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as close as you may be to your friends, you will never truly know their full financial situation... did they inherent money? parents help out? etc... dont base your purchases on what people im "similar" life styles have...
Why do people always think they know better than you do....Pretty sure I know my friends situation considering I've known them for years at this point.
Yea, but it's not others responsibility or concern on what you do. Just answer the question on what car you like more and why or don't answer at all. Seems pretty simple to me.
You put the concept of earning x dollars out there, we didn't. Had you not done it, you would have gotten responses that were much more on point. That said, juxtaposing midsize sedans and sport sedans is inane, as you are asking people to compare cars that may either a). be well-comparable (base Audi A4 Quattro vs. Ford Fusion Titanium AWD), b). be completely incomparable (Chevy Malibu vs. Audi S4 or Toyota Camry vs. Mitsubishi Evo/Subaru WRX STI) or c). be one and the same (i.e. a BMW 340i which is both a sport sedan and a midsize sedan). If you know Venn diagrams at all, you'll understand what I'm talking about.
A nice car that sells at bargain prices is the Pontiac G8 GT. It is probably the best car ever put out under the Pontiac name. While the GXP is better (more power available manual trans), you cannot afford it. I have seen nice GTs for $18,000.
They were only available in 2009, so you are looking at a 7 year old car, but many of them were babied. Do not consider one that has been modified.
IF you want something that handles more like a sports car & doesn't break the bank look for a Mazda 6 or 3 Series.
Agree....after I bought mine used I was going to get a small ding taken out of it and the body guy said "This is a pretty sporty car!" And I replied "This is my WINTER car - I usually drive my RX8!" But yes, it is sportier and feels good to drive. It also has a LOT of space - the back seat folds down completely and you can get a lot inside.
the Avalon is the twin of the Lexus LS
the Camry is the twin of the Lexus ES
all 4 are great cars however none of them were on the OP's long list
They are all related, since they are on the same base platform, but the current ES is a cousin of the Avalon as it is larger than the Camry, whereas the previous version was on the direct Camry platform, not the stretched version used for the Avalon.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
I think next time I'll just ask what people prefer and why between cars instead of going into detail about potential salary. Buying a car is still a ways off given my current situation and I was just looking for opinions on different cars. Not what people think I need to do with my finances. If I make 40-45k a year and decide to buy an audi, hey that's on me. Given my other expenses and experience with friends who could afford it comfortably I think I'll probably be fine if I do.
Posting salary when asking for car recommendations is a good thing. You may not like what you read, but you'll be getting good advice. While your salary would make a used BMW or similar luxury/sport brand be within your price range, your income may not be able to handle the expensive repairs and auto insurance that comes with these brands. A used economy brand midsize sedan is a good choice. If set for a new car purchase, look at the compact class sedans. Today's compact class sedans have an interior size as big as midsize sedans of the late 1990s, great fuel economy, large trunk, and quality interior fit-n-finish. Some lean towards a smooth comfortable ride, some offer a fun sporty ride, and some try to strike a balance between comfort and sport. If you have your heart set on a new sport luxury car, buy a reliable cheap used car, pay it off, put the price of the payment into savings until you have enough saved to pay in full or pay more than half the cost in cash resulting in low monthly payments.
I'd say maybe a 1995 Dodge Neon Sport 4 door on that salary.
Despite what this board groupthinks, there's nothing wrong with a car payment. If you're in an area that has little to no public transportation, it's worthwhile to buy a reliable car. Oftentimes these days, new cars aren't that much more, factoring in incentives, than a similar used car.
Assuming the OP has to finance, a Mazda3 can be had for $300-$350 a month, which is perfectly reasonable on that salary. If OP bought a new one, then that should be a car that lasts a long while, has very little in the way of maintenance or repairs, and is very fun to drive. I traded in my Mazda3 for a BMW, so I can knowledgeably say that a Mazda3 is about 85% as fun and a great budget car if you car about fun handling.
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