I drive an SUV that I purchased new in 2002. It has relatively low mileage but, after nearly eight years of hauling sports equipment for my kids and mulch for my garden, and after assorted spills while my kids negotiated who got to sit where, my car is not as pristine as it once was. The exterior is faded and scratched. It has more than a few dings, including a few that I inexpertly tried to hammer away. The interior is stained and faded and its storage area will always have clay from the sports fields in every nook and cranny, no matter how many times I vacuum. I can't deny that the bloom is off the rose when it comes to my vehicle.

That's OK because I like it that way.

Unfortunately, my wife does not like it that way. For the past two years, she has gently been nudging me to buy a new car. It does not have to be an expensive car. It does not have to be a flashy car. It does not even have to be new. A quality pre-owne...

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