Originally Posted by West Peterson

Don't forget to remain sensible. If the Crossfire is preventing you from moving forward in life, then you probably need to sell it. It's not the end of the world. There will be other opportunities. I had to sell my 1962 Porsche cabriolet about seven years ago. Do I wish I had it back? Yes. Do I regret selling it? No. It was the right thing to do at the time.

As far as buying a new SUV, I thought long and hard this fall about buying a new Explorer (2011). It would have cost $30 grand for the base model with tow package. It would have been worth a LOT less immediately upon driving off the lot, and probably about $15 grand in just a couple of years. I opted to buy a one-owner like-new Mercury Mountaineer Premier AWD for $10 grand AND the 7,000-mile Crossfire for $10 grand. Two great vehicles for $10 grand LESS than I had been planning, plus I solved two problems rather than one and can use that extra $10 grand for maintenance or emergencies. (Ironically, the furnace in my house crapped out about a week after making these decisions.)