When people at shows ask how much the Dragonfly cost, I tell them less than my car has depreciated since I bought it, and that's the truth by a fair margin. It's less than I would pay to trade my car (a 2002 Mercury Gran Marquis) for a new Honda Civic. Nobody would bat an eye over the cost of doing that. I've put 150,000 miles on that car in the 6 years I've owned it, and I expect to get another 150k at least out of it. Cop cars and taxis use the same platform because they run forever. Last time I was in a taxi, I asked the driver how his Crown Vic was holding up. In 325,000 miles, excluding normal maintenance, of course, he had to replace the water pump.
I don't mind driving an old but reliable vehicle. That's why I bought it (Salesman thought I was a nut...I was 32 and the average Gran Marquis purchaser is around 60, but I wanted something that would last).
I want to play an Alembic. So I do.
Really, people will spend that much money on SOMETHING. It's just a matter of deciding on what. Cable or satellite TV could run you a grand a year easily. Same for cigarettes. It's all in how you arrange your priorities.
Not too expensive at all.
