Cars aren’t rational. If they were, we’d all be driving around in Priuses, and while there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a Prius, it just doesn’t suit everyone, you know? The fact is, almost every driver cares about their vehicle in some way, from the parents who wouldn’t be caught dead in a minivan to the 20-something crustpunk who enjoys the space of a minivan for drums and stuff. We all have our reasons for spending our actual money on the vehicles we drive, so today on Autopian Asks, we want to ask why did you buy your car?
I’ll gladly go first, although I’m probably not the most rational buyer out there, for I tend to mostly buy cars on wants and have a habit of having cars find me. In the case of my Porsche, I wanted a particular Boxster with a particular set of options, and eventually, the right one chose me. Yep, it’s still brilliant, and was well worth the two-plus-year search. Now, with the 325i, things are a little more complicated.
I’ve always loved the E90, but I wouldn’t have ended up with this one if it weren’t for stupid rust belt problems. See, I used to own a relatively nice Infiniti G35, which was great until it wasn’t. Once the 120,000-mile mark was breached, the nickel-and-dime repairs just kept coming, from dampers to trim bits to fixing exhaust leaks. The natural sort of stuff you’d expect in the rust belt, and eventually, it all just grew tiresome enough that I sold the G35 and bought a BMW with far more previous owners and far more mileage under its belt that actually found its way to me through a Facebook group. So far, it’s been the more robust car, and it was a great one-car solution for when I could only have one car.
See, when you can only own one car, you need to balance your wants and needs. I wanted a manual gearbox, drive to the back, good steering, decent brakes, a banging stereo, and a zero-to-60 mph time in the rough area of six seconds. I needed space to move stuff, a rear seat for occasional carpooling and airport runs, decent fuel economy, plenty of parts support, and acceptable passive safety due to how undertrained many drivers are. The result? The sports sedan.
However, most people don’t fire the parts cannon at fully depreciated German cars, and most people don’t buy their cars outright or on their fancy either. So, why did you buy your car? Was it a great deal, did it just fit your life perfectly, was it a dream of yours? Regardless, I want to hear your rationale in the comments below.
(Photo credits: Thomas Hundal)
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I bought a 2022 Civic Si to celebrate 10 years of no cigarettes. I loved it, so when it got totaled by a red-light-runner, I immediately jumped to buy the exact same car, but the markup was so high on them that I got my ’23 Integra for only like $500 more. So now I have what amounts to my fancy Si.
Mike Burroughs told me to
The Prius v was the first vehicle I bought myself.
I needed something to replace my van because its maintenance was too much for too long, and since I was also giving up on my DJ business, I could lean in the complete opposite direction for fuel economy…but I still wanted something reasonably spacious.
The back seat is roomy enough for adults, and the hatch area is also spacious.
Bought a 2020 Civic Sport Hatch because it was difficult to put my bike in the trunk of my previous (and boring) 2016 Civic sedan. It has a slick-shifting 6 speed manual and a slightly detuned version of the 1.5 turbo from the Si/Integra. I use it to commute long distances, I average 38+ MPG, and it’s not boring to drive. Sadly, you can’t get the turbo/manual/hatch combo any more, they closed the Swindon UK factory where it was built.
I have a ’23 Integra, and it’s basically an 11th Gen Civic Si, but a hatchback and with heated seats and a few other comfort items. Same gearbox, clutch, transmission and engine as the Si. It’s the way to get an Si hatchback, currently.
My neighbor has a 2023 Integra and I dig the styling, I wouldn’t mind having the limited slip differential, the torque steer on mine pulls hard to the side when I punch the throttle.
I was telling someone the other day that I bought the Si because of the gearbox, but it turns out that it’s the LSD that makes the car so much fun. You can just take any turn at any speed you want.
Well, the front subframe rotted out on my Mazda6 (replaced under a recall), and it was just…time. I narrowed it down between a 2018 Accord Sport 1.5T manual (new, bur still on the lot in June 2019) and a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Spott 2.0T (used, a little over 50k kms). After taking everything into account, the Accord was going to cost me $8k more.
So yeah, money was the reason I bought my Hyundai. I wish now that I had bought the Accord.
After an accident that took my last car out of commission, I decided to go with a red 2011 Accord Coupe V6 w/6-speed manual.
I wanted a manual transmission, I like coupes, I needed enough space in the back seat to fit 3 cat carriers with my dog riding shotgun in case of emergencies, I wanted a reliable engine with a little bit of grunt, and the 8th Gen Accord is the last generation with double-wishbone front suspension. I didn’t really see myself as a bright-red-car kind of person, but after I saw it in person, I actually really liked the way it looked.
