# Calculating True Cost of a car **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [September 29, 2025, 1:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162 "2025-09-29T13:10:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2025, 4:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/61 "2025-10-04T16:28:18Z")
This kind of deviates from the original topic here, but my opinion is that there’s got to be more to it than dollars and cents: > [@johnlump\_191311](#): > > If you buy a one year old car for 20% less that’s a real out of pocket savings Sure, you gain something but what do you lose? The ability to order the color and options you want? The feeling, the smell, the knowledge that no one has owned this car before? The pride of buying a brand new car that’s just yours, instead of buying something someone else has had before you? These things are important to some people, not to others. If I go out to dinner I can get the pork chops for 16.95 or the prime rib for 22.95. Which is the better value? ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2025, 4:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/62 "2025-10-04T16:52:40Z")
J Lump bought a Mini Cooper . Not what I would call a well thought out purchase for someone who claims to be frugal . Poor resale - higher service and repair costs than many brands - Not really a great future for the US market. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2025, 6:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/63 "2025-10-04T18:44:59Z")
No one is wrong doing what is important to them. I have no problem paying 20% more to have a car that didn’t have a year of someone else’s smelly rear end sutting in it. But that’s me. I hired a girl a couple years out of school. She finally was in the location she wanted and a decent income. One day she came in and said she was thinking about buying a new car and what did I think. I told her do it. She earned it. Everyone should have at least one brand new car. Afte4 that buy used or whatever, just have that one brand new car. Nothing like it. She did it and has had a long happy Career. Just do what you want but don’t push austerity on someone because that’s what turns you on. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2025, 9:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/64 "2025-10-04T21:08:02Z")
Blue jeans , underwear, and suits are cheaper at a thrift store, fully depreciated. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2025, 9:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/65 "2025-10-04T21:13:47Z")
Ugh. I bought a package of underwear. Don’t recall but first some reason I didn’t like them after opening the package. I thought about sending them to goodwill but thought no one would want brand new but never used underwear and threw them in the garbage.. maybe I was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 12:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/66 "2025-10-05T00:45:50Z")
> [@johnlump\_191311](#): > > A car depreciates very fast in its first year. So buy it after the first year and save 20% every time. The difference between trade-in value, private sale and retail sale clouds the topic. A retailer will want to profit $3,000 to $5,000 on a late model used vehicle, 20% below the price of new will be unlikely for common, high demand used vehicles. Better chance with private sale or fleet. > [@VOLVO-V70](#): > > J Lump bought a Mini Cooper . > [@VOLVO-V70](#): > > Poor resale Isn’t that the appeal of buying used? Do you want to pay more? > [@VOLVO-V70](#): > > Not really a great future for the US market. He didn’t buy the dealership, only a used car. Mini Cooper is recommended by Consumer Reports. > [@bing](#): > > Afte4 that buy used or whatever, just have that one brand new car. Nothing like it. She did it and has had a long happy Career. Her success was result of buying a new car? ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 1:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/67 "2025-10-05T13:11:10Z")
> [@bing](#): > > I hired a girl a couple years out of school. She finally was in the location she wanted and a decent income. One day she came in and said she was thinking about buying a new car and what did I think. I told her do it. She earned it. Everyone should have at least one brand new car. Afte4 that buy used or whatever, just have that one brand new car. Nothing like it. She did it and has had a long happy Career. > > Just do what you want but don’t push austerity on someone because that’s what turns you on. Agreed. Often there are two windows of opportunity for extravagance. When you’re young and have time to recover if things go south and then again when you’re much older and have accumulated enough to not have to worry. In the middle, it’s often a struggle raising a family and so on. It’s refreshing when a younger person has the maturity to rationally consider an expense like this and the consequences. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 1:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/68 "2025-10-05T13:28:49Z")
> [@bing](#): > > Just do what you want but don’t push austerity on someone because that’s what turns you on. +1 One of my undergraduate classmates recently died, following a lifetime of self-imposed (and unnecessary) fiscal austerity. In fact, his austerity led to his death, because he cancelled in-home Physical Therapy (It costs too much!) that was intended to help him recover after breaking his hip. A week or so after cancelling the Physical Therapy, he fell again, and this time he hit his head, suffering (according to the autopsy), a Subdural Hematoma. His wife wanted to call an ambulance, but he said no because “it costs too much”. So, he just lay in bed and he died the next day. Now, she is left with the task of discarding his lifetime of hoarded “treasures”, including an entire closetful of 40 watt incandescent light bulbs. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 1:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/69 "2025-10-05T13:52:36Z")
There’s wasteful spending or being Frugal or downright cheap. Most engineers I’ve worked with are Frugal. They don’t spend a lot of money on fancy cars or large extremely expensive homes. And most of the people I worked with in Marketing and sales IMHO were wasteful. New cars every couple of years. They buy large homes that they can barely afford. During the recession (internet bust) in the 90’s and the great recession - the wasteful spenders were the ones who struggled the most. Some even had to declare bankruptcy. In the 80’s I worked for digital Equipment company. At the time they were the 2nd largest computer company in the world with over 150,000 employees. The CEO and founder Ken Olson lived in the same 4-bedroom house which he bought for $50,000. He was on the board of Ford Motor Corp and each board member was given a car to drive (ANY Ford model). Most board members were in Lincolns with a driver. Then here comes Ken driving his Ford Escort to work every day. I found that being cheap can be really costly in the long term. But you live the way you want to. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 2:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/70 "2025-10-05T14:21:28Z")
