This sounds like Dave Ramsey talking with his "debt is bad" approach. No it isn't. People definitely overextend themselves by only considering the monthly payment. But saying financing is bad and most pay with cash is just wrong.
We financed (not for 84 months) but were given a rate of 2.02%. I'll take that rate all day every day for as long as its offered. I can invest my money elsewhere and make more money than I'm paying in interest.
Well that sounds great except cash and bonds are paying next to zero and market volatility is a given for the next year min. We are only one nuke away from the market dropping 25% min. Don't think it can't happen.
Could I make more? Possibly..could I lose more? Possibly to Probably..
And you don't know what your situation will be 5-6 years into a stone around your neck.
With no loan I'm free to buy and sell at will, and if something takes a dump I have a relatively new vehicle in the garage eating no hay.
Mostly the people who don't like Dave Ramsey are the ones who don't have the discipline to put your ducks in a logical financial row like he does..
And I was doing it long before he existed...