A woman makes the case that buying an older luxury car may be the move instead of buying a newer model. In a video that generated over 9.9 million views as of this writing, Lea (@leaaa044) shares all the features in her 2006 Lexus ES350 that are comparable to standard car features today. Lexus ES350 With No Payment: “But It’s a 2006” In the TikTok, Lea displays all the features included in her 2006 Lexus ES350, and it may make you consider buying an older luxury vehicle. Lea starts out by acknowledging her car is 19 years old; however, she also has no monthly payment. “‘But it’s a 2006’ The 2006 I chose to have, so I have no monthly payments,” the on-screen caption reads. The average monthly car payment for a new vehicle was $749 in the Q2 of 2025, Lending Tree reports. So, not having monthly payments on a new car is a great way to retain wealth. Lea then takes the opportunity to reveal the number of miles on the car, which was 94,849. OWNERSHIP STORIES Viral stories from across the web Our team of experts tracks what owners are saying about car-shopping, repairs, the daily driving experience and more on social media. Considering it’s a 2006, this car still has many more miles to drive while still being comparable to current luxury vehicles. When turning on the car with the push-to-start button, the steering wheel automatically moves into the programmed spot for the driver. Some additional features include automatic windows, heated and cold seats, automatic mirror adjustment, a sunroof, and an automatic back window shade cover. “Me and my 2006 against the world.. literally she gonna last like 30 more years lol,” Lea captions. “Remember people are paying over 50k for the same features,” one TikTok user commented. “Sometimes older cars are more luxurious than these newer cars,” another added. Gallery: 2007 Lexus ES350 Pricing Announced Viewers Can’t Believe the Mileage Viewers were in disbelief seeing the mileage that this 2006 Lexus had. “Under 100k miles on an almost 20 year old lexus? babyy u hit that jackpot fr,” one TikTok commenter said. “2006 with 98k miles is a flex,” another added. “96 on a 06 is a steal. That bih brand new really,” a third replied. While other viewers mentioned how this car still has a lot of life left. “Under 100k miles. That's nothing, this car will give you well over 200k as long as it is properly maintained,” one shared. “Take care of her and she’ll take care of you upwards of 250,000 miles before needing a major repair,” another added. “This 2006 Lexus is gonna outlive 90% of these new cars anyways,” a third said. Is Buying an Older Car With No Monthly Payments the Move? As mentioned, the average monthly payment is $749 for a new vehicle. These high monthly payments can easily lead to collecting debt if payments are missed. Americans owe $1.655 trillion in auto loan debt in Q2 of 2025, the New York Fed reports. Auto loans make up 9% of American consumer debt, which is the second-highest category behind mortgages at 70%. What may come as a surprise is that auto loan debt ($1.655 trillion) is currently higher than student loan debt ($1.638 trillion) as of Q2 2025. Considering how many Americans have ended up in tough financial situations, is buying an older luxury model with cash the move? Some viewers believed so and applauded Lea's financial decision to avoid having monthly payments. “Maturing is realizing paid off sounds a lot better than payment,” one commented. “When you’re an adult and have matured, you’ll realize a car is just a tool used to take you around. Doesn’t matter if it’s an 03 or 25 model,” another added. Is It Best to Pay Cash For a Car? Buying a car with cash can be a great financial decision for a variety of reasons. According to Experian, some pros to buying a car with cash include: No Debt Incurred: With no financing when buying, no debt is acquired. This will free funds to be dispersed for whatever other matters may arise. Money Can Be Saved: You avoid interest when you pay cash. When financing, you pay interest on the loan, which can range from 5–20%. This can add up over time. Avoiding this means you’re not paying extra for borrowing the money. You Won’t Overspend: A budget is easier to follow when buying, plus any dealership add-on services can be avoided as overspending isn’t an option. Full Ownership of Car: Once the car is purchased off the lot, the only expense the driver will have is maintenance of the vehicle. When selling, none of the profits will need to be applied to pay off the loan. However, there are some cons to buying with cash. These downsides include not having the opportunity to build credit, having less cash on hand, potentially losing out on other important opportunities in life, and missing out on dealer incentives. Overall, this decision will ultimately come down to the buyer's financial goals and preferences. Motor1 has contacted Lea via TikTok direct message and commented on the post. This story will be updated if she replies. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team
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