A couple things here Jeremiah:
1) I'm not married (never have been) and have no kids (that I'm aware of any way) so....
2) It appears you are having some difficulty comprehending or perhaps you simply disagree with my earlier comment that a Challenger COULD make you happier in life than you could ever imagine. For people who eat, drink, sleep, breathe and crap cars that comment is not too far off. Furthermore, I would have thought that someone such as yourself with 2,539 posts (and counting) in the Dodge Challenger forum could certainly understand and appreciate my fondness for such a great automobile and the need to do whatever it takes to get one. Even if that means "biting off more than you can chew". But maybe I'm mistaken...
3) My suggestion of needing to earn a minimum of $55K annually to be able to comfortably afford this car was clearly prefaced by the statement that it was based on absolutely zero scientific research or fact. However, I don't care how you live your life and how careful you are with personal expenditures, someone making $35K a year or whatever, ain't gonna be drivin a 2008 V8 Challenger unless they have a trust fund.
4) Finally, if the kid wants to go out and buy a Challenger I say "go for it"! I would venture to guess I'm not the only one out there who has bitten off more than he can chew on a (car) loan before. It may not be the most financially sound decision one could enter in to (I admit), but for some of us, life isn't all about money and squirreling it all away underneath their mattress. I recommend that you save the planning-for-your-financial-future discussion for another time and place, OK?
Ride that Challenger passion brotha! Oh yeah one more thing - How `bout them RED SOX???? GO SOX!!
ORIGINAL: Jeremiah 29:11
And if the little woman isn't down with the plan, I recommend showing her the door!
I think the Challenger will make you happier than you could ever imagine.
I think if that is how you feel about your wife, then you should never have married her to begin with.
If it takes a Challenger to make you "happier than you could ever imagine", then your probably have the wrong priorities in your life.
I would think you need to earn a minimum of $55K annually in order for an R/T or an SRT-8 to be do-able.
That is not valid at all because it depends on the lifestyle you live and how much you spend.
Biting off more than you can chew on a loan is the American Way. Is it not?
That is not the American way, it is just the wrong way.
People spend more time planning their family vacation than they will in their financial future.
If people planned their financial future, everybody can retire a millionaire but you have to plan for it and make it happen.