If I set aside a car payment every month...

[doppelgaenger]

and that would take....27 years....you might not need a car by then, but a wheelchair.

Well if you deposited $500/month, you'd have more than half in 9 years. Plus interest.

[Junket]

Cars aren't so much investments as they are expenses. But a necessary one.

No bikes for me, riding in the rain (and it rains a lot here), and trying to stack all my tools on the back of a bike just isn't going to happen.

I'm also wondering if I should try not to get a vehicle to fit my needs, but rather adjust my needs to fit a vehicle.

Maybe forgo the truck and look into a roomier sedan or hatcback. Honda Fit or Honda Element, or Pontiac Vibe or Toyota Matrix.

I still keep an eye out on used cars.

[lovesjoyajm]

I've always intended on waiting as long as humanly possible to buy a car. I'd much rather depend on a bike or public transportation (as long as we're not talking ridiculous London subway fares.) Although the roads are SO poorly maintained here when it snows that it's extremely dangerous to bike - I don't plan on getting my bike back out again until the snow is gone for good. Saw a woman wipe out on the tram tracks due to ice the other day.

Anyway, off the point. I just really don't want to deal with all the crap that goes along with getting a car - insurance, gas, maintenance, etc.

[Junket]

I envy my friend who lives in Boston and doesn't own a car, and gets around everywhere by mass transit.

But that simply isn't an option for me.

[Gribble]

If you like tinkering take a look into a good Jeep Wrangler. They'll last forever if you're willing to put in a little money and elbow grease every now and then. Best of all, they don't go out of style.

[Junket]

I used to have an empty trunk ready to swallow up my belongings and ship off to where I pleased, but now it's filled to the brim with my tools alone.

[doppelgaenger]

You have as much stuff in your trunk as I do mine!

*high five*

[Junket]

Believe it or not, that stuff is actually organized, but it's hard to tell from here.

On the left is the radio, in the center is my tool belt, on the right my tool tote, on the back left my box of misc items, and on the back right, is my 18 volt drill and my bag of "retired" tools.

[IndiReloaded]

I always read this before buying something like a car:

[url]http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/[/url]

[Lipp]

With the way the world is going, despite the lucrative prices as the companies struggle to find buyers and sell off their production and green tech that might become a standard requirement in time, I reckon that purchasing a car within the next few years would be a pretty crappy deal.

I'll put it off and stick to biking and public transport until it becomes absolutely necessary.

If I had to I'd aim for the shaped-up Prius.

[url]http://onlocation.consumerreports.org/applications/croshows/autoshows/2009/detroit/2-Model.asp?ID=874[/url]

[Lipp]

On second thought, the Prius can go to hell. I've got a crush on this one now. Go sweden go!

[url]http://onlocation.consumerreports.org/applications/croshows/autoshows/2009/detroit/2-Model.asp?ID=868[/url]

[vashti]

Frasbee - I hope your parking lot is secure. I'd hate for someone to break into your car and steal all that expensive equipment.

[Junket]

Secure?

Hell no, I'm parked street in front of our apartment or around the corner.

Risk you gotta take, though.

In any case, I'm uptown, central city is a different matter. People will break into your car to steal a tissue.

[Junket]

With the way the world is going, despite the lucrative prices as the companies struggle to find buyers and sell off their production and green tech that might become a standard requirement in time, I reckon that purchasing a car within the next few years would be a pretty crappy deal.

I had actually been thinking the same thing.

I think though we'll probably be good within the next few years, though, and I can't wait forever.

[1averagejoe]

That new S60 is ugly imho...it looks like every new Japanese car. Even the new BMW's are starting to look uglier. They all look like super modern bubbly Japanese cars. The 3 series looks like Honda civics.

I do like the C30 T5-R, it's pretty cheap for the price and comes with a pretty decent powered turbo'd T5 for it's weight. Btw...I'm a Volvo lover.

Fras, have you thought about a wagon?