[Snowcake]

I'd say

I wish I bought a car

is correct as well.

The meaning is different.

You use wish to say that you regret something, that something is not as you would like it to be. You use past after I wish, but the meaning is present, not past.

Hence, I wish I bought a car means

I don't have a car and I regret this.

It would be better if you qualified the statement. As in: I wish I bought a car in London last week .

So, you don't have a car now, you didn't buy one in London last week .

I wish I could buy a car means

You can't buy a car now. For example because you cannot afford it. Maybe you could afford it in the future if you saved enough money.


The emphasis is different.


I hope I'm not telling you something wrong.

Snowcake