Pickups the new Luxury Car?

[ultrarunner]

A lot of the same reasons why I like my year model 2002 BMW 325iT for trips... being a wagon I have carried 8' pressure treated posts, Christmas Trees, concrete sacks, bundles of shingles, etc.

I can drive 12 hours from the SF Bay Area to Washington stopping only for gas... very comfortable, memory seats, tilt rearview mirrors... etc.

Of course when I do carry these things it is a two seater as the back seat is folded and towing... well forget about that.

Also 31 mpg on long trips is also nice.

Crew Cab could be the big crossover break that boosted the luxury segment?

30 years ago when working overseas... all the trucks I saw were crew cabs... often wondered why they almost didn't exist here.

 

[Garandman]

Pickup trucks have long been the "next luxury car" in my neck of the woods. Even the girls are now buying PU trucks rather than cars and everyone wants full luxury items on them. When you can get 4 doors in a truck (5-6 passengers) and still have a 5.5' bed for hauling, a car seems awfully foolish to own. //

OTOH a beam rear axle vehicle too long to fit in a standard parking space with an uncovered bed too short to carry most motorcycles seems awfully foolish to me! When a friend of mine makes a turn he says "Prepare to come about!"

My shortest bike is 81" long.

 

[Garandman]

This has been an interesting discussion of the pros and cons of leasing versus buying vehicles. Isn't it a bit similar to renting an apartment versus buying a house? Renters build no equity, can't deduct interest on their income tax return, etc. but they also have no repairs and maintenance costs. //

For business purposes leasing may be financially advantageous. The lease payment is an expense: you don't have to capitalize the purchase and depreciate it. So in some cases you can reduce your tax liability more by leasing than buying.

Some leases are subsidized by the manufacturer with low implied interest rates or inflated residual values that make the monthly payments lower than they might otherwise be. But for personal use, leasing is to my mind still "The best way to drive a vehicle you can't afford."

 

[Bird]

Of course, can't beat auto-dimming mirrors, heated seats, cooled seats, 10-way (I think) adjustable seats, and dual climate control.

I'll have to admit that the first time I heard of heated seats, I thought that was ridiculous and would probably never be used. But now, we have'em. I've still never used one, but my wife sure does.

 

[aeblank]

I'll have to admit that the first time I heard of heated seats, I thought that was ridiculous and would probably never be used. But now, we have'em. I've still never used one, but my wife sure does.

I mocked dual climate control for YEARS. Then I got a wife. It is a vehicular requirement now.
First world problems, but it's still a requirement.

 

[ultrarunner]

I mocked dual climate control for YEARS. Then I got a wife. It is a vehicular requirement now.
First world problems, but it's still a requirement.

You got that right... I think dual climate control has saved many a marriage!

 

[Zerk]

e. If you buy a $50,000 vehicle it's worth $25,000 the moment you drive it off the lot. And, from there on out you are trying to get out from underwater. If you are like most people that keep their vehicles for 3-5 years, then you really don't ever have any equity in the vehicle and for the most part have negative equity. g.

How long of loans are you taking on a vehicle? I would expect 4-5 years. At 5 years you should have 100% equity. If you are taking longer, you have to ask yourself if you are financing more then you an afford. Which in general why people lease.

If the vehicles is paid off at 5 years, that mean you have to be developing equity a long time before that.

I have built spreadsheets that show how much I owe every after payment. I am a numbers guy, but people aren't.

Poor people ask how much the payment will be. It is a poor people mentality.

 

[Zerk]

For business purposes leasing may be financially advantageous. The lease payment is an expense: you don't have to capitalize the purchase and depreciate it. So in some cases you can reduce your tax liability more by leasing than buying.

Some leases are subsidized by the manufacturer with low implied interest rates or inflated residual values that make the monthly payments lower than they might otherwise be. But for personal use, leasing is to my mind still "The best way to drive a vehicle you can't afford."

I googled lease or buy business, last night. You should too.

 

[esloser]

I'm certainly not poor. And, leasing makes sense to me. I'm actually very well educated, but you have it all figured out.

 

[Zerk]

but you have it all figured out.

I read a lot.

As I posted earlier, the only place I could find that said it may work out is on high end cars like BMWs

I am not buying cars I can't afford. Which is why people do leases. Like rent to own appliances store. You can own these knives for 3 payments of 19.95, but you have to call now.