New or used, it’s still only one of two or three choices.  RWD sedans with a manual, an engine other than a four cylinder, and built within the last ten years:

I might buy an RX-8 instead, but that is just about the only alternative. There just aren’t any RWD manual sedans out there, used or new, unless you’re willing to live with a BMW, and I’m not.

If they offer this with a manual, I’ll buy one new. But they probably won’t.

I was pretty close, though. I know it’s an easy swap, and that’s what’s important.

This is an amazing price, as long as there’s no rust. If it wasn’t on the other side of the country I’d seriously consider running out and buying it today.

Now is a great time for a long drive from point A to point A.

There’s no way traffic is down anywhere near 70% nationwide. Around here there’s not even a noticeable difference most of the time.

Most tracks in the U.S. are substantially more expensive than those in Europe, I would assume due to regulations.  Around here the very cheapest is $300 for a day.

Your $14k figure is seriously misleading, because $13,600 of that is just the money you started with. I know I’d take no car payment for two years over a miserable $400 gain after seven years.

You’re already too far behind.  Don’t have kids.

We’re all in trouble if anyone starts offering 0% for seven years on used cars. Why pay $500 a month for one car when you can get ten Miatas?

The big difference is that it’s the military. There’s some legal stuff related to military designs/trademarks being public domain, in a nutshell, because the government paid for the IP.

Some of us are in professions that are either unaffected or growing because of all this.

There’s a very high chance I’ll be using it on a plane ticket and gas, to fly across the country and drive a Boxster home. (once the DMV reopens and I can actually buy a car, anyway).

About four years ago, I put down 20% after about four years of saving on a salary very close to the national average. 1,500 square feet, two car garage, nothing broken, $100k.

I had the same reaction. I was concerned I ‘only’ had enough for about 50% down when I bought my last car because I didn’t have the insurance money from my previous car yet. The sales guy laughed.

I’ve always gone with ‘if you can’t pay cash, you can’t afford it’. It’s not just about not having a loan, higher budget means higher depreciation, so taking out a loan doesn’t really give you any more options.

It makes a difference for non-standard policies. Insuring my RX-7 for 2,000 miles a year was around $150 yearly, while 15,000 miles a year would’ve been closer to $500 a year from the same insurer. But that’s a ‘collector car’ policy.

Neutral: So far, absolutely nothing has changed for me aside from working from home all week instead of a few days a week. Even on normal weeks I only go out for groceries, take out, or a drive from point A to point A.

I’m certainly hoping working from home becomes normal. I work out of a satellite office and all of my coworkers are several states away. So I’m effectively ‘working from home’ even when I drive in every morning.