Car, Tech or Beer?

I usually (if not always) consult BA ratings before buying beers I'm not familiar with which doesn't take much time. With car purchases, I've been buying the same brand for the past (20) years which also requires no research and I haven't been burned. If I change car brands I'll be researching my options much deeper because of the long term investment (vs. beer). Overall, I agree with OCD @Harrison8 with his cerebral analysis (you owe me one college credit for that read and don't let it go to your head).

 

I voted car because if I did buy a new car I would definitely put a lot of research into it before making a decision. I used to look at a beer's score and reviews on here before making a purchase but now I only do that if it's from a brewery I am not familiar with. I tend to buy from breweries I know I like and can reasonably expect solid beers from so theres no need to do research. If I were to drop a lot of money on a new phone/computer I would probably do some research, but not as much as I would if buying a car, if I had to guess.

 

P.S. - Meant to say, "Agree with some points".

 

Shit! Really? I, personally, find those numbers stunning.

I get that modern cars/light trucks are leagues better than back when, and deserve the higher prices, but, a 66-72 month loan on a used car? And that's accepted as the norm?

Man, tha danged old world has changed.

The days of my friends and I buying a beater for a couple hundos, spending a few nights drinking cheap beer while fixing it up, selling it for 800, and, wash rinse repeat on basically a weekly basis are certainly gone.


BTW, anybody seen my virginity? Seem to be missing that too.

 

I drive a 2001 Toyota Highlander. It has a cigarette lighter in it. It still has like 60,000 miles left on it. There is no life in OC/LA without a car. I still like beer better.

 

Cars, not even close in my case. At 6'4" and a 33" inseam, finding something with room for comfortable driving within budget is a unicorn hunt.

 

1. Car
2. Beer (especially if it is from a brewer I am unfamiliar with)
3. Tech - i dont purchase new tech frequently but when I do, I pretty much know what I want before buying, so I just do a little reading up to confirm my choice

 

I voted beer. Only research I do on cars is whatever cheapest that meets my needs from a reliable brand. At 215,000 ish miles now, so worked out fine last time.

Tech I just buy iPhone, etc when old one needs replacement. I don’t really care if others do something better, I’m just comfortable using this brands OS at this point.

I don’t necessarily think I spend time “researching” beer other than checking what something is if it’s blowing up the trade forum or reviewing tap lists or what’s available at local breweries. I follow a handful of breweries on twitter.

 

I'm driving a 2001 VW I bought for $8000 cash about six years ago. In about 18 months I get an antique car plate for it. I'm pumped. I read an article recently that said the average price paid for a new car in 2019 was around $37,000. This is a big increase over the last few years, but the base price of new cars has not risen much. They say the reason the loan amount has increased while car prices haven't is because with longer loans people are getting more options on their cars and pushing up the price but the payments don't go up - they just get longer. Scary to think about.

 

Did the car shopping thing last year, I wanted some options and didn't want to overspend or roll the dice on something used so it took a lot of research. It was well worth it.

Tech, I play the waiting game. Wait for a year or two and on a sales holiday get a deal on something like a TV. Same thing with phones when the new options drop just wait till the options are there for cheaper.

Beer is my true impulse buy/splurge. I don't do much if any research besides checking out the WBYDN thread and reading feedback. It's generally check dates/ check price and if I'm feeling inclined go for it.

 

1. Beer. I purchase beer weekly. On a budget. Always trying new brews.
2. Tech. I only upgrade when my stuff breaks. Rarely for myself. Usually as gifts.
3. Trucks. I am forced to own heavy duty trucks. Due to my occupation. There are basically 3 options. So it makes things pretty easy. (Ford, GM/Chevy, Ram)

 

I've regretted beers I've bought. I may have purchased the wrong tech, but never really regretted it. Never regretted a car I've bought.

Costs dictate the amount or research I've done on a purchase. A bad $30 dollar bomber of beer, oh well. A bad $30K car? Damn, I suck.

 

1. Car ... a vehicle needs to last
2. Beer ... I drink only temporarily satisfies
3. Tech ... just go away or slow down

 

We only buy Nissans, I like the Continuous drive, no transmission problems for over 300, 000 miles. Never a minute of trouble with any I’ve bought so far. Every 75-100K miles you replace the fluid $150 and that’s it.

 

While not mentioned as an option, I spend more time researching my travel plans than any of these other three.

 

Cars- I just check consumer reports to see which old Hondas are most reliable. 10 minutes every 7-10 years.

Tech- I have an 8 year old laptop and I am always a generation or two behind on my smart phones. I rely on word of mouth here. 10 minutes of lifetime research, maybe.

Beer- 13 years on BA, thousands of buying decisions in that time, research probably measured in weeks total.

Parenting-