If I didn't have a wife and kids, and had $1.5M in assets, my life would be very short but legendary, lol.

 

Haha, his would likely be the same!

 

Haha - $1.5m is not a lot even if you don’t have kids unfortunately especially to retire. Remember that will be taxed if it’s sitting in retirement accounts.

I’m afraid to even count how much $$$ goes to my kids daycare, activities, events, clothes, food, toys, vacations etc. My youngest will be starting Kindergarten next year so i will have 2k freed up each month! Time to go car shopping 😆

 

Ha. Even if married, you wouldn't have your wife and kids very long with that kind of nonsense.

 

Everyone is quite different. Some people like to have new stuff. As it applies to the thread, the smarter manufacturers will find a way to offer cheaper stuff. GM found a way to get you a Buick for considerably less than your previous car, but more in line with the Verano price point.

 

This doesn't affect me, since I'm single, don't have kids, ad don't know the details, but aren't you getting some good tax-credits now on Day-Care with the new tax laws? Seems like at least some of those $$$ you are spending should coming back to you.


It's up to you, but, IMO, not quite yet. Supply is still too tight, although some dealerships are dispensing with mark-ups and letting the (few) in-stock vehicles go at list. I'd also wait and see what kind of job Lexus does with new NX, which was supposed to be released this month, but will apparently be late. The new Toyota Venza, which the NX is supposedly based on, is, IMO, excellent...perhaps Toyota's best overall current product.

 

Thats why I said short, but legendary. It would not be in the US, but someplace where $1.5M goes further, lol.

 

Where do I go to trade them in for this kind of nonsense?

 

The Encore GX I bought, list (and back to topic), was several thousand $$$$ more than the Verano (31K vs. 26K)...but also included a turbo, selectable AWD, a 9-speed transmission to the Verano's six-speed, heated seats, capless filler-system, heads-up display, 360 camera, hands-off-liftgate, a more expensive destination fee, and a number of electronic safety-aids that the Verano didn't have. (and, hopefully, an engine that will use less oil).

 

$31K is really cheap for a small crossover. They found something for you. Smart move by GM. You also have awd now, and a turbo so the price increase is justified.

 

Unfortunately No. Once you hit certain income all these tax credits don’t apply.

So basically you are paying for it but get no benefits.
People that pay zero, get all the benefits.
Sounds like a fair system…..

 

The Chevy Trailblazer has the same basic mechanicals (and options), more choice of trim-lines and wheels/tires, and, now, the same warranty, at a somewhat cheaper price than the Encore GX. But it lacks the effective Buick Quiet-Tuning, richer dash-materials, and the panache of the Buick nameplate. And, unfortunately, like they also did with the larger Blazer, Chevy simply gave the Trailblazer the wrong nameplate....the original Trailblazer was a truck-derived SUV. IMO, a better idea would have been to transfer the Aveo or Sonic name to it, since that former vehicle was discontinued in 2020, and the name was free.

 

I have my eye on a Bentley Flying Spur V8 as my next one, should be cheaper than most decently equipped crossovers to boot lol!

I may end up with a W12 though if I'm not willing to wait on the V8s pieces to fall to a reasonable range. It's a game of waiting to see where they fall vs accepting having to replace $15000 worth of air suspension and the turbos to make sure a W12 car is good to go for 50k miles. It's an engine out job for the turbos and takes about 4 days so it all depends.......last factor is what tuning options are available at the time for the W12

 

I would assume that most people owning or in the market for a Lexus (this is "Club" Lexus) will not be eligible for those tax credits. Most of those have income phase out limits.

 

please keep questions like this off the forums. it's not relevant, and a personal matter - not everyone likes being questioned about their taxes in a public forum.