"Who buy's a car thinking, "I'm going to make money on this purchase?"

Me. http://carbuying.jalopnik.com/artoftheflip

Nowhere, obviously. What's your point?

Yes, people will always want the new and shiny thing, and what I'm saying is that it's a dumb financial move to go for that when there are tons of better options in the marketplace.

So does being happy mean you overpay on the things you want for years on end?

A used car without insane depreciation can do all the things you listed, freeing up even more of your hard-earned capital.

Yes, if we all buy used cars, we shall end up just like Cuba. That doesn't sound like a stretch at all.

Andrew, the issue of "money now" vs. "money later" is one of fiscal responsibility. If you have a portion of your paycheck going into a savings account (or underneath your mattress) specifically set up for a car fund, then it shouldn't be a hindrance to your financial stability. If you only have $20,000 to your name,…