I’ll have plenty of chances in life to drive fun cars in boring colors, so why not get something eye catching while I have the chance?
First car I ever owned was a bright red Chevy Beretta – exactly my thought at the time, that everyone should own a loud color car at least once in their lives.
Bought a ’21 Mustang convertible to replace my ’17 124 Abarth because my wife informed me that she was tired of having to put her purse in the trunk. My criteria was a convertible with a stick that was capable of getting out of it’s own way on demand. My car was the only one I could find within a 200 radius that fit the bill.
My life just didn’t have enough drama, so the first model year of a new British sports car just seemed the logical thing to do.
Actually, I hadn’t given a whole lot of serious thought to a Lotus, aside from thinking, “damn, those are cool” when I’d see an Elise or Evora around town, but then I saw the Emira unveiling. I put my name on the list with the idea that, hey, I can always transfer my spot in line or just get the deposit back. But then some really fortunate life circumstances smiled upon me right about the time my spot came up on the reservation list, so here we are. I’ve now launched my own little journey to test the validity of that “Lots Of Trouble, Usually Serious” tag.
I saw my first Emira at Cars and Coffee here in Dunedin FL this Saturday. It’s a beautiful car.
I may have to wander up that way some Saturday. I’m down in St. Pete.
You should. It’s a good collection of cars. First Saturday of the month. You can find lots of photos on VFW 2550 Dunedin Facebook page… which I took.
2022 Mazda 3 hatchback AWD turbo. Unfortunately white, as the polymetal gray one sold the day before I went in to look at it. I wanted a Miata, but did not want to commit the sacrilege of buying an automatic and it’s too small. My knees get so bad at times that if I had a manual I couldn’t have driven to work last week or so far this week. I also require a one-car solution due to current housing situation and lack of space/obnoxious HOA. This ruled out some of the sports cars I was looking at, like the Mustang GT my dad tried to talk me into or the Boxster/190E combo I was seriously considering before I remembered I could have one car until I move.
I’m generally of the mentality that I want the smallest car that makes sense for my needs while still being fun to drive and I need to be excited to drive it when I look out the window. I love the styling of the hatchback 3 and it is JUST big enough for what I need. Back seat for when I occasionally need to transport four people and while the hatch is pretty small, it’s big enough. Normally a good sound system is important, but the wonderful engine sounds mean I barely listen to music anymore. It’s a lot of fun to drive. The manual mode means I can still run it up to 5k before the power falls off a cliff. It needs some new wheels, since the OEM ones were replaced by the previous owner. I might do an axle-back exhaust for better sound and I’ve heard the CorkSport cold air intake (with heat shield of course) does wonders in that department. I am far less tempted to do things to what’s already a fantastic car than I was the Civic I previously owned.
’80 911 – it was the car I’d wanted since I was three years old
’85 Saab SPG – I wanted something fun, old, charismatic, inexpensive and also (unlike the 911) practical. Also got a great trip out of getting it
’78 BMW 530i (E12) – I passed on a really nice Bavaria (the BMW I’d long wanted) that someone I know offered me, immediately regretted it, and this was the result. Was also purchased for outstanding road trip to get it home.Would have been worth it for the road trip alone (SF – Bellingham – Glacier – Black Hills – Chicago) Supposed to replace the Saab but I still (!) have both.
’93 Sentra SE-R – I was being given a new car, and within the budget at hand this was the only car I even considered. I got the bug from C&D.
’81 Fiat Spider – I didn’t choose this one – the car chose me.
’13 JSW TDI – My vanilla car was an Accord and I wanted something with a sunroof, a manual, and a liftgate that would fit bikes, that was fun to drive and at least decently efficient.
I fell head over heels for the BMW Z3 Roadster, and by 1999 I was doing well enough financially to consider buying one. I was working one day when I borrowed a co-worker’s Magic 8 Ball, and asked “Will I buy a BMW Z3?” the answer was “Outlook not so good” – I felt hurt! So, I rephrased my question… multiple times… each answer was Non Committal . Eventually I asked “Will I buy a convertible sports car?” answer, “Signs point to yes”.
Summer of 2000, I picked up a 1999 MX5 Miata.
Can’t go wrong with that!
Bought a 98 Z3 M Roadster last year, and occasionally, on tight mountain roads, I idly wish I had gone Miata. It would certainly have been cheaper & smarter. Then I’ll nose it in the driveway so that when I come home all I see is: 295-differential with massive heatsinks-295, and I figure we should all just enjoy what we have.
