Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkPira7e
Any new car is a gamble just as a used car is; at least with the used car, maybe you can see it coming.
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A new car is not the same gamble as a used car because the warranty you receive with the new car mitigates the risk. It's as if the dealer in a casino says, "Place your bet, but if you lose we'll reimburse you." My Subaru warranty not only pays to fix the car, but it also provides towing and a rental car while it's in the shop, so there's also less risk involved with other opportunity costs of getting to work, getting the kids to school, being raped and murdered while stranded on the side of the road, etc. When I bought mine in 2014, my choice was to pay nearly the same price for a used 2013 and accept the additional risk of the early issues. Buying new was a no-brainer.
Further, our cars are similar, but they still change year over year. The versions out now have some features mine doesn't. Are they worth the extra money? Maybe, when also taking into account the opportunity cost of the additional risk of the older car being out of warranty.
Whether you can accept the additional risk and forego the newer features depends entirely on the individual situation. I bought my BRZ when my Jeep aged to the point that it was becoming unreliable. Since I drive 25K to 30K miles per year, I needed to reduce my transportation risk as low as possible because the travel schedule for my job demanded it. If I decided to add a fourth car to my fleet right now, I'd buy used, simply because the BRZ is still (knock on wood) reliable, and I also have a semi-reliable backup. But when the BRZ becomes unreliable, I'll buy another new car at that point to reduce my risk again.
Or I might buy a new car sooner if something interesting hits the market that I can't get used. Maybe Toyota will introduce a new sports car.