One thing I've learned in life is that its very hard to go backwards. As we get older and hopefully wealthier, we drive better cars, listen to better stereos, drink better wine etc. This constant refinement of taste makes it really difficult to get pleasure from the cheaper/simpler things in life. Having children is usually a major reset, as we once again get pleasure from flying kites, snowball fights, tobogganing, building sandcastles, fishing for sticklebacks, observing frogspawn and beans grow etc.
Its fatal for example to listen to a better stereo than the one you own unless you intend to buy it, as it just points out all the flaws that you previously weren't aware of.
Being down in the mouth about picking up a lovely, almost new M6 might strike you as highly unappreciative, but its the natural consequence of driving something even more capable, exclusive and exotic. The higher up the ladder you climb, the less appealing the lower rungs become.
Interestingly, when I talk with people about retirement, they almost gleefully point out that my car buying habits will need to change....this is one reason I've resisted the temptation of more exotic machinery until now. In retirement I fully intend to have a stream of great cars in my garage, hopefully always continuing up the ladder; until one day I finally decide that comfort is the priority. Of course there's one obvious risk with this strategy too
