BAR wrote:


Your typical consumer purchaser of a vehicle should purchase with the
intent of keeping the vehicle for 10+ years. The last vehicle we bought
wast the F-150 SuperCrew. Cost $425 a month for 5 years, yes 5 years.
Now we are effectively saving $425 a month for the past 2 years and for
the next 3 to 6 years until we need to purchase another vehicle for me.
By that time we will have save up enough money to do an outright
purchase of the next vehicle. But, we will finance the next vehicle
because it doesn't make sense to stop the money saved from working for
us. I figure that we will still be making 3 or 4 percent while we are
paying off the next vehicle's loan.

Unless you get an outstanding interest rate (less than prime, for
example), you are better off paying cash. You aren't "making" anything
while you pay off a loan - you are paying interest on a depreciating asset.

You are also only "saving $425 a month" if you have no repair expenses.
That's the risk you take when you keep a vehicle for a long time
beyond it's warranty.