When do you plan on buying a baller car?

I know in NYC you won't need a car much, but once you're raking in $300k+ a year, why the hell not buy a nice car? Has to make things somewhat convenient. If you live anywhere other than NYC, you most likely will be buying a car your first year, right? What kind of car will that be?

About when can ibankers buy their first luxurious ($90k-$300k) car?

 

I know MDs who still take the train. Honestly, I think people wait till they are 2rd year associates or VPs before they buy a car, and that is only because they move out of the city......they don't drive it into the city.

If our in banking, what is the point of buying a car that you can never drive. Just borrow a friend's car or rent one for the day when you need it.

"Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA."
 
Gekko21:
I know MDs who still take the train. Honestly, I think people wait till they are 2rd year associates or VPs before they buy a car, and that is only because they move out of the city......they don't drive it into the city.

If you're in banking, what is the point of buying a car that you can never drive. Just borrow a friend's car or rent one for the day when you need it.

"Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA."
 

Hopefully I feel like I can drop $70k on a car before Cadillac gets rid of my CTS-V wagon...I'll do it, I swear.

Regards

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so." - Ronald Reagan
 
Cartwright:
If you only make 300k a year and spend 100k on a car, you definitely qualify as a "baller".

That is not a compliment.

agree.

you wont care about cars as much when you get a little older.. I am sure its big now as you dont have much or drive a piece of shit. However, once you buy house, get married, kids etc etc.. other things just become more important

 
Cartwright:
If you only make 300k a year and spend 100k on a car, you definitely qualify as a "baller".

That is not a compliment.

How much do you think you need to make to buy a 100K car? If you're a car nut spending 100K on a car when you're making 300 isn't that bad.

 

^^^See, that's the problem with kids today...no sense of expenses.

and I realize I didn't answer the question in my above posts....the reason you won't be buying that 100K car when your making 300K is because you will have better things to spend the money on or your you donate it to the "Just been fucked up the ass by my firm" fund for later use.

"Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA."
 
Gekko21:
^^^See, that's the problem with kids today...no sense of expenses.

and I realize I didn't answer the question in my above posts....the reason you won't be buying that 100K car when your making 300K is because you will have better things to spend the money on or your you donate it to the "Just been fucked up the ass by my firm" fund for later use.

It's scary to think some of these people actually work in finance...

 

If you make 300k (all-in) in a year in NYC, thats 150 after tax. Anywhere else its probably around 180-200 after tax (just guessing). To spend half (or more in the case of NYC) of that on a car is fucking retarded. Especially after two years you're probably going to get an MBA. If anything Id lease a car for 2 years, and only if I wasn't living in NYC.

"You stop being an asshole when it sucks to be you." -IlliniProgrammer "Your grammar made me wish I'd been aborted." -happypantsmcgee
 
mas1987:
If you make 300k (all-in) in a year in NYC, thats 150 after tax. Anywhere else its probably around 180-200 after tax (just guessing). To spend half (or more in the case of NYC) of that on a car is fucking retarded.

On that logic, someone who makes $100K before taxes, shouldn't even be able to afford a 3 series BMW. You could barely even afford a nicely specced Nissan Altima SL.

Not trying to contest what you think is needed. Growing up, I observed friends and family buy cars up to 50% of their salary and they are all doing just fine.

 
Bulge_bracket_brother:
On that logic, someone who makes $100K before taxes, shouldn't even be able to afford a 3 series BMW. You could barely even afford a nicely specced Nissan Altima SL.

Not trying to contest what you think is needed. Growing up, I observed friends and family buy cars up to 50% of their salary and they are all doing just fine.

Shit, I was a little tired when I was writing this and might have completely ignored car loans. Regardless, I wouldn't do it, I'd just get a lease.

"You stop being an asshole when it sucks to be you." -IlliniProgrammer "Your grammar made me wish I'd been aborted." -happypantsmcgee
 
Bulge_bracket_brother][quote=mas1987:
On that logic, someone who makes $100K before taxes, shouldn't even be able to afford a 3 series BMW. You could barely even afford a nicely specced Nissan Altima SL.

Not trying to contest what you think is needed. Growing up, I observed friends and family buy cars up to 50% of their salary and they are all doing just fine.

If you are making $100k, then you probably should be getting something like an Altima. Just because you can get approved on a loan for a car, doesn't mean that you should.

 
Bulge_bracket_brother:
mas1987:
If you make 300k (all-in) in a year in NYC, thats 150 after tax. Anywhere else its probably around 180-200 after tax (just guessing). To spend half (or more in the case of NYC) of that on a car is fucking retarded.

On that logic, someone who makes $100K before taxes, shouldn't even be able to afford a 3 series BMW. You could barely even afford a nicely specced Nissan Altima SL.