2022 WL Trailhawk : Our 2014 WK2 Altitude was starting to get long in the tooth. Plus it was a 4×2 and we wanted a 4×4 after we got back into snow trips. Various things were becoming a problem, but a seriously leaking AC was the final straw. We wanted another Grand Cherokee, and would have been happy with a base model. But, in 2022 the parts shortage meant that only the higher trims of the Grand Cherokee got the full tow package, which we need. So…Trailhawk it was. I haven’t done much off-roading with it as I have a 2000 XJ for that. It does very well in the snow though. Also, despite being a Pentastar, tows our 4000lb 17ft trailer very well.
2022 Kia K5 LXS: My wife hated my e90 328i with the Sport Package. She wanted a rear-view camera and a modern stereo and something not so low that’s easier to get the kids in and out of and blah blah blah…(I’m still sore about this one). She picked out the replacement and came home with a white K5. It’s fine. Doesn’t look bad from the front, drives well and is pretty zippy. It has absolutely no soul at all and I will forget it ever existed the moment we get rid of it.
2000 XJ: I bought it in 2002 from Frontier Fords used lot in San Jose. Best damn purchase ever. Over 200k of commuting, offroading, ski trips, sand dunes, and road trips on it. Has never left me stranded anywhere and has required only basic maintenance and the usual replacement parts to stay on the road. The stock alternator was still working just fine when I pulled it off last year. I kept it as a backup. It’s also still on its original fuel pump.
My most recent car is my 2024 Kia EV6 gtline, the reason I chose it in blue was, well just look at that blue, it’s very pretty. I bought it to replace my 2017 forester, cause after 231000 kms on it I needed a new car so instead of new car payments and 600$ cnd in gas per month I got just a new car payment. I got it on may 24 th and put almost 8000kms so far.
I got the TL-S because I wanted something reliable from this millennium with leather seats, a sunroof, and enough enthusiast cred to park in the very far corner of a Cars and Coffee, and I couldn’t spend more than $8,000.
Kia Forte LX. Because it has a good mileage, a stick and not crap. Also 36 payments interest-free.
My most recent car is a 2018 Civic Si. I love having a little fun without drawing too much attention to myself, and after driving a Golf GTI that constantly had the check engine light on and a manual that felt like stirring oatmeal, the personality of the Si and its snappy gear shifts really feel good.
Saw an ’83 Subie Brat sit in the same spot for 2+ yrs. Probably been there longer as one side looks great but the ‘sun’ side is bleached. Got the owner to sell it and I got it driving.
With some kind of mandatory electrification looming in the near future, I’m just on this “fix it or sell it” kick right now. Let’s enjoy these oldies but goodies while we can. Same reason I bought & repaired a ’70 Datsun last year that sat in a back yard since 2018.
Wish I could “rescue” them all but I’m broke. Had to sell the Datsun recently but glad I got the experience and happy the buyer will continue to drive the hell out of it!
To troll my wife… and as a fuck you to Audi.
I was aggressively recruited by my current employer, which resulted in a massive shift in socioeconomic status. My wife had recently been given the first all clear after being treated for cancer, so I wanted to use my signing bonus to buy her an RS6 since she really loves that car more so than I do. Long story made short Audi Hawthorne treated me like I didn’t deserve to buy the car, but still tried to sell me the car. I kept my cool more or less, but did make some snide comments once it was blatantly clear that I should not be giving them my money. I bought her a Volvo instead and I was treated with total respect by Volvo White Plains.
My wife hated my car and was pushing me to get a nicer car for myself. She had a Range Rover in mind, but was OK with a Cayenne. I also liked the RS6 and still wanted one, but won’t let myself after the prior experience. So I did what any rational person would do and bought a base model Toyota Sienna to troll my wife. She hated it at first, but has come to love it. My kids love it as well and we have made some really nice family memories in the minivan.
Audi could give a fuck if I drive a Sienna or not, but right now it still feels good to not give them my money. I realize that Audi Hawthorne is not owned by Audi, but I feel like there needs to be some customer experience quality control from the manufacturer down particularly with luxury brands.
2017 Mazda Miata RF GT. I liked the color, and like Rob, had spent 25 years driving family sedans and had the disposable cash to get something I wanted. My wife would say I got the RF because it looks a lot like my old Opel GT I drove when we first met, she is probably not wrong. No regrets, it’s the most fun I’ve ever had driving a car.
I retired in 2014 at 59 having been carless for 36 years (Manhattan dweller). The three cars I had in my teens and early twenties were beaters. So I wanted a new car for our new home in Florida to celebrate my retirement.
