>>>>>Hey, they will keep making them and you can get exactly that car next year as a pre-owned certified car for a whole lot less. I buy 2 year old-certified cars (STS) and they are about half what they are new and have a better warrantee. New cars and virgins are very over-rated <s>
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>>>>That is what I have read: buy used. Even if you lease you are paying for the most expensive part of a car's life.
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>>>Kept my fingers still when you were happy with the idea of the car, but now I can easily say that Charles is totally correct - did stat analysis on that subject for quite some time last century in more detail and with more data available to me than to almost everybody else over here. Except that I would temper Charles advice a bit: don't go looking for a car half the price you were aiming for, but add another 15% for luxuries you decided against at "new" prices but also reduced in price in a used car. For me that means best seats available for the car (form, leather, options to adapt to your body) as that is your basic contact with the car and perhaps the more powerful engine you don't really need, but at half the price... Or the sports/high performance package, as that not only has the better engine, but better breaks and suspension can switch between comfortable and direct ;-)
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>>>>As far as virgins, let's not go there. It has been a really long time since I was with one.
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>>>Ok, look at it from the other end: you want the car to be interesting to your less rational side even after driving around for 2 years. The 15% luxury/impulse perks might make more sense that way ;-)
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>>You may have a good point there ;-)
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>>BTW, don't keep your fingers still. I think I need more good advice, not less. You are one of a number of people here whose posts I always read with interest.
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>For me after the decision was done only waiting to comment on some fun times with the car and not dampen the good feelings. I do believe in spending some money on personal preferences not covered by mere utility/rpice ratio comparison.
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>> You might say I am officially going through a mid-life crisis, especially if you have a generous definition of "mid-life." Before I know it I will be just plain old.
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>You are not the only one... Go for different vistas and partially new expiriences while you can. ANd we learned that virgins are more fun when they aren't any more and there are plenty non-virgins around - carpe diem, if at the moment you don't have to work... Or think about 2 wheels again - cheaper and more fun - and helps the figure if self -propelled. And the difference of a bike with good parts to a supermarket offer is much greater than from normal car to Benz or Porsche. My motor bike is just a small 500cc, used and cost with replacing tires, chain and mechanic check over with some small fixes much less than 15% of the Camaro in the last 3 years. Gas and insurance cost negligible - and some younger ladies look at me for more than a second (at least as long as the helmet covers my age).
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>>This is probably a shallow thing to say but the weather may be affecting my mood. We have been experiencing seemingly endless thunderstorms the past several days.
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>The times I drove into heavy lightning to watch through the glass roof are over... And we have unusual weather here, mostly too much water - in the skies and in overflowing rivers.

That is one drawback of a motorcycle. But may you entice all the frauleins in Germany ;-)