>>28511676 (OP)Credit became more available whereas in the 00s a teeny bopper wouldn't be able to roll into a bank and get a $40k car loan on a pulse and a mcjob. Things have changed a LOT since then. We were forced to buy cars cash then slowly upgrade with cash which is why you'd see shit like civics with $30k in mods being built up over a couple years.
It's still a thing but really only in areas where the culture originated mainly the West Coast and a select few east coast cities.