What would it take for you to buy a new car?

This thread and the thread on why Kia won't put a stick shift behind their 271 hp turbo motor got me to thinking: Are GRM forum members pretty much unreachable when it comes to buying new cars? I probably am - I have a serious dislike of monthly payments any time they can be avoided, and no fear whatsoever about using a 15 year old car with well over 100,000 miles as a daily driver.

The only way I could see myself buying new is if I somehow acquired way more money than I know what to do with (there's a couple other goals I have right now that a big pile of money could help with) and there was a new car out there that was so much more awesome that I couldn't wait to pick up one after someone else has taken the depreciation hit. Or maybe one that is nearly impossible to find on the used market. So you've got one factor that is beyond manufacturers' control, and one that is a pretty high bar for them to reach.

Are you guys equally unlikely to go buy a new car, or somewhat more inclined than I am?

I'd buy one for the wife. I have several times. It makes her happy and we can afford it.

As for me, there are so many used cars that I want that are much more attractive after a big depreciation hit. And it feels so good to write a check and not have any payments.

I want something with a low beltline, a ~95" wheelbase, and the interior and exterior need to have been designed with a T-square and not a Bezier curve. So, no, there won't be a new car I'd be interested in.

That, and I'd need a positive credit rating. Thanks to a complicated mess a while back, I think my credit rating is actually a negative number. I can't even get a savings account, let alone a loan...

The wife and I have bought new only since 1972. But we do pay cash.

We decided shortly after we got married that we would live on one of our incomes and save the other. One of the savings methods was a "car account" that we put money into every month. We started out with $50 and it is now up to $300 a month. Being that we usually keep a car for 10 years we can pay cash when we need a new one.

I'd need more money.

If I had that, it would probably have to be a killer deal well under MSRP, or something that could be written off as a business expense.

We bought my wife a new car last November. I can't justify spending the cubic $$ on the cars I like. I'll stick with buying old stuff I like.

Apparently, it doesn't take much. I'm driving an '05 Mazda MPV, bought new. My wife is in a 2012 Sonata, bought new, which replaced a 2010 Mazda 3, bought new, which replaced an '01 Audi A6, also bought new. I drove my '89 626 (bought new) until 2003. I'm looking to replace the MPV, and I'll be going new. I want a minivan with seating for at least 7, rear drive, a V8 engine, and a manual shift, just in case any car companies are reading this.

I just bought one. .
Mostly it's because I haul the kids in it. Modern cars are really safe, they just are. They also get better mileage than the last generation that they replaced. 40mpg, a slew of airbags all around, and incredibly fun to drive? The used cars that tick those boxes are holding their value really well. Gone are the days where you lost 25% of the value in the first 6 months. I'm seeing almost 2 year old cars listed for 10% less than new. I'll absorb that hit myself and not feel bad about it.
Now, I may be an outlier because I prefer cheap little hatches, and once you get beyond about 5 or 6 years old they tend to get abused and neglected. Though I want a cheap crappy car, I don't actually want a piece of crap.

Cash. Enough to cover an exige with track package ... Minimum. If you want to give me more an RSR would be next.

Bought the wife an '09 Fit Sport brand new. Went in with low financing already approved, then got an even better rate. Also put down several thousand. We still have positive equity after 3-years and 100kmi. No plans to get rid of it though. It'll either go to me, or our oldest.

I'm too ADD to buy new though. Unless I was just swimming in cash. Even then, there aren't too many cars that really spark my interest. Maybe a dozen max, outside of supercar territory.

Enough cash to pay for it up front. I don't want to owe any money on a car I drive. I will only buy a car I can pay for in full with cash.

As I mentioned in the other thread, price was a driving factor for me buying a new TDi vs. used. I had always said I'd nver buy new and take that depreciation hit, but sometimes, the car is rare enough that buying used can be ricky and not much cheaper - especially if financing is required - since financing on a new car is often much cheaper and easier than a used one.

For me to buy something new, it would need to be a level of magnitude above what I already own. The last car on the horizon that I truely lusted after and was ready to sign on the dotted line for was the Aptera. Sadly, that dream has more or less died with the company.

Right now, there are a few new cars I want and could realistically afford (Mustang, Challenger, JCW MINI), but nothing I'm willing to go into debt for right now.

I am extremely unlikely to buy a new car. The only one that interests me that I could afford is a Fiat Abarth which I am thinking about. For one thing I don't like the idea of spending that much money on a car and two I don't like the way new cars feel.

My employer gives me $310 towards a car payment. Then I have to buy a 3 year old car. Then I get $.25/mile for gas, insurance, repairs, oil, and the rest.

Basically I get $750 for the package. So I bought a Honda.

Usually I get stuck with $125 of my own money towards the package. Not great, not bad.

Money.

22 grand to be exact, to buy a new Ram Tradesman.

I'd buy a new car if it ticked all the boxes without me having to modify it. The only thing that even comes close to that is an Exige and it's out of my budget by a lot.

If the FRS had been designed with an inline 4 and double a-arms at the front, I'd probably have put a deposit down by now.

+1 for "would have to be rich."

I could probably afford one now if I found something I really wanted that wasn't stupid money. I bought two new motorcycles in the last couple of years and my GF just spent 37K for a brand new Kia Sorrento to haul her dogs around.

First of all, most new cars look alike. They are all a bunch of jelly beans. Nothing really excites me all that much. Secondly, they want so much damned money for anything above a basic entry level car. 25K for a Mini Cooper. About that much for a Veloster or a Fiat 500 Abarth. If they actually made something I really liked for 16K I would probably jump on it. That would be something I REALLY liked. Small. Good handling. Good design. Good gas mileage and a hatchback. Otherwise, I rather spend the money on another motorcycle or a race car or a boat or something or spend the money to fix up my house. As long as what I have runs well enough there are just other things I would rather spend my money on.

Something like a $6000 rebate because I got a left over rotary they never thought they'd sell pluss more G's off because they were desperate would help. Oh, wait, it did! Otherwise i'm not really interested in new cars, I kinda stopped paying attention because they don't excite me.

I bought my '07 Mazda3 new. I shopped used initially, but in summer of 2007, fuel efficient cars were in demand, and used car prices reflected it. I couldn't find a Mazda3 for much less than new, even with fairly high mileage for the age.

I got a great deal on mine because it's a stick, and purple. I went in with approval from my credit union, but Mazda had a significantly better rate going.

What would it take for me to do that again? A really exciting vehicle in my price range being available when I go car shopping for a daily driver again someday. If I were shopping in the next year or so, the BRZ/FRS would be on my list. The Fiat 500 Abarth would be on there too, especially as a convertible.

I'm just glad to see others that just don't like new cars simply because of their "styling". I was afraid I was having a GetOffMyLawn moment.

If someone held a gun to my head and said "BUY NEW!" I'd probably get a MINI.

Did it once, didn't like making payments. Won't do it again. Used for me from here on out.

Money. If I could swing it where it would have no real effect on my family, sure I'd consider it. But being cheap, I'd probably still look for a 1 year old version of the car for a few grand less than new.

My wife wanted a new car, then someone hit my Ranger in the parking lot. Not a door ding or bumper brush, it blasted the thing in! After that I decided there's no way we're spending big money on a"New" car and have it treated like that.

I wanted $10k of I don't care what, V-6 or better, four doors. I don't care who makes it.

We split the difference and came up with a 2009 Jetta for $14k.

Only buy them for the business.

Personally you would never get me to buy new.