I love working on cars, but I work a minimum of 50 hour a week, help raise two small children and maintain a 120 year old house. I don't have time to fix a $3000 POS every week so it can handle my 500 mile/week commute.

Your general premise is only true to the extent you have (1) liquid capital and (2) no idea how to invest it better. Your corollary premise (that people should buy used cars) ignores the fact that the vast majority of people just want a car that works and paying $200-$300/month for an appliance covered by a warranty…

I gave this a NP because, while I wouldn't pay $7k for this, it's close enough to haggle. If I show up and it starts and runs for 30 minutes without lights, smoke or the sounds of loose china bouncing around from inside the block, it's a $6k car.

Here is the all new 2016 Miata

Actually, this gives me a better idea...what about just running the whole shit off of a super low-power ARM processor...and having something infinitely better?