Situation in the real estate market... madness

Well, I can't deny my personal car passion, nor can I deny that I spend a lot of money on it. But it gives me daily joy to drive and take care of all those cars.

However, when it comes to a car, it's also about functionality, especially space. The listed cars are out of the question as a first vehicle because they simply don't have the storage space.

If you don't do big shopping trips and don't go on vacation with it, a Corsa, Twingo, and the like can be sufficient.

But when I look around the neighborhood, most people drive SUVs, Tourans, VW buses, or station wagons. And those simply cost more than 300 euros a month.

But that's it for the car discussion, it's too off-topic.

Roughly and generally calculated:

New car/daily registration/annual car
Compact class small car, petrol 20000€ (Polo, Focus, C4 etc)
Purchase, planned: for 100000Km over 5 years (annual mileage 20000km for commuting plus private)
calculated residual value in 5 years 5000€
=>
15000€/5 years
3000€/1 year
250€/month investment costs

Petrol (20000km/12 months), inspection, winter tires, insurance and tax rounded 250€

=> Flat rate 500€/month car costs

20,000€ annual benefit is just 175€ for gas rounded. Whoever commutes a lot, just pays a lot for fuel. That’s clear.

As for the investment: A brand new Polo costs 12,500€. After 5 years it’s still worth 5,000€ --> half the investment cost.
And if you don’t buy a new car every 5 years, but every 10 years, then the number looks nicer too. 12,500€ over 10 years compared to 15,000€ over 5 years. But even with 20,000€ over 10 years, it already looks better. Whoever needs a new car every five years just pays extra. Luxury you can afford, or not. That’s clear.

I think the ADAC table is not too bad as a basis for an objective amount, right? Opinions vary widely on what to use for it.

With 400 euros/month for the first car and maybe 300 euros/month for a possibly required second car, one should be doing quite well. Fluctuations up and down are of course possible.

I think items like food and clothing also fluctuate a lot. Personally, I spend a lot of money on food; I only buy high-quality products and also like to eat a bit more fancy. Anyone who lives on Miracoli and supermarket sausage with toast surely has great savings potential here.

With a loan amount of 500,000 euros, you currently have a rate of about 1,100 euros (1.5% repayment). That should not exceed 1,500 euros including additional costs in a new building.

To comfortably manage this and still have one or two luxuries, a household net income of 5,000 euros should be enough. Below that, only with compromises.

But if I look at the statistics, the 5,000 net promoted here is not necessarily the average in Germany :O

What are the flat rates supposed to be about?
Everyone can calculate for themselves what they pay for their buckets, it’s really not rocket science.
If someone always has to drive two new or annual cars 30,000/anno, that’s okay.
I mainly ride a bike, plus I have a 10- and a 17-year-old car standing around.
I do simpler repairs myself (exhaust, brakes, and co.).
Of course, the costs are different than for a new E-Class for 50k, which already destroys hundreds of euros monthly just standing there.
On average, 500/month might be about right, but I don’t need to care about that.

The ADAC table assumes a new car with a holding period of 5 years. Not necessarily typical anymore.

To comfortably manage that and still have one or two luxuries, a household net income of 5000 euros should be more than enough. Below that, only with restrictions.

But when I look at the statistics, these propagated 5 net are not necessarily the average in Germany :O

For households of four or more people, a household net income of 5K or more is not as unusual as one might think:


This includes the income of all earners in a household, including those from rental and capital, plus social transfers and child benefits/parental allowance.