My enthusiasm is for intelligent, do it all autos that are designed well, so I wound up with a brand new 2015 Fit.
Funny enough I would have bought a BMW 135i, but it went out of production a few months before I retired. I dodged a bullet and saved a ton.
I still have the Fit and won’t trade it for anything. Everything we need.
I hadn’t had a car or a driver’s license the last 14 years of the 20 years I lived in San Francisco.
Then in early 2013 my employer asked if I’d move to LA.
When I arrived, I had decided I needed a convertible – so I rented a Mustang Convertible. Which was nice, but not my style. Too cheap, too basic, too plasticy.
After a couple weeks, I returned to SF – and when I came back to LA, I rented a Focus. What a horrible car.
I knew that I didn’t want a hardtop convertible – so that meant no BMW, Volvo or Mercedes-Benz SL/SLK – tho I had been looking at vintage R107s, but the mpg was just too horrid. And R129s were still more than I thought I wanted to spend.
So I had been looking on Autotrader for used Audis, Saabs and Mercedes, and had sent a couple inquiries…
Then one Friday evening after happy hour – I was driving to my sublet in Hollywood – and while stuck in traffic on Santa Monica Blvd in Beverly Hills I saw the star, glowing in the night sky.
So I pulled into the garage just to see what they had while traffic cooled off – and next thing I know, after being shown to the pre-owned area, I was asked what I was looking for.
Being non-committal,I answered, “A Convertible”
“A V6 or a V8?”
“Oh, a V6 is fine”
“Red or White?”
“Red is good” (I was actually hoping for blue)
Then he pointed at her. A CPO Mars Red 2009 CLK350 Convertible with just under 31K miles.
After driving 3/4 of the way around the block – “Do you want to talk numbers?”
“Sure – but I don’t have my checkbook.”
He looked at me up and down in my Banker-drag custom suit & tie and said “Don’t worry – We take American Express.”
An hour and a half later, I was driving to my sublet in Hollywood in my Mercedes-Benz.
I left the rental Ford in the dealer’s garage overnight to be retrieved and returned to Avis at LAX the next day.
My 2017 Volt Premier. I wanted to see what it was like to have an electric car, but I did not want to be tethered by a cord.
Possibly my the most accurate purchase. The range of it has been perfect for going around the city, and when needed, I can drive anywhere. It’s been up and down the West Coast with no problem, and if needed I can drag the slow charger.
My 2004 xB. 21 years old, mpg is still good but it was time for something new.
So I bought a CPO 2021 Venza, needed something comfortable yet practical to take my dad to see his oncologist. But my sister got sandwiched in a car accident that ended her 2012 Prius C and got a concussion for her trouble. So the Venza went to her. The size of the Prius contributed to the injuries sustained since the Prius C is so lightweight.
Back to the xB. And then I got cut off by someone driving a Volvo who suddenly slammed their brakes and turned right to make it into a turn they missed.
So instead of getting another Venza, I picked up a Land Cruiser 250. And here I am.
Because I did not have a choice. I was working at a VW dealer in Austin and my Audi quit on me. I had very little money and my boss told me he would help me if I helped him. On the lot was a 2019 VW Golf SE that had been sitting there for 190 days! The deal was 10k off MSRP and because it was the early days of COVID, I qualified for 0% APR. Needless to say I took it and 4 years later, it’s nearly paid off and I am almost ready to find its replacement!
Two cars, two stories. The ’06 Jeep TJ was a private-party trade when I decided to get rid of my ’01 Ford Excursion (the Excursion was a utility purchase; I wanted something cheap that I would only use to tow my camper; got rid of it when I got rid of the camper). I thought I’d keep the Jeep for a minute and sell it, but I started fixing it up and doing Jeep stuff to it, and I still use it for off-roading and hunting, and now I’m attached to it. It’s possible that I’ll never get rid of it, and I have a fantasy that I’ll electrify it one day.
The other car is a Volvo V60 wagon. I wanted a new(ish) reliable car that didn’t suck to drive on the highway (ahem, Jeep) and still had a lot of utility. I didn’t want a crossover, was in love with the idea of a wagon (and the Jeep is a horrible pickup, I can put 12′ dimensional lumber in the V60), but I don’t drive a lot and hated the idea of spending a ton of money on something that would just sit in the driveway (E-class, Polestar). So I got a CPO V60. And I do enjoy it; with so few wagons on the road nowadays, I feel it has just enough personality (even though I’d still much rather have something with a manual and/or a little more pep).