As somebody who’s planning to purchase a brand new automobile by 2025, I’m having second ideas. With the common new automobile worth at virtually $50,000, it looks as if solely the wealthy should buy new automobiles as we speak!
Give it some thought. For those who comply with my 1/tenth rule for automobile shopping for, it’s essential to earn $500,000 to purchase the common new automobile. Nevertheless, a $500,000 family revenue is the beginning of a high 1% revenue!
Even when a brand new automobile purchaser violates my 1/tenth rule and spends 20% of their annual gross revenue on a automobile, that also means they earn $250,000 or extra a yr.
Beneath is the brand new automobile common transaction worth chart by Kelly Blue E book by way of January 2023. As you’ll be able to see, the common transaction worth is $49,388, up 5.9%, or $2,768 from a yr in the past.
In distinction, the common worth of a used automobile is about $27,000. A $22,388 unfold between the common new automobile worth and common used automobile worth is important.

Proudly owning A New Automotive Is An Indicator Of Wealth
Primarily based on the common new automobile worth in 2023, proudly owning a brand new automobile is one indicator of wealth. For those who need extra standing, then personal a median new automobile! Folks may deal with you with extra respect.
Nevertheless, in the event you imagine in Stealth Wealth, then proudly owning the common new automobile isn’t going to occur. You don’t need to appeal to undesirable consideration within the land of envy and thieves. Consequently, you rationally drive an older automobile that’s inexpensive.
In fact, you may additionally purchase a cheaper-than-average new automobile, like a Honda Civic for $25,000 and never be thought of rich. All of it depends upon your age when the brand new automobile is bought.
For those who’re shopping for a brand new Honda Civic for $25,000 at age 25, you’re thought of wealthy. However in the event you’re shopping for a brand new Honda Civic at age 60, you’re thought of comparatively frugal. In spite of everything, the median revenue will increase with age.
Therefore, in the event you’re shopping for the common new automobile as we speak, hopefully you’re over 50 years outdated and/or have your retirement financial savings squared away. In any other case, chances are you’ll be working for for much longer than you want.
New Automobiles In every single place Is A Bullish Indicator
Sadly, I drive between 40 – 100 minutes a day as a consequence of college and sports activities actions. I dislike driving, however there are not any environment friendly transportation options for youths.
I at all times discover new automobiles in every single place once I’m driving. And every time I see one, I multiply the estimated automobile worth by 10 to reach on the driver’s potential family revenue. I’m in awe of how there are such a lot of high-income households.
Rush hour visitors can also be unhealthy in San Francisco. Even with the work-from-home motion gaining recognition within the Bay Space, visitors remains to be horrible.
However in the future, to assist my temper, I modified my mindset.
As a substitute of getting aggravated on the great quantity of metropolis visitors, I began to get impressed. Heavy visitors means enterprise is booming! And when enterprise is nice, meaning I ought to be capable to earn extra passive funding revenue to remain free.
Go visitors jams! Drivers who double park on busy streets rock!
The media likes to deal with doom and gloom as a result of unfavourable tales get extra consideration. Nevertheless, in the event you sit in visitors on daily basis as I do, you’ll shortly notice the financial system is doing simply superb.
The typical new automobile worth of just about $50,000 isn’t sustainable if there isn’t demand. And demand isn’t sustainable if family incomes will not be concurrently rising.
Possibly Fools Are Additionally Shopping for New Automobiles
Sure, the wealthy are seemingly the primary individuals shopping for new automobiles. However perhaps fools are shopping for new automobiles as properly?
In spite of everything, the common month-to-month fee for a new automobile has risen to a document $777, almost doubling from late 2019, based on Kelley Blue E book. Even used fashions have climbed to $544 a month in automobile funds on common.
Nevertheless, name me naive, however I don’t assume a rational American seeking to obtain monetary freedom would ever spend a lot cash on a brand new automobile. To assume the common American is irrational is to additionally assume the common American is a idiot.
And we ain’t no fools!

