Reply #3: MY Buick is a 95, my VW is a 2000. One has 144,000 miles, the other, 88,000.

[stopbush]

The radios work in both, the CD and cassette (cassette!) not so much in the Buick. Two parents, two cars, that's all we need. If we need to drive a couple of hundred miles in one direction, we use the Bug. For longer trips, we rent a car for a day or two.

They're paid off, they run well, the insurance is reasonable (with extra coverage, no less), I spend about $500 a year in maintenance on each car (oil changes, radiator flushes, etc) so why would I want to lease or buy a new car?

Call me unAmerican, but I don't believe that buying a new car every three to five years is part of my duty as a citizen...and certainly not some high-end luxury car, even though our household income is around $120k per year. It's hard enough paying the rent, food and the doctor bills.

Not having a monthly car payment is truly one of life's little pleasures.