I will only carry one financed/ lease payment at a time. My wife and I each have a vehicle, plus my motorcycles and ATVs. All but the Expedition were paid for in cash. And that's in a household that's easily in the top 5-10% of the area for income.
WAY TOO MANY households are paying notes on every vehicle, have low equity percentage on their homes, and don't save near enough for retirement. I'm from the generation that saw pensions disappear and was taught that social security might not be reliable. I've always saved for that long term goal. I'm already in a good spot to retire early, but still plan on working for at least 15 more years simply because my earnings are so strong and I like what I do.
Society better shift back to a "can I afford to BUY this?" attitude instead of the BS "can i afford the payments?" mind set.
It's painfully obvious these people have never considered that debt is bondage and a form of indentured servitude.