Everyone knows new automobiles have the steepest depreciation curve throughout the first three years. Additional, saving and investing aggressively are musts to realize monetary freedom.
Given 70% of People are disengaged at work, it additionally means 70% of People don’t need to be slaves to their jobs perpetually.
For those who hate your job, it is senseless to make use of a big chunk of your financial savings or tackle a $777 month-to-month fee to purchase a brand new automobile.
New Automobiles Priced Round $50,000
Given solely the wealthy should buy the common new automobile, here’s a listing of the highest-rated new automobiles priced round $50,000. This manner, we will shortly determine who’s wealthy and who isn’t!
- Lexus ES
- Audi A4, A5, S3, A6
- Volvo V60, XC60, S60
- Volvo XC60
- Volkswagen Arteon
- BMW 2, 3, 4 Sequence, I-4
- Acura TLX
- Tesla Mannequin 3, Mannequin Y
- Hyundai Genesis G80, GV80
- Mercedes Benz C-Class
- Kia Stinger
- Cadillac CT5-V
- Nissan Z
With taxes and costs, a few of these automobiles are pushing $60,000. Right here in San Francisco, many of those new automobile fashions are a dime a dozen, particularly the Tesla Mannequin 3 automobiles.
Even my softball acquaintance drives a Mannequin 3. Regardless that he doesn’t make $500,000+ as an educator, he did amass an virtually $1 million place in Tesla inventory on margin. Therefore, individuals shopping for the common new automobile have monetary assets apart from their incomes.
There’s extra wealth on the market than we all know.
Ideas About Shopping for A New Automotive For My Household
The explanation why I’m seeking to purchase a brand new automobile in 2025 is as a result of my Vary Rover Sport can be 10 years outdated by then. Primarily as a consequence of security, I believe the supreme size of time to personal a automobile is when the automobile hits 10 years outdated.
Security options are at all times bettering yearly. Automotive engineers aren’t simply twiddling their thumbs annually gathering a paycheck. Given I’ve to move youngsters, I’m not keen to drive a automobile a lot older than 10 years outdated.
I’ve pushed a lot older automobiles earlier than. And similar to with proudly owning rental properties, one thing at all times comes up.
Listed below are a few of my outdated automobile failure examples:
- Timing belt on my 15-year-old Toyota Corolla snapped in the future.
- Brakes stopped working in my 18-year-old 1989 BMW CSI whereas pulling right into a Finest Purchase parking zone
- Engine in my 12-year-old 1997 BMW M3 began lurching as a result of the transmission was failing
The spare donut tire in your automobile ought to be changed each 10 years given rubber hardens and cracks. In the meantime, airbags may not work correctly after 10-15 years.
If a automobile malfunction had been to trigger an accident and injure my passengers I’d by no means forgive myself if I may have afforded a safer automobile. The greatest time to personal the nicest automobile you’ll be able to afford is when you will have youngsters.
I’m certain I may drive my automobile till it’s 15 years outdated to economize given I solely drive about 6,000 miles a yr. Nevertheless, it’s most likely not definitely worth the danger given I can afford to purchase a brand new automobile sooner.
Will Most likely Nonetheless Purchase A Barely Used Automotive

Proudly owning a brand new automobile is sweet. Who doesn’t love the brand new automobile odor?! However the depreciation on a brand new automobile is just too dramatic to abdomen. As a substitute, I’ll most likely purchase a two-or-three-year-old automobile to economize. Higher psychological well being is likely one of the greatest causes for driving an older automobile.
Personally, I like the brand new design of the newest Land Rover Vary Rover. Too unhealthy it prices about $150,000 reasonably geared up! If I actually need to experience in type, I greatest begin writing extra bestselling books.
It actually looks as if solely the wealthy can afford to purchase new automobiles as we speak. Are you considered one of them? For those who aren’t, how did you afford to purchase a brand new automobile at as we speak’s astronomical costs? Please reveal your monetary secret!
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