Here's what the AAA says:
"The sharp rise in annual average finance costs coincides with a trend among some car buyers to choose loans that last for 72, or even 84 months. While these long-term loans offer lower monthly payments, buyers ultimately pay more than if they'd chosen a loan of 48 or 60 months.
"We found that for every 12 months a loan is extended, the finance charges increase, on average, by almost $1,000," Nielsen said. "And due to depreciation, buyers who opt for extended loans are usually ‘upside down' on their loan – owing more than the vehicle is worth – for a longer time."
https://www.aaa.com/autorepair/articles/average-annual-cost-of-new-vehicle-ownership
If you need to finance a car for 7-8 years to be able to afford it, then you can't afford it. From what I've heard no more than 5 years is financially smart (of course this is variable).
In Canada I've heard that dealers sugarcoat these things by giving bi-weekly numbers saying that they stretch the payment out and people fall for it, but later can't afford it when there cars break down or when they want to trade it in. Its just a 15 20 30 thousand dollar car, not a house that costs ten twenty times that.
yeah most people here love monthly payment they hate buying a 5 yr old car and keeping it 15 years