Having received a surprisingly reasonable response to my first question here (perhaps surprising as my own mother rarely allowed sense to lead the way so I tend not to expect it from a place called mumsnet), I can't resist but ask a totally unrelated (but actually quite important) question I end up having just about no one to consult on - which car to buy.
Now, before jumping on one of the various bandwagons - the background is I'm kinda alone in the western world, coming from eastern europe, so none of my family's advice applies. Probably for the same reason, I am completely debt averse (I've always felt unprotected - see mom comments above - so have strayed into probably working too hard, and saving a lot more than I need to - and hence the problem - I could afford just about any car outright, and like those - but find it a waste of money to just watch it depreciate, and need means of transport now (small town so public transport I'm all for doesn't get me around too well - plus driving around in the evening or on the weekend does actually help calm the nerves and even improve on quality of life))
So, between being Mr Scrooge, which, as much as it is not my nature I have trained myself into - and splashing out on a luxury one (which is totally my nature but a grand waste of money) - what would be the sensible advice of the esteemed community here?
(I've tried to attack it from a green/fuel efficient/smart angle, but no luck - best I can come up with is Fiat 500 - stylish and small, but also uncomfortable if I remember a test drive right - the electric stuff seems more a gimmick than a smart spend, mostly due to 'once the battery brakes, all the savings will come due' - have owned an older Jag XJ, the big proper one in my twenties - an awesome car by any and all criteria, British green at that, but it was always broken to some extent and always a headache to fix - and everyone wanted to charge me an arm and both legs for just about everything - seeing a kid in a Jag must have brought the inner crooks out in them, he can't be that smart (sadly I am), let's just (try to) rip him off - so I was busy being defensive too often, rather than enjoying a well deserved bit of luxury (and would hate to go through the same rip off experience again - the work that earned it was depressing if high level, and again, with zero emotional support from anyone, there's only so much you can take before taking it out on yourself or others who may be near, a thoroughly and deeply unsatisfying experience))