Anonymous wrote:Wealthy can do whatever they want but for smart UMC, you buy what you can afford.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Of course. The rich don’t get car loans.
Correct, but we also buy certified pre-owned (aka used cars).
Anonymous wrote:All Asians that I know, myself included, pay cash on vehicles purchase. I paid cash for my 2023 Tesla model X and Model Y for DW. I also paid cash for my DS 2024 Lexus IS350.
Anonymous wrote:I would never bother with the hassle of a car loan. Just pay cash.
Anonymous wrote:“Financing” the car to get an additional discount and then immediately paying off the loan, as many of us have done, does not count as taking a car loan the way most people see it. So obviously in that case it’s just a means to an additional discount, like using a coupon.
I’ve never liked the option of leasing as public policy. It leads to overspending/overextending and also the makes people appear wealthier than they are, exacerbating the conspicuous consumption problem we have. Because it’s “cheaper” (per month) than buying, people get a more expensive car than they could afford to finance. But the problem is that they are now locked into this payment forever, because at the end of the lease they are forced to lease a new car, whereas at the end of the loan you own the car and can keep driving it for a long time.
Some very high income people will come on here claiming leasing is cheaper if you want a new car often. This still isn’t true but it matters less because they are wasting money they can afford to waste.
Anonymous wrote:Some people lease because it’s easy, not because it’s the best deal.
Anonymous wrote:The car is cheaper, generally, if you finance it. Pay off the loan with cash the next month.