires on it because it still starts every morning.
I'm loath to get rid of it. There's a lot to be said for driving an eyesore. I never lock the doors. Nobody's going to steal it. If it gets dings and scratches, I'm not going to cry. Insurance is $35/month.
I'm in the market for something a little newer and nicer but I still plan on paying cash for it. I've gotten spoiled by not having a car payment and paying next to nothing for insurance. It is a practice I'll maintain.
Same here. I get either a 2 or 3 year old off-lease car. They're usually half of MSRP.
Instead of driving until they die, I go to about 75,000 or 80,000 miles and then trade-in and pay the difference with cash.
I will make an exception when a plug-in hybrid comes out by a major manufacturer. I will buy one of those brand new and then buy a solar panel for my roof and battery bank for storage. Then I can shove it in the faces of my faux-green co-workers who want to do stupid things like ban plastic bags at the grocery stores in order to "save the planet".