If your total family income is $100k before taxes, you should not be buying a 3 series BMW. You should probably be leasing a car.

Not trying to contest what you think is needed. Growing up, I observed friends and family buy cars up to 50% of their salary and they are all doing just fine.

Growing up, our friends parents all drained their homes of equity to finance the "doing just fine" lifestyle.

 

i bought an entry level luxury car with my internship money (and a loan) in my sophomore year. IMO that was the perfect time for it and i don't think i will ever again get to have as much fun with a vehicle. I kinda feel that i i got that stage out of my system, at least until the midlife crisis.

More is good, all is better
 

And you wonder why analysts and associates in NYC don't have cars......

"Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA."
 

Pussies. 300k not safe enough to buy a 100k car... other people save for years to buy their dream car.

Over here in Europe, bankers used to buy 911s as Associates. This has changed too in recent years. Too many reasonable nerds without balls in the industry. Also there is the feeling of shame and not wanting to appear like a greedy stereotype banker. Man up and get some backbone. If you want to enjoy a nice car while you are still young, make it come true. Your life as a monkey is sad enough.

 

From your other thread, I take that your healthcare background implies you were pre-med. It seems like you certainly had a change of heart recently lol. (I guess it's a bit unfair to equate materialism with finance and the opp for medicine).

 
one_half_narwhal:
From your other thread, I take that your healthcare background implies you were pre-med. It seems like you certainly had a change of heart recently lol. (I guess it's a bit unfair to equate materialism with finance and the opp for medicine).

Haha you are correct! I was pre-med. I was always somewhat materialistic, but willing to sacrifice materialism for the satisfaction of taking care of sick people, but I just think I would be a better fit in consulting. This thread was just for fun - I don't really plan on being a banker (I hate sleep deprivation).

 

Are we talking about buying a car straight up or financing it over 3-5 years? I think a lot of younger people with nice cars don't pay for them straight up -- they finance them and just spread the costs out over a few years. By the time they have paid for the car in full, they'll likely have been promoted to a new salary grade anyways.

CompBanker’s Career Guidance Services: https://www.rossettiadvisors.com/
 

Given the volatility of jobs in finance, you should only buy a nice car if you can pay with cash. Why be stuck with a huge monthly payment weighing you down? I've never been let go from a job, but I've seen plenty of junior finance professionals that have made risky moves financially (revolving debt, cars, houses/apartments, boats), only to be stuck with the consequences when they are laid-off at the next downturn.

Also, there is no point in buying a new car. Luxury cars depreciate very quickly. I bought a great car that was 2 years old with 18k miles and in mint condition for about half of what it cost new. I love cars, but there is no point of putting yourself in a precarious financial position for one.

Another approach to buying a car would be to buy a similar duration bond that approximates what your monthly payments would be. I have a former roommate who will only enter into a long-term agreement that requires him to make payments if he can fully offset it with a (relatively low risk) fixed income investment.

 

This might put me in the same boat as IlliniProgrammer, but I think buying a car shouldn't even approach 33% of your gross income.

I also am not a big advocate for loans, but that's just me. I guess my advice would be to keep as little income wrapped up in depreciating assets (Cars, Boats, etc) as possible with living comfortably.

To each their own.

 

Don't spend 100k on a car your first year in NYC, it will get messed up and be a pain in the ass. If you have a valet on both ends of your maybe it's worth it but other than that, don't go for it. You'll be so busy you won't give shit what car you drive to and from the 25% of your day that you're not in the office.

I'll be a first-year next year and I'm planning on leasing to keep it easy. They'll come get it when it needs repairs etc. and give you a loaner car which is a huge help. Turning in an A6 for a new BMW or Audi lease of some kind.

Earn it.
 

Even if I were earning a million a year I wouldn't buy a car in nyc. It's simply faster and more convenient to subway or cab it. It would be such a huge pain in the ass to drive / park anywhere that it simply makes 0 sense to buy one. Plus, given that I'm a first year analyst now, much of my free time is spent plastered, so I'd really prefer not having to worry about trashing my nice car.

 
On that logic, someone who makes $100K before taxes, shouldn't even be able to afford a 3 series BMW. You could barely even afford a nicely specced Nissan Altima SL. Not trying to contest what you think is needed. Growing up, I observed friends and family buy cars up to 50% of their salary and they are all doing just fine.

You can lease an entry level luxury car for ~$400 a month + tax. I pay $430 including tax for mine + ~$90/month in gas + ~$110/month in insurance. So total car costs = $630 per month or around $7.6K per year which ends up being ~ 8% of my pre-tax base salary...

