Help! Which Car to Buy?

[eric/]

Getting $25k for a car from mom and dad, buying a $45k car just out of college, not buying a particular car because a family member already owns it. Especially the last one, it sounds petty and immature.

These things are extremely out of the norm. Considering the current unemployment rate for new college grads, the average student loan debt, etc the OP is far outpacing his peers by dropping that much cash on a car. That, combined with how he presented it to us is off putting for a lot of people.

If I were the OP i would have said "here are the cars I am looking at, here are my requirements, and here is my budget." There is no need for all that extra fluff. Then comes the question of why he included that information in the first place when it was irrelevant. Why did people need to know he was getting $25k from his parents and/or that it is a college graduation gift? They didn't. But he put it in there anyways. It shouldn't be surprising that some people viewed it in a negative light.

so what part of any of that is grandstanding?

he didn't present anything, he just said he's looking to get a new car and started talking about it. What if he was 45? Would that make his post acceptable?

did he even have to pay tuition? how do you know he doesn't have a job lined up right now?

 

[puma1552]

For the record the OP came in and said that he actually didn't receive $25k as a gift and was needing to foot the other $20k himself (a source of some flak, from myself included), but rather that his parents were just footing the bill for the whole $45k or so but he didn't want to say that in the OP since he didn't want to look like a douche.

Not sure why he edited it out since the idea of taking a loan on top of the supposed $25k gift was part of the reason people were bagging on him.

 

[theturtle]

Getting $25k for a car from mom and dad, buying a $45k car just out of college, not buying a particular car because a family member already owns it. Especially the last one, it sounds petty and immature.

These things are extremely out of the norm. Considering the current unemployment rate for new college grads, the average student loan debt, etc the OP is far outpacing his peers by dropping that much cash on a car. That, combined with how he presented it to us is off putting for a lot of people.

If I were the OP i would have said "here are the cars I am looking at, here are my requirements, and here is my budget." There is no need for all that extra fluff. Then comes the question of why he included that information in the first place when it was irrelevant. Why did people need to know he was getting $25k from his parents and/or that it is a college graduation gift? They didn't. But he put it in there anyways. It shouldn't be surprising that some people viewed it in a negative light.

You're definitely reaching for little flaws in my writing to try to support your assumptions that I'm trying to flaunt.

I mean if you truly need to make it seem like I'm a pompous brat than so be it. I actually even changed some parts to avoid coming off like that but hey, looks like you already have your mind made up. Thank you for your input.

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For the record the OP came in and said that he actually didn't receive $25k as a gift and was needing to foot the other $20k himself (a source of some flak, from myself included), but rather that his parents were just footing the bill for the whole $45k or so but he didn't want to say that in the OP since he didn't want to look like a douche.

Not sure why he edited it out since the idea of taking a loan on top of the supposed $25k gift was part of the reason people were bagging on him.

I didn't want to look like an assclown who's spoiled but it seems as though the poster two posts above me already made up their mind.

He/she is sure to use it as more ammunition as me trying to show off.

Even though I was lectured, I appreciate every single response given. I even liked pumas quite a bit. You guys all gave me things to think about except abijnk. Abijnk just came off as a jerk. I wasn't trying to flaunt but thank you for assuming that.

 

[abijnk]

You're definitely reaching for little flaws in my writing to try to support your assumptions that I'm trying to flaunt.

I mean if you truly need to make it seem like I'm a pompous brat than so be it. I actually even changed some parts to avoid coming off like that but hey, looks like you already have your mind made up. Thank you for your input.

I certainly didn't mean it like that. You seemed genuinely surprised that you received the responses you did, as did the person who asked me for clarification. I don't really give a rip either way, it doesn't impact me, but I thought I could help give some insight into why some people were giving you heat about the whole thing.

 

[iLog.Genius]

Buy anything fun. Ford Focus would be the non-douche choice or buy an E90 BMW 3-Series (not the new one) if you want to annoy people on this board

 

[jaysen]

Audi, FTW.

Don't be an idiot... buy a house. Only young naive college chicks will dig your back seat for so long - which brings me to my suggestion; A3 with folding seats or A4 avant. On the other hand, real women love a man with his own place!

 

[puma1552]

^^^College girls won't even give a **** what you drive

 

[Nabooly]

OP buy whatever car you enjoy driving that you also like the looks of.

To everyone that is hammering the OP for his decisions, you don't know OP's full story. Hell if his parents are willing to drop 45k I'm pretty sure they have a pretty good amount in the bank for future use...including a trustfund for OP. Just an assumption though.

Splurge and get a Porsche Panamera

 

[hchung]

I'm still trying to figure out what post or comment gives anybody that impression? I read through all his posts, haven't seen anything like that.

I wouldn't go as far as calling it outright grandstanding, but I see his point. Starting with $25k and then not explaining how you'd be able to afford the $45k limit as well as insurance, gas, maintenance is a bit unrealistic. I mean, sure, he could also have money saved up. Wouldn't have been critical to mention that but would take the edge off.

For those who are technical car enthusiasts, it also hurts a little that you'd consider the Benz but so easily disregard the Audi, Infiniti, and Subaru cars when looking for an AWD system. Yeah, I get it, you want an actual luxury-focused car. But if so, don't expect it to go fast.

For perspective, consider that others here paid under $20k for their cars.

My two votes are pretty much for your rejects: Audi A4-Quattro and G25x. My next two votes: a used Audi S4 or a pre-2007 G35x. The S4 handles like dream. The G35x is ugly but vicious and insanely reliable.

I once considered a C-class, but rejected the entire lot based on the test drive of a C320 kompressor. It's good if you want a comfy ride and a decent drag race. But the drive-by-wire system's basically virtual turbo lag.

 

[puma1552]

If you really want to be different, I just had a look at the all new Cadillac ATS, a new model for 2013. Load it up with the 321 hp motor and AWD and you have a VERY nice car in the $45k range. And being a compact, it doesn't look like it's got the old man stigma like all the other Caddys, and looks much more modern than the aging CTS.

I'm not a caddy guy by any means but damn would i feel like a big shot rolling one of those, more so than i would a 3 or a C

 

[neiltc13]

If you really want to be different, I just had a look at the all new Cadillac ATS, a new model for 2013. Load it up with the 321 hp motor and AWD and you have a VERY nice car in the $45k range. And being a compact, it doesn't look like it's got the old man stigma like all the other Caddys, and looks much more modern than the aging CTS.

I'm not a caddy guy by any means but damn would i feel like a big shot rolling one of those, more so than i would a 3 or a C

Hah, that thing is 4.6 metres long. There is no way it is ever a "compact".

 

[puma1552]

perhaps, but the point is that its the smallest car they offer (smaller than the cts) and is designed to compete directly with the 3 the C and the 4 since the CTS is like a half size too big to really compete with those.

id rock one.