Don't do the typical UK thing and feel that a new car is a necessarily better thing, it's just a fashion item - over here the mentality seems to be that everybody wants a better car than their neighbour.
Older cars can be very good too, and have MUCH lower maintenance costs, and fewer problems too (anything without too many computers, essentially).
We have a 1995 Audi A6, 2.5L diesel. Have had it for a few years, it's absolutely bulletproof for reliability, has surprisingly good fuel consumption, has done over 300,000 miles, has never had any big problems, and shows no signs of going downhill, it just keeps on going... it cost us £1300, and that was a few years ago, has been very cheap to run, has never needed to go to the garage (simple maintenance like oil changes and checking water levels etc can avoid expensive repairs) and being an A6 is certainly not lacking in comfort and gadgets.
Low cost to buy, low cost to run (50-60mpg we've averaged - this particular engine is very reliable and can happily run at revs as low as 1000-1500rpm without working hard, thus keeping fuel consumption down), cheap to maintain (when it even needs work), comfortabl, very practical, and still looking good. I don't find the design of german cars changes as much over time as that of french or japanese cars, for example.
We also have a mercedes E300 TD, 1997, cost £70 and is frankly in excellent condition. Everything is known to be reliable in these cars, only weak points being the front suspension supports (with a few welds that was beefed up and will never need looking at again), and the fact that the metal is thinner (thus more prone to rust in these climates) than older models. But that hasn't changed (and if anything will be worse) on their new cars. Leather and wood interior, very smooth and reliable 6-cylinder engine, very quiet, spacious and comfortable, makes you feel like a drug dealer driving it lol... however it's a bit thirstier, at 30-40mpg.
I also have a year 2000 BMW 316, petrol (2-liter engine however, unlike the name suggests), which was free (a new one will depreciate in value faster than you could burn your money... nearly), very reliable and excellent car all round, good fun and sporty feeling to drive, however being petrol, that means it does similar consumption to the Merc.
If you're desperate for a new car, which will cost you god knows how many times more, then go ahead. but personally I can't see why people buy new cars, unless they simply don't know any better and assume that older ones aren't as good. The smart money is on buying something 10-15 years old, which will be modern enough to be very comfortable, quiet and reliable, yet not so new that it's just a depreciating money pit. You'll never get your money back on a new car.