A lot of people feel this way.... that, 'I will always have debt, so why should I bother trying to pay it off"... or, "it's too much work'. I have a friend that feels that way. He simply wants to live life to the fullest. When I was younger I didn't quite have that perspective, but I spend what I had quite freely. Mostly through loans and toys. I enjoyed that for that time in my life, and really don't have a ton of regrets there. Now that I am heading toward the back half of my life, I see how much of my life is tied to having to work. It's not that I mind working, it's about having the choice... or freedom.
We refinanced to a 15 year from a 30 year about 10 years ago. The rate was ridiculously low, so I just figured... why not. Turns out to be the best thing I ever did. I can't tell you how good it feels to not have debts anymore, money in the bank, and see a light at the end of the tunnel. Now I think back to a line in the movie Jack Reacher, "look at them... and you tell me, which ones are really free". All it took was for me to have about 6 months of no car payment and all of sudden I felt a weight lifted. And it felt good to not have to write away all the money I now realize I work so hard for. That was the other thing; Because I was never afraid of, or didn't mind doing, work, I never cared about where the fruits of that labor was going. Now... I definitely do. But I also still want to live that one life I have, so I still buy "wants", I just buy them smarter.
Back on topic, I hope values of S197s are going up... cause I can't afford an S550. Maybe in another 5 years.