TOD:
OMG, Bruce I can't believe you asked this question today! My car got totaled on October 23rd. I guess it would have been even weirder if you asked this question on October 24th. Anyway, I always wanted a bright red 4-door hatchback. My first car in the 80's was a 4-door hatchback, but it was beige. In the 90's I ended up with a red 2-door Mazda 323 hatchback and in the 00's I ended up with a red 2-door Acura Integra hatchback. Finally in 2009 I bought a brand new red 4-door Nissan Versa. I finally got the car of my dreams (my dreams are small). And on October 23rd, I was rear-ended on highway 101. No, I wasn't hurt. But, of course, even though it wasn't my fault, the whole insurance thing is dragging on slowly, and no one returns my phone calls. I finally figured out the best way to communicate with my agent is through e-mailing their web site - then he responds right away. Today, I find out if he got the Title that I sent via FedEx yesterday, so they can deposit money into my bank account, so I can buy another car. I'm currently driving a rented VW Jetta, which is okay - I thought I'd like it more.
All that said, I too, am not a car person. It's just a tool to get from point A to point B. I'm glad I don't drive very fancy expensive cars that I could get really attached to. Then, if I get rear-ended, I'm not heartbroken - just annoyed. My boss said when she got rear-ended in her new BMW, she cried - actually cried. I will never buy a car I would cry over. I have my eyes on a used 2011 Nissan Versa with only 50,000 miles on it, which I'll try to get as soon as the funds are deposited in my account. The car is blue...sigh.