Is it EVER a good idea to buy a new vehicle?

[SteveS]

I would say it depends on how long you keep your cars and what brand they are.

[Hmac]

I would say it depends on how long you keep your cars and what brand they are.

Or....maybe one just wants to drive a new car, regardless of whether or not their investment advisor thinks it’s a good idea...

[WillBrink]

Car or truck that is.

Most (all?) financial planning articles seem to say, "no". Are they right?

Opinions?

That tends to depend on some factors. If you buy a new car and drive it till the wheels fall off, where you have some years of no payments and a free car, I believe that one considered a good financial decision car wise. But it's not just $, as I find driving older cars gets stressful as you wonder if/when it's gonna leave you stranded for example. There's no amount of $ savings that offsets piece of mind in my experience. I recall well the first time I purchased a new car and realized right there I would never buy a used vehicle ever again if I had the choice. I guess best $ is buying a car that's a few years old with low mileage as that's where the biggest depreciation takes place. Me, I will spend the $ on that new car smell and feelz. Trick to me is, don't buy a car that puts a major stress on your wallet. I could afford a nicer car, but I like to keep payments low as I can.