> [@MikeInNH](#): > > There’s wasteful spending or being Frugal or downright cheap. Most engineers I’ve worked with are Frugal. They don’t spend a lot of money on fancy cars or large extremely expensive homes. Warren Buffett, one of the world’s wealthiest men, still drives a hail-damaged 2014 Caddy. > **[Billionaire Warren Buffett Still Drives a 2014 Cadillac But Joked Charlie...](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/billionaire-warren-buffett-still-drives-140817263.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAETycGq4oJ_69qBfi1aXTzwBj8WIkgAKZO1zKkndtLWpNJWgLVDBRBfUz9fsEMwW-mEtz3BZl0gDMdoIJyS0M0b5Qhx4JlJOI_4o1KgFjuAECD7ueeP2ZHRPx555_ALjHraNR9R_2VNgzUS2pZ2VY4-M0jZFfOk9VHTj3V3ilPFr)** > > Warren Buffett is worth an estimated $160 billion, yet he still drives a 2014 Cadillac XTS—one he didn't even pick out himself. His daughter, Susie Buffett, handled the purchase, upgrading his 2006 Cadillac DTS, which had a mere 19,000 miles on it,... And, Buffett still lives in the home that he purchased in 1958. > **[Warren Buffett’s Houses: Inside the Billionaire’s Long-Standing Properties](https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/warren-buffetts-houses-inside-the-billionaires-properties)** > > The Oracle of Omaha has lived in the same house since 1958 ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 7:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/71 "2025-10-05T19:41:26Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > And, Buffett still lives in the home that he purchased in 1958. We bought our house in mid 90’s. Kids all grown and house is too big for us, but we’re NOT moving. Homes have gone through the roof here in Southern NH and Northern MA fueled partly by the 20%+ all home sales in southern NH to out-of-state investors. For the price I paid for my 3-bedroom colonial in mid 90’s couldn’t even buy a Mobile home here in NH. Our home is now worth 7 figures and rising. But it’s all paid for and it’s on a quiet dead-end street with nice neighbors. Makes no sense to sell unless I want to move out of the area (which we don’t). ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 8:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/72 "2025-10-05T20:07:22Z")
Ditto! On all points, Mike. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 8:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/73 "2025-10-05T20:31:24Z")
I thought he drove a Buick. Maybe his daughter upgraded him. According to my dna analysis he is a very distant relative but I’m not on his mailing list. So ya ask what will he do with his money? Sounds like it is all being donated and the kids get nothing. Thinks they should find their own way. A little extreme. Every culture is different I guess. ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 11:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/74 "2025-10-05T23:14:22Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > he hit his head, suffering (according to the autopsy), a Subdural Hematoma. His wife wanted to call an ambulance, but he said no because “it costs too much”. So, he just lay in bed and he died the next day. What insurance wouldn’t pay for the ambulance ride? Why didn’t his wife drive him? When I had a subdural hematoma I walked the 3 miles to the hospital (too unsteady to ride my bicycle or drive) - woke up the next day in the ICU, having forgotten everything after I arrived; I had to read the documentation. Apparently I consented. ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 11:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/75 "2025-10-05T23:16:05Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > Warren Buffett, one of the world’s wealthiest men, still drives a hail-damaged 2014 Caddy. And flies private. > [@VDCdriver](#): > > Buffett still lives in the home that he purchased in 1958. And his homes in Malibu, etc. He just didn’t sell the home in Omaha. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2025, 12:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/76 "2025-10-06T00:05:07Z")
Let me know what she did with th3 light bulbs. I’ve got a couple boxes of 100 watt I don’t know how to get rid of. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2025, 1:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/77 "2025-10-06T01:44:51Z")
> [@RandomTroll](#): > > What insurance wouldn’t pay for the ambulance ride? The ambulance rides normally cost over $1,000.00, insurance normally pays all but $215.00 to $275.00 depending… That is with 3 or 4 different insurance company’s… At least in my area… ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2025, 2:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/78 "2025-10-06T02:53:42Z")
Well it was just a story to make a point. Maybe embellished a little but maybe not. At any rate we got the point of foolish choices to save money. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2025, 11:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/79 "2025-10-06T11:14:48Z")
> [@RandomTroll](#): > > What insurance wouldn’t pay for the ambulance ride? Many insurance companies don’t cover ambulance rides or they’ll only cover part of the cost. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2025, 11:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162/80 "2025-10-06T11:51:50Z")
I should have included more detail, and you shouldn’t assume certain things. > [@RandomTroll](#): > > What insurance wouldn’t pay for the ambulance ride? His knee-jerk reaction to seemingly every transaction was that someone was trying to cheat him. He had the same insurance coverage that I have, and the co-pay for ambulance service is $50., but apparently even that emergency expenditure was too expensive for him. His irrational thought process caused him to **not** have his car serviced, and to eat rotting/rotten food in order to “save money”. The last time that I saw him, his hygiene was so bad that I think he had decided that soap was too expensive. In essence, his life was a succession of situations where he “shot himself in the foot” because of his miser-driven decision making. > [@RandomTroll](#): > > Why didn’t his wife drive him? Why would you automatically assume that _everyone_ drives? Luckily, she has been able to enlist the help of a neighbor to move the car every Tuesday (street cleaning day), so that it doesn’t get towed. She’s hoping that this same neighbor will buy the car, for which she has no use. > [@RandomTroll](#): > > When I had a subdural hematoma I walked the 3 miles to the hospital You were lucky that you survived. He didn’t survive. Different patients, different outcomes… [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162.md?page=3) [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/calculating-true-cost-of-a-car/204162.md?page=5)