this post was submitted on 26 Feb 2026
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A Boring Dystopia
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I'm not saying that there weren't many bad decisions made, but this is also misdirecting where blame is owed. Cars have gotten more expensive and if you are a family, there really aren't any low-cost family hauler options. Yes, people make bad choices, but they are often lead on by sales people and, in the US, they likely have to have a car.
See the latest Climate Town
Without a car sucks too here (Germany). We may have a better public transport but it still sucks bigtime the last time I had to use it. And I will not try it again unless forced to ๐
Also yes, cars got way more expensive and also the dumb cars will soon die out.
But honestly, "being lead by sales people" isn't really a great excuse to sign your financial ruin. Could be avoided by first assessing what you actually CAN pay in the WORST CASE without being totally fucked, then find the right thing online and avoid salespeople. And I'm not great with money or a very responsible adult. Yet I would never go to a car shop and "browse" there. My desires might overshadow my abilities and salespeople can sniff that ๐
The financial literacy in this country is beyond poor. People really don't understand money and, likely, that's intentional.
The "right way" to do this is to not finance the car at all (given that it's a depreciating asset). You save monthly what a payment would be and buy the car outright. Once you've done that, you drive it into the ground and save for the next car the entire time.
People don't have the discipline for that.
That is totally and absolutely intentional, rest assured.
And that is the right way, yes. Though it might be hard to start if you have nothing, but getting a loan in that case would be either. Dunno about the US, but here you can really get a shitty car for like 300-500 moneyz. It's surely not fancy and might break 5s later if you're unlucky, but it also might live 2years and save you 100 a month for the next. At least it's YOURS. You often see such cars with stickers here that say "Ugly, but paid!" :)