Obviously if you're in a place like NYC, Chicago, etc. then it's not a necessity and probably a stupid idea to even lease a car but if you are in LA, Bay Area, Houston, etc. then you will most likely need a car and leases are a good option.

 
harvardgrad08:
On that logic, someone who makes $100K before taxes, shouldn't even be able to afford a 3 series BMW. You could barely even afford a nicely specced Nissan Altima SL. Not trying to contest what you think is needed. Growing up, I observed friends and family buy cars up to 50% of their salary and they are all doing just fine.

You can lease an entry level luxury car for ~$400 a month + tax. I pay $430 including tax for mine + ~$90/month in gas + ~$110/month in insurance. So total car costs = $630 per month or around $7.6K per year which ends up being ~ 8% of my pre-tax base salary...

Obviously if you're in a place like NYC, Chicago, etc. then it's not a necessity and probably a stupid idea to even lease a car but if you are in LA, Bay Area, Houston, etc. then you will most likely need a car and leases are a good option.

If you're in Houston you will absolutely need a car.

 
TheBenevolent:
i plan on upgrading from my college days' car (2001 civic) sometime next year, currently a first year analyst. but by upgrade i mean spending 25 to 30K, probably will buy a 2009 bmw 335 or an audi A4, which for me are pretty nice cars. not spending 100K on a car till I am making at least 600-700k.

I am a huge fan of buying slightly used cars rather than leasing. The monthly payments are comparable and you can get some very nice cars with

If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 

Why would you spend $100k+ on a car? "because it's badass" isn't a good response. I'd rather buy a house and rent it out to make more money a la Paulson in Detroit currently.

Then you can have enough to buy your own plane. I think the nicest car I might ever consider getting that I consider expensive is that Hyundai Equus coming out or a Mercedes S550. That's about it. Besides, what's the point of having an Aston Martin or Ferrari if you live in NYC? I don't think there's enough space to really enjoy that type of car.

 
brooksbrotha:
I feel like Argonaut is saying that because it has the Hyundai name. You have to look beyond the name and look at the quality; something Lehman Auditors failed to do LOL.

Yeah, I'm sure kids that pay 30K for a beat up Buick Riviera '74 with $15,000 rims on bald tires and shag rug upholstery also look at the quality...

More is good, all is better
 

Reading this thread makes me realize i've grown up a bit since college. I dont care about getting a nice car as much as I used to back then. Back in the day I wanted to get a Ferrari 360 or a Lambo Gallardo, but now im very satisfied with my pre-owned E46 3-series (modded of course).

I'm MUCH more focused on getting a nice apartment of my own instead of renting a crappy one, as I am now. Too many "Ballers" out there that lease brand new Bimmers and live in the ghetto. I'd rather be the guy that lives in a nice luxury apartment and has a decent pre-owned car.

Once I buy an apartment that has parking or a garage, maybe i'll upgrade to a 2003 m3.. they can be had for around 15k and are AWESOME cars. These exotics can be fun once in a while but they dont make you as happy as you think they would. I have several friends with ferraris, lambos, Rolls' and they are all pretty bored of their cars. These cars attract the wrong kind of attention. Do you think you will have hot chicks running up to you wanting to suck your cock because you pulled up in an enzo?? maybe once in a while, but most of the people are teenagers and older men trying to take pics of your car and ask what you do for a living.. that gets old real fast.

Fuck the cars, get a baller pad.. or if you can, get both..

btw pic of my buddy's stable. (he's not a banker btw)

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o317/ChristianFerm/18-2.jpg

 

Guest - what does your buddy do? Does he need an accountant?

All kidding aside, my opinion is that buying a car with ~20k miles on it is the way to go. That way you can get an almost-new car that you can't (or shouldn't) buy brand new. I set myself a pretty tight budget and then find the best 1-2 year old car I can afford. My goal is to then hold the car for ~5 years.

My next car will probably be -34 years away and I'll go for a 2 year old 5 series, unless a new model catches my eye by then.

twitter: @CorpFin_Guy
 
TheBenevolent:
i thought german cars tend to give a lot of problems after 5-6 years, i have a feeling you can end up spending quite a bit on maintaining that 2003 m3

hyundai equus looks like a fucking tank, a nice comfortable tank though. i like the refrigerator in the back seat haha

My e46 is 2001, I spent about 2k last year on Maintenance. However nothing was broken. The key here is PREVENTIVE maintenance to avoid the HUGE repair bills that come from busted cooling systems, timing belts, pulleys/belts etc.. I expect my car to be relatively trouble free for years since I replaced most of the things that go wrong with these older e46 3 series.

I also go to a independent mechanic that specializes in german cars, and he charges about 1/4th of what the BMW Stealer would charge for a similar job.

 
TheBenevolent:
i thought german cars tend to give a lot of problems after 5-6 years, i have a feeling you can end up spending quite a bit on maintaining that 2003 m3

hyundai equus looks like a fucking tank, a nice comfortable tank though. i like the refrigerator in the back seat haha

this is a joke rite?

