What Are the Pros and Cons of Buying a Car?
3 Answers
Here is an introduction to the pros and cons of buying a car: 1. Pros of buying a car: The biggest advantage is convenience. Whether it's daily commuting, holiday travel, or visiting family during festivals, having a car saves a lot of time. Owning a car expands your living radius and improves your quality of life. Going on road trips with family can strengthen bonds. From a Chinese psychological perspective, owning a car brings face (social status), especially in business, where a car sometimes represents one's identity. 2. Cons of buying a car: High maintenance costs. Whether it's the fear of theft, accidents, or traffic violations, or dealing with heavy traffic and frequent congestion in big cities. There's also the hassle of relatives and friends borrowing the car, and the significant risks involved if something goes wrong.
When I first bought the car, it felt incredibly convenient—no more squeezing into the subway or having my shoes stepped on. On weekends, I could pack the trunk full of gear and take the family for a barbecue in the suburbs at a moment's notice. But it wasn’t until I actually owned a car that I realized how money flows like water: at least 1,500 yuan a month on gas, 20 yuan per hour for parking at the office. Last year, I got into a rear-end collision—it took two weeks to repair and cost 8,000 yuan, with the insurance claim turning into a hassle. Plus, since buying the car, I haven’t dared to drink at gatherings; calling a designated driver costs as much as a pair of shoes. The biggest headache? When I tried to sell the car after a couple of years, a car dealer offered only 70,000 yuan for a car I bought for 150,000.
I did the math: the down payment and miscellaneous fees for buying a car wiped out half a year's savings, and a monthly car loan of 3,000 yuan could cover my family's living expenses for six months. Fixed costs like fuel, maintenance, and insurance feel like bottomless pits—replacing a single tire costs half a month's salary. But one time, when my child had a high fever in the middle of the night, driving to the emergency room in ten minutes felt much more reassuring than waiting for an ambulance. It’s also a relief to pick up and drop off elderly family members in rain or snow. Now I realize that even though it’s expensive, the ability to save lives in critical moments is what matters most.
