Hmmm, Vipermad can only speak in riddles.
Seriously, as stated it does depend on rank(income), just as it does for any other person in the world. When I was active duty, early on as an E-4 and E-5....I probably could have done it if I was single. NOT anything against being married, honest...just facts. I was a geo-bachelor for years while my wife (currently an O-4 in the Navy) was in college. I lived on the ship, had NO bills whatsoever, ate on the ship....everything ON THE ship. Kept my CJ7 in that parking lot and my crotch-rocket in a storage she off base.
Again, as stated, logistics are very hard. Even now, while married to the Navy, it is very hard to keep the car (in a manner I am comfortable with). I ended up buying an enclosed trailer so I could move EVERYTHING Viper-related myself. Furniture, TV, stereo....all that stuff the Navy can move for me. They touch NOTHING Viper.
I had a friend on the USS Texas, back in 87..E-5, saved every penny, and he had a pretty good portfolio at the time! He had NO life off the ship though.
Can you do it? I don't see why not. I currently live one of the Navy hubs...Virginia Beach. Sold cars at a Ford dealership and saw a few E-5's and up (the odd E-4 who had more to put down) buy Cobras, Lightnings....not really cheap cars. It can be done IMHO.
Where are you gonna live? Where will you keep the car? I just saw your post about not going on a ship???? I have seen that happen. I used to give my wife a harrd time about some of the people she had working for her who never went to sea. Me, like a majority of men in the Navy, made 1 WestPac and 2 Med Cruises....and even when I went to shore duty I was on an inspection team that, you guessed it, went to sea with the ships to do testing underway. LOL!!!! What rating are you looking at? If you say anything about engineering let me say that a sailors place is on the ship and a ship's place is at sea. LOL!!!
Speaking of....why NOT go to sea? I was rigging friendship lights on the mast of the Texas as we steamed into Singapore. Liberty in Pearl! Sitting on the fantail behind the Tomahawk launchers as we followed a Monsoon in teh Sea of Japan.....wave that I looked UP at!!
I digress! You can do it if you are good with money and you are happy just HAVING it. You can get a good deal...but make sure you think about the cost of ownership. Insurance, storage, etc.
That aside, if you have the means....go for it! If it doesn't work out, bail! Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
(if my spelling *****...I'm dead tired and heading to bed!)