I bought a brand new BMW convertible. Cost over $40k. Just bought it because unlike most, I could afford it and just pay for it. Now granted, high end Honda odessey vans and most full size pickup trucks cost as much if not more than my car, but this is a commuting toy.
Am I proud, boastful or feel I'm better? Nope. In fact, the most pride I feel is driving 30 year old Mercedes that are like brand new. They aren't worth as much as a new civic, and don't offer all the creature comforts of the latest luxury cars. But they have lines, quality, and form that modern cars just don't have.
But back to the BMW... When someone in a "lesser" (as the ads would make you feel) car comes by, am I smug? Nope. And when a 6 series convertible comes by am I jealous? Nope. I just don't care.
I buy cars based upon what I perceive to be good value, attractive price point, and meets all my wants. If next year the model has 50hp more, I'm not concerned. I shop for what I want and like, and keep it like new so it looks better at 5 years than others' do at 1 year old. On any given day I'll drive a car that is 31, 30, 21, 14, 8, 4 or 1 year old. Each has a purpose, each has a quality that I love, and while each would have a "better" variant in new form, do I care? Nope. I own my stuff, and I'm comfortable with what I've got.
While advertising is great at telling you what you deserve and how you need it so bad, nobody deserves anything, and most make choices that really do nothing but harm their long term position by trying to talk the talk. I'm not jealous of losers or posers.
And I'm also not saying to not get nice things. Many just can't afford them, and that's life - grow up. But if you can plan and make it happen, some reasonable nice tho GE that you can be proud of and keep nice, are nice to have. But planning for them and paying for them are the keys.