<-- Not a car nut.
I wouldn't buy a $50K car no matter how much I made. 15 years ago I was debating whether I should save money when I could have a nice big new expensive car. Now when I look at my bank statements, I'm really, really glad I bought the used Olds.
Most people would learn something from writing down how much their car(s) cost each year (payment, gas, insurance, repairs). For our two cars we average $6000/year. I have friends with two cars that are in the $10,000 range.
Nothing wrong with having a comfortable, reliable car, but I know quite a few people who choose cars based on whether they think other people will be impressed by it. I can tell because they are always referring to their car by its make - "It was really crowded at the mall yesterday - I had to park my Lexus all the way at the back of the lot."