However, no suprise I guess that I disagree with some of your ideas. Of course I wholly agree with the idea of a fine driving automobile. I’d love to own a BMW one day…. one day! I’ve well enjoyed the incremental comfort as I’ve climbed the car quality ladder but jumping to a lease is well, not smart. I enjoyed the budget busting line of rationalization… but more as entertainment than wise advice. You’re really just justifying car fever… and I enjoy watching that dance. I’ve done it too so it’s easy to spot. Several money mags and books have outlined how poor a decision is the lease so you should check out that side of the reseach.

One thing you stated but may have missed…. you mentioned paying $3k for the car, drove it 11 months, made $1200 in repairs and then sold it for $3k. I see what you’re *trying* to say, but I can’t make the numbers equal $399 per month. It’s much closer to $109/month…. 1200/11.

You can still be happy with your lease… and I can understand that. But just be mindful that your happiness is not derived from a basis of wise financial dealings, but rather the luxury of the car and the satisfaction of the curb appeal… and the second glances afforded by the ladies.

As for the investment talk. Hmm, Ramsey is simplistic on that front but that’s ok. I suppose I’m one of he dumb ones you reference because I can’t decipher the language you use… what does it mean to be be “at risk to a fiat currency debt based money system”. I’m lost at the notion that a mutual fund as an investment is the same as a debt intrument, which you also suggest. I’ll have to look into that idea though my experience has suggested otherwise.

Thanks again for your comments. I love the exchange of ideas and the ensuing dialogue and I welcome more of same.

Dave

The air then went out and I threw in the towel, sold the car for the 3K I paid for it and now, I am
Mr. Tank McPerfect with a leased 3 series – that’s right, leased. It’s 399 a month and ALL
maintenance is covered. I’m out for gasoline and payments. It keeps me exactly on budget
continuously. I feel like an idiot a lot of times, but I love the car to pieces and if Barry Obama
has his way and truly souless cars become our normal bane of existence, I can at least know
I had the pleasure of driving a fine automobile once. If anybody ever owned a nice car like this,
they know what I’m talking about: the drive, the handling, the granite feel going down the road.
All of it. Lesser cars have nothing on these.

So, you’ve got to have a RELIABLE paid off car – THAT is the key and let’s face it: They are
hard to come by. Those 3K cars in the classified are being sold for a reason. If they ran and
drove flawlessly, the owner would keep on truckin’ as would I. There’s no free lunch, that’s
the facts.

Ramsey is right about getting out of debt. Where he’s wrong is how to invest once you are.
He hawks mutual funds that are just products sold to dumb investors who don’t know how
to buy and sell their own stocks or ETF’s. It’s so simple, but most people just hand over
their fee’s to a broker who gets paid to sell them the “mutual fund” where he probably doesn’t
invest his own money. The belief in mutual funds also puts you right back at risk to a fiat currency
debt based money system that he spent two years getting you out of! Don’t get out of debt just
to buy back into it as an “investment.”

Good luck to all with their green beans.

Thanks for sharing!
Dave

Thanks for dropping over to comment. I appreciate it!
Dave

-Nate

Nate @ Money Young’s last blog post..Values For Your Life: Respectfulness

We bought our car from a trusted family friend when our previous garage sale car was about to both die and flip 200k. We originally didn’t like the car but couldn’t pass up the deal given our situation with the other car…. now we love it and the fact that is so green and ugly only endears it too us more.

When we step up in car (hopefully later in the year) my wife is already talking about getting a new model Legacy which is a true testement to this car!

Thanks for sharing!
Dave