Do you secretly hate your car? Some of you do. You didn't pick it for your spouse or a now-deceased family member who handed it down. You bought your car entirely for yourself, willingly — maybe even eagerly — but not because it was the car you truly wanted. You picked it because it was the"correct" choice, and now that decision is yours to live with and yours alone.
But admitting you're miserable means admitting your own failure, so you do what society has taught you to do your whole life — plant your feet and rage at anybody who casts shade on your choice, even if it's not actually directed at you. These are followed by inevitable double-downs that come with late-stage cognitive dissonance.
The world teaches us to admire people who stick to their guns, but at the end of the day, temporary admiration won't salve your insecurity or lift you from insolvency. Being a car enthusiast doesn't have to come with existential baggage. No matter how good of a job you set out to do, you're not going to earn the universal approval of automotive gatekeepers, so stop trying.