I found it interesting that the article touches on the odds that you will ever get your dream car.
One car I always had a jones for was the W111 cabriolet. Specifically, a low grille, 280SE M130 version. I had a couple of windows of opportunity to get one many years ago, but passed because of other needs for the cash, or I'd have had to sell another car(s) I owned... Perhaps it's meant to be, as the dream can sometimes be quite different from the reality of owning the dream car.
I'm in a fortunate position to have multiple hobby cars, and while the sum of the value is notable, I just cannot sell all of them to buy one "dream" car. I'd rather have multiple cars vice one high dollar car. So, while I could buy the 280SE convertible, I'm not willing to sell all the other cars to do so. Reality bites, and once again I choose not to buy.
The article rings true about the probability of actually owning your dream car is near zero.
The other path to your dream car is to find it before the prices go up. While this seems trite on the surface, what I've done for example, is to move forward and buy my W111 280SE cabriolet in the next version. I decided to keep an eye out for the W124 E320 cabriolet. It took years of watching the cars, then finally a few years ago, the opportunity presented itself one morning and by that afternoon I had purchased "my" dream car. It's newer than the W111, does everything ten times better than the older car, and eventually will be considered in the same context as the W111. I've noticed it's recently been pitched as the next W111 cabriolet for investors, so the market seems to think like I do.
Same thing with the W113 pagoda. Always wanted one, could have had one a few times, but ended up with a R107 84 280SL. Kept that one for 8 years, but it never really rang my bell, and also having a 68 MGB and a 99 BMW Z3 made me decide to cut it loose last year. After all, there are only so many roadsters you need, and I much preferred the two I kept.
I'm also very blessed with a gearhead tolerant wife, who approves of my affliction, and occasionally encourages it. Linda has spent the last 22 years driving two silver W124 wagons (87 300TD, 95 E320) and steadfastly refuses to exchange it for anything else, saving me tons of cash on depreciating newer vehicles.
Jim