As somebody who’s planning to purchase a brand new automotive by 2025, I’m having second ideas. With the typical new automotive worth at nearly $50,000, it looks like solely the wealthy should buy new automobiles as we speak!
Give it some thought. In case you observe my 1/tenth rule for automotive shopping for, you should earn $500,000 to purchase the typical new automotive. Nonetheless, a $500,000 family earnings is the beginning of a high 1% earnings!
Under is the brand new car common transaction worth chart by Kelly Blue Guide via January 2023. As you possibly can see, the typical transaction worth is $49,388, up 5.9%, or $2,768 from a yr in the past.
In distinction, the typical worth of a used automotive is about $27,000. A $22,388 unfold between the typical new automotive worth and common used automotive worth is important.

Proudly owning A New Automobile Is An Indicator Of Wealth
Based mostly on the typical new automotive worth in 2023, proudly owning a brand new automotive is one indicator of wealth. In case you need extra standing, then personal a mean new automotive! Individuals may deal with you with extra respect.
Nonetheless, for those who imagine in Stealth Wealth, then proudly owning the typical new automotive is rarely going to occur. You don’t need to entice undesirable consideration within the land of envy and thieves. In consequence, you rationally drive an older automotive that’s cheaper.
After all, you can additionally purchase a cheaper-than-average new automotive, like a Honda Civic for $25,000 and never be thought-about rich. All of it will depend on your age when the brand new automotive is bought.
In case you’re shopping for a brand new Honda Civic for $25,000 at age 25, you’re thought-about wealthy. However for those who’re shopping for a brand new Honda Civic at age 60, you’re thought-about comparatively frugal. In spite of everything, the median earnings will increase with age.
New Automobiles All over the place Is A Bullish Indicator
Sadly, I drive between 40 – 100 minutes a day because of faculty and sports activities actions. I dislike driving, however there are not any environment friendly transportation options.
I at all times discover new automobiles in all places once I’m driving. And every time I see one, I multiply the estimated automotive worth by 10 to reach on the driver’s potential family earnings. I’m in awe of how there are such a lot of high-income households.
Rush hour site visitors can be unhealthy in San Francisco. Even with the work-from-home motion gaining reputation within the Bay Space, site visitors continues to be horrible.
However someday, I modified my mindset.
As an alternative of getting irritated on the super quantity of metropolis site visitors, I began to get impressed. Heavy site visitors means enterprise is booming! And when enterprise is nice, meaning I ought to be capable of earn extra passive funding earnings to remain free.
Go site visitors jams and drivers who double park on busy streets!
The media likes to concentrate on doom and gloom as a result of unfavorable tales get extra consideration. Nonetheless, for those who sit in site visitors day by day as I do, you’ll rapidly notice the financial system is doing simply high-quality.
The common new automotive 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.
Perhaps Fools Are Additionally Shopping for New Automobiles
Sure, the wealthy are possible the principle folks shopping for new automobiles. However perhaps fools are shopping for new automobiles as properly.
In spite of everything, the typical month-to-month cost for a new automotive has risen to a report $777, practically doubling from late 2019, in keeping with Kelley Blue Guide. Even used fashions have climbed to $544 a month in automotive funds on common.
Nonetheless, name me naive, however I don’t suppose a rational American seeking to obtain monetary freedom would ever spend a lot cash on a brand new automotive. To suppose the typical American is irrational is to additionally suppose the typical American is a idiot. And we ain’t no fools!

Everyone knows new automobiles have the steepest depreciation curve after the primary three years. Additional, everyone knows saving and investing aggressively are musts to attain monetary freedom.
Given 70% of Individuals are disengaged at work, it additionally means 70% of Individuals don’t need to be slaves to their jobs eternally. In case you hate your job, it is unnecessary to make use of a big chunk of your financial savings or tackle a $777 month-to-month cost to purchase a brand new automotive.
New Automobiles Priced Round $50,000
Given solely the wealthy should buy the typical new automotive, here’s a record of recent automobiles priced round $50,000. This fashion, we will rapidly 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 Collection, 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 charges, a few of these automobiles are pushing $60,000. Right here in San Francisco, many of those new automotive fashions are a dime a dozen, particularly the Tesla Mannequin 3 automobiles.
Even my softball acquaintance drives a Mannequin 3. Though he doesn’t make $500,000+ as an educator, he did amass an nearly $1 million place in Tesla inventory on margin. Therefore, folks shopping for the typical new automotive have monetary sources aside from their incomes.
Ideas About Shopping for A New Automobile For My Household
The rationale why I’m seeking to purchase a brand new automotive in 2025 is as a result of my Vary Rover Sport will probably be 10 years previous by then. Primarily because of security, I feel the splendid size of time to personal a automotive is when the automotive hits 10 years previous.
Security options are at all times bettering yearly. Automobile engineers aren’t simply twiddling their thumbs annually accumulating a paycheck. Given I’ve to move kids, I’m not prepared to drive a automotive a lot older than 10 years previous.
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 previous automotive failure examples:
- Timing belt on my 15-year-old Toyota Corolla snapped someday.
- Brakes stopped working in my 18-year-old 1989 BMW CSI whereas pulling right into a Greatest Purchase car 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 automotive must be changed each 10 years given rubber hardens and cracks. In the meantime, airbags may not work correctly after 10-15 years.
If a automotive 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 automotive. The finest time to personal the nicest automotive you possibly can afford is when you have got kids.
I’m positive I may drive my automotive till it’s 15 years previous to save cash given I solely drive about 6,000 miles a yr. Nonetheless, it’s in all probability not well worth the threat given I can afford to purchase a brand new automotive sooner.
Will In all probability Nonetheless Purchase A Barely Used Automobile

Proudly owning a brand new automotive is good. Who doesn’t love the brand new automotive scent?! However the depreciation on a brand new automotive is just too dramatic to abdomen. As an alternative, I’ll in all probability purchase a two-or-three-year-old automotive to save cash.
Personally, I like the brand new design of the newest Land Rover Vary Rover. Too unhealthy it prices about $150,000 reasonably outfitted! If I actually need to journey in type, I finest begin writing extra bestselling books.
It actually looks like solely the wealthy can afford to purchase new automobiles as we speak. Are you considered one of them? In case you aren’t, how did you afford to purchase a brand new automotive at as we speak’s astronomical costs?
For extra nuanced private finance content material, be part of 55,000+ others and join the free Monetary Samurai e-newsletter and posts through e-mail. Monetary Samurai is among the largest independently-owned private finance websites that began in 2009.