If everyone would wait to buy anything until they could afford to pay for it in cash, almost nobody would own a home and the majority of people who don't own a car would still need one.

Assessing if you can or cannot afford a particular car or home can't be based on the simplistic criterion of ability to pay in cash. There has to be a more nuanced approach that considers the alternatives and what lets you best manage your current and future finances as well as your current and future non-financial wellbeing.