Why do we spend thousands on a car?

Question

When driving these days is so annoying, and frustrating.

Answer 1

Cars are more of a Status Symbol now.

Also as a nation we enjoy being ripped off when we purchase anything by paying way too much tax and fuel duty.

Answer 2

Why an expensive car? David F said it well. For men: ego. For women: safety.

Why drive at all? Because people don't want to keep their commitments, they want to be capricious. And transit works best when you think ahead. Ah, thinking. There's another problem.

Look, I've lived both ways. After hopping in your car and being at your destination in 20 minutes it's a really hard adjustment to have to THINK to leave the house a full hour EARLIER so you have time to take transit. Then go down to the bus stop, wait 4 minutes for a bus, change at the train station and wait another 3 for the train, then 10 minutes walking at the other end.

That and, the way people pay for cars is so sneaky. "299 a month!" Yeah right, you know the drill... then insurance (yowch), gasoline... it seems cheap but they nickel and dime you to death. By the time it's done, AAA says you spend $6000-9000 per year on a car. As compared to a San Francisco transit fast pass, $45/month, $540/year.

Consider something which would ACTUALLY give you style, like pay an interior designer $1000 to recommend $3000 worth of furniture... or a wardrobe consultant $500 to pick out $2000 worth of clothing... nobody would ever do that because of the scary lump-sum costs. But spend many times that on a car? No prob.

Answer 3

Probably because of 60 years of incompetent urban planning and the oil industry telling politicians what to do we are now in a position where it is difficult (but not impossible) to live without a car. One could say that in our car-centric society the motor car is like a dangerous drug. It costs us more than we can afford; we become dependent on it; and it kills people.

It is possible to live without a car, but, like any other addiction you must want to do so first. After redundancy our family sold our car and relied and walking, cycling, and public transport for most of our transport needs. And when we have to, we hire a car. As a result, we live on my wife's small salary and there's money left at the end of the month.

Car ownership encourages people to work a long way from home, shop in out-of-town malls, it destroys communities, has bankrupted a nation of small businesses, turned rural villages into daytime ghost towns, and night-time dormitories. It's caused the obesity epidemic and its attendant physical problems - heart disease, diabetes. Today's children, because they don't take enough exercise are said to be likely to have shorter life spans than their parents.

Peak Oil might reverse this trend - who knows. What is certain is that we will have to make some hard decisions - and soon. We have to do it ourselves because it's obvious that we can't rely on the the politicians and town planners - they have their own agenda. Continuing to drive ourselves to extinction is not an option.

Answer 4

because i like to have a fun, go fast truck. But then again, I'll buy used cause the new prices of vehicles is simply outrageous. People just have to keep up with the jones's thats all. Hell my parents finally bought their newest vehicle, a truck for my dad and its a 2000 vehicle. Every other car they had was from the 80's. Not that they couldn't afford to, just didn't want to spend the money on a new car when they have one that works.

Answer 5

Hey Paul, with a car I get to work in 30 minutes.
On my Bicycle I get to work in 24 minutes flat!
Oh but I live in a majorly dense area.
And are you stating the more you spend on a car the faster you can get to work?

To answer the real question.
Most people are mislead into thinking that spending loads of money on a car is what they need to do to be safe, cool, powerful, etc.
I drive my truck, had it for eons, one day I'll get another one, till then, long live a quiet house, fast boat, slow flying paraglider, home theatre, Sushi for lunch every day. :)

Answer 6

Even more perplexing, why do some people spend thousands of pounds on a new car and then leave it parked on the roadside outside their house in all weathers? If they hadn't got off-street parking, wouldn't it be much better buying an old banger as I did?

Answer 7

For men it tends to act as a penis extension........
Not sure why women buy cars then - though many women have a phobia that if they travel alone on public transport they are going to be molested or raped. Which is a bit rich as all the sex maniacs are behind the wheels of shiny (and very large) cars!

Answer 8

Because if you want a car that is reliable, good and will last, you have to pay thousands! That is what they cost! No good spending £500 on an old banger as it won't last that long.

Answer 9

to get us to places such as work so we can make the car payments and all the other bills. IPeople are lazy and want transportation available to them at all time. Not public transportation or foot patrol. I love to walk but the closest store to me is about 20 miles and there is no public transportation near me. I basically need a car

Answer 10

Here in Thailand you will often see a Family of ten living in a grotty shack. But outside there will be a sparkling new Jap Pick-up Truck that cost a small fortune. They could have bought a nice house with the money!!!!