One loaned $3K with the title of their vehicle to be held as a collateral.

The bigger the company the higher their overhead, the more money they spend on advertising and marketing plus workman's comp, insurance, and manytime even the vehicles and tools.

I have student loan debt in the 20k area, and drive paid off vehicles that require a lot of upkeep to keep running me 120-150 miles round trip to work.

Roofs, vehicles, furnace, etc are each depreciated on their own schedule as defined by the IRS.

For the time being I will be able to easily cover that cost.I have no intention of getting into a new property anytime soon and any other investment vehicle, stock market, will probably not yield over 4% since it seems we are hitting a tipping point.

Be mindful that, imo, real estate is a 'slow' moving vehicle when analyzing compared to say analyzing other business's.Good luck. 

My 4 year old witnessed everything and I just wanted to leave but he refused to let me get in my vehicle until I do.

So, you are certainly right, there is a lot to consider and you want the investment vehicle match your financial model (you also want this outside your IRA) but I'd rather deal with that than just letting Wallstreet determine my retirement!

Such vehicles are a means for your IRA to invest in real estate, not a way for you to get your hands on the IRA money for your own deals.So, the main comparison to make is; can the IRA grow better and more securely invested in real estate than it can in whatever it is invested in today.

If you own two vehicles, it's best of there are two deeded spaces.