Buy a Lexus (pondering replacing old Volvo beater with L-certified or new)

[RWD]

I would buy a new Toyota Camry.  Reliable, safe, half the price, good gas mileage.  Use the other $25k on drugs...much more fun than the marginal benefit of driving a $50k car compared to a $25k car.

This is what we are considering - looking at a new Camry LE hybrid for $33 OTD. Our 2008 Jeep patriot is making less financial sense each day given repairs.

You could save $10k and get basically an identical car (maybe even better trim) by going for a 2018 or so used Camry. There have been no improvements to the Camry in the last 5 years.
https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/7cf4e595-66fb-4c3e-93e2-2c5c56f816d8/

[lifeisshort123]

Buy a Lincoln or a Ford.  Ford used to own Volvo.

[Just Joe]

Yea for a lot of people a $2,000 transmission or $3,000 new engine are reasons to trash an otherwise decent car and head out to the finance lots.

I used to have this argument with people, until I figured out that it was the "socially acceptable way to justify a new car."  So I just started telling people that if they're going to do that, let me know and I might buy their old one off them for a bit more than the scrapyard would give them.

I just geek out on the new car that I want and then never do anything about it. It wears off in a week or so. ;)

[Just Joe]

An old high school friend stopped by for a visit last weekend, passing through. One of the first things he said was "God are you still driving that old Volvo?" It's a 2008 V70 that was purchased used some years ago from the original owner who bought it in Sweden.

If you look back through our family pictures, the same car is always there in the background. Nobody we know does this. 

[calimom]

An old high school friend stopped by for a visit last weekend, passing through. One of the first things he said was "God are you still driving that old Volvo?" It's a 2008 V70 that was purchased used some years ago from the original owner who bought it in Sweden.

If you look back through our family pictures, the same car is always there in the background. Nobody we know does this.

You don't know my friend :)  I love him, but he's very image conscious about what he wears and drives. I've told him he buys all this stuff to impress himself, not other people. There's no doubt his income is higher than mine (and he has no dependents) but my NW is much more because of all the 'boring' things I do.