It appears to me that there are a lot of younger Sport owners on this forum compared to us "older" XLT and Limited owners. How does that compute?
I'm 49 and have an XLT, albeit a rather loaded one, but I saved a bundle buying it used just before it came off lease. I paid cash.
When I was in my 30's and married we had a brand new Porsche Boxster as a 3rd play car - and big car payments and high insurance.
When I got divorced, I bought a brand new 2000 BMW 540i and put another $25k into in on a full Dinan tuning. Had big car payments and high insurance - plus a paid for GMC Jimmy as my mud car and a Nissan Pathfinder for my vacation house. That was bought used cash.
You see listed in my sig below what I own now. All bought used with cash. Own my primary home and vacation home outright. Have saved enough that I don't have to work a day for the rest of my life if I don't want to, but things would be tight.
Perhaps I will splurge in 5 years or so when I know I am truly set, but a divorce, leaving the corporate world and starting my own biz, and then the great recession, all taught me to be more frugal.
I get young people (particularly men) wanting nice toys and the best and fastest. I did it myself.
However anyone wants to go about paying for a vehicle, and what type they get - that's their business. I don't knock people who live any type of lifestyle just so long as they don't harm the equal rights others.
Seems to me people buy the type of Ex that makes them happy and works for them.