These Are The Cheap Cars You Could Afford With Your Tax Refund
As it is now late April, a lot of folks are walking around flushed with their own money that the government kindly gave back to them — thank you, overlords! That is why I asked you what car you could conceivably buy with this year's windfall. Many of you rushed to explain that "uh, actually, if you adjust your withholdings..." Save it. My financial planning style is of the "retiring with enough for a 30 case of Old Milwaukee and a ditch" variety.
The point of the question was to send you poking around your local Craigslists and Facebook Marketplaces for fun cars you didn't know you could afford. Just trying to bring a little joy into this bleak world. For the folks willing to play the game, y'all had some interesting answers! One guy says he's getting $15,000 back which, bro, you might actually want to adjust your paycheck withholdings.
My pick was the Grand Prix you see above, but I especially love the top answer, which involves at least 60 days of living large before reality rolls up in a flatbed truck. Take a scroll through to take a look at all of the other excellent answers.
Bold strategy
I wrote a check so mine would be a 2026 Escalade V at 21% APR for someone with a 500 FICO score making one payment of $2,800 before it gets repo'ed.
From Tex
Putting in the work for an old Accord
Oooo, I like this idea. All right, I've got about $3.5k so that'll get me the broken Accord linked below. Now, it needs a new transmission which I sourced at a junkyard for about $350. I'll have money left over for a fluid change and a decent service before I set out to break that new transmission as quickly as possible!
From KillingTime
I'll pretend that for you too
I'll pretend the additional tax I owed was instead a refund. After checking Cars&Bids, (ignoring all BMWs and Land Rovers), I found an Infiniti FX50S for $5,900. I love the design of these, and the V8 with sport package is rare. Sadly black is the wrong color, but I'll have a bit left over for a cheap, copper/gold wrap. These were the Infiniti glory days right?
From carsten
You deserve a cheerful little time-and-money waster
Bug eye Sprite project. Actually, this one is dangerously close by and super tempting. I could fix it all up and sell it to a friend of mine who always wanted one, but isn't down for a project.
(I mean, I would be paying him to take it, no way he'd pay the actual cost of the project)
(But it's still tempting)
From DieselOx
That's big money!
I'll have something like $15,000 to work with, and I've already got a Prius and a Miata, so I think I'd probably get something off-roady like a Wrangler.
From Give Me Tacos or Give Me Death
A surprisingly classy Buick
Last year, my tax refund bought me a 2005 Buick Rainier with low miles from an 83 yo gentleman. I spent the rest of it on new tires, fluids, and a few minor fixes – all in less than $5K. I'm now using it as a luxury utility for when my 99 NB MX-5 Miata just won't do.
From Radar Lover Gone
An LS swapped jeep XJ almost makes the headache of doing taxes worthwhile
Mine was able to cover most of the cost of the LS swapped jeep XJ I just bought. I was also able to drive it 1.5 hours back to where I lived
From Blue collar mafia
It's party time, all the time
I wouldn't mind another Fiesta. My current 2012 is at 220K miles. So, I know for a fact, if you take care of them, they will do the same for you. Great for a work commuter, and honestly not terrible for longer trips. At least your wallet will thank you at the pumps.
From Dr.Xyster
Don't toy with me
(enough said)
From Rasky