Middle-Class People Discuss How $1K A Month Car Loan Payments Are On The Rise. ‘The Financial Literacy In This Country Is Just Pathetic’

Car payments topping $1,000 a month used to be rare. Now they’re everywhere. And many people are done being polite about it.

CNN recently highlighted Americans like Orting, Washington paralegal Melissa Dickerson who ended up with a $1,100 monthly payment on a used Acura RDX after her previous car was totaled. She called the 15% interest rate a shock, saying, “I almost crapped my pants.”

But many people weren’t sympathetic. Instead, they saw her situation as self-inflicted. “The financial literacy in this country is just pathetic,” one Reddit user said, commenting on the article in r/MiddleClassFinance.

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Others agreed, slamming the choice to buy expensive vehicles when cheaper, more reliable options are available. “You can buy a new Honda Civic for half the cost of a used Acura RDX,” one commenter wrote. “Stop buying vehicles you can’t afford,” another chimed in. “We paid cash for ours.”

The criticism extended to others featured in the article, including a man who took on a $1,019 monthly loan for a Ram 2500 truck. For many, this kind of spending defies logic. “My car payments have been $0 a month for most of my life,” one person said. “I don’t buy new cars.”

Others pointed out the long-term impact of treating cars as status symbols instead of basic transportation. “Cars are the single biggest wealth destroyer in the U.S.,” said one person. “I honestly feel bad for these kinds of people.”

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Commenters didn’t hold back about the cultural obsession with big, expensive trucks and SUVs. “People are stupid when it comes to cars, always chasing brands and far overextending on things they cannot afford,” one said. “My $2,000 beater Camry is one of the best decisions I ever made financially.”

Even those with high incomes weighed in. “My wife and I make over $200K a year,” one person shared. “I had a $700/month car payment and I hated it. Never again.”

“I make $200,000 a year. I drive a 10-year-old F-150,” another added. “I haven’t had a car payment in 7 years.”

Some also criticized lenders for handing out massive loans to people who clearly can’t afford them. “Why are banks even giving these people these loans?” one asked. “The average rent is $1,700. The average mortgage payment is $2,300. How do you fit a $1,000 car payment into this budget?”

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The conversation also opened up a discussion about smarter ways to manage finances. Many emphasized saving up and paying cash or keeping a reliable used car until it dies. “I’m going to keep driving my paid off Civic until it won’t go anymore,” said one commenter. “Why would I get a car payment when my car works just fine?”

For households earning over $100,000 a year that want expert help with making better money choices, Domain Money offers a more strategic option. Their certified professionals help people build confidence and clarity around financial decisions. They’re even offering free strategy sessions to help people take control before they end up buried under interest payments and car loan regret.

“You have to get a car to get to work,” one Redditor summed it up. “Then you buy a car that’s so expensive, you can never stop working. You must keep working just to pay the car. We have lost the plot.”

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