this post was submitted on 31 May 2026
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Cars - For Car Enthusiasts
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Depreciation is the only cost since you get the rest back when you sell the car. The only question is are you selling the car when there is significant value, or are you selling it to the scrap yard. Since I do the latter depreciation and the up front price are essentially the same. But my personal self worth isn't tied to the value of the car I drive, in turn I can be seen in a reliable car that has rust, dents, and faded paint. This is my real world, not my fantasy world and I'm glad people like you exist who buy the cars when they are expensive then sell to me cheap.
The fantasy world of which I refer to is your suggestion that that is the only acceptable way.
As you mention, depreciation is a fact no matter how long you keep a vehicle. And I would agree with you that buying new, keeping for a relatively short time, selling it, rinse and repeat is generally a poor financial choice.
But deprecation has a yearly cost even if you drive it to the wheels fall off, and depending on the model it may be cheaper per year to sell it and upgrade before that. Factor in safety and efficiency improvements and the smartest choice is a lot more complicated.
For the record, I haven’t bought new in decades, but generally follow the buy a vehicle approx. three years old and keep it at least six. Seems to be the sweet spot for me.
I miss the 90's. I'd buy a car for a few hundred cash, drive it until a repair cost what I paid sell it for scrape and buy another one for a few hundred. I had a few that ended up lasting years.