I think it's definitely the reality. My exotics are possibly the only lifelong dream that I've fulfilled where there was absolutely no buyer's remorse or disappointment along the way.
That's not to say there aren't occasions where I think about how stupid it is for someone my age to be tying up so much money in cars, or times when I'm paying a repair or insurance bill where I think about all the other things I could be doing with the money.
In fact, at least for the past few months, I have had so little time to drive them that you would think they would be irritating reminders of such extravagance. But the simple fact is that even if they never started again, it would still make me smile every time I opened the garage door. They are what motivate me to go to work every day, even if that means I get precious little time to enjoy them.
A big part of it is making sure you get exactly what you want. Each time I've bought a car, I've had a very precise idea in my head of what I wanted in that car - everything from service records and tools to color and options. I've always held out for exactly that car, so I've never been unhappy. I was usually given some other attractive alternates - cheaper car in the wrong color, etc., but I held out. I chased the particular Diablo I wanted for more than 2 years before landing my dream car, and so no regrets.