Observing something in real life that's been mentioned in the news...

[Rickrock]

I'm a little surprised at the car payments noted, but I do see a lot of BMW's and Mercedes and other high priced cars driving around. I wonder how people afford them. Although I would like a luxury car there is no way I could afford one.

 

[Dargelos]

Remember the seminal record Rappers Delight?
"Cause I'm gonna get a fly girl, gonna get some spank
And drive off in a def OJ"
Ever wonder what OJ means?
It was the name of the car hire service that the rappers used. Living in Queens and the Bronx, they wanted to be seen in classy cars but could not own one because there was nowhere to park and if you did find a parking space the car would soon be stolen. OJ had the smartest cars with the coolest drivers who, unlike taxi drivers, didn't mind you taking your drugs on the back seat.
That is what we need today, a nice car for the odd days when we really need one, without the expense of keeping it for the rest of the time when the bus will do. But the price has to be right. OJ could keep their rental rate low because the cars were in use 24 hours of the day.

 

[rareboy]

And drive off in a def OJ - Google Suche

It really means nothing...unless it referred to the Ford Bronco that Simpson rode around in evading the police after killing his wife.

 

[Dargelos]

The assumption that it has something to do with OJ Simpson is widely held but without substance.
This is the story; https://shop.rockthebells.com/blogs/articles/oj-car-service-hip-hop

 

[Dominus]

It is getting insane. The high car payments are getting ridiculous.

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

I grew up in a household back in the 60's where 'Household Finance' was the predatory lender of choice.

When my Dad didn't get paid by people who had him do carpentry work...and wouldn't take them to court for payment... and my parents were trying to pay off the debts against having built a house...there was HFC...ready to 'consolidate' bills into one monthly payment extended over another 10 year period.

We sure as hell never lived beyond our means when it came to cars and other purchases, but I always resented my mother smoking and my father drinking in the pub with his buds....for all the things that we did without.

So from the outset of my own adulthood, I have been frugal and have only contracted constructive debt.

Cars for me are not that. When I see other roll up for meetings in their leased Mercs and Beamers and all the guys in their small penis vehicles....while ours has been dented by others in parking lots and we don't even bother to get body work done...I know that we owe nothing on it, but treat it like a baby with preventive maintenance to get as many years as possible.

There was a period where we turned our vehicle over every year...but once we found the one we loved...like our first Honda...we were determined to drive it until it was done and done.

The forever vehicle being a Honda was an M Knight Shamalayan plot twist.

 

[rareboy]

^ We still drive a 12 year old Honda Pilot...best vehicle we've ever had and everyone with the same general vintage of Pilot agrees that it is worth anything to hang onto them.
Dread having to get a new vehicle.

 

[Alistair]

Dread having to get a new vehicle.

I’ve been looking at a new Ford Bronco. Base model 2 door. Sorry, but I’m not going to have a car payment that’s higher than my house payment and used cars are way overpriced right now.

 

[Dargelos]

Twelve years is nearly new for us, we got twenty three years out of our previous Astra. Your Pilot has plenty of life left in her.

 

[rareboy]

Twelve years is nearly new for us, we got twenty three years out of our previous Astra. Your Pilot has plenty of life left in her.

Unfortunately the amount of Kms we drive and our winters are terribly hard on the old girl.

But I would be fine with another 8 or 9 years.

I suspect we will just lease the next time if we start driving much less than we have.

 

[Alistair]

Unfortunately the amount of Kms we drive and our winters are terribly hard on the old girl.

But I would be fine with another 8 or 9 years.

I suspect we will just lease the next time if we start driving much less than we have.

You should drive in miles instead of kilometers. You get better mileage out of a mile. You have to travel 1.609 kms to go the same distance as a mile.