Originally Posted by Rob_Tampa

Thats why I've resigned myself to renting a truck if/ when I need,

Originally Posted by smakusdod

I know a lot of people here are younger, and will 'graduate' from the TC to more expensive cars, etc.

This is typical human behavior, and we all naturally think this way. I have done the exact opposite, coming from more expensive cars, to the TC. And it's not for lack of money or because i lost my job or anything like that (knock on wood). I am luckily making more money now than I ever have before, so don't chalk this advice up to anything material related, just take it for what it is.

Let me tell you why I have done the reverse.

After owning expensive cars for the last 7years (audi, porche, lexus, you name it, yes I changed my car every 2 years or so, both owning and leasing), i've come to realize they are just a waste of money. The insurance, the depreciation, the tires! It's awful how much money is blown when you drive an expensive car, even if you just hold on to just one, and don't swap them around... still a waste! I don't care if you make 500k a year, it simply isn't worth it. It is money lost.

With just a little investment in upgrading the TC, you can have 85% of the great experience of owning a more expensive car. The handling, the feel of the accelleration - all of the aspects of driving that are considered fun, can pretty much be experienced with the TC, without the expense and worry of owning a higher end vehicle.

The last 15% is basically comprised of better performance, and quieter ride, with better fit and finish. Of course more expensive cars are better at the 'details', but in reality, they are never 300% better than a Scion would be, yet their prices are at least that much greater. Not to mention they are a complete pain in the butt when something goes wrong. And something ALWAYS goes wrong. The simplest thing going wrong on a pricey car always becomes a pain point.. no matter how acute it is.

You are not going to have your Audi S4 serviced by Jiffy Lube (not that i would EVER take my TC there either, but you know what I mean). You are pretty much chained to the dealer, and this further screws you over. Ever try changing the oil on a Porche Boxster? You basically can't. Oh crap, the windows don't work on the Mercedes again... Just try taking the door apart to figure it out yourself. A) you dont want to, because if something breaks, its $500 for the replacement part. B) you realize once you take the door apart what a crappy electrical system the car has, and it never works right again anyway.

I don't know why i'm posting this, but I guess I just wanted people to know that you can save yourself a lot of money over the years by knowing that the grass really isn't much greener once you've spent enough time on the other side of the fence. If I can help one person realize that expensive cars are nothing more than just an unecessary expense, before they make that mistake, then I would be a happy man.

People will reply and say "well now i drive XXXXXXX, and i'll never look back." This is always true, for a while.. but trust me.. spend enough time in expensive cars and sooner or later you'll realize that they are just that. Expensive. And not really worth it.

It's obviously not ALL gravy... The hardest part of giving up expensive cars is knowing that it will change how people initially perceive you. It's probably more so because I live in So-Cal, but I definitely notice a difference when I pull up in my TT-R, vs when i pull up in my TC. But this is a double-edged sword. Not really a good or bad thing, just different. Some people take you more seriously in an expensive car, some people hate you more, so it can really go either way.

If image really really bothers you, maybe its worth it to you. But people who are impressed with expensive cars probably have never owned one... (at least not for any length of time to realize what this post is about), nor are they worth impressing. Either that, or they have no concept of the true value of money. Either way, they are a complete waste of your time.

If nothing else is learned from this post, at least remember this next line (this is the flippin' truth, and trust me, i've learned this first hand):

The people worth impressing are the ones that wouldn't care about your car in the first place, so do yourself a favor, and put $500/mo into an investment account instead.

Happy driving! Scion TC, FTW!