Nice thread. Might be an old one but people change often enough that a new one makes sense every few years.
I drive a 2005 Hyundai Sonata. I bought it used two and a half years ago, just a couple of months before my wedding. Paid for the whole thing in cash upfront, so I've owned it outright from the beginning. I've only owned a few cars, and the other two were ancient, so this is definitely the best.
One of the nice things about used cards is that it sometimes allows you to get something a little tricked out. It's an LX/luxury model, which I'd never buy new, but for a car that's 5 years old and a decent deal otherwise, why not? I almost bought a Honda Accord, but it was older, cost a little more, and the dealer was less willing to come down on price, whereas the guy I brought it from extended the default warranty and knocked off 10%.
I really like it; smooth, comfortable, and most importantly, no major problems in the couple of years I've been driving it. And that's really all I was after, given that my previous car was literally 20 years old (!) by the time I got rid of it, and I'd had a lot of trouble keeping it on the road. True story: when I finally had to ditch the last one, it was because I took it into the mechanic (for the umpteenth time) and he said, among other things: "You can't drive that" and "That car is so messed up." Those are literal quotes.
The mileage on the Sonata is a few MPG below what you'd expect for a 2005 car, but I don't drive a ton, and reliability is far more important to me than almost everything else. It had just 65,000 miles on it, too, which was a big selling point.
If it were a couple of years newer, it'd have an Aux-in, but I can live with a CD player for now. I figure I'll drive it for a few more years and then see where things are, at which point we'll either sell it, or decide to roll with it to something approximating the bitter end. The latter if it stays reliable, most likely.
As for what I'd like to drive...well, I guess if money were no object I'd probably drive an Audi or something. I wouldn't want a crazy sports car or anything. Maybe a BMW or a Jaguar; something really well-built and comfortable. Those have plenty of power, as far as I'm concerned. The moments where I want to really take off are few and far between.
All you really need to know about me and my taste in cars is encapsulated in a micro-story about my friend Adam. He bought a car (a Chevy Cobalt), and it was just two doors, even though he'd ostensibly be driving more than two people around a fair bit. I asked him why he didn't get the four door. To save money, right? He said no, this model cost more, because it had the spoiler and everything on it. I asked him why he would pay more for fewer doors and a spoiler. He said "because it looks sportier." I stared at him like he'd just grown a second head.
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