How can people afford cars?

Its already started in Japan

http://www.newsweek.com/id/112735

The automobile is losing its emotional appeal, particularly among the young, who prefer to spend their money on the latest electronic gadgets. While minicars and luxury foreign brands are still popular, everything in between is slipping. Last year sales fell 6.7 percent—7.6 percent if you don't count the minicar market. There have been larger one-year drops in other nations: sales in Germany fell 9 percent in 2007 thanks to a tax hike. But analysts say Japan is unique in that sales have been eroding steadily over time. Since 1990, yearly new-car sales have fallen from 7.8 million to 5.4 million units in 2007.

skimmed through that, interesting, may use it in an essay. But...

".....Suda reflects a worrisome trend in Japan; the automobile is losing its emotional appeal, particularly among the young, ...."
wtf? funny angle they have on it.