[Whitey#1]

am i the only one that gets the "Cold Feet" when buying a new car?

for example, i hesitated and thought and thought for weeks about a year ago before i decided to buy the 2008 Nissan 350Z. and now i've got a golden opportunity to but a Lotus, but i cant seem to pull the trigger.

I can afford it, but a $15,000 downpayment and a $700 a month payment are huge chunks of money. One minute i am all fired up about buying, and then when i wake up in the morning the doubts are back.

when i say i can afford it thats true. but if all of a sudden i have a bunch of unexpected bills i'd either have to totally deplete my checking account, or tap into my Home Equity Line Of Credit. when i say unexpected bills i am talking about, perhaps, such things as dental bills, or the engine/transmission goes on my '97 DD Hyundai Tiburon with 128,000 miles.

but i'm single, no kids, no mortgage, pretty good secure job. i dont think affording it is the issue. the issue is whether i want to spend that much money for a car. one minute its Yes, Lets Do It and the next minute its Wait, Dont Do That......

Mike

 

[LARRY]

If you love it enough, you must have it.

It's a really special car.

 

[4380r]

am i the only one that gets the "Cold Feet" when buying a new car?

for example, i hesitated and thought and thought for weeks about a year ago before i decided to buy the 2008 Nissan 350Z. and now i've got a golden opportunity to but a Lotus, but i cant seem to pull the trigger.

I can afford it, but a $15,000 downpayment and a $700 a month payment are huge chunks of money. One minute i am all fired up about buying, and then when i wake up in the morning the doubts are back.

when i say i can afford it thats true. but if all of a sudden i have a bunch of unexpected bills i'd either have to totally deplete my checking account, or tap into my Home Equity Line Of Credit. when i say unexpected bills i am talking about, perhaps, such things as dental bills, or the engine/transmission goes on my '97 DD Hyundai Tiburon with 128,000 miles.

but i'm single, no kids, no mortgage, pretty good secure job. i dont think affording it is the issue. the issue is whether i want to spend that much money for a car. one minute its Yes, Lets Do It and the next minute its Wait, Dont Do That......

Mike

Why don't you set up a poll here...to buy or not to buy, and whatever the poll results are, that's what you do. Don't look back.

Really.:evil:

 

[Vampyre]

If you have test driven one and have NOT bought it , then a Lotus is NOT for you.

 

[...m...]

...mike, if you're nervous about the ongoing payments, bear in mind that with your downpayment a used car can be as low as a couple hundred dollars per month...larry's correct that if you're the right kind of person for a lotus, you absolutely won't regret it and will be hard-pressed to ever let it go...

...unless they do so on a regular basis, everyone gets nervous about a major exotic purchase; that's normal...think of it like jumping into a frigid swimming pool, though: once you take the plunge and your head's underwater, it's fantastic...

 

[Notorious L.R.G.]

If you have test driven one and have NOT bought it , then a Lotus is NOT for you.

Good point. I once test drove an Esprit S4S. "Just for comparison" they had me try the Esprit v8 for 50% more money.

I bought the V8 on the spot.

 

[Whitey#1]

...unless they do so on a regular basis, everyone gets nervous about a major exotic purchase; that's normal...think of it like jumping into a frigid swimming pool, though: once you take the plunge and your head's underwater, it's fantastic...

i told myself this very same thing. i ended up doing this with the 350Z last summer. that being to go ahead and take the plunge, and once its done everything will be okay.

M

 

[LARRY]

If you have test driven one and have NOT bought it , then a Lotus is NOT for you.

:up:

 

[LARRY]

...mike, if you're nervous about the ongoing payments, bear in mind that with your downpayment a used car can be as low as a couple hundred dollars per month...larry's correct that if you're the right kind of person for a lotus, you absolutely won't regret it and will be hard-pressed to ever let it go...

...unless they do so on a regular basis, everyone gets nervous about a major exotic purchase; that's normal...think of it like jumping into a frigid swimming pool, though: once you take the plunge and your head's underwater, it's fantastic...

:up::up:

 

[mhouston23]

haha, I struggled too. Actually got as far as the paperwork signing and then backed out. 3 months later, purchased the same car.

It's not cheap, but no one else can decide whether it's worth it other than you.

 

[MikeinAlexandria]

There are tons of Elises on the market for under $30k. Unless you want an exact color with very specific options, why not consider a used one? Your payment should only be about $300 a month, which isn't bad.

 

[LARRY]

There are tons of Elises on the market for under $30k. Unless you want an exact color with very specific options, why not consider a used one? Your payment should only be about $300 a month, which isn't bad.

Very true.

Just don't buy one that's been tracked.

 

[6_speed]

If you have test driven one and have NOT bought it , then a Lotus is NOT for you.

+1 :up:

****** #1, will you be selling your Z-car? Maybe you can get some equity from it to make you feel 'safer' financially.

I procrastinated for 12 months before taking a test drive and the <b>only</b> reason was I was afraid I might like it so much that I had to have it. Turns out my biggest fear was true. I paid cash but had to replenish my bank account by selling my RX-7.

FWIW, I managed to turn away from 2 other temptations during the same time period - a Cayman S and a Z4M roadster - that's how good the Elise is... to me.

Why not go for a used Elise instead? That way, you can have your cake and eat it too.

 

[IamBatman]

don't buy it unless you truly love to drive it and can pay cash for it. It a depreciating asset..

 

[Spudboy]

Given how many months you've been asking questions, I'd say the Lotus isn't for you. Elephants have had babies in the time you've been agonizing over this!

 

[Murix]

How is it you have a 1 year old sports car and are already looking at another? Isn't that going to be expensive?

 

[aschen]

There are tons of Elises on the market for under $30k. Unless you want an exact color with very specific options, why not consider a used one? Your payment should only be about $300 a month, which isn't bad.

Werd I don't think Ill ever buy a new car again (only did once). I put 20k down on my used elise and now I have a 300$ a month payment for 36 months.

If you like to change cars alot I cant see how one can justify new, espescially when many "used" lotuses are hardly broken in.

There is an exige S with an LSD in the classifieds for like 40k. My personal opinion is that you would have to be a bit slow (or a bit rich) to chose a new basic elise over this car!!

 

[RENDERMAN]

Let me help you out here. Tomorrow noon, Stop at the nearest bar with a friend (you need a designated driver) get blasted and walk in the dealership and sign the papers. get home and tell your wife, here honey I just bought a car, the contract for buying a car while drunk is unlike getting married in Vegas, is irreversible...

 

[Noisycow]

I agree - buy used. Don't be burdened with that $700 payment, depreciation. Buy one for $30k or so and if things change in 90 days you are stuck trying to resell a used 2008/09? Lotus in this market. Whatever works for you though, no one can tell you what to do with your money .... a suggestion only.

 

[xtn]

****** I hope you get a car you enjoy, but...

Please buy a used one. If you can afford a new one as long as you don't have any largish unexpected expenses... then you cannot afford a new one. Unexpected expenses ARE expenses; they're just unexpected ones. They WILL happen whether you expect them or not.

xtn