I like this post. You'd be crazy to think that this isn't shit that we all, especially men, don't struggle with. We own all 3 of our vehicles out right, so no car payments. Fewer things in life more beautiful than that. But that has never stopped me, as a man who loves cars, from browsing what's out there. Every. damn. day.
I conceded a very long time ago, that my 4Runner is the best car I've ever owned hands down and therefore is never going anywhere. So that makes things easier on that end. Sooner or later my wife will be due for a mommy-mobile upgrade and, while the Venza has been an excellent vehicle, gives me a chance to add something cool to the stable.. As well as a car payment. I'm also not convinced that the WRX is really the right vehicle for me, so there's possibilities on that front.
I'd like a truck myself sometimes, but most of the time I can get whatever I need to get done with my 4Runner and for the times I absolutely need a truck, I have access to several. New 4Runners are nice, but owning another 4Runner just wouldn't make sense to me. I lust for the 3rd gen Tacomas as well.
What I can say is that no car or material thing in general will ever make us feel happy or complete, if you think they will. You'll get that momentary hit and then the high melts away and it's just another car. But what you did touch on, is that you understand what is really important, and that's the time spent with the ones we love.
I've been back to giving my 4Runner a lot of overdue attention lately and doing little mods and maintenance here and there and with every thing I do, no matter how small, rediscover just how much I love that thing. AND!! As a bonus, my son, now 3, LOVES to wrench on the truck with daddy. He loves the truck, he loves going wheeling, he loves working with tools. It's amazing just to see that joy in his eyes. I've got big plans for the 4Runner coming up and it's exciting. And while it's already way overbuilt for my needs, it's just a fun project that I can take pride in and enjoy teaching my son about cars on, so all worth it.
At the end of the day, I'm not trying to offer any advice about what you should do, but I want you to know that all of these feelings are so normal. For me, it's just a "grass is greener" scenario, which we know how those go, further enhanced when you look around and see so and so has this and that. It's man mentality that we really need to get over in order to grow up some. Just what I've observed. Hope you and the fam are doing well brother. Take care.
