man everything you say....enforces my belief in how much different of a world you live in compared to the one I grew up in (im 24, still young ya). $12k not that expensive? an '02 Audi not luxury?
Dont take this as an insult, but I just cant fathom how a person could think a $12k 2002 Audi isnt that expensive or that luxurious. Sure compared to whats out there you could argue that it isnt, and compared to what other people around you have it may not be. Just remember that wherever you are someone will always have something bigger, better, faster, stronger, sexier etc... than you do.
Dont forget, anything is better that what you have now...which is nadda-f'kin thing.
and on an end note, FWIW...with $3k there are a handfull of 1980s 4, 6 and 8 cylinder cars that I could buy and build to run a 1/4 mile in the time it takes that VW GTi VR6 or your Audi to run 2/3 the way down the track.