To put it in the same context, there's lots of jobs out there that essentially require a car - the job is in an area poorly served by mass transit, or its a job

To put it in the same context, there's lots of jobs out there that essentially require a car - the job is in an area poorly served by mass transit, or its a job that requires visiting clients' offices. It's clearly not short-sighted then. In addition, up until the recent gas price increase, there was a perceived tradeoff between living in a small apartment in the center of a city, or living in a larger, cheaper house in the suburbs. The total cost of car+house was generally perceived as paying less for more versus the inner-city apartment. Finally, if you have children, there's going to be tons of activities (sports, summer camp, etc.) that basically require a car. It's an investment in their future.