Once your raking in £1m+ pretax you can maybe spend 100k on a car.

 

For all those saying "you should wait" or "100k is not enough, wait till you are VP and you are making....".

People are failing to realize the time you can MOST enjoy your car is when you are youngest. From experience (and this thread), the older you get, the less you care about cars. So logically, the best time to enjoy your car is when you are younger. In essence, that is when the car's value to you is its highest. The older you get, the less valuable cars get to you.

Now, obviously and unfortunately, you also have the least amount of money when you are younger. So the older folks have money, but don't care much about cars. While the younger folks care a lot about cars, but don't have as much money.

The best way out of this is asking yourself how much do I really care about having a nice car and living life while I'm young. If you care enough, go get your dream car...while you can still enjoy it the most.

 

Around end of second year analyst stint... 1993 Porsche 964 Turbo. can be had for around ~40-50k.

I'm a car nut, and I work hard to afford the things i like, its super easy for me to justify it. haha

Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis - when I was dead broke man I couldn't picture this
 

I used to ride this mothorized cart that my uncle built. It wasnt built for racing on the high way, but it could flip and you could ride it like a motorbike. Excellent if you are in a highly jammed urban area and are in a rush. And far more impressive to ride you selfmade car than buying some expensive nonsense.

"Make 'Nanas, not war! "
 
Jerrey:
I used to ride this mothorized cart that my uncle built. It wasnt built for racing on the high way, but it could flip and you could ride it like a motorbike. Excellent if you are in a highly jammed urban area and are in a rush. And far more impressive to ride you selfmade car than buying some expensive nonsense.

You can also go fight bears with your bare hands and make your own shoes out of their skins. Now that's really impressive

More is good, all is better
 
Jerrey:
I used to ride this mothorized cart that my uncle built. It wasnt built for racing on the high way, but it could flip and you could ride it like a motorbike. Excellent if you are in a highly jammed urban area and are in a rush. And far more impressive to ride you selfmade car than buying some expensive nonsense.

Yeah, but you're telling all the chick's you only have 5 inches. Although it is a badass car.

 

[quote=Edmundo Braverman]Don't be a moron.

You already have all the car you need if it's worth $13,000. If your rent is $700 a month, why would you want a car payment equal to your rent? Invest your money and do yourself a favor and read these:

http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/sell-your-options-dearly-debt http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/sell-your-options-dearly-wasting-as…]

Maybe the guy likes and enjoys cars? If he can afford to make the payment, why would he want to wait until he's 50 to buy it?

 

How much are you making a year? Where are you working? If you're a 1/2 year analyst buying a really nice car (to me) just doesn't make sense. If you're an associate or further up the chain, might as well spring for a car that will last you 3 or so years. Like short said, a used 5 series is a great car choice, or something equivalent. Edmundo's right about saving up money, but if you want to buy a car, are financially in the position to after putting a good amount into savings/investments, there wouldn't be anything wrong with it. I'd weigh your options though.

"You stop being an asshole when it sucks to be you." -IlliniProgrammer "Your grammar made me wish I'd been aborted." -happypantsmcgee
 

You should watch this Suze Orman video:

The guy is 45 years old, takes home $72,000 / year. He owns his home outright; he has $150,000 in liquid savings and $90,000 in retirement (so his liquid net worth is $240,000). Even with $240,000 in liquid cash Suze Orman says he's crazy to think he can afford a $120,000 car.

“Whatever you do, don’t be a victim. If you’re in a bad situation, try to fix it. If you can’t fix it, move on. Don’t whine.” --Jack Welch
 

I apologize up front for any douchiness in this post. I'm aware that I am spoiled, just wanted some help with numbers...

Suze Orman time...

I agree the G37 can be douchey. I currently have a Subaru with about 20k miles on it and I was just thinking about an upgrade. I drove a 325i/A4 in college (thank you parents), and although I love BMWs, I was thinking a coupe could be cool and the z4, TT, sc430 are all out of my price range (although I havent actively searched for anything used). I have no student loans, around 35k in liquid savings made from work/investing/poker, make 65k a year and will be up for a promotion in a few months that would take me close to 100k. I live in a warm climate all year round with a 10-15 min commute to work every day and have very little in the way of expenses. I'm 1.5 years out of college and don't think I'll be moving any time soon.

Can I afford it?

 

Dude, if you can put down at least a 20% down payment and you can get a loan for 3% or less, go for it. If your job is secure, and you like cars so it will make you happy, why not? You have a good amount in savings. Enjoy your life.

 

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"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so." - Ronald Reagan
 

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“Whatever you do, don’t be a victim. If you’re in a bad situation, try to fix it. If you can’t fix it, move on. Don’t whine.” --Jack Welch
 

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