Some of the tech in newer cars is just downright impressive.
* Toyota's hybrids can achieve close to 40 miles per gallon on an SUV while achieving 200+ horse power and completely eliminates all timing belts and chains. No more digging into the engine bay to replace those. Just fluid replacements and inspections of the electrical connectors.
* Anti lock brakes are way better today then systems from the late 90's. A 1990's car I could brake more effectively then ABS could no problem. Mid 2010's cars and onwards? No contest, ABS just beats me consistently. The controller can release brake pressure from a single wheel loosing traction while the others maintain maximum braking force, something impossible to do with just the brake pedal. It's also what makes modern traction control so good; a 6 year old can correct a minor loss of traction in milliseconds, long before the driver even realizes there's a problem.
* Seatbelt pretensioners are now tied into the car's communication network, meaning in the event of a crash they can take up slack far more quickly and reduce whiplash injury.
* Assuming that the headlamps are properly sealed, LED lights should never need replacing.
* Reversing cameras with guidelines tied to the steering wheel angle is just pure cheating when parking in tight locations with a large car.
* Adaptive headlights
* Having a keyfob is super convenient. Not having to dig your keys out of your pocket to start the car is nice; not essential but I'd rather have it then not, even with the risks involved.
And purchasing a newer car typically means reduced chance of abuse from a previous owner. Is it really that surprising that there's people that don't want to put the kind of effort needed to dig into and repair an older car?
> Is it really that surprising that there's people that don't want to put the kind of effort needed to dig into and repair an older car?
This is weird to read having grown up in a family that has never once bought a car new. My parents don't know a damn thing about cars and it's never been a noticeable issue. Buy the car with 40-60k and drive it to 200k, repeat. They're usually not American cars but there were some Ford trucks in there.
Timeframe does matter: if you bought Japanese cars in the 1970-80s your experience on what you needed maintenance-wise was night and day different from American cars. My family in Southern California bought things like Honda Civics which made it to 200k with basically only routine maintenance; we had friends with GMs who had a hobby keeping them working and never kept them as long.
Lot of it is luck of the draw, the odds of which are influenced by environment. My own data point is with used motorcycles but all of them have had varying degrees of issues that grounded them for some period of time until I could fix the underlying issue. But many people I know have stories about older cars breaking down and leaving them stranded on the side of the road.
I don't doubt at all that there's good used cars out there. But for a lot of folks, it's worth the extra money for the peace of mind comes with a new off showroom floor new car with a completely known history with a manufacturer backed warranty that includes roadside assistance.
I know this is going to sound stupid but I bought my Subaru at 200k kilometers. Thing is, everything that breaks in these cars was recently replaced. All the other repairs are usually below $100. What would those 200k even matter? Even more that it was so cheap I could buy a new one whenever I want.
I know very little about our old car and cars in general. When there is a issue I just call my Subaru guy and so far $150 or less fixed every issue we had.
However those things sure sound impressive, but it doesn't sound it's worth a $50k price tag and the most impressive point only applies to one brand. Also reverse cam, magic keys, LED front lights are all cheap upgrades I can easily do myself.
I want adaptive cruise control, reversing camera, android auto, but I'd never buy a new car or use credit to buy a car so maybe I'm just a bit less weird than you.
Camera and proper radio is a $100-$300 upgrade for any car tho. At least with those older cars where you can still DIY and use standard radios instead of the original.
That's a very generalized statement. We leased a brand new fiat panda before and now have a 20 year old Subaru. Ive seen videos of both crashing and there is nothing better about the fiat.
2. Realize a 25 year old car does all that
3. Just pay the few thousand in cash
I may be weird but I don't get why anyone would make dept just buy a fancy car they can't afford?